Reasons to be Creative

It was a pleasure to give my talk at the Reasons to be Creative Festival

today. I was worried that I may have gone down a fetish rabbit hole

(pun intended) but I think I clawed the audience back with exploits

of my work in TV and games,

The sincerest form of flattery

I don't know who the original illustrator was or the agency who couldn't find of afford him but I was asked by an agency by a third party  if I could draw in the style below.

I said yes - do I get the gig?

They answered I don't know, your portfolio doesn't suggest you can.

I told them that's for showcasing my style not other people's and if you thought that why did you come to me in the first place.

Ignoring my second question they asked me to prove it. 

Muttering under my breath that this was a simple style to emulate I produced the above illustration.

I never heard from them again.

Sorry original artist.

Lunar New Year 2017

It's a bit late but I did this illustration to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

2017 is year of the cockerel.

Art Test

It's not everyday you witness a ridiculous act of self harm to your country and see your freedoms and opportunities vanish and realise that you're trapped on an island full of idiots and nationalistic twits who are prepared to pay more for everything just to have a few less 'foreigners' around. 

Today is the day our stupid leaders triggered Article 50 - signalling our with drawl from the EU.

   

And there's more bad news. I also heard back from a job that I'd applied for. They said no.

I was really disappointed for a couple of reasons. Firstly this position was for an innovative company in Sweden that I really admired and would have given my eye teeth to work for and they approached me, which seemed like a positive. Secondly I'd have an out for leaving England, where I really don't want to be right now and this all seemed really encouraging.

After a half an hour chat with someone from recruitment that seemed to go really well I agreed to do an art test. Normally I roll my eyes and refuse these time consuming tests as everything on the art front with me is already on line and presumably they like my art style and my professional abilities as laid out in my CV. But, like I say - this is an amazing company that I'd love to work for.

So I spent a week working on their brief. I took time from work and gave this project everything and then submitted the PDF I'd agonised over laying out nicely... then nothing. For weeks.

Today I got a barely personalised email saying thanks but no thanks.

I understand that companies must get loads of applicants and art is perceptual but to get an email saying they've been extremely fortunate to have an overwhelming interest in the role, and have been able to select profiles with very strong visual styles that fit effortlessly into the visuals we're targeting for our future games. They tell me this after seeing my art style, approaching me and then making me spend time on an art test. 

Sorry to whinge - I just need to get this disappointment out of my system.