olusola akinseye's studio journal

Past Works: Early Photoshop Illustration

2012-02-10T03:44:00.002+01:00

I am still reorganising my studio files and recently came across some early Photoshop illustrations. This work features my attempt at using the selection feature. Before this time I only used the airbrush tool. The image is the cover illustration for a novel written by Professor Akachi Ezeigbo, English don at the University of Lagos. The cover was commissioned by Lantern Books.

Past Works: Pencil Sketches From My Archives

2012-01-29T11:29:00.002+01:00

During a recent new year purging and rearranging of my studio, I stumbled on some pencil illustrations from earlier years. The above was for a storybook while the sketch below was part of a conceptual art for a website.

All images are copyrighted please.

2011 Portfolio Upload

2012-01-14T02:19:00.003+01:00

Visit my 2011 Work Folio on Scribd. You can view, print or download the file!

Recent Work: Poster Designs on Conservation Of Resources

2011-12-25T20:40:00.000+01:00

Along with the news that earth's population is now 7 billion comes the realisation that we all need to pitch in and use our resources with wisdom. We need to take measures to expend electricity, consume food and use water responsibly. This makes economic sense and it goes a long way to improve our lives. It also means there will be more to go around. If this makes sense when practiced by an individual, then it is no less sensible if observed on a larger scale.

The following designs are based on the conservation message. The designs were created on CorelDRAW X4.

Past Work: Portrait Paintings For My Sisters

2011-12-24T15:13:00.000+01:00

A few years back, I made portrait paintings for my sisters, Arin and Oye. The paintings were oil on canvas with simple wood frames. I neglected to snap photos of the works on completion but later received these snapshots. Just my way of saying thanks to two wonderful women who have encouraged and supported me over the years.

Recent Work: 'Nigeria's Debt Hits N5.82 Trillion Naira' Cartoon

2011-12-12T02:32:00.001+01:00

I read that Nigeria owes about N5.82 trillion, and this does not include state debts (Punch Newspapers, by Everest Emaefule). We have gotten so used to negative news about large sums of money we no longer realise how daunting these figures actually are, even in these times of economic distress.

The idea for this cartoon came to me as I read the news yesterday. For those unfamiliar with Nigeria's brand of locally fabricated English, the following translation should suffice.
Mother: My child, how many ten naira notes make up one trillion naira?
Son: I can not tell, mother.
Son (thought): I do not want you to suffer a heart attack.

On another note, as I upload this cartoon, I realise this is my 100th post. 100 updates! My appreciation goes to the readers of this blog. Readers from as far as Russia, India, the U.S., the U.K., South Korea, Germany and everyone else. Thanks to Google Analytics I can acknowledge your visit.

Recent Event: Reorganisation & Redesign Of My Blogs & Portfolios

2011-12-11T10:16:00.001+01:00

I have reorganised my sites for more interesting viewing. All my relevant links can be found on my landing page at olusolaakinseye.blogspot.com. From there you can choose what you want to see or where you'd like to go. The attached image clearly explains this.

Thank you for visiting my site. I hope you always have a reason to keep coming. I promise to always have something new to show. Cheers!

Recent Work: Vector Painting As Gift To Church Leader

2011-12-09T04:52:00.001+01:00

I just finished framing a painting I created in CorelDRAW. Its a gift to a notable religious leader in Nigeria (and beyond). More here.

Recent Work: 'Police Arrest Native Doctor' Cartoon

2011-12-05T05:30:00.001+01:00

I read about the splendid work the Onitsha Police did over this weekend (Punch Newspapers, written by Emmanuel Obe). The culprits included a 'juju man' who provided supernatural protection for the armed thieves. Though armed robbery is a sad and serious matter, I found the superstition of the robbers and the moment of clarity, when they discover their faith in charms was futile, to be very funny. Hence this cartoon.

Recent Work: Ancient Yoruba Character Designs

2011-11-23T05:21:00.001+01:00

I am working on a project that requires period designs of six characters from the political and military life of ancient Yoruba culture. I found the Oba, Iyalode, Oluwo, Balogun, Eso and Ilari suitable for my purpose.

The pencil art has been ready over a year but I just had time to work on the painting.

I felt my first Iyalode design (below) was too modern. I decided to make her look more 'powerful' to reflect her political might (above).

Recent Work: Poverty And Hunger In Africa Cartoon

2011-11-12T02:02:00.001+01:00

I just finished illustrating a cartoon about poverty and hunger in Africa. I based my concept on the wide difference between the abundance of the ‘Haves’ and the abject lack of the ‘Have-nots’. The visual might seem a bit distasteful for some, but I feel it aptly demonstrates the current state and expectation of the impoverished.

The first sketch captures the composition in profile. I later felt it was too tidy and I could have done a better job illustrating the obese man stuffing himself. A point of interest for me in this composition, is the reality of ‘trickle-down’ economics in third world society. That is, the improvement of the state of the poor is connected to what flows down from above. And we all know what flows downhill.

The second composition took about 5 hours to complete.

I focused on visually displaying the supply difference: surfeiting against limited supply.

I did not want to resort to the common cartoon practice of sticking a label on the second man that reads ‘Africa’. I feel the observant viewer might instead notice the peculiar shape of his head.

