EDGE ART

FRANKENSTEIN – a story about unrequited love

2012-02-13T23:07:00.000+01:00

I remember when I first entered in a public library, in Nis (City where I was born, and spent the best days of my childhood), with the intention to rent horror genre books. I was ten years old, and the first book that I rented was a Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Promo Art Valentine's Day for U. S. clients

At home, I lay down in bed and impatiently began to read. And ... WOW! This was completely different than I expected. This was not Frankenstein like stitched monster from the old American movies. Although this was a big surprise for me, I was not disappointed, but on the contrary – I really liked the book. Novel was a different, unexpected, at moments very poetic and emotional.

One of my old illustrations - recently re-designed

At the end, I realized that Frankenstein is a story about unrequited love. Yes, this is a novel from the period of Romanticism, with gothic and science fiction elements. The idea of reviving the corpse with electricity comes from the theory of Galvanism.

So, if you plan to create your own monsters, then be prepared to love them as they are.

Old man and the giants

2012-02-06T01:13:00.003+01:00

Here's something that came out from the project where I was involved as an illustrator. But only for a short time. It is a Serbian fairy tales project. The project designed by the same model as the Rebels – Vampires and Witches and Banished Demons, including several hired illustrators.

Anyone who know well Serbian tales, knows that these are very authentic and fantastic stories. Very inspiring to illustrate. I’m supposed to illustrate the story "How the old man tricked the giants." I began my work, and the first thing that I drew was a sketches of giants characters.

Giants characters from my sketchbook

There are eight giants in the story, so I wanted to give every giant specific character – appearance. I decided to do a big double-page composition of an old man and giants in the cave. I started to draw this complex illustration, using the usual technique – watered ink and pen.

Old man and giants in the cave / double-page illustration / unfinished

And when I was almost finished, I received a contract from the publisher. The contract did not provide royalties for the future publications. So I refused to participate further, because I think it's fair to include royalties for this type of publications which have universal national character.

Old man and giants in the cave / detail

To other illustrators such agreement is acceptable, so in the end I remained a rebel with or without good reason. At least, I’m richer for an old man and eight giants..;)

Chinese Meteorology

2011-12-23T22:58:00.003+01:00

About a few weeks, I received a strange copy of the book Meteorology. I was surprised because the book is in Chinese! This book I illustrated a few years ago (actually in 2009.), for the local publisher Creative Center. A Chinese publisher bought the rights for the series Find out and try, that contains mentioned book - Meteorology.

Meteorology – Serbian and Chinese editions

From now, the Chinese kids will have a chance to enjoy in my illustrations. I wonder how they translated the text in a balloons, because the illustrations full of comic dialogue, and I’m the author of all comic dialogue that appear in the illustrations.

My most rigorous critic – Katarina – she likes Chinese version of the book

Editors from Creative center had a few complaints, so there was censoring some balloon text and image content.

Here are a few fun examples of censorship:

The first censored illustration in the book - Amish and tornado

This is the first illustration in the book. My original idea was that the characters are Amish (it is mentioned explicitly in a footnote of illustration) – Jakob says that as soon as possible he bought a TV to watch the weather, despite the fact that the Amish do not use electronic devices, and other "evil things" of modern technology. Editors did not want to explicitly say that the characters are Amish, but looking at the illustration, it is obvious...

Totally rejected illustration – Charles Fort and falls of frogs

Another fun example of censorship is the illustration with falls of frogs. Author of the book is not like this idea, as well as illustration of Charles Fort, a famous researcher into weird events. This illustration is totally rejected.

