Torchwood Unplugged

Here's my art illustrating James Moran's Unlpugged fiction story in sadly the last issue of the magazine. It's been great drawing Capt. Jack and Co and I hope next year the mag reincarnates when the show returns!

A Study In Terror

These are the first character designs I did for a strip written by Robert Tinnell called A Study In Terror - it's a riff on those great 1960's psycho thrillers like Hysteria , Fanatic and Paranoiac ! Bob wrote the first script which I've worked roughs up on. It was originally destined as a back-up strip to run in Bob and Neil Vokes' monthly Flesh And Blood comic. That's now become a graphic novel so A Study In Terror has no home now. No matter , I hope we can ressurect this at some point in the future because I really love the 1960's setting. Here's some pics for now!

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Torchwood Mind's Eye step by step

This illustration was a double page spread ( covers two pages). Firstly I set up the correct size template in Manga Studio with central page divide. I wanted the old Victorian school building to feature strongly with Ianto looking back pensively whilst Jack watches in the SUV. Two figures and an interesting building are more than enough for an illustration. I pencilled up the drawing in blue pencil in MS and after editorial comment *lifted* the SUV higher and made it more prominent.

Next on a new layer  I inked the drawing using the pen and marker tools in Manga Studio. I made particular use of the horizontal and vertical ruler tools on the building. The tree was inked on a seperate layer and then the rain added on a new layer using the rain filter. I then customised the computer rain to my liking - deleting lines and adding new ones . There are no perspective lines in this illustration so it must be viewed as four seperate planes - SUV  forground , Ianto mid ground , Building in background with horizon line of rooftops

Finally the file is exported into Photoshop for colouring. With such a relatively detailed drawing I kept the colour scheme simple.

Sea Devils

Here's a commission I did awhile back. Sea Devils are great to stylise ( they appear in The Cybermen strip prominently). The original of this was hand coloured but in the interest of archiving this is the photoshop version I did to find the colour scheme.I kept to the original monster colours but pepped up the background.

The Cybermen - an appreciation

This was borrowed from   http://shallwedestroy.blogspot.com

There’s also a feature on the making of The Cybermen strip, which is especially welcome as that strip is probably one of my favourite things in Doctor Who. Even in the small images printed in the article, it still looks incredible - stylistically incomparable, and not only within Doctor Who. I’ve never failed to be massively impressed by Adrian Salmon’s art, and it was particularly effective there, meshing perfectly with the arc’s epic, faux-mythological tone. (Trade paperback? Anyone?)


Thanks!


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On drawing.

Talented artist Danny Kelly posited a question about drawing recently - about the number of lines different artists use to get to a drawing ( that's the simple version of the question). My answer might be of interest to a few.


It's true I go for the *line* right off the bat - be it roughs or pencils. That said I rarely get what I'm after first or tenth time ( that's what erasers were invented for:) I try to get all the basic structural shapes in place first and the gestural marks ( the grace of the drawing). Usually I then let the image *lie* then before coming back to it and tightening up required details till enough is there to be readable. Kirby used see the image before pencil touched paper and practically traced it - I can't do that. I like what John Romita said about *finding* the image on the page - involving sweat and tantrums ( in my case).




It's occured to me that I should devote a bit of time to theorising ( or bullshitting depending on what you think of my thoughts) here on my blog. I'm not that cerebral an art guy but I'm not a total instinct artist either ( like say Frank Frazetta). A pal Rob Davis blogged recently about COLOUR ( and mighty interesting it is too)

http://dinlos.blogspot.com/2010/10/don-quixote-and-truth-of-colour.html


Stay tuned for more thoughts...

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October pic

Hopefully I should get a proper crack at the Dr and Amy sometime in the future. I've been tinkering away working in Manga Studio ( digital drawing) recently and this pic of Amy is one of the early results. I've done other stuff since including Torchwood illos and am enjoying the digital approach. Manga Studio has some decent aids like perspective and ruler tools but you've still gotta know how to draw to get good results. This week I'm back pencilling at the drawing board , eraser shavings flying no doubt as I tackle a special project.:)

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Amy Pond!

First drawing of Amy Pond ( Dr Who). Hope you like.

Time Team 6 - Revenge of the Cybermen

I've always loved Revenge - the Cyberman design feels so 1970's. Voga was played by Wookie Hole ( a giant limestone cavern you can visit). It's got Sarah and Harry and Vogans. And Tom Baker. It's default era story.

For the Time Team I wanted a scene that involved both the Doctor and a cyberman. Including a vacuum cleaner style cybermat too meant this shot on the orbiting space station was the perfect choice! Sarah gets a look-in too.:)

Twitter change

For those who have been following my tweets - I've a new name I'm tweeting under and you're welcome to follow me there. The other is defunct.

http://twitter.com/AS1963

Destiny of the Daleks original art for sale

This is a chance to buy the original ink drawing for Destiny of the Daleks that was used in the Time Team feature in DWM!

All proceeds go to the very worthy cause of transplant research at Great Ormands Street Childrens Hospital.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Doctor-Adrian-Salmon-original-artwork-F-H-/190440499827?pt=UK_Collectables_SciFi_fantasyCollectables_EH&hash=item2c57236a73#ht_500wt_1020

More Claw art!

Couple of pics for the Blood on Satan's Claw ish of Little Shoppe of Horrors!

Dead Man's Switch

Roughs , pencils and inks/colour for the CD cover.

