Dead Men Don't Bite

I've moved....

2009-03-15T17:51:00.001-07:00

my blogging to here...

Monsters need love

Stuff I have draweded

2009-03-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

Hermes

2009-02-09T13:33:00.001-08:00

Ps Searching for pictures of midgits=masses of midgit porn...Just to warn/educate you!

Zeus Colour

2009-02-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

Artemis

2009-02-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

Poisedon

2009-02-05T13:24:00.001-08:00

Zeus

2009-02-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

More Character Development

2009-02-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

I mean business!

2009-01-15T13:53:00.000-08:00

These are just prototypes of course...I'll probably redraw the doodly bits!

On the theme of panda's (unfinished)

2009-01-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

Kung Fu Panda rocks my world!

2009-01-11T17:57:00.000-08:00

Yeh ok...maybe abit

2009-01-11T17:53:00.000-08:00

Drawing challenge: If Missy's head was in a jar, what would her body be?
WHY THE SOURCE OF HAM OF COURSE!

Shhjh...she's sleeping...

And more...i'm not obsessed with my cat!

2009-01-11T17:50:00.000-08:00

And More...

2009-01-11T17:48:00.001-08:00

Work from over the holidays

2009-01-11T17:43:00.000-08:00

And More...

2008-12-19T05:58:00.001-08:00

More Books...though some where 20p this time!

2008-12-19T05:31:00.000-08:00

New Books I bought today...all 10p!

2008-12-18T07:08:00.005-08:00

Comic Diary

2008-11-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

I've moved my comic diary to its own blog. It can be found here~

http://the-awkward-days.blogspot.com/

Drawings for Rep, central char of new comic....

2008-11-24T16:57:00.000-08:00

Where the hell have you been?!

2008-11-20T12:50:00.000-08:00

Yes my posts dried up for a few months...coming back to uni has done that to me and with several collaborative blogs I haven't had the chance to really focus on this one...But I'm back! And not spouting jibberish this time. Since last posting I've been compulsively producing work, most of which can be found on my flickr account www.flickr.com/jess_watson since thats' easier than reposting it all. I just wanted to post to prove I wasn't dead...I will hopefully get around to posting more soon enough...!

I love...

2008-09-06T17:20:00.001-07:00

Childhood films...Last night it was Ferngully: The last Rainforest...tim curry as a creepy pollution god who turns into a giant rampant skeleton...Robin Williams as a scientifically modified bat very reminiscant of who he played in good morning vietnam...And beautifully animated too...especially the first scene were the history of the evil god Hexxus...Very like the beginning of Watership Down...

Tonight Pocahontas...Legendary...such good songs and so beautiful...Still gives me chills throughout...Later...Beauty and the Beast...or the Lion King...Rawr.

What I've been doing...Part 2

2008-08-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

What have I been watching....
Gotham Knights, The Dark Knight and Hellboy 2.

All of these films have been visual highlights of my summer. Although I still love illustration I am still pinning for active work in animation and moving image...because it captures me as much as illustration does. Gotham knights is a series of animated shorts telling batman's backstory by the same folks who did the Animatrix and is a must for Batman fans and those interested in animation and to a degree storytelling. It left me desperately wanting more...why can't these guys do a whole series for gods sake and stop teasing us!

The Dark Knight was easily one of, if not the best film that came out this summer...It rattled around in my brain for weeks after I'd seen it and Heath Ledger was legendary as the Joker...and yes yes its tragic he's dead...but only because I wanted him in the next one. The dark knight is also one of the comics Paul Gravett says you must read before you die.

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army was another beautiful film. Typically Guillermo del Toro in style the creatures are amazing, the scenes involving anything not human are immense and I adored the tooth fairies...I want one! Admittedly the story was not on parr with Dark Knight but I didn't really expect it to be...the visuals and mysticism of it was enough to leave me wishing I'd been its concept artist XP

What I've been doing....

2008-08-31T16:32:00.000-07:00

Work wise I've been focused on entering the Anansi Figures Futur competition and although I'm intending to send something...I'm not entirely happy with what I'll be sending. Anyway!

