Poetry Posters!

As mentioned in my previous blog entry, I recently completed a commission for the Poetry Society, producing two posters to be sold as part of an education pack to schools around the UK.

I’ve done a few collaborations in the past with my brother on some his poetry based projects, so creating illustrations designed to complement poems was something I’ve had moderate experience in, all be it at an amateur level.

I completed accompanying illustrations for two poems – the first was ‘The Night Crow’ by Sujata Bhatt. The second was ‘Introduction To Poetry’ by Billy Collins (whom I’m told is one of the most well known poets in America!).

‘The Night Crow’ was full of imagery that lends itself particularly well to visual mediums, so my illustration was a very literal translation of the poem. My first rough received instant approval from the client, so the transition through to final artwork was a painless process:


Leaving me with the second poem – ‘Introduction To Poetry’. Buoyed by my previous success, I felt confident I could wrap this up with my first attempt as well. Yet Poetry is a fickle beast, and my initial roughs were met with disapproval by the client. After around seven roughs and a day at a museum searching for inspiration, I finally cracked it. The final image is suppose to convey the sense of euphoria that poetry can provide - along with the rich and fertile imagination that is the driving force for the poet. Or something like that.

Did I just spill my guts?

I think it would be a fair criticism to say that I have allowed my blog to become a desolate wasteland over the past few months. Being a proactive illustrator has become less and less of a defining feature of my life recently – a fact that regularly irks me and leaves feeling of regret and guilt in equal measure.

I fear I have fallen into the routine of the average yuppy – that is operating an endless cycle of working the day job and then blowing out at the weekends. Behind this weekly grind, there exists a little-but-oh-so-potent voice at the back of my head urging me to rediscover my enthusiasm for my personal creativity and find the discipline required to realise my ambitions.

Despite the apparent lack of productivity, I have had a small victory fairly recently – that is the completion of my first professional commission. I have painted two posters for the poetry society designed to complement two very unique poems. Completing these commissions presented a fresh challenge for me, and it was certainly a very positive experience dealing with a client in a professional climate. Luckily for me, the client was relatively painless to work with, and seemed pleased with the end product. I will blog about this in full once I am allowed to publish the final posters.

In other news, I have recently started working towards a series of around 10 paintings for what I hope will double as a backbone to both a concrete portfolio and allow me to exhibit some of my work.

On a final note, in future I plan to start using my blog to review sources of interest and inspiration, rather than purely focus on my artwork alone. With this in mind, there are a couple of websites I’d like to mention that I have stumbled upon of late – firstly http://listen.grooveshark.com/ - a music site much akin to Spotify that includes a more niche range of music in its library as well as loses the irritating adverts.

Secondly I’d like to mention a musician I had the pleasure to see at a recent Leonard Cohen tribute night (run by my brother) which I attended. She is called Fiona Bevan and you can listen to her music at http://www.myspace.com/fionabevan - she plays an entertaining blend of acoustic indie folk that is perfectly complemented by her exciting vocals. If you like the music of Leslie Fiest, then you’re certain to enjoy what Fiona has to offer.

Ittan Momen

No space for art in my flat makes Mike's blog a very dull and quiet place...

Any-hoooooo knocked this up over the weekend for my brother's book.

You remind me of home

Finished off this little number today. It's possibly the smallest painting in the world, standing at a teeny tiny 3x2 inches (!). I had to create a special shrink ray to shrink my hands to enable me to paint the finer details (honest gov'nor!).

Aka-shita

A quick illustration for my brother. He asked me to draw a mythological Japanese beastie called Aka-shita, which means "red tongue". I would've like to have coloured it but my brother asked for a quick turn-a-round.

Since I completed Fen, I've moved out of home and into London. Unfortunately all my wondrous arty materials are still at home (I've only partially moved in). As a result though I haven't had much time to illustrate as I would've really liked, hense the lack of any online activity over the past month.

Fen

I don't like painting photorealism these days, nor do I have any experience at painting animals, so forgive me if the proportions are a little wonky.

This painting is a present for a good mate of mine - it's a painting of his young lady friend's horse, better known as Fen.

Created with acrylic, goache and wax crayons. It's a warm up for the new, traditional direction my next few pieces will follow.

Progress

Hmmm, I guess one post in the whole of August isn't good form.

Here be progress on the horsey painting. It looks a lot better in real life, honest 'guv! Also note the little painting on the mini-canvas. I'll post both up when they're done, which shouldn't be too long 'cuz I'm faster in acrylics then I am with digital painting!

In other news, I've entered a couple of pictures in Images: The Best of Contemporary British Illustration (the Association of Illustrators annual competition). Having been sent a (free!) copy of the Images book, I'm confident I can at least get selected to appear in this years book. I will keep y'all posted!