Friday 30 December 2011

BAYOU ARCANA HITS THE PRESS!!!


There was big news concerning Bayou Arcana yesterday...
We had a story in The Guardian newspaper!!! :D :D

Back in October a Guardian journalist got in contact with the legendary Nic Wilkinson (Slaughterman's Creed, Cancer Town and illustrator for Bayou Arcana story: Swamp Pussy) requesting information on Bayou Arcana to include it in an article about the UK comics world and female creators!

As some may know already Bayou Arcana appears to have a completely unique creator pairing to any other comic/graphic novel across the small press, indie or mainstream board!

ALL the illustrators are female and ALL writers are male!

The article was to be about the diversity of storytelling that is happening in independent comics and, in particular, how the stereotype of comics being a male dominated industry by both creators and readers does not apply to the exciting stuff being done in the indie world!


So here (for anyone that missed it) are scans of the article for you to read at your own pleasure!!!

Oh, and note art by yours truly featured at the bottom of page 2! :P




This isn't the only bit of breaking news regarding Bayou Arcana either!

I can now reveal that we have been working on a BA Facebook group, where everyone can view development artwork from all the creators involved, take a sneeky peek at some completed pages and stay in tuned with news and updates!!

You can request to join right here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/bayouarcanaofficial/

Hope to see you there soon!

Monday 19 December 2011

Hairy Hero Smooth Jason - More character studies!!

Hey there Hairies!

Here're more studies for Jason. I've started to draw up a more concise study of the character from all angles with colour, so Laura and I can use it as reference when animating!

I've got the Front and Back views for you now






I firstly drew Jason unclothed to get an idea of how his body shape, markings and how his anatomy could work, and then I set about dressing him.
The colour swatches along the bottom will allow Laura and I to pick and use those exact colours when we animate.


Now I bet you are all wondering why on earth Jason is blue... there's no such thing as a blue spider!!?? Guess again!

Jason is a Peacock Parachute Spider and the colours I used were taken directly from this photograph of the real thing!



Who knew spiders could be so pretty, right!??

Monday 12 December 2011

Hairy Hero Smooth Jason - Character studies

Hey there Hairies!

Today I shall introduce you to a smooth little customer. He's stylish, got an eye for the ladies, he's just a little bit lazy and can't pass up an opportunity to look himself in the mirror!!

He's Smooth Jason!






Jason here will be the first character that sees animation, his story will be the first that Laura, Clive and I adapt for your viewing pleasure!
Clive is working on the story backbone (which you can read here) Laura will be working on adapting the prose to script for storyboarding. And yours truly will be having fun playing with the characters!

So watch out for the next Hairy Heroes installment, with some 360 colour studies of Jason!!

Thursday 8 December 2011

Hairy Hero Pete Panther - Character studies.

A little while ago a good friend of mine and fellow animator; Laura Bartle, got in contact with me about working with her on a possible animation commission!
It would be a series of potentially 13 animations based on stories written by Clive Pearce, titled Hairy Heroes!

Well after sorting out a few things with work I'm able to commit to the Hairy Heroes project!

So, without further a-do let me introduce you into this Hairy little world that Clive has created with the first character I've had a go at designing. The little light fingered arachnid; Pete Panther!




I shall be designing the characters (which as you must all have figured out, is what I love doing most!) and Laura will be working up storyboards (which is what she prefers too!!) So it's a perfect match!

I shall keep you posted on the progress we make! However if you want to learn more about Pete then click here to read his story!

You can also read a lot more of Clive's stuff on his full website: www.tinhuttales.co.uk

Also you can take a gander at Laura's fantastic animations on her Vimeo and YouTube channels!

Doctor Who Comic - 10th Doctor Character Studies

Hey there fellow Whovians!

Heres is another batch of Doctor doodles for you!
This time everyone's favourite, and for me probably the easiest likeness to capture, the 10th Doctor!





As some of you may remember I gave a few hints, with some 8th Doctor sketches, as to what this Doctor Who comic could be about!
Well for those of you who have been trying to figure out it out I guess you can safely add the fact that this story is a multi-Doctor story into the equation!!

More Who stuff coming soon! :)

Saturday 3 December 2011

Dragonmeet Gaming Convention 2011


Hey there Gamers!

On Saturday 26th November the Dragonmeet Gaming Convention was held at Kensington Town Hall, London. Dragonmeet is traditionally a major UK one-day convention with trade stands, demo games, Live action RPG and special guest panels!

If you dared to plunge it's dark and musty depths this year then you may have come across Dark Harvest's stand at the Cubicle 7 table, and a free limited teaser booklet for the next Dark Harvest book containing Resistance, the RPG intro comic I illustrated back along!

But for those that couldn't make it (admittedly myself included!) heres a little peek at what we all missed!




Above is a quick snap taken by Iain Lowson (writer of the comic and main contributor to the RPG) of the Resistance booklets and the current Dark Harvest book displayed on the Cubicle 7 main stand.

And below is a shot of the guys test driving the new Dark Harvest card game! Anyone who went along was able to put this prototype game through it's paces, give feedback and have a fun at the same time!


100 copies of the Resistance booklet were printed and brought along to Dragonmeet, and only 30 remained at the end of the day!
Those 70 lucky people who nabbed a copy for themselves now hold a full introduction into the deep, dark and dangerous world that is Promethea!!

But I wouldn't leave the rest of you out, here is a little taste!




Acknowledgments go to Iain who printed these booklets out at home, and stapled them by hand, to the guys at Cubicle 7 that went along, and mostly to everyone who tried out the DH card game and picked up a copy!
Thanks!!!


To be kept up to date with futher news and events check out the Dark Harvest Facebook page (and don't forget to click "like"!)
Also everything you could ever want to know about DH is available on the official website: www.darkharvest-legacyoffrankenstein.com