End of year show Image

Well, as promised here was the personal image I did for my    end of year show. I seemed to have misplaced the cable for my camera (consequences from moving house) but i'll find that tomorrow and upload my end of year photo's then. It seems like I'm constantly moving house, and as a matter of fact, i'll be doing it again in three months time, but that's student life for you!

I was determined to get one personal image into my show as I wanted to show something new for it. I was very happy with the outcome here as it felt a little more me. The inspiration came from recently playing Shadow of the Colossus and wanting to do a picture of Wander. I like how well the charcoal and the Japanese brush combines here and it's something I plan to continue experimenting with over the summer.

This is actually going back to my earlier post today, but, heading into year three I still feel undecided as to what artistic style to pursue. There's a lot of excellent competition on my course and it really motivates you to try and create the best work possible. Healthy competition promotes creativity and jealously in equal measure!

The problem with spare time

As the title may suggest, now that term has finished im left with the unusual situation where i have so much time i don't know what to do with myself. I can never win.

First thing to do is get my photos up from my end of year show (they will be up tonight, promise!)

My goal for the summer though will be portfolio building. Its rather worrying that after two years of university i still don't feel that i have my 'style' locked down yet. It's all well and good being diverse but it would be nice to have a signature look. So, that my goal. I'm just going to enjoy illustrating the beautiful and the grotesque in equal measure and not have to explain myself. Illusuration should be enjoyable after all and that wiy im doing this in the first place!

Exhibition Preparation 2013

So, we've all been busy getting the studio ready for our end of year show. Despite one rather disastrous moment of boards toppling onto the computer section things went rather well. Managed to avoid getting any paint on me! Which is a miracle to say the least. I always like going to these events, just for the chance to see what everyone has done across the two year groups. It is also a nice introduction to that eventual time where your work has to be viewed by an audience. I still get nervous showing my friends work, let alone strangers.

  

Now comes the more difficult task of actually deciding what to put up for the show. I decided to do one new piece for the show that no one else had seen yet, just so there was something new to look at. It was also my first chance in a long while to do some personal work,  

which needed no explaining or justification. Once the show is over I'll load the picture on here. It was a return to safe ground for me, harking back to some of my pre-uni art styles.

 

It was such a nice return that I now plan to illustrate a series of images in this style for my own self initiated project over the summer (in between dissertation research of course...)

End of Year Show 2013

Another year done, and its left me with that daunting/exciting notion that I'm going into my final year of study. Not quite sure what to make of that! My end of year show is to be next Thursday, so expect some pictures of me in the mean time painting boards and clearing out the studio.

On a more productive side of things, I have now assembled a rough and ready portfolio. It's a peculiar feeling seeing all your work condensed into twenty pages and knowing that this will be how prospective clients judge you.

For the more perceptive of you out there, I have rejigged my blog design. Hopefully it reflects me and my work a little more accurately than that rather garish purple stain that inhabited my page for the last year.

On to new projects in the pipeline, now that university has finished for the summer, I plan to do some homage images for some of my favourite films and games etc. It dawned on me while making my portfolio that I didn't really have any artwork that was done for pleasure, or reflected me as a character. So, first on the list is an interpretation of the game 'Shadow of the Colossus', one of my all time favourite games. Stayed tuned, and look out for giants...

Nocturnes

 

Illus 230 Final Three - 'Nocturnes' by John Connolly

And for the final part of this trilogy of work, we have the cover itself. Using the word nocturne itself as inspiration. This is an image that celebrates the night, and pays homage to the work of James Abbott McNeill Whistler.

The Inkpot Monkey

"The Inkpot Monkey"

The Inkpot Monkey' is inspired by the short story of the same name by John Connelly, found in the book of short stories 'Nocturnes'. To be viewed as a companion piece to 'the Furnace Room'.

The Furnace Room

Illus 230 Final One - 'The Furnace Room' by John Connelly.

Taken from the book of short stories 'Nocturnes', this is my first dabbling in digital colouring. Was rather proud of this effort, but damn, that's the second time this term I've drawn spiral staircases. One day I may allow myself to do simple compositions, but as Aragorn would say 'it is not this day!'

Sneak Peak Illustrations May 2013

So I have this theory that if I start putting up snippets of upcoming work it may garner some interest. And there's nothing as pleasing (and irritating) as teasers! Here's a quick glance at what i've been up to this month...

"Ooooh, what is this?!" I hear you all saying? Well, now that I'm fast approaching the end of my second year of university, I've been trying to steer my work towards the kind of jobs I hope to be doing as a professional. Namely book illustration, which I hope will see illustrations appearing in both adult and children's novels. These are title pages for the book of short stories 'Nocturnes' by John Connelly, an excellent read which I thoroughly recommend. As for the final products, you'll just have to wait and see. If you can't wait that long then I suggest reading the short stories 'the Inkpot Monkey' and 'the Furnace Room' for clues as to what these pictures allude to...