Jess Linares Artwork

Big Deal. Huge deal...

2012-02-08T15:52:00.003Z

The music video I art directed a few weeks ago is here. It's for duo Big Deal's great track Talk. I loved dressing the interiors for this video (As posted a few weeks ago). There were so many beautiful dusty knick-knacks and hazy glassed trinkets- and it all translates so nicely in this simple dream-like video. Check it out here.

http://www.rollingstone.com/videos/new-and-hot/big-deal-talk-20120207

And look out for my woolly socks on the radiator! It's the little things in life...

Comments welcome as always.

Art directing mini budgets and short circuits

2012-02-07T16:52:00.008Z

Last week saw me foraging the streets of London for nice bits of cardboard, ducting pipe to fit a male thigh and the perfect shade of matte robot-blue spray paint. Intrigued? You should be. Seye Adelekan's music video for his yummy track White Noise is currently in the edit room. Art direction and props by yours truly, with a spare pair of helping hands from my assistant and fab designer Alice Roche. Watch this space for stills from the shoot coming soon...

1 magical organ, 3 rolls of purple velvet and ONE HELLUVA LOT of Cadbury's chocolate buttons....

2012-01-23T17:40:00.004Z

Last month I was working alongside the very talented team of prop makers at special effects and prop studio Hothouse building this magnificent chocolate fountain for Cadbury's as a marketing attraction to be installed at several locations across the country beginning at Westfield's White City. The 'Joyville' musical fountain features velvet covered cliffs, cascading edible chocolate, bubbling pools of coco and a magical Cadbury's organ for a photo opportunity. Wonderful.

Although I am sick of the sight of purple and just LOOKING a giant chocolate button induces a breakout of hives... Bring on Easter.

Take a load off...

2012-01-17T21:51:00.004Z

So whilst I was doing my stint at Hothouse I took the opportunity to make a little something for my website homepage. (Long overdue I know...) I adore the aesthetics that surround the era of the 70's; the furniture, the patterns/prints, the icons, music and wanted to instil a little of this 'retro' element into the site. Starting with this little chair. Its made from various materials: sheet aluminium, chemi-wood, a bit of wadding, an old cotton skirt of mine and card.

It's loosely based on a chair my dad refused to part with for many years to my disgust. Eventually it began to grow on me and remains to this day, battered and tattered, taking pride of place in his office! Bless...

Really takes the biscuit...

2011-12-25T23:48:00.002Z

I spent the day on Friday making gingerbread cookies. Popped the decorated biscuits in Kilmer jars and finished with wooden pendant, tags and ribbon for a pretty Christmas present.

Big Deal

2011-12-18T22:39:00.004Z

Working Monday and Tuesday this week set dressing for a music video for boy-girl duet Big Deal for their new track Talk. Here are some pics from the shoot... until i can unveil more...

Big Heat

2011-12-01T12:51:00.004Z

I'm spending a while hanging out at prop making/ special effects studio Hothouse in North London for a couple of weeks. The match stick prop below modelled on a real match (scaled 1:10) was made from Chemiwood. Fabulous material. No grain, sand-able, carve-able, bendable, pliable, flammable...

Thank Yew Cards...

2011-11-27T02:06:00.003Z

Some thank you cards featuring little paper autumn leaves I made today...

And Another Thing...

2011-11-25T17:37:00.009Z

So I'm rifling through my mac with a cup of tea and keep stumbling upon heaps of old work for previous projects which I hadn't posted. For one reason or another. So I figure since I can't post any of the work I'm working on at the moment here are some playful sketches in prep for my earlier Bonnie and Clyde project which lead up to the final paper models installation.

I had set up a blog specifically to follow said project. thepublicsenemy.blogspot.com

Vaguely informative but FAR too much garble for my liking... consider these the best bits.

This last image pictures some of the final models featured in the exhibit.

The Red House

2011-11-25T17:07:00.007Z

Like I said... a red house.

These two paper models were a pair of quick maquettes. Originally ideas for a client website homepage back in June. A few months later I fell in love with this delightful little red house on a trip to Barcelona. Uncanny huh?

