Mo Ali - words + pictures

Sandman / Neil Gaiman

2011-12-30T17:05:00.000Z

A portrait sketch (coloured digitally) of Sandman as Neil Gaiman (or maybe it's Neil Gaiman as Sandman?)

Judge Dredd redesign

2011-12-17T18:17:00.000Z

A redesign concept of the character Judge Dredd:

Shot Glass of Rocket Fuel - 2000AD

2011-12-08T09:21:00.000Z

A quick 'Keep Calm' style poster, relating to 2000ad and a phrase used by writer Andy Diggle in describing the distillation process of comics writing.

Robot Shorts

2011-10-26T21:03:00.000+01:00

Pin-up artwork for another AccentUK book, Robot Shorts:

Tried to do something abit different design-wise for the robot, a little more post-modern prometheus etc.

Predators - AccentUK anthology

2011-10-04T13:09:00.000+01:00

I have a story called 'Skin Deep' in the Predators anthology, out now and published by AccentUK - with artwork for the story by the brilliant Andy Bloor - for more details visit their website - http://www.accentukcomics.com/predators.html

iFaust

2011-08-30T17:32:00.000+01:00

A contemporary take on the Faust legend:

Judge Dredd - Zarjaz

2011-08-17T21:32:00.000+01:00

A pin-up of Judge Dredd, for a forthcoming issue of the comics anthology fanzine Zarjaz :

Doctor Mormeck - Jeff Vandermeer

2011-07-04T13:15:00.000+01:00

An illustration of Doctor Mormeck, a strange sentient creature described as a mountain, from Jeff Vandermeer's ongoing serial fiction “The Journals of Doctor Mormeck" and featured on his blog.

Rebel at the End of Time - Steve Aylett, Michael Moorcock, Mo Ali

2011-06-20T13:00:00.002+01:00

Rebel at the End of Time, by Steve Aylett, which features cover artwork by me, is now available from PS Publishing.(also available to buy on Amazon)

SYNOPSIS:

" 21st-century revolutionary Leo finds himself at the End of Time, surrounded by decadent sorcerers whose childlike incomprehension is his worst nightmare. How to be effective when consequence is removed? What can have meaning when everything is transformed into fashion? Can love exist here? Leo storms through this lurid land in search of meaning, a cause, and a meal he can recognise.
Steve Aylett has been described as “utterly original” (SFX), “an unstoppable master of space and time” (Asimov’s), and “the most original voice in the literary scene” (Michael Moorcock). Alan Moore has called him “The most original and most consciousness-altering living writer in the English language, not to mention one of the funniest.” Aylett’s books include Novahead, Smithereens, The Complete Accomplice, Slaughtermatic, Fain the Sorcerer and LINT. "

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: Extra story 'Sumptuous Dress' by Michael Moorcock

ISBN: 978-1-848631-55-7

..And, as a special treat, the unlettered landscape version of the cover art:

Doctor Who - 11th Doctor

2011-06-13T22:00:00.000+01:00

A quick caricature illustration of the 11th Doctor, and first attempt at trying to draw his Easter Island-esque face:

Spreadshirt - silly slogan tshirts etc

2011-06-02T16:41:00.003+01:00

Some stupid slogan shirts I'm trying out via spreadshirt, check them out:

http://365483.spreadshirt.co.uk/

The main one I've done is a Star Wars spoof, called Sister Kisser:

Lint The Movie - Brighton screening

2011-05-25T09:02:00.001+01:00

LINT: The Movie, starring Alan Moore, Stewart Lee, Steve Aylett, Josie Long, Jeff Vandermeer, D Harlan Wilson, Robin Ince, Mitzi Szereto, Bill Ectric, Andrew O'Neill, Vessel, 7-Inch Stitch, me, etc., etc. ... There will be a screening in Brighton on 26th June 2011. Click here for details.

Purchase tickets here.

The film is based on Steve Aylett's books LINT and And Your Point Is?

