H2Octopos
This is a personal side project that I started by using illustration to customise various boards and apparel items. Being a designer by trade but an illustrator at heart it is important for me to branch out and push the limits with my illustration work in order to keep my creative thinking and direction fresh.
I literally started with a suggestion from my girlfriend about illustrating an octopus. Its really that simple. The concept came from the octopus being one of the smartest and most adaptable creatures in nature. From there I thought about its ability to use camouflage itself disappearing in front of your eyes. I decided to use the most shockingly bright colours for the octopus itself and then have its tentacles transform to water to portray this ability it has to blend into its surrounding environment. Fairly basic concept but it worked.
Started with a pencil and piece of paper, then mostly Illustrator CC, Photoshop CC and my trusty Wacom Graphics Tablet. I started by sketching out the octopus on a surfboard shape template using the natural shape of the creature to fit the shape of the board. I then took that sketch into Illustrator and using my wacom I outlined the image and slowly built up the colours and shades by using layers. Once I had completed the Vector artwork I took it across to photoshop. Through a smart object mockup I applied it to a surfboard for presentation and to see that the final design works. From here I will be applying the design with acrylic paint markers and acrylic paint with brush on an actual board for a wall mount piece.
I have had a fantastic response to this piece and have actually gained some work from getting good exposure across my social media platforms. I learnt that in order to get the work I want to be doing I have to dedicate some time to actually doing these types of projects. Its easy to get bogged down by trying to earn a living not necessarily doing the work you want to be doing everyday but it is important to set time aside for your own projects, because you never know who is out there that will see your work, love what you do and want the same. I spent to much time keeping my illustration work to myself and never thought I had what it took to make a living out of it, but when you stop comparing yourself to the millions of brilliant artists out there and back yourself for what you are capable of it gives you a new creative boost and you start to push yourself in directions you might never have thought were attainable.
Don't compare yourself to others. Learn from them and then do your own thing. Develop your own style. Love your own work.
