During my final semester at university I worked on a project about Sorrow; the meaning and interpretations of the word using various media presented as a collection of sub-projects. It's for my final major project at university (the big one) and I've made this short film which accompanies my hand-in.

I thought I'd share it to give you a brief insight into what I've been working on these past 4/5 months and what I handed in. This isn't my entire project but a summary of the main part.

I'm really pleased with my final submission and I've certainly had fun experimenting with new things such as conceptual product design, book-making and I even made an experimental film. 
I hope you like it, any feedback or questions are always welcome.

Thanks!

For the project I researched many things - one of which was a book called 'The Van Gogh Blues' by Eric Maisel. This inspired a sub-project which consisted of several conceptual product designs which came together as this experimental film.

The idea behind the film is that it's like a very brief insight into the life of a creative person who suffers from depression. I'm not a filmmaker, I've never made something like this before, but I'm really pleased with the way it turned out.

I hope you like it, any feedback or questions are always welcome.

Music by me.

'A sorrowful sketchbook of sorts'

An illustrated collection of previous work and brand new work; sketches, photographs, collage, paint, ink, pencil, and even a little bit of poetry.

‘While Await Me Only Worms' is a semi-fictitious collection of drawings based around the origins of Halloween; set in a town where it was believed that wearing costumes and following rituals would chase away bad spirits.

These spirits would come out in the Autumn/fall and choose people to take their place in the afterlife. It was believed that there was no peace in the afterlife, only in death. 

It’s 16 printed pages of graphite drawings which has been in the works for several months now. I’m really pleased with it - it’s great to see it all together as a finished piece.

Click here to buy it! 

A work in progress project:

A series of images based on the origins of Halloween and old photography. Soon to be made into a limited edition zine.

This 3 image project explores the idea that these creatures, though considered to be myths or legends, are in fact real and they are alone. Being a one-of-a-kind, man-eating, bringer of doom can really take its toll and sometimes everyone just gets a little lonesome.

Each creature, based on real myth and legend is seen in their natural habitat, offering up the meat of our kind’s brave explorers to a potential lover or friend.

The meat rots, the days drag on… but nobody shows.

I also designed the logo for Cake And Ale; an Aberdeen-based gig organiser who I did the poster (above) for.

This is a piece I created for The Manifold Magazine for their 'Anonymous' issue. The piece is about how internet anonymity allows a single person to take on various alter-egos. 

An illustration for Spindle Magazine's 'Position Of The Week'. 

This illustration was fun because I was able to take the character way out of the gym and place him in the woods.

Plus owls.

Plus beards.

'The Opposite Of Hallelujah' is a three part series of digital drawings based around interpretations of the word 'Sorrow' from people and song lyrics.

Each image is designed to be flipped to portray a different message.

I made a design for a bottle of gin based on the song ‘Sorrow’ by The National. I love this song and its lyrics and I’ve wanted to do some work based on it for a while. One day I had this idea and had to execute it.

This bottle is not a real product and not associated with The National in any way. It is an homage and a single piece of artwork.

Lyrics by Matthew D. Berninger, Aaron B. Dessner

Definition of 'Sorrow' by the Oxford English Dictionary.

This is a piece I did for Discorder; a magazine based in Vancouver, Canada. It's about pre-marriage season dread so I created a piece in which the subject is caught between a loving couple. 

Written by Bob Woolsey. Illustration on the right by Rob Ondzik.

Here’s a piece I did for Amelia’s Magazine - an image that, for me, sums up the music of Marissa Nadler; beautifully melancholic. 

I enjoyed doing this, combining music and illustration.

Check out the article here! (It also features great work from other illustrators)

My entry to the Penguin/Puffin book cover design competition 2013.