Sunday 31 May 2009

Warwick Johnson-Cadwell Part 2


I don't know how to explain this one so it's over to Warwick - "I knew what Mark meant when he said "What a great puss the man had' but I could not get on without doing this, or something like it. I've got 'day jobs' all over the place right now and drawing stuff on AND 'Gungle Hunt. The Spider Pit' itching to get finished but had to get this out of my system." This has definitely warranted Warwick a second appearance on the blog. Also the second appearance of Nudie Birkin.

Thursday 28 May 2009

Geraint Ford


Here's a very introspective, pipe smoking Serge from brand new blogger Geraint Ford. Geraint has kicked off his new blog with this picture of Serge and I can't think of a better way to begin. More of Geraint's work can be seen HERE.

Wednesday 27 May 2009

Will Kane


Mr Kane is in the building! Will Kane, artist, Ye-Ye connoisseur, Giallo obsessive, Observer pin-up and thoroughly modern millie presents us with a beautifully back-lit Serge and the first Jane Birkin of the blog. I'm sure everybody is fully aware of World of Kane but just in case you're not why not drop by and say "Bonjour!" to Mr Kane. Encore!

Dave Shelton


Dave Shelton (another fellow Cambridge College of Art alumni!) gives us his rendition of Serge. You can almost smell the Gitanes! Dave is an Illustrator/gent/pen fetishist and creator of the excellent Good Dog, Bad Dog strip which is still available to read online on the Guardian website HERE.

Steve Millington


Lovely Melody-era Serge from Steve Millington. Have a look at his Hisknibs blog for some great retro style illustrations. I particularly like the "oily greasers". I suspect there's another Serge hiding in the archives too.

Paul HD


Here's Serge from yet another Huzzah!! (and Huzzah!! Noir) contributor, Paul HD. Head over to Paul's blog to see a particularly fine Judge Dredd.

Tuesday 26 May 2009

Warwick Johnson-Cadwell


A fantastic smokey, blue Serge from top pencil-wrangler Mr Warwick Johnson-Cadwell. Anyone who hasn't already visited Warwick's blog should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves and go there immediately! Warwick tells me that up until now he hadn't heard anything by Serge apart from the "mucky song" but is now filling up his iTunes with Gainsbourg goodness. Ha! My work here is done.

Colin Fawcett


A great young Serge from Colin Fawcett. Colin is a regular contributor to Huzzah!!, has met Anita Harris and is a fan of Mr Rossi. Go, Colin!

Darryl Cunningham


Here's Serge as seen through the eyes of Yorkshire's very own Darryl Cunningham. Darryl's fantastic Streets Of San Diablo is available to read online HERE.

Ian Culbard


Here's a lovely "L'etonnant"-era Serge Gainsbourg from animator and comic artist Ian Culbard. Ian's fantastic graphic novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is about to be followed up by four equally brilliant Sherlock Holmes adaptations. The first "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is due out soon. Highly recommended.

Tiburcio


First up today is Tiburcio from Brazil who gives us a very smooth Serge. Thanks, Tiburcio!

Chris Kasch


First painted Serge and it's courtesy of Chris Kasch - top painter and karting legend. Watch him go!

Faz Choudhury


Here's Faz Choudhury's Serge with added "Nana" (Serge's beloved dog). Faz recently created the excellent Dead Pets Society for the Guardian's (now sadly defunct) Comic section. Episodes can still be viewed online here.

Iain Laurie


A lovely brushy, inky Serge from Edinburgh-based cartoonist and illustrator, Iain Laurie.

Monday 25 May 2009

Simon Gane


No one draws Parisians quite like Simon Gane. Anyone without a copy of "Paris" should remedy the situation immediately. I've got some very talented friends!

Matt Pattinson


A great, choppy Gainsbourg from Matt Patt. While you're over on Matt's blog have a look at his Culprit Tech site. Wonderful stuff.

Rob Davis


Submission number 2! I thought I may have to pad this out for a while with my own drawings but the good stuff has already started to come in. Here's Serge courtesy of the very talented Rob Davis.

John Higgins


First off the block, Mr John Higgins. "He's slightly on the turn here, the ballet pumps are in place (just out of shot) and I suspect he's off to Jamaica" says John. John is also part of musical duo Petomane (with illustrator Chris Kasch - more from him later) whose original name was Serge! I know this as I have their CD. Thanks, John.

Sunday 24 May 2009

Bienvenue! - Jonathan Edwards


Welcome to "Draw Serge!", my illustrative tribute to the late, great Gainsbourg. I'm a huge fan of Serge Gainsbourg. He's a hugely important figure in 20th Century popular music but, outside of France, seems to be remembered mostly for "Je t'aime.... Moi Non Plus" (a song which is oddly unrepresentative of the rest of his work) and an embarrassing TV appearance with Whitney Houston in the late '80s. His music encompassed styles as varied as pop, jazz, reggae, lounge, bossa nova, Africana, prog, pyschedelia and rock'n'roll yet is never referred to in the same hushed tones reserved for Dylan, the Beatles, etc. Unbelievably, his masterpiece "Histoire de Melody Nelson" was only released in America THIS year!

Next year Joann Sfar (coincidentally a comic artist) releases his film based on the life of Gainsbourg which should hopefully redress the balance and introduce a whole new audience to the music of Serge. In the meantime I'm trying to do my own bit to help the cause. Serge was an incredibly charismatic performer (as this clip proves) with an unmistakeable look. He's a joy to draw hence "Draw Serge!". Here's my first offering. All submissions gratefully received, please find the link to the right. Merci!

Now, do yourself a favour - buy this book, this DVD and type his name into Spotify or iTunes. As a start I'd recommend this, this and definitely this.