The Greedy Little Mouse

2011-11-25T16:57:00.003Z

The following images are two unfinished spreads for a children's pop-up book I developed a couple of years ago. It's a narrative rhyming verse and is only about 6 pages long. It tells the story of a greedy little Parisian mouse who eats himself to a sorry end. Will post some more photos of the other pop-up spreads when I get a descent camera... All made in paper. As always. With a little watercolour thrown in for good measure.

Another (telegraph) Post

2011-11-16T16:51:00.003Z

Tiled terraced house with tall telegraph pole at twilight. Representing the letter T for a typography exercise.

Button, button who's got the button. A V&A Collaboration

2011-08-23T15:36:00.010+01:00

This is a project that my very good pal and super-slick graphic designer Johnny Isaacs of Oh Momma! and I did a few years back. Looking at the photos on his fab site got me all nostalgic and reminded me of our awesome collaboration. (A more in depth, and frankly better, breakdown of the project can be found on his site!)

The idea was to create a branding campaign to advertise the fashion exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington with a specific emphasis on enticing a new and younger audience to it's doors. After the flinging about of some absurd ideas we decided upon beginning with a guerilla campaign featuring over-sized dress maker's tools being placed in prominent locations about town to stir curiosity and intrigue amongst it's spectators and represent the V&A with a playful and appealing element of interactivity.

Looking reel-y cool on Brick Lane. Sorry couldn't resist.

Surreal sensation in textiles quarter Spitalfield's Square

Causing a commotion in Carnaby Street...

These object were sooo fun to make and after hunting for gym balls, inhaling impressive doses of gold spray paint, honing in on our bargaining-for-furniture skills and juggling budgets, the finished articles looked fantastic and wonderfully bizarre. Kids and adults alike would stop in their tracks to photograph, touch and play. We couldn't have had a better response!

The props were then later hauled to a studio and photographed to become posters.

The semi-finished posters sans Photoshop finishing touches...

Throughout the development stages of the project Johnny and I became increasingly aware that in order to bring an audience to the museum, it was equally important to bring a bit of the museum to the people too. This lead to the creation of promotional material such as these give-away USB sticks.

These would contain information on the exhibit, a map, promotions and an opening short animation which featured the iconic golden thread, a prominent feature throughout the campaign. I constructed the two prototypes for these from real cotton reels.

All in all the campaign consisted of 'pop-up' installations, USB give-aways, an animation and a series of posters for bus stops, underground stations etc.

Oh and some free t-shirts for me and Johnny that we made with the spare spray paint. Good times.

Monty Python's Graham Chapman Stop-Motion Feature

2011-08-17T15:13:00.010+01:00

This is what I have been working on...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/movies/graham-chapman-tribute-from-monty-python.html?_r=1

http://www.projectchapman3d.com/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts

Last week I was working as a model-maker for the set build of this VERY COOL stop-frame feature called A Liar's Autobiography which is set to be released in cinemas in April of 2012 in 3D.

Can't post any photos but will upload bits as soon as I am able...

Intimacy Dies

2011-07-20T19:08:00.013+01:00

Now for something a little different to my usual posts... these photos were taken during the shoot for a music video directed by Matt Cummins for shit hot band KTD for their song Intimacy Dies

I was asked to put together the costume department here and created the card-board claws, crab-claw necklace and some other bits and bobs you see below.

Interesting task done on a severely modest budget which meant being as resourceful as possible with cheap materials for maximum on-screen delight.

The video is currently in its editing stages... will keep you posted.

Thanks fellas for a great day and especially to director Matthew Cummins and off course KTD.

Stay tuned....

By the gun

2011-06-11T14:09:00.006+01:00

This was essentially an exercise in model-making using with paper and card. The basis of the project was the story of Bonnie parker and Clyde Barrow; all 34 models are replicas of buildings and locations the couple visited or robbed, weapons they used, clothes they wore and the car they were shot down in in the ambush of 1934. The black and white colour scheme attempts to reference the newspaper clippings, early video footage and monochromatic photographs of the deadly duo which I came across during my lengthy research. Projected on the models was 2 minutes of newsreel footage shot moments after the death of Bonnie and Clyde. Casting some interesting shadows and providing the exhibit with an eerie news reporter's commentary describing the bloody scene brings life to the models.