Past Event: My Struggle For Illustration Credit

2011-10-20T05:21:00.002+01:00

These ink portraits were commissioned in 2003 (I think). Back then I did not get credit for my work. I sheepishly (and rebeliously) slipped in my initials into one of the portraits.

The illustrations were part of a commission for the biographies of two icons of Nigeria's history and politics- Sir Alhaji Amadu Bello and Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The later was reviewed in one of the nations newspapers and my artwork was praised. Unfortunately, the reviewer referred to me as 'the artist' as the book did not bear my illustration credit.

That event showed me how much damage I was incurring by not being credited. Shortly after, I totally refused to work for any client that (for whatever reason) would omit my credit in their publications. My new stance met with some resistance at first. One client insisted that I not work for any other publisher in other to be granted recognition for my works. But I have also meet clients that were even willing to add my contact details to my credits in their publications.

Today, about 50% of my commissions come from reference from past works. That's just one of the landmark events in my journey as a professional freelance illustrator in Nigeria.

Past Work: Tortoise Versus Elephant Illustration

2011-09-30T13:16:00.001+01:00

One of the most popular tales about Ijapa (Yoruba name for Tortoise) is how he used his wiles to overcome the mighty Elephant. These illustrations were commissioned for a short retelling of the story.

Recent Work: Character Designs For Fairy Tale

2011-09-30T13:10:00.001+01:00

I created some designs for a prospective commission featuring the ever troublesome Tortoise and his friend Rabbit in an adaptation of a well-told Yoruba folk tale. The designs were made in CorelDRAW X4.

All the designs are copyright protected.

Past Work: Animals In Vector Illustration

2011-09-30T13:03:00.001+01:00

I made several illustrations for a pre-primary text book several years ago. It was a chance to work in vector and I really enjoyed creating so many spot illustrations. Below are some of the animals in the book.

Recent Work: Colour Pencil Drawings

2011-09-16T22:11:00.001+01:00

I have been busy with conceptual work in the past month and half- generating character designs for jobs I can not post just yet. I needed a break from digital art so I purchased a set of Crayola colour pencils and a sketch pad.

Its fun to draw on paper, I can't remember the last time I drew with coloured pencils! While the interest lasts, I will make as many sketches as possible.

Recent Work: The Wicked Witch Of The West

2011-06-09T22:22:00.005+01:00

An interesting character in the popular tale The Wizard of Oz is the Wicked Witch of The West. She was made popular in the Judy Garland version of the movie adaptations.

Character design: I decided to draw her in the superhero genre as a villain. However, I veered from the old, green skinned, haggard looking wart-infested visage in popular culture. The WWOTW version 2.0 is an attractive looking woman consistent with comic book standards. You have to look into her eyes to catch a glimpse of the latent malevolence.

Her costume features tightly clad leotard, cape and even an exaggerated magic wand. Instead of the proverbial witch on a broom stick, I updated her means of transport to a redesigned vacuum cleaner fitted with propulsion jet pack.

Vector ‘painting’ technique: This is quite similar to the method I used on The Big Bad Wolf. An interesting thing happened during the design for the poster. I imported the on-going painting of the witch to see how the colours are in relation to the final design. During these tests, I discovered that I needed to mirror the witch on her Vacuum Cleaner 2000X to have a better composition. This is one of the advantages of vector illustration over the popular raster-based digital painting techniques.

Poster design graphics: The background clouds, compass graphic and lines are included on the final design. I also increased her face a little for a tighter composition.

Recent Work: The Big Bad Wolf

2011-06-09T22:18:00.009+01:00

The tale of The Three Little Pigs is a very popular one, especially because of the villain of the story- the big bad wolf. I find it fun to retell the story in a different genre. This poser design features an adaptation of the tale in a gangland, film-noir-influenced concept. The pig brothers (Hayes, Woody and Rocky) are real estate moguls who are in conflict with an unnamed enemy. Enter the Big Bad Wolf aka The Huff and Puff Bounty Hunter with his Mega Blower gun. The hit is on.

Character design: The faces of the pig brothers feature in my design concept. Hayes is the pig that built his house with hay. He dons a straw hat and wears a holiday pattern shirt. He has a carefree attitude to life. Woody is conservative in his bowler hat and multicoloured bow tie. He built his house with wood. Rocky is more practical in his working man’s garb. His own house is made of stone.

The wolf is drawn in his mafia-hit-man-inspired hat and trench coat, his cold eyes peep from under his leather hat.

Vector ‘painting’ technique: I created each element of the final design separately and composed the poster in a new file. To make it easier to handle the complicated arrangement of vector shapes, I use layers. At first, I draw out the lines over my scanned pencil sketch and then draw shapes for the basic light and shades. Once I have enough to clearly define the object, I fill in the appropriate colours and add more shading using transparent graphics.

Poster design graphics: When I finished painting the wolf and pigs, I create a template for the poster and import the finished illustrations into place. The border designs and graphic texts are placed and I am done. Of course, I had to try several colours until I was satisfied. The final poster design is slightly different from my initial idea, but I am happy with the result.

