Jan-March 2016 week 10

KATIE WANTED GOTHS

So she got some.

Last  night was the final class of the current term.  The class could not have gone better. Everyone produced good work and had a  fun time.

I produce a tutorial to follow each week and recreate it on the flip chart (Katie snagged this one) whic is not compulsory to follow, it is just there for inspiration. The class is more about the development of the individuals interests and ability. 

Andy

Andy hit a home run with this one. Really great work Andy

Eoine

Harvey

Eoine and Harvey were on a roll last night. Great ideas and execution.

Katie

Goth by the delightful Katie

Richard

Richard takes a theme a runs with it and always produces something wonderful, with way more ideas that what are in my tutorial, which is exactly what my class is about.

Dragon Of Hope by Oliver

Oliver, you have made significant improvement this term . 

Well done

Vanessa

Vanessa channelling women power.

As would be expected.

Here are the breakdown for the class plus some reference material

The trick to drawing someone playing guitar and making it look convincing is no different from drawing someone wielding an axe. You have to imagine the weight of the item the person is holding and  transfer that weight to their body. Think about how the weight of the item  effects their posture.

For this particular exercise, maybe watch some youtube videos of  guitarist and study their posture.

watch  Paul Simonon (bass player)

Finally, don't forget, a new term of fantasy art begins, Tuesday 19th April 2016.

Swarthmore are taking enrolments now.

September-November 2015 Week7

As promised, I will elaborate on the subject I touched upon in class, regarding music and drawing.

I don't why exactly but music and drawing has been entwined for such a long time.

It  began in 1982 with the rock band The Stranglers commissioning me to design and illustrate a t-shirt which led to designing t-shirts and merchandise for Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Damned, The Cramps, Echo And The Bunnymen among others, and then later illustrations for music magazines, NME, Melody Maker, Smash Hits, Hot Press, and Record Mirror.

I have always loved music and comics. I never set out to  chase music related work, but it just seemed to happen.

in 2002, I was asked to illustrate a graphic Novel about the life Of Kurt Cobain, written by Barnaby Legg and Jim Macarthy. This led to more music related graphic novels. In 2010 I produced drawing for animation for BBC's I'm In A Rock 'n' Roll Band and  a hand full of of other music related tv series based on rock and pop music.

It's just the way things happened. Kind of like falling on my lap.

I am not complaining.

So when I decided to rise to the challenge of inktober this year, without even thinking about it for more than a couple of seconds, I drew a sketch of Elvis Presley

When Elvis died in1977, it was pronounced that the king of rock 'n' roll was dead. Whether you believe Elvis to be the king of rock 'n' roll is irrelevant. That's how he is remembered by many. I liked Elvis Presley's recordings but I don't think he was the king of anything. Anyhow, I drew Elvis and the idea for the next was to be another Elvis sketch with a demonic twist.

However, instead, I considered all the  casualties of rock 'n' roll excess and that idea inspired me to fill inktober  with 31 Dead musicians.

Rock 'n' roll is DEAD!

 Here are just a handful of those submissions. You can find the entire 31 submissions on the blog.

Keith Richards isn't dead but he probably should be.

I was also just having a bit of fun with this. As tragic as the many casualties there have been to rock 'n' roll excess, I find many of these artists larger than life and sometimes almost cartoon like in their flamboyance, and so I played on that and the rock 'n' roll myths and legends.

In between paid work I sometimes let of steam by listening to music and drawing anything that comes into my head inspired by the music.

Here are some sketches I produced just for my own amusement and the music and videos that inspired them .

1. The Gathering - Leaves

My response

2. Siouxsie and The Banshees - Fireworks

 This isn't a particularly good example of a Banshees video , I was more inspired by the song and Siouxie's live performance

My responce

3.Mazzy Star - Blue Light

My response

Whatever you are inspired by, don't be afraid e to respond and produce something, whatever it is. Creativity inspires creativity. Don'y deny yourself to be part of it.