http://shiggy.com.au/blog Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:02:39 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Not too long ago, dear readers, I was given the opportunity to create the art for a DVD of Sammy J and Heath McIvor's ah-mazing show Sammy J in The Forest of Dreams. I'd previously done the poster art for the show, as well as a bunch of backdrop art ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2010/03/09/dvd-menu-art-sammy-j-in-the-forest-of-dreams/ This week's Link o' the Week is a great how-to blog from Rad Sechrist, a stunning cartoonist who I first came across in one of the Flight anthologies, and who now works as a storyboard artist at DreamWorks Animation. He's got some fantastic drawing tips on his blog. Highly recommended ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2010/01/31/link-image-o-the-week-for-31012009/ As of yesterday, my gorgeous lady and I have been together for 4 years. I drew this picture for her as a gift: Click the above image for a larger version. We saw James Cameron's Avatar at IMAX and both loved it. I've noticed some very vocal backlash against the film amidst ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2010/01/27/four-years/ Hey guys! This week's Image o' the Week is from the new Silhouettes gallery on Shiggy.com.au. I really dig doing these silhouette illustrations. If I could ever see my self exhibiting a bunch of pictures in a gallery or something, it would probably be a series of silhouettes. And the Link o' ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2010/01/25/link-image-o%e2%80%99-the-week-for-240110/ For the latest project I'm working on, my client is asking for more realism than I usually deal with (which seems to be a trend of late). While I'd much rather push the grotesque, cutesy or stylised angles than the purely representative, I'm taking the challenge in my stride and ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/12/16/drawing-from-reference/ A while ago I got given a job to illustrate a poster for friends/professional humour-edians Sammy J and Heath McIvor. I've done design/illustration work for these dudes before, both individually (this and this) and collectively (this), and they've always been really fun jobs, mainly because they give me a lot ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/11/15/ricketts-lane/ Got me a new set of coloured pencils (Faber Castell 24's) for my birthday (thanks, girlf), so I don't need to scab them off my housemate any more. Been keeping up with the drawing, which is great. Here are my new pencils in a recycled pasta-sauce jar: Here's a zombie I drew ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/10/25/pencil-drawings-zombie-monkey-christopher-walken/ At the behest of my girlfriend, I've drawn a picture of Michael Jackson. I was in the middle of drawing pictures of NBA stars Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippin when she suggested I draw something more "controversial". It's not perfect, but if we've learnt anything from Michael Jackson over the past ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/10/15/michael-jackson-is-a-cowboy/ For the past couple of months I've been working with kids in after school care programs. One of the great things about it has been drawing with the kids. REAL drawing. Like, with pencils and paper and stuff. It's been a while since I actually touched lead to parchment, and ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/10/14/real-drawings-mickey-mice/ Here's a great vid I came across on /Film of the Art Director of the Where the Wild Things Are movie talking about his early street art influences, previous career as a "sell-out" and involvement on the upcoming picture. It's so reassuring to see a real, creative person without any ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/10/12/wild-things-art-director-sonny-gerasimowicz/ Testing out blogging from my phone (an old hand-me-down Nokia). Just saw UP for the 2nd time. Teared up in certain parts, which didn't happen the 1st time. I know it's become a cliché, but Pixar movies have so much heart. http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/10/02/mobile-blogging/ I'm sorry, but if you're not gleefully excited about Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are movie, you have no heart and you are not human. http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/09/16/wild-thing-sketch/ There is stuff coming out of my ears. Probably should have seen a doctor by now. http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/09/15/ear-infection/ Here's a quick sketch of my favourite character from the awesome District 9: Later, kids. http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/09/15/christopher-johnson/ Lucy and I now have a photoblog thing at tumblr. It is called: oh and this There will be photos like this posted there: I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing yet. It's just a thing. http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/09/12/oh-and-this/ Disneyphiles out there would know that the new trailer for The Princess and the Frog (Disney's much-anticipated return to the traditional 2D animated musical, in the tradition of Aladdin and The Little Mermaid) hit yesterday. If you have yet to see it, here it is: I was looking forward to this ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/09/10/disneys-the-princess-and-the-frog-chomets-the-illusionist/ So for some reason I find myself a little more hesitant to post personal happenings and anecdotes on this blog. Maybe it's because it's all new and shiny. Maybe it's because snippets of my latest posts are viewable on my main website, which I've directed a lot of potential clients ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/09/08/breaking-it-in/ Two weeks without a blog post? This will not stand! In the interim, I've travelled to and from the fine city of Melbourne, whereupon I dined on many a fine cuisine, and supped upon many a fine snifter of firewater. I also spent some amazing times with mine chums and families. ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/09/02/surely-you-jest-good-sir/ It's no secret to those who followed my old blog that I sometimes like to invent make-believe companies and design logos for them. In fact, a certain percentage of the logos on the Identity Design page of my website are, in fact, "faux", as the French would say. So tonight, instead ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/08/17/beauregardes-ink-products/ Just discovered an amazing artist named Amy Bennett through FFFFOUND! Here is her website and here are a couple of my favourite pieces: Also, I've been listening to the musical stylings of Martin Denny: http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/08/17/amazing-paintings-by-amy-bennett/ Hi reader! I'm writing to you from wintry Melbourne, Australia. I flew down from Darwin a few days ago for an extended visit to my home town. We have a new Link o' the Week over at Shiggy.com.au! This week's lucky recipient is illustrator Phil McAndrew who has a smashing blog ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/08/16/new-link-image-o-the-week/ Got bored doing the things I was supposed to be doing and started doing something just for fun. Here's the start of it: It's continuation may be delayed as I'm flying to Melbourne in a couple of days and I have a lot to do before then. In website news (shiggy.com.au), I've ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/08/10/link-o-the-week-a-work-in-progress/ Hey reader! Welcome to my new blog: The Shiggy Blog! Pretty snazzy, ey? If you don't already know who I am, my name's Joe. I'm an Aussie illustrator and designer. You can read a little more about me at the Bio page on my brand spankerin' new website, Shiggy.com.au. This new website ... http://shiggy.com.au/blog/2009/08/09/ka-pow-the-shiggy-blog/