Portraites

Erlyer in the year I spent a couple of days drawing out my face agian and again as a practice for drawing ehads at differnt angles. For the next Visual Studies we were set the topic of motion, to which end I thought I'd re use the pictures and generate a short animation.

Another experiment using an ImagineFX tutorial. Not by best peace but I learnt a fair amount. Created with Photoshop and a trial of Painter 11 using an image from Life Drawing.

A self Portraite created as an experiment in painting completly digitaly. Photoshop.

Tickets Please- odds and ends.

As well as the finalpeaces here is some of the work that led me up to finishing Tickets Please.

I'v never done ship design before so had a go using a tutorial I found in ImagineFX. I created some random shpes, combined them, then flipped it.

As you can see here I use refference photos all the time. Here you can see my refference for Barry.

For those who read the full story this is the ticket that you get so you can enter the A.R.K. For those who would buy the book you would find this same ticket in a pocket at the front.

Tieckets Please part 3

Part 3

     “…and this is how we shall navigate between and within the different Bio-Domes,” BARRY gestured with his heavy set hand towards the decidedly unsafe looking craft that was hovering before them. One corner was listing quite dramatically. The visitors looked at each other nervously, this technology appeared old and primitive.

     “We must begin shortly if were are to see even a fraction of the ARK’s precious cargo.”

     They climbed aboard but not without trepidation. Only now did they notice that the craft was not completely unoccupied. Perched on the control panel there was a green animal that remained completely motionless apart from its eyes, which seemed to be trying to look everywhere at once.

     The safety gate closed with a clang as BARRY joined them, striding methodically to the front. Both of the animal’s eyes fixed upon him, it unfolded a pair of wings from the side of its body, made a hesitant movement then took flight only to land on BARRY’s shoulder; all of which without a sound.

     “This animal has no designation.” Barry said pulling levers and spinning dials sending the contraption into motion with a jolt that nearly unseated the undesignated animal.

     “Prior to the ARK’s completion, humans experimented with bio-engineering. There were many new organisms produced but most could not survive on their own. They were made to better the lives of people. They ate rubbish, became food or were simply created for show. These are the only truly successful ones, because they were made with one purpose, one that had nothing to do with humanity; to live.

     As a species in their own right they could not be left behind, nor are they natural so they could not be put in the Bio Domes lest they reek havoc on the ecosystems within. So instead they live in the ship itself. For some reason this one follows me.” So saying, BARRY waved his hand at the undesignated creature whereupon it took flight only to land back on his shoulder.

     The craft gained pace as it sped dangerously through a maze of pipes that seemed to overlap and intersect haphazardly. The journey continued at great length as they moved through the ship. Excitement built in the visitors as their anxiety over their transport subsided. They had heard stories of what might come next, a world contained within a thousand bubbles. But nothing could prepare them for the moment when the craft past the last of the pipes and hazy shield that covered the opening before them as well as BARRY’s craft.

     “These are the Bio Domes, treasures of Earth.”

     There were spheres encompassed in hexagons that obscured but still left a tantalizing glimpse of what lay beneath. Spheres that were vast in scale, a single hexagon could have taken an hour to walk across and each dome was comprised of hundreds of these.

     Not all were the same size, they past one, tiny compared with most, but which would still have dwarfed the ship the visitors had arrived in.

     Nor were they stationary, the smaller domes orbited the larger and these in turn would orbit another. Where there should be chaos with so many objects in motion there was instead beauty. It was like a vast dance that was choreographed so expertly as to seem spontaneous. Not a single dome appeared to touch another, two came so close in their slow and elegant maneuvers that they could have crushed BARRY’s tiny craft between them. All of this in silence. The body of the ark on four sides penning in the performers while leaving their movements open to the gulf above and below so that the stars might watch.

     Barry and the visitors remained silent throughout this as if all knew that to break it would be sacrosanct, even the craft’s whirring and sputtering were barely audible as if it too were holding its breath.

     They reached the first of the great white orbs, one that hinted at greens and blues beneath its surface.

     All stood in wonder, never had science been more holy.

 After the story part has introduced the A.R.K we enter the science. There are two other parts to the story, a short break followed by a long peace at the end.

Tickets Please Part 2

Part Two

     The massive airlock doors opened with a great hiss of steam and rumbling gears. Signs in unreadable languages gave instructions that no one would understand. The visitors moved in clutching their precious Tickets to themselves lest a stray gush of air from a vent blow it down one of many side passageways throughout the whole ship.

     They followed the small robot that waited beyond the airlock. Its blinking lights leading the way, they were brought to a large paneled room, which despite the attempts at décor in the form of potted plants and a water feature, felt like you were inside a slowly rotting carcass. Wires drooped from the ceiling like entrails, metal panels had rusted into a multitude of different colours giving the impression of a bad bruise and water leaked from an overhead pipe that dripped onto the steel floor with a rhythmic thump. Behind this could be heard the ever present drone of the ship’s engines, which ran somewhat counter to the gentle gurgling of the water feature.

