Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 14

Week 14: Camping.

Freehand watercolour on watercolour card, with coffee-stained, collaged newspaper.

Update:

Week 14: Camping II.

"One little spark..." Freehand collage using gold and red Quill "Metallique" paper and "Marbletone" cream card.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 13

Week 13: Movement.

Collage of the DC Comics superhero, Kid Flash, using gold and red Quill Metallique card and scraps of pink and orange paper. Freehand cut from life, using a posed 7" action figure from my own collection. Speed streaks in watercolours on watercolour paper.

Update:

Week 13: Movement II.

Watercolours on watercolour card, with silver acrylic and white opaque Signo highlights.

Ian's Batman action figures

Here is a PhotoPeach slideshow of my 8" Batman '66 TV series action figures from Figures Toy Co. (and a few customised characters by me).

Ian's Batman action figures

Requires Flash, so it won't work on iPads or iPhones.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 12

Week 12: Non-dominant hand.

"Komodo dragon." White opaque Signo ink on brown paper, with black ballpoint detail, drawn with my left hand. Based on my own photo of a garden ornament.

Update:

Week 12: Non-dominant hand II

"Easter Bunny". Watercolours on watercolour card. Based on my own photo of my grandmother's rabbit ornament. I am a leftie; his was also with my weak right hand.

Earth Hour 2016

Earth Hour

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 11

Week 11: Mother

Freecut collage using paper scraps and negative spaces. Based on a photo of my Mum.

Update:

Week 11: Mother II

Freecut mice collage with watercolour and cartridge papers, plus miniature tissue paper streamers, mounted on black card. Shading in watercolour and black ballpoint, white Signo whiskers.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 10

Week 10: Animal

"Koala". Freehand cut collage using a remnant of watercolour canvas, a scrap of Quill "marbletone" cream paper, and watercolour on grey card. Based on my own photo. I guess it's a reverse silhouette. The koala only exists as a negative space. The grey card is simply the back of a depleted watercolour paper pad and reminded me of the colour and texture of a koala's fur, so I searched my own albums looking for a suitable pic (actually Perth Zoo during the exhibition last year).

Update:

Week 10: Animal II

"Orange harmony". Sketch in black finepoint Sharpie on watercolour card, coloured with watercolours. Based on my own 1977 b/w photograph of pets Mac and Meggsie "frying their eyeballs" in front of a bar radiator.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 9

Week 9: Watercolour

"Hey diddle diddle, don't stop in the middle..." Freehand watercolour on white recycled paper. Masking fluid stars, with highlights and outlines added in black ballpoint and white Puffy paint. Mounted on black card.

Update:

Week 9: Watercolour II

"Goldfish". Freehand watercolours and finepoint Sharpie, over watercolour wash, on watercolour paper. Mounted on black card. Fish based on numerous photos found in a Google Image search.

Holy sleight of hand, Batman! Customising Dr Cassandra and Cabala

One of my favourite episodes of the 60s "Batman" TV show was its penultimate adventure: "The Entrancing Dr Cassandra", featuring Ida Lupino and her husband, Howard Duff. A guilty childhood pleasure, and for a long time seemingly elusive in repeat, in the days of no episode guides or IMBd.

The Terrific Trio go 2D. "Flat as flounders."

Dr Cassandra Spellcraft came from a line line of failed alchemists, but she did have some trippy, if shortlived, successes: camouflage pills that enabled invisibility, stealing the Mope diamond, and inventing an Alvino raygun that could rob people of their third dimension. She also succeeded in masterminding a jail break of all six of Gotham City's arch criminals: Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, Riddler, Egghead and King Tut. (The stunt doubles playing the arch villains in this episode were supposedly the regular ones matched to the actors from the series: Fred Carson as Joker, Eddie Hice as Riddler, Guy Way as King Tut, Al Cavens as Penguin, *unknown* as Egghead (not listed on callsheets, but Al Wyatt Sr. had double for Vincent Price in earlier episodes), and Marilyn Watson - who used to double for Julie Newmar before Eartha Kitt took over the role - returning as Catwoman. This penultimate episode was probably seen as a farewell opportunity to these performers from the producers. A reunion, as such.)

