Orbital/TLDC ERB special!

With a new Tarzan movie “The Legend Of Tarzan” scheduled for a summer 2016 release, we thought now might be a nice time to take a look at some of the amazing artwork inspired by the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and hopefully inspire some more…

On Friday March 11th 2016 The Life Drawing Collective will team-up with Orbital Comics to present an evening of Tarzan/ERB themed life drawing.

Life drawing, comics and the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs are not such an incongruous match as one might initially suppose. 

The celebrated artist Burne Hogarth (wiki) whose outstanding work on the Tarzan newspaper strips led to him being heralded as  the“Michaelangelo of the comic strip” was actually a founder member of the School Of Visual Arts in New York.

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On a recent clear-out I happened to discover these old plastic bags from Forbidden Planet & Comics Showcase that had been stashed amongst my collection since the early 80ies. 

Va-Va-Valentines'

Va-Va-Valentines at Orbital, 14/02/2014 from Manko on Vimeo.

logo design: Steve Cook

On Feb 14th 2014 model supreme Manko once again killed it at Orbital Comics 'Va-Va-Valentines' life drawing event.

This was the second in a series of life drawing sessions featuring Manko & hosted by artist Jason Atomic.

 Costumes, projections, props and atmospheric background music was used to create a hard-boiled 'film noir' effect inspired by the work of Frank Miller, Jim Steranko & Will Eisner.

sketch: Ana Dias

photo: Rossetti Rogers

The sensational costumes were supplied by House Of Harlot, whose designer Robin Archer's 40ies-inspired cuts gave the perfect silhouette, while glossy rubber dramatically reflected the specially designed projections, and heightened the stylised cartoony effect.

photo: Rossetti Rogers

photo: Rossetti Rogers

sketch: Ana Dias

sketch: Rainer Stolle

photo: Rossetti Rogers

photo: Rossetti Rogers

photo: Rossetti Rogers

photo: Rossetti Rogers

photo: Jason Atomic

sketch: Jason Atomic

These un-tutored life drawing sessions at Orbital Comics are tailored specifically towards comic strip illustration. Enthusiastic amateurs and professionals alike are welcomed. 

The next session will take place alongside the Satanic Mojo #2 exhibition on Friday May 23rd.

photo: Jason Atomic

Va Va Valentine's

If you're a comic artist or merely an art fan looking for an interesting date idea in London's West End on Valentine's Day 2014, why not join us at Orbital Comics for some 'noir' themed life drawing?

It's £10 for 2 hours, our Femme Fatale Model is the exquisite ms Manko & your entry price includes free refreshment.

Contact store for bookings, you can buy tickets here

plus....
FREE Taxi ride home!
go to Uber sign up with this code:
 6eet2
and get £20 free taxi ride.

logo: Steve Cook photo: Jason Atomic

This is the second of these life drawing sessions aimed specifically towards comic strip illustration. The first "Catsuits & Rayguns"took place at Orbital on Dec 13th 2013. It attracted a mixed crowd of artists and illustrators ranging from absolute beginners to industry professionals, you can see a gallery of photos form that event over at Steve Cook's Secret Oranges blog.

Paint Is... Battle Of The Eyes.

I'm a massive fan of Savage Pencil & Chris Long's "Battle Of The Eyes" art group.

Since the mid 80ies (when their NYAK NYAK comic was given away free with Jim Thirlwell's awesome Wiseblood "Motorslug"12") I've been obsessed with collecting their work. 

In recent years the duo have ressurected themselves as an expressionistic live art phenomenon and I've had the honour to watch and sketch them during several live painting events, paint a portrait of Savage Pencil and even had a cameo in one of their films, 'What We Do' by Mario Cavalli, (see below).

Doug Sneyd at Orbital Comics.

On Nov 16th at Orbital Comics, Playboy cartoonist, Doug Sneyd hosted a life drawing master-class with Manko modelling. This event sold out within 3 days of being announced and judging by the feedback from attending artists, the model and venue staff is likely to be the first of many.

Manko, inspired by Doug's pin-up illustrations prepared two very different looks for the night. 

This week on friday the 23rd Nov 2012, Doug returns to Orbital for a conversation with artist & curator Jason Atomic. This is a free event and will be moderated by Orbital podcaster Chris Thompson.

In Conversation with Doug Sneyd

As a follow-up to the Doug Sneyd Masterclass event at Orbital Comics on Nov 16th there will also be an "In Conversation" event ,presented in association with Comica Festival, on friday the 23rd.

Doug will be talking with UK artist Jason Atomic in a conversation moderated by Chris Thompson the host or Orbital's weekly "Orbiting Pod" podcast. 

Doug has worked for Playboy magazine since the early 60s, Atomic has been indirectly involved with the 21st century equivalent SuicideGirls since 2004 as occasional photographer and art department for his muse Manko's photo sets.

Doug Sneyd Masterclass

UPDATE 27/10/2012

from Orbital Comics

"This event is now SOLD OUT! Congrats to everyone who managed to get a ticket, and sorry to those who didn't. On the plus side, we'll be having a free discussion night with Doug the following Friday (November 23) so there's still a chance to see him"

On November 16th 2012 legendary Playboy cartoonist Doug Sneyd will be giving a life drawing masterclass at Orbital Comics.

