Aaron Robinson

Back in Black (and white)

2011-05-31T16:46:00.001Z

What can you buy for £3.95 nowadays? Eight pints of milk? Half a paperback? A two meter plank of decking board?

Rubbish.

What you want is the July Issue of Artists and Illustrators Magazine (out now) - with a four page feature on how to use gouache/pencils by yours truly.

Himes and Himes again....

2011-05-31T16:32:00.000Z

It gives me great pleasure to announce that my most recent project with Penguin Classics has come to fruition. This series of five paintings, now graces the covers of republished novels by the cult author Chester Himes, and (I hope) reflects the gritty, bloody, pulp noir fiction contained there within! Follow this link to see them fully titled on the Penguin website. I'll put up the images over the next couple of posts. Here are a couple of my faves....

The Heat's On

A Rage In Harlem


A Rage in Harlem (detail)

The paintings are produced in gouache/coloured pencils. I think they're going to be printed in a metallic grey - but I've not actually seen a copy yet. By the by... if any further recommendation were needed - I read the books and thought they were utterly brilliant. If you're a fan of Chandler, George Pelecanos, James Ellroy or Elmore Leonard grab yourself a copy. If not - grab yourself a copy.

Sketch'n

2011-04-26T14:24:00.000Z

Just about to start a portrait - so expect a meaty post soon. Meanwhile - more random images from sketchbooks. Never know what I'm about to draw - just embrace the randomness as lines begin to form. Your guess is as good as mine.....

Bought an A5 Ebony pad to play around with. Started to churn out these little grotesques in conté.

Black pencil crayon on marker paper (below).

Long and pointy noses are obviously very much my bag at the moment. Rhinologists feel free to comment.

'Mazin Tales

2011-03-29T19:10:00.003Z

This started life as a random doodle. There's a cool Gnomon DVD by Carlos Huante that starts with a drawing teased from the ether. He uses a technique with Black Col-Erase pencils and some kind of solvent. Inspired - I used marker paper and surgical spirits to wipe the image down - and that worked pretty well.

I began by laying down gestural marks, and went with whatever started to emerge from the scribbly fuddle. I'm always curious about the images that arrive when one starts with nothing particularly in mind. As a kid, I used to pour through a collection of Amazing Stories covers - and this image comes straight from that 1950's Sci-Fi aesthetic. Funny thing the human brain. As well as being full of shopping lists, curry recipes and nursery rhymes in slow motion, I must have these bloody things wandering around in there.

Back/Front

2011-03-26T18:11:00.009Z

Soooooooooo!

I'm back.

It's been a wee while since my last post. But - I've been really busy, and have a whole bunch of images to upload. (Also - have sworn off computer games for a while after coming close to embedding my controller inside a TV set during a particularly frustrating session.)

(And yes, you're right - I'm too old for such petulant and furious game related rhubarbs).

Images will probably revolve around a big project with Penguin books just coming to a close, which means as soon as they go to press I can reveal all.

Until then, I'll put anything recent of note. For starters, there's a self-portrait published as part of a masterclass in Artists and Illustrators Magazine a few months back. Graphite and gouache. You'll have to provide your own dartboard and darts. A fiver says you can't hit my chubby little nose from the oche.

MA(aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!)

2010-07-17T16:29:00.005Z

Busy trying to hammer a wooden stake into the heart of my MA. Every time I think the deed is done - red eyes flick open and the screaming starts again.

With just a presentation to go - The MA Exposition is now up and y'all can go see it (even if it's to spend an idle five, sheltering from the shared joke we British like to call 'summer'). Having said that - I did notice the roof was leaking - so keep your brolly handy.

... And look who made it onto the NTU homepage!!!

I'm telling you.

What can't you sell with zombies?

I ❤ coloured pencils

2010-06-02T16:17:00.003Z

Just managed to squeeze this article in for Artists and Illustrators Magazine before my second daughter Violet decided enough was enough and hit the missus with a whole bunch of bad-ass contractions in a successful bid for a brand new life ex utero. Considering how much Violet has cried about it since, she obviously regrets the whole affair - but she's out now and my wife assures me it's a one way ticket. So that's that.

