Mech Delivery

Tom McDowell is London-based concept artist who works with ideas and aesthetics from science fiction. The artist’s works range from highly detailed three-dimensional models of space ships and other speculative tech, to more stylized drawings and character concepts.

Untitled, from Sci-Fi Doodles series

I’m really enjoying browsing through McDowell’s collection of “doodles” – though many are just a single figure rendered on a blank background, the artist’s attention to detail with outfits and small bits of hand-held technology offer a fascinating glimpse into potential narratives and situations. I also really like the way the artist utilizes color in these works. It’s often subdued, muted, rendered in flat planes without too much shading, imbuing each work with the aesthetic of a wireframe or blueprint drawing.

McDowell showcase an impressive stylistic range in his portfolio. Like other concept artists Ken Henderson and Hendrik Gericke, he switches easily between smooth, realistic digital work and more gestural sketch work that would be appropriate for a storyboard or even an original comic.

Untitled, from Sci-Fi Doodles series