Detail from "Tablets", line art in Manga Studio, colour in Photoshop.
I was hired by BBC Focus to illustrate an article reviewing the new batch of tablet PC's desperate to take the iPad's crown. Working with Steve Sayers, the Art Editor on Focus, the process of the job was a bit different for me as it involved illustrating around product photography.
Steve's idea, inspired by the poster for Cecil B DeMille's 1956 film "Ten commandments", was to produce a dramatic image of a guy on a mountain carrying all the tablets. As usual I then sourced my own reference for the drawing, including the obligatory dressing gown dressing up shots... (A quick google search failed to bring up the name of the illustrator who painted this poster. If anyone knows who it was, please let me know!)
Ten Commandments poster and reference images for the final drawing.
Steve then sent me over a rough layout for me to draw over, so they could work out where the tablets would be. After deciding that the figure couldn't hold the tablets in his hands as they would be to jumbled up, I decided to go for a more fantasy angle and have the tablets "appearing" out of the lightning. I scribbled up a rough over a stock photograph in Photoshop, which was then sent to the photographer so he could shoot the tablets at the right angles.
Rough layout, drawn in Photoshop over a draft pdf of the magazine spread.
With everything approved I waited for the shots to come back for the photographer and then completed my artwork.
Final art for "Tablet", line art in Manga Studio, colour in Photoshop.
A real collaborative effort and a really striking product review spread even if I do say so myself!
Have a great week!
