This guy is ‘King’. This is a painting I have been working on for a couple of months (on and off). Now it is in the final stages where I am fixing details, adjusting contrast, and basically making it look believable.
King of the Golden Mountain
16 Jun 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: magi, Jodi, art, fairytale, illustration, dark, painting, tale, Abu Dhabi, work in progress, Australia, UAE, U.A.E., oil, portrait, Brothers Grimm, king, detail, old man, blog, fairy, King of the Golden Mountain
Because they can
14 Jun 2013 Leave a Comment
in Completed work, Paintings on canvas Tags: art, paint, Jodi Magi, illustration, artist, Abu Dhabi, window, Australian, oil, traditional art, environmental art, blog, view, toy bear, toy lamb, toy deer, toy animals, antique toy, painter, building, magazine, photo, composition
Photograph of the view from my window here in Abu Dhabi.
‘Because they can’, oil on canvas, 76cm x 51cm, 2013.
Because they can
29 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, artist, bear, blog, city, colour, construction, deer, illustration, Jodi, lamb, landscape, magi, oil, painting, traditional, view, window
This work in progress is a comment on humanity’s need to build, construct and demolish, as seen through the eyes of 3 toys looking through a window. Lamb asks Ulysses the bear “Why are they always building? Where have all the trees gone?” to which Uly replies “They build because they can”. Titled ’Because they can’, oil on canvas, 76cm x 51cm (in progress).
Untitled
25 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Completed work, Paintings on canvas Tags: Abu Dhabi, art, artist, Australian, blog, figurative, Jodi Magi, oil paint, oil painting, painting, pink, portrait, red, smoker, traditional, woman
‘Untitled’, oil on canvas, 51cm x 41cm, 2013. This represents my foray into ‘a more painterly style’.
Because they can
23 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: abstract, art, artist, bear, buildings, construction, environment, in progress, Jodi Magi, lamb, oil, oil painting, paint, perspective, toy, toys, traditional, window
This is a comment on humanity’s need to build, construct and demolish, as seen through the eyes of 3 toys looking through a window. When looking down at the endless cranes and concrete pylons, lamb asks Ulysses (the bear on the left) “Why are they always building? Where have all the trees gone?” to which Uly replies “They build because they can”.
Titled ‘Because they can’, oil on canvas, 76cm x 51cm (in progress).
The Juniper Tree
18 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Completed work, Paintings on canvas Tags: art, artist, bird, bird flying, bird in flight, bird shadow, blood, blood on snow, Brothers Grimm, foot print, footprint in snow, Jodi Magi, juniper tree, narative, oil painting, shadow, shadow on snow, tree, tree shadow, wings
Inspired by the Brothers Grimm story of the same name, ‘The Juniper Tree’ 122cm x 77cm, oil on canvas, 2013.
King of the Golden Mountain
11 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, artist, Brothers Grimm, colour, dead, directory, face, fairytale, fine art, gestrual, illustrator, Jodi Magi, king, mountain, narrative art, oil, oil painting, painting, portrait, surreal, surreal artist, traditional, traditional art, work in progress
The King from ‘King of the Golden Mountain’, oil on canvas, 77cm x 102cm (in progress). I am trying to capture a look of regret and self-righteousness at the same time… Click here to view my initial digital mockup of the composition.
King of the Golden Mountain
06 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, artist, Brothers Grimm, colour, dead, directory, face, fairytale, fine art, gestrual, illustrator, Jodi Magi, king, mountain, narrative art, oil, oil painting, painting, portrait, surreal, surreal artist, traditional, traditional art, work in progress
This is ‘King of the Golden Mountain’, oil on canvas, 77cm x 102cm (in progress). Click here to view my initial digital mockup of the composition.
Seven Ravens
04 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Completed work, Illustration / commercial art, Vector artwork and/or digital manipulation Tags: art, artwork, bird, Brothers Grimm, castle, concpet, crow, damsel, digital, fairytale, figurative, fly, illustration, illustrator, Jodi Magi, mixed media, photoshop, raven, story, surreal art, traditional, vector, vector art
My question to myself: Can illustration and art co-exist together in the same piece? And can a digital work be as emotive and soulful as a traditional piece? Having finished this piece, I still don’t know the answer, however I do think it is a lot more difficult to generate that organic ‘arty’ feeling through the digital medium. On the other hand, other things are easier, such as changing and moving elements, adjusting colours etc.
I am really liking using photographs of fabric in the clothes at the same time as detailed vector elements and art textures. I think this combination is something I will be using more in the future.
Inspired by ‘The Seven Ravens’ by the Brothers Grimm.
