So check out the webstore for the largest range of cards to date! The return of some feathered fiends, the appearance of the previously unreleased 'Wise Crow' and the brand new beautifully bold 'Corvus Corax: Tertius Oculus' (Raven: Third Eye).
Showing posts with label Designs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Designs. Show all posts
Sunday, 2 August 2015
Raven Haven
Recently I began the preliminary work for a new in depth, detailed series of artworks, but while I develop my ideas in more depth I have been taking the opportunity to realise a few neglected design ideas, which have come in many different shapes and sizes. As well as finally painting a haloed Raven, Ive also been able to unleash some previously unreleased artwork as cards, as well as restock on some previously released owl cards which have been long sold out.
So check out the webstore for the largest range of cards to date! The return of some feathered fiends, the appearance of the previously unreleased 'Wise Crow' and the brand new beautifully bold 'Corvus Corax: Tertius Oculus' (Raven: Third Eye).
So check out the webstore for the largest range of cards to date! The return of some feathered fiends, the appearance of the previously unreleased 'Wise Crow' and the brand new beautifully bold 'Corvus Corax: Tertius Oculus' (Raven: Third Eye).
Wednesday, 11 March 2015
New artwork development
Recently in the studio I have been working on a new collection of
original mixed media artworks. The pieces are closely related to my Sanctus Strix
series, and incorporate many of the recurring themes of my previous
artworks, such as good and evil, magik, ancient symbolism and the occult. As well as feathered fiends the series also features some of my other favourite animals. Below, 'Vulpes vulpes: Tertius oculus', is just a taste of things to come ...
Monday, 15 September 2014
HR Giger Museum: An Artistic Pilgrimage
For the past eight years I have been planning an artistic pilgrimage to the museum of my favourite artist, Hans Ruedi Giger. Giger has been an inspiration and hero to me virtually my entire life, and since the age of 16 I have been desperate to visit Château St. Germain in Gruyères, which houses some of Giger's most prolific pieces of artwork and sculpture.
After so many years of waiting, hoping and planning, the fact that the moment had arrived at last seemed utterly unbelievable.
We arrived in Gruyères early evening, after a long, tiresome drive from Southern France.
We were greeted by a tiny picturesque town, perched atop a rocky hill. Its cobbled streets and ancient buildings looked as though they were straight out of a movie set, and with little noise other than the gurgling of the public water troughs and the faint clinking of cow bells, the slower pace here was welcome after suffering the manic bustle of the Swiss Motorways.
On first exploration of the town we stumbled upon the Giger Museum and Bar almost immediately, as sculptures reared their heads suddenly through a large arch, we were there. I had made it. At last.
We enjoyed some much needed refreshment, in the form of a few beers in the Giger bar, as I marveled at the staggering reality and magnificence of the place, desperate to study every tiny detail, and attempting to absorb the fact that I was really in Gruyères.
The next morning after a breakfast consisting of mostly cheese and salami, it was up to the Museum to wait for the doors to open. With early pieces lining the staircase from reception to main museum, and another 'Baby Wall' similar to that on display in the bar, the museum eased you in gently, allowing excitement at what awaited to build. Once inside there was such a wealth of things to see it would have been easy to feel overwhelmed. Entire rooms dedicated to Giger's work on movies such as Alien and Species had everything from original sketches and conceptual ideas, to vast pieces of artwork, as well as film props, models, sculptures ... even a room to sit and watch the entire Alien film, surrounded by artwork.
The museum leads you through a labyrinth of rooms, mostly themed by subject matter or a particular series of paintings. The scale of some of the pieces is incomprehensible when viewing them in a book, in particular the 'Spell' series. These were in their own room and covered entire walls floor to ceiling they are so vast. 'The Spell IV' in particular was utterly breath-taking and left me speechless. I cant even begin to guess how long I stood staring at the piece and every minute detail. Giger's use of layers and depth is truly fascinating and unlike anything Ive ever seen before, something which can only truly be appreciated in the flesh.
As well as a wealth of Giger originals, the museum also houses Giger's personal art collection, which was an interesting insight into the art that Giger enjoyed and was inspired by. Many pieces are familiar from the books 'www HR Giger com', and the Taschen Icons book 'HR Giger', with some wonderful Ernst Fuchs pieces on display.
Artwork from every phase in Giger's life can be seen within the museum from early pen and ink works and oil paintings, to air brush works growing in complexity, sculptures, jewelry and furniture. For any Giger fan, or lover of surrealist art, the museum is a haven, where beauty and the beast are one and the same. The unabashed, unapologetic presentation of the grotesque, horrific, bizarre and erotic is refreshingly honest, I adored it. The museum was everything I ever dreamed it would be, and more. I certainly wont be waiting another eight years before I return to the incredible, beautiful museum of my hero, Hans Ruedi Giger.