Really enjoyed this, however must make a note to pick more upbeat and less grotesque topics to spend months researching in future...

Ray-guns, goat heads and My Chemical Romance

2011-06-11T13:28:00.007+01:00

So some time earlier this year (forget when exactly) I helped out with the making of these 80's Sci-Fi/ Bowie-esque ray guns and masks for a promotional music video for that band My Chemical Romance filmed at the O2 Angel for song Planetary (Go!). Yes that's me with a goat head. No I don't know why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvfNmXbVHi4

TV

2011-03-22T17:20:00.003Z

This is a small model TV I made from paper and card for a little fun. Nothing too serious [as you can tell from the terrible photography.]

Hobbs 1981 Limited Shoe Collection

2011-03-21T21:34:00.005Z

Final images for Hobbs 1981 accompanied by original designs of each shoe provided by Hobbs in-house design team.

Bed, Hobbs and Deathsticks

2011-03-14T12:18:00.002Z

For the past two or three days I've done nothing but wake up and wrack my brains for a solutions to this Hobbs problem. I've sat in front of my work-covered wall with a cigarette in hand for hours upon hours wondering what will look better as a finished article, what will look fantastic blown up, what will look quintessentially 'Hobbs' and hint a little of the 80's?

The difficulties lies with the following 1. Paint or paper cut out? Paper cut out looks neat, but will it look too digital? Paint looks nice, if a little fussy, until a digital gradient back is dropped in and then it looks catastrophic. 2. Background. Perhaps it should be one solid colour? Or a gradient. And if a graded colour looks best, do I do this by hand or on Photoshop? Cigarettes finished, I've now taken to raiding the fridge...

Hobbs: a little fine tuning

2011-03-02T19:52:00.002Z

What your seeing here are the first sketches for the final images. Some of them need to be worked on as I've done them from my head so they'll be corrected using reference material. A few more still to go and then I'll blow them up and begin to introduce some colour with paper cut-out. As usual. [The 1981 on the black cab and phone box roughs will be subtly graded into the shadows somehow. It looks a little naff at the minute.]

HOBBS: turning back time...

2011-03-02T18:50:00.012Z

So after scrapping the idea to include a whole figure - it's about the shoes so we don't need to see the rest- I've decided to go for a simplistic style with simple lines and lovely thick drop shadows. I was inspired on finding some great Metropolis posters and reckon this with an Abram Games take on composition could look pretty sweet. Retro- check, chic- check, unfussy-check! Its also perfect to use for some great close-ups on the chunky heels and in conjunction with some 80's movie poster-style typography.

Time machine idea again a little refined but still in very early stages. This is still an option although I'm starting to think it'll look a little more archaic and won't scream 1980's. Which is kind of the point really...

This time machine sketch was born from the idea of transforming an old shoe from the 80's with the passing of time. I'm thinking ticking clocks, turning cogs, spinning wheels and hour glasses both in illustration and some sort of moving installation for the window display....

Apparently Hobb's love their circles. I try to please.

Developing a drawing technique here... i've got the calf and foot down to about two lines and a carefully placed squiggle...

These illustrations are taken from my latest sketchbook for a job for Hobbs. The brief is to launch the company's 30 year anniversary promotion where the designers have taken six shoes sold in the 1981 collection and reinvented them for today's Hobb's woman. Illustrations will be used for vinyls on window displays, swing tags for shoes, wallpaper, tissue paper. Above are some examples of working out how to best portray the elements of femininity, classic elegance, and Britishness (all things Hobb's are known for) as well as reflecting the idea that the company is celebrating its birthplace in the 80's. Fun project. Plus shoes are utterly fab.

A Dogs Heart Animation

2011-02-10T14:52:00.006Z

So the final stop-motion number for Bulgakov's novel Heart of a Dog has finally been completed. (UPLOAD PENDING)

I'd been working on this project for a while so is very satisfying to see it all come together- puppets, penises and all! The music is a Russian / Ukranian folk song which I think is the absolute perfect jingle for this bizarre little morsel of depravity.

And some 'making of' photographs....