Photoshop, Illustrator and traditional techniques.
Vector illustration
02 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Completed work, Illustration / commercial art, Vector artwork and/or digital manipulation Tags: art, Australia, Australian, character, commercial art, enthusiastic, excited, game, happy, illustration, illustrator, in progress, Jodi Magi, man, montage, motivated, photoshop, Stake My rep, U.A.E., UAE, vector, vector art
I created this using Adobe Illustrator for the face and hands, and Photoshop for the rest. I think it is important to retain a sense of authenticity / organic-ness in digital illustration in order to encourage some sort of emotional connection. Sometimes digital stuff can look cold. This is why I use a lot fabric photography (the shirt and hat) and traditional textures (ink splatters in the background).
Vector illustration
01 May 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, Australia, Australian, character, commercial art, enthusiastic, excited, game, happy, illustration, in progress, Jodi Magi, man, motivated, U.A.E., UAE, vector, vector art
Getting there….
Vector illustration
29 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, Australia, Australian, character, commercial art, game, illustration, in progress, Jodi Magi, man, U.A.E., UAE, vector, vector art
This is a vector illustration I am part way through, for an online challenge game about to launch. Though it is done digitally, it should be known, this is no quick trick!
The process of creation
26 Apr 2013 1 Comment
in Progress shots, Uncategorized Tags: air, art, Australia, balloon, castle, child, clown, detail, doll, escape, France, French, hot, illustration, Jodi Magi, marionette, oil, paint, painting on wood, road, toy, work in progress
A friend suggested I might like to share the process of creating a piece of art in gallery format, so everyone can appreciate all the work that goes into the research and composition stages, as well as the final stage of painting. This gallery shows the work-in-progress shots of ‘I Told You This Day Would Come’, oil on wood panel, 2012.
Cleaning and preparing the wood.
Concept drawings and brainstorming
Composition of concept based on the dimensions of the panel
Visual research into the costume of my French marionette doll
Character drawing for style and positioning of the limbs
More practice on the ruff collar was needed before I started painting
Painting has started. Here I am tracing the pencil outline I made with fine white lines in oil paint.
Oil painting underway.
The doll character as it is positioned on the panel. At this point I realised there was way too much unused real-estate above her so decided the composition required more thought… Enter the hot air balloon.
Research and drawing into the make-up of a hot air balloon from the early 19th century
Detail from the top section.
Detail from the bottom section.
‘I Told You This Day Would Come’, oil on an antique Dutch colonial window shutter. 2012. 72cm x 28cm
Seven Ravens
15 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, artwork, bird, Brothers Grimm, castle, concpet, crow, damsel, digital, fairytale, figurative, fly, illustration, illustrator, Jodi Magi, mixed media, photoshop, raven, story, traditional, vector, vector art
This is a little challenge I set myself: Can illustration and art co-exist together in the same piece? And can a digital work be as emotive and soulful as a traditional piece?
Inspired by The Seven Ravens by the Brothers Grimm.
Photoshop, Illustrator and traditional techniques.
The Juniper Tree
15 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, artist, blue, Brothers Grimm, illustration art, in progress, Jodi Magi, juniper tree, oil painting, pointilism, shadow, traditional painting, tree
This painting demonstrates my attempts to develop a looser, more gestural style and is a part of my ‘Brothers Grimm’ series.
Still in progress (though thousands of dots later), it has been quite relaxing and fun to work on.
Oil on canvas, 123 cm x 72 cm
Her Metamorphosis (Retrograde)
25 Feb 2013 Leave a Comment
in Completed work, News, Paintings on canvas Tags: art, Australia, dark, Dubai, emotive, eye, figure, Jodi, magi, metamorphosis, oil, painting, surreal, Tashkeel, UAE, woman
So, she is finally finished. ‘Her Metamorphosis (retrograde)’. Oil and silk fabric on canvas, 80cm x 80cm.
She will be on show at the exhibition ‘Metamorphosis’, Tashkeel Gallery, Dubai from March 11th.
Click here to view the time lapse animation of her creation.
If Only for a Moment
07 Feb 2013 1 Comment
in Completed work, Paintings on wood Tags: animal, art, artist, Australian, bird, character, children, deer, fable, fairytale, hewn pine, huon pine, illustration, Jodi Magi, journey, light, magic, painting on wood, spiritual, story, tree
‘If Only for a Moment’, 46cm x 32cm, acrylic on camphor, 2012.
