Computer Arts Gallery: December 2006

MARCH CASTLE
LOCATION Hertfordshire, UK
JOB Freelance illustrator
CONTACT www.needleandlead.co.uk
SOFTWARE Photoshop

March Castle is a freelance illustrator who recently graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design and Illustration.

"I only recently started to see illustration as a viable career," she says. "As a recent graduate, I have a lot of self-promotion to do, which I find scary and exciting."

Although digital tools undoubtedly enhance the finish and quality of her work, all of March's illustrations begin with pencil and paper. "I still find that is the most instinctive way to get my ideas across," she says. "However, I also use Photoshop, which is indispensable for refining, composing and colouring much of my work."

March is influenced by cultures and processes, rather than individual styles and passing trends. "I am frequently drawn to Japanese popular culture, the myths of ancient Greece, and anything that has an element of mystery and depth to it," she says.

AIRPORT "A mural designed to inspire debate on recent plans to expand London Luton airport. I chose to represent Luton town as a figure besieged by the change and intrusion wrought by the expansion."

MARCH CASTLE
LOCATION Hertfordshire, UK
JOB Freelance illustrator
CONTACT www.needleandlead.co.uk
SOFTWARE Photoshop

March Castle is a freelance illustrator who recently graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design and Illustration.

"I only recently started to see illustration as a viable career," she says. "As a recent graduate, I have a lot of self-promotion to do, which I find scary and exciting."

Although digital tools undoubtedly enhance the finish and quality of her work, all of March's illustrations begin with pencil and paper. "I still find that is the most instinctive way to get my ideas across," she says. "However, I also use Photoshop, which is indispensable for refining, composing and colouring much of my work."

March is influenced by cultures and processes, rather than individual styles and passing trends. "I am frequently drawn to Japanese popular culture, the myths of ancient Greece, and anything that has an element of mystery and depth to it," she says.

AN ALLERGY TO MODERN LIFE "These images are taken from a series of illustrations inspired by the difficulties of modern life, collected together in the format of a mock religious text."

NEIL HORNER
LOCATION London, UK
JOB Design consultant
CONTACT www.imageynation.com
SOFTWARE Photoshop, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Illustrator and 3ds Max

When he was 26, design consultant Neil Horner worked as a head chef in a restaurant. He enjoyed his job, but decided to try and create a career path that he was more passionate about - art and design.

"I worked full time as a chef and also picked up a National Diploma course in Art & Design," Neil remembers. "Undertaking a fulltime job and a full-time course was tiring, but it paid off and it led to my acceptance into the London Institute for Art & Design, where I studied for a degree in Animation & Illustration."

After his graduation, Neil started working at the BBC, but later left to start up as a freelance designer for a range of big-name clients. "I am now 30, have started to venture into the music video industry and have also recently started my own small design company," he says. "It's a far cry from my days as a chef."

So what's his design philosophy? "I believe you are only as good as your last piece of work, and it is therefore important to select the right projects, those that will keep you inspired and you can be proud to add to your portfolio," says Neil. "I am not in this business just to make a quick profit."

MUSIC VIDEO "I have been trying to break into the music video industry for a while now, and it was a very tough nut to crack. After many rejections I was finally offered the chance to work with an unsigned band from Aardvark Records. I tried to give the CGI and the live action for the If I Look I See You video an animated look. I didn't have the budget to create an on-stage set, so I knew I would have to create the whole environment in 3D animation, and film the band in live action against greenscreen. I decided to paint the band's faces black and white so that when I keyed out the greenscreen, they would blend more naturally with the 3D environment. Shortly after the video was created, the band was signed by the record studio and the single (and video) will be released this month."

NEIL HORNER
LOCATION London, UK
JOB Design consultant
CONTACT www.imageynation.com
SOFTWARE Photoshop, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Illustrator and 3ds Max

When he was 26, design consultant Neil Horner worked as a head chef in a restaurant. He enjoyed his job, but decided to try and create a career path that he was more passionate about - art and design.

