SSS adverts

Selection of various ads for the newspaper Salon Seudun Sanomat, 2006-2014.

The Huiskula rose bouquet photo on the Mothers' Day campaign ad above left was an unfortunately late addition (layout considered). Below right: the most time consuming part of this otherwise fairly simple looking ad was the photo collage on the background, linking Salo landmarks and familiar scenery into one image.

Rautia winter scenery

Used to regularly make ads for the hardware store Rautia for Salon Seudun Sanomat newspaper, from small front page pieces to more cumbersome whole spread 'collages'. However, this is the only one that stuck with me (no doubt because it required some more creativity than usual) and which I personally most care for: made this wintery mood image for their Christmas greeting by 'painting' some snow and ice on a summery stock photo from Kotitalo (one of their affiliate ready-made house manufacturers). It must have been running in their front page Christmas ad annually for at least 7 years now, iirc, maybe more. Most recently few days ago, this very Christmas.

Robin renewed

Somewhere from 2006 to 2007 my interests on hobby front took a turn from more manga inspired sources to American mainstream comics, and thus also artistic projects mainly concentrated around the DC comics' universe, and specifically within the 'Batman family'.

This is one of the works from that time. A geekish fact that I cherish here: this was likely the very first fan made artwork of the Robin's then new red and black outfit - hastily done overnight right after the first official images of the renewal went online, and published the very next day.

Inked pages for a Robin fan comic, 2007. True to the American mainstream comic form, the pages are empty of balloons and sound effects, which would be digitally added later in the production. For those with enough knowledge of the fandom and who might wonder: the characters depicted are the Robins Tim and Dick. As often the case, I seem to have exhausted myself with concentrating on minute details of the gear and surroundings: zippers, shoelaces, clothing seams, brand tags, street adverts and notice bills etc. (Tim appears to be wearing DC sneakers - fun detail I must congratulate my past self for *haha*).

Spirou - Piko

In 2007 I spent brief time revisiting beloved characters, that were - along with Asterix, Lucky Luke and Tintin - a staple part of library literature in childhood: Spirou and Fantasio. I've long wanted to do more with them still, but somehow just haven't gotten around to it... yet.

Above: "Home Again". Always thought Spirou's wardrobe should suit an active man. I liked the approach Janry had with him for more active wear, but most of that neglected the original look in all but coloring, and I liked to expand upon this with 'sporty wear' that would still reflect the look of the classic bellboy outfit by using familiar elements like the black stripes. Thus probably more time went into planning the gear in this piece (and otherwise), than drawing the actual image: this study for different styles of shoes for example - sneakers that would give the appearance of the character's original 'spats look' (which I always found a rather too formal wear for the kind of adventuring that went on in the comics). Fantasio's pink slippers are totally 'canon' though, and that doorway / livingroom configuration comes from Franquin's run on the comics.

Above: an idea after the cover of "Rayon Noir" by Janry. And a silly compilation I remember I gathered by flipping through all the Spirou albums, scanning and editing the separate images and putting them together... just to make a desktop I used maybe couple of weeks. Got a giggle out of it though. Below: subtle differences or just ridiculous standards? Red headed reporters / adventures, and shoe designs.

Loppuvuoden Salkkarit - subscription campaign

One of my personal favourites of the countless subscription campaign cards made for the daily newspaper Salon Seudun Sanomat over the years. Featuring characters slightly deviating in style from the usual "newspaper characters", with references to the paper's bear mascot, Otso Salkkari (the boy's hat, the girl's hair).