What I've been reading...

I discovered that Hartlepool library has a rather huge selection of obscure art books and a whole graphic novel section. Most of the books have not been taken out for 2 years...this does not surprise me.

One of the best i found was Graphic Novels- Stories to change your life by Paul Gravett

Its a really interesting look at the entire history of the modern day comic which also includes Gravett's top recommendations, from Art Spiegelman's Maus to Daniel Clowes' Ghost World, from Jim Woodring's Frank Book to David B.s obscure Epileptic. Its really made me want to explore graphic novels more and to read every one of his list.

I also borrowed a beautiful graphic novel version of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, Adapted by Peter Kuper which can be seen here...
http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/metamorphosis/
in a very intersting flash adaption. Beautiful artwork...moving story. Thumbs up!

I've also been studying books about things such as storyboarding (one notable one The art of the storyboard by John Hart). I really want to come back to university with a degree of advanced knowledge...I want to have cards in my hand to play that other's won't.

Magic Pencil was another good book, in order to do some comparitive study and look at how other's work and their reasons for being illustrators as well as the techniques they use. Illustrators range from the well known Quentin Blake (who was the collecter of the names) and Sara Farnelli to the likes of Angela Barrett who does some really beautiful ink work and Posy Simmonds who generally is more associated with the adult world. It also has an interesting essay at the beginning by Joanna Carey on what makes illustration so important.

London is the sex.

2008-06-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

So we visited London yesterday. I wasn't too chuffed when straight off the train was cancelled and then when we got on it we had no seats and had to stand in the awkward spot by the door for two hours and I ended up bear hugging a black man when a sudden brake sent me floundering up against him. But after that it just got better! Yeehe

First we visited the V&A and
http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/future_exhibs/blood_on_paper/index.html
The Blood on Paper exhibition of handmade books. Reeeally good. Not that I could ever reach such a level...since my zine turned out looking like somebody 'special' made it ;_; Still seeing Paula Rego's book was the highlight...beautiful prints...makes me want to do some so badly ;_;

The we went to the Illustration Cupboard.
http://www.illustrationcupboard.com/default_flash.aspx
Really nice little place with a huge amount of original work there. John Lawrence was up at the time...he does etching and its the most friggin intricate thing you've ever seen...amazing....beautiful...and really inspiring. There was alot of big names like Oliver Jeffers, Babette Cole, Shirley Hughes (Alfie!) and Raymond Briggs. But by far the highlight was seeing the work of Brian Wildsmith in the flesh...not even prints...actual original artwork. So unbelievable in flesh and you realise how little justice his books do to his work....Not that they are bad in print but they were so vibrant and fullof life in reality. I guess its inevitable that you lose some of the quality in print. It made me realise how important a consideration it is in books.

Brian Wildsmith

And then we went on a trawl of the bookshops and since I'm moving back home in like a day I resisted the urge to buy books...despite there being many many I was drooling over. What I was mostly surprising was how pleasant London was....I mean...it didn't seem that busy. The people seemed nicer to a degree than Brummies...and I didn't think it was any busier than Brum (and I was there during rushhour). Its quite a nice place and if it wasn't obscenely expensive I've come to think I really wouldn't mind living there. So maybe if it comes to that and I can afford it then...I could go.

Anyway now I'm back and half packed and rather pissed that somebody ate the pasta I bought for tommorrow to eat...but screw them...I only have to live with them for just over a day....so meh. Once I'm back home I plan to buckle down for the monthish I have before holidays come around, make myself a website and get work out there and lay some stuff down for competitions and such...Which will be nice...the past few weeks have been kinda hectic and unfocused...I aim to...aim myself more once I'm out of this craphole...Mmm...home.

'Party'

2008-06-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

This party is shit...and someone was sick all over the hall outside my room. My whole room reeks of smoke and I'm half blind because of what that shit does to me. I am not a happy bunny. And whoever is outside, with a laugh that is simply "HAHAHA" said phonetically is really looking for a hot poker shoved down their throat. That is all.

Busy Busy Busy....

