TIMOTHY BANKS ILLUSTRATION

A monster created to inhabit the waters off of Fish Bone Harbor for my web story the Trapdoor Apprentice.

I’ve slowly been developing images for the original Pinocchio story.  These pics are prelim studies for their color finals, and it’s kind of interesting to see how Pinocchio was born.

The first piece is actually for Chapter 1 in the original manuscript.  Master Antonio is brash woodworker in his village, and is surprised when he comes across a weird piece of wood.

Book excerpt:  “Master Antonio is surprised by the special wood when it speaks to him.”

This next piece is a character study of Master Antonio in all his mustachioed glory:

Chapter 2 portrays the carving of Pinocchio by Geppetto.  Geppetto definitely isn’t the kindly grandfather figure found in the Disney (not knocking the Disney version).

Excerpt:  ”Geppetto, seeing himself stared at by those two wooden eyes, said in an angry voice: “Wicked wooden eyes, why do you look at me?” No one answered.”

I know, I’m starting to kind of freak my self out with all of the bird pics…This was painted on a scrap piece of board, hence the shadowed sides.

I’ve been playing around with larger than life characters and their mouths. It’s not a new concept. Big monsters and the tiny people their chasing. What I’m trying to get out of my character is this “elastic” quality. It’s really tough…here’s my first study.