Hollow

A slightly cheep shot, but I was doing this anyway as part of my on-going experiment with portraits and caricature, and after all, what else is the internet for other than taking pot shots at celebrities?!

Shaky Start

A shaky start to your first day on the job.

Remember your first job? Mine was in a Fish 'n' Chip shop (how English!) as a "chipper and peeler" and lasted the sum total of about 8 hours as I never went back! Oh, and in case you're wondering, it wasn't chipping and peeling by hand, I had to carry the potatoes from one machine to the next in big buckets. By the end of the day my uniform was like concrete from all the starch! On the plus side I did get to have all the Fish and chips that I could eat! And we wonder why there's an obesity problem in this country...

Contagious

Better watch out for those disease spreading vermin...

Celebrity Theatre

Process

Inspired by the Dave Gibbons Watchmen tutorial I decided to try out the application Manga Studio. My standard working practice is to draw in pencil or ink and colour in Photoshop. I have, however, become bored with scanning and retouching and decided to have a play and see if I can work entirely digitally.

I thumbnailed my idea out as usual.



I then jumped straight into the application and, after finding sufficient reference, sketched out the figures using a pencil tool. I then made a new layer and inked away.



For colour, I exported the image and worked in Photoshop as normal.

I think it's a great application, very easy to use and I love the "ink" line quality. I didn’t time the process, but I suspect it was faster than normal. However, I think the finish is pretty classic comic book-y which is obviously what the application is designed for but not completely what I'm after in my illustration. Also, working exclusively with the wacom tablet has done nothing for my RSI.

I think I'll have another play or two. It's definitely a useful tool to have in the arsenal next time that style is required.

A Fleeting Glance at Portobello Market

The Portobello Antiques Market is a strange place. The street is full to bursting with people, yet fails to feel vibrant. I prefer to make my approach by slinking up the back streets to sit and drink a cold one outside the pubs further up Portobello Road towards Ladbroke Grove, watching the mix of people, old money, new money and no money congregating in the streets.

Antiques leave me cold. Always have done. In the V&A for instance I tend to take a greater interest in the people wandering around rather than the assorted thousand year old nick nacks “collected” by Knights of the British Empire from around the globe. I like painting and drawing, buildings, machines and musical instruments. The ceremonial vase of whoever might make a nice footrest, assuming of course that you cover it with a cushion first.

I guess it’s no surprise that when I wander the street passing the antique shops filled with coins, medals, mirrors and other gold shiny detritus, squeezing down the hill, one hand on the wallet, one hand braced for balance against suddenly stopping Italians and Chinese tourist groups that I’m just looking for the nearest bar.

Come join me! We’d better be quick, the sun is shining, but this is England. It might be our last chance.

Oh, and bring your scarf. Sun doesn’t mean warmth in this country either.

Talisman

When out on the town out to meet the ladies, having your mates with you can be both talismanic and a hindrance...

Thumbnail sketch and a glimpse at my photoshop layers below. The highlighted one says "Extra shadow due to laziness". Well, at least I know it!

Legendary Dog

Other legendary dogs? My personal favourite, for general amazing British TV naff-ness will always be K-9.

So Many Shoes, So Little Time

Flawed

Climbing The Social Ladder

Pale

Contained

Luckily for Hugh, Mary also thought that in the case of the ring the store contained, bigger is not always better.

Voices - Well, Mine

The struggle to find a visual voice.

I've been working very hard on mine all year and after finding a way forward that I'm thoroughly happy with and excited by, this feels like a nice full stop for 2008.

Happy Christmas all, and here's to 2009!

Rambunctious

Similar - Like an Android

I wonder which sex would be keener on the idea of a robot companion?

Balloon Skirt

Opinion

I always find opinions more interesting when they are well researched. There's nothing quite like someone, preferably famous, sounding off about something they know nothing about. I tried to find an example to link to, but the google hits were so off the chart that I gave up! I suggest instead that you turn on the radio... you won't have to wait long!

Pretend

What's this?! Why are you taking me in here? Oh my goodness, it's beautiful! No! You can't! It's too much... What are you doing? Put that credit card away! Oh, oh it's amazing, thank you! You really are the best, so generous! I love it!

Streetwise

Vacant

Here's a bit of pulp magazine style fun for you. As soon as I had the idea I couldn't really help myself!