Roybrooks

I entered their competition and this is the winning design. It was to design a wallpaper design for Roybrooks estate agents in London. My first paid illustration commission!

Roy brooks wallpaper illustration

Design for Roybrooks estate agency

Currently I am working on an wallpaper design of the Camberwell area.

life out of balance koyaanisqatsi film notes

About nature, balance and how our world works.

With the slow pace, tranquil and mesmorising images in sequence, I find my mind wonders and myself in and out of conscious. When I do come back into a state of mind, I am faced with these sublime footage of landscapes  and captivating environments.

Timing - having the transitions of frames in time with beats of sound clips in sync can really add an impact to the viewing experience. Building up to the climax.

WHY ARE WE STILL WATCHING THIS AEROPLANE!?

This film really does like to look at all the sublime and great things our human race has made and lives on.

Why are all the buildings in this city empty?

Have you ever seen a bilding collapse?

It's quite something.

How can a film stay interesting for longer than an hour if its shots of various things in the world with music?

is this now comenting on the repetitive nature of how we live and work during our lives?

How does a 3D printer work?

Bloba that replicate the sounds

Playfula nf  mischevious

an animation but with the sound and image, its quite jouous

Cinepoeme

by Man Ray

No speech. Black and white film with orchestral sounds. 

Does he want the viewer to think about form? 

- It is an interesting study of form and movement.

- Many affects that distorts your view.

LA JETEE film notes

LA JETEE

SANS SOLEIL

BY CHRIS MARKER

influenced by sergei eisenstein

The series of montage

The untouchables with alcapone



A project of illustrating Time

-Watch these films as a viewer and audience
-and then think about what the producer and directing

12 monkeys - Terry Gillingham

A film that is told 99.9% in stills

film notes -

narrator with text on screen
slow paced fade ins/outs and panning up
The narration reallu keeps the story moving, past tense, describing an event in historym orchestral music fills in emotive moments, all ways sounds but sometimes a faint pulse

- The sound directs the film, supported by imagery

Stills have been reused?  

lack and white make for strong contrast affect

At the end, the pace quickens and the end comes. The composition within the frames are more dynamic and lively.

Summer Project 2K13: My Observational drawing for Lieland

Observational drawings as part of the summer project.

Top: German Shepherd statue, pen 

Second: Slippers from Dubai, coloured pencil

Third: Brixton Market, ink

Fourth: Torch, oil pastel

Fifth: Pinballs, ink and acrylic

Bottom: Edgware Road, pencil

I look back over these drawings and think about how I could have explored traditional illustration instead of 3D models. I don't regret the choices I made as I like using each project to explore and experiment. However, now I have an even stronger desire to draw and solve the problems that arise from them.

As I right the caption for each drawing, I realise how varied the materials are. Most obviously in observational drawing I use different materials because I don't really like to repeat things. I think this is a good quality but it does mean I haven't really pushed the bounrdaries of many materials, or refined/tightened the way I work with particular materials. Is this neccessary? Possibly.

I also wonder if I should use my primary research more to influence and inspire the direction on my work? For example, the pattern on the slippers are very stong and I like how the use of pastle on the torch really communicates too me the reflective quality of its glass. Instead, I had an urge to make things and steard down the 3D route. 

My Illustrations for Lieland by Etgar Keret

I am ending my project here.

Photography: My photographs

Digital photography of scenes

It was a great experience using the Photography Studio to shoot these. Several things were important to think about; lighting, viewpoint and composition. I particularly wanted the space to feel endless and full of depth so I had help from the technicians to set the camera to blur out the background and foreground.

Special thanks to:

Photography Department at Camberwell College of Arts

Photography: My models being made

Papier-mâché  'Igor' character 

Papier-mâché  'Igor' character (torso)

Plasticine 'Robbie' and 'Natasha' models

Plasticine 'Robbie' (torso bare)

Plasticine 'Robbie' 

For the Fiction project I've been making these models. I plan to place them in the photography studio and use the white backdrop as the white world that is Lieland. It seems I have taken focus on the characters more than anything else.