Recent Event: 2011 Election Riots

2011-04-27T10:46:00.007+01:00

Following the results of the presidential elections, riots broke out in several cities in Northern Nigeria. Sadly, there was a lot of property damage, and worse, loss of life. This is not the first time such a terrible thing has happened and its difficult to believe it won’t happen again. The problem is that we often forget.

This poster design is titled: Stop The Senseless Violence and is available for free downloading and distribution with your friends and online connections. Let’s not forget the unfortunate and costly loss of live for no reason.
Visit https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MB29F3yDETlHwK9La6xtgo4OZdUZ2c2JnO9t_WkPk6E?feat=directlink for a high resolution image of the poster.

Recent Event: PechaKucha Night @ V.I., Lagos

2011-04-23T09:32:00.004+01:00

Pecha Kucha Night, created by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture), was conceived in Tokyo in 2003 as a place for designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. I was really inspired by the presentations delivered at the event this past Tuesday.

The line up was a cornucopia of talent and creativity. Among the speakers are
Seun Oduwole - architect
Furo Sikoki - product designer
Gerald Chukwuma - artist
Andrew Esiebo - photographer
Karo Akpokiere - graphic designer
Adolphus Opara - photographer
Taiwo Idahor - sculptor
and lastly, my humble self.

The audience was excited and involved. The event was held at the Terra Kulture and the program was hitch-free. It felt like a little renaissance of creative expression. I really look forward to such an event in the future. Kudos goes to Gozi Ochonogor for coordinating such a lofty event with the aim of benefiting the victims of the natural disaster in Japan. Every little bit of goodwill counts.

Recent Work: PechaKucha + Inspire Japan Poster Design

2011-04-16T03:41:00.003+01:00

I collaborated with the PechaKucha movement in Japan to develop a poster design for the upcoming ‘20 slides x 20 seconds’ event here in Lagos. People from various professions will each present a slide show exhibition of their work before an audience. The official logo of the event is shown below. PechaKucha means the sound of communication in Japanese.

The event is slated for Tuesday, 19th April at the TerraKulture Gallery, 1376 Tiamiyu Savage, V.i., Lagos State. The program commences by 6 pm and door charge is N2500. Proceeds from the program will benefit the rebuilding efforts in Japan as a result of the tragic March 11 disaster.

The final image is featured on the PechaKucha site. The Japanese national flag served as an inspiration for the design. The visual language communicates growth through love from far and wide. It’s uplifting to see support from the corners of the world, and through different means, to help rebuild the nation that through the years has inspired the world in innovation and creativity.

Recent Work: Omachonu- Illustration of Story Book

2011-03-24T12:13:00.002+01:00

I have finally concluded the story book commission. Now titled Omachonu, after the lead character. The book is going to press shortly and a gallery is available for viewing at my Shownd.com gallery.

I made two covers for the client, Mrs. Rosemary Shimite Erazua-Oniha. She chose the second concept. Also uploaded is a stage-by-stage process for two of the illustrations.

Current Work: 'The Load Boy' Illustrations

2011-03-17T12:17:00.001+01:00

I am currently working on a storybook commission titled The Load Boy. There are ten illustrations (one per chapter). I am just about to commence painting them in Adobe Photoshop. The pencil sketches are posted on my Pencil Jam portfolio. Posted here is the inked line art. The deadline is close, but I expect to make it in the nick of time.

Recent Work: Focus on some ‘VOTE’ design elements

2011-03-09T14:53:00.062+01:00

As I collate the various files used during this project, I see some aspects I particularly enjoyed working on. Here are just a few.

I gave attention to the face on the first version of the My Vote My Future design. I used many transparent layers of vector shapes to achieve the final look of the portrait.

The image for the No Vote No Voice design was a bit rushed as I was really pressed for time. Yet, I still had to go through the process of penciling, inking and painting in Adobe Photoshop. The final gray scale look came out as desired.

The vector icons on the second My Vote My Future design are rendered in full colour. I particularly enjoyed the process of accomplishing the education-employment combo. Though simple, I think the final look communicates the message aptly.

A personal favourite is the unselected first version of The Power of The Thumb design. It was actually the very first of the whole gallery to be featured on the exclusive creatives site Designers Couch. I like the colour harmony and perspective of the thumb. Also, I played a little trick in achieving the thumb print ink stain. I converted a bitmap of a thumb print into vector using CorelTRACE. This made it easy to work with the print as a vector graphic in CorelDRAW.

Recent Event: ‘VOTE’ designs Go To Press

2011-03-09T13:43:00.002+01:00

The posters and stickers have finally gone to press and have been delivered. Everyone around the studio is impressed with the outcome. Although it's been an interesting journey, I'm ready to move on to other projects.

Recent Work: ‘VOTE’ Desktop background design

2011-03-09T12:41:00.002+01:00

I got this idea about using the poster designs for desktop background on PCs. Anyone can download these images and even share with their friends and colleagues via social networks. The message can turn viral within the widening circles of on-line friendships.

The posted image for My Vote My Future and It’s Your Right can be downloaded directly from the images below. Just right click on them and select ‘download this image.’

Below are screen shots of how the desktop backgrounds will look.

