Black Mirror / writing musings no.124

The first episode of Black Mirror (series2) aired tonight (spoiler alert).
I love Charlie Brooker's writing. I don't know how it stands academically, I just get it. I've consumed all I can get hold of his work in the past, and I can see how his mind works.
Modern movies seem largely formulaic, even films with twists seem to have formulised where to put them, so you can see them coming. Classic films have their own problems, they can certainly be learned from, but short-attention spanned movie-goers would never get through a Hitchcock flick if it was released today. Most could but studios wouldn't risk it without a massive CG monster or city wide destruction scene.
I've been trying to read more to absorb the writing techniques of greats where I can, my short attention span means it's hard to digest a novel as quickly as I can a film though.
I liked Conrad's Heart of Darkness, his style meandered lazily through the events evoking a kind of way that let the oppressive nature of the jungle seem everlasting, but I certainly can't see myself using that (intentionally at least) and I came away from it thinking I'd slightly missed the point, if there was one.
I'm currently reading Wilde's Dorian Grey. His imagery is simply wonderful dahhling, very poetic. But any time I try to look behind the words and try to understand where he's coming from (I know he would hate that, it's part of the preface) all I picture is the words he uses to corrupt some poor under-aged rent-boy..

Comparing Brooker's work to these sounds ridiculous, but it appeals to me much more. It's perfectly in tune with modern thinking and critical of it at the same time (so not a million miles from Wilde..). It takes the sarcastic, apathetic view of the absurd speed and confusion that life in the 21st century has come to cultivate. It's very nature is scathing. Black Mirror, referencing the screens which are gradually dominating our lives at this point in our technological history, is broadcast (and streamed) straight onto said screens for us to capitulate to.
His method is sound. Take a topic (technology encapsulating our existence). Distill from that some of the anxieties emerging (our every personal thought and whim recorded on some server). Extend it to it's logical conclusion (Our psychological fingerprint readily available for manipulation after we're gone) and then keep extending it to it's logical extreme (a techno Frankenstein taking our place).
The rest writes itself.. Create a character that has fallen prey to this phenomenon (a widow who misses her husband), make the audience sympathetic to them (she's emotionally vulnerable after discovering she's pregnant), watch it spiral out of control.. Once that is set in place the ending doesn't really matter, the thing about this sort of work is that the premise is where we suspend disbelief, so the ending should be realistic within those terms (as opposed to say a rom-com where the premise is realistic, so the ending can be unbelievably sappy). So if you know the characters, an they are well written, they will dictate the ending for you.

So, following this post to it's logical conclusion I need a topic.
Things like Loss and Feeling-trapped are a little vague. Technology appeals to me but I don't want to fall into that trap. Certainly modern-life should be a part of it, as I have had a hard time settling on a period in history I want to stick to. I guess I need to think about what's important to me right now.
It seems important that the tone and topic should go hand in hand. Anxiety and technology being the example above. I'd love to do a study of economics and the anxiety that fills me with, but.. yeah, the though of spending a lot of time getting my head round it makes me anxious.. Perhaps responsibility? Paired with politics? I can't think of a more dull webcomic.. I will continue to meditate on the subject.

If you haven't seen it I suggest you watch Black Mirror from Channel 4/4od and Weeklywipe on bbc at the moment. Go now.

Free agent

This might be a long one.
What's happened since last post? Lot's I think.
First of all, I started on a freelance site, just to see what I get back y'know.
I think it went well, I got a kid's poetry book to illustrate and some corporate safety dragon thing, stay tuned for their development I guess. I also got a short notice EP cover to do, I think it came out pretty good.

They wanted a Gorillaz style thing, with the singers as the characters. I have no idea y they wanted paper aeroplanes, maybe it's on one of the tracks. I don't know where the border came from, They sounded kind of urban/r'n'b, and the EP was originally called Girls and all that Garbage, so I just doodled everything I associated with music and women. the fact that that resulted in stabbed hearts a female serpent, porn, money, drugs, and soiled bra and condom is perhaps a little worrying.. They wanted sketchy, I'm not completely happy with it, I'm sure there is a polished sketchy I can achieve. It feels a little wrong to charge for a style that is essentially rushed and uncoordinated. It was last minute though, and they were happy, so that's all that really matters.

I had to be especially quick because I was due in to Europe the next day. I somehow managed to find time to watch the Avengers though. I think it is perfect, although I need to see it a few more times before I can be sure. I started writing about it, but I'm gonna split this post up lol, too much otherwise

I got it sent off eventually though, and got paid. It was so great to make official, to tell people that I'm a freelance artist instead of having to bore them about how much I hate my job. I'm kind of excited, not to jinx it, but it kind of feels like the start of something good. And I needed a win.

Came back from hols to find a few more freelance requests as well. Good times.

Booommm.. Headshot

I remember Year 6 when Mrs. Smith wasn't happy with some dopey project the class handed in. She ripped up my drawing of a sea gull in front of everyone. I still feel it was uncalled for.

I remember year 9 when Mrs. Huggett told my parents it would be a mistake for me to even think about taking art for GCSE. There was no way I was taking Home Ec though.

To all those who thought I was sub par, today I say fuck you!
For I have actually finished something, and, for the first time in years, I am actually fairly proud of it.
Sniper girl here is another character from my Unnamed Project. Kind of the opposite side of the coin to the previous girl in the vector art, which is possibly why they look almost exactly the same (something to work on?).

I don't like how the look of my stuff seems to change dramatically depending on what size you view it at. 72dpi doesn't do it justice lol.

Also.. The face isn't right lol. It certainly looks serviceable, but the initial pencil sketch I did by hand just looks more how she does in my head, better bone structure perhaps. I might go over it, but to be honest, I think I should just focus on cranking out some faster simpler stuff now.

Oh and see my friends. I'm surprised I have any at this point :P

Grab the Rose by the Thorns

totem

This piece is from the Myportfolioneedsmorecolour Range. It's a totem pole. You could totally see it on a t-shirt or something right?

I wanted to do something symmetrical and try a woodgrain.

I really think need to start working on doing proper backgrounds though.

New Logo

It's a family crest. Thoughts?

Vectorised

Evening. I know it's been a while, but I felt I might as well wait until I had something to post.

On that note, this is the first bit of work I tried to do using the Vectorz.

Yes, yes, yes, I fancy Brody Dalle, I know, whatever, it's supposed to be a character I made for the Unnamed Project, they apparently aren't as original as I had hoped.

Things that need work:
1) I need to think about colour pallettes more cos it's a bit shite.
2) Face is a bit gash. There's something gone awfully wrong with those eyes that doesn't look so bad full size
3) Shit, I forgot her hand. If anyone asks it's a glove.
4) Should give her a decent background one day.

I also think I need to think more about how to use detail when using Illustrator. I wanted to have her in a Clash top but no way could I make it look right. and stuff like the checkered trous look terrible. Maybe this wasn't the best doodle to use.

One other thing, I need to work faster This doesn't look any where near as good as it should considering how long I spent on it. Less faffing and ocd perfectionism...

Still, think it's worth keeping, I can finish it off or replace it one day.

In other news I went to the gym for like 3 weeks, it was awesome, then I took a week off to get my website going and now I'm finding it hard to get back into.

Arkham Asylum is an amazing game, I'll probably give it it's own entry. Maybe Skyrim too.