Owl by Hughes. The caption just sort of put itself together.
gus hughes
Marley and Me
Original one-sheet poster for the Owen Wilson film “Marley and Me” (2009), painted by Gus Hughes. Dismissing studio complaints that the poster was not particularly representative of the film, Hughes reportedly said: “Look, I drew the fecking dog, didn’t I? And if your stupid fecking film doesn’t have a lighthouse, the eyes of God and a giant fecking worm in it that’s not my fault, is it? I didn’t direct the fecking thing, did I?”.
Hughes is currently in negotiations to direct “Sister Act 3: Big Worms!”.
Peg Powler + ARC March Lineup: Games/Gus Hughes
The Peg Powlers are at it again. They launch their new show at ARC on Monday March 7th, 6pm-9pm. I glued some paper to a box, and the Pegs will be sticking it to the wall for me. I love them.
I can’t go to the launch, because I am taking a jolly holiday for a few hours, but LOOK WHAT I’M MISSING!
ARC Stockton Arts Centre, Dovecot Street, Stockton-on-Tees
Peg Powler’s programme of alternative contemporary art continues on ARC’s second floor this March with a new group show, ‘Games’ and a new solo spot from Irish artist Gus Hughes.
GROUP SHOW: GAMES
Art inspired or related to ‘games’ – from board games to mind games to video games, including art from:
Annoform Middlesbrough based fine artist/graphic designer, contributing art to this show inspired by the aesthetics of the earliest video games. intaspace.blogspot.com
Bunny Bissoux Artist, illustrator and self described ‘obsessive fanatic’, Bunny is Leeds born, Brighton based and her work is loaded with imagination, charm and honesty. ‘Sega Crushes’, her piece in this exhibition, details her personal history of video games. bunnybissouxart.com
Harris + Hughes Teesside’s James Harris and Dublin’s Gus Hughes are the creators of the surreal art/humour zine ‘The Story of Grass’ and for this exhibition present The Story of Grass – The Board Game. ramshacklecharm.wordpress.com
Adam Hogarth Based in Darlington, Adam is an artist interested in how we create our own worlds, including through colloquialisms. His piece in this show ‘Around the Clock’ is a screen print illustrating the nick names of each section of a dart board. adamhogarth.blogspot.com
Superbrothers & Jim Guthrie Creators of ‘Sword & Sorcery EP’, A project from Toronto exploring an arthouse approach to creating a computer game, including music by Jim Guthrie. swordandsorcery.com
SOLO SHOW: GUS HUGHES
Strange and funny visions from Dublin artist Gus Hughes, co-creator of The Story of Grass zine. Gus studied animation at Teesside University and his short films have won acclaim, but his recent artwork sees this talented and prolific gentleman move further into the realms of the primitive, the subconscious and the surreal. Using painting and drawing techniques over a variety of mediums, Gus’ art is often loaded with hidden meaning and can be raw and sinister, yet always strives to be fun and approachable. gushughes.blogspot.com
A Hughes solo joint! It’s going to be mental, isn’t it?
Collaboramabilia
Hooray for making things with brilliant people! I’m making things with these brilliant people:
Gus Hughes. Illustrator. Raconteur. Insanist. Beautiful man.
Gus and I are hard at work avoiding doing anything about The Story of Grass #4, while also ignoring the possibility of further Chad Banger animations.
Gus has a blog, which he should update.
Ben Klimmek is an illustrator and animator, and his stuff is bloody amazing.
Ben and I are collaborating on a BAFTA award-winning animation. I mean, it hasn’t won an award, yet, because we haven’t made it yet, but when we have made it it WILL win a BAFTA, so that’s something to look forward to.
Ben has a blog. Look at his amazing stuff!
Jo Fairfield is Chickamoo! Creator of cute, weird and wonderful creatures. Chickamoo images are like a window into another world, full of fairy wings and spidery things. And pictures of fish.
Jo and I will be working on… oh, something. Maybe a nice book, we’re thinking. It will be good.
Chickamoo has an Etsy page. You can buy cards and prints, in dollars!
Working with people who make brilliant art takes a little of the edge off my disappointment at not being able to draw at all. Collaboramabilia is magickal, it brings forth work that would never exist otherwise. I also get to sit round with artists drinking coffee and talking nonsense and it’s called having a meeting, which is what grown-ups do. Collaboramabilia rules.
Coming Soon!
Well… soonish… from Aloha ‘Ino Press.
The Two Armies
Stunning preview art by Gus Hughes for… well, we don’t really know what it’s going to be. The Two Armies was written as a short animated screenplay, but maybe it’s a comic, or an illustrated short story, or a set of commemorative coasters. We just don’t know. Still, isn’t this gorgeous? Whatever it is…
Pitch
I’m currently working on a new cartoon pitch with Gus Hughes, so what better time to take a look at somebody else’s pitching skillz? No better time, that’s what better time.
So here’s John K (of Ren and Stimpy infamy) pitching a new show, George Liquor’s Cartoony Type Variety Show.
He outlines the idea, includes artwork, sample dialogue, plot ideas and gags and he does it using a friendly, amusing tone.
He also underlines a Very Important Selling Point:
Don’t forget how good we are at animating sexy girls! Hopefully this would be a ratings grabbing ingredient in the George Liquor Variety Program.
It’s a good template for a pitch I think, and one which I’ll try and emulate:
Don’t forget how good we are at animating people’s heads exploding!
I mean, boobs are all well and good, but c’mon! Heads! Exploding!
I think we’re onto a winner.
Stick a Fork in Him…
- Chad, relaxing by a vortex yesterday
He’s done! Well, subject to approval anyway.
We’ve finished four episodes of Reassurance with Chad Banger for 4mations, and we’re well chuffed with them. Chuff chuff chuff, like a happy train. Gus’s art is gorgeous, and I raised my animation game just ever so slightly. I managed to make people talk and walk. I mean, not at the same time, but still. Awesome.
They should start turning up on the 4mations website before too long. I can’t wait to see what people think of ’em. We’d love to make more.
Our modest hope is that Chadmania sweeps the nation, with t-shirts, mugs and branded lunchable sausages filling the shelves of emporia everywhere. I want to see knock-off plush made-in-China Chads filling fairground claw-machines the length and breadth of the nation.
And that’s probably what will happen. Yeah.
Familiar faces
I’m currently working with the immensely talented Gus Hughes on an animated doo-dah for 4mations, and it’s been a treat every time a new piece of art lands in my inbox.
The stuff looks gorgeous, and then I noticed that some of the background characters seemed… familiar.
Who are these handsome chaps?
If you’re a… I hesitate to say fan, but if you’ve seen a few Shameless Films, then Reassurance with Chad Banger will be a veritable parade of in-jokes. He drew my spacesuit. I love him, in a wrong way.
The Big Push
The exceptionally talented Gus Hughes (mi Chad Banger compadre) designed this animation. And it’s currently shortlisted for the Virgin Media Shorts competition, amongst 11 other films, selected from 1400 entries (including my own Moon Shot UK, but I’m not bitter, the big bastard BASTARDS!)
It looks bloody lovely, doesn’t it?
For more incredible Gusliness, visit his blog, here.
Ramshackle Charm 