The 68 page graphic novel Tara Togs is written and drawn by Stref. It took five year to complete and when you support the kickstarter you support his work. But who is Stref? Find out here.
Support the Tara Togs The Secret of Unicorns kickstarter here
“My name is Stephen White, I’m a Scottish cartoonist, who lives in Edinburgh and works under the pen name Stref.
I started my illustration career in 1987 at the age of 16, when I joined Edinburgh Council’s Graphic Design Group as an in- house artist. It was there, while working on a large variety of projects for the city, that I received an on-the-job training in illustrating for publications and graphic design. I also produced work for many exhibitions put on by the Council, including: Gold Of The Pharaohs, Star Trek, Muppets/Monsters&Magic, Dinosaurs Alive, and Missing Links Alive.
In 2001, I began working with D C Thomson, on their comic book publications: The Dandy and The Beano. It was here that I was able to expand on the various styles I had used on Council projects, and I contributed to many established strips, along with co-creating some new characters.
Strips I worked on, over the next twelve years, included: Winker Watson, Dennis the Menace, Minnie the Minx, The Bash Street Kids, Desperate Dan, and many more.
In 2009, my first independent graphic novel, MILK, was first published. This book was a collection of short sci fi/fantasy type stories, all written and drawn in different styles and aimed at the more mature reader. The book has since been pubished two more times, each with slightly altered content, currently by Shorline Of Infinity.
Over the the next two years, I produced two more independent books: Raising Amy, a collection of newspaper strip type cartoons, and X, a serial killer horror story, strictly for adults.
My graphic novel adaptation of J M Barrie’s Peter Pan was published in 2015. Adapted from Barrie’s original novel and play, and drawn by me, the colour artwork was done by Fin Cramb.
This book lead to us also collaborating on artwork created for Moat Brae House in Dumfries, which had close ties to Barrie, and is now the National Centre for Children’s Literature.
I returned to work with D C Thomson on the Digital Dandy, and moved on from that, to work for three years on Scotland’s most famous characters: The Broons and Oor Wullie. During this time, I teamed up again with Fin Cramb, to produce colored images for the Broons, and at this time, we also worked on two children’s books featuring the Tattoo Fox, that were commissioned by The Royal Edinburgh Militay Tattoo.
I currently work with Viz Magazine, producing regular character strips, as well as one-off girls/boys adventure type strips. The most prominent of these regular strips being The Broon Windsors, a satire of the royal family drawn in a style similar to the Broons.
Just this year, I finished my fifth independent graphic novel, Tara Togs. This book started as a lockdown project, and took three years to draw, between regular commissions for Viz. The colouring and lettering was completed in with the help of Creative Scotland. This is currently running as a kickstarter.
Tara Togs is a young lady, who dreams of becoming a professional photographer. In her first full-length adventure, The Silence Of Unicorns, her knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time lands her smack-bang in the middle of a gang of ruthless criminals and their plot to steal a valuable piece of art. Armed only with her quick wits and unfailing bravery, she sets out to bring the gang to justice, and manages to make a few friends on her adventure, that can lend a helping hand. Only together, do they have a chance of stopping the thieves and solving the mystery of one of the world’s greatest lost treasures. You can read the 6 page prologue below.
Tara’s debut strip, however, will not be this 68 page graphic novel! I was recently approached by ComisScene, and asked to produce a short story featuring Tara, for their ComicScene Yearbook. I was delighted at this opportunity, and there was something happening in my home town of Edinburgh that had been bugging me…something I could write about, in what has become Tara’s first public appearance. Tara Togs in ‘Hot Dog’ will be provided as an extra ‘zine’ as a kickstarter reward to ‘The Silence of Unicorns’ and you can get pages of the original artwork as well.”
Stephen (Stref) White
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