Goodbye 2009

OK, well the year is nearly over, and thank you to people for popping in and visiting my blog. I can’t say how much it has been appreciated. I’m going to try and keep it more updated in the coming months, and also try to include more works in progress and sketches. It's been a dramatic and emotional year for me and my partner, so I'm glad to see the back of 2009, but it ended with her being declared clear of cancer of the throat a few days before Christmas after months of chemo and radiotherapy, so I raise a glass tonight to a great Christmas present and to better times ahead.

Anyway... scribbles... This was where my head was at after looking at Kay Nielsen's work and Florence Harrison a lesser known illustrator from the golden age of British illustrators. A bit of an experiment really. I include the sketch as well.

The Steampunk Harem & The Morrigan

A quick update. Two characters of the week from Concept Art.org The first is 'The Steampunk Harem' and the second is 'The Morrigan'. The full version and a crop, which bizarrely I felt looked a bit better flipped... weird... I have a thing for stone circles...

Happy Hallowe'en

A few days early, but a real rush job before other commitments. Vicky the Winter Witch started as a a personification of Winter for a Character of the Week on Concept Art, but I wasn't able to finish her for that. So with a couple more hours she's become a seasonal greeting! I think she must be Trish's sister from last year! Have good one whatever you do to celebrate! :)

Moonlight, you will say...

I was cleaning up a hard-drive and found this, something I started about 4 years ago. I know... another spooky girl in a long black dress! :) I never finished it, but decided to do a bit of noodling on it to make it at least presentable. So here's a suitably haunted image for Hallowe'en, or Samhain.

Alice

Er... Alice. The client said make her clothes shinier so I did...

Ella Hellbound

A couple of ChOWs from Concept Art.org, The Mesmer and Supercute. Ella Hellbound was just a piece for myself, and Mirror Mirror was done for the Chicks vs Guys Thunderdome also on Concept Art. The poem is by my better half, Rosie. It might be a bit difficult to read here...

Thank you again for stopping here! :o)

Various bits of Bumpf

Bit of an update... A finished Character of the Week from ConceptArt.org (Elizabeth Bennet: Pride and Prejudice) and some roughs from various others. Just sketches, but some were never finished. I'd like to work up the Arabian one sometime, Morgiana from The 1001 Arabian Nights.



Lizzie Bennet



Morgiana
Rough for a CGSociety Challenge
Alice and the Cheshire Cat
Prom Queen Killer rough
The Endless: Death, Delirium and Desire
Icarus getting an idea!
Puss in boot...

High School Prom Killer

Another 'Character of the Week' from Concept Art.org. Done between 'real' work things. Tiffany-May White with her sweet smile is the High School Prom Killer. Never happier than when she's stabbing someone! Rather gruesome, I know... but hey ho...

Death

Pop pop... a sketch based on a Character of the Week thing... Thank goodness for texture overlays... or maybe not! Should work it up... bed, tired...

Absinthe and Zombie Killers

I've not updated this blog in ages, so apologies. A job change for me and a serious illness in the family, which has taken over a large part of my life have slowed down my personal work. I've kind of hung around Concept Art, but that's been about it really. Anyway, without further ado, here's a picture of Erica the Zombie Killer (with a nod to Shaun of the Dead!) and the Absinthe Fairy.

Thanks! :)

Silhouette from Watchmen

Well I've not been here for a while. Lots of things going on in my life which are making things very bizarre right now, but I decided to do something just for myself today, so here's a real quickie, Silhouette from WATCHMEN; the recent movie version of Alan Moores brilliant graphic novel. She made a real impression (!) during her brief appearance in the film. I thought I'd do a version of her with a 'nod' to Mr Elvgren.

Thank you to all who've popped in and commented most kindly.


In the movie Silhouette and her lover get a bit of a rough ride to say the least. An interesting perspective on this is here, and in the links within:

BRIGHT LIGHTS AFTER DARK

However she does get the best scene in the opening credits, and perhaps even the movie (gif by Sonnete):

Baba Yaga

Finally got a new laptop after the last one went poo shaped on me, so I have internet at home at last and... I don't know whether it's me or the site but Concept Art is eluding me tonight. I can't seem to get on, so I'll post my Character of the Week here. Baba Yaga. As usual, Photoshop...

