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corigarabatos · 2 years

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Explaining my Gorillaz birthday illustrations

💙 23rd May, 2-D's Birthday🎂

Every fan knows that the first to have a birthday is 2-D and being the first is the one who defines the theme of the other birthday illustrations of the others, so I decided that my inspiration would be the albums whose story focuses on a member of the band plus the added bonus of using photographs of models whose aesthetic or theme of said portrait you can associate with each member.

🖼 Reference photo:

Boys Undone | Metal Magazine A fashion story by Sophie Mayanne & Lee Trigg for metalmagazine.eu

I saw the photograph and immediately thought of 2-D: perhaps it was the way the young man picks his nose with his finger (something Stu would do or has done at some point), the innocence his face conveys, or how the model looks somewhat misaligned. Whatever it was, this was the photograph that was used as a reference.

💽 Phase and Album: Phase 5, The Now Now (2018)

The Now Now (2018)

The Now Now was the band's fifth album and the story of which focused more on 2-D, taking the position as the leader of the band while Murdoc is in jail, the latter being replaced by Ace, a member of the Gangrene Gang in the mythical cartoon 'The Powerpuff Girls' by Craig McCracken.

It was more than obvious the album and the "style" of art that he would use for it. Something that I really liked about this phase is that the vast majority of the art used a curious color palette: blues and pinks in neon tones that were combined with a monochrome style in the characters (mostly black and white).

I did my best to replicate, completely failing in blue (the background is more aquamarine 😅) but I mostly respected the characteristic color palette of that phase. Doing this job reminded me a bit of the old jobs I used to do during my years as students in Visual Arts. Perhaps the only thing that I don't quite like is the hand whose size is much larger than the face and the effect of the fur on the jacket being what I like the most about my illustration.

🧡 3rd June, Russel's Birthday🎂

The most underrated member not only by fans but also by the creators themselves. I feel somewhat sorry for Russel since from the first 3 phases he had a setback from which he has currently not been able to get out of there 😔.

He's the one who draws the least (mostly for fear that the Social Justice Warriors will come and throw me a bard), but when I do, he's the one who I enjoy doing it the most. Maybe it's 'cause his design is a challenge for me and takes me out of my comfort zone, the final result of my illustrations where he is the protagonist makes me end up with a smile on my face 😊.

🖼 Reference photo:

People - Photos A model is backstage at the Ricardo Seco fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2014 at Eyebeam Studio on September 8, 2013 in New York City.

Maybe when I think of Russell I don't picture him smoking since it's more common to see that in 2-D and Murdoc. But the few times Jamie draws him smoking is with a cigar, more elegant compared to his other two companions. The decision of said photo wasn't only 'cause the model is Afro-descendant but 'cause I wanted to challenge me by painting the smoke of the cigarette. Perhaps the model's clothing was another reason for him to wear this photograph: it's too laid back style as is Russell's personality.

💽 Phase and Album: Phase 1, Gorillaz (2001)

Gorillaz (2001)

The first album, Gorillaz and clearly the first phase is (mostly) focused on Russell and his ability to see and be possessed by ghosts, especially the ghost Del Tha Ghost Rapper.

It's the phase whose art style screams 2000's: it has that rebellious street style that is identifiable with people who like skateboarding, punk rock, rap or hip hop or street vibes.

I confess that it was hard for me to transfer to the illustration and more in the fact of the color palette, so I decided to guide myself by the cover of the eponymous album: a green military tone filter. Unfortunately, by combining that ocher color with the burnt sienna of the shirt and giving it an olive green "wash", it gives more of an air to the color palette of the Plastic Beach sketches (it's too warm and that's why it gives me those vibes ). I doubt that adding the earring to his ear would save the concept, maybe I should have looked for another reference photograph... despite that, I really like it and I consider the smoke I painted acceptable.

💚 6th June, Murdoc's Birthday🎂

Oh, Murdoc. This bastard whose birthday is 3 days after Russell and whose proximity drives me crazy 'cause he's usually my least favorite illustration. The relationship I've with this character is easily described in this image:

And I could skip his illustration, BUT that wouldn't be fair so I tried to summon my will to draw him.

