The highest Peake

Today Tim Peake, left planet earth on the Soyuz rocket and became the first British astronaut for the European Space Administration.

I couldn't help but feel for his family who watched the launch, especially with a number of recent disasters in space travel as of late. Still, it all went smoothly and the Soyuz successfully docked with the ISS.

Congratulations to Tim and all the other members of the Principa Mission who made it happen.

GoooOOO Science!

Akatsuki came back (it just couldn't stay away)

In 2010 the Akatsuki spacecraft launched with the intent of entering the orbit of Venus. It failed, pulling a 'Darth Vader', and spun off into space.

After a staggering recovery manoeuvre over a five year period and several orbits of the sun, the Japanese team managed a second attempt and Akatsuki is now safely orbiting at approximately 10,000 miles above Venus ready to begin its mission.



Well played JAXA! We're just taking this solar system conquering in our stride.

You're so cool

Just got back from the BFI re-release of the flawless True Romance and had to sketch up a quick tribute (which is basically a frame from the movie).

Scott delivered his usual visual flare but its Tarantino's poetic dialogue and a perfect balance of sweetness and brutality that made it something special. I wont even go into the cast, but it is peppered with retrospective A-listers.

All of this is tied together with Zimmer's beautiful score.

Without a doubt my all time favourite film ever. Of all time. Ever. For real. See it.

Now I have a machine gun. Ho. Ho. Ho.

I was recently commissioned by Last Exit To Nowhere to produce a series of Christmas cards for them, featuring a child emulating sequences form one of the all time greatest Christmas movies, Die Hard!

Here's a  preview of a couple of the images.

Head over to Last Exit To Nowhere now to buy a set, and why not treat yourself to one of their awesome shirts as well.

In fact, you should buy me one as well!

Much obliged.

Scary Noises

WooOOOoooOOOooooo...
Screeeech!
Shriek!
Other scaaAAAaary nooOOOoooises!

You are not a Jedi, yet.

Well whilst we're all excited about the poster, trailer and film, we shouldn't forget that series two of the excellent, Star Wars: Rebels show kicked off last week so now is a good a time as any to drop the recent pic of Ezra into the frenzy.

I don't know how tightly they're going to tie any of the animated characters into the cinematic mythology, if at all, but it would be a shame if some of them didn't surface somewhere along the line, be it in the Anthology films or the new trilogy.

Regardless, tickets booked. Roll on December.

A Miniature Epic

Well its been a while since my last post. Apologies. A summer break turned into autumn and suddenly winter is approaching. Aaaanyhoo...

Here's some images from an idea I've been playing with for a while now about a lone wanderer known only as Meek.

'Meek was a gifted slayer. He slayed like whirling twirlers danced. It was beautiful. He would tempt rotters until they were almost upon him. Then he would run. All day and into the night.'

'And once he was out of sight, he would stop running. And he would wait. The rotters would catch up eventually. They always did. And he would wait until he could smell their thick scent.'

'And then he lept.'

'And when the night of fighting was done and the shrieks had washed away on the wind, Meek would sit on the tip top of a blue bongo tree and stroke the stings of his blute to the fairlings singing in the sun, high above., and all was right again.'

Its a departure in style from my usual work, a mix of photography and photoshoppery.

Right... Back to the sketchbook.

New Horizons

Mankind's exploration of our solar system has taken another great leap as, after almost a decade, NASA's New Horizons mission has made it to the Pluto system and begun sending pictures. 

Congratulations you brilliant, brilliant people, you!

'Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers and we are wanderers still.' - Carl Sagan

So, what's next?

Shadow Of the Giant

Chewie his up there with Fett as my favourite Star Wars character so I was hugely excited to see him return for the trailer for The Force Awakens.

I really hope we get to see him tearing up the place and going 'full Wookiee' on some hapless troopers.

In the words of the Mighty Chewbacca himself, 'Wrraaaaaaghhhhhl'.

Similar images
Boba Fett
Rogue One

Rosetta: One Little Comet

Well in a surprising follow up to Novembers Rosetta image, Philae is alive! Today ESA announced that Philae had made contact for little over a minute but are hopeful it will continue to communicate.

Goooo science!

Home?

A follow on from my recent Human Child post that shows something further down the line.

Question though, does the text work? I mean, the robot dialogue is supposed to be tricky to read, but does it detract from the image? I've yet to make up my mind.

Well played

Scarmanga

Flay

Saruman

Dooku

Dr Catheter

DEATH

Christopher Lee

1922 - 2015

Human Child

Spent some time in Northumbria recently, clambering around on Hadrien's wall and other Roman ruins. The forests in that part of the world were thick with damp moss and dew, and had a real unearthly feel to them, so it was only a matter of time before my pictures reflected the inspiration they provided.

