nakedart

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I was a storyboard artist at AMV BBDO.

In the early days, bliss in Aybrook Street, 1984. Everyone inter-reacted and growth was organic and fun.

David Abbott was god. Ron Brown had brought me in because of previous experience at Doyle Dane Bernbach, where I had worked from 1962. In the time in between I had been a freelance storyboard artist.

In those days we drew with Magic Markers, later to be over-taken by Copic, because of health and safety and colour range. Ideas were presented mainly using black waterproof pen and transparent spirit based inks. These inks have poor permanence if kept in daylight. But ideal for fast work that usually only needed a life of a week or two.

I saw a way to present creative ideas digitally. However, although we had the Apple account as a client, we as an agency followed a long way behind technologically. I tried to introduce digital animatics, we produced animated storyboards by pushing drawings about under a camera (you may remember Captain Pugwash, this technique was known as Pugwashing), there had to be a better way. There was software available for a Silicon Graphics box, but it was going to cost half a million, so I was not allowed the system. Then came Flash, cheap and effective, but they couldn't be persuaded by the new technology.

The technique of lightning sketches came about when I was asked by David to design and illustrate the Annual Report for The Royal Ballet School. I made many drawings in class and at Covent Garden Opera House. I was given many theatre tickets as David was a patron of The Royal Ballet, and his wife a patron of The Royal Ballet School. One time I even sat next to the Queen while I drew Darcey Bussell and Irek Mukhamedov at the premiere of Twyla Tharp's Mr Worldly Wise - 30th July 1996. (I never told you about that David, if you should happen to be reading this now. You gave the tickets to Angela, your PA, as you weren't able to go, Angela couldn't go either, so she gave them to Ron, who gave them to me. Ron begged me not to tell you that you missed the oportunity to sit next to Her Majesty and Princess Margaret.)

Drawings were critised by Dame Merle Parke, which was marvellous.

 

From 1997 I was drawing exotic dancers during lunch breaks at pubs in the City and The Nag's Head in Whitechapel Road became a regular haunt. The names of all of the girls have been changed to an alias to protect their identity.

As time went by the 'family experience' of AMV gave way to a corporate ethic. I left AMV, as storyboards were now, in 1999, possible without artists. With the use of photo libraries, which have every desired situation that can be photoshopped in any way the art director wants. And clients became used to seeing very finished photographic presentations.

The plan was to do commercial work at Saffron Communications, where I am Art Director half the week and paint the other half. And that is what I have done.

My method is to scan in the sketches made in the pubs at high resolution and draw into the sketch with a pressure sensitive Wacom tablet in much the same way that I would apply colour with Copic inks.

With Photoshop custom built brushes the effect of Magic Markers can be convincingly simulated and even enhanced with subtlety.

I am making the original high resolution painting available to you together with a quality print. You can use the digital painting in any way you wish for your own personal use.

If you want to use them for print in your pub, club or exhibition stand, for example, on request I can license you to do so. (On average these files at 100 ppi will print 1.8 x 1.5 metres.)

However, reproduction for commercial gain is expressly forbidden and the full force of copyright law and intellectual property laws will be sought.

The context of the situation

The excitement of drawing in a public place where cameras are forbidden is ecstatic. I never use photographs in my work. The sketch is the beginning. It may take just a few seconds. The dancer is real. The movement comes from live performance. The place and the situation of drawing with the pressure of being among the public, feeling relaxed and alert. Adrenaline thumping. Being quiet and invisible as possible, turning pages quickly and quietly, drawing quickly and quietly, not disturbing anyone. Low light, with people all around, intent on the performance. Adrenaline in that moment which lives in expression of the human body in movement. Colour conveys presence.

The essence of my drawing/painting is reportage.

Method

The source material is human, live and moving. I want to convey the performance and feeling of ecstasy. I judge my success when the adrenaline is captured and portrayed.
I am motivated by an aspiration/fear of the performer doing something I couldn't. They are overcoming their fears. I admire and applaud the performers with gratitude.

My sketch books play a huge role. I work in all media. Currently I am working digitally. A selected sketch for development is scanned into a computer and painting is created in Photoshop with Wacom tablet. This is what I am putting forward for consideration. I paint from memory, adrenaline drives the image out.