New PJ Lynch Editorial
IGI Member PJ Lynch offers us a great insight into his amazing work process. Enjoy!
It seemed like a nice break from my long term book projects when Adrian Fitzsimon of Chemistry asked me to do a an illustration that would be used in newspaper ads and on 48 sheet posters to herald the Examiner’s series of articles on boozy Ireland.
The deadline of one week was tight for me, but I liked the humour in Adrian’s idea of subverting heroic Celtic imagery and so I agreed to do it.
The client’s rough shows the central figure of a Celtic heroine who is a bit the worse for drink. I homed in on her as the key element and knocked out a few sketches.
At the same time I sourced some good costume reference online, as well as pictures of young boozers, and I printed these out.
I quickly got the drawing of the beautiful girl’s face, but suggestting her drunkenness was not at all easy. It pretty much all had to be shown in her face, as her pose was to be upstanding and heroic. The photo of Pixie Geldof with one eye slightly more open than the other was a particularly useful inspiration.
I tried a few different poses with her left hand (you can see where I taped on the newly drawn arms) and, through feedback from Adrian we settled on the idea of the girl holding the last of her tinnies by the plastic grip that holds a six-pack together.
I knew that would be tricky to draw so I worked from some photo reference of my own hand (and my own tinnies).
Whilst I was drawing the figures I was also scanning open source Celtic knotwork for the borders and the roundel. I had to do a lot of work in Photoshop to make them fit and to join up convincingly.
The client wanted the main elements on separate layers so I printed each of my finished drawings on to a separate sheet of watercolour paper, stretched them onto boards and got stuck into the painting.
The fun part of an illustration for me is usually the painting although I must say in this case the knotwork was just a pain.
Having the separate layers worked out well for me when I scanned and imported the paintings back into Photoshop. It was great to be able to control the colour, contrast and tone of individual elements, and even to try out two or three different backgrounds in order to achieve a harmonious final result.
Being mindful that the poster was going to be printed more than three metres tall, I also did a good deal of digital painting, particularly on the central figure. You have to be really careful when touching up a watercolour in this way that it doesn’t lose it’s organic charm and end up looking very airbrushed. I hope I hit a good balance.
All in all this job was a lovely change of pace for me. As someone who mostly works in children’s books, it was great to play about so much in Photoshop, and you’d be surprised how seldom I get the chance to draw drunken yobs, and girls throwing up on the green fields of Old Ireland.
May 2nd, 2011 11:59
Fab work, PJ. That was a very tricky challenge to make the central figure intoxicated and yet noble! A great insight into your thinking and processes.
May 9th, 2011 10:15
Beautiful PJ, I never would have guessed there was so much photoshop involved..very skillfully done.
May 9th, 2011 13:57
Nice one PJ. Look amazing!
May 9th, 2011 14:08
“Intoxicated yet noble”. What every Irish football fan aspires to.
May 9th, 2011 14:32
Magic stuff PJ, and you used Photoshop seamlessly. Great work! Phil
May 9th, 2011 14:32
Really interesting and, as always, amazing work PJ. I can’t believe you did that in a week! So much detail…
May 9th, 2011 14:53
Intoxicating stuff PJ. Lovely work.
May 9th, 2011 16:09
Brilliant.. also had no idea there was photoshop involved, seemless indeed.. The balance between noble and drunk is absolutely spot on.. and she is hot
May 9th, 2011 17:00
Nice Insight into how it all comes Together .
Well Done !
May 9th, 2011 18:08
Many thanks guys, I’m delighted you like it.
May 10th, 2011 11:41
This is one of those projects which are worth every hour you spend on painting them! One can see the fun you had doing those illos =) Great stuff!
May 10th, 2011 15:52
Gorgeous in every sense, Peej
May 12th, 2011 19:35
AMAZING!!!!
May 18th, 2011 17:58
Thanks for showing this PJ, love the picture and love seeing the process!
May 25th, 2011 21:43
Hey PJ
What an amazing process. really good to be able to see the art work being done. Lets hope you get lots more to put the picture out there for all the folk.
take care.
susan
May 27th, 2011 08:35
Hi PJ
That was facinating. Great work too.
Tom
May 27th, 2011 15:09
I’m very proud to be one of your young boozer muses for this.
May 29th, 2011 09:22
Many thanks for all those great comments guys.
And I’m glad you didn’t mind being used for inspiration, Lori.
I love your website by the way.
All the best
PJ
May 30th, 2011 19:21
Hi,PJ,
After watching your youtube videos, I had to find more of your processes and wonderful work to look at, and be inspired by. I found this and want to thank you for doing this ad piece – for a couple of reasons: I am a fine artist transitioning into my first (previously unrequited) love, Illustration; and, I am 100% Irish. My family is full of alcoholics; my siblings and I NOT, thank goodness, and I think this ad is about time! We need not be the boozy Irish ‘micks”, but instead, the talented, creative, artistic Irish! After all, it was we who saved literacy: re “How the Irish Saved Civilisation.”
(Let’s illustrate THAT one!)
Thanks for being such an inspiration, I love your work,
Kathleen Dougherty