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Prince ---} Frog

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Morphing exercise, assignment for my London Art College course.

Still in Grimm Tales mode, obviously! :D

The frog is much indebted to this photo by *Crooty

(I think he's much cuter than the prince...)
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Tree Witch Goose

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More morphs, second part of the assignment for the London Art College course.

Well, call it "idea economy" -- I spent most of the month on that Grimm cover instead of my assignments, so fair enough to recycle it a bit, eh? :D
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Earthsea: Coming Home

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I finished it!!!!! :happy dance:

It's been a looooong time coming - number 13 in the Earthsea - ahem, "Fantastic Journeys" series. I started this image before I had the exhibition in August 2010, so it's taken me about two years (on and off, of course).

Realizing that I had no images representing Gont, Ged's home island, I thought I ought to do something about it. This is the very last scene of "The Farthest Shore" - picked up again in "Tehanu". Ged, having lost his wizarding power when he fixed the gap in the Underworld where magic was leaking out of the world, gets a ride on the dragon Kalessin's back, who deposits him back on Gont, near Re Albi where he was a wizarding apprentice to old Ogion - and right at the feet of Tenar, whom he left with Ogion all those years back.

This is only hinted at in "The Farthest Shore", but one of the central scenes in "Tehanu", so I guess this makes this illustration the only one I've done for "Tehanu", which is my favorite book in the series -- but just for convenience's sake, and since it is unlikely I will be doing more, I'll group it under "The Farthest Shore".

I now officially have enough images for that calendar I was planning to make, all those years back ... there is one more painting in the works, another one of Gont, from the beginning of "A Wizard of Earthsea" this time -- so they'll bracket the series nicely.

I have another exhibition coming up at the end of the year - at the new Events Centre in Carterton - so that'll provide the needed kick in the behind to finish that last painting, too!

Oil on canvas

Earthsea, and all character, place and dragon names therein, belong to Ursula K Le Guin and her legal representatives. The visual interpretation thereof, however, entirely belongs to myself.
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LHOD: Corner Red Dwelling

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Scene from "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin: Therem Harth rem ir Estraven, Prime Minister (or equivalent thereof) of the Nation of Karhide, expects Genli Ai, the envoy from the Ekumen, for dinner at his house. The next morning, Estraven will be sent into exile, but at this time neither of them is aware of this yet - though Estraven warns Genli that he can do no more for him, as he has realized that he is out of favor with the king.

It is spring in Gethen - as far as it is ever spring, on a planet called Winter, and the book describes how the seed strings of the Serem trees by the frozen pond in the courtyard of the Corner Red Dwelling drift down along with the snow, while Estraven stands silently watching them, expecting Genli's arrival. The description puts me in mind of Chinese paintings and poetry, so I hope I have captured some of that!

Digital sketch (Photoshop) for one of my London Art College assignments - a DVD cover for the movie version! I wish. :sigh:
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LHOD: Parade in Erhenrang

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Quick environment sketch of Erhenrang (complete with parade, jugglers, golden spheres and cloud break) -from Ursula Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" - for the DVD cover assignment which is part of my London Art College course.

I only really needed a bit of environment to fill some corners of the DVD cover, so I didn't bother to elaborate this image too fastidiously. It's based on an old watercolor which I never managed to complete.
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LHOD: Estraven, Genli, Faxe

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Character sketches for Estraven, Genli, and Faxe, from Ursula Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness".

This image is for my London Art College DVD cover assignment (for a "book that has yet to be made into a movie") I suppose The Left Hand of Darkness would be a bit of a casting nightmare - everyone except Genli would have to be convincingly androgynous, plus the Gethenians would be, I suppose, vaguely Inuit-looking, AND you'd need two darn strong actors for the two leads, as this isn't really your effects heavy block buster, but lives entirely from the drama of the unfolding relationship between Estraven and Genli.

There being rather a dearth of Inuit actors (that I know of) I decided to ditch that requirement, but concentrate on the "strong actor" and "convincingly androgynous" thing instead, and look for actors who would fit the description in the book while being less, err, ethnically defined (besides, you can do wonders with makeup these days!) - I ended up pilfering Doctor Who for my leads: I decided to cast Noel Clarke as Genli (as the one decidedly male character) and use actresses for the other characters, just for contrast. For Estraven, I lit on Chipo Chung - who, although being a bit young for the part (and having the wrong age relationship with Genli -- but then there's always makeup!) seems to have the right kind of face, and the right kind of energy, and although it's hard to judge her acting talent from the two minor bit parts (one in heavy makeup) she's had in Season 3 and 4, I reckon if an actress manages to stay in your mind after seeing her in two minor bit parts, she's probably got the goods, and I'd love to see her in a larger part.
The third character is Faxe, the foreteller, who's here (as far as the cover design is concerned) cast as a bit of an antagonist, representing the general suspicion that Genli meets everywhere, except with Estraven. Of course I know that Faxe is supposed to be a friend, and supportive, though he does not actually help Genli's mission, preferring to wait until change happens on its own accord. Perhaps I could have picked the king instead... anyway. Faxe has been cast with the wonderful Nina Sosanya, who has already proven her skills in transgender acting by playing a darn convincing boy/castrato in the BBC "Casanova", opposite David Tennant.

Now I've only got to find a producer. ;)
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LHOD: On the Ice, digital version

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This is a digital version of a watercolor I did some while ago: - an illustration for Ursula Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness"

The watercolor is, alas, the wrong dimensions for a dvd cover, and besides, I was working digital for the rest of the assignment, so I decided to redo it. Hard work! In the watercolor, I let the paints do most of the work themselves, to create some interesting color shades and textures. Much harder to emulate that with digital paint. I guess I still like the watercolor version better - however the advantage of digital is, that you don't have to scan it. :)
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LHOD: Faxe the Foreteller

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"Movie still" for the DVD cover assignment for my London Art College course: the yet to be made movie based on "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin.

