My Proposal for the Landscape of Signs And Artist Research

Proposal for Landscape of Signs

In response to the first week I have decided to create a series of artworks depicting various creatures taking on the jobs needed to keep Buckingham Palace functioning. I will be designing the creatures myself, taking inspiration from popular fantasy such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and The Spiderwick Chronicles to create unique and interesting characters who visually suit their role in the palace.

I intend to research the artists, Ralf Steadman, H.M Bateman, Ralph Heimans, Ronald Searle, Jeral Scarfe and Heath Robinson for inspiration on satirical and political artwork of the royal family. I’ll also go to London in search of artists and artworks related to my theme, either the creature side or artworks depicting the monarchy and workers of Buckingham Palace.

I would like to experiment with a few different mediums, such as black pen and white ink on toned paper, watercolour paints, digital drawing and possibly animation. My final outcomes are planned to be digital drawings, perhaps 3-6 in the series or one large image with multiple creatures. I will aim to spend around 6 hours on each final piece, making them as detailed as possible. Even though they will be digital pieces, I’d like to make them look traditionally painted, using visible brushstrokes and textured brushes to get this effect.

A whimsical but dark feel is what I would aim for with my designs, creatures that are borderline monsters, grotesque but oddly cute or interesting to look at, so that you feel your eyes stuck on them. They would ideally suit the role they play, for example something that has to dust the high shelves may have long, reaching arms or legs that allow them to access hard to reach places. In order to ensure that my drawings of the palace are accurate I will use the virtual tour online to take still images of the interior for reference.

Dermot Power

Dermot Power is an Irish digital concept artist born in 1967. He is currently living in London doing freelance work. His most notable works are his concept art for three Harry Potter films and Tim Burtons’ Alice in Wonderland. Dermot has an interesting, messy and rough style which he has commented on when talking about his work with Tim Burton;
 “…cares about the details, know that story counts for everything and understand that designs don't have to be highly rendered to be understood.”

This piece depicts Hagrid and a timid Harry Potter meeting Buckbeak the Hippogriff outside on an overcast day. The colours Dermot used are muted and work well together, except a bright blue breaking through the clouds behind Hagrid and Buckbeak, a pleasant break in the clouds showing a slither of clear sky. The fact that the background does not reach the borders of the image creates an interesting effect with a white surrounding, it makes the drawing look like it was created on this very page, drawn next to my writing, almost interacting with it. Especially with the right side of harry not having any background to it at all, making him seem to be more on the white page than in the drawing, like he could reach and grab my words. The Hippogiffs are described as very proud creatures in the books and films and I think Dermot has portrayed this expertly, Buckbeaks’ head is raised up straight, and he is not bent down or submissive to this large man, whereas Harry is quite visibly a little scared. His messy style is very reminiscent of impressionist paintings, using thick visible brush strokes to indicate shadows and highlights and unimportant details, and changing to small and deliberate marks for the finer points, such as Hagrids’ face and Buckbeaks’ feathers.