In progress (detail)
20 Jan 2013 1 Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, artist, Australian, colour, eye, figurative, in progress, Jodi Magi, metamorphosis, oil painting, surrealism, U.A.E., UAE, woman
I sat down to paint and some photo-realism-rurrealism came out. This is detail from the oil painting I am working on at the moment which is 80cm x 80cm with the theme of Metamorphosis. I have never done a ‘proper’ oil painting before, so I googled blending techniques and colour mixing, and so far it feels 1000 times easier than working with acrylics. Why didn’t I realise this years ago?
In progress
10 Jan 2013 Leave a Comment
in Preliminary sketch, Progress shots Tags: art, Australian, children, drawing, figurative, girl, illustration, Jodi Magi, new, painting, pencil, sketch, UAE, work in progress
Another drawing for the new painting…
In progress
08 Jan 2013 1 Comment
in Preliminary sketch, Progress shots Tags: Abu Dhabi, art, Australia, child, drawing, illustration, in progress, Jodi Magi, U.A.E., water
This little lass will be in a painting I will start work on in the next few days.
In progress
08 Jan 2013 Leave a Comment
in Preliminary sketch, Progress shots Tags: animal, art, bird, drawing, egg, happy, hobbit, Jodi Magi, jolly, nature, nest, sketch, whimsical, wizard
This guy is the main character in a painting I am about to start work on.
Wood carving
31 Dec 2012 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: animals, art, Australian, bird, carving, emerging, hand carving, hewn pine, Jodi, magi, wood, wood carving
This is my first attempt at wood carving, something I have wanted to do since I watched Heidi’s grandfather carving in the Swiss Alps. It is about 15cm tall and is carved from hewn pine, a Tasmanian wood which has a really fine grain and is super soft. Many cuts to my poor hands later, the result is near finished.
Woman in Black
02 Dec 2012 Leave a Comment
in Paintings on canvas Tags: art, artist, character, dark, ghost, gothic, illustration, Jodi, light, magi, oil, painting, story, traditional, Woman in Black
Recently, a publisher said he thought my work was ‘obviously geared towards the children’s book market’ which I thought was interesting as I don’t see it like that at all. So, partially as a reaction to that comment and partially to challenge myself to complete something within a few hours (instead of weeks) and in oil (instead of acrylic), I painted this today. My inspiration is the book and movie ‘Woman in Black’ by Susan Hill.
In Progress
30 Nov 2012 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, character, deer, fairytale, fawn, forest, illustration, in progress, Jodi Magi, painting, painting on wood
A little bit of additional colour, worked in from the top down, seems to have brought it to life and heightened the sense of depth.
In Progress
27 Nov 2012 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, artist, Australian, character, children, deer, fairytale, fawn, figure, forest, illustration, in progress, Jodi Magi, painting, painting on wood
In Progress
27 Nov 2012 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: art, character, deer, fairytale, fawn, forest, illustration, in progress, Jodi Magi, painting, painting on wood
Work on the background has started. It is tricky to find the balance between incorporating the wood-grain, painting an interesting scene which sets the context of the story and over-powering the foreground.
In Progress
23 Nov 2012 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: Abu Dhabi, art, Australian, bird, deer, doe, fable, fairytale, fawn, haunted, illustration, in progress, Jodi Magi, painting, painting on wood, whimsy
I think the figures are finished, now what to do with the background?
In Progress
20 Nov 2012 Leave a Comment
in Progress shots Tags: Abu Dhabi, art, bird, character, fairytale, illustration, Jodi Magi, lantern, light, narrative, painting on wood, U.A.E., UAE
So far so good. I am hoping the sketchy figure on the right is obvious enough as he is without me doing more than just emphasising the wood..?
Exhibition Nov 4 – 29th, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E
13 Nov 2012 Leave a Comment
in News, Uncategorized Tags: Abu Dhabi, art, Art Fair, Art Hub, artist, exhibit, exhibition, Jodi Magi, painting on wood, Social Hub, solo, TwoFour54
My solo exhibition titled ‘Eyes Wide Open’ is currently running at The Social Hub in the green building, TwoFour54, Abu Dhabi. Open 8:00am – 7:30pm everyday except Friday. November 4th to November 29th. This is a very rare opportunity to see my paintings in the real world, so don’t miss out!
Cold in the Shadows
14 Oct 2012 Leave a Comment
in Completed work, Paintings on canvas Tags: acrylic, art, cold, illustration, Jodi Magi, monster, painting, shadows
Cold in the Shadows, 31cm x 22cm, acrylic on canvas. This is actually a re-visit / touchup of the initial version completed a couple of years ago. I have been meaning to fix certain things such as toning back the light rays, changing the colour of the character and adjusting the shadows, and today I finally did.