After so many years of waiting, hoping and planning, the fact that the moment had arrived at last seemed utterly unbelievable.
We arrived in Gruyères early evening, after a long, tiresome drive from Southern France.
We were greeted by a tiny picturesque town, perched atop a rocky hill. Its cobbled streets and ancient buildings looked as though they were straight out of a movie set, and with little noise other than the gurgling of the public water troughs and the faint clinking of cow bells, the slower pace here was welcome after suffering the manic bustle of the Swiss Motorways.
On first exploration of the town we stumbled upon the Giger Museum and Bar almost immediately, as sculptures reared their heads suddenly through a large arch, we were there. I had made it. At last.
We enjoyed some much needed refreshment, in the form of a few beers in the Giger bar, as I marveled at the staggering reality and magnificence of the place, desperate to study every tiny detail, and attempting to absorb the fact that I was really in Gruyères.
The next morning after a breakfast consisting of mostly cheese and salami, it was up to the Museum to wait for the doors to open. With early pieces lining the staircase from reception to main museum, and another 'Baby Wall' similar to that on display in the bar, the museum eased you in gently, allowing excitement at what awaited to build. Once inside there was such a wealth of things to see it would have been easy to feel overwhelmed. Entire rooms dedicated to Giger's work on movies such as Alien and Species had everything from original sketches and conceptual ideas, to vast pieces of artwork, as well as film props, models, sculptures ... even a room to sit and watch the entire Alien film, surrounded by artwork.
The museum leads you through a labyrinth of rooms, mostly themed by subject matter or a particular series of paintings. The scale of some of the pieces is incomprehensible when viewing them in a book, in particular the 'Spell' series. These were in their own room and covered entire walls floor to ceiling they are so vast. 'The Spell IV' in particular was utterly breath-taking and left me speechless. I cant even begin to guess how long I stood staring at the piece and every minute detail. Giger's use of layers and depth is truly fascinating and unlike anything Ive ever seen before, something which can only truly be appreciated in the flesh.
As well as a wealth of Giger originals, the museum also houses Giger's personal art collection, which was an interesting insight into the art that Giger enjoyed and was inspired by. Many pieces are familiar from the books 'www HR Giger com', and the Taschen Icons book 'HR Giger', with some wonderful Ernst Fuchs pieces on display.
Artwork from every phase in Giger's life can be seen within the museum from early pen and ink works and oil paintings, to air brush works growing in complexity, sculptures, jewelry and furniture. For any Giger fan, or lover of surrealist art, the museum is a haven, where beauty and the beast are one and the same. The unabashed, unapologetic presentation of the grotesque, horrific, bizarre and erotic is refreshingly honest, I adored it. The museum was everything I ever dreamed it would be, and more. I certainly wont be waiting another eight years before I return to the incredible, beautiful museum of my hero, Hans Ruedi Giger.
Monday, 28 July 2014
New card series
New cards
featuring my original artwork are now available to buy from the online store at:
http://dansemacabredesigns.bigcartel.com/
The new cards feature work from my Sanctus Strix series, inspired by the ancient symbolism of the owl throughout history, and their relation to good and evil in a number of cultures.
The crow also makes a fleeting appearance within the collection of cards, with two designs featuring artwork from my new, reworked series of expressive crow portraits.
http://dansemacabredesigns.bigcartel.com/
The new cards feature work from my Sanctus Strix series, inspired by the ancient symbolism of the owl throughout history, and their relation to good and evil in a number of cultures.
The crow also makes a fleeting appearance within the collection of cards, with two designs featuring artwork from my new, reworked series of expressive crow portraits.
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Jacket Comission Progress
The custom jacket painting which I am currently working on is progressing well. After several layers of Airbrushing, paint splattering and runs, the background is finally complete and work is progressing on forming the jackets centerpiece, the huge sugar skull. Below can be seen the progression of the jacket so far.
Sunday, 18 May 2014
Lincoln Cathedral
Even though I am half Yellowbelly, and my Grandfather truly epitomised Lincolnshire, I had never been fortunate enough to visit Lincoln, until today.
A chance trip to see the living legend Brian Blessed for the second time led me to the new, exciting territory of Lincoln. With a Cathedral, Castle, Museums and a wealth of history, Lincoln sounded perfect ... and it was.
