Black Swan

This brief is a nightmare! I already posted an illustration I did for this, but after checking out some of the competition they all looked extremely similar, so I wanted to try and come up with something more conceptual for it. Today has been stressful :'( I've had a few strong ideas, but when it came to executing it, it was a struggle to do a decent job and make it fit on the page as the magazine is a really awkward size!! It's a real shame because I was excited about doing this idea and now I just want to get the brief over with! 

Anyway, I've started messing around with a different idea but I'm not sure how far it will go. I'm finding this really difficult as the cover requires a "portrait" of the main character and I'm definitely not used to working like this...waaaaaaaah! :'(

So far..

I was looking a Dadaism so it's mostly influenced by that..the white swan's body is made up of quotes from the film and the black swan's body is the sheet music for Swan Lake and that's about as deep as it goes..it's really rough and shit at the moment but hopefully it'll develop and I'll get something decent out of it..

Now time for a filthy pizza to cheer me up, diets are for losers :(

Rough Character Design: The Acrobats

More roughs for my circus storybook..

 Think these need a bit more detail but can't put my finger on what's missing! 

Rough Character Design: The Ringmaster

Here is my first rough character design for a picture book I'm working on about the circus..

I think he's kinda cute! The final designs will of course have a lot more detail and generally better put together but you get the idea.

Not a lot of inspiration needed to create this character as I went for the stereotypical costume! I was slightly inspired by Harold Zidler from Moulin Rouge though...I love that movie!

Penguin Design Awards

This year's Puffin children's book brief is to design the front cover for Grimm's Fairy Tales.. Here's what I've been working on today; a cover based on The Frog Prince.

Not sure about it as of yet! I'm going to have a bash at doing some more designs based on different Grimm's Tales and see which one I like best at the end! 

Feedback is always welcome!

D&AD Competition Brief

Yesterday I began working on the D&AD illustration brief; to design the front cover for "Little White Lies," an independent film magazine. The brief was to illustrate one of their top rated films of 2011: Drive, Black Swan, The Tree of Life, Super 8, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

I chose Black Swan, and came up with this:

It's a lot different from my other work as the cover had to feature the main character..I'm not sure I'm happy about how fashion-y it's turned out but I think it works better this way rather than my usual style. I also kept with using textures by using real feathers in there..

Venetian

Venetian (2011)

I love venetian masks especially these ones with the long noses! I love the mystery that masks hold; and looking at these beautiful venetian masks I often imagine romantic characters and the stories behind them 

Day of the Dead

A new illustration inspired by the "Day of the Dead"

I have been meaning to do something inspired by this Mexican festival for a while now...so this is my first attempt! However, I'm hoping to read more into the subject and perhaps so some more work like this at some point!