Aylett books, LINT paraphernalia, and The Caterer comics will be on sale at the venue.

Zombies 2 anthology - AccentUK

2011-05-17T12:38:00.000+01:00

Pin-up artwork for the Zombies 2 anthology, from AccentUK comics (2011-ish):

Weaponizer Quarterly issue 1

2011-05-09T21:37:00.001+01:00

I have some art/writing in issue 1 of Weaponizer Quarterly, available to buy now, the full blurb is as follows:

Issue #1 available for $16.50 as a physical objectt ov doom, or $3.99 as a PDF / iPad thing.

Spring 2011 - DEBUT ISSUE!

The first issue of Weaponizer Quarterly features SF and horror stories by Mark Harding, Justin Childress, Mo Ali, Andre Navarro, Andrew C. Ferguson, Paul Grimsley, and C. Brian Hickey, with art by Mo and Andre, plus Emmanuel Hernaez aka MojoKingBee and others, plus a four-page photography spread by cover artist Robin LeBlanc.

There's non-fiction from Pornokitsch alt.history specialist Jared Shurin, plus Elle Matheuse and Grimly Whetfox, talking about comets, prejudice and lucid dreaming, plus interviews with screenwriter / director Eric Heiserrer (A Nightmare on Elm Street / The Thing), recent Planet Mu signing and DJ legend Chrissy Murderbot, and San Francisco Witch House label-head Ben Verslius of Tundra Dubs.

We've also got an EXCLUSIVE prequel to K. Patrick Glover and Keith Perkins' new webcomic serial, 'A Wicked Little Town', plus more comics from Richard Fannon and artist Lee Smart, and an illustrated vampire story by Harlequinade and Inkmoth.

Aquaman - HBO poster

2011-04-26T16:19:00.000+01:00

A publicity poster concept for an adaptation of the DC Comics property AQUAMAN for HBO:

Dalikrab Day 2011

2011-04-15T12:45:00.000+01:00

A quick bit of art for Dalikrab Day 2011:

Warren Ellis - station ident

2011-04-14T13:19:00.000+01:00

Artwork for Warrenellis.com:

"There is a category called station ident on warrenellis.com.
A station ident is an image I would post first thing in the morning."

Mad Science - Weaponizer Quarterly

2011-04-08T12:40:00.000+01:00

Some artwork below, which will be accompanying a short story I've written called 'Mad Science' in the The Weaponizer Quarterly: "a magazine featuring exclusive content from the Weaponizer writers, artists and photographers" which will be out soon...

Kapow Comic-con - Brochure concept

2011-03-25T13:02:00.000Z

A cover concept for the Kapow Comic-con brochure 2011:

A piece that is part homage/emulation/swipe of the late great Jack Kirby.

Serge

2011-02-25T20:48:00.001Z

A quick portrait sketch of Serge Gainsbourg - featured on the Draw Serge blog:

Black Panther movie concept - Noel Clarke

2011-02-18T21:11:00.001Z

A quick concept of actor Noel Clarke as Marvel Comics' Black Panther - featured on Bleeding Cool:

Stanley Kubrick's Ironman

2011-02-14T11:55:00.000Z

I forgot to post this, another Warren Ellis art challenge; based on the premise of Stanley Kubrick directing a Marvel Comics Ironman movie.

I tried to avoid the obvious visual emulations or spoofs, and based this on a 1980's look and feel, with the director perhaps exploring the ethical, metaphysical technological aspects of the franchise.

Steve Aylett interview (2006)

2011-01-31T14:34:00.001Z

A re-post of an interview with author Steve Aylett, originally conducted in 2006 for Fractmatter.com, but here it is again, in case it gets lost somewhere:

Aylett interview 2006

- So how are you finding life in the 21st century?

