Initial Ideas n that...

Idea #1 Once we were briefed on Friday the first thing that came to mind, before all the research, was an idea ive had for a good few years now, it is The Day in the Life of Lighter, so immediately started to jot down my thoughts. (NB: Im sitting in the library as we speak and its packed out man, so im not getting on the scanner any time soon; my sketch book stuff will have to wait for now coz im internetless at home atm).

Yeah so i was thinking about the lighter idea because it would be a good way to introduce all the diverse people and places that are held in Brum. It wouldnt have to be a story either it could just be a series of images following the same lighter from place to place, from person to person.

I've had a look on the web to see if im subconsioucly copying someone who has already done this and there are a few videos on YouTube that people have done but i couldnt see anything going in the direction i had in mind.

Idea # 2 I started looking into stories about Birmingham online, in the news and on blogs and all sorts. There was quite a lot of ghost stories from Brum but most of them sounded like a load of crap, but i did get sucked into this one blog that was about the post code wars and gangs within Brum, mainly the Burgers and the Johnsons.

www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=birmingham%20gangs This website opened my eyes to other peoples perceptions of my home town, i read this one guy's blog who basically says that if you're white and on your own in Brum, you will get shanked. So technically - i should be well dead by now. Stupidness. There's also a Birmingham/Bronx reference which really tickled me. So from this i was starting to think about justoposing these perceptions with my own; digging out really frightening quotes about town and then illustrating happy images. Or maybe on page with images of the ghetto on one side, and then bright images on t'other - I dunno it's just a thought.

Idea #3 Another idea that i had was about the Brummie/Black Country accent.

www.dialectdictionary.com/view/letter/black+country/page1/?view=enhanced

"If pigs cud fly the'd mek unlykly burds" poi = pie; point = pint; toy = tie etc etc

I could potentially illustrate the brummy accent - some people from out o' town really struggle to understand my accent sometimes which amuses me no end.

Idea # 4 Another idea i had was about the ledgend, the Birmingham Running Man. He seems to be loosing his mojo in recent years but has been a figure that anyone from Birmingham should know. There used to be a time come rain or shine where he would be running up and down every road in Birmingham. There's even a few facebook page's dedicated to the guy, and some locals have even gone as him for fancy dress parties. Ledgend. He's really mysterious and all through my youth there were so many stories about him, where he came from, where he lives etc - i remember hearing he was sponsored by Nike or Addidas to advertise their gear. He wears EXACTLY the same clothes, the same hat, joggers and trainers, and doesnt speak even when spoken too - i can confirm this because he came into Ladbrokes when i worked there a good 6 years ago and he put on a bet that was incorrect, but we couldnt help him because he just stared blankly at us when we asked him what bet he wanted to place. A friend of mine even followed him in his van down the road and did a David Attenbourgh stylee commentary on the bloke! And when i think about the running man, i think about the NEW running man, he wears tight spandex clothes that hug his oh so buff body and makes running look sooo effortless. I could try and dig out other Birmingham 'ledgends' too.

Idea # 5 On location drawings: i could put together a collection of drawings that were done on location from Birmingham. (Think of Dongyun Lee's on location drawings - www.dongyunlee.com/# )

This is a drawing i did of a factory in Aston - i rek it'd look quite nice using dragpoint.

Artist research:Kozyndan (http://www.kozyndan.com/) - amazing illustrations, i really like the use of cutsy characters and on location illustrations.


Yep, so thoughts pleasy - and i have loads of sketchbook ramblings and illustrations that will back the above up, so i'll add all that once i've got scanner access :)