The Drawing Book

Get lost and find the real Singapore

Matt — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:01:05 +0000

When Chieftain Communications called with this commission for the Singapore Tourism Board we saw it as the perfect opportunity for Jessica Singh to let loose her personal passion and prove her professional skills.

Most of the time we experience an illustrator’s work at a proportion of the size it would be in the ideal world. Looking through a tiny online window the full potency of the work is restrained. That wasn’t the case in Melbourne this past weekend. Jessica Singh produced her artwork at full verve live on location.

Watching Jess recreate her artwork on 9m x 2.5m timber panels was like watching a giant peacock explode out of a cage.

We asked Jess a few questions about what the project was like from her perspective.

Q. Your brilliant work looks even more amazing at a massive 9m x 2.5m. Have you ever worked to this size before and how do you find it?

A. Thanks! I’ve never worked on something so large/long so it was lots of fun as well as a challenge! It’s so nice to see something you’ve worked on as a small scale come to life in this manner! It was lots and lots of fun to paint at such a size – really freeing.

Q. You had a lot of creative input as far as layout, composition and subject matter goes, how do you find working with so much creative freedom?

A. I love having a starting point to work from and then allowing things to unfold from there. It’s really fruitful and freeing to be able to just go with the flow of your creative thoughts. So that was really lovely!

Q. What does Singapore conjure up in your imagination and how did you weave this into your mural?

A. When I first thought about Singapore I was reminded of the lovely night markets, colorful lanterns against the night sky and bursts of color from the botanical gardens. I was thinking about a place full of life – bursting with sounds, delicious smells, animals, colors and culture.

I showed this with a bold color palette, and tried to include different facets of Singapore; the punggol waterway, hawker food, traditional Peranakan houses/patterns, garlands from Little India, the gorgeous wildlife like jurrong bird park & the botanical gardens. And also vintage Singaporean playgrounds of the 1960′s, which were these amazing playgrounds made like giant elephants or dragons and all out of mosaic! Singapore truly did provide so much inspiration.

And what did the client think?

“We were all most impressed with it – we already were when she gave us the initial concept She’s managed to put her impressions of Singapore – which are a mixture of culture/tradition + modern – well onto the canvas, and the funky colours make it a colourful and joyous piece of art – which is very much her personality too.

Personally I think it’s a new and different take on Singapore we’ve not seen before, but it is so in line with the “YourSingapore” branding because this is really Jessica’s Singapore we’re seeing, so I think it’s great!!”

Michelle Alice
Singapore Tourism Board

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“Just go with what feels right”

Matt — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:29:24 +0000

Since we first saw Johan Potma’s offbeat characters set against a motley backdrop of wood, stain, paper texture, metal nails and handles we have marvelled at the passion that goes into it.

We have seen videos of the process that he undertakes each time and heard him tell stories of wondering Berlin’s streets in search of orphaned materials that he can use to create with.

Front Row Society is a creative platform that has produced a series of videos titled, The Creative Diaries. These episodes document personal views on lifestyle, fashion, design, art and culture. Their latest video focuses on Johan Potma. By cutting together sketches, process and Johan himself answering questions it offers you a peripheral insight into what drives and focuses Johan’s passion.

“I like damaged backgrounds. I like the stories they tell…I wouldn’t paint just a handsome guy…I am much more interested in people who bring something else to the table.”

Creative Diaries Episode #3 with painter and illustrator Johan Potma from Front Row Society on Vimeo.

There’s gold in illustration

Matt — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:57:50 +0000

Bang PR’s recent campaign for Optus required Chris Wahl to dream up 26 cryptic movie title clues and draw them into a single scene.

The clues refer to 26 movie titles that have some link to Australian films or Australian celebrities in the movie industry. The game has proven so engaging that just 4 days after it’s launch 30,000 players have solved it and submitted their entry forms.

This illustration amplifies Wahl’s imagination as well as his deft handed execution so we asked him a handful of questions to share a little more of what he put into it.

Click here or any image below to see Chris Wahl’s full portfolio.

Q: Unlike most commercial illustration briefs you had a lot of creative input in this one. How did you find that?

