Merry Christmas

I thought I would post up a Christmas themed digital card that I have been emailing to some friends and family. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! Cheers!

Action Illustration

After completing the rotation animation, I am now heading back to the original task I set myself of doing a series of action shots of Nick Carle. The figure I depict is to be based on the character style guide I created for myself. This is my first attempt at such an illustration. While I like the dynamic movement suggested in it. I am not sure I have got the likeness of Nick completely correct yet. So I better keep on drawing then! Cheers everyone.

Animation test

Well to say it has been a while since my last post would be an understatement. But there has been a reason for my long absences from the realm of blog land. I have been working on a basic animation exercise. A few weeks ago I started doing some character studies based on the Australia football player named Nick Carle. After completing these drawings I realised I had the key frames to a basic 360-rotation animation. Over the following weeks I drew the remaining frames needed to complete the animation. I then coloured and assembled the frames. The final result is this cheeky little GIF.
To see my basic animation in action just click on the image above and watch it rotate hypnotically.
I have never done an animation like this before, so if anyone has any comments or suggestions please do not hesitate to drop me a line.

New Painting

Well I liked the prom night lover image I did a little while ago so much that I decided to do an acrylic painting version. I completed the painting on the back of an old tea try. I like painting on these trays as it allows me to be as rough as I like with the canvas.
The trimming on the edge of the tray act as a really nice self contained frame for the piece. I think I will do more of these tea tray pieces. Hope you all enjoy it!

Illustrators Australia 14th 9x5 Exhibition

Its that time of the year again were IA host their annual 9x5 exhibition. All IA members are invited to respond to a given theme (this year the theme was 20, in reference to IA's 2oth anniversary) on a piece of wood, 9x5 inches in size.
This year’s 9x5 is officially part of the 2009 Melbourne Fringe Festival. The exhibition itself will be held at the Space 39 Gallery, on Level 2, 39 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. The opening night will be on Friday the 9th of October, between six to nine PM. The show will also run on the 10th of October between ten am and four PM.

So if you are in Melbourne around that time pop in a check out some pretty neat looking illustrations!

Above is my entry into this year's 9x5.
The piece is titled 20cent Amusement.

Prom Night Lover

Well, I had a bit of spare time this afternoon, so I took the opportunity to finish off an illustration I have had on the back burner for a long time. I had originally intented to use this piece in a group exhibition a few years ago. I ran out time to finish it. I decided today was the day to finish it off, so I traced it in illustrator added some colour and some banners and done!
I am not sure about the font in this piece. Generally speaking I am still happy with it. Hope you all enjoy it!

Illsutre 2009

The second year Diploma illustration students from the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE and Chisholm Institute of TAFE will launch their annual exhibition at the Chapel off Chapel gallery in Prahran, Melbourne this coming Wednesday on the 2nd of September. The launch will run between 6pm to 8pm.

I had the privilege of teaching the second year students at NMIT for a short while. They are a very talented group of students and I am sure this upcoming exhibition will be an amazing event.

If you are unable to make it to the launch do not fret, as the exhibition will run until the 20th of September.

So if you are in Melbourne during the running of this exhibition head on down to the Chapel off Chapel gallery and check it out!

For more information go to http://www.illustre09.blogspot.com/ or http://www.stonnington.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/0284_Chapel_off_Chapel_News_Aug-Sep.pdf

Create Awards 09

I am proud to announce that I have been nominated for the Original Illustration award at this year’s Create Awards. The pieces that got me the nomination are the illustrations I did for the Race to the South Pole textbook published Cengage Learning.

The award ceremony will be held on Friday the 28th of August at the Forum Theatre, Melbourne.

Tickets to the event have sold out so it should be a good crowd. If you would like more information on the event go to http://www.createawards.com.au/

Below I have placed some more samples from the Race to the South Pole book, which as I stated earlier got me the nomination for the create award.

The evolution of the evil plant!

Hello again,
I had a brief discussion with a fellow illustrator the other day about the number of revisions we would give to a potential client. This conversation got me thinking about a job I did a month or so ago. Whilst the bulk of the project went very smoothly, there were one or two issues with the design of the villain or evil plants the featured in a book that I illustrated.
The evil plants went through quite a few different looks, ultimately a venues flytrap style design was decided upon. Out of curiosity I thought it would be interesting to knock up a quick file showing the evolution of this evil plant character.

It is interesting to see how is evolves from a reptilian like creature into a human like form and finally transforms into something that is clearly plant like.

Stuck me as interesting!

Google Library Project

I wrote a small article for the quarterly IA magazine Outline a month or so ago about the Google Library Project. The out come of this case will have some serious ramifications for many authors, illustrators and publishers around the world. Given the gravity of the case I thought it was important to share what I had learnt about it with as many people as possible. So here is a slightly edited version of what I featured in the last issue of Outline.

I wish to thank the people at CAL (Copyright Agency Limited) for double checking the facts I have included in this piece.


