Artwork of Fantasy and Imagination - The Croydon Wanderers Linework

This is my last entry for Artwork of Fantasy and Imagination, the next exhibition that I'll be doing with the group I did the Sydney Comic Art & Drawing Exhibition with. The show will run from 17th - 24th December, at The Shop Gallery, Glebe, here in Sydney. 

Keeping with my idea of otherworldly refugees settling into everyday life, this is the pencil and ink work for an amateur team from Croydon (either Croydon near London, or Croydon in Sydney - my Anglo-Australian neutrality remains intact). The original art and the finished digital art will be exhibited with The Builders, and The Office.

Like I wrote before, I even came up with a story that links these pictures:

It's been just 18 months since the first of the refugees arrived through the portals. In cities all over the world, people have started to grow accustomed to having neighbours and, increasingly, workmates who would have been the stuff of myths 2 years ago.

While most refugees are reluctant to talk about their experiences, there are rumours circling of harsh and brutal feudal societies, with appalling living conditions. No wonder, many say, that they have been so quick to train and enter the modern workforce, and, where possible, assimilate into 21st century culture.

Of course, even extra-dimensional refugees need time off, and a Sunday league football team is  the perfect way to socialise with their neighbours.

 ©2015 James Mathurin

Artwork of Fantasy and Imagination - Builders and sketches

I went back to The Builders from last week, and did some work on the colouring, based on some feedback I got.

 Also, here are some research sketches I've been making for the next couple of pictures. I've been using African masks and statues for ideas, and some of these are from the Bena Luluwa in Zaire, a Kasangu mask, from the Sola Mpasis of Zaire, a Ndimo mask, from the Makonde of South Tanzania, and a grimacing mask from Tunisia.

 ©2015 James Mathurin

Artwork of Fantasy and Imagination - Builders

This is my first entry for Artwork of Fantasy and Imagination, the next exhibition that I'll be doing with the group I did the Sydney Comic Art & Drawing Exhibition with. The show will run from 17th - 24th December, at The Shop Gallery, Glebe, here in Sydney. A lot of my stuff has been comic and sci-fi based, so fantasy is a chance to try something different.

Most of the fantasy stuff I've enjoyed has been in a contemporary setting (China Mieville, Geoffrey Thorne, Neil Gaimen, and Garth Ennis' Preacher are the ones that come to mind), so I wanted to do some pieces that put fantasy figures into everyday settings.

This is why my research sketches from the last few weeks have bounced from builders on a tea break to flaming skulls and people with fish heads. So what's the backstory?

It's been just 18 months since the first of the refugees arrived through the portals. In cities all over the world, people have started to grow accustomed to having neighbours and, increasingly, workmates who would have been the stuff of myths 2 years ago.

While most refugees are reluctant to talk about their experiences, there are rumours circling of harsh and brutal feudal societies, with appalling living conditions. No wonder, many say, that they have been so quick to train and enter the modern workforce, and, where possible, assimilate into 21st century culture.

©2015 James Mathurin

Beginning some new stuff

These are sketches for something new I'll be working on, that should be in my next exhibition. There is a connection, or at least, I am intending to make one.

 

©2015 James Mathurin