Saturday, March 29, 2008

Vintage O'Hara :: Random House UK

tomer :: writer John O'Hara was a keen observer of social status and class differences, and wrote frequently about the socially ambitious.

Appointment in Samarra - in December 1930, just before Christmas, the Gibbsville social circuit is electrified with parties and dances, where the music plays late into the night and the liquor flows freely. At the center of the social elite stand Julian and Caroline English—the envy of friends and strangers alike. But in one rash moment born inside a highball glass, Julian breaks with polite society and begins a rapid descent toward self-destruction.


the sentiment that lingered after reading the book is of someone being smothered to death by luxury and I wanted the composition to reflect that with a big oppressive shape closing in on a face.

BUtterfield 8- was inspired by a news account of the discovery of the body of a beautiful young woman washed up on a Long Island beach. Was it an accident, a murder, a suicide? The circumstances of her death were never resolved, but O’Hara seized upon the tragedy to imagine the woman’s down-and-out life in New York City in the early 1930s.


the sketch is from a specific scene in the book that seemed to summarize it all, the vulnerable human flesh, naked, under an oversized mink.


executions:


16 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:02 PM

    As usual, the sketches look way better. :)

    - Angel

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  2. Equally love both for different reasons; the simplicity of the Butterfield (I can't stop looking at the contrast of the fur coat over the rib area) and the composition and the lighting of the Samara. The car really reminds me of Travis Charest's work on the Wildcat's/Xmen issue; really beautiful detail here and I quite like how organic it is at the same time. Awesome.

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  3. Love these both.

    Nicely done.

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  4. Love the defeated look of the guy sitting in the car.
    I'm a big fan of your work, keep it coming.
    joel

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  5. Incredible work¡¡. Have a nice day. Jorge.

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  6. Beautiful and simple. Your work is progressing in an amazing way!!

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  7. Brilliantly done, sir!

    Mike

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  8. Anonymous7:37 PM

    These are two of my favorite compositions from you yet. I had to give a presentation on an illustrator that I thought was making a valuable and inspirational contribution to today's illustration scene and I chose you. These were two of the main images that I encouraged people to check out.

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  9. Fantastic as always! Also spotted a new illustration in the latest issue of Playboy, very nice as well!

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  10. Anonymous10:07 AM

    great composition choice for the final

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  11. Sweet work for sure.

    Cheers to your skill,

    Regards,

    Milenko

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  12. You work is brilliant, love these pieces! Colours, composition, font, all of it.

    Geo

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  13. Genius, your last piece is "FORMIDABLE".

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  14. These look great - I love the old poster art look!

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