In 2004 Google commenced its Google Library Project. This project is being run in partnership between Google and various libraries from around the world.

The Google Library Project involves Google scanning or digitising all the books that are stored in the various libraries it has formed partnerships with. Some of these libraries have only allowed the scanning of out-of-copyright books.

So far Google has scanned over seven million books. Currently people can go to the Google Library Project website and view varying levels of pages from these books. Google then provides a link to store where the user can buy an actual copy of the book.

For books that are still in copyright, Google will only display a snippet view, unless they have permission from the rights holder.

On the 20th of September 2005, the American Authors Guild filed a class action against Google.

Then on the 19th of October 2005 the Association of American Publishers also filed a similar class action against Google.

Both the AAG and the AAP claim that Google was using the display of sections from in copyright books to entice internet users to visit it’s Library Project site. The AAG and AAP claim that this increase in traffic to the site would allow Google to make a larger profit from selling advertising space on this web-site. The AAG and AAP were concerned that both the authors and publishers were receiving no remuneration for the use of their books on this site.

The case between Google and the AAG and AAP carried on for another three years.

In October of 2008 the parties came to an agreement on a settlement which, if given final approval by the US District Court in New York, will have repercussions for both authors and publishers who possess copyright for books released in America.


The terms of agreement reached by Google, the AAG and the AAP allows Google to continue scanning and producing digital copies of books from the collections of the libraries it has formed agreements with.

Once these books have been digitized Google will have the right to do the following with these digital copies:-

• To sell subscriptions to it’s newly formed electronic book database to institutions.
• Sell users online access to specific books.
• Sell advertising space on the pages from the scanned books.
• Create new means of generating income from these digitised books.

In exchange for these uses Google will pay 63% of the revenue from these services to a Registry.

This Registry shall be comprised of an equal number of representatives of authors and the publishing industry

It will be responsible for distributing any income generated by the Google books project to the rights holders of the books.

As part of the settlement Google has agreed to provide $34.5 million US to set up this not for profit Registry.

Google also has agreed to set up a fund of $45 million US to provide compensation to authors and publishers whose works were digitised by Google on or before May 5, 09.

The minimum that a copyright holder will receive from the above mentioned fund for the digitisation of a book will be $60.00 US and $15.00 US for inserts.

Those who are eligible and wish to receive this one off payment must agree to participate in the Google settlement and fill out an application form found online.

The deadline to submit this form is on or before 5 January 2010.
The deadline for people to decide whether they would wish to participate or opt out of the Settlement agreed upon by Google, the AAG and the AAP is on or before the 4th of September 2009.
An unnerving aspect of the agreement is that illustrations and other pictorial works, such as photography and maps are not included in this class action brought against Google by the AAG and the AAP.

There are exceptions though. The first exception being if the owner of the copyright of the book is also the owner of the copyright for the illustrations in the book, then they will be entitled to the payments outlined in the settlement.

The other exception is if you own the copyright to illustrations that feature in a children’s book. Under the terms of the class actions these illustrations will be considered inserts and be claimed as such by the rights holder.

Aside from these two exceptions there is no obligation for Google to extend any payment to the copyright owners of illustrations, photographs maps and other similar material under the terms of this agreement. (With the two exceptions mentioned in the paragraphs above.)

The terms of the class action also make it clear that this agreement does not prevent or provide Google the authority to use such illustrations, photos and maps etc. The document also seems to leave open the door for those who may wish to make a claim against Google for the display of their illustrations or imagery on the Google Books Project site, not already covered under the terms of the current proposed settlement.

The final fairness hearing for this agreement will be on the 7th of October.


For more detailed information on this case check out these links: -

http://www.googlebooksettlement.com
http://www.copyright.com.au/Latest_News/Google_book_settlement_1.aspx
http://www.authorsguild.org/advocacy/articles/settlement-resources.html k

Space Book

Here is some work from a more recently completed project.
This time I was asked to illustrate the story of a group of astronauts that land on a planet inhabited by a bunch of crazy plants. So are good and some are not so good.
One of the astronauts are attacked by the not so friendly plants and is colleagues rescue him with the help of some strange looking parrots.
Here are some close ups from the opening double page spread in the book

Race to the South Pole

Here are some images that I did for a book late last year. The book is titled Race the South Pole. It's an educational book for early high school students. I have been told that it is due for release very soon. I particularly like the atmosphere of the last illustration. It really looks quite warm as cosy.

SketchUp Model

Well it's been ages since my last entry. I have actually been busy doing some pretty cool illustration projects, which I will hopefully will be able to show some examples from shortly. In the meantime, I thought I would show off this model I made in sketch up. I needed reference for a military vessel in an illustration I worked on. So instead of using some low resolution photo reference, I thought it would be more useful to just make the model. This allowed me to view the ship from any angle I wanted. It was a great help to me! I am very glade I did it. Enjoy!