Current Work: 'VOTE' Campaign Design (5)

2011-03-05T03:04:00.001+01:00

Some of the previous designs are required in the major Nigerian languages Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. Creating the text on the Yoruba design was interesting. Because of the tonal marks above and beneath the letters, I had to convert them from text to shapes and then apply the colour and outline attributes.

Current Work: 'VOTE' Campaign Design (4)

2011-03-05T02:25:00.001+01:00

I am finally through with the last of the 'VOTE' campaign designs. This one, the 'No Vote No Voice' design, is presented in two options. The featured illustration of Nigerians queuing up to vote was penciled, inked and later painted in gray tones using Adobe Photoshop.

Current Work: 'VOTE' Campaign Design (3)

2011-03-02T20:40:00.002+01:00

At last, we are arriving at the final concepts. Though I have two more designs and other variations to produce, the winning concepts are finally emerging. Sticker designs are also made for some of the poster concepts.

Current Work: 'VOTE' Campaign Design (2)

2011-03-02T07:20:00.005+01:00

Further discussion with my client lead to a new line of designs. This time, more elaborate with illustrations and full process colours. Here are some of the initial concepts. Every design was executed in CorelDRAW X4. The visual for the No Vote No Voice poster was made in Adobe Photoshop.

Current Work: 'VOTE' Campaign Design (1)

2011-03-01T13:44:00.004+01:00

I am currently working with the National Democratic Institute, Abuja (NDI) to develop campaign posters and stickers with messages aimed at encouraging Nigerians to vote in April. The process has dragged on more than I anticipated. Posted is my initial take on the brief. My aim was to design simple posters that communicate instantly and at the same time save printing cost by the use of spot colours. I also felt the message was patriotic hence the prevalent national colours.

Recent Event: Early 2011 Updates

2011-02-25T06:32:00.008+01:00

Wow! It's almost two months late but, I wish you a happy and fulfilling 2011!

So sorry I have not been able to upload any work this year. The first few days were deceptively slow, but suddenly I found myself engulfed in a vortex of activities. Though the torrent has not eased up, I'm determined not to slack on my blog any longer.

Works of Faith is a new blog I just created specially for my faith-related graphic designs and illustrations. I plan to upload several of my earlier works over time. The image below is part of a banner design I recently made for a group of church locations in Port Harcourt. So, check it out.

My sister just got married and it was a real buzz. Congrats Oye and Tunde! Wish you both the very best marital bliss. I made a banner design for the venue of the engagement ceremony. It was a bit of a rush, but it did the trick.

I am currently working with the NDI and the NETCIV to develop campaign sticker and poster designs with messages aimed at encouraging Nigerians to go out and vote in April. Hopefully, I will upload the works when I'm done. So, spread the word... VOTE!

In The Comics Hut, I am busy working with my team to repackage the single Cowrie Comics and Living Scrolls titles into 3-in-1 volumes. This is really a Herculian task but it creates an opportunity to rework the graphics in several titles.

Hurray! My portfolio for works done in 2010 is finally available for download or perusal on-line. Though not exhaustive, the included artworks aptly capture my 2010 activities in my illustration and design studio.

I am also laying the foundation of some personal projects I have been thinking about over the years. More of that later. Cheers!

Recent Work: Mother Tongue Design (2)

2010-12-01T18:45:00.000+01:00

Here is a second design I made for the Mother Tongue competiton. This concept focuses on the sublime language of the Yoruba talking drum and its place in the Yoruba culture.

Recent Work: Mother Tongue Design (1)

2010-11-23T19:08:00.002+01:00

I designed a page featuring article about Yoruba proverbs using a popular one as a vehicle for the article. The piece is for the INDIGO: Mother Tongue exhibition/competition. I am grateful to my friend and fellow illustrator Raphael Agboola and editor, Kola Olaniyan for their help and knowledge of ede Yoruba.

Recent Work: 'Sanitation Is Sexy' Poster Design

2010-11-20T11:12:00.005+01:00

I just discovered a call for submission yesterday with the final date tomorrow. The Acumen Fund is asking for submissions in any media to promote the need for sanitation. I was not thrilled to discover that about 2.5 billion people still live without basic sanitation and about 4500 children die daily from related causes.

My concept is not so elegant. I decided to go straight to the point. It might come off a bit crude but, hey, we are talking about shit, right? The entire design was created in CorelDRAW X4.

Recent Work: Self Portrait

2010-11-06T14:38:00.000+01:00

I decided to change my profile image from photo to illustration. The attempt is a loose one. I feel there was no need for detailed work since it will mainly be viewed in a small size.

Recent Event: Samsung Galaxy Tab Design (4)

2010-10-29T08:23:00.001+01:00

I decided to further develop the concept of Samsung Galaxy Tab People; exploring the moments in live where the tablet comes in handy. The tone of voice is a bit excited. And my personal favorite is the last design. You can see how my vector illustrations became more vivid as I progressed. I really had a good time doing this.

Recent Work: Samsung Galaxy Tab Design (3)

2010-10-29T01:22:00.002+01:00

So far, I have been conservative in my use of colour, deferring to the official Samsung colours- white, black and blue. I threw that aside for the next line of designs. The messages focused on the immediate use of the Galaxy Tab tablet computer and it's compact size and ease of use in everyday situations.

