The Truth About Dinosaurs

Crop from Dino DPS, Line art in Manga Studio, Colour in Photoshop

I was commissioned by BBC Focus magazine to illustrate an article for the December issue on the changing nature of the "truth" about dinosaurs. As the article says, "These days barely a month goes by without a fossil find or new research challenging our assumptions about how dinosaurs lived."

For the opening double page spread the art editor suggested a drawing of the main hall of the Natural History Museum in London with the addition of a giant pair of pterodactyl wings on the large Diplodocus skeleton. Completely in love with this idea, and secretly hoping that one day a fossil is found that supports this, I was more than happy to oblige!

Dino DPS rough sketch, artwork in Manga Studio. Click to enlarge.

Dino DPS final art, line art and colour in Manga Studio with some colour overlays in Photoshop. Click to enlarge.

Accompanying the article I was also asked to create 4 half page illustrations. This image was to illustrate the idea that "until this year palaeontologists had no clear-cut evidence for the colour of dinosaurs. Illustrators made educated guesses, basing their pallets on what they know of colour in modern animals." I decided to show an adventurous illustrator painting "from life".

"True Colours" rough, artwork created in Manga Studio. Click to enlarge.

"True Colours" final art, line art and colour in Manga Studio with some colour overlays in Photoshop.

Click to enlarge.

"Think dinosaurs and you’ll likely conjure images of vast creatures tramping through sweltering swamps or fetid forests. But palaeontologists working in Alaska and Antarctica have shown that dinosaurs survived in far colder conditions than previously thought, with some species able to thrive amidst snow and ice."

"Dinos on Ice" rough, artwork created in Manga Studio.

Click to enlarge.

"Dinos on Ice" final art, line art and colour in Manga Studio with some colour overlays in Photoshop. Click to enlarge.

It also turns out that there's no such thing as a Bronotsaurus. The palaeontologist who discovered it, Othniel Charles Marsh, essentially mixed up the bones of another dinosaur, Apatosaurus ajax, which he also discovered, and thought he'd found a new species. Brontosaurus, being much more fun to pronounce has lived on in the public consciousness.

"Mistaken Identity" rough,

artwork created in Manga Studio.

Click to enlarge.

"

Mistaken Identity

" final art, line art and colour in Manga Studio.

Click to enlarge.

"They look like weapons, but many of the dinosaurs’ most impressive horns, plates and spikes may have been used more for display than destruction."

"Display not destruction" rough,

artwork created in Manga Studio.

Click to enlarge.

"

Display not destruction

" final art, line art and colour in Manga Studio.

Click to enlarge.

The magazine's in the shops now, so please do go pick up a copy to read the full story and all the other great features.

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Live Better

"Live Better", artwork created in Manga Studio

This is illustration was commissioned by BBC Focus Magazine to accompany an article on improving your day to day life using simple scientific principles. As an extremely unscientific man I found this very helpful indeed. Check it out in the current issue.

Have a great week!

Klingon/Navi

"Klingon/Navi" Lineart in Manga Studio, Colour in Photoshop

BBC Focus Magazine commissioned me to produce this illustration for an article on the man made languages from "Star Trek" and "Avatar". Apparently plenty of students of "Klingon" have made the switch to learning "Navi" the language of the inhabitants of Pandora.

The issue is out now, go check it out and have a great week!

Nature's Most Wanted Assassins

Crop from "Most Wanted" illustration for BBC Focus magazine. Linework in Manga Studio, colour in Photoshop.

Robbie Bennie, Deputy Art Editor on BBC Focus Magazine commissioned me to produce an image for a short article on "Nature's Assassins", insects and fungus that "take out" destructive pests. Robbie gave me the concept of turning the insects and fungus into comic book style super villains in a police line up based on the famous "Usual Suspects" poster.

Rough sketch for "Most Wanted", linework in Manga Studio, colour in Photoshop.

Diving in with both feet I drew up a rough based on the poster, using the same poses but designing costumes over the top. Left to right the deadly assassins are; A ladybird (Targets Aphids) , Hoverfly (Aphids and leafhoppers), Rust fungus (the rubber vine weed), Lacewing (Too many to mention) and another kind of fungus not named in the copy I was sent!

Aside from the difficulties of designing costumes based on a white mould, I was having a blast! After the ok I moved onto the final linework and colour.

Final linework, Manga Studio.

Final artwork for "Most Wanted", linework in Manga Studio, colour in Photoshop.

The article is in the May issue of Focus which I think is out now. Have a great week!

