richardakirk

The Pact

December 19, 2019December 19, 2019 richardakirkLeave a comment

Sometimes, when making illustrative images, I find it easy to forget that I’m making a thing. This is especially so when most of the engagement with my artwork happens on the web. As grateful as I am for that avenue of engagement, it tends to have a flattening effect. Sometimes I like to remind myself that art is about things (for me anyway). It’s about the visual immediacy of a work created by hand. The way the light bounces off the ink or paint, the dry whisper of the paper under my fingers, the care I must use in handling these objects. That’s why I created The Pact, a little 4 x 4 inch accordion book. It is actually a prototype for some other, slightly larger accordion books I’m planning to produce in the New Year. In the meantime, please enjoy this little movie.

I also wanted to remind everyone that my short novel The Lost Machine is available on Audible as an audiobook. Mark Miller at Encyclopocalypse did a fantastic job bringing this to fruition. Jake Ruddle’s narration is spot on. If you enjoy audiobooks, please give this a listen. Next year is TLM’s 10th anniversary! The New Year also brings an audiobook version of my novel Necessary Monsters. I can’t wait to share it with you.

Finally, I am building a mailing list for a newsletter, something I’ve wanted to do for a while. The first one will come in January and include things that I’m working on, things I am excited about, and there will be special offers and maybe even some special things for subscribers. We’ll see how it rolls. If this sounds fun, go to my website where there is a mailing list sign-up for the newsletter. I promise it won’t be spammy and I will never use your email for any purpose other than the mailing list. I hope you’ll join me.

– Richard

The Darkling Lands

November 20, 2019November 20, 2019 richardakirkLeave a comment

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Darkling Lands is a new 40 page perfect bound book, which reproduces 28 of my images and includes a new weird tale titled Ecesis. I posted 10 copies on my webshop yesterday, and I am pleased to report they went quickly, but there will be more copies available in about a week. As I noted in the book’s introduction The Darkling Lands of the title, first appeared as a setting in my short story Magpie’s Ladder. The project itself is conceived as a kind of inexpensive portfolio of images from the past few years, selected because they work together. You may have noticed that this is Volume 1. My intention is to create future volumes that follow the same pattern of art and writing, and always include something new with each volume. I hope you enjoy it.

Richard

Mystery Sketches

November 15, 2019November 15, 2019 richardakirkLeave a comment

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

During the latter half of October, I offered incentive sketches on my webshop – a free sketch with every shop order. There was some demand from people to purchase the sketches outright, so I introduced the Mystery Sketch option, which is still active. As you can see, as time went on, the sketches became more elaborate! After the first few, I upgraded the paper to a heavier cardstock in off-white with rounded edges. I introduced darker shadows and half-tone marker shading. Overall, I’m quite pleased with the result and plan to have the October sketches as part of my annual calendar. I’ve collected the sketches done to date in this slide show above, though one or two may have slipped the net! I’ve already heard of a couple that are going to become tattoos! Sketches are still available, but since the sale is over, you now have to pay to get one. 😉

I hope you enjoy checking them out.

TheWedding of the Earth and Sky

October 4, 2019November 15, 2019 richardakirkLeave a comment

One of the pieces I’m working on this fall is The Wedding of the Earth and Sky. It will be entirely stippled with my trusty Rapidograph pens. I am pleased with the progress so far. Apart from the pencilling, these images represent about 4-5 hours work thus far. I’m already penciling two more pieces in this cycle of work. I’ll be posting updates as work progresses.

– Richard

IMG_5912_s

IMG_5909_s IMG_5911_s IMG_5910_s

Magpies in October Country

October 4, 2019 richardakirkLeave a comment

It’s October at last, my favorite month of the year. I have just added a small number of signed copies of Magpie’s Ladder to my webstore. The constant reader will remember that Magpie’s Ladder is my illustrated short story collection published by PS Publishing earlier this year. Get yours now!

Also in celebration of October, for this month only, every order from my webstore comes with a free sketch on a blank greeting card. Wait, what? Yes, go buy something and get yours.

That’s it for now. Now, go out, smash a pumpkin, walk in the woods, or burn some leaves before before fucking winter comes howling in and ruins everything!

Richard

Cover of Magpie's Ladder — Magpie’s Ladder, PS Publishing, 2019

Secret Society

September 3, 2019 richardakirkLeave a comment

I started a silverpoint commission several years ago (2006) called the Secret Society. Each of the 10 drawings is a miniature (4″ x 3″). This past week I had the time to finish the series, 7-10. I hope you enjoy them!

Richard

secret_society_7_web — Secret Society #7 “Lock,” 2019, 4″ x 3,” silverpoint

secret_society_8_web — Secret Society #8 “Chrysalis,” 2019, 4″ x 3,” silverpoint

secret_society_web — Secret Society #9 “Candle,” 2019, 4″ x 3,” silverpoint

secret_society_10_web — Secret Society #10 “Lucifer,” 2019, 4″ x 3,” silverpoint

Magpie’s Ladder

August 18, 2019 richardakirkLeave a comment

Magpie’s Ladder from Richard Kirk on Vimeo.

On a related note to my last post, I thought I had posted this trailer for my illustrated collection of short stories Magpie’s Ladder (PS Publishing, 2019). The publication of this volume of 5 stories was a high point of the summer for me. I hope you enjoy the trailer, and the book!

– Richard.