I have moved too far on in my project from this to develop these characters more (I have photographed the scenes and are ready for the final crit). Only now, taking a step back and really asking myself whether the choice in materials and visuals of these models are the most appropriate to a contemporary piece of writing for an adult audience. In short, they are very childlike with their out of proportionate heads and big eyes. A point was highlighted about how I've used the Plasticine; Plasticine is a great material but to use it all over a model is takes away from that. As I suggestion, Plasticine can make really long and spindly hands and then perhaps leather for the shirt of sleeve. But then again, baring in mind it doesn't become a Ken doll wearing clothes.  So, I have experimented and played more with materials and created a couple of bizarre characters from found/raw materials. I have also looked into a couple more artists which I will upload in a few posts time. 

Research: White Vast World

The idea of my work at the moment is focusing on the 'White World' that is described in Lieland by Etgar Keret. I am looking into organic forms that describe vast landscapes and fantastic structures.   

'The Great Mutation' Ives Tanguy (1942) Cut-and-pasted painted paper, gouache, and pencil on paper. 11 3/8 x 8 5/8 in. 

"...In 1927, characterised by abstract biomorphic shapes resting or floating in a desert-like or under-water space...In 1930 visited Africa, where he was fascinated by the curious rock formations" 

Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists

Photocopies from 'Fantastical Architecture', Hermann Finsterlin drawings

"Within Bruno Taut's circle of friends, Hermann Finsterlin was the most extreme exponent of a sculpturally interpreted architecture. His designs are intriguing as pictures, projecting themselves as they do into a world of unknown conditions. As Architecture, these sheets of drawings must have caused a sensation at the time they were published, although they could have been understood as non-objective sculpture even then"  

U. Conrads, Fantastic Architecture (1963)

'Little Red Dot Against the Grand Canyon' Eva Prokop (2007)

"The truth is that no one knows for sure though there are some pretty good guesses...The most powerful force to have an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion, primarily by water (and ice) and second by wind. Other forces that contributed to the Canyon's formation are the course of the Colorado River itself, vulcanism, continental drift and slight variations in the earths orbit which in turn causes variations in seasons and climate."

B. Ribokas (1994-2009)

Published in:
Ronald Alley, Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists, Tate Gallery and Sotheby Parke-Bernet, London 1981, pp.712-3

U. Conrads, H. Guenther, Fantastic Architecture, The Architectural Press, London 1963, pp.36-7 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/evapro/531468246

http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/geology/gc_geol.htm

Research: Stop Motion Animation

Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers by Aardman

Looking at the props and set design to see if the set designers have used any perspective illusion teckniques to fake depth. During the Jewel-heist scene, the buildings look as though they could have been made with the roof and windows sloping on an angle to emphasis perspective and distance.

Fresh Guacamole by PES

PES use everyday objects to pose as food and condiments in a very clever way. Their animations are always fun and exciting. I think their use of colour helps. Although I am not to fond of their new animation

The Maker by Zealous Creative

SO SAD! Brilliant short but the twist at the end really gets you. Visuals and style are dark with a hint of magical at the end where digital is added.

Research: The Making of The Nightmare Before Christmas (1/3)

The Making of The Nightmare Before Christmas (1/3)

My Plasticine models are looking quite Burton-esque! Hence the Tim Burton animation documentaries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-LXKoNOMj0

Research: Trompe l'oiel

Definition:

(noun) - Trompe l'oeil literally translates from French to mean "fools the eye." Hard to paint, the trompe l'oeil piece requires meticulous attention to detail on the part of the artist. Proper sizing and every detail, nuance of light and gradation of color must be skillfully incorporated in order to make the two-dimensional workappear to be three-dimensional.

Paintings of this genre have been around since Antiquity, though they fell into disuse during the "Dark Ages" It wasn't until the Italians (re)discovered linear perspective during the Renaissance that trompe l'oeil became popular for keeps. In the 21st-century, the term "Photo-Realism" would be equally applicable to this type of painting.

Pronunciation: trump loy

http://arthistory.about.com/od/glossary/g/t_trompe_loeil.htm

Voodoo Dolls

So, for my current project (illustrating Keret's Lieland) I played around with Calico and made these suggestive characters (pictures to come). A friend of mine, Arjun, said how they reminded him of Voodoo dolls. This is an interesting idea because like in the story, lies hurt people and I can imagine as every lie is told a pin is placed into the doll (calico and pins link nicely too).