The magazine is on the stands now!!! and the article is a solid four pages of 'how to...', or rather 'how I...' use coloured pencils. Sooooo - if that's something of interest and you have a £3.75 troubling the bottom of your pockets you know what to do! I recommend you pick up a copy some time anyway - as the magazine has recently relaunched and now features a pretty robust collection of practical guides and insights (and doesn't fall into the trap of being too twee).

Good then!

Gurk

2010-04-06T14:44:00.003Z

"Gurk..."
Oil on Board 30 x 40 cm

(A companion piece to Thwack.)

Moleskine Update....

2010-03-28T14:04:00.003Z

Recent randomness....

Start with nothing - doodle - end up with something.

(Consult psychiatrist).

Onomatoposer?

2010-02-15T13:33:00.005Z

Thwack?.... Whuck?.... Whack?

The temptation to put some onomatopoeic lettering in here is killing me - but what is the exact noise of desperate bare knuckle on undead jawbone?

Answers PLEASE!!!!!!

Barcelona...

2010-02-07T18:14:00.008Z

... in December - looks a bit like this.

(when seen through the view finder of a Canon G10 - if anyone's even the slightest bit interested)

Warming up to the New Year...

2010-02-07T17:32:00.006Z

Having not posted in quite a while - this is just a quickie to get back in the saddle! I'm currently ploughing through an MA, and this has swallowed up a whole bunch of time. Well - that and Modern Warfare 2, which I'm currently in the process of weening myself from (I find that I now no longer blink between my optimal gaming hours of 10pm - midnight). Seriously - I'm like Pavlov's Dog. As soon as I hear the swishy swish noise of (games makers) Infinity Ward's logo ident... my eyes start to gush in anticipation of 'only staring' - in pure adrenal fixation - for the subsequent two hours.

You blink - you die.

So - I'm revving up for a new painting over the next couple of weeks, and this focus will provide just the distraction I need. As long as I resist the urge welling up inside to buy Mass Effect 2.

mUst Ressissst - urge........!!! .

ANYWAY!

This post features a couple of recently published pieces.... which is nice. Artists and Illustrators Magazine have published a 'how to' type article, written by yours truly in their Feb Issue (now off the shelf I think). It was a four page spread, and focused on producing a portrait. Many thanks to Steve Pill for the invite to do something. Next - a piece accepted by Spectrum 16. Run as a competition, the annual features the best in fantastic art from around the world. I'm stoked to have a piece accepted for this book - and kinda thrilled to have it on a page sandwiched between two images by the amazing Carlos Huante. Wow. Given the quality of Carlos's work, mine looks all the worse for it... but hey.... Carlos Huante everyone!!!!!!!

WOYE?

2009-10-30T17:47:00.005Z

Q. What's On Your Easel?
A. Two little oils!

Both unfinished tiddlers (oil on board) at 20x40cm.

Just for fun.

Jus Sketch'n

2009-10-29T18:09:00.003Z

A quick post with a couple of recent sketchbook pages. Above is a little spread from my moleskine notebook. On the left, a combined effort drawn early Sunday morning when it was my turn to get up with Lola (aged 3.75). We took it in turns to add elements - and I think Lola delivered the masterstroke with the un prompted red boarder outline. Wasn't sure what to draw next - so flicked back to a page given over to Lola where (she claimed) she drew (amongst other things {Santa, a rocket and Daddy}) a Ghost Holding A Snail. Good idea I thought.

This is a page in the medium mole. Warming up for some painting exercises. FIGHT!!!!

Digital Silo-Bot

2009-10-27T13:44:00.004Z

A recent digital piece showing process and development.

Prep sketches showing initial idea and variations on a theme. One looked kind of child friendly - the other looked like a Wellsian nightmare. Uncharacteristically - I went for the first option.

Planning in more detail - some quick value and composition studies and some vector art.

Final production drawing in (A3). Black pencil crayon on marker paper.

Flats for digital work.

Final. I'm big into Arther Rackham at the moment. Thats obvious huh?

Big/Little

2009-10-27T13:21:00.002Z

An A2 drawing of Chris from the Newton Solney Life Group. Quite a complex pose this one - particularly with Chris's totally LOTR staff and generally Magus looks. It occurs to me how much work I need to do on hands and feet - so I'm mentally tagging this for working on. This was about 1hr 45mins work (I was on tea duty).