Three  artworks for seperate stories by Torchwood mag readers. Went in heavy with the brush pen and mortared the cracks with colour!

Gladiator sketch

 A quick sketch for a bit 'o fun!

                                                  

Time Team 5 - The Faceless Ones

Alien invasion at Gatwick Airport was the storyline for Patrick Troughton's The Faceless Ones.The couple of episodes that exist are on the Lost in Time dvd boxset ( recommended). This wasn't available at the time I did this I believe and I probably worked from telesnaps and the DWM Archive and a bit of imagination. Though the colouring is a bit basic ( early days using Photoshop) , I tried to push the design on artworks from this period - this being a good example.

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Cavewoman sketch !

Blood of the Vikings !

Father Shandor - new drawing

Zygon Bodysnatchers!

I originally drew this after reading the Dr Who New Adventure novel The Bodysnatchers. I loved the smoggy Victorian setting that fit the Zygons shape changing abilities like a glove. This art eventually featured as a cover on Dr Who Magazine!

Bernice Summerfield Audio Season 11.1 and 11.2 covers.

I was asked to draw an image that could be split into two down the centre to form the first two covers. The image itself was to be a group photo with the right hand side darker in tone to emulate the darker storyline of that cd. Above are the pencil and finished art. These were inked in a more woodcut/brushy way that I've currently been exploring in recent illustrations.

http://www.bigfinish.com/Bernice-Summerfield-Season-11

Senor 105!

Here's my illo of Senor 105 - the masked wrestler in his no.26 mask ( Iron). Naturally the Man in the Iron Mask seemed the perfect idea! If you want to get involved in this project - contact Cody Schell at :

http://www.facebook.com/notes/cody-schell/needed-105-artists/401829383685 

Father Sandor in oils

In this digital age it might seem prehistoric to being dabbling in oil paints but then there is something organic about the process that makes it worth it. This was lightly sketched through onto Daler Rowney oil painting paper via a lightbox from the sketch below. I then started blocking in shapes and refining ,  adding  a simple suggestive background. No photos were used except to check how the dark area of his cassock worked and even then it's improvised. Artwork is for sale.:)

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Father Sandor

I'm thinking of mocking up a coupla' pages of Father Sandor action. Been looking at the old House of Hammer stuff to get me bubbling. Here's a first sketch of the good Father...

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Dan McDaid !

Above Absolom Daak gives a cyberman and short back 'n sides curtesy of  artist Dan McDaid who has a new website revamp up now! Dan's a relatively new guy on the scene who has made a HUGE impression on me and many others , which is why I'm giving it up for Dan now! Go check out his unique and wonderful work at :
http://danmcdaid.com/index.html

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ASSISTANTS!

I was recently commissioned to recreate two Time Teams illos ( Romana and Leela) to go with the original Sarah Jane I had available for sale. I was also asked to compose a new artwork to go with the set of Jo Grant! Naturally it had to include giant maggots and I jazzed up her groovy wellies. If I get time I'll try and colour this up 1970's style at some point!

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Time Team 4 -Yeti!

Another image from the Time Team archive. At one point the feature covered two stories an installment which inevitably led to one story not getting illustrated. This was a shame as the period covered quite a few popular Troughton monster stories. Sometimes we snuck a smaller second illo in - this one from the infamous WEB OF FEAR. Later A smaller second artwork became part of the feature under editor Clay Hickman. I'd love at some point to revisit the *missing illos* - perhaps for  a TT book ?!

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Daleks and quad bikes!

This can only mean Jon Pertwee and Jo Grant in DAY OF THE DALEKS! This is one story I grow fonder of with each watch or more sentimental. Jo is particularly groovy and I added some 70's shades to her to add to the factor. Jon of course loved driving *anything* - so this scene where the Ogrons try to catch them on the quad must of been alot of fun to film.The artwork here was for the Time Team - pen and brush on watercolour paper.

In the shed...

A Torchwood illo.

Facebook Fanpage

I've set up a fanpage ADE SALMON ART on Facebook . http://www.facebook.com/pages/ADE-SALMON-ART/104226536279635

Time Keepers

This illo was done sometime after the TV Movie as a sample pic. These days it would be part of a *pitch* to use the jargon - but back then I just sent a photocopy into the Dr Who Mag office on a wing and prayer. It was used in the mag. Fun times.:)

The Baron pleas!

The Baron tries to convince Paul Krempe his story is true - but would you believe him? ( CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN 1957)

Time Team Unearthed3 : Davros

I got to draw Davros again in the Time Team feature but this was the first entry for GENESIS OF THE DALEKS! Having only enough space for one big picture - many stories hardly got much of an illo. Still I liked this but my definite GENESIS pic is still to be drawn! I adopted a Mick McMahon approach to this piece - seemed a fit.:)

Zygons ink

It was great to work on a large piece (A3) with a brushpen. Reminded me of my CYBERMEN days! Here's the result.

The Wolfman!

 Before Del Toro there was Ollie...

Draconian Ninja comics!

I thought it about time I posted some comics pages on the blog. Last year I illustrated Dr Who: Cold Blooded War  for IDW comics. It was only published in the U.S. sadly , so I'm sharing some pages with you here in case you didn't run across the title. This was the first strip I'd drawn with a brush pen - it's rough in places perhaps but I hope the energy and love of the subject shines through! I can't show all the 22 pages , but here's a selection to give you a flavour. Dedicated to Jon.

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