|
 |
info: lifestyle illustrations
|
I have provided innumerable illustrations for newspaper columns and feature, lifestyle, arts, culture and sports articles. The writing has ranged from serious, through frivolous to downright ridiculous. While columns appear regularly (daily or weekly), feature articles usually have a longer shelf life than a news story. An editor can sit on an article until he/she has space, or there's a quiet news day or the subject matter fits a current topic.
This often gives an illustrator a little more time to think up and execute an image. A travel article, for example, may require finding reference information about or images of South East Asian temple architecture. Before the internet, this meant rummaging through books, magazines and travel brochures. Illustrators also have to acquire a considerable visual vocabulary - a mental archive of forms and appearances.
A curious trademark of many of my drawings are the incidental animal observers. The situations I create are often witnessed by fascinated or bemused cats, dogs, goats, birds, snails or fish. How did they get there? What does it all mean? How should I know? |
|
back to the image |
"Greek taverna evening"
newspaper article illustration, ink drawing
This assignment allowed me a touch of self-indulgence. Having spent thousands of happy hours in Greek tavernas and observing the goings-on, now I finally had the chance to put some of my observations down in ink.
In Greece (as in many mediterranean countries) the local restaurant is a marvellous social institution where families and friends meet at the slightest excuse to spend hours eating, drinking, talking and even singing and dancing. The establishments themselves range from the slick professional joints where the prices make the eyes water as much as the mouth, to the humble family-run tavernas. These latter are my favourite, mum or grandma rules the roost in the kitchen while the oldest son plays a Hellenic version of the maitre d' out front, and any number of siblings and cousins may be employed to wash dishes, prepare salads or rush around with plates. Only ignorant foreign tourists break the plates on purpose.
Menus, where they exist at all, may bare little resemblance to what may be on offer that day; and translations into foreign languages can be baffling or hilarious. (One place in Thessalonika appeared to be offering "stuffed sheath's vaginas". Yum yum. We didn't ask.) Luckily the proprietors will happily show you the kitchen where you can point out what takes your fancy.
At their busiest times, some of these eateries seem like organized chaos in action. A wonder to behold and good wholesome fun. Kali orexi! |
|
|
info: lifestyle illustrations |
 |
|
back to the image |
"Pontian humour"
newspaper article illustration, ink drawing
Pontians are the Greeks of "Pontos" on the south-eastern shores of the Black Sea, which is now part of Turkey. Greeks colonists settled here in ancient times, and over the centuries have they have become increasingly isolated from the mainstream of Greek culture. Mostly farmers and fishermen, they have their own distinct
customs, dialects and music.
They are the butt of many jokes in Greece, similar to the jokes told about Irishmen by the English and of the East Frieslanders in Germany. It is a type of humour practiced in many cultures, where the objects are characterized as dimwitted, earthy yokels. Hence, the Pontian woman who is given a washing machine can think of no better use for it than to house her chickens (inside the house), while she continues to do her washing by hand. She is undoubtedly scrubbing away with a huge cake of olive oil soap. I couldn't resist having her hang her pesky husband out to dry. She's obviously not so daft after all. As a disclaimer, I must add that this was not intended as an insult to husbands.
Such jokes are often interchangeable from one culture to another. While we often can't help ourselves laughing at these stories, modern sensibilities and political correctness force us to draw the line at offensive or rascist slurs. Let's raise a glass of retsina to the Pontians, their chickens and their screechy bagpipes. |
|
|
info: lifestyle illustrations |
|
|
back to the image |
| |
the original rough pencil sketch for Nessie |
searching for "Nessie", the Loch Ness Monster
newspaper article illustration, ink & pencil
The search for the legendary leviathian in the unfathomable Scottish lake is one of those hardy perennials of journalism. There always seems to be some bunch of boffins or adventurers being financed by one corporation or another to try out new techniques or theories.
In this article, a technology company had funded such a team and provided their latest hi-tech equipment. Great advertising gimmick. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who's side your on), they didn't manage to net the elusive Nessie. I, for one, was relieved. An incurable anthropomorphist, I imagined her and her sub-aquatic chums having great fun at the humans' expense.
While she and a bespectacled fish gleefully read "The Loch News" (headline: "Human Sighted?"), a submarine periscope,
video camera and sonar device intrude into their moistly murky midst. Somebody has even vainly dangled a movie contract (from Och Aye Films Inc.) as a lure for her. One cute piscean obviously loves the attention.