.... And a rare spread from my mini moleskine (9 x 14 cm [closed]). I usually just use this as a notebook - but have started super quick doodles during any rare moments I'm not doing anything (other than watching telly - which is becomming an increasingly boring option). It's a nice way of pinning down the fleeting little ideas and absurdidies, which would otherwise flutter into the ether never to be seen again.

I'm reading a few books on keeping sketchbooks at the moment and one contributors opinion was that if you keep a nice place for ideas to stay - then they will come.

I like that.

Inside-a-head-a-scope...a-thon.

2009-10-27T11:41:00.008Z

Have been hammering the sketchbook in the evenings now the nights are drawing in (no pun intended). Most of these are drawn from an initial arrangement of loose lines as I try to eark something from my imagination (with no pre-conception of what I'm about to draw). It's nice to go with the flow and see where it takes me. These are all either (or some combination of..) pencil, gouache, pencil crayon, fineliner, dipping pen, fountain pen and biro.

They're not supposed to be super finished or anything - just a nice way of spending the dwindling hours of the day after Generation Kill and before bed. All in a 21 x 13cm moleskine.

Knackered and Covered in Graphite

2009-10-18T15:17:00.008Z

Saturday 17th October brought a workshop via The Melbourne Art Festival (that's Melbourne - Derbyshire, not Melbourne Australia). The festival itself is fantastic - with an Art Trail that encompasses several historic buildings and a [collective noun here] of interesting local artists.

I put together a workshop looking at breathing life into pencil portrait drawings. Having worked extensively from both life and photos - I know the latter can easily lead to static, stale and one dimensional images. So the one day cohort worked on strategies to reduce the chance of making a tired flat image - and produce something with a bit of, well... ooomph.

I had a wicked time and met some really nice people AND some good work 'done got made'!!! Everyone, myself included, staggered out knackered and covered in graphite - which is a sure sign of a day well spent.

Keen local observers might recognise a face or two. Local Art Teaching Legend Roger Charles kindly lent his mug to the proceedings as a fine example of photo source material with a broad range of tonal value. Rog - I'm assured, used daily, Oil of Olay can dramatically reduce broad ranges of facial tonal value.

If you're interested in workshops - contact Melbourne Festival, who'll probably have a mailing list.

Lesslife

2009-10-11T14:14:00.009Z

Hideous amounts of work are currently troubling me away from my life group - so less to post than usual. Here's an A2 piece (above) from Septembers modest yield. Also - a few sketch book pages from the last few months.

You're right of course. There should be more (slinks off in shame).

Sketchbook Bits and Bobs

2009-10-11T13:53:00.003Z

Currently falling in love with keeping a sketchbook journal.

It's sheer self indulgence - and has no financial margin - but it's pushing my buttons BIG time!

Open page - let imagination run riot - turn page - repeat.

Brilliant.

(An ipod rammed with Boards of Canada, Broadcast, Sigur Ros and Sinoia Caves is also mandatory)

Fresh Paint!

2009-10-11T13:18:00.006Z

Book cover imminent!

A nice little project over the summer kept me well out of mischief and busy at the easel. Below is the first visual put together for the publisher....

And the final result...

Which is mostly Oil on Canvas. We were going for a really romantic feel to this one - with ethereal notes in the mix. More details an publishing dates to follow...

And, of course a BIG FAT THANKS to Sarah-Jane Byrne and James Barton who made it all possible. SJ was a paragon of professionalism, lying very patiently on her lawn for the thick end of an hour while I snapped away (despite the occasional faint whiff of mystery cats biz-niz). Despite making a cruelly cutting comment about the size of my reflector, James quickly redeemed himself as Key Grip... so all's well that ends well ;-)

Cheers you guys!!!!

Freaky Nasty!

2009-08-17T13:10:00.006Z

Room Service

Mum

Nursery

All new(ish) works being produced as I happily trip the light fantastic, beyond the constraints of traditional 'fine art' and fill my illustrative boots with something a bit more 'my cup of tea'.

I had sought to segregate this lot from what you might normally find on this blog - but I felt a bit like I was hiding some of my children under the stairs - so out they come... blinking their little little gothic eyes, anemically spluttering, coughing and rattling their nerdy little sci-fi lungs.