I took to my dad's garage to create the mechanical puppets with flat sheet light

aluminium, nuts, bolts, screws, car paint... pretty much anything my dad had lying around.

An experiment of my own I would say...

Experiments and tryouts

Shooting the animation. In my front room.

HOME is where the HEART is.

2010-11-22T19:39:00.004Z

Images for recent little job done in paper cut out with marker, pencil, liner.... bit of glue. God awful scans- will put nicer ones up very soon.

The Room

2010-10-25T23:36:00.002+01:00

Self-explanatory really. This room is all made from paper cut out with a few details like drop shadows and so forth are done in chalk and water-based marker.

The Mad Doctor 1933

2010-09-23T18:09:00.001+01:00

During my research for this Bulgakov project I couldn't help but think of this Mickey Mouse short released in 1933.

The Heart of a Dog

2010-09-21T21:47:00.013+01:00

Currently doing a little loose work for Bulgakov's short novel 'The Heart of a Dog' set in Moscow. The stories sees stray dog Sharikov slowly turn into a man with chaotic consequences as a result of an experimental operation in which the pituitary gland and testicles of a dead man are transplanted to the dog by Dr Philip Philipovich. Getting excited about it!

This last image is more of an experiment in gouache. Its unfinished but so it still needs a little work. Cathedral in the upper section and dog needs a penis... that sort of thing.

Tying the Knot

2010-08-29T13:47:00.004+01:00

I was asked to produce to small illustrations for a client wedding invite recently. (Well actually a few months back but there you go...)

Off to a flying start?

2010-05-20T20:12:00.002+01:00

The new cover for Flyboys...

Flyboys: Test run

2010-04-03T16:13:00.005+01:00

Last month I began work on a new childrens storybook which I am calling Flyboys. It was my eves-dropping on a kid telling his friend to 'stop being silly' because it was impossible to fly, that lead to the creation of the basic plot. I then did a little research and found myself intruigued by the Wright brothers. Later a trip to the Science museum resulted in the story of Orville and Wilbur, two brother who always dreamed of flying. Encouraged by a bet with the school bully the little boys set out to learn how to fly; trying out all sorts of odd things from feathered wings to drinking fizzy pop to make them lighter than air. The plot is set out over the space of a week and is written in a ditty narrative rhyming verse. Off course as in all good stories- the dreamers succeed after much hard work, the bully loses and all ends well. Below are a few of the initial concept drawings, character sketches and colour tryouts in prep. As per usual comments are much appreciated!

This is Your Kingdom

2010-04-03T14:33:00.003+01:00

The website which has had my hands full with illustrating tea pots and Union Jacks for the past months has now gone live... See it at http://www.thisisyourkingdom.co.uk/.

In the pipeline

2010-02-26T16:55:00.003Z

I'm currently working on a project for a lifestyle company which is currently building the site ready to launch later this month. Ive been working alongside a wonderful group of people for the past five months to create a site with a contemporary, twee, English-country feel to it with. I cant share too much info (or visuals) at the moment but needless to say its a very exciting prospect so i'll keep you posted on the launch!

Mr Client

2010-02-26T15:57:00.004Z

This was for a project for my university during the summer. Something to do with creating a dictionary of artsy terminology for new students... and if my memory serves me right I was given "Client" to illustrate. The Mr. Client bloke gives it away I think. The final product was produced in greyscale due to the shallow pockets of the university!

An old dear

2010-01-23T14:39:00.004Z

I see this post as a digital blowing-away of the cobwebs since I haven't posted anything for quite a lengthy about of time. I've been very busy since the end of summer with some top-secret stuff which meant my updates had to be put on the back burner. However I also realised I would never forgive myself if I went without making a January post so, granted a bit of a cop-out, here are a few pictures of a clay model from a while back accompanied by the promise of regular uploads this year.

Cartoon for MissBee

2009-09-17T18:58:00.004+01:00

Another little job to do a cartoon for jazz/soul singer MissBee. I started with a few hand drawn sketches- chose this particular one and then ventured into Photoshop for a bit of educational fun. As always comments are greatly appreciated!

Blues Logo Complete

2009-09-06T16:13:00.003+01:00

Coming back to the little blues-band job I was doing for 2DA: here are the what the later sketches became.