Illustrative allusion to the TV soap series Wounded Eagle

The third illustration example is actually an allusion to one domestic (Serbian) idiotic TV soap novel - Wounded Eagle - totally crap that was broadcast on Serbian national television. Author of the book – Nedeljko Todorovic – he recognized my intention, and the characters name from shitty series, was rejected from the dialogue of this illustration… unfortunately…

REBELS – Witches

2011-12-11T14:21:00.002+01:00

"Today, most people imagine witches as ugly and old women. Demonic masks with toothless mouth, a long, hooked nose and at least one large nipple from which sticks out a few hairs…"

Illustration for a story They are from ancient times

"Witches come from ancient times, when death was not death, and when the living and the dead lived together… For these creatures boundaries between worlds was porous – in the space, border was marked with grave, and the time with sunset."

Illustration # 1 / story Remedy against the witches

"They say that God is powerful because He is the knower of all names. From Him the name can not be hide. But from the people and witches can…"

Illustration # 2 / story Remedy against the witches

"The terrible names are welcome against a witch. If witches were already cracked down on someone's house, then the boy should be named Vuk (Wolf), and girl Vukosava or Vukana, because the witches are afraid of the wolf and not attack him."

46th Golden Pen of Belgrade – Kindly Awarded Corpses!

2011-11-08T21:18:00.000+01:00

Last week it came to me a good news - illustrations from the graphic novel Kindly Corpses (bonus story Autopsy of Death) were awarded with one of the major prizes at 46th Golden Pen of Belgrade.

The International Golden Pen of Belgrade prize

Very pleased me this award. Apparently, this is cash award too, but I do not remember that I received some money - if they burn me out for my well deserved cash, I will dissect someone ...

144 page / Autopsy of Death / Kindly Corpses

No kidding, I'm serious about dissection ...

REBELS – Vampires

2011-10-17T03:48:00.002+02:00

Do you remember my first post? Exactly a year ago I started with the presentation of illustrations that I have worked for the book Banished Demons – the edition of Serbian mythology. Then you had the opportunity to meet with unbaptized creatures, dogheads, Grandma horn ... and other strange beings of Serbian mythology. Now is the time to introduce Serbian vampires and witches through illustrations from the book Rebels. As before, beside me on this project as illustrators also participated Dragan Bibin, Duško Beljac, Vanja Todorić I Miloš Vujanović.

Rebels - Vampires and Witches - the book of Serbian mythology

The book Rebels is the third volume, and last in this series.

The book preview (PDF) : http://www.datafilehost.com/download-5e4825bf.html

Illustration for the story Who becomes a vampire?

"…Children born in the placenta, when the right time comes, can become vampires…"

Illustration # 1, the story Vampire life

"…Drowned, suicides, unhappy dead, cursed, those who have died without candles - unfortunate souls above them hangs a dark shadow of vampirism, without their guilt - seem to be almost randomly selected and pushed into the arms of eternal night…"

Illustration # 2, the story Vampire life

"…How long is their life after death no one knows. Some say only forty days - the time needed for dead soul to visit regions and beings that loved in life...

…Rest is peace, quiet, and dead person is someone who has sunk in that peace, everlasting peace and quiet, without desire, hope and movement. But, there are those dead who can not settle down. They complain, rebel against everything, against life and against death..."

Illustration # 1, the story How to kill a vampire?

"…In order to give them peace, people with hawthorns stabbing vampires under their fingernails and the tongue, cut ears, feet and fingers, torn tendon below the knees…"

Illustration # 2, the story How to kill a vampire?

"…Is there a safer and more naïve victim than dead man, whose peace is only stored in the hearts of the living? He should still live there, in those hearts that beat, to find peace in them. There and only there is his peace, his real tomb. But warm hearts are the place for something else, something much colder than death…"

Illustration # 3, the story How to kill a vampire?

Next post will be about witches...

Stay tuned…

Kindly PRINTED Corpses

2011-09-19T21:51:00.003+02:00

Finally, the Corpses are successfully raised in the form of beautiful printed hardcover books. I must admit that I feared that the book would not look good in print, but when I saw the very first copies I was pleasantly surprised. A small number of printers in Serbia that can provide good quality printed books, especially if the books are hard binding.

