Adam Excell

Illustration Friday: Linked

2010-04-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

The house has a direct link to some fresh water. It must be nice,

Illustration Friday: Dip

2010-04-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

Rough Sketch

When I sat down to complete this illustration, I had no idea what I was going to do. I threw on my music, and started doodling. I was thinking, water and waves - which quickly transformed into the birds feathers. One thing led to another, and I am left with a bird to represent dip. Although, now that I look at it, the branch the bird is perched on (in the sketch) is "dipping" down.

Illustration Friday: Rescue

2010-03-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

When creating an illustration this week, I was craving simplicity. I limited my colours, and simplified the lines. The hand is reaching into the water, with hopes of rescuing someone (not pictured).

After posting my original illustration, it was recommended that I experiment with the presence of someone or something that the hand can rescue. I added some hair and bubbles, and now there is a damsel in distress. She'll be alright.

Ride For Cancer

2010-03-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

This is an illustration for a postcard, which (if chosen) will be distributed to supporters of Tom Wolfe's Ride for Cancer. When creating this illustration, I kept in mind the wholesome nature of the event. Executed in Coloured Pencil, Ink, and Cardboard.

Illustration Friday: Expired

2010-03-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Tuesday is the day I sit down, relax, and create my Illustration Friday work. Luckily enough, I didn't have my art kit, and resorted to a pen and some pencil crayons I had in my room. I knew from the beginning I wanted to portray "expired" as a dirty mouth. Keeping with my routine, I once again tried a new style. I drew a mouth, and roughly coloured it in with some wannabe stippling. This mouth has definitely expired!

Excellivision: My Photos

2010-03-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to consolidate my blogs, I am going to start posting my photo's here. These pictures have been taken on 35mm film, in my Diana F+ camera.

Self Promotion Postcard

2010-03-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

This is a self-promotion postcard I created. I really enjoy inventing the look of people that don't exist - and this promo features just that.

Illustration Friday: Subterranean

2010-03-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

For this weeks Illustration Friday, I tried to put a different spin on the word "subterranean". When thinking of my illustration, I thought of the words "sub" and "terranean", and came up with a submarine with a patch of grass on the top.

Storyboard - With Reference

2010-03-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

Frame 1

Frame 2

Frame 3

Illustration Friday: Brave

2010-03-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

I sat down last night with one objective - create an illustration for "Brave". I was lost for ideas, so I looked to my girlfriend for some inspiration. I asked her what brave looks like, and she replied "Looking under your bed for monsters". I'm sure everyone can relate with this common childhood act of bravery. I put pen to paper, and, voila.

trinkets storyboard (no photo)

2010-03-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

The following are 3 frames I drew for a cereal commercial storyboard. These were created without photo references.

Frame 1

Frame 2

Frame 3

Illustration Friday: Perspective

2010-03-04T07:20:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to combine multiple photos with all different perspectives into one, to create a whole new image.

I created this collage from 2 National Geographic magazines (July 1968, November 1970). Although it doesn't contain any illustration, it was created with my hands, and I feel it is worthy of a submission. I physically cut the images out with my exacto knife, glued them together, scanned them in, and added in the green background in photoshop.

Just to give you some perspective

The boy at the top is from a Metropolitan Life ad, promoting an immunization against rubella. To pregnant mothers, rubella (German Measles) means a few days in bed, a sore throat, a runny nose, and a rash. But if they catch it while they are early in their pregnancy, there's a 40% chance their babies can be born with deafness, heart conditions, brain damage, or cataracts which cause at least partial blindness.

The man below him (leaning on the Zenith Chromacolor TV system, which at the time was being offered in 19", 23" and the new giant 25" screen sizes) is 85-year-old Pietro Bonetti, who (at the time) still tilled 8.5 acres near Bardolino, Italy. He grows grapes, olives and corn.

The man to Pietro's left (with the colourful glasses) is a screen tester, who was responsible for checking for distortion in the new colour television sets at the Zenith plant in Springfield, Missouri.

The hunter across from him was an american tourist, on an excursion through Cassiar, BC. He was being led by the legendary Tahltan Indian guide, Fletcher Day. Every fall Mr. Day outfitted parties with horses, provisions, and guides for days-long rides into the haunts of the caribou, moose, grizzly bear, wolf, stone sheep, and mountain goat.

The plane is a Beechcraft Bonanza. "You look down on the highway now - instead of up that hypnotic line in the middle. No time lost. No crowds. No tension. Just fast and free. Your Bonanza is every inch a thorougbread. It's more than big enough! Carries 4 to 5 passengers or a family of 6! It's more than fast enough! Streak up to 210mph at top speed. And its name is more than enough. Beechcraft!"

The bikers are from Springfield, Missouri. Springfield was featured in the November 1970 edition, because it is part of the Ozarks. The Ozarks are a physiographic, geologic, and cultural highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the south half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwest and North central Arkansas. The region also extends westward into northeast Oklahoma and extreme southeast Kansas.

Also, by Wayne's request, this has been put on a t-shirt. Check it out on RedBubble.com.

