BLAST FROM THE PAST

I've just resurrected these 2 airbrush illustrations I did from over 30 years ago. Scanned them (painstakingly) in A4 sections at super high resolution, patched them together and then tidied them up before re-launching them onto my Zazzle shop.

https://tinyurl.com/5bc6sjar

If anyone fancies a giant tapestry, shower curtain, canvas print, paper poster, sketchbook cover etc then please head over there and check them out. So piecing together 12 sections IS possible but a bit of a pain. A bigger scanner would've been preferable. And once I zoomed in to the surface I could see all the tiny frisk film imperfections where the tacky film and scalpel from 30 years ago had pulled away the surface. I couldn't bear not to repair those marks, so that took a day or two!

 • Hot Frog Graphics •

Over the past ten years I've had some excellent jobs land on my desk. These are some of the best food illustration work I had the pleasure of doing. Recently it's been all book work but I don't want clients to forget that Hot Frog means top quality illustration in the commercial sector too.

These first 5 images were commissioned for Kelly's Cornish ice cream. Using a combination of hand painting, photography and Form Z (for the 3d elements) the scenes were built and composed in Photoshop.

This colourful maypole was first commissioned for some display boards in a major shopping centre. It went on to be re-used and re-purposed for print brochures in the Philippines and also a bus shelter campaign in Ireland.

The clown character was designed and illustrated for Razamattaz Magic Co. It featured on some of their fantastic magic tricks. And unfortunately it has been ripped off and illegally used on all kind of products across the globe ever since.

 New Book and packaging

Since turning the corner from 2020 to 2021 it's been total concentration for me, keeping my head down in order to deliver my new children's book.

The 2nd Bug Belly Book in the series - FROGGY RESCUE - will be out later this year. More on that later when all the artwork, page spreads and finalisation is complete.

Meanwhile, all I had time for was to squeeze in some visualisation of these new larger 150g bags of delicious Lister's Crisps. No 3D used here, just judicious use of photo-based layer commands in Photoshop.

Yummy! Remember please that all images on this blog are strictly copyright. © thanks.

 SEASON'S GREETINGS

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a much better 2021.

Take care, have fun and see you next year!

BUG BELLY EDIBLE BUG SNACKS

If you've read my first book in the series you'll see that at the end of Bug Belly Babysitting Trouble I've listed the Top Ten favourite snacks of the great green gobbler. And now I've recreated three of them with recipes and instructions. Worm Whirls, Chrysalis Candies and Fly Fudge are all available on www.bugbelly.com

Here's a short video to tempt your palette!

Happy bug crunching!!

BUY THE BOOK HERE

 

• PLAYSTATION GAME CONSOLE HEAVEN •

I've often said how lucky I feel to be able to work on some absolutely brilliant projects. Well here's one that ranks up there with the best of them. I'm only now able to post some retouching and illustration work that I completed end of last year for Seattle based company Power A. 

Power A produce cool gear - cases, covers and accessories for all the top games manufacturers such as Nintendo, Microsoft, PlayStation, Apple, Disney etc.

Their packaging requires the absolute highest quality images of the product and so they have fabulous 3d renders made of each item. This still doesn't quite reach the level of finish and detail that their clients are demanding so they come to Hot Frog Graphics for that final gloss rendering to lift the image.

 This might sound straightforward, after all the 3d model is already created. But it requires me to dissect and dissemble every outline, each facet and all the various elements that make up the final 2d image. I then re illustrate each part individually to gradually bring the whole back to a more 'sexy' finish.

Please remember that every image is STRICTLY COPYRIGHT ©

BUG BELLY VIDEO TRAILER

I've been busy building my Bug Belly website as previously mentioned. Now I've recently added the excellent video trailer for Babysitting Trouble.
It was produced by my friend Gary Fabbri.

My first ever foray into video promotion, hope you like it. Hope you like it enough to want to read the book!

BUG BELLY'S HOME PAD

A brand new website, home for my first book 

BUG BELLY BABYSITTING TROUBLE

Discover all you ever wanted to know about me, author illustrator Paul Morton!! And then download loads of cool free froggy crafts and collectibles.

• NEW YEAR NEW FLAVOUR •

So, a brand new post for the new year. Amazingly it's my 14th new year on this blog! I'm mad busy creating exciting new sites for my Bug Belly book, more on that later. For now I can offer you a delicious new taste sensation from Lister's crisps. Designed by Hot Frog Graphics - Steak & Ale and Caramelised Onion flavour joins the range.
Plus, the counter top display boxes are looking great.