As per usual, I have a whole mythology planned out for these little guys (it takes time to produce these pictures and that whole time my imagination is going at 103mph), and it'll probably rattle around in my head for a while before I find an outlet.

At least it wont be lonely.

May the 4th: Rogue One

I have no right to be excited about Rogue One. But I am. Very.

A huge fan of Gareth Edwards' work and I've always hoped to see Star Wars with a bit more of an edge and a slightly darker tone. At this stage this looks to be that.

May the 4th be with you.

Mr. Fox

I've just started reading Fantastic Mr. Fox to my son. I was a huge fan of Dahl's work as a child, with Danny the Champion of the World and the BFG being personal favourites, and I'm hoping to pass on this appreciation to my kids.

Such is the imagery created I immediately came to my study and produced this.

Once I finished I realised it was disappointingly close to the cover. Unintentional plagiarism irks me, but I guess that's the power of a good book, elements of it stay with you for life. This is the same copy I've owned since I was 7.

Speedpaints

Been working on doodles for a few long term projects as of late so not had a lot to show, but here's a couple of images I did for some semi regular speed-paint session I take part in with some colleagues. 

The first was done for the brief of 'Dark Fairytale'. Forests always conjure up great imagery and lost children are a staple fairytale theme. 

The second images brief was very open, simply 'Something Blue'. I immediately thought of the sea and the amazing animals I've been fortunate enough to see. 

Its clear to me with these two that in an hour I can either focus on character design, or a more detailed background. Not both. 

What's not so clear is why I can spend hours and hours on a piece and it not come out this well. I guess there's something to be said for working under pressure.

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Its Star Wars Celebration 2015 in Anaheim. For those of you who cant make it over to pick up my Little Boba's Destiny print, it is now available on-line at Acme Archives. Woop!

I should remind you that you can still pick up the other entries in the series. And you should! All of them. Go on... Still here?

Now I must go and watch the new Episode 7 trailer. Again. And again...

'HELLO TERRY'.

Thank you Terry.

RIP? Bugger that! Give 'em hell.

Little Fett's Destiny

Boba Fett. Almost certainly my all-time favourite character from the Star Wars universe. I thought I'd have fun make him as unassuming and cute as possible. Unlike the super-cool bad-ass we've decided he is.

This will be available as an officially licensed, limited edition print shortly, but I thought I'd give you guys an advance preview. Because you're awesome. 

I'll let you know when its available.

Final Frontier :-(

Spock. The most iconic character in one of the most iconic TV shows in history. Star Treks themes of exploration and adventure have not only inspired generations of science fiction but also many of the scientists that currently advance our understanding of the universe.

Whilst I can't claim to be a trekker myself, Star Trek has been on my radar for as long as I can remember with the original series being one  of the first TV shows I remember watching and the Undiscovered Country being the fist film I saw at the cinema without my parents.

And as much as I enjoy it, Leonard Nimoy's appearance as Mr. Spock lent a few moments of class the rebooted series, that will sadly never be repeated.

It's got to be said... 

'Live long, and prosper.'

Return to the Planet of the Apes

For as long as I can remember I've been a fan of the Planet of the Apes films (and TV series. Deal with it) and while not every entry into the franchise has been flawless the two recent films have really shown the strengths of the story.

I really hope that this incarnation of the franchise continues long enough to see America conquered by the apes, with the east coast replacing what was once the wild west and then finally the apes setting off in re-purposed ships for the 'new world'.

This would open the doors to the mirroring of one of the darkest periods in human history as the Apes engage in the mass trade of slaves. That and Viking raids, piracy and just imagine naval warfare with angry, rum drunk chimps swinging from the masts and shivering their timbers all over the place. 

Epic.

Dead or Alive

So a short while ago* I duped a group of friends and family into throwing a few hours of their valuable time into my latest vanity project.

The following short film was a project that would allow me to learn more about the processes behind film making, and I definitely learned some valuable lessons.

WARNING: This is in no way suitable for children. Not even a little bit.

The music 'Music to run away from - Zombies' was generously permitted for use by its creator Z Catcher. Many, many thanks to him and everyone else involved.

*It really wasn't.

Happy New Year!

Well so far this winter there's been nothing but grey clouds and wet rain, with only a few nights of frost. Nothing like the crisp crunchy snowfall I'm hoping for. Still a few months left yet but its not looking hopeful.

I didn't get to my study anywhere near enough over the holiday period, but I'm determined to lock myself away and get my head down more often over the coming months.

Regardless, happy new year!