See how I take a novel and create a companion piece of art. Basing my creation on the words, places or themes (sometimes
all three smashed together) the book presents.
It's a strange hobby to be sure but no stranger than these...
2089 by Miles M. Hudson
Let's get under the cover...
The year is 2089, and some slick-smart ladies and gents have developed a system for remotely tapping into the optic and auditory nerves of all humans. Basically eye spies. Everything that people see and hear is detected and published publicly online; nothing can be secret.
Picking your nose? Everyone will know you wipe the remains on the sofa.
Don't wash your hands after the loo? Everyone will shun you, you filthy ingrate.
Putting Peanut butter on your burgers? Everyone will hound you the end of the earth you unfettered scum... and so and so forth you get the idea.
This surveillance system was created after the devastating Times of Malthus, (imagine the apocalypse x10) because that’s what the people wanted- to be watched at all times to protect them from themselves.
Jack Smith, one of the surveillance monitors, blows up the old GCHQ building in Cheltenham, destroying the surveillance computers. He goes on the run across post-apocalyptic Gloucestershire, with old friend Vicky Truva. The two are chased by a ragtag posse, including Vicky’s brothers, intent on bringing the apparent revolutionaries to justice.
Shall we meet the author real quick?
Miles is a mild-mannered physics teacher by day dangerous sci-fi writer by night, who hails from...somewhere that isn't Yorkshire but we don't hold it against him. Much. His favourite sandwich is ham and avocado.
Ok let's get down and dirty with some Artwork.
So let's level, I'd already done the cute little map work in the centre of the artwork... Mmmmm maps, for the front of 2089 and I think it turned out pretty swish.
But when I got to reading the novel one of the most striking things about this story is its setting, not a bustling overpopulated urban hellscape for this dystopia but an abandoned one. Where the remnants of our world has slowly crumbled around those left behind. Houses, streets, even whole towns have been relinquished back to nature. Artistically I found that fascinating and so when Miles asked me to be part of his book tour, I knew instantly what I wanted to draw.
I wanted to explore the abandon nature of this world. A future that is underpopulated creates a fascinating and genuinely eerie backdrop.
I create the two extra artworks you see, by working with some scenes from the book, but I left the characters out from the book, because I wanted to imagine a world where you could travel for days and never see a soul. The materials I used, were my old favs, watercolour and ink.
If you like your futurism fiction heavy with ideas and high concepts this book is for you. It's out now if you fancy getting your grubby mits on it. Miles is on The Twitter and has a blog all about the terrifying future that awaits us.