Tim Burton Drawings

TIM BURTON DRAWINGS

Yesterday my sister & I were talking in the car, and the conversation somehow got onto Tim Burton's 2007 film Sweeney Todd.

My sister had finally convinced me to watch the film a couple of weeks earlier, and I had been so surprised and intrigued by what I saw. I was expecting a gory, over the top, predictable horror story, and whilst Sweeney Todd is gory at times, and its premise is rooted in horror, I wasn't expecting to find it beautiful. I wasn't expecting to come away feeling creatively inspired. I wasn't expecting to feel enlightened.

Yet I came away feeling all those things. The only logical conclusion I could reach, as to why I felt that way, was that is was Tim Burton's stunning filmmaking.

As me and my sister spoke about Tim Burton, we ended up discussing this, alongside Tim's unique creative vision and incredible talent. To make a film like Sweeney Todd, a throat slashing barber in gloomy 1800's London, something of beauty and awe, is a testament to the magic, innovation and unharnessed imagination of Tim Burton.

And when you think of the other films in Tim's back catalogue, including Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Beetlejuice, The Corpse Bride, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, and Alice & Wonderland... iconic films with such striking and compelling visuals and eccentricities, it becomes apparent what a sheer genius Tim Burton is. One of the best filmmakers of all time.

Therefore, when my sister went on to mention how Tim publishes the concept drawings he produces for his films, I simply had to follow the stem right to the root of these otherworldly creations. Where did they all begin. How did the vision come to be.

I can assure you, I wasn't left disappointed.

In fact, I was surprised at how much magic and wonder is infused in the early stages of Tim's filmmaking process. Similarly, I thought it was just extraordinary, and so inspiring, to see how Tim's mind works, and how his vision translates to his drawings, and his drawings translate straight through to his films. These 2D drawings already seem fully formed and bursting with life, personality, charisma. And yet on the big screen they ooze with even more depth and authenticity.

I find Tim Burton so fascinating, and even more so, now that I've seen his concept art. It's impossible not to feel inspired by him, nor indebted for the thrilling escapism he creates. Which is why I would love to share some of my favourite Tim Burton illustrations with you, in the hopes that they might inspire you as much as they've inspired me.


Find the book here and the official website here!

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Ryo Takemasa

RYO TAKEMASA

The other day I was walking around the Northern Quarter and I popped into Magma, which is stocked full of gorgeous publications and arty illustrative pieces. Now I love absolutely everything in that shop, and I could happily spend millions of hours looking at every little thing instead, but on this particular occasion I was instantly taken by these gorgeous prints done by the Japanese artist Ryo Takemasa. The 'Cities In Seasons' collection has been created by Ryo especially for Magma, and depicts major cities across the world in Ryo's gorgeous, textured, signature illustrative style. They're so beautiful and immersive, vibrant and exciting, modern and refreshing, as is the rest of Ryo's work.

Ryo is based in Tokyo and has been a freelance illustrator since 2010, having graduated from Musashino Art School. I personally love his style because it seems to depict the world in such a wholesome, dreamlike way. It's like real life undergoes a metamorphis under Ryo's artistic vision, and comes out the other side as a perfect fantasy. Through his work Ryo highlights those most simple and often mundane of scenes, and presents them to us from a completely different perspective. He picks out key colours and blends them in a harmonious and succinct palette. He deftly defines lines and shapes, and manipulates the geometry of the image to bring it to life, so effortlessly transforming 2D into 3D. He captures that feel of natural light, he incorporates texture so prominently and expertly, and he has a special way of highlighting the little pockets of beauty that lie waiting to be appreciated in the world around us. 

I adore illustrators like Ryo for the way their artwork makes me feel. The memories it triggers, the feelings it ignites, the way my heart feels blissfully content, the sensory stimulation it evokes in my brain. The way it makes me feel excited to be alive, and encourages me to try and see the world in a different, more pleasing and meaningful manner. To me, there really isn't anything better.

ALL ARTWORK BELONGS TO RYO TAKEMASA, & YOU CAN FIND MORE LOVELY ARTWORK HERE

http://ryotakemasa.com/

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ARTWORK

Eugenia Loli

EUGENIA LOLI

So let's talk about something rather important here: the artwork of the mind boggingly talented artist Eugenia Loli. I don't think my life can carry on until I've done my part in sharing these breathtaking, intricate, incredible creations with you, in the hopes you enjoy her work as much as I do. Eugenia, who originally hails from Greece, now resides in California and originally worked as a nurse, computer programmer and technology journalist, before going on to fully pursue her magnificent artistic ambitions. Describing herself as a filmmaker and modern vintage collage artist, Eugenia is one of those people who is seemingly born with that primitive urge to create already surging through her veins. She is an artist in the truest sense, with her work being a talented form of self expression that also resonates, captures and speaks to its audience. Eugenia often creates purposefully, with her collages in particular structured by a framework that's designed to impart meaning. What we presume to be an impulsive choice is in fact the very opposite: every choice carries intent, messages, commentaries, and I find it so interesting for an artist to have such ownership over her work. How the work empowers the artist whilst the artist empowers the work.

Eugenia creates her collages by building them up around a base image, expertly intertwining and juxtaposing this spectrum of imagery together. Sometimes the calibration of the images is natural and immediate, other times more thought and consideration is involved. But whatever the method, the result is always a multi-dimensional creation that stuns, wows and awes. There's so much going on in each piece, and each one seems to always make sense, even when you're looking at this hyper-reality which simultaneously boggles and amazes the brain.You can enjoy Eugenia's work purely on an aesthetic level: the colours, the patterns, the structures, the quirkiness of the overall image. The simple components that join together to make that signature complexity. Or, on the converse, you can allow yourself to be drawn right into the heart of that complexity, and enjoy Eugenia's work on a much deeper and more meaningful level. The choice is yours. So in light of that, I'd love to share with you some of my favourite pieces, of which there are many (I don't think I own the decisive gene), and I hope you find looking at Eugenia's brilliant work to be an enlightening, fabulous and inspiring experience.

All work belongs to the wonderful Eugnia Loli, and you can find all the images and more by clicking on the link below!

http://cargocollective.com/eugenialoli

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*PREPARE TO BE AMAZED!*