A: It's f**k-awful so far. People seem to getting stupider and more easily led. There’s less genuine desire for new ideas, while simultaneously there’s a louder than ever false cry for new ideas. It’s very much like the eighties, only more so – a sort of Hyper-Eighties. But it’s been like this since the late-90s, so maybe it’ll thaw out and colour up again soon, the way these cycles go around. I’ve just never seen the point in having this part of the cycle at all, the bland wasteland part.

- For those that have been unlucky enough not to have read your work, how would you describe your writing style? Has it changed alot since you first put pen to paper?

A: It’s satire with quite high-resolution surreal stuff. It can be weird and poetic, and is fairly dense. And it’s funny, which I always forget. I’ve described Jeff Lint’s stuff as being ‘pointillist’, in that every sentence comes directly at you – each point is the head of a thread which continues away behind the page, so that if you turned the page sideways you’d see all these information threads streaming off – not into infinity but quite a long way. That’s what I try to do. It’s just a way of packing a lot of information into a book, in microdots. This is the one thing I have in common with the old-time cyberpunk writers, who used to measure their kudos on how much information they could pack into the smallest space. From I think ATOM onwards I worked out how to make this look more casual by varying the tone and having some stuff that’s just a laugh, so you’re not wading through molasses. You don’t necessarily know that all this stuff is in there. It’s not to everyone’s taste, anyway. And the style will change a bit later, assuming I continue.

- Did you always want to be a writer?

A: When I was very young I was into dinosaurs and I think I wanted to run the Natural History Museum or do something dinosaur-related, even though they were already dead and beyond hope at that point. I wrote stuff too, but then at around ten I got into the idea of writing as a proper thing. Now I think I would have been happier as a zoologist or an ichthyologist, something like that, studying dolphins.

- What are your influences?

A: Very early influences were Voltaire, JP Donleavy, the Beats, a lot of poetry – but mainly satirists of the old kind like Voltaire and Swift, and maybe some American satirists/essayists like Twain, Mencken, Ingersoll and Bierce. People who are mostly reasonable and human, and sort of stand out because of it. I also like Jack Vance, Greg Egan, Dostoevsky, Octavia Butler, Brautigan, Moorcock and a lot of others I can never remember when asked. In addition to satirists, cyberpunks and so on, I like writers who are able to do things I could never do but wish I could. I’m a big fan of Billy Childish, who’s one of the best writers alive. Also I could never have written LITTLE, BIG by John Crowley, or stuff by Banana Yoshimoto, Samantha Power, Ferris Gilli.

Among newer writers I like Anna Tambour’s collection MONTERRA’S DELICIOSA & OTHER TALES , which delivered what Kelly Link’s STRANGER THINGS HAPPEN was said to but didn’t for me. Also D. Harlan Wilson, Joe Hill, Colette Phair, Geoffrey Maloney. These aren’t influences, they’re just newer things that I’ve liked lately. Grant Morrison and Alan Moore turn out to be very good non-graphic fiction writers (though very different from eachother). And Thomas Ligotti is very funny, in a similar way to Lovecraft.

- What attracts you to satire? Why do you think people get confused about what qualifies as satire?

A: I like the shapes of the mechanisms in it, and that they can be used for a sort of audacious honesty. Good satire uses people’s own flawed or dishonest arguments against them by accelerating the argument into a sort of mind bomb. But it does unfortunately depend upon the receiver having a well-functioning mind and at least a scrap of honesty in there somewhere, so it doesn’t always work.

People mis-define satire because for a long time there’s been so much lame stuff around calling itself satire – stuff that’s just sarcasm, impersonation and commentary mixed together. Surprisingly there’s been some good actual satire emerging on US television, like Stephen Colbert at his best. And here and there on the web. The web has recently taken over the stuff that newspapers and magazines stopped doing a quarter-century ago – satire and investigative journalism.

- I've also read that you're 'synaesthetic', can you describe what that's like in terms of how you view things? Can it be learnt or developed at all?