Kindly Corpses / B5 format / Hardcover / 160 pages / Full color

You already know that this is a second enlarged edition, and this time the Kindly Corpses shine in the right light ... So, here are a few reviews about this graphic novel:

"Kindly Corpses is, in literary and visual terms, brilliantly postmodern realization of current best Serbian writer Zoran Penevski and ingenious artist Ivica Stevanovic. This graphic novel is able to deal with the best world novels." – Slobodan Ivkov

Height 241 mm / Width 170 mm / Thickness 15 mm / Weight 580 gr

"Kindly Corpses (is) maybe by now, if not most important, then a crucial, extraordinary achievement in production of Serbian comics!" – Branislav Miltojević

Interior views of the book / detail / page 70

This graphic novel will appear at the International Comics Festival in Belgrade, with a promotional price of 12 euros... See you there!

PS
Everyone who wants to buy this graphic novel, and live in Novi Sad, can contact me by mail: edgedesign24@gmail.com

Kindly covered corpses

2011-08-17T21:09:00.002+02:00

For the new edition we are needed a new cover. The first edition cover of Kindly corpses were too dark – did not reflect the true spirit of this graphic novel. So it was necessary to change the cover. I have done many covers for various books… But when I need to do covers for my own book, it can be much more complicated job. I did not want to fall into the usual trap – to smash my head that it must be kicking ass cover! I did something very simple and graphically powerful – enough to draw the attention of potential readers, I hope...

Kindly Corpses front cover / Second edition

Then I applied the cover design on 3d model book, and I must admit I liked how they look. Much better than the first edition!

Kindly Corpses / 3D model book

Here are the first ideas for the front cover, but I did not like because there are too many stories in it.

The first version of the cover / sketch drawing / pen and ink

Kindly corpses are completed now. Next phase - printing!

There are many interesting book projects ahead of me. Stay online!

Less talk, more work!

Kindly Corpses - Final destination!

2011-07-26T02:06:00.002+02:00

Finally, the Kindly Corpses are made up, piece by piece. The first Serbian graphic novel in extended and redesigned new edition! The first edition had 104 pages, and this new edition has an amazing 160 pages! Two bonus stories – Corpses That We Loved and Autopsy of Death! Here are a few page views and some beautiful lyrics from the book:

Death like a little girl / page3 / Kindly Corpses

"When death was a little girl

She wanted eternity as a gift

And with her faceless smile

She took my calendar.

Gallery illustration / page 153 / Kindly Corpses

I felt a scream rise up inside me

Like a child’s terror unexplained

My body is an abyss that hunts me again.

Gallery illustration / page 159 / Kindly Corpses

And whose eyes could bring me back

When only the vagaries of words know of me?

Autopsy of Death - bonus story / double-page 138-139

I scream through the morning hours

Until someone hears me..."

Autopsy of Death - bonus story / double-page 140-141

And as I promised, here are the first two chapters of Kindly Corpses (Serbian language version) in PDF format:

http://www.datafilehost.com/download-d282d2e9.html

Can be kinder than this?

Lambshead Cabinet

2011-07-07T01:42:00.001+02:00

Recently, I received copies of great book – TheThackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities. After Steampunk Reloaded, this is the second book by Ann and Jeff, where I participate with two of my illustrations. I was simply delighted to work with fantastic VanderMeer couple on these great projects.

A sneak peek at The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet Of Curiosities

"The narrative scope and stellar assemblage of writers and illustrators…makes this a book that will be absolutely cherished by fantasy, science fiction, and steampunk afficionados alike." – Paul Goat Allen, B&N Book Club

Grayscale illustration for The Armor Of Sir Locust / Pen and watered ink on paper

"Sometimes I entertain the ghoulish notion that perhaps this armor is no artifact at all, but rather a mummified skeleton, scooped out subsequent to burial and grave robbery." – The Armor Of Sir Locust

