Koyaanisqatsi

detail of koyaanisqatsi character illustration

Personal illustration which will possibly form part of a series. It’s based on some of the many faces of the film Koyaanisqatsi. Watercolour on board, digitally coloured (30cm x 42cm / A3)

colour koyaanisqatsi character illustration
Above: The Digitally coloured illustration
colour koyaanisqatsi character illustration
Above: smaller browser-friendly version
b & w koyaanisqatsi character illustration
Above: The B & W watercolour painting

Process/Progress Images

koyaanisqatsi sketch
Above: Starting to draw and paint
koyaanisqatsi illustration in progress
Above: Testing the concept in Photoshop
koyaanisqatsi sketch in progress
Above: The falling spacecraft wreckage and the crowd at the power plant fitted the ‘Sightseeing’ theme
koyaanisqatsi illustration in progress
Above: ‘Flatting-in’ the colour
koyaanisqatsi illustration in progress
Above: At this point I stopped. There were too many elements and the people looked too cartoony
colour koyaanisqatsi character illustration
Above: And I rolled back to a simpler composition. Focusing on the tour guide. Focusing on the face—as I’d always wanted to.

The Next One

For my next Face of Koyaanisqatsi I’m going to do the tough—but self-consciously embarrassed—looking guy, in the Harley Davidson t-shirt.

koyaanisqatsi sketch

Illustrator: John White
Painting: Watercolour, ink, pencil, on board
Colouring: Photoshop
Font: ‘Qatsi’ recreated by Alessandro Congiu (many thanks)