A: It's not as strange or unusual as it's made out to be - it's just a bit of a crossover of different senses. So I see music, taste some colours and so on. I think the music thing is very common, but people tell themselves that that isn't what's happening. Anyone who really gets into music will see colours and images with it, but some people are more conscious of it than others. The other stuff is less common, and it's all fairly useless. It's completely useless at a practical level to feel that a certain high-pitched green colour is fizzy or a deep purple has a humming sound and tastes of sweet smoke or whatever. The only place it can be used is in being able to instantly 'see' the hole in a person's argument without having to think about it, because an argument or philosophy can present as a sort of 3-D schematic or sculpture - and that sort of thing only leads to getting beaten up and running from screaming mobs and so on. And if I’m working on faulty or incomplete information I’ll get it wrong anyway – the old ‘garbage in, garage out’ thing. I’ll just get it wrong instantly, that’s all.

There are other downsides to the colour and shape side of things, in that some environments can come across as oppressively hyper-crappy. It can be instantly depressing. For instance, the architecture throughout London is for some reason designed to emulate corpses which are rotted almost to dust. Ribs sticking out of powder. The city is one big death-sigh, it visually has that sound. The only building with any energy is that one that looks like a pinecone (the Gherkin). Architecture which is dead-designed will try to sort of cling on by sucking energy out of its inhabitants, but energetic natural-form architecture will actually give some energy. At the very least it’s relaxed.

Only a few very general things are common to all synaesthetes, as far as I know - most will get colours toward yellow for higher notes for example, and/or get higher notes from colours toward yellow. But early life associations also get mixed in, so it doesn't necessarily all communicate the same for one synaesthete as it would for another. The same things don't signify the same stuff to all. So it's not a reliable communication system. It's just a trip, basically, good or bad.

- You've written a few comics too - feel free to name-check them - how does it compare to writing 'standard' stories?

A: I did THE CATERER comic, which was a spin-off from my book LINT. So many people wanted to find copies of the comic I invented for that book, I ended up just making one. People seem to love that thing. I wrote an issue of Alan Moore's TOM STRONG comic (issue 27). That was great fun, and it was interesting seeing how it came back - it looked almost exactly how I had imagined it. The comic project closest to my heart is THE NERVE, which I wrote in 2001 and was about the stuff that would happen later, ie. what’s happening now. I sent it to about 150 different comic companies, big and small, and received absolutely no reply from any of them. Not a word. Matthew Petz has done some panels and character pics, but Spiderman isn't in it, so no-one's interested.

As regards the main difference from 'normal' writing, it's the fact that you're obviously describing something that the artist will have to draw. You have to make it very clear (preferably in only a few words) what the panel looks like so the artist gets a flash-up image of what's needed - he or she should be able to 'see' it. The story-telling element in a comic is often quite compressed, but that's how I write anyway so that's fine.

- Any plans to write more comics?

A: I'd like to, but the comic industry is basically impenetrable. There's a thing I've done for ARTHUR magazine's 'mimeo' line, called THE PROMISSORY. It's a B&W thing with a load of pigs in it, because I also drew the thing and pigs are the only figures I can draw repeatedly with a sure hand. Arthur's mimeo pamphlets are in the tradition of those old mimeo small press mags from the 50s and 60s. My one is slightly comic-like but it keeps with the mimeo tradition by looking like the work of an imploding obsessive of some kind. It's a very odd document and very retro. It's strange.

- If you could take an established comic property/character and do your own thing with it, which would it be and what would you do differently?

A: There's an obscure Marvel villain called Madcap who's been around since the 70s and who I think most recently turned up in Ghost Rider. He'd be good to finally do something interesting with in his own comic. He's ripe for a Grant Morrison sort of treatment. There are things they set up in the character and powers etc, that they've never begun to explore properly.

- You've got a new novel coming out called 'Fain the Sorcerer', what's the story all about?