"I worked full time as a chef and also picked up a National Diploma course in Art & Design," Neil remembers. "Undertaking a fulltime job and a full-time course was tiring, but it paid off and it led to my acceptance into the London Institute for Art & Design, where I studied for a degree in Animation & Illustration."

After his graduation, Neil started working at the BBC, but later left to start up as a freelance designer for a range of big-name clients. "I am now 30, have started to venture into the music video industry and have also recently started my own small design company," he says. "It's a far cry from my days as a chef."

So what's his design philosophy? "I believe you are only as good as your last piece of work, and it is therefore important to select the right projects, those that will keep you inspired and you can be proud to add to your portfolio," says Neil. "I am not in this business just to make a quick profit."

MUSIC VIDEO "I have been trying to break into the music video industry for a while now, and it was a very tough nut to crack. After many rejections I was finally offered the chance to work with an unsigned band from Aardvark Records. I tried to give the CGI and the live action for the If I Look I See You video an animated look. I didn't have the budget to create an on-stage set, so I knew I would have to create the whole environment in 3D animation, and film the band in live action against greenscreen. I decided to paint the band's faces black and white so that when I keyed out the greenscreen, they would blend more naturally with the 3D environment. Shortly after the video was created, the band was signed by the record studio and the single (and video) will be released this month."

ALAN CAMPBELL
LOCATION Edinburgh, UK
JOB Graphic designer/illustrator
CONTACT www.emohoc.co.uk
SOFTWARE Photoshop

Originally from Dundee, 27-year-old Alan Campbell is graphic designer who graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 2001 with a BDes Hons in Graphic Design.

"My style is quite bold and my work tends to be mainly character-based, using found elements combined with sketches, photos, textures and various other media, which is all brought together in Photoshop," he reveals. "I spend time creating textures and sketching and then build the piece up slowly, making a digital image look as if it's been painted."

HARD WORK NEVER KILLED ANYONE "This is one of a series of images based around motivational proverbs and rhymes you learn through life to help you mature and grow. It was designed for an art exhibition with the theme of 'growth'. I wanted to communicate the idea that computer viruses can be deadly in the right hands."

ALAN CAMPBELL
LOCATION Edinburgh, UK
JOB Graphic designer/illustrator
CONTACT www.emohoc.co.uk
SOFTWARE Photoshop

Originally from Dundee, 27-year-old Alan Campbell is graphic designer who graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 2001 with a BDes Hons in Graphic Design.

"My style is quite bold and my work tends to be mainly character-based, using found elements combined with sketches, photos, textures and various other media, which is all brought together in Photoshop," he reveals. "I spend time creating textures and sketching and then build the piece up slowly, making a digital image look as if it's been painted."

DARK SIDE "Photoshop helps me to achieve a much more painted/textured effect than vector, and gives me the freedom I need to allow my artwork to change and grow from concept through to completion."

RAMI AFIFI
LOCATION Amman, Jordan
JOB Graphic designer/illustrator
CONTACT http://ramidesign.kattan.org
SOFTWARE Photoshop and Illustrator

"I lived in Saudi Arabia for most of my life, which provided me with enough boredom to master Photoshop, which in turn propelled me into the field of graphic design," says young graphic designer/illustrator Rami Afifi.

"I always wanted to be a cartoonist, but in the end turned to graphic design," he says. "I moved to England to attend college at the Arts Institute in Bournemouth, where I learned all about drinking, partying, girls and graffiti! All four influenced my work, whether it was to promote parties or club nights, get my work seen, or to impress attractive young ladies."

Having worked on a range of freelance projects since his graduation, Rami has been working to develop his Illustrator skills, and a unique style of his own. "England has provided me with many influences, including artists such as Jon Burgerman, Mr. Jago and Rich T," he says. "You couldn't get away with that kind of art in the Middle East."

