"Spy Games" Process Pics

This illustration is for a story I found in the Australian "Marie Claire" magazine titled "Spy Games". It is about the Russian governments suppression of human rights, some activists professing it to be the biggest clampdown on civil liberties since the fall of communism 20 years ago. The piece is introduced in the light of the Sochi Winter Olympics and the international uproar over Putins anti-gay laws. The illustration was for a Skillshare course titled "Editorial Illustration: Communicating an Idea Visually". The best part of doing this course was that it was tutored by world renowned illustrator Anita Kunz (cover artist for The New Yorker, Time, Rolling Stone magazine etc). Receiving personal feedback from her was an absolute highlight!

The thumbnails of a few of the different concepts I jotted down.

Yes, I made my poor husband pose for me!

The rough working of my idea with a few notes to try out.

I traced the pencil linework for my illustration on the lightbox.

I created a snowflake pattern to added texture and interest, by stippling paper with the blunt end of an ink-dipped paint brush.

Colour and texture was added to the linework in Photoshop.

My final artwork for the editorial piece "Spy Games".

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