Another timely update, of course… but I’m late for good reason; I no longer work for the devil, as a henchman for the dissemination of magic that nobody believes in. Instead, and since August, I have been working in what I can only describe as my dream position as Concept Artist with a software company in Cambridge. I haven’t shared any work from this because I don’t yet know what kind of NDAs I’m up against, and cryptic revealings of images out of context isn’t interesting for anybody to look at.

Don’t worry — as I’m sure you’re concerned for the future of my otherwise virile ability to show you things I make — I’m still at University, and I’m still doing reasonably interesting things I want to post. So, here’s something I finished up some months ago.

Although these images look nothing like the sketch I uploaded a while back, the character design has come directly from them. Above is Woland, the devil himself.

Koroviev and Behemoth welcome Styopa. That big black cat is the reason I chose to illustrate these scenes. I can’t think of anything more ridiculous than a cat drinking vodka and eating mushrooms.

Margarita, on a broom. I tried to avoid a cliché here.

Matthew Levi holding the body of Yeshua Ha-Nozri, in a cave. I tried not to draw Jesus as meek and mild, or pale, because he obviously wasn’t, even in this story.

Pontius Pilate, the Procurator, waiting for his story to be known. I felt that although he’d been there for a few thousand years and perhaps had not aged, his chair would have been updated now and then. So I put him in the chair we have here at home, a comfortable leather armchair.

I’m rather pleased with the result, and I reckon I nailed the key scenes in a self-imposed limit of five images. Overall, a really enjoyable book, even before researching the context and satire missing from the translation. A massive and complex story for illustration, but enjoyable. I recommend, too, Julian Rhind-Tutt’s performance in this audiobook edition!

Until next time.