With all the great "Batman '66" tie-ins in recent years, and action figures in both a 5" and 8" format, I became resolved to create customs of Dr Cassandra and Cabala. Cassandra uses a 7" Juliet Burke (Elizabeth Mitchell) figure from "Lost" as the base. (I anticipated that "Big Bang Theory" Penny would arrive last night, as she did, and she was forfeiting her pink dress and boots. I tried to dye some spare Supergirl tights orange, but the nylon wouldn't hold the colour, so Aquaman lent her his shirt sleeves instead.) Cassandra's bowler hat and cane fish purse are made of orange Fimo. Meanwhile, Cabala had started life as an 8" bald "Anchorman" Battle-ready Champ (David Koechner) figure. I gave him quick-set putty hair, thicker eyebrows, an earring, an Andorian's boots and a "Wizard of Oz" figure's pants and vest, with the vest material covered in pieces of red discarded underpants (from my own drawer).

Source materials: Juliet from "Lost" and Champ from "Anchorman".

Cassandra's dress was seen before: on Josie (Joker episode), in a Catwoman episode, and on Octavia (Minstrel episode).

Note Cassandra's recycled fish handbag, originally owned by Undine in "Surf's Up, Joker's Under".

Above: My customised Dr Cassandra Spellcraft and partner Cabala action figures, from the 60s "Batman" episode, "The Entrancing Dr Cassandra". They stand with the commercially available Egghead and King Tut 8" figures. In the 70s, I attempted crude customs of Egghead and King Tut, now both long gone, but definitely a project that has stuck with me over the decades.

UPDATE:

Okay, so I knew that Joker's moll, Josie, was wearing the pink and orange mini dress eventually used by Dr Cassandra, but recently I noticed that, in Part 2, Josie turns up in a new orange number (below) - but the orange tights and dangly plastic earrings worn with that outfit end up being teamed with the dress from Part 1 to complete Dr Cassandra's ensemble!

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 8

Week 8: Horizon

"The art of planking". Freehand sketch in black Sharpie on a folded horizon on grey Ingres paper. Highlights in watercolour and white Signo. Inspired by several photos found in a Google Image search. The radiating effect is a lucky accident of the scanning process.

Update:

Week 8: Horizon II

Cartridge paper collage. There seems to be a slight shadow in the centre. That would be me. The iPhone pic works better than the scan, I think.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 7

Week 7: Kindergarten

"Kinder kid and glove puppet". Watercolour pencils on cream Ingres paper, based on a photograph from my own collection.

Update:

Week 7: Kindergarten II

Oil pastels and watercolour collage on black card.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 6

Week 6: Printing

Collage of newsprint cuttings and assorted cards, plus actual fingerprints. Image adjusted with the "Noir" filter in Photo.

Update:

Week 6: Printing II

Quick thumbprint cartoons with stamp pad ink onto Ingres paper. The bee was pressed over strands of rubbery string. Details in various markers.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 5

Week 5: 1920s

"Dolores del Río and Friend". Charcoal portrait sketch on cream Ingres paper, with a touch of orange watercolour pencil. Based on a Hollywood publicity photograph found in a Google Image search.

Update:

Week 5: 1920s II

"Archibald Fountain, after dark." Theseus and the Minotaur are off-duty on the night of a full moon. Sketched in black finepoint Sharpie and white opaque Signo on grey Ingres, with watercolour collaged elements in white Ingres paper. (I wanted to try drawing this iconic Sydney fountain this week, even though it didn't fit the theme and, while researching pics and Wikipedia, I realised the statues were designed in France... in the 1920s!) Theseus and the Minotaur are off-duty on the night of a full moon. Sketched in black finepoint Sharpie and white opaque Signo on grey Ingres, with watercolour collaged elements in white Ingres paper. (I wanted to try drawing this iconic Sydney fountain this week, even though it didn't fit the theme and, while researching pics and Wikipedia, I realised the statues were designed in France... in the 1920s!)