$9.99 film by Tatia Rosenthal and Etgar Keret

It was mentioned to check out $9.99, it being written by Keret whom which I am Illustrating his Lieland short story. The animation reaches an ultimate surreal level and just plain weird in the scene where one of the characters considers 'bone removal' for his girlfriend - because she likes her men smooth... 

Film stills

A film written by Keret about a 27-year old man named Dave who searches for the meaning of life with a magazine that costs $9.99. As the story unfolds, family member's lives are woven in and examine the post-modern meaning of home. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySTify2Fyrc

Castle in the Air

I was browsing the internet for illustrations from Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones and found this interesting one by another (unrelated). It got me thinking about how the dreams of the women are illustrated through the clouds that depict her thoughts. Which then led me to think about the phrase 'castle in the air', I think of a floating castle but what if it does mean 'dreaming'. In Diana Wynne Jones' book, it tells of a story about Jamal a carpet store owner who dreams of how he is a long lost prince and finds a beautiful princess whom he must save. 

A Castle in the Air. These young girls who marry old millionaires should stop dreaming.

Charles Dana Gibson (American illustrator, 1867-1944)
1903 pen and ink on paper
illustration for Collier's Weekly; published in the artist's collection The Weaker Sex (1903)

/http://www.flickr.com/photos/69184488...

Fiction Project

Lieland by Etgar Keret

Fiction: Summer Project Launch (year two)

 

                                                                                                                                 Booklist of short stories

An interesting booklist for my new summer project; they are not the normal story books I am use to reading. Our tutor's goal is to open our minds and expand our drawing and thinking abilities so a project like this always has great potential to be really exciting yet I am sure challenging and self-questioning.

I have not read any apart from a few lines of Objects by Gertrude Stein (1914). So, as the spreads it's rays over this week I shall power on through them.

Biography: Duchamp and his Game

Duchamp and his Game

During May was the end of year show for my first year of degree studies where I exhibited this Sculpture as my final piece. It was an interesting project which definitely focused on ideas and concepts as appose to hand drawn illustration or narrative based work. The project began looking at the life of Marcel Duchamp. I played with the idea of his Readymades and chess which took up the majority of his later life. I mainly wanted to have fun with this and incorporate humor just as Duchamp did in his art. By using everyday objects which were just gathered from around the flat, I think viewers approach this piece more easily and are intrigued by objects they are familiar with.

The Author Project: I Have Researched.

On my current project I am working in a team, having already created each a creature, we now have to produce a manifesto of how these creatures live together in a society. We have already produced a short animation based on the concept that our creatures 'work by stealing' but as a necessity. And then they make things from the that which they have taken and that is how they live. In taking this starting point, I have found a range of research which I have rolled out below:

The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan

The Borrowers (1997) film still -  Arrietty, Peagreen and Pod Clock sit around contraptions that they've made from found objects 

                                                       

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Robert Nicol: And the story behind how I found him

RISO 3

Earlier this evening, I opened an email addressed from a 'Robert Nicol'. It was forwarded from Dutch Uncle Agency looking for help to prepare and then put up a show at Abbot Mead Vickers. It sounds great, organising and cutting down A0 prints, framing them, preparing the information cards to go with them, and then help to put up all 35 framed prints in the AMV offices. I am in two minds. I question whether I would miss too many days of workshops and studio days on my current uni project...

Homes and Gardens

And in looking more at this I went onto Dutch Uncle Agency and found   this mysterious Robert Nicol is an Illustrator whom is with the agency. His work reminds me of Luke Best but I find them attractively quaint and Idyllic.

http://www.dutchuncle.co.uk/illustrators/robert-nicol/portfolios/portfolio-1

The Northern Renaissance: Albrecht Dürer

The Apocalypse: The Four Hoursemen (1498) 

During the week I had an Illustration lecture on Abrecht Dürer. I remember previously looking at his woodcuts for their aesthetics. So, it was fascinating to listen about his self portraits he made through out his life, unlike any other artist, the Book of the Revelation of St John and his role as an artist, painter, printmaker and Illustrator.