I have always liked 'llIustration' and tend to produce it either as Cover Art or Sequential imagery. The former is probably the more challenging because of the balance that needs to be struck between form and content, decoration and narrative. Cover Art, like the short story, gets a limited shot at indicating what lies beneath the cover. My current preoccupation has been described, and I think aptly, as 'nostalgic sci fi and pulp'. And someone also suggested that it might be a little too late to revive the 'adventure genre'.
Stylistically, I'm keen on the commercial illustration of the mid 20th Century that was made to promote 'mass' publication (especially children's annuals, pulp magazines and comics). There is so much creativity and artistic competence to found on the covers and within the pages of even the most mundane examples.
It is over the last 7 years that I have started to use, and like, digital media. My working methods are still a little too intuitive and involve the usual squinting and standing back that one associates with traditional media, but I am enjoying making imagery more than ever and would now like to explore the possibilities of illustrating written stories (preferably by working with an author).
Interests: Commercial illustration and sequential imagery of the mid 20th Century that was made to promote 'mass' publications (especially children's annuals, pulp magazines and comics).
I am here for: Artistic interests. www.mikefyles.co.uk
Mike.
Comments (10)
zboyi
Great image Mike, considering how difficult the snake is to pose! Mark
Ancel_Alexandre
Great dynamism in this pic! really well done!
chippwalters
Go get'em girl! Particularly like your use of type on this cover. Great job!
mmitchell_houston
I really like the painterly effect you've been experimenting with lately. This is definitely the culmination of your work in this direction (at least to date -- I strongly suspect you'll surpass it in the future, as you always do). Your text and aging effects are spot on (again). I'm very impressed with it. She, of course, is stunning, but I'm really drawn to the background! It looks exactly as though it were water paints on canvas... I really can't compliment it enough. The pose and action are really top notch, and I love those splashes of water. My only (minor, as usual) concern is with the snake. He looks a bit segmented near the top, as though I can see "joints" where the 3D bones bend inside him. A minor point, I know, but perhaps a bit of smoothing on him in post-production might have minimized that effect. Also, I think it might be a bit more dramatic if the snake's head were larger and it was staring right down at her, rather than above her head. By the way, I really like bold use of brown for her blade. I would have been tempted to go with a blue/white combo, but I can see that -- in this color scheme -- it would have attracted too much emphasis away from the hot-n-sexy Sheena by drawing our eyes to the blade. That was VERY well designed. As always, thanks for posting!
Tracesl
fantastic retro style and look, excellent
pakled
Sheena is a Punk Rocker now...;) Great work with these, always like to see new ones...keep 'em coming.
drace68
Wonderful cover. Water splashes, as others say, are superb. More, please.
Kazam561
Wonderful as always! Love that pulp look...
Krid
perfect "classical" cover art
witchdidi
I feel like I can actually pick up the book and smell the old book smell. Splendid work!