2008-06-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Thought I should post something because I've been rather lacks of late. Since finishing with all my official uni work I've actually been rather busy. First I was off climbing mountains (which nearly killed me...I'm not nearly fit enough for it!) and now that I'm back lots has been happening. Admittedly I don't really get out enough...I'll admit that XP But I've been drawing lots and working on various things...Might need to drop a few because I think I'm starting to get spread a touch too thin.

I've got stuff for the ABC being done (an artist book thing I'm trying to get a collection of zines done for, one of which Chiu has challenged me to have made for next Tuesday)...stuff for a kids book with the NAW (National Association of Writers) which I'm thinking of dropping...because I'm not very inspired by the idea of drawing orangutans cuddling >.> I've promised I'll do some illustrations for a writer called Tina Feerth to one of her stories but I didn't set a time limit so that's low priority at the mo. Then we get tasks set by the all mighty Chiu, who's my SIG (Special Interest Group) tutor for my final year, each week...although we finish next week so that'll probably slow down.

I also have several competitions I'd like to enter...Artful Todger book (the represetation of the Penis in popular culture...might do something to do with seventies porn!) Anasi and death for...Futura...something I forget XP I have until september but if I start now then it should be good by then.

Tommorrow is the Degree show so I'm gonna head to that and steal ideas for next year and then probably mosey to the after part...then on thursday there is our house party and Willhelm (thingswhatihaveconsumed) is coming down for abit to keep me company at that and protect me from druggies and the police...Then on saturday there is another house party...which I said I'd go to if I can find it...then on Tuesday next week we're off to London for the day...Then I have to pack up all my stuff and head back to Hpool!

So all in all I won't get much chance to breath in the next week...Still I'm looking forward to having company and socialising! I live way too much in my little 'studio'...only because I tend to get well into my work and can't do it when other people are around! I'll try to put my current main project, a monsters dating guide zine up at some point when I get it done....YUP! Sorry no pictures this time!

Politics

2008-05-20T06:38:00.001-07:00

Just a few bits from Political Illustration, the stuff that vaguely worked...still got a 2:2 despite doing nothing...ahaha.

The slog...is over...!

2008-05-13T03:13:00.000-07:00

So I've finally finished both my massive 12 weeks projects, handing in the political illustration this morning...Wohooo! I've had a stressful few weeks of doing not much but these two things...but now I'm free! Only got one essay to write for next friday and then i'm essentially finished uni work for the summer...don't worry I have lots of plans for what I intend to do with my time now but I'll talk about those now.

Managed to finish everything to a pretty good standard...I could have maybe used another week to finish them abit better but meh...now I am freeeeee.....yayyyy....Now...to finally get some actual sleep...!

Dummy Book Part Three

2008-05-09T16:20:00.001-07:00

So here is the dummy book in its entirity some pages need somemore work (the front cover for example). Also I loaded it backwards...so go from the bottom back up (with the exception of the front cover). Some of the spreads need some work, like the first page of the giant with the tower on and the one with the wolf and the woods...but aside from that and the text and the fact I made it wrong (should have dont th e spreads on pages then put them back to front -.-....) but its done...so...screw it! :P

Dummy Book Part Two

2008-05-09T16:03:00.001-07:00

Dummy Book

2008-05-09T15:50:00.001-07:00

The Spreads

2008-05-09T15:28:00.001-07:00

Okay these are the almost finished spreads, appologies for the dodgy quality and so on...they're on A2 sheets so I cant scan them in....so had to photograph them. They're in the order they appear (the lion is the first double page spread, the surprise party the last) but there are countless amounts of other ones inbetween...we only had to do 4 minimum though. Also they need to be properly mounted but haven't gotten around to it yet!

The Endless Slog

2008-05-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

Firstly the problem with projects that last so long (12 week/15 if you include the holidays) is that by the end of it you've lost the will to live. Don't get me wrong, Childrens book illustration has been one of my favourite modules I've ever done (along with character design in the first year) but man it seems never ending!

