Twist on a classic

Personal project - I am doing a series of illustration/art works loosely based on classic portraits but updating them with my own little twist.

All created in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop

snow, visuals and cake

Well it has been a a busy old month, first off it has snowed - which I think we will all admit still gets us a little excited.

Well apart form the weather I have been doing a lot of drawing. I was asked by a couple of agencies to create a series of visuals and storyboards to be used in a series of concepts which will then be the basis for a photoshoot and tv ad (fingers crossed). 

I must admit this is one of my favorite things, I get to draw lots of things that I would not ever think to draw, people in lots of poses, animals, one man bands even a bear riding a bike. 

When I first started working in advertising, we used to use a guy called 'Wyn', he was in his 70's, would turn up on his motorbike in full leathers with a bag full of pens and draw up all the visuals for adcepts, storyboards and visuals for presentations. And I was always impressed, this guy was cool, and I think a drawn visual always looks great sometimes better than when it is replaced with the photo. But it seems to have been dying out, I have found more and more my studio have been supplying concepts using comped together stock photography, rather than drawn visuals at a first stage. I would say this is down to a couple of reasons, one being that budgets are getting tighter and more and more clients are happy (insisting) on using stock images, so you might as well do the image search at the beginning as they will be the images you use in the end anyway, and it is what is expected. We are surrounded by images, they are everywhere, so why would you use a drawing rather than something clever in photoshop, and it may sound like a story from "clientsfromhell.net" but I have actually supplied concepts with hand drawn elements and had the reply "we like the idea but we think it should be photos not drawings". But this is a real shame. I have spent hours before trawling the stock libraries for a specific image - and when you can't find it you have to settle or throw away the idea, where a really nice drawn scamp might really sell in the idea and free up a little budget and do a photoshoot. 

Last night was also a first for me. I went to the launch event for F.A.C.E (Freelance and Creative Entrepreneurs) a new networking and support group for freelance and self employed creatives in the Thames Valley (www.facecreatives.co.uk). It was started up by a couple of photographer friends of mine, and they asked me to help with the branding (see an earlier post). Anyway, and this was the first, the logo was put on a cake. In the last month I have received a full sized cutout of a character i designed and now a logo on a cake - who needs awards!

Bubble of inspiration

My wife works in PR and in an effort to drum up some business for the agency where she works (www.cerubpr.com) we headed up to the Design Business Centre to have a wander around Bubble - The Kids Trade Show (www.bubblelondon.com).

Children and Kids products is something that I have not had much involvement in, so thought it would be a really good opportunity to see how they branded/marketed themselves. I was quite impressed, before we headed up I had a quick look at some of the exhibitors websites and some are really really nice. The stands at the show were all well done, the branding and literature, for nearly all was well done, beautifully designed with lovely photography.

However the one thing I would say is that very few actually stood out. As I wandered around I would look at stands and  say to myself I like that, look at their branding, that looks engaging, thats a really nice handout/catalogue/press pack and so on - but by the time I had walked past another 3 I had forgotten about the first one. There seems to be a very select colour pallet in use, a lot of hand drawn typefaces and soft focus images of beautiful children having fun.

There were however a few little bits that caught my attention.

First off was the press pack for Italian clothing company 'Il Gufo' - which used this lovely wood grain paper stock:

Secondly was this great little booklet for 'Wishbone Bike' - I am a sucker for a flick book

And finally I just really liked these as an idea but starting from around £850 - may not be one to buy on a whim

Can you draw a....

I love to draw and I love that I can make part of my living doing it (the other part is actual design!). However sometimes I get people asking for things that I have no idea if I can draw or not. Especially at the agency I work, the client rings up talks to the account manager and I get a brief saying can you draw an aquarium including a big manta ray, a museum scene including a big skeleton of a dinosaur or a full park scene with a bandstand and brass band. Now I don't mind this and enjoy the challenge however before getting the brief I had not drawn any of these thing before. Today I got a quick note to say client wants a picture of a whippet - not much dog drawing experience, however like the rest rose to the challenge and did it. I did at the same time post a comment on facebook along the lines of "feel like a drawing monkey - "draw me a whippet" - anyone want anything else?" - ok we all know facebook is not the place to air annoyances, it is for showing off, posting pictures of holidays, new houses and babies in lots of costumes.

What I did not expect is to get requests like - Can you draw me a:

1. Badger with a spork
2. Cow body with rabbit head
3. Tortoise, reading hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, eating a rocket lolly whilst in a tent.

Now I like a challenge...

 Still just experimenting at the moment with style and textures, but getting some really nice results.

You can see more and even buy prints from http://society6.com/losttimedesign

I like that too!

For Christmas we created a book for our new niece.

The very complicated plot was based around the fact that all the people in her life (Mum, Dad and grandparents) like certain things, and she thinks she likes them too. I am sure you could keep up. Anyway I was really pleased with how it turned out, and more importantly so was my niece, as much as a 4 month old can like a book.

So this is how it kind of worked.

Here are the other pairings, I haven't included the text as to not spoil the plot.

Happy new year!

So this 2012, the year of the Olympics coming to London and I guess some other stuff.

I always feel weird at the beginning of a new year, we are expected to all be brimming with positivity and motivation, however after 2 weeks or being told you can eat as much as you want and do nothing as 'it's Christmas' I always find it hard to jump straight in. However I am trying, and going to keep producing work, and having a positive attitude and hopefully some people out there will like it.

With this in mind, please have a look at a new piece I have just finished (I say 'piece' as I am not totally sure if it is art or illustration - what would you define it as?)

This is based on a photo taken on our honeymoon, and I have wanted to use it for a long time. What I really wanted to do was keep experimenting with vectors and textures, and water seemed a great subject. So I got the paints out and started to have a play around.

So I think that is a good start to the new year, I already have a logo briefed in so, so far so good!

Happy New year to you all!

Merry Christmas

As it is snowing outside, I felt all christmassy - so here you go!

Mythical illustrations

A couple of bits based on Greek Myths. Think I might do a few more...

Theseus and the Minotaur 

Iccurus

Medusa

Some new personal peices

 What do you think?