Checkers Character Design

In between freelance assignments I'm usually working on one or two personal projects. Most of those never get finished, they more like exercises and when something more serious comes along I abandon them. Right now I'm working on a little story exercise, who knows I might even finish it...

These are some designs of one of the two characters, a NYC-based, 30-something head-hunter named Checkers.

Digital sketches with Photoshop.

Drive Corner

As you might have noticed I thought Drive was a pretty cool film. I especially liked the whole 1980's vibe of the film. I also think that Ryan Gosling's jacket is pretty cool. I had this image of the Driver as a comic book character; the jacket is really not unlike a superhero's costume, it even has a logo on it.

The image of the Driver as some kind of comic book hero inspired me to the illustration above, for the awesome Cornered Blog. Some of you might remember that I did another corner for them back in March. (That one was also based on a film, btw.)  

I really hope you also like my Drive Corner!

Ink on paper, digital colors and lay-out.

The Driver

A couple of weeks ago I went to see the movie Drive. I had read quite a lot about it on a number of blogs.   Unfortunately it took a while before Dutch cinemas picked it up, but I guess we are lucky that they showed it at all.

Anyway, even though I had high expectations, Drive did not disappoint me. This is especially surprising since the plot of the film is in no way spectacular, it's the atmosphere of this film that makes it awesome. Ryan Gosling is also great as the silent Driver who makes a living as stuntman and getaway driver for thieves and robbers.

Ever since I saw Drive I have been doodling the Driver. My first attempt were pretty far off, but I believe I'm getting closer. This is a compilation of different driver doodles I did the last few weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if there will be more of this...

Ink on paper, digital colors.

Skater Boy

Character sketches from school project from last year. This was part of the original approach of my graduation project; a story of a young hipster girl who falls in love with the non-hip, fat skater pictured above. Although that story didn't work out at the time I might revisit it some other time. I've got the feeling that there might be more there, than I originally thought.