Character Design for Local Take-away

I've created the above image this week as a response to a possible brief; A local take-away restaurant near to me currently has a menu featuring a cartoon chef on the front cover. However, the image currently used is, shall we say, somewhat lacklustre. I have therefore taken it upon myself to create something based on their existing image, but have made something (I think) more refined and thought-out. I shall broach them with it this week and see what happens!

Illustration Friday: Linked

Right, Illustration Friday, Linked, right...
Having had a month's sabbatical from drawing, when I eventually set upon the task of tailoring a new image for Illustration Friday this week I had intended that I should keep my labors to a minimum. I amassed a bunch of serious contending ideas, but in the end I decided I would do something subtle... and as you can see I decided to illustrate "Linking" by depicting a simple scene in which two people are linked via their hands. It may not be the most original idea but I had desire to push forward my understanding of cartooned-anotomy as well as basic composition. As a result, my machinations of creating a simple product ended up being quite an intense but thoroughly enjoyable learning curve. In any case, I'm in the market for opinions, so feel free to offer them. The more constructive and/or critical the better.
It's good to be back.

My New Online Portfolio

Hey everybody,

I am now the proud owner of an online portfolio. It can be found at:

http://www.jimrowland.carbonmade.com/

I'm presently gearing up for some new illustrations - my month off has been surprisingly fruitful - so I hope to be rejoining the great creative collective very very soon.

Illustration Friday: Propagate

I didn't much time to enter IF this week, so tonight's effort is only equal to half an hour's work.
It's possible I may not be entering IF next week due to work commitments, but I hope to be back soon with a more praise-worthy offering.

Have a good week all!

Illustration Friday: Adrift (My 100th Post)

Greetings fellow illustrators. This week's "IF" word is Adrift, and having originally planned to do a boring rowboat scene, my idea progressed to the above image - in ancient times when some people (but not many aparently) believed the world was flat...what did they think would happen if they sailed off the edge? Being as such beliefs probably existed centuries before Newton discovered the laws of gravity I doubt they'd have realised that by sailing off the edge of the world they would've been weightless and adrift in the zero gravity of space...

Illustration Friday: Muddy

Here were are at the end of our "Muddy" week and I've only just completed my entry for Illustration Friday due to technical problems with my computer.
I've noticed a few illustrators have drawn pigs in mud for this topic, which is only natural. However, my excuse is that the pig in this picture is Charlie; one of my oldest and best character creations - and he was due for a new outing!

Illustration Friday: Focused

Okay - time for a weird one. This week the word Penelope shot at us was "Focused". Ironically this week I haven't been feeling particularly focused... so decided I wouldn't spend too much time pulling my hair out over what idea to do and just get something down on paper quickly and efficiently. The result is the above (somewhat weird) image.
It shouldn't be to hard to determine the link between focus and hypnotism, but I would forgive anyone for wondering why the hypnotist looks like a demonic cross between Super Mario and Saddam Hussein. All I can say is I've drawn this image tonight while drinking gin and Mickey Finn, so my faculties may be compromised.
Anyway, the pencil work seems quite natural and it was a pleasure to draw so hopefully that will translate across to you.
Now to check out what everyone else has done this week....

Illustration Friday: Clumsy

Here's my entry for this week's Illustration Friday. The word we've been thrown is "Clumsy" and I wanted my image this week to be a quick one-night effort. The above took a couple of hours with no preparation before drawing commenced. Until I finished it just now, I had no idea how it would turn out.

The main character is Georgie, who I introduced last year and who has never been far from my mind. His canine companion has now been given the designation of Bruno, and this clumsy scene depicts my young lad dropping his ice-cream onto his pup's head.

All comments are welcome!

Illustration Friday: Wilderness

Hi all and here is my entry for Illustration Friday this week; the week the word was Wilderness.
It was touch and go whether I would find time to enter this week but low and behold I managed to scrape a few hours together and was able to produce this.
Given that I've created this over several sporadic bursts, I've not really had the opportunity to stand back and examine it properly to assess it's impact(s), but my initial opinion is that it's an acceptable punt. In any case, I have at least illustrated the correct word this week, and I believe I've captured a sufficiently wild atmosphere to warrant an entry.
The image has a slightly sinister effect; due in part to the fact it's all HB pencil, which I dare say you will agree often lends a dark quality if used in mass quantity like this.
Anyway, I've had my rattle now, solet me know what you think of this; I would class this as my first picture deserving of feedback in 2010, so let me know if it's stupendous, stupid, or just somewhere in between.

Illustration Friday: Contained

Greetings all, and to all a good day! This is my first original Illustration Friday entry since last April, and goodness it feels good to join you all once again. What I have I missed? Whats the gos?
I'm joking of course, I'm a man and I don't do gossip.
Okay, now I will stress that since I've been out of the loop as it were, I've not practised my art very much, and as such I am apocoliptically rusty! I would therefore ask that viewers of this piece be somewhat forgiving - I can do better!
"How does this represent CONTAINED"? I hear you yell in my left ear with disgust! Well...take notice young urchin; for the image is actually rather simple. The main character (albiet drawn badly) is smoking.... and the words...well there's roughly 600 of them and they are the ingredients that 1 cigarette contains! Gosh!
Anyway, no way will this be Illustration Friday's pick of the week this week because Brianna's got more taste than that, but let me know what you think of it as an idea.
Next week I will be back and a little bit better. Lock up your daughters, etc etc.
Jim.

15/01/10 (13:56) Note:
It has only just occured to me that the word on I.F. this week is Confined and I have illustrated Contained. I've never done that before and must admit to being a supreme plonker. Oh well!

Cat Doodle

Hello everybody. It's been a while since I added anything on here because I haven't been drawing much recently, but I'm now back on the horse with the above image.
It doesn't really have a title because it's essentially a doodle that's been tarted up in Photoshop.
I drew it tonight and coloured it in. In total, the whole image took about 3 hours to create and I'm actually quite pleased with the result. The two cats are based on my own; Harry and Hendrix (who at this moment are a few feet away fighting over the litter tray).
Anyway, let me know what you think as a little bit of constructive feedback wouldn't be a bad thing at the moment and would certainly inspire me to continue picking up a pen.
In any case, I promise not to leave it so long before adding a new image next time.