Iron Man

I spent a couple of weeks doing costume illustrations on Iron Man for designers Laura Jean Shannon and Rebecca Bentjen. No, I did NOT work on the Iron Man suit. I sketched and painted gowns mostly, for Pepper Potts, Gwyneth Paltrow's character. I haven't seen the film yet, but will soon. So I don't know if any of these designs made it onto the screen (all the gowns were for one scene). Often they don't, they get changed somewhere down the line. The sketches are used to present ideas to the director and the actors, sometimes, and then if they don't change, they are given to 'the workroom' to build. I am sure I don't have a credit on the film either, because it is really difficult to get an on screen credit for costume illustration. Producers often only allow each department on a film a certain number of credits, and costume designers and other dept heads have to choose who to cut from the list (a lousy job!). Since the illustrator often will only work a few weeks (as was the case for me on Iron Man) compared to other crew members that work dawn to midnight for months dragging costumes around, we usually get cut. It is a shame, since the work of the illustrator can play a big role in the costume design process. I have managed to get a few screen credits for costume illustration due to the perseverance of designer Joanna Johnston. Storyboarding credits are more common for me.

Other news with me: I did some boards for "Jennifer's Body" directed by Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux, Girl Fight) and written by Diablo Cody (Juno), and for another film "Peacock" directed and written by Michael Lander (a newbie). They are both really interesting projects, in production now, and I look forward to seeing them. Currently I am doing some more boarding and prop work for "MadMen" on Showtime.