I nice high concept concept. Often you do a lot of straight forward narrative stuff, so it's nice to see how you solve a conceptual problem like this. It's also just really iconic. I actually dig this better than the Fables cover.
Holy crap! James, this is amazing. Very surreal and emotional. You know... something about this reminds me of Akira? I agree with Jed, I enjoy this more then the Fables cover, but maybe its because of the simplicity and the punch of the message in this one, versus the slower build up of drama in the Fables cover... anyway, great work!
y'know, sometimes it's hard to believe the stylized fashion you apply to your illustrations involving both hands on and computer. You make it seem so smoothly. very inspiring, beautiful work, look forward to your next project.
Revisiting these comments and recallling what I said I should probably clarify what I mean: yes, this piece is very narrative--what I meant by "straight forward narrative" but didn't articulate was more literal narrative, such as illustrating a scene from a story, but yes, even to that end, the Fables stuff occassionally leans towards the conceptual. Still, even though the Fables stuff has allegorical subject matter, it has a different character than a piece like this. Sometimes James' work bends in a more surreal direction, like in this piece, but of course, like much of James' work, it's all a matter of degree--surrealism and expressionism are always seeping in from one corner or another.
I absolutely LOVE you work. I think it's just amazing. I really admire you for the talent you have. I am an artist myself, but not as good as you. I am looking forward to see other works of yours.
I have to agree with Jed. I really like the narrative qualities of it too. The color choices really work well in the piece. The desaturated complimetary colors and the cool greys are so nice. The colors seem peaceful in a way, but the black ink comes in to disrupt their peace creating a nice tension.
I too am amazed at how well you are able to combine traditional and digital and make them work so well together. I still have some experimenting to do with that.
Really nice piece James...as stated by the collective conscience.
wow... this is freakin' incredible!! james, you amaze me every time! great job!! i love the details! from the kids crying/screaming mouth to those insane wheels ...the organic scribbles along with the crazy dripping ink (tar?) look... everything fits together so well!! you're completely nuts... in a good way! ;)
Thanks James. I had a trike just like this when I was 4...I was the laughing stock of the sandlot. You've reopened those long forgotten, humiliating wounds of my childhood. (you rock as always,)
Great work James! I've been a fan of yours for some time. I hope you will return to the TCAF next summer. Last summer I was hoping to say hi, but you wern't aroung for the time I was there. Cheers
Thanks for the comments, everyone. This piece was a return to something more personal. It's interesting that Sam Weber was brought up. I admire the polish and remarkable consistency in his work, and he's made some huge leaps since he graduated from the MFA program at SVA not long ago. It was also interesting to see a recent piece of his for the Deal, an assignment that I turned down. In the past week, I've also turned down Rollingstone, Time magazine, the NY Times, among other jobs. I'm currently trying to make the slow transition back to more personal work . . .
I immediately saw this as an allusion to Hiroshima. If one visits the International Peace Museum there, you will find the story of the child who died on his trike and the rice paper window with the marks of black rain that fell that awful day.
38 Comments:
I like how your art never stays in the same place and keeps going in different directions, yet remains distinctive and original.
poor kid and his stone age tricycle!
good job interpreting it.
-Adam
I love the kid's clothes
You are a great artist!
your work is impressive, great blog!
Cheers
I nice high concept concept. Often you do a lot of straight forward narrative stuff, so it's nice to see how you solve a conceptual problem like this. It's also just really iconic. I actually dig this better than the Fables cover.
@_____@
Super cool! Love your concept behind it.
Holy crap! James, this is amazing. Very surreal and emotional. You know... something about this reminds me of Akira? I agree with Jed, I enjoy this more then the Fables cover, but maybe its because of the simplicity and the punch of the message in this one, versus the slower build up of drama in the Fables cover... anyway, great work!
This is awesome.
You continually impress me. This one is fantastic. I'm getting one of your prints soon, and I'm very very excited.