A: It was both exciting and daunting. I like developing and exploring concepts and ideas with my art, so this was a good opportunity to flex those muscles. The sheer scale of it was intimidating though, and some movie titles were harder to boil down to a single cryptic clue. What made it easier was the client was confident in my abilities so that made things go smoother.

Q: Coming up with ideas for the cryptic clues must have been a challenge. Do you have a process for generating ideas?

A: I have a pretty active imagination so for me it was just a matter of letting it run wild while jotting down some ideas then doing little thumbnail sketches to see if the concepts translated well to pictures. Some ideas were literal interpretations but others involved more lateral thinking.
Q: Have you ever worked as an illustrator in the movie industry?

A:I’ve done some pre-production concept art for a couple of Aussie films. I love movies so it’s always fun to be one of the small cogs in their creative process.

If you want to test yourself and go in the running for one of five gold movie passes you have until April 30 to do it. Visit: http://yesopt.us/optusmoviematch

Pre-production concept art below.

Same skills. New method.

Matt — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 03:42:17 +0000

Chris Wahl, David James and Jason Paulos are masters of illustration in their own right. Working in their preferred mediums they can draw anything you can conjure up in your imagination. This has taken years of practice and discipline. To see them start again on such a unique medium as the hand held Samsung Galaxy Note device was like watching their career journey’s as a sped up time lapse video. Clumsy drawings turned into masterpieces in the space of 30 minutes.

We asked them to describe the experience by answering two short questions. Enjoy their answers, video and photos below.

Q1: This was the first time you have drawn with the Samsung Galaxy, how long did it take you to get the hang of it?

CW: It took me about half an hour to get used to the new tools and the different sized drawing display, but after that things went pretty smoothly.

DJ: This was the first time using the Samsung Galaxy Note, the first time using a handheld pen tablet. I felt it took about half an hour to familiarize myself with the format, finding menu options and settings – after that it was easy to grasp the basics as I use tablet tech to draw everyday.

JP: Took me an hour or so to learn the ropes.

Q2: What surprised you the most about working in the new medium?

CW: I was surprised at the quality of the linework I could achieve when drawing. I’m used to drawing on professional drawing tablets, so I was a bit wary when I heard that this didn’t have pressure sensitivity and I was expecting the worst as far as line quality goes, but I was very pleased with the results it achieved. I also expected a bit of lag when drawing but it ended up being pretty quick and responsive when drawing fast lines.

DJ: What surprised me was the output from a basic program such as smemo – with a fully articulated program suite I’d be able to do pretty good work on the fly.

JP: Usability was surprisingly good, even in a standing position.

Thank you to Chieftain Communications for putting together a great night outside of our comfort zone.

Borja Bonafuente Gonzalo cannot imagine a life without passion.

Matt — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:27:11 +0000

With his first solo exhibition set to open in Spain on the 1st of March, Rolling Stone Spain featured Borja Bonafuente Gonzalo latest works in their magazine. He was thrilled to see that his hero Paul Mcartney was featured on the cover. Just after he found this out we asked him a few questions about how he was feeling and what inspires him to paint music.

Click here or any image below to see Borja’s full portfolio.

Q: You are both a musician and a painter which makes this exhibition a lovely marriage of the ways you choose to express yourself. What do you love about music? What do you love about painting?

A: Music and painting has always been so present in my life that I can´t imagine it without them. That´s why I really don´t know what to answer to your question because it´s something similar to “What do you love about life?”. Everything. All those moments you are not paying attention and suddenly there´s that song you really love and it´s like the first time you hear it, and the sensation you have when the painting you have in your hands is starting to appear. I mean, it´s starting to work out and you are getting exactly what you were looking with that stroke… it sounds silly but I suppose it really is undescriptible. So my answer should be shortened to “I can´t live without music nor painting”. .

Q: Paul Mcartney is one of your heroes. What do you admire about him and how might you paint him if you got the opportunity?