Teaser - illustration details for the story Relic by Jeffrey Ford

A carefully selected group of popular artists and acclaimed, bestselling authors has been assembled to bring this cabinet of curiosities to life:

You can order the book at the following links:

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Thackery-T-Lambshead-Cabinet-Curiosities/dp/0062004751/

The Book Depository:
http://www.bookdepository.com/Thackery-T-Lambshead-Cabinet-Curiosities-Ann-Vandermeer/9780062004758

Corpses that we loved

2011-06-15T12:59:00.003+02:00

Finally handmade process is completed. What we do next, is a mixing and digital editing, framing, typing text, etc... Yes, the second edition of Kindly corpses is in final stage. I fear that in this last phase, I will spend a lot of time trying to (re)make a comic book pages better than they are! Here are the first results...

Illustration reworked in mixed media technique (digital collage)

This digital collage is actually a remake of an old illustration done for the first edition of Kindly corpses. I love digital collage as an artistic technique, because using this technique you can get unexpected outcomes. So in this case I got a strange creature in the right part illustration.... Until the end I never know what will happen after the digital mixing.

Sketch drawing in watered ink technique and reworked in Photoshop

The following digital collage is made on the basis of the illustration that was made in ink, pen, brush and white tempera on yellow paper. It's bloated corpse!

"You're bloated dead body, like a bubble of lifeless meat."- Andrej Grammatik

And at the end of this post, one double page - the beginning of the first bonus stories Corpses that we loved in the second edition of Kindly corpses!

Corpses that we loved / double-page / mixed media technique

Do I have promised the first 34 pages Kindly corpses in PDF format for free? I am, and it will be soon. Be patient!

The Synthesis Of Traditional and Digital

2011-05-27T01:38:00.001+02:00

In Belgrade this Thursday, starting the first Balkan Illustration Symposium. Lots of good illustrators, lectures, demonstrations... I will also take part of this symposium (on Saturday), and I will demonstrate my illustration technique. This work is a good example for the synthesis of traditional and digital - my presentation theme at the symposium ...

Super Floating Monkey Boy and the Blonde Girl’s Flying Head

Drawing comes from my sketchbook, and when I finished it digitally, I've used for the Parka's drawing contest #5 Super Lame Heroes...

Fade To Grey

2011-05-09T21:39:00.002+02:00

Continue with the drawings for the new edition of Kindly Corpses... Before I fall to pieces and fade to gray, hear what Andrej Grammatik has to say:

"We are doing our best to give up ownership of our bodies…

Sketch drawing in watered ink technique

…We are consumers who spend our bodies. Running to buy hip products, we are running out of our bodies… The market puts us under pressure: a new kidney design is in, a new type of the lungs is desirable…"

Andrej Grammatik - Detail of the comic panel

"It is as we coexist with our demons. We are simultaneously on the inside and outside of ourselves. We are free, and we are nowhere..."

Sketch drawing in watered ink technique

The first 34 pages of graphic novel Kindly Corpses in PDF format for free download, you can expect very soon!

Winged Nazgul sketches

2011-04-25T19:46:00.004+02:00

One very interesting art challenge is now open. The theme is "Eowyn and the Nazgul", and more about this can be found on the blog Muddy Colors. I'm not a big fan of "Lord of the Rings", but the challenge is very appealing to illustrate. So, I began to make sketches of Nazgul’s creature, first...

Fell Beast / pencil, fine liner with black gel ink

There are many brilliant pictures painted and drawn on this subject, so it is very difficult to compete with that. Jack Kirby, a great comics artist, once said that the artist should be trying to be different, not better ...

Left: Sketch of the position Beast's head / Right: Detail of the final composition

I have decided to get horizontal drawing composition as the final. The technique is watered ink and pen, and then I'll use digital coloring.

Eowyn and the Nazgul in work process

I'm in a big mess now, and I hope it will be enough time to complete the picture by the end of challenge...

