Peter Pan Watercolour

My take on The Boy Who Never Grew Up (don't know why I relate). I tried to avoid previous depictions, the Disney, whilst a great design similar to the stage musical, is rather simple and conservative for a child with no parents. My design is the Wild Child aspect of the character, the idea that Peter has taken bits of foliage, animal skins, or even stolen pirate clothes , to make his costume. I don't think Peter Pan would ever have one costume, rather whatever he feels like wearing that day.

Book Character Redesign

So, I've slightly modified the character representing the author/audience for my children's book. Originally the character had thin, spindly legs, but it was difficult to suggest youth in a design with long legs.

 So, I was looking through a couple of Walt Kelly's Pogo books and noticed the baby raccoon's (Rackety Coon Chile) body and realised that is how should model my own character.
 

So, that is how I came to modify my character. I much prefer it, and it is far easier to draw and stick to the same model.

KONG Poster

The original King Kong (Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack, 1933) is my favourite film of all time. That's not me saying it's flawless, sublime, the peak of humanity's experience in art. It is the film, however, that thrills me the most, touches me in my heart (which apparently does exist!). I have always been a monster guy. I do not fear the rampaging beast, I want to nurture them, show them that they have nothing to fear. Classic monster films are the greatest tragedies of all time, because they are not as selfish as tragic romances, they are misunderstood animals trying to survive. 

Rather than being a straight-up dedication to the original, this poster is more of a "If I remade" King Kong. It's still in keeping with the 1930s tone, with Carl Denham as a filmmaker, Jack Driscoll as the every-man turned action hero, an Anne as the actress lost in an unknown world, now with big boots. 

I want and plan to do more posters of my favourite films.

World Book Day 2017

It's that wonderful time of year, a day when everyone takes time to appreciate the wonderful world of books. 

My contribution to this celebration is a tribute piece to one of my favourite book series: The Adventures of Tintin, by Hergé (Georges Remi). A twenty-four volume series of classic adventures, where the plucky young reporter faces off against royal kidnappers/drug smugglers (Cigars of the Pharaoh), a Lost South American tribe (The Seven Crystal Balls/ Prisoners of the Sun), even the notorious Al Capone (Tintin in America). He was even the first human on the moon!

The series is a joy for children of all ages, full of excitement, morals, friendship and humour. I urge you to buy them for your children, and whilst your at it, read it yourself.
 
(The backdrop is from Prisoners of the Sun, page 15.)