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 4

Week 4: Swimming

Collaged watercolour and cartridge papers, with Puffy Paint and watercolour highlights and shadows on a background of scrapbooking glitter paper. Based on several images found in a Google Image search.

Update:

Week 4: Swimming II

Black Sharpie cartoons on pearlescent sculptured paper, with salted watercolour highlights, collaged onto cartridge card.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 3

Week 3: Theme Park

"The Rotor, Luna Park Sydney." Red and gold Quill Metallique and black card, cut freehand, and collaged onto Ingres paper. Human characters detailed in black and white Sharpie and watercolours.

Update:

Week 3: Theme Park II

In memory of the late S John Ross, silhouette artist at Luna Park and theme parks and agricultural shows all over Australia. Collage and silhouettes using natural shadows.

Week 3: Theme Park III

"Mr Minotaur's A-mazing Theme Park". Black Sharpies, white opaque Signo and watercolour on Quill "marbletone" cream paper. Details in watercolour pencils and some yellow Puffy paint.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 2

Week 2: Outdoors

Collage and silhouette using Ingres papers, flocked cardboard, oil pastels and nylon cord on grey Ingres background.

Update:

Week 2: Outdoors II

"N-n-n-n-next!" Cartoon in finepoint black Sharpie, oil pastels and watercolour wash, collaged onto Ingres paper.

Week 2: Outdoors III

"Corellas' annual visit." Watercolour miniature. Masking fluid and black and white Sharpie highlights on watercolour paper. Based on my own photograph. This piece utilised an old offcut; it's only 85mm x 95mm.

Week 2: Outdoors IV

"Vasquez Rocks, Los Angeles." Watercolours with black and white Sharpie highlights on remnants of watercolour paper, mounted onto Ingres paper. Based on a photograph from my 2013 vacation album.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 1

Week 1: Fancy Dress

"Before and after." Watercolour clown sketch over black finepoint Sharpie and masking fluid on watercolour paper, with a collaged silhouette.

Update:

Week 1: Fancy Dress II

"Betelgeusian Chief Ambassador." This is the most expensive Hollywood costume ever worn in a movie by a screen extra - valued at $US10,000 in 1979 - but is barely glimpsed in the movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The bolt of fabric used in the garment dates back to Cecil B. DeMille and contains real gold and silver thread. Very fancy dress! Oil pastels and Kindy Glitter Glitz on Quill "marbletone" cream paper, and based on a publicity still.

Return of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 52

Week 52: World

"He's got the whole world in his hand". Collage using numerous disparate elements: acrylic wash and sponging over a circle of Quill "marbletone" cream card; giant hand in charcoal pencil on primed canvas sheet; gold glitter on black card.

Update:

Week 52: World II

"Alexander was sure that the world used to be much bigger." Cartoon drawn in white Signo pigment ink on black card. Highlights added with copper Kindy Glitz glitter glue and metallic gold Sharpie.

And that's a wrap... until next year, and the 2016 Challenge. Which is in a few days' time.

52-Week Illustration Challenge, bonus round

Bonus: Advent (Days #1-24 compile)

Flickr Slideshow:

Click HERE!

Return of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 51

Week 51: Family

"Family tree". Collage of wrapping paper, light card and coloured cartridge papers, on corrugated cardboard. Characters (only partially glued to cause natural shadows when photographed) sketched in finepoint black Sharpie - no pencil lines - with highlights in watercolour and white Signo ink.

Update:

Week 51: Family II

"Nativity family". Freehand cut silhouettes in red and gold Quill Metallique cards, with some deliberate shading from the directed lighting. Collaged onto Quill glitter-finish Galaxy card.

Week 51: Family III

"Mr Minotaur & son". Black Biro and watercolour "family tree" portrait miniatures in plaster frames.