Cosgrove Hall

The last few months for me have been a series of endings. Something I am progressively becoming tired of in so many ways, so adding another to the list was something I kind of viewed with trepidation. But last night, in a bitterly cold Manchester I strolled across to Albany Road in Chorlton cum Hardy to witness the end of an era. Cosgrove Hall Films (formerly productions), was closing its doors for the last time. A round robin email to previous employees had circulated and people had decided to gather to say, well... goodbye really. As I wandered into the front car park familiar silhouettes of people I had once worked with came into view, and with whom I had often lost touch as you do; as we all do and regret. Brian Cosgrove stood on the steps in front of the shuttered door where I had first entered in 1986, and said a few emotional words about how it was the people who make a company such as Cosgroves and their talent, now spread out across the world. A sentiment the 'money' people of the world would do well to remember as they turn all magic into corporate product; into washed out generic drivel.

I had started as a 'newcomer to grade inbetweener' animating on The Big Friendly Giant and went on to 'key' on productions like Count Duckula, Avenger Penguins, Victor and Hugo, various pilots and of course the last ever series of Dangermouse. I was made redundant in 1993 when the ITV franchises went up for sale, and Thames TV stopped paying us! But I stayed in the building as a freelancer with a small group of animators and called ourselves Keyteam. This lasted for a further seven years, but in 2000, as 2D animation work grew thinner on the ground, I upped sticks and went to work for a computer games company.

After Brian had said his words on the steps, we all wandered to The Lloyds pub in Chorlton, and what could have been a sad affair was actually rather different. Alcohol has that effect! Catching up with people is never really an ordeal, particularly when they are all so special.

Cosgrove Hall was a massive part of my life, and without them it's safe to say I wouldn't be doing what I do now. Brian Cosgrove, specifically, as he was more concerned with the 2D side of things, gave me my first break in the industry after being introduced to him by another Cossies employee Ben Turner. So to him and Mark Hall, I say thank you, and I hope that somehow Cosgrove Hall can continue, even if it's not in that old converted tea warehouse it was in for over thirty years.

Cosgrove Hall, I raise a glass to you!

Judith and Holofernes

Well, I might as well update... I recently entered the latest CGSociety Challenge, which was 'Steampunk Myths and Legends'. I'm a bit of a Steampunk nut I suppose. Funny really. I was always into historical based Sci-Fi, HGWells, Jules Verne etc, and writers from the Fin de Siecle period. Wilde, MRJames, Rider Haggard, Bram Stoker and Conan Doyle and many late Victorian and Edwardian authors. Their work has long informed my imagination. And then a few years ago along came Steampunk; a name for things I was kind of into anyway. For the challenge I eventually settled on Judith and Holofernes. A bit Biblical for me, or should I say 'Catholic', but I'd always loved the story as it featured a strong woman with motives other than just 'doing it for the man'! And of course the paintings of Artemesia Gentileschi, Caravaggio and Klimt. Well I never finished the version I set out to, and edited it to get something produced for the end of the challenge. Personal things also edited my time...

Bettie Page

Well, I might as well post some 'art' as well!

A recent Character of the Week on Concept Art was Betty Page after she passed away. This was my entry portraying her as Little Miss Muffet. It looks nothing like her, but was very much a Gil Elvgrenisation of her. Hope it works a bit!

Thank you!

First off, than you so much to all the people who took time to post comments or contact me personally concerning my father. Your kindness was heartfelt and supportive, and much appreciated.

I went to New York City at Christmas with my partner and we stayed at Hotel Chelsea, where my father's mother lived for so long. The building was stunning in a slightly old world way which I hope never changes. The art, atmosphere and the wonderful staff made us most welcome, and I will miss the place.

My partner in NYC. She's got all the ones of me!