A: FAIN THE SORCERER is a sort of accelerated fairy tale involving the 'three wishes' scenario and how to get around it. The main character becomes a sorcerer and everything gradually gets more and more lush and complicated. It looked something like Cabell's JURGEN with some Voltairian satire thrown in, and somehow what came out the other end is something like one of Jack Vance's 'Dying Earth' books. But I'm a big Vance fan so I don't mind. It's a little novella published by PS. I also did the cover artwork. Alan Moore did the intro for it and we've both signed a load of them.

- What have you got against mimes?

A: Well, they're obviously calling attention themselves, and simultaneously being spooky and obscure, while clearly expecting some reaction from onlookers. The combination of all these things leads me to conclude that they want to be destroyed.

- Do you make a conscious decision about what kind of story you want to write, or is the process less defined? For instance, if you see a news story/have a weird dream...

A: It's not exactly a conscious decision of making a 'plan' to write a certain kind of book and carry it out like a strategy. I'll get an idea for a book or story more or less delivered in one go, and during those first few seconds or minutes more expansion of the book will occur than at any time later. (I think that’s the case with a lot of writers.) It's like uncompressing a zip file or something. All the architecture, atmosphere, flavour and colours of the thing will show up very quickly. Then it's just a case of writing the book that creates that - sort of filling in the details. I don't get any story ideas from dreams. I'll sometimes get little details like specific sentences from dreams, but most dream stuff looks rubbish in the light of day.

- Do you have any other books in the pipeline?

A: After FAIN THE SORCERER, there’s a little book of Lint ephemera called AND YOUR POINT IS? After that, there are about a dozen books that have shown up in the way I described earlier – basically they’re the second, more interesting half of my writing career, a bit different - but I’m generally a bit pissed off at the moment and wondering whether to bother with any of it, whether to carry on. I’m not obliged to transcribe these things. So those are all in a holding pattern. I’d have to get the final Beerlight book out of the way before I could start on those, anyway – it’s like an airbubble that needs clearing. I am working on that Beerlight book while I decide what to do. It’s quite strange to be back there. I forgot how well I know my way around. The Beerlight thing is placed well in that there’s an easy reach from there into dumbness one way and profundity in another. Chronologically the new one is set a few years after SLAUGHTERMATIC, and things have got a lot worse.

- There seems to be a book-based movie adaptation coming out every other week, what's the current situation with your novels?

A: There's a Crime Studio/Beerlight TV series idea floating around LA at the moment, but that's all, as far as I know. It's not healthy to hold your breath in anticipation of those things.

- Finally, any words of wisdom you'd like to share?

A: As you get older it can be surprising how much is survivable, but whether it’s worth surviving is still fairly doubtful.

6 words and 99 words

2011-01-29T16:17:00.000Z

A 6 word story available at: Nova Cookie & Frozen Hell

Also, a 99 word story originally posted on Warren Ellis's 'The Engine' messageboard, based on the character 'Stardust' :

"I didn't mean it!" the President croaked, his face turning vermilion.

Stardust's tentacled hand wrapped tighter around the President's neck.

"I am all that standsbetween America and the Fifth Column, Sir!" whispered Stardust, his tears flowing like heathen wine.

"I am the Super Wizard, understand? Look at my artificial lungs, LOOK AT THEM! I give criminals and grade-A racketeers the heebie-jeebies just by wearing this costume! No villain is safe and nothing is beyond me...why, I've violated Rip's inner sanctum time and time again, just for fun! And you dare to compare my head...to a peanut?!"

Mini interview with Jeremy C Shipp

2011-01-28T12:50:00.000Z

A short interview with writer Jeremy C. Shipp, author of novels such as Cursed, Vacation, and Fungus of the Heart (this interview is a re-post from 2007) :

Q1. So who had the beard first, you or me or Grizzly Adams?

Grizzly Adams had a beard even as a baby, so I'm pretty sure he's the winner of that contest.

Q2. How would you describe your writing style if it were a sculpture?

My writing style is the underbelly of a civilized beast, sculpted from a mixture of earwax and gallstones.

Q3. Re-name the Ninja Turtles. (Is this a question? what the hell's wrong with me?)

