Typographic illustration

Here's a recent experimental typographic illustration, playing with shape and texture. The initial sketch was scribbled in photoshop and progressively cleaned up and refined, once i was happy with the outline the internal shapes were sketched and then penned in illustrator and brought back into photoshop as paths. These shapes were then used to create individual selections where is was able to airbrush in the form.



The overall outline path was used as a shape layer with which to add and create grouped layers of texture, masking and adjusting each as i went and adding the form layer to the top set to multiply mode and the opacity adjusted.



After that it was just finishing touches, highlights, lowlights and background.

Collaged drawings

Val Britton has some amazing collaged drawings. 'The impetus for this body of work was my longing to connect to my father, a truck driver who drove eighteen-wheelers across the country hauling industrial machinery.' The rest of the artist statement makes for a better understanding of the work and an appreciation of the forms created.

Fernando Vicente

Some great work from Fernando Vicente, the anatomic vanity style illustrations seem to be whats getting him noticed on the web but make sure you check out his other works- all equally well executed. His portfolio site is flash and the previews are a little small but clicking them does give you a much nicer view, check out his blogs for his vanity series, pin-ups or what appears to be his more commercial works.

Under the skin

I was recently approached to do a cover to a re-issue of Michel Fabers book Under the Skin. The book is about a woman who drives across the highlands of Scotland picking up hitchhikers. It turns out that she is an alien who has had plastic surgery to make her look human. The hitchers she picks up are drugged and then cut up for meat to export back to their planet. (its actually a good read) This would be its 3rd reprint and the publishers were keen to stay away from a sci fi look, i was given a good idea of what to produce and this was the result, which i thought was a pretty nice solution. Unfortunately the job was killed and the illustration wont be making the grade, but i thought i would post it here with a quick mockup.

Microvisions 4

The latest auction for the Society of Illustrators has shaped up to produce some great works, check out whats going up for sale at the end of april by visiting the art department blog / microvisions label link. Below are two pieces that are up for grabs- great work by Chris Buzelli and Justin Gerard.

Quick note...

You may have noticed that im starting to add in some more posts that arent directly related to myself or my work, this is mainly so i try and keep the blog updated a little more regularly and just so i can share some of the things that are inspiring me lately. I have also made some minor changes to the blog to help navigate the posts- the additional of some categories and a recent posts widget should make things a little easier to find. Let me know what you think about the changes.

Non-Format updates

The great Non-Format get a small update and showcase their work for the new Varoom magazine. If you didnt know- Varoom is the Association of Illustrators magazine and comes rammed to the brim with wonderful work from around the globe. The latest issue focuses on type- predominantly the use of hand-drawn / illustrated typography and it seems fitting that the issue is adorned with work by Alex Trochut. Beautiful.

Dan Witz art

Popwhore have an article on artist Dan Witz, amazing paintings, particularly the group images like the one shown here, but its worth mentioning that his street art works are equally inspiring. Check out his street art or his gallery work or just go straight to the hub.

Laura Zindel ceramics

I have just found that Blackbird have added some amazing ceramics by Laura Zindel, beautiful work, wish i had the lot!

CIA new prints

Central Illustration Agency shop gets a few more pics to add to the shop, including my tiki spirit piece, (click to view my post about its creation) the prints are limited edition giclee prints, run of 20 only, including certificate of authenticity, printed on 100% cotton Somerset enhanced paper, 50 x 70cm.

The recent update of works available include pics by: Tatiana Arocha, Paul Wearing, Andrew Bannecker and Tristan Eaton. Visit the CIA shop for details.