Mind-Bending Future Life

Here are the latest covers for the BBC Focus Collection series for the themes of Mind-Bending Science Simply Explained and the Scientific Guide To Your Future Life. The content for these usually covers a broad spectrum of topics so I tend to go for a simpler striking visual that sums up the theme and sits well with the established cover layout. Working with 3d allows me to focus on a central object then experiment with camera angles, light and colour. Bright eye-catching colours are generally preferred by the publisher so once my 3d renders are in Photoshop then I can enhance elements and ratchet up the palettes to my heart's content. I've included some of the early ideas and variations on the finals for these two covers. I was getting carried away with flying cars and neon cocktail cities for the Future Life theme but the 'simpler' billboard-only approach won out in the end. You can see these and previous work for BBC Focus on the site here.

Nature Photonics

I was recently approached by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University, NY, to create illustrations based on their research into non-invasive laser vision correction. The aim was to submit them to Nature Photonics magazine to support their manuscript and be selected for a cover feature. Very happy to report one of the illustrations was chosen and is on the current issue as we speak!
I worked on four images based on some relatively jargon-heavy discussions and diagrams of the process and created three interpretations of the external eye and femtosecond laser and one micro view of crosslinks in collagen fibrils - still with me? I used some 3D modelling to create the laser and eye close-ups before bringing the renders into Photoshop to play with colours and texture. You can see them on the site with related work for Nature here.

3x3 Professional Show Merits

Really chuffed to get two merits in this year's 3x3 Professional Show No.15! First was for animation and was awarded to my Bokhari Records teaser for their sixteenth release 'Southside Engineering' by Stephen Lopkin. The second was in the editorial category for my illustration for Mercedes-Benz/Daimler Next 'The Future Is Electric'.

Secret 7" 2018

I was really pleased to have one of my submissions chosen again for this year's Secret 7" exhibition and auction in aid of Mind charity. All the artists involved remain anonymous until sale day and I can now reveal I created this illustration for Jeff Buckley's 'Lover, You Should've Come Over' based on some of the song's lyrics 'She is the tear that hangs inside my soul forever'. The show was held at The Jetty in North Greenwich and the sale has now moved online here where mine is still available to buy until Sunday 8th July. I also submitted the illustration above for Jimi Hendrix's 'Castles Made Of Sand' that didn't make it into the show but could do with a little blog love. You can see this and related work on the site here.