Another one!

Digital sketch for one of my twitter followers, who is obsessed with Captain Marvel.

So I drew him as the man himself LOL

Nothing serious but I am back.

Used the illustration friday theme to mess about with just colour lol

I am back from Xmas holidays. Stayed in a tiny little cottage in Coddenham for the holidays. Got relatives that live that way so we had Xmas dinner with them.

I DID A DRAWING! LOL

This was a private commission. The aim was to use the client themselves within the image. He had requested that it be a Loki/ Dr. Strange/ Wiccan sort of character they wished to be portrayed as.

Sketchy poo for a friend.

Isn't he handsome? HAHAHAHA

Stretch

My take on this weeks Illustration Friday brief. I wanted to create a moment in time and this is what I came up with.

Nothing serious just me playing about with photoshop brushes and decided to limit myself to a colour. 

Merlin vs Morgana

Here are some preview shots of the pencils to a comic double page spread thing I am working on lol

Just a bit of fun xD

It's Christmas time!

Thought I'd share this with you guys xD

A little X-mas avatar I made for twitter xD May throw it up as all my social media stuff for the holiday season. X-mas has always been a big thing in my family and I love it!

Just a sketch.

Just a quickie sketch to say I am still here.

My new job has been keeping me from drawing. Think it's a shock to the body so I have been getting used to that lol

This was going to be a sketch of cast characters from Conduit but turned into BBC's Merlin o.O
I need to work out how to save RGB to the colours on my screen as they appear alot brighter or faded as compared to CMYK which match my screen better.
I only notice it once its saved and not viewed on my cintiq/laptop screen in photoshop o.O

Wizard vs Aliens.

Screen shot of an illustration I did based on the CBBC series "Wizard vs Aliens". Suppose a comic book cover type illustration really xD

Had fun making it!

All rights to the characters belong to the BBC!

THOUGHT BUBBLE 2012

WOW.... WHAT A SHOW!

After months of spending time indoors and working and doing nothing more but that, getting away to Leeds for a few days is what I needed.

So I suppose I'll just account on random things really.... (I am so prepared for this blog hahaha).

I travelled up on Friday night after my shift, trains were delayed so I never ended up arriving in Leeds till 12:30am. To rain and lots of it, I got so wet walking to the hotel Dx Where I was met by 2 fellow comickers Markk and Nick.
We chatted till 3am and got up for Saturdays expo.
This year there were so many people!!! It was busy last year but this year was immense and the crowds were fantastic!! Sadly I never had enough cash to buy all the comics I wanted to purchase...  So alot of the ones I was looking at I made note of to get at a later date. My poor bank account!
What I love about Thought Bubble is how I always spot other comics from independent artists that may never get a chance to attend MCM, so I get to see and meet new faces and buy awesome books.
Plus I find; since TB is just a comic event, the stores that are there  selling like Travelling Man and Forbidden Planet ect... Have a fantastic wider range of comics and it's easier to browse those! Not like MCM as it can be waaay too packed!

The after party was just brilliant! The venue was lovely and all night I heard nothing but good praises. Very spacious venue, lots of room and bars to chat, dance or watch on the upper levels and look down at all the drunkerds dancing hahahaha

 

Pic courtesy of Andrew Ruddick aka Pud.

Myself with Emma Vieceli, Paul Duffield, John Aggs and my TB dancing partner in crime

Kate Brown! *Does the cyclops dance*

Sunday was a nice day, one of the reasons I was at Thought Bubble was to help Markk aka Anaseed Man at his table. I ended up getting a commission from it myself! Was a £5 sketch of Death from the Sandman series. I was so scared and nervous as it was my first ever con sketch hahahaha

Was fun working the Table and it's cool to have someone there too sitting with you, so you are not lonely LOL

If you are yet to ever travel up to Leeds and attend Thought Bubble, seriously do so!! It's a fantastic convention just for comics. The after party is just as fun and getting the chance to hang out with fellow artists and writers is a great opportunity. 

Next year I shall be there with a table selling what hopefully will be this list:

The Orange man, Tremor, Tingles, Conduit issue 0. 