In the end I didn't end up entering MacMillans. Although they said my work was really good and worthy and all that crap XP Chiu said that if I entered this year, when the book clearly needed alot of work still, that I wouldn't be able to when it was better and also that by entering the book would automatically belong to MacMillans (in terms of publishing rights) and being that something interactive isn't necessarily their taste....it might be better to just work on it and take it to publishers independantly.

I agree the book really does need alot of word. The problem is I did what I always do...I tried to fit too much in. Everyone else just wrote basic stories (magic paintbrushes, whales eating anchors etc) whereas I wrote a story and then added an interactive element along with it and tried to incorporate that with the story and in my drawings, without making it look like I couldn't draw etc. So yeh...along with that I also had hidden things, like characters introduced in previous sections appearing somewhere in the image (like a wheres wally sort of thing)....All in all although it worked...it was very complicated.

I also failed at the writing part because it was all abit...err...too advanced for young children XP. However it was decided by all that if I could perfect it or make a version for the adult market that I could have something for the mass market that with my line art would be publishable...

I have to admit at first I was pretty upset....the idea of not entering when so many others were (19 all together, including a few 3rd years and a Masters student) made me feel kind of...mediocre....but meh, thats life, you can't win them all.

Andrew (the other tutor) said that some of my spreads alone (the lion in particular) could have gotten me in the exhibition but personally I'd rather work on my colour side and get it perfect for next year than throw it away now. Better to enter and be a real competitor than enter this year and stand a slim chance. Thats the thought I'm grasping to anyway XP

As well as this work I've been working on Political illustration...I've only been to one lesson out of 11 weeks (remmebering I didn't start until week 5 thought) and I'm somewhat worried he'll just tell me to fuck off when I turn up on Tuesday....I'm almost finished most of the work and I'll check with some other people on monday if there is anything else I need to do last minute...Just gotta make 6 postcards and a type poster which shouldn't be hard. I really would have liked to get into it (because of course now its almost over I'm getting well into all the aspects...because I'm a retard) but what with being ill and the childrens book I've found it really hard to spend any time on it and get motivated...Anyway I might put some of the stuff up...err...if I think its good enough...but not right now, since I should get it finished first XP!

Anyway...back to work! only 3 more days then I can chill....err...sort of.

Oh and for anyone who is interested...

http://www.myeyeisonfire.net/macmillan2008web/

Here are the people who entered from my course.

OMG!

2008-04-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Omg I suck so much. Did all this work and then guess what I did? Slipped into a coma until 13.45, when i'm meant to be in at 14.00....and it takes me like 45 mins atleast to get in...I fail...I fail so bad it hurts. -Dies-

The Book Battle

2008-04-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

And four hours on I only have...3 more double pages to complete and the words to add...Oh and the front and back covers...but being that I'm not sure what to put on there maybe they're have to wait >.>...Hopefully I will get this done...probably need to leave at like 12....so...four more hours to go :P Now for the shower!

Dummy Book

2008-04-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Why did I wait until the last day to attempt to make a rough copy of my book? Because I'm a retard apparently. Either way its 4am and I'm halfway through, sans the words....so...I'm screwed XP Oh well...bedtime!

Drawings and book work.

2008-04-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

2008-04-18T09:50:00.001-07:00

Would you let your child read a book with this in its pages...would you?? Well...you're a terrible parent then!!

Gods I are pretty...>.>...Fear my scary faces!

Ps. For my kids book.

Reviving a severed dogs head...?

2008-04-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Riddled with disease...

2008-04-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

That's me!

Scary Bears rule my Life.

2008-03-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

I think I might have found this on another persons blog but it freakin...freaked me out...I have absolutely no idea whats up with the creepy bears but I liked the stop motion animation and it reminded me slightly of the original Moomins when they were all puppets...

Be a Man!

