 Bobby
posted: January 21, 2010
Robert De Niro for Esquire UK.
It is great to work with David McKendrick. Scottish guy, football fan, calls me often. What else do you need in an AD. I think this illustration shows something interesting about collage with objects: unless you glue it, you're never done!! You can try and change expressions until the very last moment. I guess the same must be for anyone who works digitally. Even when I'm at my photographer (the gold hearted Cristina Reche), I'm still not sure and I keep trying versions, both a great and awful system... This one was a good example. Should De Niro be smiling or not, and if yes what kind of smile? 
Even though I was asked to make him happy, there is something irresistible when his mouth curves down.
This was the chosen one. 
The runner up. Simple warm De Niro smile. 
Subtle variation on runner up. 
There was something nice in this one but the mouth was a bit 'too' drawn. 
same story...
Now if Bobby would only put as much effort in choosing his recent roles as I did in drawing him...
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Darwin
posted: December 1, 2009
Back to some of my own work. Foreign Policy called me with another interesting character: Charles Darwin himself.
It was for an article by Niall Ferguson which claims that while many economists failed to predict the crisis, in the writings of a non-economist like Darwin you could find wisdom that is aplicable to the current situation. Mainly the "Survival of the Fittest" 
I resisted for a while to include the chart, trying to keep it less topical and more timeless, but eventually gave up and am fine with that. 
In case a detail is needed. These are Emu feathers sent to me by Carla Shipley the great Art Teacher from Comal County, Texas.
The mustache is a white marabou feather, I think. Bialik Rogozin School
posted: November 29, 2009
The school is 'home' to children who have their origins in 48 countries. Children of foreign workers, refuges from Darfur, immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Arab families and many more. Many or even most students come from low socio-econominc status and live in the southern neighborhoods of Tel Aviv. Some are Israelli born and only speak hebrew (even if their look is different) while other are newcomers. The school led by its amazing Principal Karen Tal is constantly battling various problems: parents (in the rare case they are both present) who are at work till the late hours of the day, pending court orders to expel kids from the country for illegal status of their parents and just plain language barriers are just some of their challenges. The school has decided to have an educational responsibility for students throughout the whole day, and is open till 730PM every day. It is inspiring to see how dedicated the school staff is. A wonderfully dedicated task-force of volunteers and private donors from the Israeli High Tech Industry and from Jewish Communities abroad has helped the school during the last years so that it could accommodate all its special needs. I'm proud to be now somehow a part of this task-force! The school is a beautiful mosaic of people. Its multiculturalism very unusual and almost surreal in the Israeli landscape. I have to say that the response of cheers from the kids when I showed my Obama portrait was specially meaningful in this place. In a way this school is a litmus test for Israel and its vision of the future. If you want to read more about the school, here's an article from The Jewish Journal. Thanks Yavin Dror and Dani Vardi for the great photos. I think they speak for themselves. 
Report on the SOI Workshop
posted: November 18, 2009
Here's a selection! All photos by Jessica Yeomans Thanks Jessica! ps: (Here's also Christoph Hitz report about it) 
Fernanda who enjoys the formalities introduces Goldin and myself. 
Have I mentioned I love to talk? 
The Buffet. Anelle Miller filled her car with stuff from Materials for the Arts. 
Dear Guy Billout serving himself from the buffet. 
Working 
Anelle and Kate choosing stuff. Christoph is looking for something else... 
Christoph making his great creations which he has already reported about. 
Guy concentrating. It was hard to leave the airbrush and pen at home. 
Adam Doyle, an illustrator and a former student of Guy. 
Thinking. 
Zimm and daughter Lila working on minimalist portraits. 
Tim and Cassius O'Brien 
Stefan Kiefer, Cover AD for Der Spigel 
The birds lady...(sorry don't know the name)
Kushena, a lovely FIT student who made a great Self Portrait. 
Kate Feirtag from the Society of Illustrators showed her talent by making a portrait of her coworker Tara. 
Guy made a "Guy Billout piece" though in a different medium. 
Stefan's piece. (he wasn't happy with it) 
Great Squid by Nancy Sampson 
Great pair of birds by the lady above. 
Jessica made these two great bears. 
Slowly finished pieces piled up....
(You can see Zimm's great portrait of your friendly host, piven. It is in my studio now, HA!) 
...and we enjoyed looking at them. 
and had some good laughs. 
Stefan, Tim and Guy at my workshop! Talk about pressure. Great picture Jessica! 
These three lovely ladies came from NJ. Sorry that I don't recall names.
But their table had a definitive style. 
Again I apologize for not remembering the name of the face behind these great faces. 
Cassius made 3 wonderful creatures: a hungry skeleton, an ant and a bird.
Tim this amazing self portrait! 
Tom's portrait made by Neil, the techie guy at the Society 
Final pose with pictures. |
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