Bad-ass fan art.

For some reason these only can only be viewed in a larger format if downloaded. I think its because the quality of the j-peg was on full. Sorry.

Coming Soon...

Some more work

This lot contains some pictures from what is now becoming known as "the (tiresome) angel phase". A phase I think every would be artist goes through. The sketch and painting were part of a now abandoned story I had about an Angel living through world history... I know. It was going to be good... No really. Honest to God. I may go back to it one day. That'll show you.

The marvel piece is part of a commision for a comic buying web site. I like the fact that we were warned all the way through college that we'd never get to draw super heroes, and yet the first real illustration job I had was to draw the finest marvel has to offer.

ACES.

Paint, Gothic Overtones and Amputee models...

Just some work I did during my University "experience". I dig the "ever-so-slightly" gothic textures. Don't ask about the image with the one armed model. It was a panel from a bizzare comic about surgical mutilation I did for one of our projects. There was a girl with lobster-claws for arms in it too...

(Insert witty and irreverent title here)

Easy now.
Its been almost a month since I posted anything here. There's an excuse for that, and its only 10% to do with laziness. I've just finished a job providing illustrations for a new Comic Buying Website, when its up and running I'll post the link here so you can all check it out and maybe even sell your comic collections for fun and profit. From now on I'm planning to update more than once a month, time permitting. So keep a look out for more ocular joy, coming soon.

In the mean time I'll leave you with a page of pencil sketches that I did during the few minutes I had to spare. Its not much, and I'd like to post the illustrations I did for the website, but I'm not sure I should to until the site is up and running. So until I know for certain, I'm going to have to leave you with this. Chin up.

You may want to click on the image to get a MUCH larger version than the tiny almost thumbnail sized version here.

Lady Lumps.

Alright there? This post is just something I threw together. You can see its very different to my last post in terms of style. It fits much more into what I'm most comfortable with. I was just messing around really, and I wanted to draw a spooky picture of a lady walking through a dirty, rusty metal environment. Its inspired by the look of Silent Hill, what with the girl and the metal and all. I like it, but my one gripe is that I don't think i nailed the lighting too well. Maybe I'll recolour it later on, and stick it up for comparison.
Anyway, I'm off.
HA-DO-KEN!!!!!

Just trying something out...ouuuuuch.

Hi-didily ho. I've just had my wisdom teeth removed. So while I writhe and struggle with the most insidious pain known to man, and watch the slow decline of swelling and bruising in my face and upper chest turn them from "pain jackpot" back to their regular " hey ladies, you just hit the jackpot" status, I want you to look at something. Not that. This. I did this shortly before the surgeon's wrote their terrible wrath, and I hope you like it. I'm trying to experiment a little more with pen and ink, while bringing a slightly looser feel to my work. It's not a perfect drawing by any means, but its a step towards a new direction for me.
Enjoy.

Looking For Jake.

The following post is one of my Degree projects in its entirety. Its a 15 page comic based on the short story "Looking For Jake" by author, China Mieville. The story focuses on the plight of an unnamed narrator as he looks for his best friend in an increasingly malevolent London. The story is written as a long letter, in which our main character details his search to find the missing Jake, to Jake himself.

What's really interesting about the narrative is that much is left to the readers own interpretation. It can be a tale of an apocalyptic London gone mad to some people, and yet to others (who may or may not be speaking from long and bitter experience), it can be the miscellaneous ramblings of a drug crazed man-child, who is in the middle of some very bad (or very good) acid. Either way the atmosphere of the writing is oppressive, and haunting. A feel that I've tried to maintain in my art. The painted, rough backgrounds, which are intended to reflect urban decay, and the pencil drawn and photoshop coloured characters are intended to reflect the main characters displaced attitude to his surroundings. As if he doesn't belong in the dying environment he inhabits.

At least i hope thats what you get from it.

Words and Story by China Mieville.

Art by Chris Townsend.

Looking for Jake

Looking For Jake

Looking For Jake

Milling Witless.

Here are some more recent pages of mine. These were part of what was originally a college initiated comic book. Each student was asked to produce 2 pages of sequential work, centering around the topic of "transgression". The best and most challenging of these were chosen for inclusion in the final book. For various, irritatingly bureaucratic, reasons, the comic was blocked by the college. Despite this the book (now named "Milling Witless") was still produced, printed, and is slated to be sent out to the major comic companies around the world. Where hopefully they'll realise the talent lying untapped in the UK and decide to throw some work our way.

My submission, which you can find in the final comic, is below.The story I produced is centred around an elderly ex-soldier, whose life has been ruined by the guilt of his actions. You'll have to read the story to find out more.

SeaGulls Ate My Dingo Design.

Hello there, you my friend have stumbled upon my first ever post. I salute you. My name is Chris Townsend, and having just spent 3 grueling years gaining my BA in Sequential Illustration, I'm looking to do something with it. I'm hoping that by getting my work on here, (amidst other places I'm looking into) somebody will decide to employ me. I specialise in comic book art, but will happily (some might say estactically) take on any other illustration work that you have to throw at me.

If anyone out there has any advice on how to get into the comic book industry, job offers, or general comments please don't hesitate to contact me.



But now just to whet your appetites here are 4 pages of work that i did in year 2 of my course. The story is based on the apparently true plight of a group of children that live on a South American dump. These kids are supposed to have to sell on the things that they find there in order to subsist. The media i used for this project was pencil, paint and some mad photoshop skills. Ignore the rubbish lettering, it was an experiment.