Touch of Lowbrow

2011-04-01T01:06:00.003+02:00

Pop-surreal creature has many names – Juxtapoz, Lowbrow, Suggestivism… – and great preachers – Todd Schor, Chris Mars, Mark Ryden, Gary Baseman and others… I felt a touch of Lowbrow, so here are a few digital painted surreal scenes:

One-eyed Unicorn and Maiden

Digital paint / RealBristle Brush / Painter & Photoshop

The first thing that I painted on this picture is the eye of Unicorn... then horn, bone instead of the mouth and at the end a young girl... Later, I explained this picture to myself as follows: Young girl in a bowl collects the blood of One-eyed Unicorn. Blood is precious to her. In this blood are her dreams, her youth and innocence.

Blind Bat-Girl

Digital paint / RealBristle Brush / Painter & Photoshop

Blind Bat-Girl says: Get used to the darkness in your stitched eyes, and let the bat lead you to place where the heart begins to beat.

Frog Swallowers (The Conjurors)

Digital paint / RealBristle Brush / Painter & Photoshop

Are you one of frog eaters? You are?! Quickly, swallow the frog and 15 minutes of fame are just yours ...

Soft side of Edge

2011-03-16T01:24:00.004+01:00

So far, you are already accustomed to frightening pieces of my art in previous posts. Now I have the opportunity to show you the brighter side of my artistic creativity - a children's book illustration! Actually, I'm much more illustrate children's books than anything else. Today when I came home, I was pleasantly surprised! Printed copies of picture books that have recently illustrated, finally arrived!

Picture books / Publisher Školska knjiga

Late last year I had a nice cooperation with the Croatian publishing house Školska knjiga. The result of this collaboration are two picture books that I've digitally painted, mostly. I must admit that see my artwork in one of the best print preview, so far. Printed colors are fresh and alive and quite similar to the original colors of the screen display illustrations!

First double-page from the picture book Flowerosaur

Flowerosaur – Dinosaur who loves the flowers (not to eat!)

“Small dinosaur Cvjetko (Flowerosaur) loved the flowers more than anything in the world. Then he fell in love with the female dinosaur. Everything would be alright if she wasn’t several times bigger than him. Poor little dinosaur trying in various ways to attract her attention…”

Double-page illustration in the work process

This sweet story I was illustrated using the technique of digital painting. I put a rough sketch in pencil, then painted in Painter.

Double-page illustration completed in the technique of digital painting

I used my favorite brush - RealBristle Brush - the result is similar to the technique of oil painting… With RealBristle brush you can easily control the density and intensity of mixing paint layers. And most importantly - you don’t have to wait for the paint dry!

Plamenko (Flame-boy) in the mamooth hunting

“This picture book tells the story of a small prehistoric boy and his search for the mammoth. Wanting to prove to his tribe that it’s possible to find and catch such great mammoth, Plamenko bravely stepped into a great adventure…”

Sketches / Pencil and water brush

In this case I combined water brush drawing with digital painting, and used natural textures (rocks, fur, wood ...). But first, I did a rough sketch of the characters, as always I do.

First double-page from the picture book about little cave-boy

Flame-boy and his father, caveman who is a professional painter (further ancestor-illustrator). They talk about the mammoth…

Night when the cave-boy decides to go in search for mammoth.

The boy thought for wild boars that they are mammoths...

First encounter with the mammoth.

That's all folks for now!

How to survive an autopsy – Part II – collage

2011-03-10T13:49:00.001+01:00

Work on the graphic novel Kindly Corpses, giving me plenty space for artistic experimentation. Actually, working on this project (the first time eight years ago) I started to use the technique of digital collages for some illustrations in the book. I admit that I was quite inspired by the fantastic works of Dave McKean, but I was trying to find my own style of handling ready-made images. So here are two new collage illustrations that should come in the second revised edition of Kindly Corpses.

“The image of death is what we needed, not death itself. In the end, it all boils down to the graphic conspiracy…” – Andrej Grammatik

So, stay alive and creative!