Smarty Pants, Mr. Leader Man, Cheeky McGee, and Cool Coolington.

Q4. Why did the chicken cross the road?

To escape a factory farm and a life of utter suffering.

Q5. Why should people buy your novel? - and the answer has to be in an annoying poem form. (No haiku's please. I'm serious.)

People should buy my novel.
Because if they don't.
I'll start to grovel.

The Shadow - movie concept

2011-01-16T17:48:00.001Z

A movie teaser concept for the pulp comic character The Shadow (part of regular art challenges by Warren Ellis on the Whitechapel messageboard):

Startling Adventures Magazine issue 2

2010-11-16T20:45:00.000Z

I have a story called 'Clockface' in issue #2 of Startling Adventures Magazine, available to BUY - which also features the pulp awesomeness of Anthony Abelaye, Fritz Bogott, M. M. Izidoro, Joel Jenkins, Kek-w, Jo Qatana , Jonathan Wallace, Daniel Leal Werneck (aka Daniel Poeira), and Rod McKie.

There's also some pulp-style artwork by myself, to accompany 'The South Will Rise Again' - a supernatural western tale written by kek-w:

Steampunk Batman (or 'The Gentleman Bat')

2010-11-14T21:28:00.001Z

A quick 'steampunk Batman' piece, based on the continuing art challenges presented by Warren Ellis on the Whitechapel forum.
Not as elaborate as I would have liked, but am presently engaged in a cover art project that is taking up my creative energies at present.

Enjoy. Long live the Batman etc.

'Wailin' - Weaponizer

2010-10-18T21:20:00.000+01:00

I have a short story 'Wailin' available to read on the Weaponizer website here: http://weaponizer.blogspot.com/2010/10/flash-wailin.html

Survival Stories - Sleepless Phoenix Anthology

2010-10-15T13:35:00.000+01:00

I have a comicbook story called 'Yaguara' in the Graphic Novel "Survival Stories" - a Sleepless Phoenix Anthology - illustrated by the very brilliant Tony Suleri (and lettering by the equally brilliant Adam Grose).

The anthology will be available to buy at BICS Birmingham International Comic Show Oct 15 – 17.

The genesis of the project:

On June 30, 2010, Insomnia Publications filed to cease trading with the UK companies house. Though Insomnia never officially informed his creators (or anyone) of this decision, all signs pointed to the end of Insomnia. And the creators, well, we were supposed to move on, chalk up a loss, and let all our hard work and dedication become a memory—lesson learned.

But we came up with a different plan. In the days following the news of Insomnia’s seeming end, one thing became clear: that all the creators involved believed in each other’s work. A mutual admiration was shared for the short comics that appear in this anthology, and we are determined to see it get the release it deserves.
And that’s how The Sleepless Phoenix—a collective of up-and-coming comics talent from both the UK and the US—was born. While the Comic Book Alliance works to settle the conflict of our publishing contracts, we took the only content that still belongs to us—this anthology.

The book is 192 pages long, black and white, and features all-new content. Creators include Martin Conaghan (Burke & Hare), Ben Bates (Sonic the Hedgehog), Jim Boswell (KiCk!), Peter Forbes (Oz: Fall of the Scarecrow King), and more. It will be released in October, 2010.

It also features an introduction from Alex Fitch, reviewer, podcast host, and Eagle Award nominee.

Mike Carey (Lucifer, The Unwritten, X-Men Legacy) says the book is "a kaleidoscope of graphic stories - mostly in the darker colours of the horror palette, but all the better for that."

The varying pledge amounts can be seen on the right side of this page. Once the book is released, it will only be available at conventions and through online orders, at a higher rate.

Previews from the book will be posted regularly, along with some insight from the creators on their process. So be sure to check this page often.

All the profit raised, after printing and shipping, will go straight to the Comic Book Alliance—an organization that fights for the rights of comic creators everywhere. Hopefully, what has happened to the creators of Insomnia publications doesn’t happen again.

