A Meeting of Worlds Part II

Detail from 'For What It's Worth' by C M Burgos & J Ramirez

Let's continue with the story behind the recent collaboration between myself and digital artist Jonathan Ramirez. Having approached Jonathan with the idea of him adding colour and continuing to develop my ink drawings, he said yes and our work began.


We communicated mainly by Facebook and email. He was in Dallas and I was in London, so time differences were a big factor, getting to know when we were free to discuss things etc.


I scanned the drawings and sent him the files by email. I had decided I was going to trust his artistic vision and as a first time experiment was not going to say much about what to do, I wanted the piece to develop naturally. I would just tell him what I had in mind when making the drawing. I left my art work in his hands as to what he was going to do with them, the only thing I mentioned was the importance of the lyrics remaining visible. I was excited and nervous at the same time as this was my first collaboration with another artist.


Jonathan worked very hard on the drawings I sent him. It was now his turn to use his digital brushes and palette.  

J Ramirez and his artistic tools

Jonathan:

"What i did on the drawings was use textures, also I'm into using colors but in a dark way, lots of vintage effects, make them creepy.  I used Photoshop CS5 and Adobe Illustrator CS5  plus an Adesso CTZ12A Cybertablet 10x6" Widescreen Ultra Slim Graphics Tablet".

"I painted some by hand others by using tools like brushes and effects. Im a big fan of the 'Image Vibrance' tool, it brings life to my art, I use a high saturation on most of my artwork".

  

When collaborating with another artist it's strange seeing the results as you know and recognize your own art work but it's somewhat different now. It's interesting seeing how both styles fit and can complement each other creating a completely different image. Jonathan would send me each piece as soon as he finished it, I would take a couple of days looking at it, taking it in and getting used to this new style. We were both very pleased with our work and the results.

This was really my first collaboration, but i believe you have to respect each others work, methods and where its coming from. We had very different methods of working, Jonathan works digitally and I take a traditional approach, our styles differ. But I felt there were things we connected on. I think you have to have a plan of action, how will the work take shape, in what order etc. In our case I had created hand drawn art work and I decided I trusted in his artistic vision and gave him the freedom to then re-interpret the drawing his own way. Our common ground was our love for the same kind of music, so we were drawing inspiration from the same sources.

Jonathan: "Trust in the art of the artist you are collaborating with, Just think you are doing a collaboration where both artists enjoy each others art work. Never think of selling  for a client or making it big into mainstream".

I had been a bit worried about the distance thing, but Jonathan is a great guy, sincere in everything he does. I trust his abilities and that to me is rare. Where you can trust and share your own artistic visions with another artist. We didnt talk much about what we were going to do, over thinking things, we just poured ourselves into our art.

Jonathan: "This is my first collaboration with an artist, and I'm glad it was Carlos, you have to believe in someone or something to be part of it, and Carlos believed in my talent and art, I think I enjoyed the fact that we are both far away. I mean collaborations don't have to be in the same room at the same time, in the same city under the same sky. We try to bring art together no matter what part of the world you are in, it all becomes one".

We created five pieces of work, each of which are available as a limited edition Giclee print of five. Printed on high quality 100% cotton museum grade Canson Aquarelle paper.

Approx print size: 710 x 550mm


Next I'll be showing you the full set of work. You can also see it here: Full Set


(^_^)


Read Part I of this post here

Boot Camp by Soundgarden

Boot Camp by Soundgarden

boot camp

n

1. US slang a basic training camp for new recruits to the US Navy or Marine Corps

2. (Sociology) a centre for juvenile offenders, with a strict disciplinary regime, hard physical exercise, and community labour programmes

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Soundgarden gets the lyrical art treatment this time with their song 'Boot Camp'.


Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by lead singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto.


This is my interpretation of an underrated song I feel is about conformity, longing for change. A society full of rules or social protocol. We long for something else but are still caught in the confines of the system. 


Infant clones/drones stand in line, all with their heads down but one. Head raised and eyes wide open looking upwards towards the sky. A sky it has been told not to look upon. They must all follow the rules, but one dares to dream and question...

Boot Camp detail

The Y label on their foreheads is to show they belong to generation Y also known as 'iGen'. Born after 1981.
Characteristics of the generation vary by region, depending on social and economic conditions. However, it is generally marked by an increased use and familiarity with communications, media, and digital technologies.


I must obey the rules
I must be tame and cool
No staring at the clouds
I must stay on the ground
In clusters of the mice
The smoke is in our eyes
Like babies on display
Like angels in a cage
I must be pure and true
I must contain my views
There must be something else
There must be something good
Far away from here 
And I'll be here for good


Soundgarden was one of the seminal bands in the creation of grunge, a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle, and was one of a number of grunge bands signed to the record label Sub Pop. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label (A&M Records, in 1988), though the band did not achieve commercial success until they popularized "grunge" in the early 1990s with Seattle contemporaries Nirvana, Alice in Chains andPearl Jam.


