Paduary

Mick Minogue started drawing his mate Paddy as a means of getting his creative juices flowing at the start of the year. Here is a selection of adventures he’s taken him on.

A couple of years back I was drawing mates, just wanting to up my character drawing game and I drew Paddy on a birthday card. I got him down in an almost fluid use of Zorro lines – well not really but it was pretty quick. Paddy liked it but I was hooked. I kept drawing the P lad. January was fast approaching and we were already down at the thoughts of it so I said I’d give my mate a month-long gift and rename the month Paduary.

I think the first time I did it I got five Paddys in and then bottled it. I think Paddy felt weirded out by it and I lost my confidence as to what the hell I was doing. Then came the second year and I swore to complete it and it was magnificent. We gained some Pad fans and when people recognised Paddy in the real world, well, holy Fook, that was a Who Framed Roger Rabbit Bob Hoskins moment and Paduary became a real live boy.

I had people tell me: “I don’t get it, I don’t know Paddy so I can’t relate or get into it.” This always saddened me. I thought to myself, you don’t know Calvin or Hobbes, I’m pretty sure you’ve never called up Bart Simpson for chats. All I’m asking is for you to get to know my mate, the best lad, the funniest graphic designer ’n’ nerdiest gig loving adoring husband that London has ever seen. Come get to know Paddy Dunne, through my weird in-joke illustrations. – Mick Minogue