How to survive an autopsy

2011-02-28T01:07:00.002+01:00

"You are the story, and you will turn into a story…" – says Andrej Grammatik. In this story he is the chief forensic of final destination. The all-new drawings of the new bonus story "Autopsy of Death" are in front of you.

Autopsy Of Death - page 9

Here are some sentences from the book of Andrej Grammatik – How to survive an autopsy:

"The only thing that remains after image of death is a story about the image of death..."

The book of Andrej Grammatik – How to survive an autopsy

"Time is an open cadaver in front of us. We can change history, we can substitute any part. Like our bodies, time is lifeless meaning in glass coffin…"

Sketch drawing in watered ink technique and reworked in mixed media

Every day we are closer to the new edition of Kindly Corpses. It's been a while since I worked with Penevski on a comic book (Anatomy Of Sky). This short story (Autopsy of Death) brings us back to life. I wish I had more time for these things, but life often limit us in our intentions. Whoever drew comics knows that it requires heroic work and time.

Comic pages in the work process

At the end, how to survive an autopsy? Just draw a picture of death, and it will keep you alive ... Cheers!

Conan – Savage Art Challenge

2011-02-11T05:05:00.003+01:00

Two weeks of hard work have passed. Came up was something I could not miss - Competition for Conan illustrations launched by the Croatian publishing house Bookglobe. The publisher is planning to issue a cult comic book series Savage Sword of Conan. This type of fantasy illustration is not my cup of tea, in terms of artistic expression, but since it is a favorite comic book character from my early childhood, I could not resist the challenge. I did a few illustrations, and here they are:

Pen and watered ink drawing

This illustration is inspired by the episode Devourer of Souls.

Pen and watered ink drawing

Conan and the evil sorcerer who turns into a monster - a very common situation in the Conan series.

Pen and watered ink drawing

Illustration for my favorite episode of Conan – Demons of the Firelight. Conan is fighting with the revived corpse of dead warrior.

I had enough time to do a new original logo of the comic series.

drawing digitally colored with Conan logo

Here's preview how it looks when applied a new logo on the cover illustration.

After drawing, I started to paint digitally using Painter and Photoshop. The first illustration that has been digitally painted is the episode The Road of the Eagle. Behind the back of Conan, sees a huge rock with a variety of niches which represents the graves of green devils - very interesting to illustrate.

Conan and ice worm – The Lair of the Ice Worm episode

Angry giant monster attack, but the barbarian does not know fear ...

This post is dedicated to Robert E Howard, John Buscema, Ernie Chan, Alfredo Alcala, Tony deZuniga… and the greatest of all Frank Frazetta.

Finally here's something concrete from the announced bonus story for a new edition of Kindly Corpses…

Andrej grammatik - Autopsy of Death

Paper testing - in the meantime

2011-01-25T20:52:00.001+01:00

I know that I announced a new bonus story sketches for a new edition of Kindly Corpses, but first, here's a drawing that was created as a result of testing the paper texture. Of course, all characters are monsters, again. There will be occasions when I will show you more beautiful and softer side of Edge.


Drawing / Pen and watered ink on texture canvas paper

For an illustrator is very important what kind of paper texture used in illustrating. Paper texture gives a value of brush strokes.

Drawing detail #1

In this case, the paper texture resembles to the texture of canvas.

Drawing detail #2

The all-new drawings of the new bonus story "Autopsy of Death" very very soon!

Kindly Corpses – Resurrection

2011-01-14T01:31:00.001+01:00

Almost eight years ago, I had the opportunity to work with Zoran on very important project – Kindly Corpses, the first Serbian graphic novel. Zoran had a great story, and I've had enough of drawing talent so we created a comic book that has become a cult issue of Serbian comics, for a short time. This issue is printed in a small number of copies – only 500! Now it's time for a brand new edition, with two bonus stories and a gallery full of pictures and illustrations ... Rough basis of the story is: The Government announced new regulations and sanctions pertaining to autopsy, funeral, and commemorative services. The main character in the novel is forensic, which is trying to struggle with a new provision – Death Reforms…

Canadian publishing company Speakeasy Comics intended to publish this graphic novel, but broke up in 2006. For purposes of the American edition, the graphic novel Kindly Corpses has been redesigned and expanded with bonus story L. A. Contraversial. Here are some details from this bonus story, including sketches and a few complete frames of comic pages.


