illustration
multi-discipline
I learned to draw by copying Tony Hart. The vast range of media he worked in always amazed me. I relish the opportunity to develop new skills and have tried to master as many as I can. Eventually I discovered a flair for picking up computer software. These days most of my work is some combination of physical & digital, but it's still refreshing to just cut loose with paint every now & then.
comics
I've always loved comics as a medium. In my teens I started collecting imported American comics & soon realised that Spider-Man was so much more than just a Saturday morning cartoon. I still read them to this day & have always wanted to write/illustrate one myself. I have several projects cooking away in my brain & would love the opportunity to vent them into print some day.
character design & storyboarding
In the course of designing my own comics I've had a lot of practice in these fields. & occasionally I've been asked to storyboard an event experience or corporate video. These skills served me well recently when a friend started developing a zombie film. We produced character designs to discuss with effects companies & storyboards to mull over with cameramen.
conceptual visuals
During my career in live events I've had many opportunities to refine these skills. Often we wouldn't have the time to produce full CADs or 3D visuals so I would mock up a setting or experience for the client to visualise. It is really rewarding to then see the actual event in situ some months later.
astro-geological
In my early 20s I read Arthur C. Clarke's 2001 & found myself mesmerised by the moons of Jupiter. They became the first thing I pointed my telescope at (you'll need an expensive one to see any more than four small spheres orbiting a larger one, but it's still breath-taking!) Subscriptions to National Geographic & BBC's Sky at Night magazine followed & I've spent years trawling the internet for information. I quickly amassed a reasonable knowledge of how planets, stars & galaxies work. Eventually this started making its way into my art. I use photoshop to stretch contour maps over satellite imagery, then alter sea level or terraform the planets. I also tried stacking images of celestial objects taken in different light filters, in order to bring out the range of detail you can see in Hubble photos. The only frustrating part is being limited by the resolution of images I've found online. I would love to get hold of the full size artwork, or better yet work with actual astrophotographers in the future.
model making & photography
Whilst technically not illustration, building models has always been a passion of mine. I just never had the time - or more importantly the patience - to live up to my ambition. Having rediscovered the hobby recently, I'm making up for lost time... & rapidly running out of shelf space! I've also developed a talent for refurbing or customising old toys & board games.