Big applause for the Thought Bubble team and volunteers that helped out, see you guys for the next one!!

Update!

Here's a quickie update.

Things are good! I have 2 short comics in the works. They range from 6 to 12 pages in length.
The subjects are related to my uni project "Information via story telling".

In the first "Tingles" I portray a couple of friends having a conversation as to one of their interested in making videos for the ASMR community and what it is.

The other is called "Tremor" and is a sort of 24hr comic about the day in a characters life that suffers with Essential Tremor like I do.

Conduit is still in the works. I have the first story fleshed out and what will lead into the second book.

I also have a 4th comic in the works that is a one off. That will be out hopefully by Next Thought Bubble. I'll say no more than that as if I get a bit of it done and I know it'll be done by the end of summer 2013 I shall advertise it at MCM next May.

Speaking of Thought Bubble, I shall be there! I'll be aiding Anaseed Man at his table as he has kindly let me share a room and feel like this is the right thing to do LOL As a fellow comicker and plus his a mate xD
Also at Thought Bubble there is an anthology called "Amnesia Agents" in which a short 4 page comic by myself is in!
Go look n buy it xD

So here are some inks I am working on. It's Wizards vs Aliens on CBBC. Wanted to draw something that was aimed at kids.

Looking forward to colouring this:

Anyhoo

HAVE FUN GUYS AND IF I SEE YOU AT TB THIS WEEKEND, COME SAY HI!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween from me!! A doodle I did this morning to show I am still alive.... oooor am I?

I shall be spending the night reading Halloween Eve by the ever lovely Amy Reeder! Yes I am so hip n cool xD

Hulkling and Wiccan.

HULKLING AND WICCAN!!! They are on a night out together.... A little lost so Wiccan conjures a map! Tried to add some of the people in the BG to look on them in shock and such.... Wanted to maybe attempt to portray how an openly gay mutant couple would be treated.

This is more a future version as I feel they look older than their actual are in the Marvelverse hahaha

Update. Got rid of the Halo thing around the characters. Was going to move the arm of Hulkling as I know it's a bit off anatomy wise but it would change the composition and what I wanted to portray. 

A little progress update.

Yea as it says in the title xD

I finally got a job!!! YAY Paid employment. I work part time in a Department Store now it's only Xmas temping but it brings the money in while I am working on illustration stuff.

So here's the WIP this far.

Current Illo.

Illustration I am working on xD

These are just the pencils. I am going ink n Colour these, I also need to add the Background in. Going to attempt a messy, paintish sort of look for the Background. Lots of layers of just colour.

I DREW A WICCAN

Booyah Brand new Young Avengers Comic coming out next year xD

So did a quick sketch in Manga Studio of my fav Y.A character, Wiccan.

Another cooling down Drawing.

Here's another drawing I did to finish of today's work lol

Just a random dude, playing about with the tones in Manga Studio.

Halloween twitter

Twitter appears to be gearing up for halloween xD

With some funny Halloween theme display names playing on people's current names.

Here's a few.

Here is mine xD

Close up of my DP pic

Sketches

Just some sketches I did today, need to practice a bit more "Realism" and also proportions ahahahaha.

MIRROR

This was a test "Sketch" using this weeks theme from illustration Friday. This is also a character from an up n coming comic I am doing.

The idea was that Mirrors can hold spirits.

Been a bit quiet with the colour illustrations at the moment as I am lacking in the photoshop department. So I am now using my inking/ comic making program Manga Studio to rectify that but I should had Photoshop back in the next few weeks. 

I feel more relaxed when using MS than PS with drawing line n inking. So when it comes to colouring this was a whole new ball game. It gives this sketchy feel to the whole image and I think its great for slapping basic colours onto a sketch.

For me photoshop feels like something final and its where all my polished, texture ridden illo's are made in.

Although I know once I get photoshop back all the colouring will be done in that hahahahaha

Me thus far.

Not much has happened since I've been on holiday. My comics list is growing, which is good. I may invest in a small Calendar so I can write events down on them and plan my comic writing out.

So what have I been doing? I've restarted my dissertation module at uni! I know, crazy right but I'd like to graduate with some sort of BA with HON rather than just a BA.

