Character Jam: Sherlock Holmes

[em...]

With the new Robert Downey Jnr movie currently in cinemas, and a recent revival in comicbooks too, it seems like an appropriate time to have a Character Jam dedicated to the world's greatest fictional detective - Sherlock Holmes:

To start a caricature of who many Holmes fans consider his finest screen incarnation, Jeremy Brett:

[faroukbaaaaa]

brilliant ... but not the best sherlock... basil rathbone is the best holmes
My friend's mother once said when asked had she enjoyed a Jeremy Brett portrayal
of Sherlock Holmes on Tv... 'not really, it didn't even look like him'

[markdraws]

Wow. I never saw a caricature of Brett before, and this one is fabulous. BTW, I think he's the best Holmes I've seen on screen.

[AtlasFan]

Bravo...Brett IS Holmes...Good show sir!

[CosmicPencil]

Euan,

I've always admired your digital painting abilities since I came on here. You were always one of those people who inspired me to try digital painting.
With that said, since I have been seeing more and more caricature work from you, to me it just seems like you have elevated your capabilities again. Not saying your realistic images are bad, but the caricatures to me just seem so much stronger and they are a true delight to see!!!
Would love to see the process, of course on the eyes which are so captivating.

-matt

[krisvahl]

Great! Although the hand seems to belong to someone else. I imagine him having a thinner hand. Also it's slightly different colour to the face adds to that as well.

I loved that series, but his Sherlock always came across as a bit of a poncy prick.

[Loading]

Great job em, those eyes are fantastic

[em...]

Thank you all.

faroukbaaaaa - Rathbone set the screen template for how the general public see Holmes (as Connery did with Bond), but I prefer Brett's characterisation.

markdraws - I've seen a good one by Tom Richmond, and a couple of others that didn't look anything like him.

AtlasFan - He is indeed.

CosmicPencil - I have some stages, which I will be posting on my blog shortly.

krisvahl - I knew someone would mention the hand. I'm not happy with it myself. I really need to practice hands much more, until they come as naturally to me as faces, and I feel able to exaggerate them too. The main ref for this was very low res, and I ended up using my own hand more than the photo, which isn't as thin as Jeremy Brett's (or as thin as it should be to fit well to the face).

Loading - Cheers.

[bangalore_monkey]

Ah! this is something to get me drawing, as i've been reading through the complete sherlock holmes for a week now, i've had the desire to draw up something Holmes inspired.

Great piece btw em. what little parts of that series I've seen def confirm you've gotten a likeness. i also quite like the painterly touches you added around the edges

[mcsween]

You always start them off right em...
OK... here's a cheater. I posted this in a previous Jam.

[Tabularasa]

em,
Wonderful as always, although I agree about, going with the Rathbone.

[em...]

Thank you all.

mcsween - I remember that Rathbone and Bruce. Great job.

[Jarhead1]

Here is a sketch from me.

[daniel cox]

boy...I haven't contributed in a jam for ages. wtf is that about? and it starts here...

lovely start EM: love the eyes (and the heavy bags underneath them). are you using Painter now? how are you finding it? look forward to more contributions if you get the time...

mcsween: that's great! lvoe the feel of it (classic mystery feel) and you got the likeness of those classic characters spot on. well done and hope to see a new painting from you:-)

jarhead: haw...great t'ude. its that classic one eye up and one eye down that sells Holmes for me. it doesn't matter who plays him...as long as he's wearing the hat with the pipe and that expression...it's Holmes.

speaking of which...

[Oakhorse]

what a great topic. Em, I've never really seen much of any movies but was a big fan of the stories right up until I got to the second volume ( the return of.. ) and he escaped death in a comic bookish fashion. Not that I don't like comics. I do very much but I guess I like my dead heroes to stay dead. Hahaha. I drew this last year when I first saw the previews for the movie. I noticed that alot of wolverine drawings now resemble Hugh Jackman now so I wanted to draw what I picture before my perspective was tainted. Not very flattering but this is what I drew.