     “Tickets please,” intoned a scratchy synthetic voice, “ for the greatest show no longer on Earth.”

     Turning, they saw a hunched figure situated by another set of giant doors. With a face like a harlequin, it watched the visitors with its two glowing eyes, surrounded by gaudy flags that seemed to make a mockery of cheerfulness.

     “Tickets please,” came the voice again. “The next tour will begin in just a moment.”

     Placing the Tickets in the cold palm of the machine, the visitors waited with barely contained excitement as it stacked their Tickets neatly, tearing off the corners with a deft movement.

     They knew little of what was to come, only that the greatest treasures of Earth could be viewed from within the ship and only those with a Ticket were allowed to see them. Facts and rumour spread throughout space from where the ARK had already been, the two becoming so intertwined as to become legend over generations. All they can agree is that you will never look upon life the same way again.

     “I hope that you will enjoy your visit.” The machine handed back the precious stubs. “There are wonders beyond that door that few now can see, appreciated too little when there was a chance.”

     It leaned over the edge of the booth, rickety neck extending to its greatest length, “This is a funerary barge and an ark, caring for that which matters most before it is lost.”

     A slow hissing began which preceded the opening of the airlock doors. They moved clumsily, the two halves pulling apart at different speeds with the occasional screech of protesting gears. Steam escaped through the opening and a giant shape moved forwards through the shadows, slow metal footfalls growing  ever louder.

     Looming in the entrance, the figure stepped forwards parting the remaining tendrils of steam.

     “Hello, my designation is BARRY, I’ll be your tour guide for today.”

Tickets Please

Our final project of the year could be one of many differnt subjects within the spectrum of Illustration. I chose Facinating Facts which was the perfect opertunity to sit and watch hours upon hours of David Attenborough programs. I was practicly raised on David Attenborough and rather missed the opertunity to do zoology, my exam skills being to poor to get good enough grads. None the less I am looking forword to the time when I can combine my love of Illustration and animals into one form.
Rather than creating a straightforword information book I decided to combine fact with fiction. I imagined a great ARK that was sent out fom Earth to preserve the lives of all the animals from our planet.

 

Tickets Please

     Never have the people of Earth created such a ship, nor will they again. A great lumbering hulk that ambles through space without destination or purpose, other than to exist.

     Constructed in haste, this leviathan has none of the beautiful curves or elegant forms that people imagined that great ships of the future would possess. It is instead a hodgepodge of different metals and pipes, back heavy and quite undignified, missing only a wide load sticker upon its rear. The only concession to aesthetics the relative symmetry of its hull.

     This solitary beast was not meant to lumber through space on its own. A convoy, an entire fleet was to follow in its wake, living off and surviving with their larger cousin. But no more ships were built, or none that could follow, so it continues on unaided; its great heart beating alone beneath its metal skin.

     From time to time ships varying in number, of strange and beautiful design, will appear from the void to bustle about it, only to later return from whence they came.

     Why did they come? How did they come to know the location of the ship? The Ticket.

     Those who have a Ticket could not tell you how they came to have one. They just find their way into your possession like an old photo in a drawer you can’t remember putting there. Or like a wrapper from a sweet you don’t remember eating but frequents your coat pocket nonetheless.

     The tickets are myth and legend, not even all those who have one believe that they are real, until the ship is spotted far in the distance of space. The Tickets are an omen of its coming.  Not all can read their Tickets but all who have heard of them know what they mean; they get to go aboard the ship, and see the wonders within.

     There are many names for this ship of legend that has been drifting through space long enough for whole civilizations to come and go. It has names given to it in languages without number. Some who receive the Ticket and translate it think that the ship is called just that, Ticket. It is even as if the builders of the ship could not agree on what to call it. Written upon its hull are hundreds of different scripts. Thousands of languages all saying the same thing, its name. The ARK.

A bit of variety.

Though I didnt manage to finish a final image in time for my deadline I took the time to create my poster for George and his Amazing Singing Limpets. It was deffenutly one of the most enjoyable projects. I'm planning to create the whole story of how George was banish for being too clumsy only to find the 'Singing food' as he calls them. No one knows weather he taught them to sing or if they simply wont sing for anyone eles but when he reternted to down, limpets crawling over him and following in his wake, singing songs that would make the devil weep and Death laugh they were an instant hit. Still somewhat of an odity most organisations wouldnt touch him, so like all the strange and the wonderfull George found his home in The Circus of Curiosity and Disbeleafe.

 Life drawing has been very important for, I find captureing the figure quite triky particuly if I dont have a reffernence image. This painting was created near the end of the year. No she's not fat, she's pregnant.

Visual studies again, one of my most sucselful experiments. Created with inks and photoshop.