🖼 Reference photo:

Peter DeVito on Twitter “My grandma turns 85 on Monday so we shot this fun birthday concept. *I also got some photos of her without the hats but I’m still working on them and we’re tryna shoot a few more birthday concepts so keep an eye out for those:)”

Murdoc is a decrepit old man, isn't he? So under that logic I had to use a reference from an older person. It wasn't easy since there is usually a lot of photography of young models or people in their 30s and/or 40s. It was a somewhat complicated search 'cause I couldn't find a photograph of a model that screamed Murdoc F. Niccals and, to be honest, I was resigning... UNTIL I found the right one.

The moment I found the reference PHOTOGRAPH I knew it was something Murdc could do: wear various colorful birthday hats and use a birthday candle as a cigarette allegorying that as each birthday passes, our existence will slowly consume away (that or I'm just seeing things where I'm not). And yes, my idea was also to add the hand that is holding said birthday candle, as a way of following a pattern (two illustrations showing only the face and two showing one of his hands) and that this will "complement" with that of 2-D 'cause you already know: they have an insane dependent relationship that they have for each other (and by relationship I not only reduce it to a romantic one, as certain fans usually do 🙄, but also having a relationship can be work, friendship or relative).

💽 Phase and Album: Phase 3, Plastic Beach (2010)

Plastic Beach (2010)

I confess that phase 3, that is, the Plastic Beach album is my favorite of all and I dare say that it is THE BEST.

Personally, it's the one that I enjoy the most, both 'cause of the story behind the virtual band and the real one. What it aimed to be and that due to various obstacles we only obtained 15% of what was planned (maybe less) , in addition to the load of the socio-environmental message that the album pointed to and the ART of the different covers it had (DUDE! They had a scale model of the island for the cover and some visuals). The truth is that I feel that it is a super complete album and different from what they did in the past and what they do now, it was the album that defined the before and after of Gorillaz music.

And I could make a testament to why it's a TOO good album, but I'd better leave you these two videos where the music on the album is deepened and analyzed (they're in Spanish, but I think you can activate the 'Automatic translation' option in the subtitles)

youtube

It's quite curious how this phase has an extremely warm color palette both in its official arts, album cover and sketches when almost the vast majority of the musical themes border on the depressive or with shades of desolation , perhaps it is Murdoc openly expressing how he feels about the possibility of being alone or dying alone ('cause according to the lore of the band, all the songs are written by him) seasoned with the guilt he feels about the accident that caused the "death" of Noddle in 'El Mañana'.

Ocher yellows, reddish or purple tones, and green are those colors that are repeated, therefore, that was the color palette that I used for my illustration. My intention was to make it look like the sketches that Jamie did during those years and trying to respect that essence of being a watercolor (in fact, all the illustrations are painted with watercolor).

❤ 31st October, Noodle's Birthday🎂

And last but not least, we have our beloved Noodle 🥰. Since she is the last to have her birthday, my rest time is extensive and I can think much better about what I should do, however it's also usually somewhat problematic 'cause I trust myself and (generally) I usually do her illustration the day before or the day of his birthday 😅, but it ends up being the one I like the most of the four.

🖼 Reference photo:

@lyiee on Instagram Bạn có biết tại sao khi nhìn ảnh này tim bạn bị đập nhanh không? Oi bạn ơi tại vì bạn kochoido đấy bạn ạ 🌚

With Noodle it's always easier to get a reference image or photograph.

I had already selected the photograph for months and I chose her not only 'cause the model is of Asian descent but 'cause from phase 2, Noodle shows an interest in fashion (something that continues to be maintained) and the use of a helmet is super characteristic of her that she could not let it go.

💽 Phase and Album: Phase 2, Demon Days (2005)

Demon Days (2005)

Demon Days it's Noodle's album, it's the album that makes possible the return of the band and initiates this stage of experimentation and it's the favorite of all G-fandom.

It is darker, more raw... so much so that it is reflected a lot in the art.

Color palette with such dark tones, overly saturated shadows and the characters are no longer so geometric, but look uncomfortably more detailed. They look gloomy and dirty and go with the gothic and emo vibe of those years.

But did I respect that essence? The truth is that I think not 'cause I only base myself on the color that Noodle presents on the album cover: green. And although that color is often seen in some official art from that phase, it's not as... colorful as the one in my illustration.

Her watercolor has more of a Phase 1 inspired vibe and even though it has black shadows, they aren't saturated enough as they should be. Still my favorite illustration of the four.

And so I end this post 😬. I hope you liked reading it and I appreciate the gesture 'cause I don't usually share the reason for my illustrations very much. I'll probably do it another time.

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