Sunday 5 July 2009

twisted toucan (twisted penguin...?)




Here's my Toucan Kev & Phil. It's perhaps as much a twisted penguin as it is a twisted toucan. Not really sure I'm saying anything deeper than as I was drawing my toucan it reminded me of the Penguin Books logotype which I've always been a fan of. I've also posted some ink and watercolour doodles I did to work out the character treatment for the toucan. So much of my work digitally these days that I really miss not having something to see for my efforts at the end of the day after the computer has been switched off. I think sometimes there is also that danger of getting too comfortable with "apple Z" (or ctrl Z for those PC users out there). I've always loved watercolour because you can never be 100% sure about what you are going to end up with. Sometimes things can really surprise you... both good and bad. Similarly I'm not a big one for inking in my work but for these doodles I employed an inky kebab skewer and large piece of paper in order to loosen up a little and see what happens next... All that said I still ended up with a digital final piece. Photoshop is just a lovely place to work I guess.

14 comments:

Phil Toodle said...

Excellent work my friend. It's great that this little backwards and forwards is being taken to so many random places. I'm going to give watercolours a go too, I really want to shake my style up and move out of my comfort zones. I also want to challenge how I use colour, and I think watercolours will force me to think more deeply about what I'm doing.

krisztina maros said...

this book cover is just perfect: your toucan fits really fine to this retro design. as a big fan of watercolor i have to say you MUST paint more! photoshop is just a lovely place :) but painting is freedom without limits! and i love seeing your own hand movements in the lines...

(btw thank you for your kind questions - i've answered them on my blog if you would like to read.)

Kev Levell said...

Great stuff Matt. I love the continuous 's' bend shape you have with the Toucan. I love the pulpy cover too - works a treat!

The trees on the post below are also an inspired piece of Matt-magic.

Take a house point!

damon said...

cool i like

Carmen Saldaña said...

Hello Matt!
You have done very cool illos this last few weeks!!!
The platypus is amazing (by the way, what a curious word, in spanish is also very strange: ornitorrinco):-)

ArtSparker said...

Both treatments are, of course, delightful. Wonderfully calligraphic and enquiring creature. I would like to post one of your toucans with a link to your blog on my TinyTheatre blog - let me know if that would be okay. In any case, they are lovely.

Abz said...

great use of media! fun little guy, I must say! tweeeet

Eric Barclay said...

Really great work. Love the book design as well as the watercolour sketches.

Tomás Serrano said...

I´ve just seen your work about animals at your web and I must say it´s GREAT. For example, the chameleon is a master piece. You are a fabulous artist.

Jasmine said...

This is a wonderful blog, I like your work.

Anonymous said...

Love the Toucan design with the shape of his body being a continuation of the beak.
Book cover looks great too.

Owl Eng said...

they are cute and nice!! has this toucan become your trademark?

Drake Brodahl (pumml) said...

Really great, Matt! Lovely designs.

Hey, I don't know if I'll post this on my blog for awhile, but I didn't want to leave you hanging.

My toucan.

Sarah Horne said...

Hello Matt!

I dont know if youd remember me, we met at the ica last year on an illustrators meet.
I was looking for ref for a toucan today, particularly beak colour. Google images threw up these two very cool looking toucans. Then I realised that it was you!

They're great, full of life and character! Love his little stumpy wings!

Small world eh?

Hope all good with you.

Sarah Horne x