Colonel Fazackerley Butterworth Toast 10-13

 After chatting with my tuter I decided to add an extra charicter that wasn't actuly descrbed in the Poem. Enter the maid. Fazak is ment to be very relaxed about the ghost that has entered his new home so I thought it best to show that the ghost is realy meant to be scary, its jsut that the clever Colonel isnt playing ball.

 As you can see here I once again had a bhit of a problem making sure that my charicters remained the same in each image. Particuly as the fainted maid was hard to draw and I resorted to asking a friend to pose for me. Most of the poses were done by me but as you can see my firend substanchel chest made this particuler rendition of her inconsistant with the others.

Well there you go, childrens book for first year done and bound and cut with time to make a second one. Job done.

Colonel Fazackerley Butterworth Toast 7-9

Bold outlines on the black and white images indicates peaces that would be cut outs in the ful colour.
The bottem image gave me some real problems, even with the maket of Fazak that I had made. I'd done the head but not his whole body and it was a real git to get the perspective matching up. It paid off however as this is by far my faverut peace from the whole project.

Colonel Fazackerley Butterworth Toast page 5 and 6

These were painted with acrilics, the charicters themselves were done on seperate peaces of card and then rased up with cardbord and stiky-fixer. Then jsut a bit of interesting lighting to make them stand out all the better. About as adventurus as I was willing to be at this point but none the less I was realy pleased with the outcome.

One the very first evening while waiting to dine, the colonel was taking a fine sherry whine,
when the ghost with a furious flash and a flare, shout down the chimny and shiverd, BEWARE!

Double page fold out.

Colonel Fazackerley Butterworth Toast pages 1-4

This was my first childrens book project. again I did not realy push the boat out all but I was still trying things out at this pont. This was not an original story, we were just told to do it in our own way. Its amazing how a room full of people can interprit the story in so many drasticly differnt ways.

 ..but somone or other, forgot to declare, to colonel Fazak that the spector was there.

Ruffs

First try at George and his Amazing Singing Limpets. We had to create a charicter using found materials from a selection of differnt titals. I chose the musician and this is who I came up with.

A lot of the first year was spent working on our childrens book project. These are some of the rough stoybords before I came to the final peaces. From the Poem of Colenal Fazakerly Butterworth Toast, who baught a chastle complte with a ghost.

A Change

This was a one day project that we had all had to produce, quite a chellenge when you had got used to working on something for at least a week. Again quite boring in style but I was still a bit to worry about messing about with final peaces at this point.

This second peacie show my first attempts to be a bit mroe free with my working.

Visual Studies

A nice little Eel created for Visual Studies.

 When I came back from Uni for the first time I descovered that my sister and her firend and Tinfoiled my entire bedroom. Needless to say I felt the need to do something with all this lovely shiny stuff lying around my room. Eventuly I came up with the idea of this TinFoil city.

Colour & Compesition

First year Illustration has Colour & Composition, once a week our tuters try to get us to succesful mix colours. Unforchenutly thier intense grid structure didnt go down to well with me, no did my lack of mixing skill go down well with them. None the less a few good things did come of it.

Firstly this little face apeard in the corner of my book which has become one of my faveriut things from the whole year, and is now inlarged as my laptop background.

Secondly came this study of Philip Paulmans illustration for Terry Prattchets The Last Hero. My faveriut set of books finaly got the artist they deserved.

Hesitant Beginings

When I was a child  I would run across the landing in a mad dash so I could go to the toilet heedless of the dark. But on the way back I always had the problem that I owuld have to turn the bathroom light off before I could get back, which would plunge me into the black.

So when my illustration project was Phobieas, fear of the dark, I thaught this would be an apropriot time to homige this old fear.

You can see that right from the start I had problems overcoming the 'safe' art that I had to produce for A-Level. Not as fun to look at or to create as my sketchbooks. A theame you will see repeated.

Sketchbook Pages

Well thats it for my first set of sketchbook pages. I will try and upload everything else in order so there is some continuety.

Sketchbook Pages

Sketchbook Pages

In case you are curious these are done in a ringbound A3 ketchbook, hence the white gaps in the middle, they are too large to skan at once and the finding never lines up well.

Sketchbook Pages

As you can see I have a very messy sketchbook style, lots of sticking in and random materials. My eternal problem is trying to make my final peaces as interesting as the work you see here.

A begining

Where to begin? I've been meening to create a blog for a while, but as someone who doesnt realy follow oterh peoples, and who frankly can't stand a lot of modern conventions such as Face book I have been somewhat hesitent. The final Klincher is my housemates constante bosts of "Jacob, i've got one more follower!" Origionaly I thaught they were stalkers but turns out its tumbler. Not to be outdone by my fashion freind I thaught I should have a go my self; with the intention of beating her.

So this is for you Laura, if I get adicted its all your fault.

I decided the best place to start is with my old work. If I jsut poste what I'm doing now you'll miss out on a fair bit of my charicter. So first and formost our my personal sketchbooks. Where my mind runs riot.