Nick Davis's Blog, page 35
February 8, 2015
Take A Look At The New Look Teddy Bear Tales Website
The Teddy Bear Tales website was long overdue for a revamp. So today I broke out my Web Designer skills and I spent the day giving Tristan’s home on the internet a brand new look. You can check it out at www.theteddybeartales.com, whadda ya think?
February 1, 2015
The Anatomy Of A Composite Drawing – The Princess Archer & Companions
The Princess Archer story is one of my original Once Upon a Time Adventures called The Wonder Tales, it is the story of a Princess called Gwendolyn who is flung by magic to the Land of the Sun and her journey back to her home – the Ninth Kingdom. On this quest she is joined by Kurt the Wolf Boy, cursed by Baba Yaga to be Werewolf, or Wolf, but never a boy, a nervous faire creature Will O’Wisp and their guide Tobisum the Inch High Samurai. You can read their adventures at The Wonder Tales.
The illustration above is a composite drawing of several drawings created separately, and place together in Photoshop. It is quite a common thing to see in the entertainment industry especially on the movie side, it is so they can pull out individual elements for further promotional purposes.
The Princess Archer
This is Princess Gwendolyn, the Princess Archer. She is lost in the Land of the Sun with only her loyal companions, her bow and her wits to find a way home. Gwendolyn is a pretty big departure from my more normal ‘Cuddly’ illustrations to a drawing female human. It is important when creating to push yourself outside your comfort zone from time to time… Otherwise you don’t learn or grow.
Gwendolyn was a huge push outside my comfort zone, so I went a little stylised with her working the Anime angle into the character, slight larger head, big eyes and gave her simple robes influenced from Medieval Japanese designs. I quite like how she turned out.
Tobisum the Inch High Samurai
Tobisum the Inch High Samurai is the Princess Archer’s guide in the Land of the Sun, she first encounters him when he is trying to hide from preying birds under a walnut-shell. Drawing Tobisum was a character I’ve never drawn before, but always had in my head to look a specific way. The entire design is influenced by Samurai Jack with long robes, rigid straight stance and a new eye style.
I drew Tobisum at full size so I put some detail into the Samurai, the plan was to scale him down in Photoshop once I put together the composite image.
Kurt the Wolf Boy and WillO’Wisp
Kurt the Wolf Boy and Will O’Wisp were thrown through the magical portal with Gwendolyn into the Land of the Sun. While Will’O is a very nervous faire creature he has moments of great wisdom, while Kurt the Wolf Boy is a more tragic character trapped in Werewolf or Wolf form, never to be a boy. He is deeply loyal to Gwendolyn risking his life without hesitation time and time again to keep her safe.
These two companions were the easiest of the bunch to draw. Kurt was a really just a shaggy collection of lines in a humanoid shape. I was very scratchy with my ink pen to give him a layered fur effect, and taking a trick from anime I made his eyes larger and more human.
Will O’Wisp is just a flying little dough boy, quite easy to illustrate. However, he wasn’t inked rather created using inktense pencils to give him a translucent glow. I lightly penciled his outline, erased lines more and then drew the details in directly with the pencils.
The Composite
All the illustrations were then scanned in, backgrounds deleted and using Photoshop merged together, placing each character on a separate layer. I have Kurt standing defensively behind Gwendolyn ready to leap into action, a reduced in scale Tobisum and their feet and the nervous Will O’ placed to balance out the illustration. Then using the clone tool I gave them all more ground to stand on. It all came together quite nicely.
The Wonder Tales
Thank you for taking time out from your day to read this mini-article. You can check out the Princess Archer Once Upon a Time stories on my Wonder Tales website.
January 31, 2015
We Are Not Mean’t To Stay On Earth The Journey Must Continue #iwanttobelieve
Last night I took a few minutes tonight to look up into the night sky, everyone should from time to time, just to feel the enormity of the cosmos and its wonder. With no clouds in the sky, I could see all the stars flying over my head. It all feels so close you could almost reach out, grab them and ride the light fantastic. The more I watched, the more I wondered, are we supposed to stay here on Earth? Maybe this was only supposed to be a way stop on a much longer journey. We all just forgot where we are going, where we came from and the means of making it happen.
Our origin, our home is out there, after all they say life here began out there, and these words hold more truth with every discovery, we make… We all should look up a little more often, we are after all travelers and our journey has only just begun.
Peace my friends.
January 30, 2015
First Look At Forrest & Scout From Tristan And The Cuddly Defenders Comic
Here you go Teddy Bear Fans!
This is a preview of the first panel art from Forrest & Scout, who are brand new characters that are being introduced to the world of Tristan and the Cuddly Defenders.
These Pardners belong to a child who is obsessed with outdoor living and sports. They accidentally fall into the World of Wonder after trying to stop their child’s Monster of the Month collection from being stolen.
They are the Odd Couple of the Teddy Bear Tale world, written by Scott Markley of Time for Hugs fame and drawn by Keir Knikia Lyles of Aprocypha Studios, and will take you down a new path of adventure and the unexpected as they hunt their child’s Monster collection one Monster at a time.
The Tristan and the Cuddly Defenders Comic is packed full of Teddy Bear Action Adventure from cover-to-cover will be available every quarter with new stories and new adventures, including Forrest & Scout. You can pre-order your copy here.
January 26, 2015
Preview Panel From Tristan and the Cuddly Defenders Comic Book
Here is a quick preview panel from the upcoming Tristan and the Cuddly Defenders Comic Book that is nearing release. This comic which is packed full of Teddy Bear Action Adventure from cover-to-cover will be available every quarter with new stories and new adventures. You can pre-order your copy here.
