Gosh it really isn't long until the start of Gromit Unleashed - Monday! EEEPS! Today we can reveal another sneaky peek of a Gromit, painted by the talented Carys Tait - let's find out more:
Please can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your work?
My name is Carys Tait, I work under the pseudonym Carys-ink and am a Bristol based illustrator and designer.
Why did you want to get involved with the Gromit Unleashed project?
Well, mainly because it sounded like a lot of fun! I have worked on similar projects before – Wow! Gorillas and I painted sculptures of Wenlock and Mandeville last year for a trail around London 2012 as part of the Olympics celebrations – so I had a pretty good idea of what was involved. I also know the buzz that surrounds these kinds of projects, and how much fun families have following the trails to find the different sculptures - my 2 boys love it! But this is Bristol and this is Aardman and I knew it would just be a really exciting project to be a part of.
Where did inspiration for your design come from?
Amazingly, I submitted 2 designs and they were both selected! Each is character based, although slightly different in style, and I just really wanted them to be fun designs. The pictures here are a mix of each design, so up to you to work out what goes with what… And sorry for all the annoyingly close crops, am keeping the full designs under wraps until they hit the streets!
Please describe how you designed your Gromit?
I thought about the character and vibe I wanted to bring out in Gromit and just ran with it!
Where are/were you painting your Gromit?
I painted them one at a time in the “Top Secret” painting space provided. This was a great place to be to be (aside from being a bit cold and smelly) as it meant I got to meet some of the other artists and see their designs evolve.
Has it been a challenge transferring your style of work to a 3D dog?
Most of the other work I do is digitally based, so painting projects are always an interesting but very enjoyable challenge for me. I wanted the colours in my designs to be flat, which when using acrylics, requires lots of layers and also finer details I added on the Mac take a lot longer when using a brush!
What Bristol location would your Gromit feel at home?
The location of one of my Gromits has already been announced – he will be at Windmill Hill City Farm as one of six passport stops, where you will be able to pick up a free Gromit Unleashed passport and collect a special Gromit passport stamp – so all good fun, and I reckon he will love being surrounded by all the chickens and other animals they have down there!
What is your favourite Wallace & Gromit film?
Aaahhh… they’re all great! Though I do love seeing A Grand Day Out, aside from being where it all began, I like the fact that it’s not as slick as the newer films - really makes you appreciate how much Aardman have developed their animation techniques.
We understand there are many amazing people involved in the Gromit Unleashed trail, which Gromit are you looking forward to seeing and why?
You’re right, there are some amazing people involved in the project, it’s truly an honour to be included in the same line-up! I’m really looking forward to seeing Peter Blake’s design, just because he is an absolute icon of British pop art. Also Gerald Scarfe, and I can’t wait to see Gavin Strange/Jam Factory’s Gromit as I have seen sneak peeks on twitter and instagram and his work is always amazing.
Can you tell us any behind the scenes Gromit secrets?
He has a special little storage space in his ears. Well, one of mine does anyway…
Wow so colourful! Absolutely cannot wait til next week to see the finished dog. Thank you Carys! For more information and a trail map please visit the Gromit Unleashed website.
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