Anyway enough of that! 

I am currently writing a short 4 page comic with a writer named Jason Cobley, who you can easily find on Amazon and has done some interesting work. I'm excited to be working with him and hopefully we can collab on more things in the future. The first 2 images are from said project.

The last image is my current status of my Forever12 project that I am working on with a fantastic array of artists. It's my first Anthology and it's my first time going straight to digital with the roughs/ thumbnails. 

Also I am currently working out the kinks and the best way to show off a comics portfolio lol As I've only been shown how to layout an illustration portfolio haha

Other than that there shall be more comics coming from me soon xD 

Night night sketch.

A sketch before I go to sleep xD

SKETCH DUMP!

Here are some silly doodles I did today.... always a good way to break out in a slump xD

Words and influences

Thought I’d blog on here and I’ll copy this to my other things to lol There has been alot of talk lately online in forums about the term “Manga” what it means ect… I am not really going into too much of that other than my own personal thoughts on this word and the influence it has on my work. This is going to be a bit of a rambling one hahaha sorry.

I suppose I should start in the beginning *que epic music!* .

I have had a Japanese pen friend since I was 13. We still talk and are very much good friends, I was introduced to manga through her. I suppose it happened all at once really as at the same time we had Pokemon and Digimon hitting out T.V’s, Sailor moon ect. It was the boom of Anime in the UK. I wasn’t introduced to manga right away mind you. It was a good year or so after writing that I was introduced to it. I was given ONE PIECE Volume 1 for my Birthday, this was years before it was ever popular over hear. Volume 1 had just come out in Japan at the time. Then I was hooked and it went from that to Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura and Dragon ball, Slayers and Orphen. 

Back then it was huge, I was young and so for me as an artist I was visually inspired and started drawing in that style. I look back now and in some ways regret it. As it put a hold on me developing. I would do all the things I hate now, draw in a stereotypical style, set comics in Japan even though I had not been there and knew only a little about the culture of what I was told from my pen friend. I’m glad I grew out of it hahaha Although the interest in Japan and its culture has always been there and always will be, as I now have studied the language (not fluent but almost there) and have a better understanding of the culture from now having a network of Japanese friends. This wasn’t all from me being a manga or anime fan at all. This was all born from the innocence of a 13 year old boy writing a letter to a 14 year old girl in South Eastern Hokkaido.

I see alot of people talk about Bakuman and they learnt the comic terms from that. I knew of these terms long before Bakuman or even Death Note was out. Through the use of How to books and that. For me now those are redundant terms.  As I am not Japanese, I am not in a society that requires the use of the language or social norms everyday. I have not grown up within that history and culture either, so why would I use their terms? Now if I was speaking to a Japanese person in their own tongue, then yes I would use those terms as thats what they know. Saying to an English person though “Oh I’ll scan in and send you the Name” is bound to get a WTF back. I’d use the terms of my own country as that’s where I was brought up, thats where my home is, everything that I am as a person comes from where I reside. So why would I use the terms of another language. I actually get really annoyed when I hear English people use terms like Otaku, Kawaii, kyaaa, e~to, anou~, ~san and ~kun, ~chan. Partly because it sounds stupid and partly because half these people don’t know the language at all to understand their full use of them. They just use them because they see them in some j-drama or anime. 

Back on topic (told you i’d ramble) the term Manga for me means “Japanese comics” I’d always use that word as a term for any comic that has come out of Japan. Anything else I’d use the term Graphic novel (anything longer than 30pages) or for an issue (western numbered issues) I’d use the term comic. 

I am a manga-inspired artist, as are a lot of my friends within the small press and professional world. Yet they don’t call themselves manga artists, they call themselves Comic Artists. This for me is the correct term, I would never call myself a “Manga-ka” as I am not Japanese and I am not a Japanese comic artist working in Japan. I am influenced by Japanese comics but I am also influenced by fashion illustration, western comics, Arthur Rackham and many other artists! I see too many people emulating their favourite Manga artist and not taking that inspiration and making it their own, adding their own stamp to it. I could list artists that have been influenced by Japanese comics but taken that inspiration and made it their own, created something that I have not seen before and can recognise as that person. 