Faxe, the foreteller, cast with the wonderful Nina Sosanya (of "Doctor Who" and "Casanova" fame) - she looks a bit shifty, perhaps in the movie script she might function as a generic antagonist representing the suspicion and indifference Genli meets everywhere (in the book, the character is a friend, but - unlike Estraven - does choose to not actively support Genli's mission - instead he waits for "change to happen on its own accord").
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LHOD: Estraven and Genli

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"Movie still" for the DVD cover assignment for my London Art College course: the yet to be made movie based on "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin.

Estraven and Genli - Chipo Chung, and Noel Clarke (both actors pilfered from "Doctor Who") - they were supposed to be overlooking the parade, clad in their finery, and Estraven (for the last time) in full splendor of his high office. But I lost patience with this assignment and put them in front of a generic neutral background - perhaps they are having some sort of argument before they part, down in the city streets. Or when Genli meets Estraven at his home for dinner, that same evening. Though they would probably have divested themselves of their finery by then? :scratch: -- but I *need* to stop fuzzing about this assignment. :lol:

Something weird happened to Genli's shoulder. Perhaps he is hugging himself with cold.
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Left Hand of Darkness: DVD cover draft

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DVD cover assignment for my London Art College course: draft for the yet-to-be-made movie based on "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin.

I thought the cover required something very "cool" and zen -like - hence the iconic-screen-shoot single image illustration with lots of empty space, and prominent logo -- I know it's not how most "commercial" DVD covers are designed, but then a) this would definitely be art house fare, and b) by the time this movie does get made, fashions might have changed and they might design DVD covers like covers for rock albums! Instead of sticking on overcrowded collages of all the main characters, as most DVD covers on my shelf at home seem to sport!

The idea is that the logo and print on the front face would be metallic, it's a bit hard to render with flat color but I hope you'll get the idea.
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Left Hand of Darkness: DVD cover front

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DVD cover assignment for my London Art College course: draft for the yet-to-be-made movie based on "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin.

I thought the cover required something very "cool" and zen -like - hence the iconic-screen-shoot single image illustration with lots of empty space, and prominent logo -- I know it's not how most "commercial" DVD covers are designed, but then a) this would definitely be art house fare, and b) by the time this movie does get made, fashions might have changed and they might design DVD covers like covers for rock albums! Instead of sticking on overcrowded collages of all the main characters, as most DVD covers on my shelf at home seem to sport!

The idea is that the logo and print on the front face would be metallic, it's a bit hard to render with flat color but I hope you'll get the idea.

Digital painting: Photoshop & wacom tablet: logo: Adobe Illustrator
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Left Hand of Darkness: DVD cover, back

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DVD cover assignment for my London Art College course: draft for the yet-to-be-made movie based on "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin.

Most DVD back covers I have seen feature a selection of screen shots with the movie, along with a synopsis, some reviews, and announcement of any awards the movie has won. So for this assignment, I created some fictitious movie stills, featuring the main characters, and some of the environments to be seen in the movie. From top to bottom: Parade in Erhenrang - Estraven and Genli - Faxe the Foreteller - Corner Red Dwelling. I have posted all the individual sketches separately (as you might have noticed!) :)
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More cover designing: The Left Hand of Darkness

Colliding Spacecraft

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Colliding Spacecraft. Was the brief for this assignment. And "black and white", and "horizontal format", and "strong visual impact".

Probably some solar energy fracking operation in the far distant future. Humanity never learns.The SRU (Sibali Rights Union) has protested strongly against work conditions for Silicone-based lifeforms on those solar fracking rigs, and the Open Space Protection League warns against the dangers of Consciousness Spill. It might endanger the natural development of lifeforms on any planets affected by those spills, and given the often unpredictable gravitational currents in Open Space, one never knows where one of those Silicone chips might end up untimely and tamper with Natural Evolution.
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Social Butterfly Vehicle

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Getting to the end of my London Art College course -- this assignment was, "create a color illustration of a vehicle occupied by some of the creatures you created earlier on", so it was back to Social Butterflies.... who would presumably go on outings in a stately air-floating, seedpodlike structure drawn by a slug. Far, far in a distant future...

Right -- 15 down, two more to go!
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Monsterfight

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Assignment the 16th ... something about two monsters fighting. Reworked an old sketch for this.

Adobe Illustrator with various free for use stock resources courtesy of the following Deviants:

:devEnchantedgal_Stock:
:devKTVL_resources:
:devDrachenVarg_stock:
:devstockjelly_inspire:
:devCouch_and_Canvas:
`FantasyStock
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New Zealand filming locations map

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The fruit of last week's labour... and a much procrastinated-upon project. The map to go with the calendar! [link]

This map only has the filming locations for the Lord of the Rings movies, I am working on a version that includes other famous NZ movies, or movies shot in NZ (Narnia, The Last Samurai, Whale Rider, the Piano.... etc.) So stay tuned!

I've based this on some, I think 16th century seafaring maps, I reckon this would be a map held in the archives of Gondor.... let me know what you think! :)

Done in Adobe Illustrator.
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Monsterfight ink

Dreamin' of the tropics

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Just a sweet nothing I did the other day when I went to a watercolor class given by a local artist. Colour version.
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Blue palm tree

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Just a sweet little nothing I did the other day when I went to a watercolor class given by a local artist. Monochromatic version.
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