Sketch drawing in watered ink technique and reworked in mixed media

Most of my sketches was made in watered ink technique. Usually, sketches such as this example I reworked in collage technique. I often use "ready made" items.

Watered ink drawing / double-page / L. A. Contraversial

When I painted "Kindly Corpses" eight years ago, I used watercolor. Now it’s much easier for me to paint drawings in Photoshop. I do grayscale drawing, then scan and color processing…

Drawing digitally painted in Photoshop / double-page / L. A. Contraversial

Here, we have an old watercolor illustration that I painted when I studied (1999). For purposes of this graphic novel, I reworked illustration using collage, and breathed a new life…

Watercolor illustration reworked in mixed media technique (collage)

The all-new drawings of the new bonus story "Autopsy of Death" very soon!

Prayer against the plague – stories from the sketchbook

2010-12-31T17:53:00.001+01:00

Year 2011 starts soon and we are approaching to the year 2012 - do we need a prayer for that time? Are we waiting for something scary in 2012? Apocalypse is near? In the dark Middle Ages, plague was raging - some thought that the prayer will help. But prayer is weak against that scourge. Here are some funny drawings from my sketchbook about this serious topic – the plague.

Sketchbook drawing #1 / pencil, fine liner with black and blue gel ink

“Plague is eaten all! Thanks plague!”

Sketchbook drawing #2 / pencil, fine liner with black gel ink

“Prepare yourself, you people! Repent! Apocalypse is coming!”

Sketchbook drawing #3 / pencil, fine liner with black gel ink

“Don't say a prayer for me now
Save it 'til the morning after…” – (Duran Duran, Save a Prayer)

Illustration / pencil, fine liner and digital coloring

Once, the plague eating people, now we are the plague - the plague of this planet. And as long as the planet Earth do not find a way to get rid of people - Cheers!

A little weird post to start the new year, right?

Edge wish you all the best in the new year!

Steampunk Reloaded

2010-12-23T22:33:00.003+01:00

A few weeks ago I got the book Steampunk Reloaded. This is one of many books edited by fantastic Vandermeer couple (Ann and Jeff), and I ‘m honored that can be part of such projects. There are two of my illustrations in the book.

A Secret History of Steampunk / 362 page / Illustration of crazed inventor

A Secret History of Steampunk / 373 page / The inventor much changed...

Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded is an anthology of 23 stories published by Tachyon Publications.

Drawing / pen and watered ink – digitally textured

Demon Bestiarium – background story

Illustration / mixed media / photoshop 5.5

This illustration was actually planned for my art book project Lexicon of Art Legions (my master work on Academy of Arts in Novi Sad – Demonology as an alternative aesthetics). A great text for this Lexicon wrote my friend Zoran Penevski, and the book was conceived as a modern bestiary. “Bestiaries are free interpretations that do not have their natural role models. They are abstract type catalogs…”

Sketch / Pencil. pen and watered ink

Illustration of demon Bestiarium remained unpublished until now. Now you have the opportunity to see the sketch and the finished color illustration.

Unfinished Art – Banished Demons

2010-12-07T19:16:00.006+01:00

When I illustrated this book, mostly I did it with pen and watered ink. Then I scanned the drawings and use digital coloring in Photoshop or Painter. Several illustrations are the product of digital painting techniques, from beginning to (almost) end. Left a lot of unfinished illustrations created for the book. Here are some of them – watch carefully, and you can see the work process…

Digital painting / RealBristle Brushes / Corel Painter X

People talked that dogheads do a terrible things – eat people, especially children, female breast, dig bodies out of graves and eat them.

