Sketching in Computer Arts

There's a new issue of Computer Arts out, and once again, I've breached security and sneaked into the magazine, this time in a leading feature on designers and their sketchbooks. There's some great stuff in there, and it's always interesting to see how other artists think on paper, and formulate ideas before launching into the final piece. My bit has some character designs from the Disney pilot show I made a while back, and some development stuff for my Grip Wrench show.

I'll put some of the scans I took of my sketchbooks on here in the next week or two (including a load not seen in the article). In the meantime here's me, browsing the magazine just now:

200 Edges

Edge has always been my favourite games magazine - I really like their unapologetic mission to examine and celebrate the best of videogame culture with writing that is leagues above most of the PR-driven "Churnalism" that's also out there. And its always been a beautiful thing to look at. I still remember buying Issue 1 and holding it with wonder as i starred at these amazing pages from the future (although, as it was all about how the 3DO was going to conquer the world, it doesn't always get everything right).

Anyway, so in order to make me feel old and grown-up they've gone and made a couple hundred issues since then. And to celebrate this milestone they've got 200 different covers this month, and if you're a subscriber you get one designed by me and my little Sackboy helper.



There's a bit of an ugly watermarked CVG logo slapped on there so hopefully I can provide one without that soon.

It's the third cover I've worked on for Edge, but probably the one I had the most fun making. And didn't hurt my eyes as much when making it as the one for issue 120 for Jeff Minters Unity project!

Grip Wrench splashes himself on Computer Arts

My Grip Wrench character has turned up in this months Computer Arts magazine, in a section about my inspiration behind the character and the series. So next time you are down the local newagents buying penny-whistles and moonbeams have a look. It looks like this, and has a stupid quote by me on the cover:

Taking Stress in the Jaw

Blimey I'm busy. Working my brightly coloured socks off. That PS3 game that I've been working on, LittleBigPlanet, is in its very final stages and looking like a polished and shiny diamond (assuming the diamond is made out of cardboard and milk bottle tops, and has toy wheels bolted onto it, and a rocket launcher). And I'm trying to balance that with some other little projects, and finishing Grip Wrench (Yes, I know, it was supposed to be finished, but needed some last minute changes to keep everyone happy, it was a bit too filthy for TV unfortunately).

In the meantime, here's an ad i designed that's in this months Edge magazine. It was a bit last minute and cobbled it together, but I'm pretty pleased with it. The little Sackboy character in our game is becoming so recognizable that I thought it would be fun to make a version of him out of some of the other assets I've designed for the game. And it you look carefully you'll see my face represents the characters groin, not sure what that symbolism means...

Oh, and if you're a Motion Designer, a Level Designer, or an Art Manager I'm sure Media Molecule would like to hear from you.

Vikings!

Not many posts from me lately, as I've been racing to get work done, and also just got back from a entertaining holiday in the deepest countryside, where me and some friends hired a cottage, and a bouncy castle. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to live without one now.



Anyway, just before I went away I got a call to do an editorial illustration. I love nothing better than doing some doodles and seeing them floating around the world on bits of paper, but I've been turning down these sort of jobs lately, as I'm so busy animating stuff. But I decided I needed a change for a day, plus the brief specified an army of SWEDISH VIKINGS (two of my favourite things), so I sharpened my Wacom pen and set to work.

So I started off with the rough, I wouldn't normally do a rough for anything I do for myself, as I like to keep everything spontaneous, and full of those weird little ideas you get when "Ad-Libbing". But understandably clients like to have an idea what they are paying for before its complete, plus I needed to work with the designer on how it would fit into the double-page spread. Here it is:



Its really rough and sketchy, but I don't want to get bogged down with too much final detail at this stage. I drew the rough in one single pass, to hopefully keep some of that spontaneity that I'm trying to cling onto. Here's a close-up:



And having got that approved it was full-steam-ahead with the final, which I tried to incorporate a few new ideas into that weren't in the rough stage to keep it fresh, whilst not deviate too far from what the client had actually approved..

Which turned out like this.



Which is far too small to see properly here, So here's some closeups:







Personally, I think the sketch version maybe has something that the final doesn't, especially when reduced down the restrictive size of my blog. But I'm pleased I managed to combine doodley style (how I wanted it to look) with a slightly more restrained vectory style (how the client wanted it). So everyone is happy. Well apart from the Vikings themselves, who stay perpetually angry, like the crazy, fish-fueled pillage-mongers that they are. And we'll love them all the more for that.

Computer Arts - Inspirobook

The latest issue of Computer Arts (141) comes with a sumptious supplement, called The Book of Inspiration. Featuring "57 of the worlds greatest illustrators" an elite squadron of crayon-botherers that they've included me in. Good heavens.

Here it is pictured on my similarly sumptious carpeting:

Little site update

I've done a little update on the main site just to add the recent illustration I did for Computer Arts Projects magazine. Here's a smaller version of it, right here:



And the only other update to the site is me sneaking in a couple links to this blog, as I reckon its about time someone actually sees it.

Computer Arts Projects 102

Something landed on my doormat this morning, or at least the patch of wooden floor where I should have a doormat. Issue 102 of Computer Arts Projects. It's got a tutorial by me in it, showing how to make huge stompy monsters stomp around in a monsterious manner. Here's a preview, showing the illustration I did to do with it:



Its a really interesting issue, all based around character design, and purdy cover by Tado.
Plus my friend Jules has got a great illustration in there too.