In 2012 I started planning working towards a graphic novel. That was seven years ago. These two images were taken from a mini-album on my behance.

I started illustrating the mis en scene using a graphics tablet and photographs because i couldn’t afford an artist who could draw the level of detail i’d of wanted. so i’d trace images and collage them into compositions. I was going through a lot of stuff that needed explanation and that was the only way I could do it.

i’d pick the lines that created the most distinctive shapes, and i’d draw over the objects and figures using the paint tool and the straight line function. I know there are all sorts of apps around that make it possible for a person to do that now, but I used to do it manually. I’d zoom into the images I was drawing over so that they were blown up pixel by pixel forms. I didn’t get how to find tutorials online and at the time there weren’t many around – so I had to work it all out for myself.

{Segueway: I got to play with the idea of filling a shop up with magazines I'd made.}

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It meant I could play with dimension and proportion and use objects that I don’t think had ever been depicted together in 2D. If you’re curious as to why I chose to use a stock image of a laptop rather than my macbook (this girl and i brought in the idea of apple computers being domestic necessities.) it’s because I like the idea of playing with/exchanging/decorating external bodies.

If you have an idea – work on it for a minute to an hour to a week and keep it visible and come back to it. Anyway – it’s fun that I have some stuff to contribute to the thing that is really sitting at the back of my head.