Recent Work: Samsung Galaxy Tab Design (2)

2010-10-29T01:06:00.001+01:00

The next design, I felt, should focus on the kind of people who might use this device. The advert brief stipulated young upwardly mobile men and women as their primary target. Hence the following concept. I prefered a simple design that utilises appropriate negative space to bring the image into focus.

Recent Work: Samsung Galaxy Tab Design (1)

2010-10-28T08:01:00.002+01:00

I decided to partake in the open call for designs for the new Galaxy Tab, a tablet computer by Samsung Mobile. I felt there needs to be a simple design that clearly elucidates the specific features of the device, giving details an intelligent buyer can relate to and also clearly show the product: The Galaxy Tab. Hence the following designs.

Recent Work: Word Of Mouth Poster Campaign

2010-10-16T02:38:00.002+01:00

I had a blast creating advert designs for the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association 2010 campaign. The concepts portray the use and impact of word of mouth on life in general and not just business. Except for the couples image in the third design, everything was done in CorelDRAW as vector graphics.

Recent Work: Book Publishing Campaign

2010-10-05T18:59:00.004+01:00

I had a good time working on an idea for a banner advert. It's been sometime since I did any kind of animation. Below are the images for the banner as well as the banner movie. The duration is 15 seconds.

Below is a draft of the accompanying poster design.

Recent Work: Platinum Tales Cover Designs

2010-09-29T17:54:00.002+01:00

I added some graphics to the paintings for cover suggestions to the client. The idea is to present complimentary graphics to the paintings such that the impact of the work done will not be over shadowed by the text layout. Also, I tried to maintain some visual identity between the five covers.

Recent Work: Platinum Tales Cover Paintings (2)

2010-09-28T19:58:00.003+01:00

At last I am through with the remaining covers.

Recent Work: Platinum Tales Cover Paintings (1)

2010-09-18T13:10:00.005+01:00

I just finished illustrating three covers for a new client, Platinum Tales. It was a refreshing experience getting to paint high adventure fantasy stories. This gave me a chance to create interesting compositions and characters.

Below are the first three artworks, pencils and paintings. The paintings were done in Adobe Photoshop. I still have two more covers to create. I hope to be done with them early next week.

Recent Work: Anti-Child Slavery Campaign Poster Design (2)

2010-08-30T20:23:00.000+01:00

I had time to design a second poster for the DACS exhibition over the weekend.

Recent Work: Anti-Child Slavery Campaign Poster Design

2010-08-27T03:39:00.006+01:00

Designers Against Child Slavery (DACS) is a movement that motivates international artists and designers to use their talents to create awareness about child sex trade and child labour. The following is my submission to this lofty endeavour. You may find out what you can do to support this movement here. The design was created in CorelDRAW 12 as vector graphics. The reference image is from Corbis.

Recent Event: Drawing Session (2)

2010-07-12T13:21:00.001+01:00

Another drawing session in the studio.

Recent Work: Folk Tale Story Book Cover Painting

2010-07-10T10:53:00.007+01:00

I am back to painting book covers after a long period! A new

cover for Lanre and The Queen of the Stream, an award winning

book, was commissioned to me. I did the previous cover

donkey years ago and was glad to have a chance at improving

on it. The story is published by Lantern Books. To view the

step-by-step slide show of the illustration click here.

Recent Event: Drawing Session

2010-07-07T12:50:00.001+01:00

Graphic artists at my arm of The Comics Hut studio held a drawing session last Friday. Posted is my sketch from the exercise. We had so much fun we decided to do this more often.

Past Event: Blog Feature (3)

2010-06-26T16:13:00.005+01:00

African Digital Art featured my portfolio and bio on their blog. The site also interviews other African creatives home and abroad. Such free and credible publicity both humbles and encourages me and they have my thanks.

Past Event: Blog Feature (2)

2010-06-26T15:54:00.001+01:00

Feedstitch.com is a site that helps you organise and collate related data from the mass of random information on-line. A feed on February 15th features 40 Amazing Examples of African Digital Artworks. The feed showcases images from various artists (including yours truly) and I find the gallery quite visually stimulating. Check it out!

Recent Work: Portrait Commission (5)

2010-06-23T11:13:00.010+01:00

At last I am through with the three-in-one portrait painting. This painting was challenging to work on since I did it in vector using vibrant colours. But it was also enjoyable due to the interesting faces I was to paint.

The main difficulty was handling the hundreds of shapes as they overlap each other. This was made less troublesome by introducing layers for each major part of the painting (as shown below). I went for a painterly feel. It's easy painting smooth images in vectors, but this soon becomes boring to look at. This way, every time I look at the artwork, I have something new to see. The overlapping colour transparencies always yield a combination of beautiful colours.

The reference photo I used is shown above and below is the final painting. The portrait shows a textured background that was created in Adobe Photoshop using the cardboard cutout filter and converted to vector using CorelTRACE. All in all, I had a blast and believe the result is well worth the effort.

Recent Work: Internet Privacy Poster Design

2010-06-17T15:52:00.001+01:00

I decided to participate in the design exhibition for Privacy in the Digital Age on Zooppa.com. The concept is derived from the adage about airing our dirty linen in public. The language is ironic and the whole work is in vector graphics. The design took about 2 hours to knock out. I hope it makes sense.

