The Sixty Ninth Doodle

If someone took me aside when I was a gap-toothed little kid and told me the following things I would not believe them-

1) That I would voluntarily dye my hair ginger. And it would rock.

2) That I'd actually look alright in specs.

3) That I would decide, off my own bat, to draw a leopard and it would be totally badass.

 4)That I would own not one, but two pairs of jeggings. For shame.

Now, I draw your attention to point 3. When I was younger I was like 'ohhh what's the point of drawing animals, just take a photo man'. What a tit I was. Animals are like, totally rad. Especially (not to sound like a twat but meh) mine. I do like to keep that true, natural essence of the animal, but to then add my own unique twist on top to create something darkly unique and vibrant. 

Yum. Love it.

The Sixty Eighth Doodle

I love commissions. They can be challenging and sometimes difficult, but they will always open your eyes. Either to new ideas, new ways of working, new subject matter, or maybe even something you vow to never go near again. You suddenly need to try and see something from the position of a stranger, and that is an intriguing thought.

As an illustrator or artist or a designer, you get so used to delving yourself into your own world of ideas and styles. Why would anyone else know any better than you ey??! But that is just the thing. Very often, someone else WILL and DOES know better. And we should figure out when to bloody listen!

My example doodle here was a special commission of a musician called Krystle Warren, a subject who was both challenging and incredibly interesting. From exploring the colour pallet to experimenting with what materials suited her best (soft B pencils- organic and natural worked so much better than hard pen) it is a constant journey of discovery and those moments where you go, 'OoooOOOhh, it's like thaaaat...'.

And I for one, think those moments are crucial to arty type folks. It keeps us in check innit.

The Sixty Seventh Doodle

The tube is an amazing place. (Before we go any further, I of course mean the London Underground, not like a tube of cardboard from the middle of loo roll.) You see all walks of life down there, it is quite marvellous. Mwahahaha.

This illustration came from a girl I saw on the tube who was pretty funky. Now, she didn't actually have a weird blue aura and I am certain her real life face had an outline - I used artistic lisence 'o course. But she was a hellova lotta fun. Trying to capture that nonchalant, effortlessly cool way she hung from the pole, her funky outfit and hair, her general groovy vibe. 

I mean, I don't know, maybe she is actually a total cow in real life, and I'd find that I'd rather chew glass than draw her. But in my head, and on the tube, she seemed funky. May as well draw funky people when you see 'em ey?

The Sixty Sixth Doodle

Someone said to me that this illustration looks like a dark Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Must be the pigtails!

Outlines are, at times, over rated. It's nice to see what happens when you take them away. How do you keep the concept of shape, depth, form? Do you lose anything? I find that, if anything, you gain more. Sometimes defining pencil and pen lines can hold back the mystery and ease of a piece of art work. Can you be too defined?

Oh dear, I am clearly feeling a wee bit philosophical. 

Take this pigtailed lady above. She began as a sketch, and after a while of staring at her wondering what to do, an idea started to form. I began painting out parts her face, splashes of hair, dark pools for the eyes. And here she emerged, no outlines and all the better for it. 

Odd ey. Take away boundaries of any sort and groovy things can happen.

The Sixty Fifth Doodle

I've been doing a lot of doodling lately. It's odd, you get random times where inspiration seems to abandon you like a slutty unfaithful lover (LOL), yet other times when you are simply saturated in ideas, you almost don't have enough time to draw out all the stuff that's exploding out of your head. BOOM. Any one else get that? I am going to presume you do. If not, I don't care. 

JOKING, I totally do. I am nice. Promise.

I think in the space of 2-3 days this week I completed 5 illustrations. I am not sure how/why/what happened, and before you ask, NO, none of them were below usual par or shite stick men! Perhaps that is why I was so baffled (or basiled, as my friend says. It's a long story. I shan't tell it, but trust me, it's welllll funny.)

Above are two sketches from the initial mad burst of drawing fiendishness, one from a nude life drawing study, and one after flicking through some bloody trashy magazines. Seriously, I don't understand why anyone actually reads them, they really do their best to make you feel like crap.

Perhaps that's where this lady came from. Done just with coloured pens, the pose is a typical one you see in magazines/adverts, but all I see when I look at it is a girl wondering if she's actually pretty or not. Maybe some lasses don't get this, but I am sure many do. 

Don't worry ladies. You're all bloody gorge.

The Sixty Fourth Doodle

I hate technology. But I love it. I rely on it. Isn't it so annoying. 

It always there, interfering with us, well, you know, actually living. Yet we can't tear ourselves away, and I don't really think we ever will. Oh dear.

I came up with this illustration after watching a friend messing around on a new phone. The pose is typical; sat in a cafe with a big group of people, but bent over the phone, totally engrossed. Sucked in. It's not necessarily that this is bad, but it has changed how we interact and live our lives. It's interesting.

Anyway, I doodled this chap, and after looking at the sketch I though 'This has to be mad. Surreal. A bit bonkers. A little eerie. And almost scary.' So after a few experiments and many cups of tea I decided on having a black background, white outlines and a whole heap of confusing surrealness. Which I liked. The bizarre curls under the phone and between the phone and the figure were done with coloured pens (Stabilo fineliners are my fave, they are fab) and signify that almost unbreakable bond and reliance we now have on such tech. Again, it may not be that bad, but it's definitely not natural. Does it add to our minds and characters, or does it simply suck the life out of us? Is this guy crying or learning great things? Hmm, that's a tough one innit.

The Sixty Third Doodle and a Happy New Year!

 

I am not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, as, well, I am rubbish and I never keep 'em. ROFLCOPTER.

HOWEVER. My 2013 resolution is something which seems silly to not do, as it is something which brings me endless joy. Draw more and experiment more. UMM< YES PLEASE.

Soz for the capitals. I've drank a lot of coffee today, and yesterday I ate some Skittles. Bad move.

Anyway my attention span is failing me. Today is, the, um, 2nd January? Yes. I have drawn up 3 illustrations so far today. That is cool. The lady above was a sketch after flipping through some trashy ladies mags (how good is YOUR orgasm? I don't have any sort of scale system so I do not know shiney magazine, but I'll be sure to get back to you on that one). Ignoring the nonsense (of which there is a lot. Like, a lot) I looked at the photos and models and fashions. I am not fashionable or even remotely cool, except in my head, but I am interested in it, and in portraying it in my own unique way.

So I doodled this lady and thought 'She's funky. She needs tattoos.' So I added a few and had a look at her. Boom. Lets paint.

Now I blimmin' love watercolours and I am a faithful lover usually, but for her, I wanted the intensity of ink-

 

My personal fave is Windsor and Newton Black Indian Ink as it rocks my socks, and their stuff is on a whole other planet. Put the ink on the paper and it goes 'WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, I'LL DO IT, I'LL DO IT SO DAMN WELL YOU SILLY WENCH.' And then it gives me a slap. JOKING. 

Basically, the ink is well good.

So kids, here is my final illustration. A mixture of hard black lines, watercolours for tattoos, a bit of scruffy pencil and a big dollop of style. If 2013 holds more of this fun stuff, come on then mate, let's get started.