2008-03-19T19:02:00.001-07:00

I'm stuck several years in my past it seems at the moment, obsessively consuming old Disney films...Anything after the 90s isnt acceptable. The favourites of the moment? Beauty and the Beast, Pochahontas, Aladdin, Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Mulan and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I really love them which is weird because its so very far from the sorts of things I create myself. Maybe it's just me being reminiscant. The songs especially are stuck firmly in my school and I think although I hate Disney style, the characters are always really well developped and that these are the stories that introduced me to storytelling...so I still love that golden age of 90s cartoon movies that were released...don't worry...I won't try to take on their style...I doubt I'm that good XP

Will does an art....and so do I

2008-03-16T21:15:00.001-07:00

Tiger Balm Overload

2008-03-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

My god what have I done with the day....I'm being driven insane by this project for Macmillans...I can't use colour...ack...i've sat drawing the same picture over and over again and colouring it and nothing looks right...My chest feels like someone is standing on it and no amount of ODing on Tiger balm seems to be helping. All in all I'm a whiney fuck today it would seem...I'm just bloody stressed with this macmillan thing (which I really want to do well in...really badly), this new politcal illustration project that I'm already 4 weeks behind on...and a presentation eminant of friday...I'm gonna get tommorrow over with then leave off the project for a few days...I'm already nearly burnt out on it...I'm stressing and need some back up so getting home and whining to parents should work well :P Political illustration is basically a race to the finish line...I'm gonna have to work every day of the easter holidays to get all this done o.<>

Bangkok Ugly

2008-03-06T16:49:00.000-08:00

This was the animation I made for my last project, based on the 5 weeks I spent in Thailand in November/December last year. You're probably wondering where a vicious child eating dog came from...Well there was a twisted little dog that lived on our street (Chula soi 6) who had that look in his eyes that said he'd eat your face given half a chance. I had this elaborate fake reason that it was a comment on how Consumerism and the consumer culture is steadily destroying the traditions of Asian countries...but that was just really so I could make an animation about a dog exploding. It was sneakily used for two projects...the aim of the proper one was to encorporate sound and image together (it was an elective taught by someone from the music tech department) but I do realise the sound in parts is shoddy...I'm a drawer...not a musician! its made up of bits I made up on the keyboard following the pentatonic scale, sound effects from Thailand, Thai pop music and some stolen sound effects (such as the dog barks). I drew the whole thing, on the computer with my mouse and used flash to put it together frame by frame...I did it in only a few days and nearly drove myself insane...I definately would not recommend doing anything that friggin labour intensive in so short an ammount of time. Basically I started it on the Tuesday...handed it in on the friday...o.<

Where does evil come from...?

2008-03-06T15:28:00.000-08:00

Watch this to find out.

And then view what I consider to be the source of all evil.

My work space.

2008-03-06T14:56:00.001-08:00

And this is where I do my stuff...I had to upload the pictures for one of my current illustration courses...I'm sure its incredibly dull to look at :P but I love it...especially my big leather chair...weee...

Floating dead babies.

2008-03-06T14:06:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to my blog. I'm Jess, an aspiring illustrator/animator/drawer type person who is currently studying Visual Communication at BCU (formerly UCE) in Birmingham.
This is a description of a dream I had last night...hence the title.
-
one of them was about this kid, who everyone really liked who had no feet, just prosthetics and we went on a fishing boat together and were like 'how do we know when to start fishing' and he pointed out all these shols of fish
so we were like...ohh...but then there were all these floating dead babies
and he was fishing them out of the water and when we asked he said that he was finding them for their parents
and taking them back...me and this footless kid (dressed like a chimney sweep) were like...ohhh...kay...as we watched this grieving mother hugging this bloated dead baby body
so we thought maybe he was the killer...so we went to his house on the docks and down into the basement and found all these cages full of baby rabbits having tests done on them
so we were like 'shit thats so illegal' and then went to leave
but he appears with a shotgun and goes 'hey fuckers...get back here...cant have you telling everyone what I'm doing!'
and we run off up the stairs and all these holes are bursting through the ground every time he shoots
and we run into this crowd of people thinking 'he isn't going to just fire into a crowd' but he stars to...and then it went abit hazy...and I remember putting the little footless boy in a suitcase
because he got shot
and some of our friends made to carry him away...then I got shot in the leg...and collapsed and everyone was like 'move move he's coming!'
then I woke up.

Anyway...Enjoy the blog!