Bloody Anniversary!
This year I made the poster illustration for Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre (BARS), an international film festival oriented to independent productions and devoted to the genres of Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy. With its trajectory, it's also the most important in Latin America.
In its fifteenth edition, BARS topic is 'Bloody Anniversary', so I tried to make the most macabre birthday of a girl's life. Mostly because in lots of parts of Latin America, fifteenth birthday party is the greatest - and long waited - celebration to any teenage girl, a transition from childhood to young womanhood.
The birthday girl prefers organic jewelry.
First Sketches
On the first sketches I handled other celebration options, plus the cake's first glimpses. After choosing the teenage topic, I made a couple versions to visualize the interaction between the girl and her cake.
References & Pencils
Here was when the project became a team job. Via facebook, I asked lots of friends to send me their best dead faces, which after I used to create a reference collage for the cake. I didn't want to lose the handmade touch, so I put the collage on my monitor and made a linear pencil drawing, which after I scanned.
Thanks to: Ana Belmonte, Andrés Borghi, Diego Rago, Fabian Parente, Hernan Saez, Leandro Cancro,
Nando Sarmiento & Ani Palacios, Melisa Robles, Nicolas David Soares, Paula Iraci Ricciardo, Sonia Rojas, Yair Kadar.
Nando Sarmiento & Ani Palacios, Melisa Robles, Nicolas David Soares, Paula Iraci Ricciardo, Sonia Rojas, Yair Kadar.
Linear pencil drawing of the cake.
Finding the correct girl was easy, thanks to Stefania Gariazzo, the promising young illustrator who was the model; and her father Jorge Gariazzo, who is a professional photographer.
I gave them references and indications of poses, acting, proper lighting, required props. And after one session, they made some great pictures.
Some of the pictures they made.
Linear pencil drawing of the girl.
Final Process
Lastly, some WIP of the digital process, and a couple nasty close ups (with hidden messages and homages, so please pay attention!)
The lucky guy with the candle is ANDRES BORGHI, an Argentine filmmaker, screenwriter and multimedia Artist. Devoted mostly to horror genre, he's specifically influenced by J-Horror, as we can see on the trailer of his latest short film, ALEXIA.
Check out WORKING DAY, the amazing short film he made in New Zealand, which was awarded by Peter Jackson himself! (and then watch all the other cool things he makes, too!)
This poor guy is HERNÁN SÁEZ, an Argentine filmmaker, director, actor and even more! With Pablo Parés, it's one of the founders of FARSA Producciones, a well-known and acclaimed independent film producer. They (and all the FARSA team) have made lots of feature films, short films and videoclips, being their most iconic production the Plaga Zombie trilogy.
Hernán is also one founder of VIDEOGAMO, a Videogame development company, creators of NAVE Arcade, a great experience in arcade gaming!
This guy is NANDO SARMIENTO, CEO of PepperMelon Studio -the animation studio where I worked for almost three years-. He's also comics writer and Videogame developer/Jockey, between lots of other cool things.
Yeah, I drew a beheaded version of my former boss. It's a way to show appreciation, too.
Nicolas David Soares is a friend and a hardcore roleplayer. He is member of Concilio de Roleros del Oeste, a RPG Group located on the western section of Greater Buenos Aires. Check them out!
Probably can't be noticed on the full image, but there's a creepy eye on the flesh deeps.
As the lover of Easter Eggs I am, I let a hidden message on the dagger: 'BARS 15 AÑOS' is subtly carved on the handle.
The illustration has more or less detailed spaces. This close up of the skull isn't scaled and shows the picture's full resolution (which is circa 8k by 10k pixels)
Reception, Social & Merchandising
I will keep updating this project with pictures of the festival, related merchandising or any important news.
Stay tuned!
BARS' advertising, on a subway station.
Another ad, on a subway station.
I hope you liked it. Thank you for watching!
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