The psychedelic sound of up-and-coming British indie pop band The Good Water has of late been securing airtime on national radio stations such as BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6, receiving critical acclaim and drawing in a wide fan base.

Based in Birmingham, Central England, band members Rob Clements (guitar and lead vocals), Tom Fisher (drums and backing vocals) and Stuart Webb (keyboard and backing vocals) are admirers of 1960s and 1970s psychedelia and approached me in early 2018 in regard to creating art in this style for a future release.

Fast forward to present day and I’m pleased to finally be able to share my artwork for recently released Live Studio Session, which is well worth a listen if you like fuzz-fuelled guitar riffs, the smooth vibes from vintage organs, and hypnotic drum beats.

The chosen cover illustration is a contemporary, entirely digital creation with clear nods towards 60s and 70s psychedelia.  A limited palette of carefully selected colours and subtle layers of artificial textures are inspired by and imitate aspects of traditional hand-drawn illustration.  In contrast, well-defined waves coexist with uniform, vertical lines.

Initial versions of this visual concept incorporated a full psychedelic background, but this was deemed too distracting, drawing attention away from the central focal point.  Two examples are provided below for readers to make their own critical comparisons.

Early feedback from The Good Water regarding the final version has been entirely positive, with many comments on social media reportedly directing praise solely towards my artwork, indicating the creative decisions made have succeeded in achieving the desired result.

You can download Live Studio Session and the band's other releases on Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon.  The fee for this commission is to be donated by The Good Water to Wythall Animal Rescue on behalf of Adam Bagley Art.

I am delighted to announce on the 1st and 2nd of June Adam Bagley Art will be exhibiting at the UK's newest and most vibrant comic art festival, Comics Salopia.

Taking place across the beautiful town of Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, England, this celebration of the sequential art medium promises fun, inclusive, and inspiring events for the whole family to enjoy.   During this weekend of live art events, visitors can also enjoy film screenings, Jedi fight training, a small press comics market, an interactive Judge Dredd event, live music, a cosplay competition, and even a zombie walk!

Some of the biggest names in comic art will be attending venues such as the grounds of Shrewsbury's Castle, Dana Prison, Shrewsbury University, and the town's Museum and Art Gallery (which, amongst other things, will be hosting an exhibition by local artist Charlie Adlard of The Walking Dead fame).  It's worth noting The Beano comic, which is seldom seen at comic art festivals and conventions, will also be in attendance.

If you plan to visit the event, don't be shy - stop by and say hello!  During both days I will be exhibiting a wide variety of artwork inside my very own cell at Dana Prison, alongside some of the artists and writers for 2000 AD comic.  I'll be on hand to talk about current trends and the artists materials, techniques, and processes I use when creating my illustrations.  Signed prints will be available for purchase and, of course, I'll be happy to discuss private and professional commissions.

Check out the Comics Salopia website for more details.  I hope to see you there!

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2019 from Adam Bagley Art!

2018 has been a busy but enjoyable year for this artist.  Lots of illustration work still coming in too!  Rest assured, there will be more eye-pleasers making their way into the Gallery soon.   Watch this space!

Whatever the festivity, I hope you enjoy, have fun, and stay safe!

Started in 2016 by illustrator Jake Parker, Inktober is an annual drawing challenge which involves creating an ink drawing every day during the month of October.

Working to an official prompt list, many participants see the challenge as an opportunity to test out several types of ink, brushes, and pens, experiment with different mark making techniques, and have lots of fun stretching their imagination.  Using the #Inktober hashtag, completed drawings are then shared online.  Inktober is certainly a commitment, but if drawing each day just isn’t possible, illustrators can decide to post every other day, once a week, or whenever is feasible.

2018 saw me taking part in the Inktober challenge for the first time, and I managed to produce an illustration every day for 18 days before professional commitments took priority.  I found Twitter especially great for sharing my illustrations and getting feedback, and I was pleasantly surprised when Luke Skywalker and Yoda themselves, Mark Hamill and Frank Oz, liked and commented on my drawings based on movies Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back and The Dark Crystal.

I've since added some of my artwork for Inktober 2018 to my website's gallery and all of my submissions can be viewed on social media, some of my ideas for which I'm planning to develop further.

It doesn't matter what level of skill you're at; if you like drawing, I recommend giving Inktober a try.  It's a great way to get your style noticed and give your artistic abilities a good workout.  I'll likely be taking on the challenge next year so feel free to share your drawings with me if you do too!

Just as the website suggests, my name is Adam and I'm an independent artist.

Based in the once heavily industrialised Black Country area of the West Midlands, Central England (thought by some to have been the inspiration for Mordor in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings), I've been active as a professional since school-leaving age, thanks largely to a now obsolete on-the-job Government initiative known as the Youth Training Scheme (YTS).  Controversial and often criticised both politically and socially for being prone to exploitation, the scheme nonetheless provided me with a platform from which to launch my career and I've been producing artwork for many well-known organisations and private clients ever since.

Though not necessary for a career as an illustrator, I also have a degree with honours in visual communication, specialising in illustration.  For me, achieving the qualification was about realising a long-standing personal goal rather than career advancement.

For as long as I can remember, I've been enthralled by science-fiction and fantasy art.  Artists whose work I admire include Jim Burns, Simon Bisley, Ron Embleton, and Brian Froud.  British comics and graphic novels have also been an important part of my life, with The Beano and 2000 AD firm favourites to this day.

As with my art, I aim to be an open, honest, and passionate blogger, providing an overview on some of my work-in-progress (if permissible), focus on tools, materials, techniques and processes used, and musings on industry-related trends and developments.  Blog content will be aimed towards admirers of my work, wannabe and fellow illustrators, potential clients such as art directors, editors, writers, marketing executives and creative agency representatives, and everyone in-between.

Friendly and approachable, I welcome your comments. I'm also happy to answer questions via my website's contact form.