Past Event: Blog Feature

2010-05-28T09:30:00.001+01:00

I was pleasantly surprised to find I had a feature in the blog CONFESSIONS OF A NAIJAHOLIC. This blog is a cornucopia of creativity from Nigerians. Please check it out!

Recent Work: Autobiographic Comic Strip

2010-04-20T12:28:00.003+01:00

I just finished a three page story on how I discovered my love for visual storytelling. My detailed post is here.

Recent Work: Portrait Commission (4)

2010-04-07T13:51:00.005+01:00

At last, I am through with the first of the portraits I have been working on for over a month. I had two false starts but eventually figured out how best to go about it.

The posted work was painted in CorelDRAW 12 using layers just as in Photoshop. This made it easier to handle the many complex shapes overlapping one another. There are over 12000 shapes in the painting and it will be produced as a large scale giclee print on archival canvas.

I hope to be done with the rest soon.

Recent Work: 'Tortoise The King' Illustrations.

2010-03-31T14:59:00.001+01:00

I have been tied up with several projects, notably a set of portraits. But I was finally able to finish the illustrations for the story book Tortoise The King. The author, Kelvin Biachi, hopes to have the book ready for the London Book Fair. The time is tight but I wish him all the best.

Posted here are some of the illustrations.

Recent Event: My LinkedIn Page

2010-02-19T16:47:00.001+01:00

I just created a page for my studio on LinkedIn, the professional networking site. I'll be happy to link up with you over there.

Recent Work: Ginger Cat Illustrations

2010-02-09T09:13:00.002+01:00

I just finished painting four illustrations for a pet care web site. The work gave me an opportunity to test run the Cintiq tablet pen. The experience was different from using the mouse. I still have a lot of practice ahead f me, but painting the fur was less of a hassle.

Recent Event: My Facebook Page

2010-02-05T15:31:00.005+01:00

I recently updated my facebook page and decided to use it as a networking platform for my studio. I'm surprised I hadn't thought of that earlier. I have also been able to connect with many wonderful people, especially from the CCAS community.

Recent Work: My 2010 Portfolio & Resume

2010-01-08T15:39:00.002+01:00

My 2010 portfolio is ready and in distribution on-line. Posted are a few pages from the 35-page compilation. A low resolution PDF file can be downloaded here.

Recent Event: My Cintiq Tablet!

2010-01-08T15:09:00.001+01:00

At long last, I finally have the Cintiq 12WX tablet. I have been expecting this tool for almost a year. It cost quite a bundle, but it is worth it. I've already started trying it out on photoshop 7. It's a different painting experience from using the mouse.

Recent Work: House-Warming Gift

2010-01-08T14:49:00.004+01:00

Welcome to 2010! I believe this year is pregnant with blessings for as many as are bold enough to reach out for something better.

I find myself rejoicing with two relatives and two friends for the same reasons- They have built their own houses! WOW, that's no small feat! Here is a poster I designed as gift items. I had copies printed, mounted and framed.

Recent Work: Call Card Design

2009-12-14T19:00:00.002+01:00

I finished some designs for a constuction company. Actually this is a tune up on an earlier submission. They wanted two colour designs, hence the posted sheets.

Recent Event: Final Yearbook Illustration

2009-12-14T18:27:00.004+01:00

At last the GTS, Citibank Nigeria Ltd project is over. A funny feeling comes over me as I take time to decompress from the tight schedule I have been under these past five weeks. I feel really relieved to have put it behind me. Below is the initial design for the CD cover for the project; I later went for something simpler. And next is the portrait of the GTS boss Mr. Nanji.

It was a learning experience. Now it's time to wrap up some loose ends for the year 2009.

Recent Work: Yearbook Illustration (7)

2009-12-09T22:48:00.002+01:00

This is the last illustration for the corporate yearbook featuring members of the GTS Support team.

Below are the line art, line art with background and the finished painting.

Recent Work: Yearbook Illustration (6)

2009-12-08T07:39:00.007+01:00

This post features the paintings of the overall boss and three regional heads for the yearbook.

Also posted is the final composite illustration. This composite illustration is vector graphics rendered in CorelDRAW 12.

I am still working on the final painting for the GTS Support team. There are so many faces, but I hope to finish on Thursday.

Recent Work: Yearbook Illustration (4) and (5)

2009-12-04T19:12:00.003+01:00

This post combines the Electronic Banking team

and the CitiService team illustrations.

Below are stages in the development of the painting.

1) The background props for both teams.

2) The line art showing both props and portrait lines.

3) The painting in progress

4) The finished portraits without the background

5) The completed painting

6) The Electronic Banking team illustration

7) The CitiService team illustration

Recent Work: Yearbook Illustration (3)

2009-11-21T11:25:00.010+01:00

I just finished the third illustration in this series of corporate yearbook artworks I have been working on for the past three weeks. I had extra fun on this one due to the period costumes and theme. Above are the team members of the Cash Team, and below are the concept sketch, ink drawing and final painting.

In the final version (not uploaded here) I changed the credit cards to dollar bills designed as playing cards.