Though I had heard of Lincoln Cathedrals beauty, I was rather unprepared for its reality. Upon arrival I was greeted by an utterly colossal specimen of Cathedral, which makes York Minster look modest in comparison. A service was being conducted during our visit, so we were only permitted to visit half of the Cathedral, and steal slight glimpses of the remainder, listening all the time to a glorious chorus from the choir.
On the exterior Lincoln Cathedral is a vast mountain of stone, erupting from the cobbled streets to great heights. Impressive and powerful the buildings gardens and pathways lead you around the entire Cathedral, discovering various new gems with every turn, such as the Norman Cathedral. Initially hidden from view, this strange structure looks alien beside the building in its present, predominantly Gothic, form, and resembles something you're more likely to see in St Guilhem le Desert or a Templar Church. Different periods of history are clearly visible across the Cathedrals exterior, showing how the building has evolved over the years and the events which have shaped what we see today, from ravaging fires, to building collapse and Henry VIII's protestant reformation.
Within the Cathedral lofty vaulted ceilings and chunky columns are aplenty, however it is clear that this Cathedral requires funding to maintain its magnificent architecture. Cracks in the ceiling and patched up plaster work hint at the mammoth task of maintaining a building like this, and the finance required to do so. These imperfections, for me, give the Cathedral a certain charm, however they are also a poignant reminder that these great buildings need your support, visitation and enthusiasm to ensure that they are preserved for future generations.
For more information on Lincoln Cathedral, or to plan your visit, head to:
http://lincolncathedral.com/
A chance trip to see the living legend Brian Blessed for the second time led me to the new, exciting territory of Lincoln. With a Cathedral, Castle, Museums and a wealth of history, Lincoln sounded perfect ... and it was.
Though I had heard of Lincoln Cathedrals beauty, I was rather unprepared for its reality. Upon arrival I was greeted by an utterly colossal specimen of Cathedral, which makes York Minster look modest in comparison. A service was being conducted during our visit, so we were only permitted to visit half of the Cathedral, and steal slight glimpses of the remainder, listening all the time to a glorious chorus from the choir.
On the exterior Lincoln Cathedral is a vast mountain of stone, erupting from the cobbled streets to great heights. Impressive and powerful the buildings gardens and pathways lead you around the entire Cathedral, discovering various new gems with every turn, such as the Norman Cathedral. Initially hidden from view, this strange structure looks alien beside the building in its present, predominantly Gothic, form, and resembles something you're more likely to see in St Guilhem le Desert or a Templar Church. Different periods of history are clearly visible across the Cathedrals exterior, showing how the building has evolved over the years and the events which have shaped what we see today, from ravaging fires, to building collapse and Henry VIII's protestant reformation.
Within the Cathedral lofty vaulted ceilings and chunky columns are aplenty, however it is clear that this Cathedral requires funding to maintain its magnificent architecture. Cracks in the ceiling and patched up plaster work hint at the mammoth task of maintaining a building like this, and the finance required to do so. These imperfections, for me, give the Cathedral a certain charm, however they are also a poignant reminder that these great buildings need your support, visitation and enthusiasm to ensure that they are preserved for future generations.
For more information on Lincoln Cathedral, or to plan your visit, head to:
http://lincolncathedral.com/
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Danse Macabre Store
I am very pleased to announce that the official Danse Macabre Designs Big Cartel store is live! The store has been specifically created to stock my cards, and other products that I produce over time. I am aiming to improve the design of the store over time, and integrate it with my blog, but being no web wizard this is 'work in progress', and for now you have a fully functioning, slightly dull, store.
So please give the link below a click and visit the store to see what products are on offer presently!
http://dansemacabredesigns.bigcartel.com/
(Please Remember that this is a brave new world for me, and to expand my product range I need your support. The more cards I sell, the more money I can invest in building the business, so dont think your support is unappreciated or doesn't count!)
So please give the link below a click and visit the store to see what products are on offer presently!
(Please Remember that this is a brave new world for me, and to expand my product range I need your support. The more cards I sell, the more money I can invest in building the business, so dont think your support is unappreciated or doesn't count!)
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Danse Macabre Facebook
We are now present in the world of Facebook!
After investing quite some time in building the Danse Macabre Facebook over the past few months the time finally seemed right to for the page to go live. Hopefully this means more frequent studio updates for those interested, and allowing my art to reach new audiences.
Check out the page here:
https://www.facebook.com/DanseMacabreDesigns
After investing quite some time in building the Danse Macabre Facebook over the past few months the time finally seemed right to for the page to go live. Hopefully this means more frequent studio updates for those interested, and allowing my art to reach new audiences.
Check out the page here:
https://www.facebook.com/DanseMacabreDesigns
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