Superfrog saves Tokyo

More Murakami inspired work! This is based on a brief set by another illustrator at ECA -my task was to illustrate Superfrog saves Tokyo from After the Quake by Murakami. It is an amazing novel, a collection of short stories describing people’s lives after the Kobe earthquake and before a potential Tokyo earthquake. This chapter is particularly intriguing, it explores the imagined vs. reality, and draws parallels between the potential of an earthquake and the lurking malevolence within human beings. All text is by and copyrighted to Murakami.

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2012 ©

 

Hey there little lady

3rd piece in the fiction state set.. Again from Norwegian Wood, but a lighter mood, as this was supposed to convey ‘Joy’. This snippet is from one of the most lovely quotes in the whole novel:-

“You’re walking through a field all by yourself one day in spring, and this sweet little bear cub with velvet fur and shiny little eyes comes walking along. And he says to you, “Hey, there, little lady. Want to tumble with me?’ So you and the bear cub spend the whole day in each other’s arms, tumbling down this clover-covered hill. Nice, huh?”
“Yeah. Really nice.”
“That’s how much I like you.”

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©

2/4 final pieces for Fiction State  project which finished on Friday. Based on Huraki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood, these illustrate some of my favourite quotes from the novel.  Hand lettering, gouache, fineliner and digital  manipulation.

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©

Tree tree

This is an illustration I did for a collaborative zine with one other illustrator and two graphic designers, as part our ‘Alternative Guide’ brief. The zine was called Velvet Grass and was based on an area of Arthur’s seat, just off Queen’s drive. There were a lot of trees, negative space and a linear feel.. hence the illustration. I think it works alright as a stand alone illustration too.

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©

Bear stuff

I’ve been drawing a lot of polar bears recently for our ‘Fiction State’ project at college. I have ended up with quite a lot of reject bears and rather than leave them abandoned and forgotten I made this. Its an experiment with layers and its about bear love. That’s all :)
All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©

Papilionidae

This week I was lucky enough to receive an encyclopedia of butterflies from my Grannie. The book is very beautiful and very inspiring, so this week’s drawing surgery is all about butterflies. It is drawn to be playful with the shape of the butterfly wing, and to evoke an old fashioned feeling, with a twist.

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©

Train Journey

Inspired by fat drunken old men I was lucky enough to get sat by on the way back from Newcastle. They reminded me of elephant seals, in a bad way. I felt kind of awkward, like the penguins on Frozen Planet who have to stand about whilst the elephant seals wrestle and snarl and make a scene. I think this sums up my journey pretty well.. I’m definitely going to draw these again, and penguins.

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©

Where are you going?

A very good question, where am I going? This is a giraffe character I’m developing, thought I’d use this week’s Drawing Surgery to draw him up with a bit of colour… He is a very distinguished and kind giraffe, he lives in Edinburgh, or maybe he is just visiting. I plan to draw him stepping out of a George Street Hotel with a suitcase in hand. He looks as though he is trying to catch a bus or a taxi, hence the question.

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©

Ideas

Two initial responses to our project brief based on the Valley of Tweed. We are to produce three images for a printing studio in Edinburgh who have commissioned a calendar from 3rd year Illustration and Photography at ECA. One of the images is to be a response to the landscape, which is what these are all about. A group of us went for a walk through the hills to the Cheese Well, near Innerleithen, and I really liked  the colours of the landscape and the sky, and the shapes of the trees against the landscape.

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©

Velocipede

I’ve been fairly obsessed with light recently, and our flat gets really good sun light at around 6pm (I’m sure this will change as winter arrives). It shines through trees and then reflects patterns around our walls. These are my velocipedes anyway, presented
in a new light :)

All images copyright to Danielle Jane Callaghan 2011 ©