Joining Doug will be model Honey Manko best known for her work on SuicideGirls.

If you have an interest in life drawing & 'cheesecake' pin-up artwork this is an incredible opportunity to pick up some tips & techniques.

Tickets for this event are £10 available from Orbital.

Tickets are selling out fast but you can still book them here

Magick Eye 2 exhibition previews...

Flyer by Garry Leach

Jason Atomic & Garry Leach present:

MAGICK EYE 2

A SALACIOUS SLICE OF HALLOWEEN CHEESECAKE & HORROR
The second annual Orbital comics Halloween exhibition (see pics from last year here)

Shaky Kane

Private view/Halloween party Oct 31st 2012 7.30-9.30

at Orbital Comics (used to be the photographer's gallery)

8 Great Newport StreetLondon WC2H 7JA

http://www.orbitalcomics.com

If you're planning a night on the town for All Hallows Eve why not pop down first and kick start your evening.

COSTUMES ENCOURAGED

Gaye Black

Exhibition runs from  Oct 18th- Nov 18th

(open 7 days during shop hours) 

Graham Humphreys

contributing artists include:

Junko Mizuno

Rockin' JellyBean

Rufus Dayglo

Graham Humphreys

Gaye Black

Shaky Kane

Dennis Franklin

Tom Spencer

Billy Chainsaw

Carl Stimpson

Matt Valentine

Steve Cook

Jason Atomic collab w. Junko Mizuno

Jason Atomic

Garry Leach

Rian Huges

Will Simpson

Garry Erskine

Steve Pugh
Satanic Mojo

Bill Ward

Matt Valentine

SOME OF THE ARTISTS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR A MEET'N'GREET ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE 18TH.

The Illustrated Ape magazine

Art directed by 'Stripped' curator Jason Atomic & Honey Manko the new issue of The Illustrated Ape magazine is currently in production.

Not seen since the collapse of Borders bookshop, Ape returns this year as a limited edition, small-press publication and will launch with an exhibition at Orbital Comics in the first week of Dec 2012.

The magazine will come in a printed paper bag and will be accompanied by a 24 track CD "Torchsongs & Fire Hoses" written and performed by Christian David with music composed by Noko (of Apollo 440, Luxuria and Magazine fame).

Ape will be printed with old-fashioned stencil duplicator technology in black and red on white,
 at Hurst Street Studios (which print Radiohead's limited edition record sleeves). 

Printing in 2 colours on this machine requires that 2 separate pieces of artwork be created for each page and that each page to be fed through the machine twice.

Scott Jason Smith

This gives the pages a delightfully nostalgic slightly off-register effect. 

Akiko Miura

The majority of the magazine will be a comic section, with each track of "Torchsongs & Fire Hoses" illustrated by a different artist from a variety of disciplines (fine art, comix, fashion, music, tattoo etc..) 

Jack Mclean

Contributing artists:

"Torchsong & Fire Hoses" comix section:

1 Mina Milk

2 Debbie Griffin 
3 Marko Matysik

4 Anthony Ausgang 

5 Matt Valentine

6 Molly Crabapple 

7 Billy Chainsaw 

8 Henry Hate 

9 Jason Atomic

10 Jack Mclean 

11 Carl Stimpson 

12 Scott Jason Smith 

13 Dwam Ipomee 

14 Paul Ashley Brown 

15 Trina Dalziel 

16 RiotQueer 

17 Nigel Burch

18 Jacob Stead

19 Sina Sparrow

20 Jessica Kemp

21  Beibei Nie 

22 Bern Campbell 

23 Madoka Nagata 

24 Zak Smith 

Regular features & stories:

Contents, Akiko Miura

Celebrity Deathflash, Dennis Franklin
Hector G,

Offspring, Henry Hate 

Horoscopes, Dame Darcy
Poem by Haruko Haga illustrated by  Jason Atomic
9.54 by John Cooper Charles illustrated by Alice Dyba 

"Midnight" by Ian Armer, illustrations by Karina Akopyan

"Two Little Boys" by Christian David, Charles Cutting

Flow charts, Paul Davis

"Satanic Mojo" Jason Atomic & Shaky Kane

POSTCARD ART WANTED!!!

Stripped call for artists!

For the Stripped show we will be having a postcard art  section to the show.


As is the tradition with such event the cards will not be hung with name tags, that way all entries will be on an equal footing, amateurs will hang alongside professionals.
If someone wants to know who did what card, they have to buy it or ask staff.


All cards will be priced at £20*, so it will be a sort of lucky dip affair.


Work in any media is fine (painting, sketch, collage, photo, stencil, print etc..) as long as your work fits the criteria of "What I love about comics" & fits on one side of a postcard.

Postcard size is approx A6 105 × 148mm 

You can use any kind of card as long as it's around that size

Multiple entries OK!

Send your work on one side of a postcard to:


Stripped Show c/o Orbital Comics, 8 Great Newport St, London, WC2H, UK

(please include your full contact details inc name & email address on the reverse)


Deadline: cards must reach Orbital by Feb 25th


The show opens on the evening of Thurs, March 1st, all contributors are invited to that private view.




(unfortunately we may be unable to return unsold cards please contact me if this is a concern, artists in the  London area will be able to collect them at the store)

For further details about any of this please contact j.q.atomic@gmail.com

*the gallery cut is 30%