I gave the boat the name Scotch Mist. In Britain, if you can't find something which is right under your nose, your smartass companion may point to it, with the sarcastic (and purely rhetorical) question: "What's that then, Scotch mist?" Ouch. |
|
|
info: lifestyle illustrations |
|
|
back to the image |
"the Athens marathon"
newspaper article illustration, ink drawing
These days every self-respecting city seems to host an marathon race, and Athens is no exception. Well, it all started here, didn't it?
I tried to imagine the original Marathon runner Phidippides, who ran the 42 kilometres in 490 BC to announce to anxious Athens the victory of its army over the invading Persians. After managing to gasp "victory to us" he dropped dead. Apparently he ran without sponsors' logos or flashy trainers, in fact he may have been totally naked. I have given him a skimpy garment for his modesty and a scroll to symbolize the important message he was carrying. |
|
|
info: lifestyle illustrations |
|
|
back to the image |
"Satori"
newspaper article illustration, ink, gouache & Caran d'Ache
In Buddhist tradition, "satori" is a flash of spiritual enlightment, an idea popularised in modern western culture by writers such as Jack Kerouac.
Originally a black & white pen drawing, this is one of many illustrations done for newspapers & magazines. Deadlines for newspaper illustration are naturally very tight, and building a drawing with uncountable thousands of tiny pen points is madness - or at the very least headache inducing - but very satisfying, and especially suitable for such a subject. With the development of computer graphic techniques it is highly unlikely any newspaper editor will commission such handwork again. Pity.
One of the problems of working to tight deadlines is that after the initial satisfaction of finishing a work, disappointment can set in. "If only I had a little more time I could have done it a bit better." Sometimes one imagines that one day an improved version can be made. But then the next job comes along, and so on. Coming back to this picture after many years, it was difficult to recall the imaginative thread my mind followed as I created it. Could probably use a little satori. |
|
|
info: lifestyle illustrations |
|
|
back to the image |
"Belgian French fries"
newspaper article illustration, ink drawing
homage to Underzo & Goscinny
Pommes frites, french fries, chips, patates tiganites, it's all the same thing. The Belgians eat them smothered in mayonnaise. On reading the article about the sleazy reputation of some purveyors of Belgium's favourite fast food I immediately imagined the hapless pirate in the Asterix comic books. The Gallic dynamic duo Asterix and Obelix (not to mention their ferocious dog) will have nothing to do with his evil-smelling wares. They much prefer a snack of wild boar anyhow.
It may be argued that it would be more fitting to have used Hergé's famous Belgian comic book hero TinTin for this assignment. But at the time he was off somewhere on a secret mission, and anyway I don't remember having seen him eat anything. Strange chap. |
|
|
info: lifestyle illustrations |
|
|
back to the image |
"shopping in Athens"
newspaper article illustration, ink & Letratone
In her weekly column about the frustrations of everyday life in Athens, the author describes the byzantine procedure involved in buying a simple item from a department store. While western countries have long since adopted the American practice of self-service, Greece and many other countries in southern and eastern Europe were stuck in a 19th century consumer time warp.
Here's how to buy a pencil:
First you find the queue for the pencil counter. When you get to the head of the line, you explain to an assistant what you require. She then pulls out drawers full of various pencils which have been cunningly hidden behind her counter to save customers the tedium of browsing. If you are able to find something vaguely approximating what you're looking for and choose it, she then fills out a sales slip which resembles a doctor's prescription.
Then you line up for the cash desk with the sales slip and your money. Meanwhile another assistant has taken your pencil to the wrapping desk where yet another assistant smothers it in paper. On paying for the item, the cash desk assistant gives you a receipt. You have to specify if you want a tax receipt.
Now you can wait in line again to show your receipt to the guardian of the wrapping desk and finally retrieve your purchase.
Got all that?
Congratulations! You have just spent 20 minutes and kept at least four people gainfully employed, and you have a brand new, professionally wrapped pencil. You may also have had to grovel, plead, perform a pantomime or two along the way, but that's just part of the rich and rewarding experience of shopping in Athens.
It's enough to make a grown illustrator weep.
Oh Drat! I forgot to buy an eraser... |
|
|
info: lifestyle illustrations |
|
|
back to the image |
"horse-racing, the sport of kings"
newspaper article illustration, ink & Letratone
According to the article, it should more aptly be
named "the sport of sheiks", given the domination of wealthy Arab racehorse owners in this expensive and lucrative pastime.
Once again I turned the tables on the relationship
between humans and animals, and have the real star of the show, a fine Arab thoroughbred, enjoying the fruits of his success. He stays
cool with a drink and a cigar while humans run at breakneck speed around a track.
I didn't show the humans, that could have got me -
and the horse - into all kinds of trouble. I'll leave you to imagine them. |
|
| Design, images and text copyright © David John 1984 - 2010 |
| to top of page |
|
|
| |