Don't stare - you'll make them nervous!

(They're all mixed media - oil paintings with a bit of digital jiggery pokery thrown in.

More Nekkidness...

2009-08-14T15:21:00.007Z

More work from the life room. I've been working on tone a fair bit (which is why there are slabs of value included at the bottom here [this is a page from the MA journal from my current studies]). For those interested in this sort of thing - I thoroughly recommend 'The Artists Guide to Figure Drawing' by Anthony Ryder. It's not particularly strong in terms of experimental exploration, but he brings a lot to the party in terms of an 'American academic approach to representational observational figure drawing' (try saying that after a bottle of pinot).

Also included as few pics from A5(ish) sketchbook. I've been battering my self confidence with biro (ballpoint pen) drawing off and on for a while now. The other day my better half moved the headphones I was drawing in a bid to tidy the house whilst the nipper was sleeping. I hadn't finished (much to her hilarity) - and couldn't get them set up again 'just so' (again - further hilarity). Not to be beaten (biro is an unforgiving enough medium as it is) I plastered some of the page up with address stickers to start half over again. Revelation! I'm diggin the translucent obscuring effect these stickers have over black ballpoint. There's now a wad in the back of my sketchbook just singin to be used to layer up subsequent drawings!

Of course - it's only a matter of time before they go 'Karabekian', the glue toxically degrades and they go a brittle yellow before dropping off the page (queue more hilarity from certain quarters of the Robinson household).

Penguin by Illustrators

2009-08-14T14:54:00.007Z

With only 130 odd shopping days 'till Christmas' - check out this rather fabulous book published by the Penguin Collectors Society. It's a stunna! Loads and loads of fabulous covers (new and old) + interviews, unpublished material, sketchbooks etc. It's a rare thing of beauty. Thanks to Steve Hare for inviting me to be part of it (and congrats for making such a lovely book). So if you're a-hummin-and-a haaarin about stocking fillers for that 'difficult to buy for' arty booklover in your life... (not me, I've already got one you idiot!)

Life goes on....

2009-07-15T13:37:00.002Z

More work produced at the Newton Solney Life Group.

Thursday nights - email me for contact details.

Life!

2009-02-11T12:07:00.003Z

....in the old blog yet. After many years of neglect I am starting to work up my life drawing chops as part of an MA that I'm studying. I had forgotten just how challenging drawing the human figure was... and to prove it here are the first few weeks efforts. In fairness - I'm also trying to make things a bit more challenging by concentrating on hard line work (as opposed to the smudgy graphite form building with tone that I'm used to)... so I'm purposely putting myself outside established comfort zones. But thats how you learn, no?

Poses vary from 90 minutes or so - down to 20.

Update soon!

Julia

2008-06-25T16:20:00.004Z

A new portrait hot off the easel. Thanks to Julia for the lovely pre-shoot pasta bake, and thanks to Paddy for the excellent pre-shoot BNJ - and of course his own particular blend of spirited discussion and art criticisms. Paddy - I shall never look at Tracy Emin (or any parts therein) in the same way again. Cheers!

Visuals

2008-05-29T10:21:00.008Z

I'm pleased to report that a lovely art magazine has picked up on the DH Lawrence covers I've been working on for the last couple of years. I'll say no more on that until it hits the stands (just in case I get bumped), but the process did get my rifling through a stack of visuals for the various books I worked on.

For those that are unfamiliar with the world of publishing - 'visuals', or 'scamps' as they're sometimes known, are rapid little sketches that show ideas, and are used in discussion with picture editors - who may want to see a few different concepts before committing to key pictorial elements. They're not fully complete production drawings, so the level of finish is low, but they should convey the feel, energy and potential of the work they could possibly lead to.

Here's a few that came up along the way....

An early idea for 'The Fox' where a female character looks over a dark and dour landscape. In the end we went with a male/confrontational face - but the image for 'Lawrence and Italy' kind of echoes this one - albeit in a warmer more sensual way.

'Women in Love' - take one. I would have liked to paint this - but it was deemed (correctly) to similar the the previous covers. Would make a nice double portrait donchathink?

'Sons and Lovers'. The pregnant Gertrude Morel, minus the grubby apron. This was the first book I worked on for this project. I very much had in mind artists contemporary to Lawrence like Klimt and Munch. It's a nice image - but too soft for the book - which is an altogether grittier affair.