Rami now lives in Jordan and works as a graphic designer for Publicis Graphics where, in his words, he sells his soul to the corporate world. "I dream of freelancing for anyone interesting," he says. "Nintendo, Sony, MTV…"

MONSTERS "These were the first images that I created purely for the sake of aesthetics. I simply took characters that I had drawn by hand in my sketchbooks and then digitised them by re-drawing them in Illustrator. Prints of these images were sold at Exhibit A3, alongside work from artists including John Preece, Richard Turnbull, James Chambers and Jon Burgerman."

RAMI AFIFI
LOCATION Amman, Jordan
JOB Graphic designer/illustrator
CONTACT http://ramidesign.kattan.org
SOFTWARE Photoshop and Illustrator

"I lived in Saudi Arabia for most of my life, which provided me with enough boredom to master Photoshop, which in turn propelled me into the field of graphic design," says young graphic designer/illustrator Rami Afifi.

"I always wanted to be a cartoonist, but in the end turned to graphic design," he says. "I moved to England to attend college at the Arts Institute in Bournemouth, where I learned all about drinking, partying, girls and graffiti! All four influenced my work, whether it was to promote parties or club nights, get my work seen, or to impress attractive young ladies."

Having worked on a range of freelance projects since his graduation, Rami has been working to develop his Illustrator skills, and a unique style of his own. "England has provided me with many influences, including artists such as Jon Burgerman, Mr. Jago and Rich T," he says. "You couldn't get away with that kind of art in the Middle East."

Rami now lives in Jordan and works as a graphic designer for Publicis Graphics where, in his words, he sells his soul to the corporate world. "I dream of freelancing for anyone interesting," he says. "Nintendo, Sony, MTV…"

MONSTERS "These were the first images that I created purely for the sake of aesthetics. I simply took characters that I had drawn by hand in my sketchbooks and then digitised them by re-drawing them in Illustrator. Prints of these images were sold at Exhibit A3, alongside work from artists including John Preece, Richard Turnbull, James Chambers and Jon Burgerman."

ROBERTO CONTI
LOCATION Brescia, Italy
JOB Designer/illustrator
CONTACT www.imho.cc
SOFTWARE InDesign, Illustrator, FreeHand, Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver

Roberto Conti, is a 27-year-old freelance visual designer based in Brescia, Italy. He graduated from Milan's NABA (New Academy of Fine Arts) back in 2004.

"I have been working in desktop publishing graphics for a couple of years and have developed new projects for several publishing houses," he says. "My keen interest in bird watching and botany urges my search for details, which I then transfer into the vectors on which I base my images. I keep assembling the compositions until I find the whole design agreeable and satisfactory."

Work aside, Roberto is has also co-ordinated a range of contemporary art shows, electronic music gigs and cultural events. "I am also trying to launch a new communication company named GLITCH (www.glitchvisual.com) and a fashion-design office (www.kakitree.com) with a group of friends."

THAISCAME "This exotic vector illustration was created with the hope of transferring it to a textile design or T-shirt. I worked using InDesign and Illustrator."

ROBERTO CONTI
LOCATION Brescia, Italy
JOB Designer/illustrator
CONTACT www.imho.cc
SOFTWARE InDesign, Illustrator, FreeHand, Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver

Roberto Conti, is a 27-year-old freelance visual designer based in Brescia, Italy. He graduated from Milan's NABA (New Academy of Fine Arts) back in 2004.

"I have been working in desktop publishing graphics for a couple of years and have developed new projects for several publishing houses," he says. "My keen interest in bird watching and botany urges my search for details, which I then transfer into the vectors on which I base my images. I keep assembling the compositions until I find the whole design agreeable and satisfactory."

Work aside, Roberto is has also co-ordinated a range of contemporary art shows, electronic music gigs and cultural events. "I am also trying to launch a new communication company named GLITCH (www.glitchvisual.com) and a fashion-design office (www.kakitree.com) with a group of friends."

TRASH "A vector illustration based on the concept that graphics can be found everywhere and images are very important in our present society. It was created using InDesign and FreeHand."