Oz Comic-Con: Tips from Australian Comic Artists

Hey Restless Readers, I had a chance to attend the Oz Comicon which was held in Adelaide on the weekend hoping to take home some creative vibes and I was not let down.

There was some amazing art on display and an array of panels filled with a bunch of creative minds who all had something different to say. I gained a lot of valuable knowledge from many of the panels but the Aussie Comics Panel proved the best one for me. It consisted of five Australian comic artist practising in the industry today. Doug Holgate Queenie Chan, Dave DeVries, David Yardin and Jon Sommariva. I've attached a link to each artists website so be sure to check their work out.

There was a lot of information to take in during the panel discussion but there were a couple of things that really stuck with me that I felt would be useful to any illustrator trying to find their way into the industry. The first piece of advice came from South Australian illustrator, Dave Devries, who stated that there were three essential keys to getting jobs as an illustrator. They are:

Exceptional work

Nice

Reliable

He continued, stating that you only need two of these three keys to succeed. If you are reliable and a nice person, but your work isn't the greatest you can still find a job. Likewise, if you're an exceptional illustrator and reliable but a complete jerk, people will find a way to work with you, and so on.

The other piece of advice was the importance of having an online presence. Every member of the panel shared how they promote themselves online and all agreed that having a presence on the internet is an essential part of becoming a successful illustrator. Each artist had a different method of sharing their work to an online audience including blogs, personal websites, social networking websites like facebook and twitter and creative community websites like deviantART. One of the panel members stated that sharing some of your personal interests like favourite movies books and other hobbies helps the audience that is viewing your work to connect with you. I wish I could have recorded the whole panel to post up on Restless Colour because it was really interesting and helpful but alas, I have given all I can remember. I hope you can take something from this post. Keepitcool. 

Restless Colour 2012

Hey Restless Readers, sorry about the lack of posts recently. 2012 has been a real busy year for me so far and   it doesn't look like its getting any quieter. My plan for this year is to focus on my illustration and film projects which leaves me with little time for Restless Colour, but I will still post as often as I can, it may just be less frequent. My aim this year is to make Restless Colour more of a visual learning environment. This means more video tutorials with a heavy focus on communicating my knowledge of illustration process and practice. Looking forward to this year. Thanks heaps for your support.

Restless Colour Production Stamp

Hey Restless Readers, check out Restless Colours new production stamp that will appear in all future video productions. Animated by local Adelaide illustrator Jordan Pote

Restless Talent: Lauren Graham

Hey Restless readers, check out the rich textured fabric and paper cut style of this months very talented Adelaide illustrator, Lauren Graham. 

Hi all, my name is Lauren Graham and I am an illustrator currently living in Adelaide. I’ve always loved to draw. I used to be an avid ‘Archie and Friends’ comic collector when I was in primary school (I was cool like that) and I remember spending hours drawing the characters, hoping one day to be a comic artist. Over the years I have gone through a few different career aspirations (animator, fashion illustrator, graphic designer, and now Illustrator) but ultimately they have always revolved around drawing. I can be a bit of a dreamer and illustrating is my creative outlet.

Alannah Hill Fashion Illustration, cut paper and fabric

Mediums

I generally use cut paper/material technique. Its something I randomly tried in my first year of university and enjoyed (I weirdly find cutting up little of pieces of paper therapeutic). I love it how an illustration can evolve as I introduce new materials and types of papers. I am also a bit of a hoarder and love to collect lace, paper and fabrics, so it makes sense to create something out of these. My latest collecting fixation is old books covers from second-hand stores, which I use as backgrounds for my pieces.

Nightfall in the Ti-Tree, cut paper and fabric

Inspiration

Anything- Music, memories, lyrics, friends, fashion, family, quotes, movies, experiences, other pretty illustrations. Most of my recent illustrations have been inspired by my amazing trip over seas last year.

Take Me Away, cut paper and fabric

Achievements

Being apart of the recent Sweet Nostalgia exhibition with my talented friends Chloe McGregor and Sarah Grove. The opening night was so much fun and the feedback I received on my illustrations were really encouraging. Other recent achievements include a series of ‘colour me in’ placemats for an Adelaide restaurant and designing a series of wedding ‘save the dates’ and invitations.

Frog Playing Banjo, cut paper and fabric

Influences

Have you ever read ‘The unicorn and the Sea’? It’s a children’s book illustrated by Fiona Moodie and I have had a copy since I was 8 (probably stolen it from the school library). The illustrations are just so beautiful and I have always wanted to create something just as lovely. Other influences include illustrators Yulia Brodskaya and Patrick Gannon (who do some pretty darn amazing things with paper) and my close-knit university illustration class/lecturers (aka family) for their support and guidance.