New Website..

2008-05-28T16:04:00.010Z

The month of May brings a new, small, and perfectly formed abode for my digital portfolio to casually flit from continent to continent in all but the blink of an eye.

Actually - it's a 1mb flash site - so you'll be blinkin like 'Old Man Blinky Blinkerson' waiting for it to download if you're not on broadband....

.... you are on broadband aren't you?

Good. Now click on the image above and look go see !

Another!

2008-04-29T15:54:00.002Z

Another portrait! This one rings in at 60x60cm (oil on canvas).

Portrait of David...

2008-03-17T16:36:00.005Z

Well - I'm pleased to announce that a new portrait has inexorably trundled from my glacial production line. This is one of a pair - the other I'm currently working on.

(It's 60x60cm.)

A big fan of specs - I loved painting these! I fancy having a go at a someone in a big pair of Aviators next... sounds like you? Save up your pocket money and drop me a line!

New Pics!

2007-10-10T13:28:00.000Z

Pretty much done here! The painting is for a collection of poems by DH Lawrence, and the one we chose to illustrate was 'Pomegranate'. I was after a really hot, intense juicy and visceral image.

Also completed, and coming in on a very different tack is a new painting for a soon to be republished 'Anna Karenina'. The scene illustrates Anna falling for Vronsky while dancing at a ball. It's a really warm, romantic image - and I think cropping Vronsky's eyes from frame lends it a little ambiguity - which I like.

A big thanks on this one to the delightful Miss Sarah Lindsay and (equally pleasant) Fletch who very patiently baked under tungsten bulbs in 19th century duds while I faffed around with exposure settings. Also to Christine Isteed (my agent at Artist Partners) who was a superstar booking the job and costumes in for me. Cheers guys!

41 Ford, not a 69...

2007-09-26T09:37:00.000Z

My in-laws celebrated their ruby wedding anniversary recently (congrats again M&J!), and were generous enough to treat family and friends to a slap up Sunday lunch at The Haynes International Motor Museum.

I took my camera to record the family event for posterity - but returned home (in my now seemingly soulless Honda) with a memory card stuffed full of classic cars instead. Now - I have to point out that I'm in no way a petrol head - but those cars (and there were plenty of em) were just beautiful.

Personal highlights were a slew of 60's and 70's pony/muscle cars that still ricochet around my early childhood memories like battered matchbox minatures off chipped gloss skirting boards. In particular a sweet white 1967 Chevrolet Camaro was just begging to be stuffed under my jumper and smuggled past the attending staff.

And when I saw their jet black 1980 Lotus Esprit Turbo (anti-aircraft missiles optional)...

...(recovers) anyway - look go see!

Underpainting...

2007-09-26T09:30:00.000Z

... for a new cover commissioned by Penguin. Details and finished work to follow! Trying to keep this one nice and loose - but will probably tighten it up a bit towards the end.

Honeymoon

2007-06-10T13:49:00.001Z

A nice little series here - which formed part of a commission undertaken for Gallery 58. Interesting for me - because the images were taken by the clients (Stuart and Stephanie Hay) on their honeymoon - which made this project a collaboration of sorts. The photographs themselves were good enough to hang on the wall - so I really wanted to work them up into vivid little paintings that spilled off the canvas. Everyone seemed best pleased with the results - so a big thanks to Will McKeown (G58 owner) for making it happen.

Pictorially - you couldn't get much further from the great British summertime. At present the UK resembles 'Blind Light' by Antony Gormley, albeit on a tectonic scale. Prospective visitors from warmer climes might want to save themselves time and money by setting their bathroom shower at home to 'lukewarm' and sitting fully clothed beneath the tepid salvo.

Oh yes - and for that real 'London tourist vibe' pour yourself a small, warm glass of cola and throw a couple of quid out the window whilst you're at it.

Building a picture... 2

2007-01-24T16:27:00.000Z

Another 'work in stages' for those that are intereseted. See the final pic here!

Building a Picture

2007-01-24T11:07:00.000Z

This went down quite when I published it over at the Myspace Art Association the other day - so here it is again. It shows the first four stages before the final painting (shown as part of my first post last December).