Infinity

Crop from "Infinity– LHC" illustration for April issue of BBC Focus

Robbie Bennie, Deputy Art Editor on BBC Focus, commissioned me to illustrate a feature based around the concept of "Infinity". As per usual, it's always so much fun working with the guys at Focus and I had a blast drawing mad scientists, planets and apes! Sadly, not all in the same image...

Robbie sent me the draft spreads for the feature. For the illustrations he'd created very rough photomontages that I then worked from to create the final illustrations. For me, the advantage of this way of working is I know where all the text will be and can compose the images accordingly.

The first image was based on the German mathematician George Cantor who discovered "Absolute Infinity... This number is so vast that it is literally indescribable: indeed, its definition is based on the idea that any attempt to describe it always describes something smaller. Not surprisingly, Cantor’s discoveries sparked huge controversy, and he found himself attacked by fellow mathematicians – and even some theologians, who accused him of encroaching on the concept of God. The criticism plunged Cantor into depression and led to frequent spells in asylums."

Rough sketch and linework created in Manga Studio

Final artwork, linework coloured in Photoshop.

"How infinity can turn a chimp into a genius – Imagine sitting Bubbles the chimp in front of a standard computer keyboard, which has around 100 keys. How long would it take for Bubbles to bash out the famous phrase “To be or not to be”? Assuming he hits the keys at random, there’s just a 1 in 100 chance of getting the first letter right, 1 in 100 of the second and so on. Even typing at the rate of a keystroke per second, getting just this bit of Hamlet right would typically take Bubbles far longer than the age of the Universe."

Rough sketch and linework created in Manga Studio

Final artwork, linework coloured in Photoshop.

"The Multiverse – Do we live in an infinite universe – or universes? The basic argument comes in various guises, but they all start by assuming that our Universe is just finite in extent, so that somewhere out there lies the edge of space itself. But an edge only makes sense if it marks the boundary with something else, and as the Universe includes everything by definition, the ‘something’ must also be part of the Universe."

Rough sketch and linework created in Manga Studio

Final artwork, linework coloured in Photoshop.

Rough sketch and linework created in Manga Studio

Final artwork, linework coloured in Photoshop.

Get a copy to read the rest of the article and have a great week!

Get Me Out Of Here

Full page feature illustration crop.

Earlier this month, Steve Sayers, Art Editor on BBC focus and fast becoming my client of the year asked me to produce some illustrations for a feature in the December issue, "I'm an IG Nobel Prize Winner – Get Me Out Of Here!".

The feature asks 6 winners (see more about the prize here) how they would escape being marooned on a desert island. I won't go into too much detail about how they do it, the enterprising amongst them utilising their own creations as much as possible, but if you are keen it is a very interesting article and I suggest you pick up a copy!

As far as my drawings were concerned, Steve had sent me little stickmen roughs placed on the page layout to show how he wanted to illustrate the solutions the inventors had come up with. I simply worked these up into digital colour roughs using Manga Studio for the line work and Photoshop for the colour. Steve asked me to base the style on a "shoes" illustration from my portfolio and I think the simple line and colour gives the drawings a real "Boy's Own" feel, suiting the article to a "t".

Sketch of "Clocky" solution, Gauri Nanda turns an alarm clock into a makeshift solar powered boat to paddle for help on bamboo oars.

Upon approval I then worked up the finals, drawing the ink line digitally in Manga Studio and colouring up selected areas in Photoshop. These sparely coloured finals actually take a long time as you find yourself doing a lot of adding and deleting sections until you find the right balance.

Final "Clocky" solution.

Final "Coconut bombs" solution, Dr Elena Bodnar uses a bra to fire coconut shells filled with gunpowder to attract passing ships.

"Stink" solution, Charles Spence uses a plastic bag filled with vanilla to attract ships by smell.

"Big smoke" solution, after constructing a huge "S.O.S." sign Troy Hurtubise builds a giant fire pit to attract a rescue.

"Coin tube solution", my personal favourite, Len Fisher uses loose change to create an electric current to signal passing ships.

The full page title illustration based on the "I'm a Celebrity" TV show logo.

What Happens When

I was contacted by Steve Sayers, Art Editor on BBC Focus Magazine, to produce 15 Illustrations for a feature on "What Happens When...", answering questions about what the body is doing when itching or blushing etc. This project was very enjoyable and I even got to sneak in a vaguely-Heath-Robinson-inspired creation along the way too! Should be out now in the August issue.

Above image: "Blushing"

"Cramp"

"Farting"

"Itching"

"Cracking Knuckles"

"Heartburn"

"Seeing Stars"

"Sensitive Teeth"

"Twitchy Eyelid"