This is the final image that 2 Dreads + an Afro have decided to use for their band logo.

The above two images were other alternative suggestions in colour.

The gold came about quite accidentally while fiddling with adjustments in

Photoshop- but I kind of like it! And it could look real nice on a record sleeve

or the record itself etc.

Its Aliiiiiiiive!

2009-08-26T12:12:00.003+01:00

Thanks to the talented Miss Penni Ralph, my piece for "friendship", along with a few pieces from other collegues have now gone live on the online zine Creaturemag website and can be seen at http://www.creaturemag.com/blog/?p=67

Blues Logo

2009-08-15T15:04:00.006+01:00

Currently working a logo for a band called 2 Dreads and an Afro. These are the starter doodles for that.

Making life taste better.

2009-08-12T23:00:00.005+01:00

Illustrating "Friendship" using the image of salt and pepper mills. Because they just look pathetically lonely when theyre seen on their own! Created with paper cutout and paint marker.

Storyboards doodling/

2009-07-10T17:15:00.004+01:00

This week I've been getting some work experience at Soho based advertising company Storyboards Harpers Ltd. during which I exercised my barely-there Photoshop skills and whizzed a few fine liner doodles into the programme to add a splash of colour and have a general play about. (I found some cuban looking buildings to get me in the mood for my trip to Havana!) I've also been formally aquainted with a Mac. About time too.

More Empire

2009-06-26T12:45:00.003+01:00

These are just a few more roughly placed concept pieces created on the build-up to my models investigating pattern, shadow and colour application.

More Empire

2009-05-22T14:32:00.007+01:00

These are 2d development tryouts for my models. The feedback i got from this particular image was that it still felt a bit "cartoony" and needed to look a bit less like a cbeebies set. Since then ive done a couple more: photocopied some drawings onto accetate, painted on the back of these and placed these onto some new backgrounds with more collage than previously seen.

I'll be pushing this kind of image and way of working into a 3d model for photography.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy

2009-05-20T21:37:00.003+01:00

I just wanted to share a great great find i have discovered. I bought a wonderful little childrens book today which i have absolutely fallen head over heels inlove with. Its a beautifully crafted peice of work which was both written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers and uses alot of delicate- but far from shy- paper collage and colourful painted characters with lovely hand rendered type. Its done with a real sensitivity to ephemera. Its all very whisical and wonderful and comes complete with a little disclaimer on the back which reads "Please dont not eat this book at home." Buy it! You won't regret it.

Ford's Empire

2009-05-19T16:21:00.007+01:00

Right, now for recent work for a current project. This brief is a nice narrative based project- illustrating Richard Ford's short story Empire. It's an interesting piece set in the 80's on a train running through western Montana, USA. Since I have a habit of focusing on character based illustrations I thought it would be interesting to push the narrative, and my own boundaries of approach, through evocative backgrounds and locations rather than its characters. My initial thoughts were to treat these locations rather as model film sets and let lighting and photography become part of the final image.

These are some quick concept/ mood boards to get my head around the general Americana, 'western small-town' feel of the text. Again this is all magazine cutout technique which provides some nice flat block colour and nice patches of pattern which is intergral for that "Memphis" 80's look. Work will now start on creating my model sets. I'll keep you posted on any good progress made.

It''s a fine life

2009-05-18T21:51:00.004+01:00

Doodles whilst on London's awe-inspiring modes of public transport... in fine liner. This again is all sketchbook work.

Southend on Sea

2009-05-17T11:10:00.006+01:00

Some older work now...

The above drawings are taken from my Southend-on-Sea sketchbook. Weapon on choice? Fine liner and a limited paint pallete. There's something about seeing white and cerulean paint on brown paper...they're a match made in heaven.

Sketchbook work

2009-05-06T14:55:00.007+01:00

Backgrounds here for an animation done in paper cut-out some of which remain unused.

Me

2009-03-25T18:46:00.005Z

Beginning my "animated CV" today and finally have my main character- me! Ive kept the body shape fairly simple- the torso and legs are just one 'n' shape- to save me a bit of time on the animating front. The colour scheme came from my roughs which were done on brown paper with grey markers. Still much more to be done...!