In other news - nothing happened. For those living outside the UK, be warned that this country seems to suffer a collective post Christmas hibernation. Having built up my red wine reserves over the festive period (much respect to those who gifted alcohol this year - I feel the love!), I made a nest on the sofa and have slowly been burning through the stockpile. February beckons though - and I'm sure to emerge blinking into the light like a bear with a sore head - stumbling around the Tescos wine aisle looking to replenish spent nutriment. I'll be flipping bottles from the shelves like a grizzly plucking salmon from a river.... "Grrrrrr" (coughs).

Short Stories 2

2007-01-07T11:06:00.000Z

Finished this over the Christmas Break. Not the greatest photo-reproduction (taken in my murky studio) - but I'm well pleased with the picture, thanks largely to the lovely Heidi Russell, who kindly lent her 'boat race' to the project (despite feeling spotty with seasonal vitamin C deprivation and having to squint into a low winter sun). Thanks missus - you're a star!

Right... what's next!

New Year Resolution....

2007-01-05T14:16:00.000Z

....Is to do lots more drawing.

I've gotten pretty lazy about keeping an A5 sketchbook (a habit I've done well to keep in previous years) - which acts as a sort of diary and clearing house for ideas. Usually a mixture of representational study based on observation (from 'life' and photo) - and more imaginative dredging of the imagination (which start out as automatic drawings - and develop into 'things' as the work develops). I'll post any interesting ones here. To kick things off are a few scans from a previous A5 sketchbook I turfed up the other day (c. 1998).

Peter Blake

2007-01-05T12:50:00.000Z

Usually nonchalant in such situations, I was un-characteristically wobbly when meeting Peter Blake at the V&A Illustration awards the other day. Although nerves prevented me from embarrassingly blurting Peter into a corner of the gallery with a tirade of superlative praise (thank god), it was a bit fantastic to meet a British artist of such standing.

The only shame of the evening is that the 2nd prize for book cover illustration wasn't 'a nice new jaw' - given that (looking at the photo) I seem to have half a dozen fleshy rolls of flab under-hanging my (smirking) mouth, that tower over Mr Blake like a duvet of freshly fallen (slightly sweaty and bristled) snow. Thankfully the subsequent polite applause was not enough to trigger an avalanche, jepodising the national treasure smiling to my left - (oblivious to the fate of 'burial by chins' that very nearly was his).

Thanks to Annemarie for the photo (since cropped to key areas of interest).

Short Stories

2006-12-12T10:11:00.000Z

Work in progress. The painting is for a short stories book cover (oil on canvas). Another couple of days on this and I'm done.

Tawaar!

2006-12-10T12:54:00.000Z

Have just had the photographers file back from Penguin Books for the new painting. 'Women in Love' by DH Lawrence is due to be re-published in the spring - and I'm pretty happy with the results. A big thank-you to Coralie and Helen, who - amongst their other talents - stepped right out of the pages of Edwardian Bootylicious Quarterly to bring the picture to life. You are indeed - 'Ladies!'

Thanks also to Penguin Books picture peeps Sam and Jim, who accompanied me to The Victoria and Albert Museum Illustration Awards last week. We picked up 2nd Place in the Book Cover category for 'Sons and Lovers' - which was a non too shabby placing. The painting is there until March so go and have a look if you get the chance. Finally a big heart-felt thank-you to Jennifer who now owns the painting and was an absolute superstar in lending it back to me for the show.

I am currently, and to the palpable exasperation of my close family and friends, referring to myself in the third person using the acronym TAWAAR (The Award Winning Artist Aaron Robinson) whenever possible.

I'm reliably informed that this 'will have to end soon'.

Start...

2006-12-03T13:20:00.000Z

Thought I'd kick off the new blog with a few pics painted since I knocked up my website - which I have since been too busy (read: lazy) to update. First - an oil for a Penguin Book cover (D H Lawrence) called 'The Rainbow' featuring my freshly minted daughter Lola as the model (in her first paying job). The second, again for a Penguin Books 'D H Lawrence' cover (Lawrence in Italy), is modeled by the lovely Helen Davies (equally photogenic from the front) - and was the brainchild of Penguin 'Picture Tsar' Samantha Johnson. Both books should be published in February.