January 19, 2015
Origins – 500 Word Flash Fiction Story of A Teddy Bear #Hero
Hero – A Superhero Teddy Bear for all ages by Nick Davis
Meet Teddy, a Teddy Bear just like any other, no different to any other Cuddly Toy. He shares his child with Blankey, a blue security blanket and together they keep their child safe from the bumps in the night.
For those that know a security blanket is a comfort anchor, and is full of a Child’s love, innocence and wonder – all the good things that power a childhood.
One dark night, darker than most and everything was quite still the Monsters under the Bed crept out of the shadows.
They were on a mission to steal Blankey, to make the Child scared and dread going to bed. Dread and fear make Monsters stronger, which makes them bolder and get up to greater mischief.
But Teddy was woken by the Monsters clumsy steps, grabbing Blankey just as the Monsters did… And a tug-of-war took place.
Teddy pulled with all his strength to keep Blankey safe, but the Monsters were too strong for him. He stumbled and fell into Blankey, both disappearing in a blinding flash of golden light.
The Monsters blinked and rubbed their eyes, and out of the flash of light flew Teddy. His fur glowed with golden energy with Blankey wrapped around him like a cape.
Wearing Blankey made Teddy feel very strong and he could fly like the Superheroes in his child’s comic books.
With a Kapow, Klunk and Whammo Teddy using his new powers chased the Monsters out of the bedroom, down the stairs, out of the front door and into the street where they jumped down a drain to get away.
Wiping his paws together Teddy looked around for more Monsters to chase, seeing none, he decided to try his new powers and flew straight up into the night sky.
He looped the loop, rolled, swooped and soared, all the time whooping with joy with a great smile on his face. He was very excited and even rescued three cats stuck in trees.
Slowly the night faded to dawn and Teddy released his child would wake up soon, and not find him or Blankey there.
Hero by Nick Davis
In a flash he flew back to his house, climbing in through the bedroom window, took off Blankey and turned back into a quite ordinary Teddy Bear. Then gently Teddy climbed into bed with his child and cuddled up to him.
While in his Child’s arms, Teddy pondered what to do about the Monsters. They surely would return to try to steal Blankey again, which would upset his child.
With the powers that Blankey gave him he could use that to chase away the Monsters, and keep his child safe, just like the a Superhero. Happy, Teddy dozed off.
In the morning when his Child had gone to school Teddy found a mask in the closet, for everyone knows a Superhero wears a mask to protect their loved ones from harm. He wrapped Blankey around him like a cape, and looked into the mirror.
He would be his Child’s Hero.
Origins is a 500 word flash fiction story by Nick Davis about Teddy, a superheroic Teddy Bear who gets his powers from his Child’s security blanket. This is a preview/synopsis story, parts will change as this work goes into full publication. Hero will be a Young Reader Comic Book suitable for ages 5+ and is slated for a Fall 2015 release. Keep watching for the #Hero hastag for updates.
January 18, 2015
Tristan the Teddy Bear & the Cuddly Defenders Comic Available on Pre-Order
The Tristan and the Cuddly Defenders Anthology Comic – Out of the Attic – is now available for Pre-Order on the Teddy Bear Tales Website. Preview new pages and pre-order this Teddy Bear All-Ages Action Adventure Book by clicking here.
January 13, 2015
Adventure Yet To Come – A Teddy Bear Tale II Illustration By Nick Davis
Adventure Yet To Come – A Teddy Bear Tale II Illustration by Nick Davis
This is an illustration featuring Tristan and Wilma based on the final paragraph from A Teddy Bear Tale II, Tristan the Teddy Bears second adventure as he saved the Toy Train from the Green Headed Monster. So, if you don’t want to know how that illustrated adventure ended don’t click the jump.
‘Wilma for her part didn’t want Tristan to return to his sleep; instead she wished he would join her and explore this world within a world, and the Boggles to help her repaired the Golden Goose. It took a lot to change Tristan’s mind until finally the Old Boggle promised him that once his boy came looking for him they would let Tristan know. Only then did Tristan agree to join Wilma and together the two friends looked forward to adventures yet to come.’
Adventure Yet To Come was completed using black ink and blended Derwent Inktense pencils, it is also doubled as a practice piece so I could try some new inking techniques based off E.H.Shepards Classic Winnie the Pooh illustrations. How do you think it turned out?
January 7, 2015
Pour mon soutien à #JeSuisCharlie je me tiens avec #CharlesHebdo #liberté
Like many Artists,Writers and Cartoonists around the world I watched in horror when the Terrorist attack on the French Satirical Paper Charlie Hebdo in Paris took place.
It was an attack on all we hold dear, our Freedom of Speech, of Expression and Press. All virtues I hold dear, the art above is my reply to this cowardly attack on our freedoms, (original posted below and at 12.30pm EST on Twitter) and is my show of support to the Charlie Hebdo staff.
My twitter feed has been dominated by retweets by me of news about this attack, cartoonist reactions and fundamental truths I felt needed to be heard. I know despite the Cartoonists, Editorial Staff and the brave Police Officers who were killed by the cowardly Terrorists, that Charlie Hebo will go on, and will not stop… I support #CharlieHebdo #courageux
La plume est toujours plus puissante que l’épée
(The pen is always mightier than the sword)
January 6, 2015
Calvin and Hobbes Birthday Cake By The Sweetsfairy For My 42nd Birtday :P
Calvin and Hobbes Birthday Cake by the Sweetsfairy
A Calvin and Hobbes Birthday Cake for my 42nd year by my darling wife Jean aka as the Sweets fairy, thank you my Darling. You can view more of this awesome Birtday cake after the jump. To contact the Sweets fairy for your own Calvin and Hobbes Cake you can click here.
