Gerry Anderson (1929-2012)

I have just heard the news that Gerry Anderson sadly passed away today, at the age of 83. 

For those of you that don't know, Gerry Anderson was the creator of shows like Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. I used to love these shows as a kid (and adult). The effects in them were terrific.

Gerry Anderson's company, Supermarionation, also provided the explosions for several James Bond films.

When I was younger I used to watch my Dad's Captain Scarlet tapes all the time and I loved it! So much I made a homemade Captain Scarlet costume. 

The shows were always fun and adventurous, which is pretty much what my work is about. 

R.I.P Gerry Anderson

Hope you like the new Banner!

For the New Year I have decided to sort my blog out. I want this blog to be my central hub, keeping it pretty much the same. In the New Year I hope to branch out with other blogs, which will be online comics. That's what I would like anyway.

'Tis the Season

I was going to wait until Christmas Day, but nobody does anyhting on Christmas Day so here is my yuletide post. 

Here's wishing everyone a Happy Holiday: 

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Kool Kwanza, Fantastic Festivus and a... err... Super Solstice(?). 

From The Weird and The Wonderful have a great start to the New Year and enjoy the holiday.

Dracula

I know what you are thinking. 'Dracula? Again?!' Well, yeah, but this time it's the cover. See I can be original.

Tablets: Twice a Day, with water.

The first time I have ever used a tablet. 

Cat Blue

I've been working on a pencil animation about a cat that scratched me when I was younger (the nerve!)  It's a bit quick at times, and its can be difficult to realise what is going on, but it is hard to say I am disappointed. I think the acting on the cat is spot on. 

By the way I based the cat's face on Lee Van Cleef (The Bad) and a lot of his mannerisms are those of Vincent Price.

Silent Sonic

In my last post, I mentioned I used Ub Iwerks as inspiration for my Sonic. Well, for fun I designed a couple of Silent Sonics, if there was a cartoon made in the "rubber hose" animation days.

Sonic

I fancied trying to draw Sonic in my style. I tried to give it Ub Iwerks feel. 

Batmobile

The Batmobile, modelled after the 1938 Phantom

 

A Girl and Her Beast

I really like this title. I want to do something with it. Not sure what...

My sister drew this for her fashion portfolio and asked if there was anything I could do with it. I live traced it on Illustrator and messed around with colours and colour halftone on photoshop. I used blue because she reminded me of Sue Storm- I was told it was Marilyn Monroe.

Mr. J

I tried to make this a mix of classic Conrad Veidt Joker and the Animated Series version.

Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue

Whatever happened to my Woody and Buzz?

AstroBoy

Soaring high in the sky,
He may be small but only in size.
AstroBoy, AstroBoy,
He is brave and gentle and wise!

What a great character! The text says "AstroBoy", or translated properly "Mighty Atom". I thought I would try different characters I like and try to adapt into my own style.

He is what he is: He's Popeye the Sailor Man

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

From Me and Dr. Maniaco!

New Comic! New Blog! New Maniaco!

Yes, I have finally made an online comic. It is Dr. Maniaco, the super villain who shares a flat with his henchman and you can find it here.

Bernard Quelch of the Night Watch

An idea for a comic I have. Bernard Quelch is a police officer who has just been given the Night Watch Shift, which he discovers is saving Old London Town from Vampires, Demons and other haunts of the night. 

I wanted Bernard to look very average and a bit old. Kind of like the Ghostbusters. 

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The perfect Halloween story (I read it every year).

"A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land and to pervade the very atmosphere."

The Haunting- 1960

 

The tag-line is from an actual poster. It's absolutely right. I don't believe in ghosts, but this is the scariest film I ever seen.

Fab Four

A quick warm up sketch.

The Curse of Frankenstein- 1958

A companion piece to the Horror of Dracula.

Nosferatu- 1922

I decided to go for a blue tint since they often tinted the film in the silent era. The paper background gives it the texture of the scratches on the film.

Super 8 Collection

I have started collecting Super 8/ 8mm films. I have the projector and 10 films. The projector I still need to figure out how to work. the films include:

• The Moon Landing footage
• Revenge of Frankenstein
• Curse of the Demon
• The Mummy (Boris Karloff)
• The Thing From Another World
• Godzilla vs The Thing
• The Wolf Man (Lon Chaney Jr.)
• It Came From Outer Space
• I Was A Teenage Frankenstein
• Rodan: The Flying Monster

The Wolf Man- 1941

Another poster in the same style as the Horror of Dracula one a few posts ago. The Wolf Man- the good one.

Van Helsing

A Van Helsing companion piece to my Old Dracula. I always think of Peter Cushing when I think of Van Helsing, however I wanted to have a design closer to Bram Stoker's actual character. He is rounder, more like Herbert Lom's portrayal, or David Suchet. 

FUN FACT: Did you know that Bram is short for Abraham, as in Abraham Van Helsing. 

Old Dracula

I am always trying to perfect my take on characters. I have been trying to develop my Old Dracula for a while and this is how I imagine him. From the book: 

"a tall old man, clean shaven save for a long white moustache, and clad in black from head to foot, without a single speck of colour about him anywhere"

"The nails were long and fine, and cut to a sharp point"

His ears are how I like to draw all of my vampires, bat-like, but in human form (this is due to them turning into bats for centuries and it having an effect). They are, perhaps, not as small as I would have liked them, but what the hey. I wanted to depict him without arms. I loved the idea of his talons just emerging from the darkness. On Photoshop I just upped the contrast and added the old page background. I would like to do more on the build up to Halloween, but are kidding, I do this all year round.