A: I´ve been a huge fan of The Beatles since the first time I saw Paul McCartney when I was a child (my first concert ever). It´s the things they did, how they did them and how they influenced so many people and they still do these days. When you think about it it´s like “It´s only a song man” but I really think they have changed so many things with their songs and the things they said on them and the way they have always acted that I can do nothing else but love them. And I have met him several times (few minutes each of course, never face to face talking for hours) and I even have his signature tattooed on my arm (a real one he wrote on my arm) so that´s not new for me but I have to admit it would be great to meet him again posing for me. Looking directly, serious and interesting to the eyes of the future viewer. A close up. That´s how I want him on the painting.

Q: For those of us who can’t read Spanish can you tell us a little about the article in Rolling Stone?

A: I will translate it for you:

“The artist and illustrator Borja Bonafuente Gonzalo shows his works based on rock icons. An hyperrealistic prism for a creator who needs The Beatles to live and pick up a stroke. Don´t be mistaken, these are paintings, not photographs.

“I owe them everything, they have been with me for my whole life”, says this Madrid born painter.

The fact that Borja Bonafuente Gonzalo (33 years old) talks this way about The Beatles says a lot about the influence music has over his work (he even played guitar on a band called The Winnerys). Studied at the Art Student´s League of New York (same school where Dalí and Rothko did). Borja is a hyperrealistic painter who looks for references to be included in his works from Johnny Cash, Fountains Of Wayne, Kiss and, of course the 4 lads from Liverpool.

“I love to listen to the album refered to in the painting when I´m painting it”.

The last time he painted for Rolling Stone all the news stands in Spain admired his firm strokes when he painted Robe Iniesta on the cover of 11th april last 2011. “Año Uno” is the next show of this artist who has worked on the design of albums for Amaral (he did “Hacia Lo Salvaje”) or Deluxe among others. His work is autobiographical and they are oils on board that mistakes the viewers mind with it´s almost photographic detail. Borja has a lot of painted a lot of musicians including Bob Dylan, Paul Stanley (Kiss) and David Bowie, but Marilyn Manson and Paul McCartney are the ones that took his attention. As far as his heroes go Gonzalo reveals that Caravaggio is his real master in anatomy”.
For those lucky people who are going to be in Madrid in March here are the exhibition details.

Name: AÑO UNO
Address: Galeria MS, C/Hermanos Álvarez Quintero 4
Dates: 1st to 31st march.
Madrid, Spain.

Possibly the most delicious bear biscuit ever

Matt — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:39:02 +0000

Before we could send out this news article we had to finish the entire box of hundreds and thousands infused, choc backed Big Tedz biscuits because if we didn’t we would never have been able to concentrate. Sincerely, they are dangerously delicious. Now for the news…

Recently James Briscoe featured in our news section for his lip smacking Kraft peanut butter bear and before that for his whacky scenes that adorn the Tiny Teddy packaging range. He is becoming quite the expert bear character designer.

After he completed the designs for the older, cooler Big Tedz we asked him for a few insights on designing characters and in particular, bears.

Q: Are there any pointers you can give aspiring character designers about distinguishing between juvenile, teenage and adult characters?

A: With younger characters it’s always fun to chunk them out a bit as they still have a bit of puppy fat on them, bigger eyes and a larger head in proportion to the body help too. Then as they start to get older they get taller and depending on the type of character your creating they can become slimmer and their features become more pronounced. I reckon you always get the best character designs the more information you know about the character, their background, personality, likes and dislikes. Just like getting to know a real person the more you know, the more accurate a picture of them you can build.

Q: It seems that bears are a popular subject matter for you James. Are there any famous bears you wish you’d help design (surely Humphry needs making over)?

A: I think my two favourite bears would have to be Baloo from The Jungle Book and Po from Kung Fu Panda. They’re such great characters, that really come to life on screen and I would have given my right arm to have had a hand in creating either of them ( well maybe not my right arm as I draw with that one but you know what I mean ).

Landor allows James Briscoe to release his Krafty inner Bear

Matt — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:26:29 +0000

When James Briscoe got the opportunity to design a new Bear for Kraft peanut butter he was thrilled. So thrilled that when we first called him we could hear his brain dreaming up all sorts of personality traits, behaviours and habits that a bear hooked on peanut butter might display.

The Q&A with James as well as the pencil-to-final process below hopefully gives you a little insight into the way James’s imagination works.

