Fruit and Football Wizards

I always make a point to use the word "diverse" in describing the range of projects I have worked on. Well, this one come straight out of left field. That being said, I had worked with famous footballers before ...and by "with" I mean as an unknown entity, on the same project, for vastly different salaries. Sad face (not really sad, I'm always happy to be employed).

Back in January, I worked on a commercial starring several Manchester United football players. The ad was for international fruit juice brand Chivita and the post-production company I worked with were Bark & Bite (Manchester). In the advert, the players (Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford and Eric Bertrand Bailly), drink some juice before gathering round a Chivita themed pinball machine "Chivita, 100% Pinball" as the illuminated backboard says. See the video here...

As you can see the scenario is like an analogue version of Disney's Tron; the players are miniaturised and play football-pinball against the machine. My role was to create the artwork for the sides of the main body of the machine as well as the "backbox" sides and "backglass" where the score is displayed.

 Combining fruit, football to make it look hopefully interesting and pinbally:

The sides of the main body of the machine.

 Kaboom! The sides of the backbox.

Aside from a supermarket-load of fruit, that backglass is where my illustration of the players comes in. First drawn separately, they were composited together like the reflections of the players themselves, frozen in time. ...Just watch the bloody thing, it's hard to explain!

Wayne Rooney

Eric Bertrand Bailly

This is the final post-transition backbox with the 

players in their frozen reflections. Some of the above

elements were created entirely for mock-up and some 

were in the final commercial...

...Such as the fruit corners. Thanks for reading!!!

Alice and the Invaders From Wonderland

I do comics now, it's almost official.

First mentioned in a previous post a couple of years ago, this sequel to the famous works of 19th century author Lewis Caroll is at the stage where several pages have been created and are now in the process of being submitted for potential publication.

Small children in peril; 

guaranteed page turner.

Writer (and comic book artist in his own right), Bret M. Herholz brought me on board to this project an embarrasingly long time ago, in fact if patience is a virtue, then Bret is a man who seemingly has it in spades (and hearts, clubs and diamonds in case you wondered if pun was intended). Finally though it has begun to take shape and I'm pleased to say it has been a joy to scribble thus far. I genuinely feel like a comic book artist at times. It's a good feeling!

"Someone" to the rescue, but whom??

My role is pencils and inks, whilst Bret (aside from writing) handles colours, lettering and those fiddly speech bubbles. This is Bret's blog http://www.bretmherholz.com/ which contains reams of his own published works. This project also has its very own cinematic trailer...

 

My Charity Art Auction for The National Autistic Society

A big hello to readers of my blog. Hope you're all doing well, whoever you are! Or should that be "whomever"?

I am currently running an art auction on my facebook page. As the title of this post suggests, it's in aid of The National Autistic Society. I have always had an empathy for those with the condition, it speaks to my own social awkwardness and obsessiveness although I cannot begin to comprehend a world with such aspects ramped up several notches. Nor can I understand the trauma sufferend by parents and guardians of the afflicted.

Fortunately some help is at hand in the form of a wonderful charity: The National Autistic Society. LINK < click that to discover the great work they do.

Now on to the meat of the post. I am attempting to raise £500 by selling as many A4 sized artworks as it takes in order to reach that goal. The auction is currently in full swing and taking place on my facebook page LINK, bids are placed in the comments section. A drawing is auctioned for up to a week before being posted to the winner after he or she has donated the winning bid to MY JUST GIVING PAGE. Then a new piece immediately goes up for auction.

Postage is free to the entire world!! So there's no reason not to bid, unless you are completely broke and/or hate my scribbles... kind of acceptable, though it makes me sad.

So far I've sold two, the third did NOT sell. Which also makes me sad.

"1995 AD" (featuring Judge Lance Ito) SOLD for £30!!

 "Biggles Vs Giant Wasps" SOLD for £50!!

 "Arnold as Conan" UNSOLD

"Tall Order Skeletor" currently on auction until 

Wednesday 22nd March at 10pm GMT

Anyone is welcome to donate regardless and to contact me about that unsold pic of Arnold Schwarzenegger. I am open to selling it after the fact via a donation to the Just Giving page LINK. Happy bidding, remember to like that facebook page for updates and of course to get in on the action!

EastEnders: Update with Video... Cor Blimey!

Following the last post, several cast members appeared in a video to promote the EastEnders SoapFactory app. Some of them can be seen holding little cardboard cutouts; my drawings of their digital alter egos!