It goes back to what I said earlier about where I grew up making me what I am. It’s the same as an artist, we are all inspired visually. We all take in whats around us and channel that into our work. For me it was the same with manga/anime, marvel and DC (mainly Vertigo….. THEY ARE EPIC). I grew up with all that around me, being visually bombarded with all this western and eastern culture on my T.V screen and in my hand in the form of print. I hopefully naturally channel all that into my work hahaha  

The negativity that comes with the word manga is such a pain as well, as once someone hears the word “manga” they shut off and don’t seem interested. It’s frustrating, it is kind of hard to talk about at times but I think there needs to be some sort of change within how people talk about comics in general. Hopefully their will be a day where manga is no longer “Manga” but falls into the term of comics and is widely accepted. That a western illustrator CAN be influenced by it (as long as they not just copying) and it won’t effect their prospect of getting work or being labelled as something when they are not. 

For me the best thing I ever did was actually stop. I stopped reading manga about 3 years ago. The only Manga I read was Bakuman (funny enough haha). I never even read it in English. As someone studying the Japanese language I buy Manga in it’s native language as it helps but you get it in its full unedited force lol The comics and Graphic novels I have been reading are small press and also any comic I can get on Comixology. From Superhero based to your real life, biographical comic. Also I have gone back to reading alot of novels too. This has really helped me stylistically as I feel I have started to come away from my work looking very “manga”…. I think it’s still in there, somewhere and it will never go away but I feel my work is opening up and becoming something more. 

I’m going to end here as I feel I’ve lost what I was trying to say hahahahahaha (derpaderp) 

In all seriousness, I have no problem with someone saying they are manga influenced/inspired, as if that helps describe you then that’s fine. As I am too! What I don’t like is the terms being chucked about like its your own native language. 

Imma shut up now hahaha This is one of those things that is always best spoken about with a good group of people, over drinks (many drinks) in a good pub/bar! Anyone game? LOL

Wiccan VS Doctor Doom

Here are some inks to an illustration I am working on. Bit of fan art as I always find it's great to do these kinda things. Allows you to play around more as the characters arn't your own.... Just my theory haha That's why I like colouring other peoples work. Allows me to play around more and try new things out.

Anyhoo here is the ink xD

Carry

The theme of the new Illustration Friday brief is "Carry"....
Photoshop isn't working for me right now so I had to make do with Manga Studio....... Not used to toning with the lasso tool but think I did okay lol

Cover sketch

Wanted to try my hand at doing my own version of a cover illustration that an awesome artist and a good friend of mine did.
You can find his version here: http://markdawes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/conduit.html

Here's the inks to my version..... I placed the characters within a well known london street. Llama to you if you can guess where xD

This isn't the full image, need to add the colour next. This will be my first proper attempt at colouring a night time scene. 

Had a chat with some people I know and showed them the image that was drawn for me and while its fantastic, it might not be best to use on every book cover as it doesn't show the art style inside.

But I will be using Marks Cover as special edition and print a small run of them. 

LOST

My version of the illustration Friday brief xD

Suspend.

My illustration Friday version.

The idea was to "Suspend your type" as in hang up Stereotyping that you may belong too.

As a creative, everyone probably thinks on hearing what I do that I am a secret hipster. So I thought I'd "Suspend" that stereotype.

Cheeky wip of current work

WIPs of a current illustration I am working on, it's on the theme of Suspend. 

New Designers 2012..... The stuff that happened and my thoughts on the event

Wow what can I say really? 

The past 4 days have been absolutely MAD lol New Designers has been one of the most interesting experiences ever as a Uni student. I was surprised at the number of comic orientated people there, one or two I recognise from seeing at Thought Bubble last year. Also the Lovely En’s “What is it Katy?” was a lovely surprise to see at the Falmouth stand, sadly no work up on the wall as that would of done so well! There was some lovely work overall from the guys at Falmouth. 