Calling Home, cut paper and fabric

What the future holds

Ideally I would love to do children's book illustrations. So in the mean time, lots of cutting and creating.

Advice

Don’t let yourself be lazy (even I have trouble keeping this advice sometimes). Set up projects to keep yourself motivated. Also practice your technique (yep, that old nutshell). I have only being illustrating with cut paper for a few years but its pretty cool to look back at my original work and see how much my technique has developed since

Email- laurengraham.illustrations@gmail.com

Contact- +61412575597

Website- laurengrahamillustrations.blogspot.com

Restless Learning: REFERENCE LIBRARY pt.1

Hey Restless Readers, welcome to Restless Learning the newest segment of Restless Colour designed to explore the many elements of illustration.
This is part one of a series looking at some of the resources you could consider adding to your reference library. A reference library is basically a set of resources that you as an illustrator or artist could refer to when looking for inspiration, ideas and understanding.

PART ONE

Comics and graphic novels are an extremely valuable resource for any artist or illustrator. There are a multitude of comics filled with beautiful illustrations and compositions waiting to be found.
Each comic panel is a mini canvas filled with dynamic compositions and colour pallets that all contribute to the mood and feeling of the story. If you analyse each panel you'll find the quality of line plays a big role in emphasizing certain elements of a scene to convey emotion and create a focal point. The exaggerated anatomy of characters are another element that assist in portraying the extremes of emotion in a scene. It is handy to keep in mind that everything on a comic page is there for a reason and is mapped out to tell a story which will help you're figure out what it is you like about certain illustrations. 

With such a massive range of comics available in stores and online it's hard to even know where to start, but don't let this overwhelm you. I would recommend going into a second-hand bookstore or book exchange and grabbing a bunch of cheap comics that catch your eye and just immerse yourself in the illustrations. After studying a few comics you'll probably get a better idea of the comic styles and artists you like. Then you can head to your local comic store with confidence, or if you don't want to spend any money just head to the library, most library’s now keep a range of comics and graphic novels and all you need is a library card.
Every artist and illustrator can gain something from this amazing resource which is why comics and graphic novels are an essential part of your reference library.

Sometimes in Technicolour

Hey restless readers, clear your calendar on August 5th and come check out Sometimes in Technicolour, a diverse mixed media exhibition for SALA 2011 exploring the facets of all things creative in black and white, and sometimes in technicolour. Featuring illustration, makeup artistry and photography. Starring illustrators Brooke Walker, Chloe McGregor, Daniella Caruso, Gemma Buratto, Ned Rogers, makeup artist Bec Buratto, and photographer Claire Edwards.

Sometimes in Technicolour is on at Two8Four Rundle (Red Cross) upstairs in the gallery from August 5th-30th.

Opening night on August 5th from 6:30-8:30.

Open all store hours:

Mon - Thurs: 10-5:30

Fri: 10-9

Sat: 10-5:30

Sun: 12-5:30

Restless Pro-File: Gimiks Born

Hey Restless readers, welcome to the new segment, Restless Pro-Files, which brings you interviews with practicing industry professionals. To kick it off we speak to Gimiks Born, a Brisbane based illustrator and designer who was recently here in Adelaide. Enjoy!  

Could I ask to share a little bit about yourself and why you're down in Adelaide at the moment?  

Yo what's up!. Well basically I'm a Brisbane based illustrator/designer with a healthy love of graffiti. I'm predominantly self taught from an artistic sense but I studied graphic design which I now practice full time. I'm also co-founder/creative director of "Picture Wheel Company" as well as one of the founding members of "The Bay", which is a skateboarding collective with roots in the Southside of Brisbane. So yeah that's about it, I practise art and I like to skate. I'm down in Adelaide at the minute catching up with the CH and GM fam aswell as attending a show that Jimmy Jam Fingers is curating at Magazine gallery this weekend entitled "Indelible". I was stoked to be asked to be a part of this show as the line up of artists is bananas! Also while I'm here I think I'll be partaking in a Ironlak sponsored wall of some description too....it's a mad busy trip but they always are when I'm down here in ADL ha!

What attracted you to illustration and graffiti?  
Just a pure love of comics, being creative and drawing characters I think is what really enticed me to illustration. When I was young I use to read and collect heaps of comics, collect cards, you know that sort of ish, I watched plenty of cartoons too so I think that definitely inspired me to draw a lot. I always use to draw whenever and wherever I was, always practising, trying to emulate the comic artists I looked up too. I didn't start writing graffiti though until 2004, around the same time I started traditional painting properly too. From early school days graffiti however was something I looked up too and admired, the pure style and funk of the movement was a visual feast for the eyes. Even though I was inspired by graffiti I never actually thought of trying proper pieces until later in the game, I was always preoccupied with either skating or sketching to really have time to pick up a can. Now though it's an essential part of my own personal style and skill set development, it helps with everything. From digital art and graphic design all the way to high brow fine art and omelette making!