Please remember that all images are strictly copyright. ©

• ON TREND WITH THE NARWHALS •

First it was Gremlins, then Meerkats and more recently Narwhals!

Creatures that are trending in the toy and publishing market really do seem to get everywhere and take over.

So I was commissioned to improve the gameplay illustration for the Narwhal 'Free for All' game.

Commissioned by Forrest Pruzan in Seattle for whom I've produced a pile of games over the years.

Keeping it clean, clear and with a hint of icy atmosphere was challenging when there are shadows and highlights to consider.

Please remember that all images are strictly copyright. ©

• DRAWING CONCLUSIONS •

Thirty years ago I had my first book published. 

No not a children's book but a collection of political postcards and cartoons. Over the years I've produced many cards for various campaigns such as The Miners, CND, Anti-Apartheid etc mostly through Leeds Postcards.

Following the miners strike and the success of the Miners Support pack we decided to collect all my work together into one small booklet, full colour cover and black and white inside.

Drawing Conclusions was sold throughout the UK via a series of press campaigns and reviews. Remember, no social media in those days to shout out about your project.

 Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament's chair Monsignor Bruce Kent was kind enough to offer a foreword to the book which I was flattered and very proud of. I'd met him at afternoon tea hosted by the mayor in Barnsley Town Hall and he had remembered meeting me.

The Thatcher Therapy dot-dot puzzle postcard became quite famous and was featured in other publications. It spawned the follow up Reagan puzzle, and more recently, the David Cameron 'Smug Face Wipe'.

Please feel free to print off the Thatcher picture, laminate it and enjoy the satisfaction that thousands of sufferers sought in the 1980's and 90's.

Thatcher was such a shock to the system that she spawned thousands of political cartoons and I've created my fair share. Here's another produced for the "I support the Miners' pack of cards raising money for striking miners

I am very proud to be able to say that these cards helped raise over £30,000 for families living below the breadline as the Tory government turned the screw.

I sold the book at various events. 

Here in Roundhay Park Leeds at a Peace festival.

And, also in Leeds, with a window display on Sherratt & Hughes bookshop.

I still have a few hundred copies of the book left and keep thinking about putting them online.

If I do they will be around £10 each including p&p.

I'll post again if this happen, but if anyone would like a copy meanwhile, please email.

hot.frog@me.com

"Screamin Tabloids" for Campain for Press and Broadcasting Freedom

© All images are strictly copyright ©

• VILLAINOUS DISNEY •

Sooooo, I'm quite embarrassed really to admit that I haven't managed to post on here for some 4 months! It's unforgivable - but I have some very good excuses!

Firstly, the commissioned work I've had in is still mostly under wraps and embargoed.

Secondly, the other work I've been doing, and which has taken up 90% of my time, is writing and illustrating my first children's book!!!

Well, it was worth the effort, as my book Bug Belly the ever hungry frog will be published next Spring by Five Quills.

Much, much more on that later I promise. In fact there will be a brand new Bug Belly website with all the colourful details. I shall share that as soon as it's ready.

Meanwhile, some of the commissioned work I CAN shout out about is a great little job for Disney and their Villainous board game.

I was asked by the great team at Funko (Formerly Forrest Pruzan in Seattle) to juice-up their raw renderings of the plastic game play pieces. Although the render was quite good it lacked the sexy highlights, refractions and reflections that real plastic would possess. Also, they wanted flaws in the plastic to be noticeable to add that extra realism.

To really demonstrate the 'before and after' effect of my illustrative involvement I sought the help of my friend Gary Fabbri. (http://www.garyfabbri.com)
 Gary is a skilled illustrator AND talented film maker and he created this great little video wipe promo for me, using After Effects and Adobe Premier. Please remember that all images are strictly copyright. ©

Before and After Villainous game pieces

Watch the video

And here are some of the other characters from the game that were a pleasure to work on. 

The game is decribed thus -  

An epic contest of sinister power, you take on the role of a Disney Villain and strive to achieve your own devious objective. Discover your character's unique abilities and winning strategy while dealing twists of fate to thwart your opponents' schemes. Find out who will triumph over the forces of good and win it all!

You can enter the game play as one of six iconic Disney Villains (Maleficent, Ursula, Jafar, Prince John, Queen of Hearts, Captain Hook)

Each Villain has their own oversized sculpted mover

The game where being the bad guy is a good thing

Fate cards allow you to meddle with other Villain's objectives!