OCT 2012: ZULUZ!

This is a logo/ character design for the band Zuluz, a surf reggae band from sunny Brazil! Their website is being updated at the moment but you can check out their sounds on Myspace and Facebook. 

OCTOBER 2012: Hardback joy!

It's Arrived!!! I came home earlier to find a parcel with a copy of Kirsten Irving's new poetry book (and it's a signed copy too). That alone is usually cause for celebration except this one has my illustration on the front cover! Good times for you too because you can order yourselves a copy HERE 

SEPT 2012: More Mindshapes illys

This is how it all starts. Here's one of my very vague thumbnails for one of a few banners I had to create for Magic Town. I think I created the other thumbs digitally so only one exists but I thought I'd show how basic an idea can be to get you started. I tend not to do too many iterations (unless I'm asked by a client) especially if I've got a strong idea and ready to roll! 

May 2012: Livebooks for Magic Town

Here are the front covers for the books I created for the 'Aesops' House in Magic Town! I was asked to create the story illustrations for three titles and I'm currently working on the the forth story.
Livebooks are animated story books where kids have an option to watch, read-along and play mini-games themed to the chosen story!

MAY 2012: MAGIC TOWN IS OPEN!

After months of hard work at Mindshapes we finally launched Magic Town this morning!
It's a new virtual world based on picture book characters for young children. It's a ground-breaking way for families to share story time and it's unlike anything you've seen before.

Watch the video HERE for a sneak peak.

Magic Town presents every child with a free story every day, and each child's version of Magic Town is unique and the more kids explore, the more content they will see. 

There is so much great content to add over the next few weeks and months so the work has only just begun. Stop by and check it out :) 

FEB 2012: AFter hours part 1!

I really miss my Sketchoholic sessions but since starting full-time work and doing long commutes home I've found plenty of excuses to not do art after an honest days work. I've recently felt frustrated with my personal work/ ability and put it down to the fact that I'm not being challenged or pushing myself. I need to do more, so it starts with this speed painting (actually there's a few days of miserable attempts to get back into it but they ain't going up!).
I treated myself to Big Huge Games' 'Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning' last week. The Beautiful environments and awesome creature design soon had me inspired and firing up the Wacom! There's some creatures called Bogarts; vicious tribal dudes with wooden masks. This is my Bogart, without it's ritual mask.

FEB 2012: new post of older work

I found an old image I created for Sketchoholic back in 2010. 

JAN 2012..Over half a YEAR of blog silence PART 4! KIRIN BEER!!

AUGUST 2011 saw the SOULFUL CREATIVE create a 'pop-up' Japanese restaurant for Kirin Beer. You can read more about the gig HERE but here is a bit of what I created for the urban-style backdrop to the joint :)
It was created with SPraypaint, acrylics, molotow pens and about a gallon of wallpaper paste. Oh and the bricks in the back? yeah...painted by hand. See the SG blog (mentioned above) for more pics of us hand-painting a million and 5 bricks!

JAN 2012..Over half a YEAR of blog silence PART 3- MINDSHAPES (july 2011)

JULY 2011 saw me take on a full-time role as illustrator and animator for Mindshapes. Check out the site to see what we're all about. There's so much art I have produced that I would love to show off but sadly can't!

BUT I can show you some in-app stuff. Here are a couple of screenshots of my work (the animals I painted here were originally designed by Christian Garland) from the app 'Lingo Zoo'. Its a fun little puzzle app for young children to learn basic spanish words.

JAN 2012..Over half a YEAR of blog silence PART 2 (may/june 2011-ish)

....Around the same time as Upfest I managed to create some new paintings for the Soulful Gallery....

Click HERE to see the new ones plus some other available prints and original paintings!

Click here to see MORE of another painting's progress!

JAN 2012..Over half a YEAR of blog silence PART 1 (UPFEST june 11).

Hi Everybodies!
I've got some serious catching up to do and I'll try and get everything in the right order so here goes....

June 2011 saw myself, Dan Wilson and Koze AKA The Soulful Crew at UPFEST. We had an epic time burning up the place with our massive piece 'Trinity'. Here's some early concepts, the final digital illy and some pics from the day ( All images Copyright Dean Soden/ Soulful Gallery) :

If you are interested here's a few more concepts sketches!