Right so, to be honest I had mixed feelings about this event. Started off really bumpy. The overall thing with ND12 was that you are there to advertise not just yourself, but you are there as a representation of your course and university. Sadly one of our guys was not much of a team player and often enough would but in to conversations and change the focus onto themselves. Which is kind of sad as their mentality was “Let’s get as many clients as I can possibly get, even if they are not even where my interest lies”. Luckily enough the rest of us were very engaging with people who visited our stand and showed off everyones work. I felt a certain level of pride that I may have helped a friend get work, even if it means that I never.

Enough on that subject, so what was it like exhibiting? A lot of standing around really, unless your Uni stand has a table and chairs LOL Sadly Swindon never provided such a luxury so we stood all the time and took turns going to the Cafe or sitting out in one of the hallway areas near a window (the later being more handy as we were in earshot of the stand). I spoke to lots of students who were also exhibiting, a few of them either liked my work or were also fellow Comickers but were on other courses. One guy I spoke to was actually on an animation degree but was more the character designing side and thus preferred to draw comics. I also spoke to some lovely potential clients, one charming lady I spoke to said some lovely things and her company dealt with teaching English as a second language, through visual narrative. My style seemed to fit well with some of the age ranges they deal with. She said that the company she worked for arn’t as glossy as magazines ect… which I said that I was more than interested in doing stuff for them. 

I feel though overall it is a very commercial thing and if you do comics you may get lost in the crowd a bit. 

The break down of the event was:

Wednesday- Private view, where industry come and look at the work on show.

Thursday-Friday is much of the same but you have the added schools and college trips that come to see the work as well (while taking literally EVERYTHING, so some business cards were hidden LOL).

Saturday was much quieter, I mean this years ND was very quiet in comparison to last years. It mainly gave us a chance, as well as other Uni’s that were exhibiting to wonder round the show and look at what everyone else was doing. This was mainly where I got chatting and finding fellow comickers lol Was great though as to be honest the event isn’t just about making contacts with industry, it’s also building a contact list with fellow creators/creatives and meeting others in your field of work. One guy I was talking to went off and came back and I thought “When did he change his shirt?” then a few minutes later I realised (when I saw them together) the guy I was originally talking to was actually a twin hahaha 

It is a very tiring event and will drain you mentally, I think the one thing I got out of it was where I would like to take my work and where I want it to develop. Also joining and chatting to the two lovely girls from the A.O.I. They were very chatty and lovely, think that did kind of help me decide to join hahaha

I will say one thing, I have never been thankful for working in retail till this event. Working in a shop, you are forced to speak and engage with people all the time. So that really came in handy hahaha The simplest hello can start a conversation off and it could turn out to be the best contact you’ve made. 

Not really sure what else to say really without badgering on about the same stuff so I think I’ll leave it here with a quick summary lol

Overall New Designers was an amazing experience, slow at first but it did pick up and it was worth doing as I got to meet and talk to amazing people. From industry, to college students and tutors to fellow exhibitors. 

Actually I will say one thing, I am so looking forward to next year as I may attempt to do one year on but also I am looking forward to seeing a certain few Swindon College peeps exhibit, as I think they will do so well. 

NewDesigners AWAY!

New Designers from tomorrow!! I'll be helping to set up. Looking forward to it as it's the one good thing I am looking forward to this past few months.

So if you have some free time from Wednesday pop down to the Business Design Centre in Islington and come see the fantastic artwork on show from Uni's all over the UK xD

Oh Space Maiden.

"Oh Space Maiden, gentle Goddess.
Drifting through the void, taking up the dust of the ether.
Shaping it to her will, her desire, creation and Light,
from the depths of Darkness."

This image was inspired by the Illustration Friday brief using the theme of SPACE.

Was really fun creating this image (even though my Mac wasn't very cooperative LOL) I especially enjoyed trying to work out how to create the Nebula and Star's without resorting to a texture or filter. 

POSTCARDS CAME!!

Super pleased with these, I noticed a small mistake with how I created the image for Elizabeth AKA Izzy (incase you are not sure who that is it's the girl with the rainbow aura coming out of the wand she is holding). It's a silly mistake on my part but actually adds to the image..... HAPPY ACCIDENT=WIN!

Update on commission prices.

I posted this over at my Tumblr but here is my Commission post:

Since I am fresh out of Uni and in the process of job searching I have decided to open up commissions. 