Warning: James’s answer to Question 2 may evoke strong cravings for peanut butter.

Q. Your portfolio is overflowing with characters, what is it you like most about designing characters?

A. I think what’s great about creating characters is the personality that you can give them… it’s not just a drawing, it’s like you’re giving something a life of its own. When I’m creating a character I like to imagine the type of person or creature they are, are they strong, heroic, sneaky, cute or just completely crazy? it’s great to imagine a bit of a backstory too as I feel it really helps to flesh the character out.

Q. What on earth is the connection between bears and peanut butter?

A. Good question… it’s something I’ve mused over on many a long dark evening, however there was a story I once heard over a couple of beers, it could have been the ramblings of a mad man but the gist was that there once was a time apparently when bears ate nothing but porridge. Porridge for breakfast, porridge for dinner and porridge for tea but as much as they loved porridge there’s only so much that a bear can stomach. Then one day a golden locked girl came to the forest with a toaster, a loaf of bread and a jar of something smooth and crunchy, creamy and magical ” Yo furry dudes! time for you to get with it and that! ” and from that moment on not only did the bears develop a wicked street attitude but they also became bonafide peanut butter nutters! They spread it on toast, dolloped it on porridge, smothered it on jam sandwiches as well as making all manner of tasty Thai satay treats. So there you have it, that’s why bears love peanut butter or at least I think that’s how the story went, it was very late, I’d had a couple and the old man was, I think, quite bonkers.

Q. Is there anything particularly rewarding about seeing your illustrations on packaging?

A. It’s always great when you’re going down a super market isle and you get to see your illustrations there. The Kraft Peanut Butter bear was especially rewarding as it’s such an iconic brand and I really enjoyed working on it.

Chris Wahl is commissioned to pop out some WWII propaganda

Matt — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:51:01 +0000

Chris Wahl’s portfolio plays host to most of pop culture’s great heroes, villians and damsels. This made him the perfect candidate to be commissioned by entertainment company, Dinosaur, to capture all the mayhem of the new SBS Spy series, Danger 5, in five panels and a logo.

You can see the action packed panels and the mini-moustached skull logo below as well as read through Chris’s answers to some question we asked him about his work. We have also posted some youTube previews of the series for you to enjoy.

Click here or any image below to see Chris’ full portfolio.

Q. It looks like you had a lot of fun on this project. What attracted you to it the most?

A. I love quirky themes, and you can’t get any quirkier than this show. It’s got everything- Spies, Nazis, dinosaurs, The Antarctic death circus and Rommel’s golden murder casino all set in a bizarre, 1960’s inspired version of World War II. It’s hilarious. How could I refuse?

Q. Your work on the Danger 5 project shows your passion for the spy action comedy genre, where did this spawn from?

A. I grew up watching Bond films, and some of these films practically were comedies with all their sexual innuendos, and over the top action sequences. Also, Danger 5 was inspired by Italian cinema so growing up watching spaghetti westerns helped set the mood as well.

Q. How did you go about distilling so many characters and themes as well as capturing as much action as possible into still imagery?

A. The creators had a good idea about what they were after. We went through a few different concepts before deciding on the final layout. Some focused more on the main characters and others more on the bizarre scenarios from the series. The final had the right balance of the main characters being the focus and not being too overshadowed by all the background detail. The same way the show is a nod to retro spy movies and 60’s Italian cinema, the final art is a nod to the movie posters of those eras.

Enter the dragon

Matt — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:35:30 +0000

Dragons are one of those subject matters that appear on all illustrators’ wish lists. The combination of mythology, semiotics, serpentine sweeping lines and the opportunity to create straight from the imagination is a delight for any artist. Until someone actually produces a photograph of a dragon the artist is able to create with very little restraint.

Enjoy the brief Q&A that describes the challenges and triumphs Andrew Millist experienced along the way whilst viewing the pencils, final artwork and final display of his dragon below.

Click any of the images below to see Andrew’s full portfolio. Q. Looks like you enjoyed yourself here Andrew. What do you like most about drawing dragons?

