Punk Dog
A character I have long been doodling in notebooks and bar napkins, Punk Dog is a series of fashion-based illustrations staring the main pooch himself.
I enjoyed doing the research of 80’s and 90’s fashion magazines and blogs to find these wonderful outfit inspirations. For this series I wanted to focus a lot on using strokes as the main drawing technique, closer in line with comic book art. The shading in the folds of the clothes was tricky but a very welcome challenge. I hope to use a similar style in the future as I enjoyed it immensely.
Overview / Motivation
Punk Dog began as a personal illustration experiment — a playful intersection between two of my favourite worlds: vintage fashion and cartoons. I’ve always been drawn to the sharp styling of classic GQ-era photoshoots, and equally obsessed with animated character design. This project was a chance to merge those interests into something fun, expressive, and stylistically experimental.
The idea was simple and quirky: take high-fashion editorial poses and reinterpret them as cartoon dogs with attitude. It became a creative playground for exploring personality, style, and traditional ink-inspired line art.
Creative Goals
With Punk Dog, I set out to:
Reimagine fashion photography through cartoon character design
Study editorial poses and translate them into dynamic, exaggerated silhouettes
Experiment with traditional “ink” illustration styles using modern digital brushes
Explore texture, line weight, and expressive brushwork
Balance humour, style, and strong visual personality
Ultimately, I wanted to create something that felt nostalgic, stylish, and delightfully odd — a love letter to both fashion magazines and comic art.
Process
Fashion Inspiration & Character Translation
I started by gathering references from vintage fashion magazines — especially GQ-inspired looks. Sharp tailoring, confident stances, layered outfits, and dramatic lighting all fed into the early sketches. The creative challenge was turning these polished human poses into expressive dog characters without losing their fashion-forward attitude.
Line Art Experiments
As a big comic book fan, I wanted the line work to feel authentic — bold, inky, and slightly imperfect. I tested a range of digital brushes to mimic the feel of traditional pens, exploring variations in pressure, texture, and grit. This experimentation shaped the tone of the illustrations: energetic, tactile, and richly stylised.
Sketching & Style Development
I sketched each character with exaggerated proportions and expressive posture, pushing the humour and charm inherent in combining runway poses with canine personality. Clothing details became a fun focal point — oversized collars, structured jackets, and sharp silhouettes translated surprisingly well into cartoon form.
Refinement & Finishing
The final artworks were polished with careful line-weight adjustments, subtle texture passes, and controlled shading. I kept the overall look minimal and confident, letting the bold ink work carry the personality of each piece.
Outcome
The Punk Dog series blends fashion illustration with cartoon design, resulting in a playful, stylish collection full of character. The ink-inspired line art gives the illustrations a classic comic-book feel, while the fashion influences bring elegance and attitude.
The project represents a joyful mix of my interests — an experimental piece that highlights humour, craftsmanship, and a willingness to push style boundaries.
What I Learned / Personal Impact
Translating human fashion poses into animal characters creates surprisingly expressive results
Ink-style brush experimentation adds unique character and texture to digital work
Passion projects are ideal for exploring niche combinations of interests
Strong pose reference elevates character design and storytelling
Mixing elegance with humour leads to fresh, memorable visuals
Punk Dog was a reminder of how fun and liberating it is to create art purely out of curiosity — letting style, instinct, and personal interests take the lead.