Yes, your heard :P

COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN!

I am offering Character illustrations, inks and portraits.

*Digital Colour Character illustrations with simple Background design: £35 

*Digital flat colours character illustrations with simple background: £25

I am offering digital coloured character illustrations that are made of two colours of your choice for £15

*Digital character inks: £10-£20 depending on number of “characters” you want in the image. Also backgrounds can be added for an extra £10 and will comprise of a comic book panel which the BG will sit in.

1 character:£10

2 characters: £15

3 characters: £20 

*Portraits - please provide a photo for reference for all portrait commissions.

Head: £10

Bust: £15

Full body: £20

*Prices for portraits are flat colours only.

*Pencils

Pencils are drawn on Bristol Board A4. I can post these to you too. 

Headshot: £5

Bust: £10

Full body: £15

***High res illustrations (commercial or personal),comic pages, colouring take a lot of time and if you wish to get in contact with me about what it is you want then we can discuss fee’s. 

*DISCLAIMER

All Digital images will be sent to you as a JPEG size A4 at 300dpi. The copyright will remain to the artist (myself) and in no way is to be reproduced with out consulting myself and a fee will be discussed.

If you wish for the originals for all digital artwork please get in touch with me. 

CONTACT ME FOR ALL TYPES OF COMMISSIONS AT: frederick.orourke@gmail.com

I look forward to working with you all in the near future.

Commissions

If you take a look over at my Tumblr I have a list of commissions that I have opened up!

http://fredorourke.tumblr.com/post/25511134228/opening-commissions-i-have-decided-that-it-be

Postcard Design

Final postcard design now finished.
Need to sort out the other 5 and then it's send them all to print!

Lineart.

Cassidy from Avalon Chronicles.

That's it.... It's the end but also the beginning.

So things are at an end with Uni. It's all over I am now just waiting for the results.

Final show went well and lots of my cards were taken which is good. Just waiting to take the show down now and prepare for the exhibition in London.

So where do things go from here?

Well the first thing is to set up a proper website, which will be coming soon! Hopefully by September I'll have a site up and running.
also setting up a number of social networking sites, I've decided to give each one a set thing so that I can control them a bit easier LOL

So here's a list of what you want to follow me on!

http://fredorourke.tumblr.com/ My Tumblr will be used as a place for all my sketches and prelims for projects that I am working on.

https://twitter.com/#!/Fred_ORourke My twitter..... That's what I use as like my Facebook for creatives LOL So it's a healthy mix of personal and work.

http://www.facebook.com/fredorourkeillustration My facebook page! This is art work only. I know not everyone has multiple things and as most use facebook I thought it be better to use that as one form of online portfolio.

www.fredorourke.devart.com My online Portfolio, this will become less active when I have a website up and running.

And then there is this! My blogger. Which will house news, random detailed updates on what I am doing and an all round blog.


RIGHT! Enough of that LOL

NOW FOR THE ART! What's next for me in terms of the art world? Well I am getting more and more active within the comics world so I have a number of comics in the process or on paper that I want to do.

The Orange Man: My current book, this is limited to 30 copies at the minute. I may do another run of 30-40 when I fix the cover.

A Gentle Touch (working title) My comic about the weird Brain Tingles that is known well as ASMR.

conDuit. My Baby! This is a big wish fullfilment comic that I plan to release online and print.

Also working on a Manga Jiman piece too and there will be more to come.

Sorry long blog post I'll shhh now hahaha.

The Orange Man.

For those who may not know I am in my final week of Uni. So things have been super busy.

The above image is what I received today in the post.

MY FIRST EVER COMIC!

The cover isn't perfect which is a pain but it's one of those things that once I learn how to do properly I can perfect it and future comics will look awesome!

Anyhoo about the above picture.

The Orange man is a short 12pg comic about someone who discovers they have Multiple Sclerosis.

I went through and used a bunch of information I got from those with this Neurological disease and created a narrative using their information. It was pretty rushed but I have a limited run of 30 copies of this book and it will be priced alongside Scatter8 in a promotional pack of sorts.

Speaking of Scatter 8 here are some Promo shots of it: