Sketchbook Project 2012 (Covered)

So, after finishing the interior pages of my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook, I've finally completed it and drawn on the front and back cover.

If reading comics has taught me anything (...and it has!), if you put Wolverine and Spider-Man on the cover, more people will pick up your book, so...

And on the back cover is Professor Pyg, one of the best new villains from Grant Morrison's recent Batman books...

I'll be posting my sketchbook back to the Brooklyn Art Library later this week. It's been a really good project to do and I definitely want to take part again in a future Sketchbook Project!

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

So I've been finishing off my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook and have completed the last few pages...

...which included the first page in the book, which ended up being the last page that I drew (and I added a brief description of my project at the bottom of the page)...

Now I just need to draw something on the cover and then I'll be finished and ready to return my sketchbook back to the Brooklyn Art Library for inclusion in The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour.

If you haven't already, you can view all my previous pages here:
http://www.arthousecoop.com/users/PaulShinn/artwork

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

Now that I've finished the commissioned work that's been keeping me busy the last few weeks, I thought I better get back to my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook...

I'm nearly at the end of my sketchbook now. It's been an interesting project to do, and I definitely plan to take part again next year.
If you haven't already, you can view all my previous pages here:
http://www.arthousecoop.com/users/PaulShinn/artwork

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

Here's the latest page from my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook...

This is partly based on an idea I used for another illustration recently, but I quite liked it, so wanted to use it again. Plus Mr Freeze is one of my favourite Batman villains, mainly due to the awesome animated series (and nothing to do with Arnold Schwarzenegger's role as Mr Freeze in the movie Batman & Robin!).

If you haven't already, you can view all my previous pages here:
http://www.arthousecoop.com/users/PaulShinn/artwork

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

I've been busy working on a couple of commissions the last few weeks – which I'll hopefully be able to blog about soon – but for now here's a couple of new pages from my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook...

If you haven't already, you can view all my previous pages here:
http://www.arthousecoop.com/users/PaulShinn/artwork

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

After a brief hiatus, here's the latest page from my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook...

You can view all my previous pages here:http://www.arthousecoop.com/users/PaulShinn/artwork

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

Another day, another page for my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook...

You can view all my previous pages here: http://www.arthousecoop.com/users/PaulShinn/artwork

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

Here's a couple more pages for my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook for the theme Heroes & Villains...

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

Here are my latest pages for my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook for the theme Heroes & Villains...

The Observer/Jonathan Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize (Sneaky Peak)

I'm working on a 4-page comic to submit to The Observer/Jonathan Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize. I've planned out the story, and have finished the first page, but I wanted to share a short sequence...



I'll post the full story once I'm finished. The deadline is 14 October. Wish me luck!

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

Here are my latest pages for my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook for the theme Heroes & Villains...






You can see my previous pages here.

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

Here are some more pages from my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook, for the theme Heroes & Villains...

Sketchbook Project 2012 (Work In Progress)

I've signed up to take part in The Sketchbook Project 2012 run by the Art House Co-op with the Brooklyn Art Library. Once you've signed up for the project, they post you out a 32 page sketchbook which you then have to fill and send back by the 31 January 2012, to be included in The Sketchbook Project 2012 tour which takes in numerous locations across America, as well as Vancouver, Toronto, London and Melbourne, before being housed within the Brooklyn Art Library and available for people to view.

There are a selection of themes available to choose from to provide a starting point for your sketchbook. I selected Heroes and villains and decided to use this as an opportunity to develop an idea for a series of images that I first came up with a couple of years ago, taking iconic brightly coloured comic book superheroes and villains and placing them in a much more ordinary setting than they are usually depicted.

It's been good not to go near my computer for a change, and I've been using a combination of drawing ink, marker pen and watercolour to create the images. Here's a sneak peak at my work so far...

"Books & Literature"

So, I've been working on this idea over the weekend for the theme of Books & Literature. While I'm happy with the drawing of the characters, I was having some issues with the colouring. Originally I had tried a full-colour approach, but because there is quite a lot going on in the backgrounds, I was not happy with the overall effect which looked too busy. After trying a few other approaches to the colouring yesterday, I decided to give up for the day...

Today I was working on something else, and was looking at a black and white print out of the outlines I did yesterday. A few scribbles on the page later, and I decided to try a new approach, adding flat areas of colour to the backgrounds, while leaving the actual figures uncoloured. I quite like the effect which is something different for me.