The world of Tron is a dream to work in...

I've always identified with the world of TRON. From the very first time I saw the original film in theatres back in 1982 to the sequel, TRON: Legacy and the fantastic underrated animated series, TRON: Uprising. I'm sure I didn't quite understand all the terminology at the time when I was 10 years old, but I totally understood the concept and what they were trying to achieve with the computer design aesthetic.

For me, TRON: Legacy, lived up tho the hype. Joseph Kosinski is a very visual director - he tells you what you need to know visually rather than using too much exposition or dialog in his films. Check out Oblivion, a veritable feast for the eyes.

When a chance arose to produce an illustration that celebrated the villains in any "Disney" universe, I jumped at the chance to illustrate the main villain, Paige from TRON: Uprising.

TRON: Uprising - Paige Final Design 

Below is my step by step process for the final illustration that is pictured above. First I start with the composition of the main figure, Paige. It took me about 3 hours to get the figure and face right with about 3 revisions of the body/pose.

I drew the head at 200% finished size to allow me to achieve the detail I wanted.

The head would be added to the body using the Photoshop, the above line drawing shows the end result

Final colour version of Paige. Coloured using Photoshop.

Screen Capture of Photoshop File

Next I looked at putting my own design spin on the iconic Recognizer. I sketched out half of the design in pencil, then refined in ink. I knew that the final piece would be completed using Adobe Illustrator so I only needed to draw half of the Recognizer, that way when I flip it in the computer, I get a perfect mirror image, resulting in a symmetrically perfect design.

Drawing only 1/2 of the Recognizer allows me to achieve perfect symmetry when mirrored on the computer.

Complete composite line drawing

Screen Capture of Illustrator File

Final Illustrator artwork for Recognizer - all vector art.

The final design composition was completed using Adobe Indesign. This allows me to move the individual elements around with ease to create a dynamic illustration with depth and shadow. I use separate layers for the background, figures and foreground elements. Below is two alternate design concepts.

The background design is a composite of several different elements blended together to create "The Grid". The row of guards in the second image above were generated directly using Adobe Illustrator - duplicated for the purpose of creating an instant army. I developed two different guard designs but only ended up using the one style.

(Black) Guard Design drawn directly in Adobe Illustrator

Black Guard Army

Design Background Composition

When creating artwork, I enjoy using different mediums. I enjoy the process of sketching out designs by hand and then rendering in ink, scanning the line drawing into Photoshop and utilising digital colouring techniques to bring out the vibrancy of the figure drawing. I also enjoy the precision that Adobe Illustrator brings to vector line drawing - the TRON Recognizer vehicle took me a few hours to complete.

Even though the end result is produced using a computer, my illustration work often has a humble beginning at my drawing table...

Where it all usually begins...

...

Damian K. Sheiles

Substance - A Graphic Novel

I've been brushing up on my drawing skills and experimenting with a few different techniques over the last month or so. This is all in preparation for two projects; an original graphic novel which I'm currently doing the treatment for and a handful of small watercolour character pieces to sell online.

The original graphic novel tentatively titled "Substance" will be a long term project with an estimated completion date of late 2020. As the story takes place over three different time periods, I want to adopt three different illustration techniques, one for each time period, to ground the viewer in that moment. Below is a test piece for an as yet undetermined chapter title page;

Chapter Title Page

Substance is a large-scale and long-term project. It has been swimming around in the back of my mind for many years now. It is ambitious and ambiguous and that is why I have allowed such a lengthy amount of time to complete it. It tells a BIG story in a very intimate and grandiose way. It is comprised of truths and lies. It is tragedy and triumph. It is a commentary on the human spirit, perception, reality and fantasy. It is semi auto-biographic. It is an abstract distortion of my story. It is very personal and important to me.

I'll share more images and panels here at my blog as milestones are achieved in an attempt to document this journey...

Damian K. Sheiles

The Anatomy of a Song - Chasing Dragons

I thought I'd share a few different ways of looking at music or the anatomy of a song.

The song I've chosen to dissect in a visual / prose way is 'Chasing Dragons'. This visual point of view is a different way of looking at music. It doesn't go into how I created the song or the process behind tracking, mixing and mastering. It is art for art's sake.

The image below illustrates how the song has been tracked in my DAW of choice, Adobe Audition 3.0. This image to me becomes art in own terms and has it's own pleasing aesthetic.

Chasing Dragons - tracked in Adobe Audition 3.0

The following image represents the song exported as an individual master track and again has it's own visual aesthetic, unique only to this song.

Chasing Dragons - exported as an individual master track

Here, I present a promotional piece piece of art that gets to the heart of the song's symbolism.

Chasing Dragons - promotional artwork

Finally, the lyrics for the song which completes the prose component of this blog post. This was one of the most challenging lyrics I've ever written. At completion, I was quite satisfied with the rhyming structure that carries throughout all the verses.

Chasing Dragons

There’s an arcade in town that’s hidden away

You can only find it when the sky is grey

To get past the man you have to know what to say

With a tip of your hat down the spiral stairway

Deeper and deeper past rot and decay

Through the old iron gate by the statues of clay

Your sharp trained eyes view the inferno dante

Patrons and dealers open risque

So you slip it away, slip it away

Takers givers, hazy blue smoke ballet

Think yourself part of the underground cliché

It’s the last time, the last plunge into the fray

Fumbling through pockets for the secret sachet

So many times that you’ve become blasé

Go on treat yourself like it’s your birthday

Head in your hands, eyes closed and body sway

Colourful dreams take hold like rainbow puree

And you’re drifting away, drifting away

You’re there cos’ you need it

You know that you want it

Your wish is to have it

Give in and you take it

You’re there cos’ you need it

You know that you want it

Your wish is to have it

Give in and you take it

The ultimate thrill to keep the dragons at bay

Chasing the illusion, see the world in x-ray

Everything’s better when you see it this way

Beware the night, friends and who they portray

You’re caught in a loop rewind and replay

The morning light rises – it must be Tuesday

Your senses prevail don’t want to obey

So you give it away, give it away

You’re here cos’ you need it

You know that you want it

Your wish is to have it

Give in and you take it

You’re there cos’ you need it

You know that you want it

Your wish is to have it

Give in and you take it

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You can hear the song 'Chasing Dragons' at the Triple J Unearthed site.
http://www.triplejunearthed.com/DamianKSheiles
Feel free to leave any comments there or rate my songs.

Best wishes,

Damian :)