Sketch / Pencil, pen and watered ink

Dogheads and frightened children… This sketch was done for the Dogheads story which is basically a very similar to the story about Hansel and Gretel. According to the Serbian version, children are lost in the woods and find the lair / cave where lives Doghead mother-witch and Doghead giant …

Sketch / Pencil, pen and watered ink

Karakondzula rides all night long…

Digital painting / RealBristle Brushes / Corel Painter X

Baba Roga and lost kid (Hansel without Gretel)...

FIRST POST

2010-12-02T21:21:00.005+01:00

"First born kittens thrown into the water" - Serbian proverb.

I hope that my first post (kitten), thrown in the water of the Internet, find the way to the audience who likes this kind of art ...

A few months ago I was involved in illustrating a book about Serbian mythology called Serbian Expelled Demons or Banished Demons.

The book was written by Milenko Bodirogić.

Beside me on this project as illustrators also participated Petar Meseldžija, Dragan Bibin, Miloš Vujanović i Vanja Todorić. With the visual aspect, this book represents a kind of illustration brand of Arts Academy in Novi Sad. All the illustrators in some way related to the same institution – Meseldžija studied painting at the Academy of Novi Sad, Miloš (Anatomical drawing) and Ivica (Graphics Books & Comics ) are the lecturers. Bibin and Vanja are master students.

The book preview (PDF) : http://www.datafilehost.com/download-100d60d5.html

The second tome of Serbian Mythology Banished Demons

Here are some of my illustrations and text explanations from the book:

Service Ghost

This creature is a little man, no bigger than your thumb, dressed only in trousers and with a red cap on his head. His hands are very skilled and lucky and with them he manages to achieve all the desires of his master. The creature would fulfill all the tasks that are put out before him, only if a man, his master, treats him nicely.

Service ghosts are forced to collect more gold, and gold is a drink of thirsty man …

Baba Roga (Grandma Horn)

Baba Roga is old, as grandmothers usually are, and ugly. The description of her ugliness goes like this: toothless mouth, long hooked nose, a hunchback, large ears, bony hands and fingers with long nails, torn, ragged clothing, and a horn on top of her forehead. That is why she is called Baba Roga – Grandma Horn.

Serbian Baba Roga is similar to the Russian Baba Yaga. But this is not the same creature.

According to beliefs, the child of Baba Roga grows under her armpit.

Baba Roga visit children at night. Cover them when they are cold, and cleans heir forehead covered with sweat from their heavy dreams and nightmares …

Karakondzula

Serbian Karakondzula has a human form - she is old and skinny women, with long messy hair, long nails... Karakondzula attack Serbian housewife's with a cauldron dropping on the victim’s head.

Fat Karakondzula especially like to ride drunk people.

Unbaptized creatures

Unbaptized creatures are children who died before baptism, before being named, and as they say: "he who has no name, does not exist"… They appear at night, in the form of birds.

Werewolf

There is a belief among Serbian Folk that the unborn child of dead pregnant woman can become a werewolf. This happens when an animal passes over the grave of a pregnant women.

The vampire has a human form and he has no shadow. Werewolf has a wolf form and shadow of man.

Werewolves possessed incredible power. It was rumored among the people that werewolves can swallow the sun or the moon - this is known to us as the eclipse of the sun and the moon.

Some magicians can change ordinary person into a werewolf for some time. This creature has a wolf form and human consciousness, during this period he suffers a lot.

Butcher from the Story about night riders (Todors)

Dogheads

As their name clearly states, these creatures have the body of a human and the head of a dog, with strong teeth and just one big eye in their head. They understand human language, but there was never a single case or testimony that stated that a dog head ever spoke the human language.

More illustrations from the book you can see on my Behance profile: http://www.behance.net/IvicaStevanovic