A. The thing I like most about drawing dragons would be, the amount of diversity. Since no one has actually seen a dragon, it really is entirely up to your imagination what one might look like. Even within the cultural and historic parameters there’s still plenty of creative license to make your dragon fairly unique.

Q. Do dragons present any challenges for you that people might not realise?

A. Definitely. Generally with an illustration where scales are involved you can use a few techniques to get around repetitious rendering. That wasn’t the case here, the client specifically wanted very defined (and metallic) scales so every single one was individually rendered.

Q. The finish on the dragon and the plumes of smoke give your artwork real dimension can you describe how you achieved this?

A. The client asked for a metallic finish on the body, so I really hardened up the spectral contrast and was more aggressive with the detailed lighting. The look on the clouds was actually my favorite part of the finished piece and were really a result of experimenting. I just started loose and fooled around a bit with the lighting on them, blurring and fading the highlights and shadows until I got a foamy bubblegum look. I had fun.

Q. What aspects of the brief were left free to your interpretation (colour, layouts, expression, scales etc.)?

A. The brief was really quite specific and the client had requested a merging of 2 styles I’d presented in previous work. I even had friends tell me when they saw the finished piece that it didn’t look like my style haha, so I think the art director was very astute in knowing the outcome of combining a couple of techniques. The pose and the facial expression was really where I got to play, however there were fairly strict requirements here too which provided a challenge, particularly with something that was also culturally sensitive.

Passion so palpable you can bottle it

Matt — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:21:55 +0000

Jason Paulos has an irrepressible passion for comic art and horror that no school, job or family member has been able to suppress. These traits suited The Creative Method’s Creative Director, Tony Ibbotson perfectly. Tony needed someone who could bring to life his very unique brief for packaging wine bottles with illustrations. As he described his vision to us we couldn’t help but smile as we knew just how much he and Jason were going to enjoy their next week of work.

We think the following question and answer with Jason and Tony and the images below describe the great collaboration best.

Jason Paulos, Illustrator
Q: How long have you been creating comics?

A: Since I was a wee nipper! I can remember scribbling out comics on blue lined foolscap paper on the kitchen table. I won second prize in a primary school competition (grade 7 I think) with a self written and drawn comic called ‘Battle Action’ (not very original, I know …)

Q: What was it that attracted you to comic art and what keeps you enthusiastic about them as a media?

A: It must have been the potential that yet didn’t exist in other media back then. Nowadays with computer animation anythings possible … even the most complex fantasies can be rendered with realism. When I grew up comics artists were the kings of visual storytelling … still are! It occurred to me that I could produce my own stories with nothing but a pen and paper. Later I found out you needed a publisher and/or a printer and distributor as well … but that’s another story!

Q: Did you ever imagine your comics would appear on bottles of wine?

A:Only when I’d drink too much of it. I see comics everywhere, on the sides of buses, in the clouds, on the sidewalk … but I’m usually hallucinating when it happens!

Q: Now that your comics have appeared on wine bottles where else could you imagine them being used?

A: Homewares would be great … everything from towels, shower curtains, dinner plates. Can you imagine your house wallpapered with your favourite comic art or character? Large canvas prints ala Roy Lichenstein except without the irony. Comics can now take their place as a legitimate artform.

Tony Ibottson, Creative Director at Creative Method Sydney
Q: The bottles look amazing, what on earth made you put horror comics and wine packaging together?

A: Every year we send our clients wine and use it as an opportunity for us to do something creative internally. The idea is to create our own briefs and deliver something a little different that will remind them of how we can think outside of the box. This year our Xmas party was themed The Nightmare Before Christmas – as most of our clients are. We wanted to create something that referenced this but also would created a talking point.

Q: How did you find working with comic artist, Jason paulos in a media that was completely new to him?

A: The great thing about working with Jason on this project was that he was born to create this type of illustration. We simply presented him with the overall idea and he brought it all to life. This included taking images of our staff and integrating us into the story that he also wrote. We were really lucky to get someone with such a freakish talent that was exactly what we were after but whom could also add value to what we were wanting to achieve.

Q: Are there any other applications for comics that you have wild ideas for?

A: For us it’s about thinking of an idea and then choosing the best way of implementing or bringing that idea to life. So the concept drives the execution.