Illustrations for Rick Court

2010-02-25T07:50:00.000-08:00

A main illustration I drew in Ink and Marker for Rick Court's deanery introduction article on his blog. After scanning my image in, I added the sky background and the green fill for the grass. I didn't think trying to render fills in marker would have ended well.

2 spot illustrations I drew in Ink and Marker for Rick Court's deanery introduction article on his blog. "I’ve been playing pick-up basketball with the same group of guys for over 30 years and can still drop the occasional 3 pointer." and "I joined CIBC at the princely annual salary of $7,500 - exactly $500 less than I made during my last summer at Dofasco."

Read Rick's full article here.

Illustration Friday: Propagate

2010-02-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

After looking up the meaning of Propagate - To multiply sexually, I was quickly filled with images of parents and kids... This seemed too obvious, and something more subtle was in order. I thought "When multiplying, it really comes down to 2 reproductive organs" and the above image was born. It was executed solely in coloured pencils, as I have been trying to work with a new medium every week. As with every illustration, please let me know what you think.

Illustration Friday: Adrift

2010-02-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

As with previous Illustration Friday's, I began this week by researching. Before I could start my illustration, I needed a clear definition of the word "adrift". I did a quick google search and found this example, "If someone is adrift, they feel alone with no clear idea of what they should do". This left me with plenty ideas, but I felt like experimenting with something new.

For some reason or another, I have a small collection of old books that I purchase from reuse centres for a dollar or two. I took a quick look through one of my books, and came across a page that instantly gave me an idea.

I started with a light pencil sketch, then stippled in the details with ink. To finish it off, I added some red marker to the berry.

I'm sure this bird is feeling "adrift" from the other birds, who are enjoying their comfortable branches, and plethora of fruit.

Assignment 2: Cereal Commercial

2010-02-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

This is an 8 frame storyboard sketch which roughly equates to a 30sec. stop-motion cereal commercial.

This is the 8 frame story, corresponding with my storyboard. I am considering adding a 9th frame, which would include the cereal eater from frame 1, to help tie the commercial together.

When creating this, I wanted to relate to my print ad. I thought the best way to achieve a similar look would be through stop-motion photography/ cinematography. Given the opportunity I would enjoy building multiple diorama sets, and creating a real 30sec. commercial.

Illustration Friday: Muddy

2010-02-09T07:50:00.000-08:00

At first, illustrating "Muddy" seemed to strain my creative juices. I thought that a loose ink drawing of footprints with some watercolour could be fun, but after a quick sketch, it seemed too simple. I then did a google search of Muddy, where I came across Muddy Waters. I've never heard of him, but a quick look into his career told me I should know more. I spent some time doing my research, and thought an illustration would put me on an intimate level with The King of Chicago Blues.

(Ink & Watercolour)

Born McKinley Morganfield, "Muddy Waters" was ranked the 17th greatest musician of all time in Rolling Stone Magazine. Muddy was very musical at a young age, and never left home without his harmonica. At age 17 he moved on to the guitar, which he played at his wedding - causing his guests to dance, dance, dance, leading to the collapse of the dance floor. From that night on, he played his guitar wherever and whenever he could, and never looked back.

Enjoy,

Trinkets Cereal: Feed Your Imagination

2010-02-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

(Initial Idea - Sketch)

I started this project with a quick sketch of my diorama layout.

(Digital Comp)

I then created a digital comp in Photoshop. When I started working with colours and textures, I was able to refine the look.

When it came to building this project I used cardboard, acrylics, dried moss and pebbles. I chose to work with a medium I have no experience in, because I feel school projects are my best opportunity to experiment.

(cartoon character)

My cartoon character I had designed for this cereal box was a fox, so I decided to use a fox figurine which (I think) targets a more mature audience. After completing the diorama, I photographed it with a Canon 5D Mark II, with a 24mm Tilt Shift lens @ f/ 3.5, .60sec. With the 24mm lens at f/ 3.5, I was able to give the image a deceiving element of depth. I attempted to target young adults who have a keen interest in alternative/ experimental design.

(Final)

Thanks for checking out my work, feedback is much appreciated.

Illustration Friday: Focused

2010-02-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

When given the task to illustrate "focused", the only image in my mind was a camera. I first drew the lens in my sketchbook, and from that came the winding telescope tube. I stopped and looked at, and thought:

"The only person who could possibly sit behind

such a feat of engineering is Galileo himself".

So came an aged astronomer with a strong background in Philosophy, seated on a posh velvet throne.

Enjoy.

original ink drawing

Illustration Friday: Clumsy

2010-01-26T08:08:00.000-08:00

Ink/ Digital Painting

Unfortunately, this "clumsy" fellow has mistaken his wife's dress for his business attire. A forgivable mistake for everyday dullness.

Illustration Friday: Wilderness

2010-01-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

Ink/ Digital Painting

"Wilderness" comprised of wild stuff. If you are lucky enough, these are just common everyday objects...

Welcome!

2010-01-21T09:07:00.000-08:00

Hello World,
This blog is currently designed for my Portfolio Design class with Leif Peng. I will be exploring online recognition methods to show you all who I am. Here you will find a collection of my work to date. For the time being it will primarily be school-work, scattered with personal work. Thanks for stopping by,

Adam.