Illustration Process Thread!

I’ve had a few mails lately from folks asking how I create some of my line work, so with this in mind I though I’d take a few pics whilst working though from start to finish with “Our Lady Luck” line drawing, so get some tea and biscuits, sit back and enjoy the journey!

ONE: Quick thumbnail sketch of a possible idea for an illustration …grab a crayon and get sketching quick! don’t let that idea escape! catch him by his heels and get it all down. -It only needs to be rough at this stage, just to give a flavour of what the end piece could be, don’t worry about making it look good at this stage as it’s easy to get caught up in the details and loose the drawing.

TWO: A cleaned up version of the thumbnail, drawn on a nice big clean piece of paper (without my to do list on the side!) Working on getting the layout, proportion and details right. I like to draw in ‘Karisma Sky Blue” pencil when I’m roughing things out -I’m not sure why exactly, maybe it all comes down to drawing lots of ‘blueprint’ plans as a kid for top secret lairs.

THREE: I always trace off my drawing when I am happy with them, partly because I like the crispness of pencil lead on tracing paper, but also because my desktop scanner is an old fellow and he seems to pick up better detail when the drawings are on transparencies, so I like to appease him where I can!

FOUR: I take the file into Photoshop, clean up an smudges that sneaked in and then print the image off onto overhead projector transparency, then project in a nice big scale onto the chosen wall and draw! I used a Molotow bullet tipped pen for the line work until that ran out and had to switch to Posca Medium Line.

FIVE: Finished!! Our Lady Luck line drawing illustration done and dusted on the wall, Voilà!

This is actually an ongoing project and will be a full colour print as time goes by, but I had some empty wall space that needed some artwork and it was also a great opportunity to answer a few questions! I hope you found it useful!

Custom Type Logo Design

This was my logo concept for MTV’s new talk show “It’s On With Alexa Chung” I was invited to pitch for the logo and backdrop design for the set, they went with a different design in the end (aww shucks!) but I really enjoyed creating the custom typography and putting this one together, so I thought rather than letting it hid away shyly on my hard drive, I’d give it a chance to see the world and post it here!

Smells like a fresh new illustration!

This little baby is for the Floreal Fragrances home page! The brief was ‘Fresh with floral and herb elements’ -a great excuse for some swirl line drawing and some Art Nouveau inspired lily drawings!

Draw Serge! Illustrated Serge Gainsbourg portrait

Here is my addition to the excellent Draw Serge blog! (and a bonus sketch I drew to help me understand drawing his wonderful eyes!)
Draw Serge is a website dedicated to artists impressions of Monsieur Gainsbourg started by illustrator Jonathan Edwards check it out to see a great visual collection of Serge’s in every different media (including a felt Serge!) http://drawserge.blogspot.com/

Feminism Don’t Panic Photos

Some photos from the Don’t Panic website (http://www.dontpaniconline.com/) of people having tons of fun with the illustrated Don’t Panic packs I designed. They were printed really nicely on tactile brown paper, and it also proves if you haven’t got your trusty tug-of-war rope to hand, these handy square envelopes will stand you in good stead!

Inkygoodness Queen of Hearts

Here is a not so brilliant photograph of my Queen of Hearts for the Inkygoodness Wonderland show, currently showing at the Custard Factory in Birmingham till the 26th September. I think I have a secret passion for playing cards as they keep cropping up in my work! I also loved working on this piece as I got to bust out the gold paint -yes GOLD! hell yes!

The Mermaid Painted Skateboard

No updates in a while due to being crazy busy working for a number of shows! The Decked Project at StolenSpace, Inkygoodness at the Custard Factory Birmingham and Becondale House Art Party. It’s been great to get out the gouache, brushes and get back to some serious painting. -This is my artwork for my skateboard for Decked, called The Mermaid, and is a a dip into the underwater world of mermaids, koi carps, 1930s divers and water-roses!

The Decked Project private view is coming round quick! Take a look at http://thedeckedproject.blogspot.com/ for the lo-down and links to all the other talented artists taking part!

New Lino Cut-Part of the Birds in Black Series

Just finished a new lino cut part of the ‘Birds in Black’ illustrated lino cuts (printed in an edition of only 18) , this image will be part of a series of 3 others for sale at The Vortex Exhibition in Ashford, Kent from the 13-30th August.

Images 33

My Red Peacock illustration was selected for Images 33 -the best of British Illustration 2009 compiled by the Association of Illustrators. This was taken at the awards night on the 28th July at the London College of Communication and is the start of a year long tour.