Listen to the song:

Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Finished another word art piece of mine using Lyrics. This time inspiration comes from the powerful song by The Smashing Pumpkins, 'Bullet with Butterfly Wings'.

Bullet with Butterfly Wings - Pen & Ink

"Bullet with Butterfly Wings" is a song by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the lead single from the band’s 1995 double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The song won the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

(Source: Wikipedia)


A rat sits caged in a girls head. Gnawing on the bars, trying to break free. In the eyes of the girl we read 'I still believe I cannot be saved'. A bullet with butterfly wings flutters above. Lyrics cascade down the girls hair on either side. 


The Smashing Pumpkins is one my favourite bands, and this song for me has always been one of those that I would play repeatedly. Great beat, fast and beautiful lyrics. True poetry.


I get many things from this song, someone who feels trapped in a situation they have no control over or no control over their life. A society that just takes and takes, uncaring, cold, deaf, dictating our lives. "the world is a vampire, sent to drain". They're so angry and yet they have no influence over what will happen - "despite all my rage i am still just a rat in a cage" All about conforming, loss, sin, pain, frustration, change, etc... at least that's how I see it.


Something I think many of us have felt at certain moments in our lives if we're truly honest with ourselves.


(^_^)

"November Rain" by Guns N' Roses

Well here we are, another drawing made using lyrics from a song. This time it's the glorious November Rain by the infamous Guns N' Roses.

This drawing has a simple composition but required a lot more planning as it contains a lot of words and not a lot of places to place these amazing lyrics without distracting from the feel I wanted it to have. Also some of the words were a tight squeeze. The challenge is knowing how to distribute the words and how to separate them so they hold there own when reading them or placing them in a specific area of the picture to add to the visual effect of the piece. A very important aspect for me is also trying to create depth or form with the words, not just putting them in in any way possible. Little things like around the girls hips, the words follow the contours of her body to show its round and not flat. The umbrella benefits from this also, having the words wrap around the sections and the words sizing varying according to the distance of each section to try and create some added depth. I added some quick colour to it also in the special version below.

The song appears on the 1991 album Use Your Illusion I.
An amazing song that is still loved by millions around the world. Axl Rose apparently had been working on this since 1983 trying to get it just right. An earlier version from 1986 can be heard here: (November Rain Demo 1986)

The lyrics and the video are based on a short story by Del James called Without You. The story is part of a collection called The Language Of Fear, which was brought back to market in 2008 after being out of print. The new version of the book contains an intro by Axl Rose, who wrote: "Del James has a personal knowledge of most of the situations he writes about, and has a love of the gutter from having been there." James contributed lyrics to 2 Guns N' Roses songs: The Garden and Yesterdays.

(^_^)

"For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield

Here's the drawing I've been working on this week. Another picture incorporating words or in this case lyrics from a song. Last week was Metallicas "ONE". Link

This one is inspired by the 1967 classic by Buffalo Springfield "FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH".
Buffalo Springfield was a North American rock group that served as a springboard for the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina. Despite the band's short tenure and limited output it was one of the most influential bands of the 1960s. (Wikipedia)


A lot more complex than the last and taking a lot more time to complete, this drawing was a real challenge. I always liked this song since I first heard it as a child, it contains some incredibly well expressed lyrics that say a lot with just a few words. I've included below a short clip of the drawing from beginning to finished piece.


With so much social unrest going on just about everywhere, this song still holds its own. For many this song went on to symbolize worldwide turbulence and confrontational feelings arising from events during the 1960's. Even today it's lyrics are still relevant.

"For What It's Worth" - Buffalo Springfield - Lyrics

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

"ONE" by Metallica

Forgive my neglectfulness recently. My health not being what it should recently did not permit me to pay due attention to my blog, however this mutiny on board this vessel I call my body is at an end.

I give you my finished drawing using lyrics from Metallicas powerful song "ONE". I used the lyrics themselves to form the picture. It's amazing how powerful words can be and I didn't want to lose that, so I put them in. A limbless body with disconnected veins and arteries where his arms and legs once were, eyes and mouth sewn shut and ears no longer of any use. A lot of planning was involved in word placement and making everything fit. Most of the picture was completed in a single non stop 8 hour sitting which was exhausting!

Lyrics are from the song itself but also includes parts from the music video which includes footage from Dalton Trumbo's film Johnny Got His Gun (1971), telling the tale of a soldier whose body is severely damaged by a mortar shell. His arms, legs, eyes, mouth, nose and ears are gone and he is unable to see, speak, smell, or hear. His mind functions perfectly, however, leaving him trapped inside his own body.
But I also think it speaks to many people as a metaphor, expressing that inner scream we want to let rip when we feel unheard and powerless...