Wolfmen 2 - Fall of The Wolfmen

2010-09-30T20:01:00.000+01:00

Andy Bloor and Dave West (of AccentUK) will be launching ''Wolfmen 2 - Fall Of The Wolfmen'' (in which I have some pin-up art) at Whatever Comics, Canterbury on the 2nd October. See more details over on localrags.

SciFi Art Now - Mini Interview

2010-09-20T21:52:00.000+01:00

My interview for the SciFi Art Now book is available to read (or ignore): http://scifiartnow.blogspot.com/2010/09/scifi-art-now-creator-interview-mo-ali.html

More details about the book can be found here: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Sci-Fi-Art-Now-John-Freeman/?isbn=9780062005571

The book is out from October (2010): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sci-Fi-Art-Now-John-Freeman/dp/006200557X

Fast Fiction Challenge: 'Stranger and Stranger'

2010-08-28T14:50:00.001+01:00

A short story, or 'fast fiction' (#15), for Lee Barnett's Fast Fiction Challenge: http://budgie-uk.livejournal.com/1161777.html

Sci-Fi Art Now

2010-07-02T13:55:00.001+01:00

I have some robot art (called 'Neurobot') in the Sci-Fi Art Now book by John Freeman, out October 2010.
More details here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sci-Fi-Art-Now-John-Freeman/dp/006200557X

Make Something magazine #2

2010-06-22T21:18:00.000+01:00

I have some twitfic (i.e. very short fiction) via Weaponizer in issue 2 of Make Something, available to buy here: http://magcloud.com/browse/Issue/90144

Inception dream documentary - falling

2010-05-16T17:01:00.000+01:00

Some remixed artwork for the Inception dream documentary, over on hitrecord, which you can view direct here: http://www.hitrecord.org/records/81915

This bit of art concerns falling/flying in dreams.

#VSS Anthology

2010-05-12T20:21:00.000+01:00

I have some very short stories in the #VSS Anthology, an e-book put together by Brent Millis, and which is available here:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/14628

Childflower

2010-03-29T12:34:00.000+01:00

Artwork for a Raymond Roussel illustration contest (a human/flower hybrid):

More details here: http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot.com/2010/03/bertha-child-flower.html

Windfarm - BBC News

2010-03-23T13:48:00.000Z

Some artwork created for the BBC News website, a 'comicbook windfarm'. The direct link is: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8562676.stm

Recently - Crown Wearer, Stephenson's Robot, Weaponizer, Wolfmen

2010-03-19T12:55:00.000Z

And some more recent work...

Crown Wearer:

Cover art for the novel 'Crown Wearer' by Will Couper, which is available to buy: http://www.lulu.com/product/hardcover/crown-wearer/6359283

Stephenson's Robot:

Artwork for the comicbook 'Stephenson's Robot', created by Dave West, Jon H Ayre, and 'El Indio' - http://www.accentukcomics.com/Kingdom/index.htm

Weaponizer logo:

Logo design for Weaponizer - http://www.weaponizer.co.uk/ - available to buy on t-shirts etc here: http://www.zazzle.co.uk/weaponizer_bonegun_tshirt-235358607699158733

Wolfmen:

Artwork for the graphic novel "Wolfmen 2: Fall of the Wolfmen" by Dave West and Andy Bloor -
http://www.accentukcomics.com

Recently - Lint, Ex Libris, Book of Magic

2010-03-17T13:18:00.001Z

And some more recent work...

Jeff Lint portrait:

Portrait of cult author Jeff Lint, writer of such classics as "Jelly Result" and "The Stupid Conversation". Illustrated from a now-lost photograph of the author circa-1990.

More details/biography about Jeff Lint, written by Steve Aylett and titled 'Lint', can be found at www.steveaylett.com/Pages/LINTpage.html

Ex Libris bookplate:

A bookplate art piece for the "Evil Orchid Garden Bookplate Contest" at http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot.com/

Book of Magic moleskine:

An inked sketch for 'Book of Magic' - a moleskine to raise funds for the Campaign for Real Drawing.

