The Outcasts – Cover artwork
Narrative Illustration:
Scenes from Irish Folklore
This summer (we are in 2024 here) I had the privilege to work on an amazing project – the design of a special cover for the 1982 Irish folk horror movie The Outcasts, commissioned by Deaf Crocodile.
The movie has recently been restored by the Irish Film Institute, and it’s available in Blu-ray through here:
This summer (we are in 2024 here) I had the privilege to work on an amazing project – the design of a special cover for the 1982 Irish folk horror movie The Outcasts, commissioned by Deaf Crocodile.
The movie has recently been restored by the Irish Film Institute, and it’s available in Blu-ray through here:
The first task was, of course, watching the movie
Simply watching, for a movie like this, is not enough though. Filled with cultural and historical references, as well as folkloric symbols, this movie is exactly the kind of resource I love to work with.
I watched it twice, just to take notes and researches the elements I wasn’t very familiar with, such as the tradition of the mummers, as depicted in the picture on the right →
What then followed was searching for photographs, etchings and any other visual aids of the key elements I thought about using in the composition, and making studies of certain details – the braiding in the masks, the texture of straw, the mood of the skies.
The first task was, of course, watching the movie
Simply watching, for a movie like this, is not enough though. Filled with cultural and historical references, as well as folkloric symbols, this movie is exactly the kind of resource I love to work with.
I watched it twice, just to take notes and researches the elements I wasn’t very familiar with, such as the tradition of the mummers, as depicted in the picture above.
What then followed was searching for photographs, etchings and any other visual aids of the key elements I thought about using in the composition, and making studies of certain details – the braiding in the masks, the texture of straw, the mood of the skies.
The next step was to try out some composition options
I had to take into consideration the size and shape of the box, as well as how it would be folded, and make sure the drawing and title would be clear and well placed once scaled down.
The first sketches were done based on scenes that really caught my attention, and which to me carried very specific meanings. I also played a little with other elements like the goat, the trees and landscape, and foliage which carries folkloric meaning.
At this point the combination of images was very flexible and could be altered before going forward to a more elaborate sketch.
The next step was to try out some composition options
I had to take into consideration the size and shape of the box, as well as how it would be folded, and make sure the drawing and title would be clear and well placed once scaled down.
The first sketches were done based on scenes that really caught my attention, and which to me carried very specific meanings. I also played a little with other elements like the goat, the trees and landscape, and foliage which carries folkloric meaning.
At this point the combination of images was very flexible and could be altered before going forward to a more elaborate sketch.
The second draft
After a selection from the first sketches, a more finished looking draft was done with and idea of the final composition for the full artwork – both sides of the box were done in a single piece that blended into one another.
The goat was selected to be the back, and the fiddler with the mummers hat blending into the landscape of the mountain scene would be the front. From there I made some digital colour studies.
You can see some of the images that inspired me on this Pinterest board.
A little change
In the end they decided to go with a grayscale drawing in graphite, in the style of the illustrations that caught their attention in my portfolio, The Autumn Crone and Portrait of a Satyr.
I was actually pretty happy with that, given tat my favourite media in graphite and do love working with the contrast and details on a grayscale piece.
I then did a few more sketches, keeping the goat but leaning towards a quote from the movie for the general look of the characters:
“…and he wears a mask, and great black cloak, like a bird, all made of shadows which he steals from folk when they die.”
The full final without the title:
The second draft
After a selection from the first sketches, a more finished looking draft was done with and idea of the final composition for the full artwork – both sides of the box were done in a single piece that blended into one another.
The goat was selected to be the back, and the fiddler with the mummers hat blending into the landscape of the mountain scene would be the front. From there I made some digital colour studies.
You can see some of the images that inspired me on this Pinterest board.
A little change
I was actually pretty happy with that, given tat my favourite media in graphite and do love working with the contrast and details on a grayscale piece.
I then did a few more sketches, keeping the goat but leaning towards a quote from the movie for the general look of the characters:
“…and he wears a mask, and great black cloak, like a bird, all made of shadows which he steals from folk when they die.”
The full final without the title:
For custom commissions, please contact me at andie@pinwyddstudio.com
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The Outcasts (1982) Movie
The Outcasts (1982) is a captivating Irish historical drama directed by Robert Wynne-Simmons, blending folklore with gothic storytelling. Set in 18th-century Ireland, the movie follows the gripping tale of Maura, a young woman ostracised by her village for odd behaviour. When she is seen with the mysterious and cursed figure of Scarf Michael, the story delves into themes of the supernatural, superstitions and personal discovery. The film’s haunting visuals, atmospheric score, and deep cultural roots in Irish mythology make it a standout cult classic in folk horror. Perfect for fans of historical dramas and dark romance, The Outcasts remains a hidden gem in Irish cinema.
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