ITC 6. Authorship
Plus visual development, portraits and recommendations
Hello, friend. How is the best season of the year treating you? Oh, do you prefer winter? Well, unfortunately the cold will arrive again. So let's enjoy a little more light for now…
→ Reflections
When a few years ago I decided to start designing less and illustrating more, I did so looking for a certain form of genuine personal expression, much more feasible in illustration than in graphic design.
But over time, I have realised that I am not the type of person who creates complex, immersive, nuanced, technically admirable images... but rather someone who seeks formal and conceptual simplicity in the service of something else.
I like the systematisation, functionality and coherence of a total. That's why I feel like I'm (much) more of a designer than an artist. As an example, none of these images are sophisticated by themselves, but I like the coherence of the whole and how they are as they are for a reason:
The larger the group of images and their particular needs, the more difficult it is to house them under the same umbrella. And therein lies the challenge in a way. On the other hand, this may be nice:
But this makes everything make more sense:
Visual design, copywriting and illustration (plus animation!) working as one thing, with a particular purpose. More importantly: different team members working together, which makes everything fun and better.
This motivates me more than pure personal artistic expression. BUT every now and then my author self peeks in and asks me: “are you doing something worth remembering? Something that truly represents your voice?” And I lower my head a little. Which brings us to this intro from some months ago.
So I feel there is a certain contradiction here on my part. The person who seeks individual expression and authorial work, and the one who is happy putting his skills at the service of others. Can both things live together? I suppose so. But I feel like I haven't said or done enough to satisfy both needs.
You can read more about the work done for Reedsy in this recently updated case study, which I'm very proud of.
Visual development
During these last weeks I have been doing an intensive course in visual development and storytelling with Mol (José Ignacio Molano), two afternoons-evenings per week. I usually take at least one annual course to help me develop some skill. I really liked it and Mol is, as I already knew, and apart from an extraordinary talented and brave artist, a charming guy.
Due to my daily work, it was impossible for me to develop a project for the course, but its fruits will soon be seen in other projects that will benefit from it. Perhaps this next one too? 👇
The untitled book project
Maria Latorre has been planning a short Fantasy novel inspired, in tone and spirit, by a work by English writer Sally Scott (Paul Scott’s daughter) that was very important in her childhood. And of course, I want to help her shape this great little project, of extension and nature not completely defined, but with characters taking shape little by little.
For this one, we’re just advancing in parallel. I come up with concepts that can inspire her and viceversa. Logically, a lot of this material will be unused. But again, the journey is more important than the result.
Portraits
We’ve been working on illustrated portraits for the Reedsy team members. Forty-two in total. And oh, boy. Getting someone’s self in a portrait with a few strokes is something for masters only. I struggle.
Especially because my illustrations tend to be somewhat cartoonish and I don't usually look for a real resemblance to anyone. But I learned a lot with this mini-project, and I’m grateful for that. These guys look much cooler in real life, but this much I can do for now:
Since I don’t use textures or very nuanced colour, I tried to keep as much brush roughness as possible, although unfortunately most of it is lost when the avatars are used at very small sizes 😔
I’ll share the renewed Team Page when it’s up and working.
Quick news
Caped Crusader
Hamish Linklater (did you see him in Midnight Mass? Did you?!) will be the voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman: Caped Crusader, and I firmly approve. August 1st!
Kyle T. Webster and Procreate
After creating, selling and licensing the best Photoshop brushes in history, and being an Adobe employee for years, Webster is joining Savage Interactive, presumably to create new, better default brushes for Procreate. What a move! Well done, Kyle.
Recommendations
A game: Crawl
Crawl, by the Australian duo Powerhoof, is already ten years old! Perhaps one of the most unfairly semi-forgotten independent games of recent years, despite its extremely good reviews on Steam. We could say that Crawl is a competitive arena-type game, in which the action takes place in dungeons made up of different rooms and levels.
One player controls the human who is trying to escape and the rest of the players (humans or bots) are spirits that can activate traps, summon monsters, make them evolve, etc., always with the purpose of eliminating the human character, taking over his body and try to escape by their own means.
A huge compendium of good ideas that, carried out poorly, could have been a chaotic catastrophe. Extremely fun if you play locally with friends.
An artist: Glen Murakami
Glen Murakami can be a clear example of an artist who impacts thousands and thousands of people from different generations, without them being fully aware of it. Emmy, Annie & Eisner Award Winner. Art director of some of the most influential animated series of the 90s and 2000s (Superman/Batman), producer of cult series that will still have things to say in the future (Batman Beyond, Teen Titans and several versions of Ben 10). All of them works that have created legions of young artists, especially in the US.
Beyond his impressive professional achievements in very diverse tasks (layout, storyboard, character design, art direction, production…), his particular way of drawing and designing characters is beautiful to me. Halfway between the simplicity of the Hernández brothers and traditional Japanese and American animation. Unfortunately, there is no good place on the web to enjoy his work. My recommendation is to do a generic search on Pinterest and go with the flow.
A series: Scavengers Reign
What can we say about what could be the cult series of this last season? After its premiere in 2023 and its cancellation by HBO Max, Netflix acquired its rights for the US and the UK, opening new hopes for a season 2.
The starting point is simple: the crew of a ship with a large cargo is forced to evacuate in a critical situation. Some rescue capsules are scattered on the surface of the unknown planet Vesta. From that moment, the viewer follows the future of three independent groups in their attempt to survive an overwhelming fauna and flora.
As we learn more about their pasts, their relationships, and their roles in the plot, we witness the level of creativity displayed in the strange behaviours of the native creatures, their symbiotic or parasitic relationship, and their wild environments, accompanied by a hypnotic soundtrack.
The level of brilliance achieved in all its aspects is overwhelming at times. There are many sensations that this series transmits, but despite the splendour of a virgin planet full of life, it's hard to shake off the unpleasant feeling that a dark, hostile, unstoppable force is permeating everything.
To say that I highly recommend it is an understatement. It is on its own merits one of the greatest science fiction works of recent years. Please go watch it right now. Trailer here.
A song: Near by Bat for Lashes
Another beautiful single by English artist Natasha Khan (aka Bat for Lashes). I discovered this musician with her 2007 cover of Springsteen’s I’m on Fire. Don’t kill me, fans of the Boss, but I prefer Natasha’s version.
An album: Live in a Lounge in Lleida by Ricardo Macedo
My friend Ricardo (aka Anxious Myopic Boy) is one of those people with multiple artistic talents, who has always lived by his own rules. Great photographer, designer, illustrator, cook and also musician (plus occasional model!).
The first album with his former band, Mr. Francis, was the star of any social gathering at home for years. You can buy this other solo album from 2016 for as low as €1! The warmth of his voice will welcome you whenever you open your door to it. Do you need more proof? Ok, check this out. Um abraço, amigo.
Thank you for reading In the Cave. The cave I work at daily and, also, that mental state you enter when you are hyper-focused and closed to the outside world. Currently, I’m using SM just to promote this newsletter or send memes to friends. Nothing else. So if you like this newsletter, please share it and recommend it. You can also find me in my website or Dribbble.
See you next month!
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