Previously (Comics, TV, books, magazines...)

2010-03-15T21:35:00.004Z

Right, a selection of some previous work relating to comics, books, magazines and so on...

AccentUK comics - pin-up art:

'Robots' anthology:

'Predators':

'Western':

'Victoriana':

Insomnia publications:

'Layer Zero - Survival' anthology:

Marvel (concepts etc):

Millarworld magazine 'Serenity' cover:

If you're wondering why this doesn't look like the actress Summer Glau, its because at the time there was uncertainty on my part as to whether there would be official permission to use her likeness, hence why it doesn't resemble her much.

Digital Creative Arts magazine #18:

Commented on by comics artist and writer Dave Gibbons:

"A Tim Burton feel. Creepy but modern at the same time with interesting textures and shapes."

'800 Years of Haunted Liverpool' written by John Reppion:

Bookplate design, for special signed editions:

'Dalek' and 'Cyberman' concept:

These were concepts originally done for some SFX magazine articles, and were designed before the actual looks of these characters has been revealed in the new series (2005) of the tv show Doctor Who.

Previously (Movies)

2010-02-08T21:50:00.001Z

Some movie poster concepts, pretty self-explanatory...

Smokin' Aces - this was showcased on director Joe Carnahan's blog:

The Prestige:

Ironman: this was featured by director Jon Favreau on his Myspace page for the movie (some folks even thought this was the official teaser for the movie..the use of Adi Granov art in it might have helped that opinion though...)

Superman Vs Batman (a fan favourite, apparently):

Previously... (Redesigns)

2009-12-30T12:01:00.009Z

Redesigns

The following are some redesign/re-imagine pieces and creative exercises I've picked out from ones I have done, created on The Engine messageboard and more recently on Whitechapel...

The Black Terror:

'The Black Terror' ( Nedor Comics, 1941)

My version is 'a chemically zombified superman who fights criminal scum...and gives cancer to those he rescues.'

Sketched and then scanned and colored in Photoshop. The costume coloring and design was mostly kept similar to the original look of the character. The skull and crossbones logo on the chest was redesigned to something abit more abstract and symbolic. The main change in the character is a more 'mummified' and decaying look, the effect of his chemical-in-origin 'superpowers' physically detrimental, and therefore the costume doubling as a form of containment for the deteriorating body of the hero. The emaciated and melted face also replaces the skull for the logo.

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Rex Dexter of Mars:

'Rex Dexter of Mars' (1939), from Mystery Men Comics 1

A 'dark Buck Rogers' is how I re-imagined this character, going for a pulp scifi vibe for the costume, in keeping with some of the strange stories and adventures featuring this character. The knife and goggles are also bits included from the first story featuring Rex Dexter (at least I think so).

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The Steam Man of the Prairies:

'The Steam Man of the Prairies' by Edward S. Ellis

A constantly grinning steam-powered robot, with a top hat and a furnace in his chest.

What's not to like?

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Spacehawk:

Basil Wolverton's 'Spacehawk'

Redesigned as a no nonsense 'space cop', policing the cosmos.

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Captain Marvel:

The Carl Burgos 'Captain Marvel'

A plastic superhero with detachable body parts that are also self-aware, with plastic blood made up of millions of little beads that do his bidding.

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The Flamingo:

'The Flamingo' (Contact Comics, 1944)
A humorous re-imagining this time - with a name like The Flamingo it just had to be.

Purpose

2009-12-09T12:39:00.001Z

Where to begin?

Mission Statement: The purpose of this blog will be to keep track of projects, as well as showcasing (and elaborating) on specific pieces of art that I create, and allowing for feedback and criticism of said artwork.

And anything else I can think of.

To save time, I'll just show afew things I've previously done and maybe explain them also.

Greetings...

2009-12-04T13:02:00.001Z

...and welcome.