Recent Work: Yearbook Illustration (2)

2009-11-14T10:01:00.009+01:00

I just finished the second illustration for the corporate yearbook. There are four more to go and my body is screaming for respite. Anyway, I enjoyed working on this version. The composition allows the faces more focus than the first illustration. Below is the picture for members of the Trade Team.

Below is the line art. I drew the globe, sign board, paint buckets and magic stars in CorelDRAW and imported them into Photoshop, where the whole painting was done.

Above is the work-in-progress shot and below is the final painting.

Recent Work: Yearbook Illustration

2009-11-06T15:31:00.013+01:00

I just concluded a painting for a corporate yearbook. The painting features members of a team in a caricature composition. Below is a picture of the SFS Team members.

I did some facial studies of some of the team members. I was trying to decide on the illustration style to use.

Here is the line art of the painting.

The final painting.

The balloon colour is reworked to reflect the company's colours. This is the final, final version.

A close up of the faces.

Recent Work: Rejection Poster

2009-10-22T21:03:00.003+01:00

I stumbled on a design competition ending 12 midnight today. The contest is organised by AIGA Birmingham and the theme is 'Rejection'. I spent about two hours on it. The submitted version is slightly different from the one posted here. I prefer this though.

I enjoyed working on the design. Hope you get the idea behind it.

Current Work: 'Tortoise The King' Storybook Illustration

2009-10-07T18:47:00.008+01:00

I am also illustrating a storybook about the mischievous tortoise in a children's book titled Tortoise The King. Between this and the newspaper work, my hands are pretty busy. Below is a pencil illustration of the first page. I painted it using Photoshop.

Now I have just 14 paintings more to finish!

Current Work: Illustration for Article

2009-10-07T17:28:00.004+01:00

Below is a spot illustration I just finished for an article in a monthly newspaper. I am currently developing the graphic design for the paper.

Recent Event: My Comic Strip Blog!

2009-09-07T16:35:00.002+01:00

I have launched a new blog for my comic strip venture. I am really happy that I'm doing this. I have been nursing the desire for some time now. I guess the creative hunger has built up enough impetus to start. It's going to be really challenging taking time from my regular busy schedule to service this project. But hey... there's no time like now, right?

Check it out at http://stripfiction.blogspot.com

Recent Work: Basic Mathematics Book 2

2009-08-29T12:14:00.027+01:00

At last! I’m finally done with the illustration, graphics and page laying of the 72 page children textbook: Basic Mathematics, Book 2. The work was really demanding; everything was drawn and prepared as vector using CorelDRAW12. The following are some of the pages from the book.

The author, Mrs. Funmi Oni, is a seasoned educator and the proprietor of Peniel Nursery School. The book will be published by St. Daniel Educational Services.

Past Work: Book Cover Painting

2009-08-13T16:06:00.005+01:00

About three months ago I was commissioned to make an illustration for a catalogue cover. Below are the ideas I came up with.

Sketch for the first concept.

The first concept in progress.

The complete first concept.

The second, approved illustration.

Past Work: Unused Vector Illustration

2009-08-13T13:25:00.005+01:00

This is an illustration I made as part of a book cover some months ago. I ended up not using it.

Recent Event: My Behance Network Portfolio

2009-07-16T15:58:00.009+01:00

I just opened a portfolio on the renown creative artists site.

https://www.behance.net/olusolaakinseye/Frame

Current Work: Textbook Cover Design

2009-07-06T16:09:00.006+01:00

I am designing a cover for a textbook commission I am currently working on. This is what I have so far.

Recent Event: Illustration Commission Of Storybook In Native Language

2009-06-09T17:32:00.009+01:00

If there is anything an illustrator dislikes, it's losing a commission. In my case, I handed over the illustration of a Yoruba storybook- Ijoba Inaki (Gorilla Government) due to an unavoidable distraction.

I was graciously invited as a honoured guest to the award ceremony for winning the Macmillan Africa Illustrator Award for 2008. The event will take place at Cape Town during the Cape Town Book Fair. Sadly, I was unable to make it. But the distraction took its toll and I had to hand over the project to another capable artist so my client's work would not be delayed.

However, I had already knocked out two pencil drawings. They will now go into my portfolio of unused works.

The good people at Macmillan Publishers Ltd. were kind enough to ask for my acceptance speech. Someone will stand up to deliver it on my behalf.

Recent Work: 'Ibukun' Commissioned Illustrations

2009-06-04T18:13:00.006+01:00

This is another book illustration for Shekinah Publishing. The book is titled IBUKUN - Yoruba word for 'blessing'. The story follows little Ibukun as he wanders off undetected from home through the neighbourhood and back again. I quite enjoyed it.

Recent Work: 'Broken Cistern' Commissioned Illustrations

2009-05-28T13:17:00.006+01:00

These are illustrations I made for Shekinah Publishing. The story occurs in the desert and I try to represent the protagonist's gritty experience using detailed pencil drawings.

The title of the story book is Broken Cistern.

Recent Work: Picture Book Illustrations

2009-05-28T10:30:00.013+01:00

I have been crazily busy this past months and the torrent is still strong. But I decided to take some time and post some of my recent commissions.

