A Brighter Yesterday: Sugar Free World

So the Japanese earthquake/ tsunami is the latest catastrophe in what has been a horrible year or so in terms of disaster. Floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, and oil spills have been rather too frequent for our liking recently. Is it climate change or something else? Not sure, but the worlds weather is indeed going a bit crazy.

This thinking made me create this illustration. It shows an Earth like blob melting as the surface is havocked with disaster. Coloured via Photoshop, I used a range of pens to draw it.  I thought about adding a background but felt it was more powerful against the white. As I feel this disaster is an accumulation of our ignorance towards the planet over the last two or three decades, I've decided to also add this post to my 'A Brighter Yesterday' mini series, documenting the changes towards society and the environment over the last few decades.

Read full post to see original sketch.

A Brighter Yesterday: Ghetto Blast Me

Again, this post relates to the pet hates issue I stated a few days ago (see below post). This time I suppose my 'pet hate' is 2011- or today's world/ society. Obviously, life and technology is a lot more advanced than say 20 or even 10 years ago, but wouldn't it be nice to simplify things a little more, i.e., travel back to a time where technology was still there but didn't rule our lives. No annoying iPods on buses, no kids glued to their phones.

With that in mind, I've been thinking just where would I turn the clock back to? As stated, a place where technology was still present and developing but wasn't at the ridiculous level it is today where people rely on it. Therefore, I would choose the 80's. It's a decade I've always wanted to experience; the crazy clothes, the music, the art and the rules of society. How could I draw that though? What would represent the 80's to me? Then I remembered an old Boombox which I used to listen to as a kid from the 80's. This most definitely says 1980's to me whenever I think of that era. Even the meaning of the Ghetto Blaster is something I admire- the freedom to express our likes and dislikes, tastes and beliefs with others. As a result, the kid across the street could subsequently switch his on and you'd get a feel of that person- his interests and personality.

The idea of producing more illustrations of the same ilk is still lurking, as well as the idea of turning them into a mini series focusing on how hectic 2011 is compared to even 10 years ago, such is the rate of technology and society.

A Brighter Yesterday: Flee The City

You may know I have also been writing for another blog I made recently, as it allows me to delve into other topics. One of those topics was pet hates or little things that annoy you. This piece sort of ties in with that and the Silence is Deafening post. I said I'd like nothing more to transport myself to the middle of nowhere with just a pad and some pens; sometimes it can be really hard to concentrate while cars constantly drive past or that 31 carriage coal train (I counted one day).

This piece sort of sums up that theory I suppose. P.S. I finally bought a new pack of pens after much searching and it felt so good to draw again. Maybe I'll do more and turn this into a mini series about how modern life has changed for the worse in certain aspects (well it wouldn't be as exciting if I focused on the positive stuff!). Edit: Done, named A Brighter Yesterday.

The text was done on Photoshop as my real life paint brush decided to finally call it a day. I did create another version as well showing a slight change to the text as you can see below.

Midnight Tremors

I've had this childhood memory that has never gone away. It's lurked in the deepest bowels of my mind for over a decade and occasionally re-surfaces when something triggers it. I'll set the scene...

I'm around 9 years old and, as usual, I've spent the whole day playing football, riding my bike and doing what 9 year olds do. It was summer time and the air was warm. It was school holidays (they seemed to go on for months) so it was around 9pm I'd say. At this time, football was out of the question as you couldn't see the ball and the residents threatened to call the police if you were banging a ball against their fence this late. Therefore, we decided to have one last flurry on our bikes. There's a road near my street that seems to go on forever. Most importantly, though; it's on a hill. At the end of this road was a tunnel where a railway ran over the top, and a single light to greet anyone emerging from the gloom. The occasional tremor would alert you to an upcoming train, giving the slightest extra light for a few seconds. I looked into this street light and, on numerous occasions, seen a pair of bats whizzing and diving through the air, as though they were on stage in the spotlight. I wasn't scared, in fact I found it exciting- bats are cool when your 9; they work for Batman. And it's this image that has always stuck.

I don't mind it, it reminds me of my childhood and the naivety of myself as a youngster when Batman was a main part of your life. Therefore, I took my camera out and I tried to re-create the scene that has been part of me for so long...

A deafening Silence is beautiful

Don't you just wish you lived in an endless open space where the silence is deafening. I'd love nothing more than to spend my days in tranquility, sitting in my little lone house with my pens and some paper...

From Beyond The Curls

Firstly, I'd like to take this opportunity to first thank my followers on here and also my flickr buddies, some great comments lately.

Anyway, I've just created another blog! I'll still be posting here same as usual but my other blog will give me a platform to express other issues I may have away from art and its many branches. Basically, it's a lot more personal and I'll be giving my views on various things- whether it be personal issues, global issues or something else issues.

I hope some of you will check this out too (but don't forget about this place!) and I welcome all comments and discussions! Thanks for your support, got some new work lined up for here. Out to buy myself a new pack of pens through the week; oddly enough, they all ran out at once o_0

http://frombeyondthecurls.blogspot.com

The (Not As) Long Road To and From

A few months ago I posted this, describing the awful bus ride I endured day to day. For whatever reason, I was just feeling very down at that time and them bus rides probably represented my mood quite well. Since then, a lot has happened, both good and bad. Things are finally looking up, however, and right now my head is clearer than it's been for years! (Okay, a bit OTT but since I write that previous post anyway).

I thought a random candid shot of me on a bus ride would show my journey full circle. Bus rides don't seem as long these days...

Happy New (Chinese) Year

Living in Liverpool, and having one of the biggest Chinese populations in the UK, this date is always special in the city. Streets turn gold, crimson and green whilst the faint sound of drums and tambourines get ever louder as they progress through the streets.

This design was part of a project I did on Chinatown but never made the cut. I thought now was the time to give it its chance and it couldn't be more fitting... except it's the year of the Rabbit.

Original black and white design inside too. Happy New Year, hope it's a good one!

Earth is bad.

Inspired by typography I seen on an advert, I made this text based piece that simply reads 'THE WORLD IS BAD'. How bad? Very bad. But then I know you don't need a middle class, curly haired 20 year old informing you to suddenly realize what an utterly depressing world we live in at times. If you're not from the UK, it's probable you didn't hear about a recent story that broke a few days ago over here in the UK. Without trying to think about it too much and definitely trying not to describe the situation in too much detail, five people were arrested over crimes against children, I won't say much more.

An utterly disgraceful sentence was handed out to these vile things, which left smoke pouring out of my ears. Hence the design I came up with, simple yet bold- almost military poster like in it's colour scheme and simplicity.

Joke of a country, and although every country has it's horrors, the sooner I emigrate to Australia for a life of Great White's, BBQ's and Sheila's the better :)

The Existence of a Raft

An unidentified object brushes against my side for the nth time today. A trout perhaps, or even a decaying plastic bag. Only two visitors today. One a man, one a boy. His son I presume.  Proceeded to throw stones in an attempt to reach me but missed every time. The water seems colder than usual, greyer and thicker. Whatever substance resides beneath me seems rather thick and is clearly dislodged easily enough. Still no sign of a maintenance man or woman, maybe then I'll make it out of this lake. Until then, I continue to slowly deteriorate.

This shot was also taken in Lincoln. In the middle of nowhere lay a lake packed full of fish but no fishermen. Banks of thick grey clay surrounded the lapping water making it muddy and thick. The odd fish splashed at the surface whilst 20 or so miniature starlings skimmed the waves as they dive bombed for flies. The odd time a passer-by would investigate but it stood alone most of the time. This short story related to the day I passed and, to my surprised, noticed a man with his son throwing pebbles into the lake.