 Danny-Boy Hatchard (Lee) and miniature Lee.

Choose your sarcastic, gritty "oik". 

Pity this isn't StreetFighter. 

Paper view: Tameka Empson (Kim) 

and Natalie Cassidy (Sonia). Note: Kim was not

drawn by me, but the previous artist from whom

I took over.

The actual video...

BBC: Eastenders, GET "ART" (of my pub).

I will do a bigger post about this at some point because it's been a huge deal for me.

Towards the end of last year, I took over the reins as the guy who draws SoapFactory: the online "create your own Eastenders stories." As someone who grew up with Eastenders, and old enough to remember it starting back in 1985, this has been an absolute privilage to work on.

The guy I took over from, I should point out, set the style and came up with the poses which are terrific. My job was to continue where he left off with characters such as Tamwar Masood, Nancy Carter, Whitney Dean and the infamous return of Kathy Beale! ...DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DA DA DA DA.

Some of my heads and their scenery chewing expressions.

Star Wars: For The Love Of The Force

December 5th, was the day I was born back in 1977, a few months after a little known movie called Star Wars happened.

Fast forward to Dec 5th 2015 and I attended the Manchester Star Wars convention "For The Love of the Force" as an artist. This all happened at the 11th hour, very last minute and of course I jumped at the chance to attend. I was asked, along with several other artists to create a drawing on an 8 ft tall board live, during the opening hours of the three day event. Each artist was given a particular character and I got Luke Skywalker.

Luke, taking shape. Notice the small pen 

drawing stuck on the board.

I was inspired by the early Star Wars posters and the Marvel comics as drawn by Howard Chaykin. I wanted something of that look, wherby Luke didn't necessarily look like Mark Hamill, but more generic and dynamic. Luke as a character, playfully done rather than as portrayed by an actor.

Luke "He-Man" Skywalker, as I live

and breathe... as finished as it's gonna get.

I have rarely, if ever drawn something on such a large scale and to be honest I wish I'd done it differently. The lines I feel should have been thicker and scaled up; despite the board being so tall, I stuck with my brush pen and it doesn't seen to carry enough weight on a large scale. That said, it was okay and I was still hugely proud to have it standing along side truly brilliant artwork...

Princess Leia, Darth Vader, Han and Chewbacca... Wrreew!

Han Solo was drawn by Manchester artist Richard Shields and created entirely out of X's and O's which represent X-Wings and TIE Fighters. A meticulous process which saw him working one night until 3.00am. I owe Richard a huge debt of thanks for getting me into the convention, purchasing a Han Solo print (he has print copies for sale of a previous version) was the least I could do... also a bloody great souvenir of an incredible weekend. 

Unfortunately I didn't meet David Prowse, however I did briefly chat to Garrick Hagon, who played Biggs Darklighter and John Simpkin, who not only played several Stormtroopers in Return of the Jedi but also Klaatu (one of Jabba the Hutt's henchmen). The latter was was very appreciative of my work and knew where I was coming from with it.

The other artists, not in order are Clyve Bonelle, Gemma Parker, Joy Gilleard, Kim Thompson, Ronnie Crowther, Tasha Wittle and Zeyd Ayoob. The guy who painted Vader is missing from that list, will get back to you on that one...a fantastic job whoever you are!

Loving the Jawa. The final group shot.

This is me (on the left) locked in a light saber 

duel with buddy Peter Adams.

My gorgeous and pregnant girlfriend Rachel Hooper. 

I did it, honest.

"Luke, use the force and run, 

run to Dagobah, run to Dagobah..."

Christmas Commissions Part 2: Anthony and Hector

There's a house just down the road from us which goes Christmas nuts every year. From mid-November it's like Blackpool Illuminations in miniature; a bright, garish, animated, tacky, vomit-inducing contrast to the predictable lack of snow (this year, the heavens didn't get the memo again, unless rain is the new snow and we're just not with it). Bless 'em, I hope they never change.

By contrast I am usually Mr. Humbug incarnate until sometime mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve. This year however, I was dragged kicking and screaming into at least thinking about Christmas early by a client wanting a bespoke Christmas card.

I enjoyed this thoroughly; a nice, simple interpretation of his own idea. Wonderful! Get your orders in early, because this was a very enjoyable mini-project.

By the way, Anthony is a professional music composer which 

should explain the joke, and Hector is the dog.