These ones are for Durano Publishers. Two books authored by Paul Ojo Olorunmota. The first book is titled A Day Out.

And the second is Tit And Tat.

Recent Work: Portrait Commission (3)

2009-04-14T10:51:00.002+01:00

This is a portrait painting I just completed. The painting was done in Photoshop.

Recent Work: Illustration and Graphics of a Rhyme Page

2009-03-03T10:19:00.015+01:00

These are the various stages page 26 of the Cowrie Comic The Peoples King, Part 1 underwent. From pencils to inks, to painting, and finally, graphics and page laying.

I find the slow but purposeful development of illustration and graphic design very interesting.

The illustration shows the troublesome monarch, Oba Agberaga, in one of his characteristic self-indulgent activities.

Recent Work: Advert Designs for 2009 Comics Catalogue

2009-03-03T07:57:00.003+01:00

The 2009 Comics Hut Catalogue is just going to press and I had a blast working on a series of designs for several comic book lines produced by my arm of the studio. I particularly enjoyed making compositions from the wonderful illustrations made by some of the top comic book talents here in Nigeria.

These artists include
Kimson Osaghae
David Oguchi Amadi
Sunny Efemena
Raphael Agboola
Bakare Lukeman
Iyke Linus Obasi
Chuka Obi
Henry Ezeokeke
Ezekiel Akpomiemie
Nsikak Ifet
Sukanmi Oloyede
Solomon Osafile
and of course myself.

The 1 World Manga art is drawn by Leandro Ng.

Recent Work: Portrait Commission (2)

2009-02-25T06:39:00.001+01:00

At last I am through with this double portrait.

Current Work: Portrait Painting

2009-02-21T14:46:00.001+01:00

This is a portriat I am working on.

Recent Work: Portrait Commission

2009-02-10T10:33:00.001+01:00

I just finished a portrait in vector. I allowed a little art nouveau influence in the work.

Recent Work: Vector Fine Art Painting

2009-01-26T10:20:00.001+01:00

I have just finished my second commission for the year: a decorative painting using vector software. The art will be printed as a giclee. The tentative name is 'Earthen Vessels'.

Hope you like it.

Recent Event: 1 World Manga Comics for West Africa!

2009-01-22T16:53:00.001+01:00

The Comics Hut, a subsidiary of Literamed Publications Nig Ltd, has obtained the rights to produce the 1 World Manga comics series for West Africa.

This comics project was sponsored by the World Bank and produced by the fine people at Viz Media, U.S.A. The stories were written by Annette Roman and illustrated by Leandro Ng. I headed The Comics Hut creative team that painted the white and black comic pages to full colour for the African market.

Below is one of the publicity poster designs.

The stories are about an orphan, Rei, who travels the world contending with the problems of HIV/AIDS, girls' education, child soldiers, corruption and the like. Don't forget to get your copies.

Recent Event: My New Portfolio On Carbonmade

2009-01-19T18:38:00.001+01:00

I am pleased to announce the opening of my gallery on that fantastic site for creative professionals - CARBONMADE.

Among the treats awaiting my viewers are full images of some of the corporate culture paintings I made for a bank late last year. Also showcased are some full paintings from the Zoba - story book commission and the painted comic pages of my very first post - Oluronbi and the Iroko Tree!

What are you waiting for? Check me out at http://olusolaakinseye.carbonmade.com/

Past Works: Baby Power

2009-01-19T09:30:00.001+01:00

I wrote this poem for the first comic title under the Wonderful Jesus Series. The illustration was drawn and painted entirely in CorelDRAW12.

Similar pages from other titles can be viewed on my space on the Christian Comic Art Society website - http://christiancomicart.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=1g3p4951mmcdb

Copyright: Literamed Publication Nig Ltd

Past Works: Zoba and The Gang

2009-01-16T11:22:00.002+01:00

This Lantern story book was written by Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo. The story details the pranks of some boys in a local community and the consequencies that followed.

Here is a composition of details from some of the illustrations. A gallery of the artworks can be viewed in my space on deviantART - http://ayoola.deviantart.com/gallery/

Past Works: Story Book Cover Painting

2009-01-15T11:36:00.001+01:00

I posted some line art commissioned by Durano Publishing late last year but could not recall the title of the book. Well, I stumbled on the cover painting and the design I suggested some time ago, so here they are.

The book is titled NO PAIN NO GAIN written by Olayinka Oye.

Past Works: Favorite Vector Illustrations

2009-01-08T10:38:00.001+01:00

I enjoy vector illustrations - the careful laying of one transparent colour graphic over another to build up a beautiful finish. Hence the reason I am starting my posts this new year with one of my favorite commissions of 2008.

Below are closeups of the illustrations.

Past Works: Inked Story Book Illustrations

2008-12-27T08:34:00.001+01:00

Earlier this year I illustrated a story book of traditional tales for Durano Publishing. I enjoyed the assignment because I had not done simple pen and ink illustrations for a while. Unfortunately, I can not recall the title of the book.

Recent Work: Vector Illustration For Poem

2008-12-17T09:22:00.001+01:00

This is an illustration I made for a poem about the Samaritan woman and Jesus at Jacob's well. The illustration is made in CorelDRAW12.

Here is the illustration concept in pencil sketch.