What mediums do you use when creating your work?  
Spray paint, acrylic, pastel, pencil, pen, charcoal...yep that's about it I think.

Where do you draw inspiration from when creating artwork?  
Alot of things inspire me, music is a big one, hip hop most definitely too. I'm inspired by pretty much everything though, like an inspirational sponge haha naa that sounds kind of gross. Movies, everyday life, dreams, music, cartoons, skate and snow, comics, graffiti, Japanese culture, red wine, good coffee, bad coffee, pizza, bonsai, bamboo forests, oriental red maples, mountains, sausage dog led chariots....everything and anything. 

What artists and people have influenced you work and how?

Wow there is heaps of artists that I look up to and that give me an influential kick up the arse no doubt! There is just sooo many talented people out there. Some of my close friends who are artists influence and inspire me too. Artists whose artwork is just soo dam good and I totally admire, then you get those freaks that are stupidly next level good that they make you want to vomit!! There is really too many to list but heads that come to mind are Nic Plowman, Alex Louisa, Vans the Omega, Palms, Mystik, Yours, Sofles, Bliggs, Teneille Napoli, Meks, Shida, Kidd Zoom, Kofie One, Dems 333, Globe, Aaron Nagel, Haser, Berst, Greg Craola Simkins, Nate Van Dyke, Jeff Smith, Joe Queseda, all of these people defiantly influence my craft and inspire me to no ends. Also Alphonse Muchas work really intrigues me, such an awesome mix of strong line work and subtle rendering, so good. The great Jim Henson influences me hugely as well, he was and still is a true master of storytelling, someone whom I definitely really look up too.

 

Could you tell us about some current projects you are working on? Well....currently I'm working on pieces for the upcoming 12X12 show in Melbourne that Beastman curates, 12 artists, 12 works all 12' x 12', will be a dope show. Also working on some small works for Terri @ 19 Karen Art Gallery, Gold Coast. I'm also involved in a laneway painting gig down the Gold Coast too called Street Cube that will be awesome - I'll be painting with Beastman, Jae Copp and Shida too so it will be dope! I'm drawing up a full sleeve tattoo design for my boy Palms that has taken only two years so far - sorry my bad mate haha! Also excited about an upcoming collab I'm doing with a well known musican/artist from Brisbane for Picture Wheels, this will be freakin cool! To finish it off I'm still plugging away at my Bitter Winds graphic novel which is still in early development stages. This project will be a long haul but I know it will be worth it. I've been waiting too long to create my own graphic novel series so hopefully people will be as psyched as me when it drops. Yep, busy huh...

 Where has your art taken you in the world?   
I've been lucky enough to travel to Toronto ON and paint with some of the GH crew there which was great, freakin cold though, minus 22 cold!! Jamaica was pretty awesome, and heaps warmer haha! My artwork has travelled more than myself really, Canada, USA, UK, France to name a few. To be honest I've travelled more places to go snowboarding foremost than for my art, though I try to paint where ever I end up going. That's one of the best things about graffiti I think, where ever you go you always run into a friend of the movement. I recently went to Japan which I'd love to go back to, the people and the place is truly amazing. But in regards to travel, yeah, there's still alot more spots I want to hit up so I'm not finished yet by any means. 

Could you please explain the importance of the story telling aspect in your work and how you communicate themes and ideas?
The visual story telling aspect of my work is very important as every piece needs to fit into position within a larger narrative, this is where the "Bitter Winds" world comes into place. Every piece, canvas, character that I depict is a snapshot from the greater story of the Bitter Winds narrative, so foremost it has to be visually readable. Since my first solo show "6 degrees of Sinister" in 2007 I have been creating works that all interact and relate to each other, all characters and scenarios. The idea being that it will all be revealed in its true correct storyline when the Bitter Winds graphic novel is unveiled. So how I communicate the theme or concept isn't of the greatest importance really, as long as I can get all the right puzzle pieces into the work/canvas/piece that I need to its entirely left for the viewer to interpret.

What advice could you give to young artists and illustrators? Keep drawing, keep practicing, do life drawing classes even though they sound really boring! Study anatomy, use references, learn different mediums and don't only do digital art - photoshop is cool but pixels will send you blind. Don't bite peoples hard work. Create want you want to create, not what is popular or selling. Finally, listen to Bob Marley. Peace.

Website: www.gimiksborn.com