-Jason
BatCountry.Vox.Com
y'know, sometimes it's hard to believe the stylized fashion you apply to your illustrations involving both hands on and computer. You make it seem so smoothly. very inspiring, beautiful work, look forward to your next project.
one of your bessssts!!!!!!
Maybe it's the color palette but this one really made me think "sam weber" right off the bat. great concept.
Adore it. How technology trend had a melt down to our soul not to mention the global warming had change. Beautiful concept execution.
Prints please.
I actually disagree with Jed--this piece is very narrative. It's also conceptual. It's also funny.
Is this also a self portrait?
heh heh
reminiscent of "akira". one of the most innovative interpretive illustrations yet james. i am in complete awe.
oh my god! your art is totally awesome! the concept seems crazy but it's very effective!
Revisiting these comments and recallling what I said I should probably clarify what I mean: yes, this piece is very narrative--what I meant by "straight forward narrative" but didn't articulate was more literal narrative, such as illustrating a scene from a story, but yes, even to that end, the Fables stuff occassionally leans towards the conceptual. Still, even though the Fables stuff has allegorical subject matter, it has a different character than a piece like this. Sometimes James' work bends in a more surreal direction, like in this piece, but of course, like much of James' work, it's all a matter of degree--surrealism and expressionism are always seeping in from one corner or another.
oh, my bad.
Wonderful image.
james, honestly your best yet. those blacks are beautiful. more narrative work, *Please*
I'm really digging this interpretation of technology. It would be nice if you were able to do a whole series of images like this one.
I absolutely LOVE you work. I think it's just amazing. I really admire you for the talent you have. I am an artist myself, but not as good as you. I am looking forward to see other works of yours.
I have to agree with Jed. I really like the narrative qualities of it too. The color choices really work well in the piece. The desaturated complimetary colors and the cool greys are so nice. The colors seem peaceful in a way, but the black ink comes in to disrupt their peace creating a nice tension.
I too am amazed at how well you are able to combine traditional and digital and make them work so well together. I still have some experimenting to do with that.
Really nice piece James...as stated by the collective conscience.
'love those wheels.
my favourite to date I think.
wow... this is freakin' incredible!! james, you amaze me every time! great job!! i love the details! from the kids crying/screaming mouth to those insane wheels ...the organic scribbles along with the crazy dripping ink (tar?) look... everything fits together so well!! you're completely nuts... in a good way! ;)
take care,...
go
www.gregoakes.com
www.myspace.com/gregoakes
Uaauuu!!! es terrorífico!!
Da mucho miedo. Una ilustración fantástica.
Saludos
The mix of the solid blacks, with the dimensional line work and the weathered look make one mighty eye catching image.
Thanks James. I had a trike just like this when I was 4...I was the laughing stock of the sandlot. You've reopened those long forgotten, humiliating wounds of my childhood.
(you rock as always,)
absolutely amazing illustration!
as always.
Great work James! I've been a fan of yours for some time. I hope you will return to the TCAF next summer. Last summer I was hoping to say hi, but you wern't aroung for the time I was there.
Cheers
powerful image. Great stuff
Hey now, so I'm not the only one who thought "Sam Weber" when I first saw this.
Appropriately enough, there's some recent stuff of Sam's that looks a lot like James's.
you rock. that's all.
Thanks for the comments, everyone. This piece was a return to something more personal. It's interesting that Sam Weber was brought up. I admire the polish and remarkable consistency in his work, and he's made some huge leaps since he graduated from the MFA program at SVA not long ago. It was also interesting to see a recent piece of his for the Deal, an assignment that I turned down. In the past week, I've also turned down Rollingstone, Time magazine, the NY Times, among other jobs. I'm currently trying to make the slow transition back to more personal work . . .
that makes me extremely happy to hear james:D
I immediately saw this as an allusion to Hiroshima. If one visits the International Peace Museum there, you will find the story of the child who died on his trike and the rice paper window with the marks of black rain that fell that awful day.
The endless imitators should ensure that you never get complacent.
But anywho-
I really like this one. It just looks so solid. Dimensional. Really bold.
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