Okay, being followed on Twitter by a celebrity you admire is one thing... but when they send you a direct message asking if you would be interested in creating a piece of art for them... well, that's... SUPER cool!
Simon Pegg was very generous in publicly liking and tweeting my Star Trek poster art earlier last year to his fans and since then we have kept in touch with each other from time to time, culminating in an unexpected commission from him to create an illustrated poster for his latest film 'The Worlds End'!
Simon wanted me to see the film before I started on the poster design. His assistant invited me to a screening that would be in Wellington a few weeks away... a press screening I presumed...I was planning on going, until I realised the mid term school holidays were to start that weekend -- The film would be out the following week here so decided I would wait a week and spend some quality time with my daughter that weekend.
The day before the screening, Simon Tweeted this:
Bloody Hell! Simon and the Cornetto Crew were on their way to New Zealand! - Turns out it's the NZ Premiere I've been invited to! ....and there was no way I could get down to Wellington in time... Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch (at the time I was drawing him for the Star Trek: Khan comic book covers) were there too as they were filming the Hobbit... oh and look, Edgar Wright and Peter Jackson! (After telling a good mate this story, he called me a fool. Hah, I sure felt like one!)
After getting over the fact that I had been invited to the New Zealand Premiere and NOT gone! I went to see the film the following week and absolutely LOVED it! Now the ideas for the poster began....
Once I had the rough composition sketched out I emailed it to Simon to have a look at...
The World's End - Colour Rough Comprehensive
I got a quick fire reply from Simon by Direct Message on Twitter: (NB. Whenever I receive a message from Simon and I read it, I ALWAYS hear his voice saying it)...
Honestly, I can't ever recall a client messaging me like that before... I totally love this guy!
With no major changes needed except for adding Simon and Nick's names at the top of the poster and adding 'A Film by Edgar Wright' under the main title, Simon was completely happy with how the poster looked and gave the go ahead to work on the final art...
And here it is:
The World's End - Finished Illustrated Poster
Edgar Wright, Director of 'The World's End' was kind enough to write to me recently recalling the moment he received his gift:
“Simon had delivered a suspiciously poster shaped Xmas present to my house. I was already excited, but when I unwrapped it and saw Paul’s amazing poster I literally said ‘That’s fucking awesome’.
If our movie had been made in 1983 instead of 2013, I could imagine the poster looking a lot like this. Like many film fans I miss actual art on film posters and Paul Shipper’s genius work is precisely what’s missing.
I can happily call this my favourite ‘World’s End’ poster.”
A Poster Artist can not ask for higher praise than that! Thanks to you Edgar for taking the time to write to me and to Simon... well, this was all your idea!
An honour and a pleasure creating this illustrated 'World's End' film poster for you... You're a true Gentleman and a Living Legend mate!
Should you so desire, here's a link to download a 2560x1440 version for your desktop wallpaper.
