Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Everyone's sharing this great David Bowie gif - here's the story behind it

The gif is the work of artist Helen Green.

David Bowie PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

THE WORLD IS mourning the legendary musician David Bowie, who passed away yesterday after an 18-month battle with cancer.

Fans have been sharing this hypnotic gif of the changing faces of Bowie as a tribute to the artist:

tumblr_nhuxa68O5x1qaetdco1_500 dollychops.tumblr.com dollychops.tumblr.com

The gif is the work of illustrator Helen Green, created a year ago to mark the musician’s 68th birthday. It quickly went viral, resulting in Green being contacted by Bowie’s people.

In a post on Bowie’s official Facebook page, Green said she makes a piece every year on his birthday, as a “little token of appreciation for someone that has inspired me so much”.

Helen Green Art - Timeline Photos | Facebook Facebook / Helen Green Art Facebook / Helen Green Art / Helen Green Art

Each pencil drawing was coloured digitally and animated in Photoshop, and [it] took around 35 hours in total. For many of the drawings, I used a reference from a different year, but facing the correct way. For example, the reference for Ashes to Ashes Bowie was his 1976 mugshot, and a sideways facing Heroes Bowie for the drawing of David Jones.

“It was quite a triumph to see all 29 drawings in motion for the first time,” she said.

Sky Arts commissioned an extended version of the gif to advertise their David Bowie Weekend in November of last year:

Sky Arts / YouTube

You can order Green’s Bowie gif as prints here.
Written by Valerie Loftus and first published on DailyEdge.ie

[image alt="" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2016/01/img2-thejournal-217.png" width="600" height="115" credit-url="" credit-source="" credit-via="" credit-via-url="" wp-id="wp-image-2541508" class="alignnone" /end]

More: David Bowie has died, aged 69>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
12 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dingleberrycity
    Favourite Dingleberrycity
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 10:16 AM

    Shocked
    RIP

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bren MC
    Favourite Bren MC
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 2:56 PM

    “And so Castles made of sand fall in the sea eventually”

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Gallagher
    Favourite Martin Gallagher
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 6:38 PM

    Sorry Bren, but ‘Castles Made of Sand’ was a Jimi Hendrix song. ‘Starman’ would be a more fitting epitaph for David Bowie, I’d think.

    13
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bren MC
    Favourite Bren MC
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 7:38 PM

    @Martin no

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute will
    Favourite will
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 10:19 AM

    Unbelievable loss

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave barrett
    Favourite Dave barrett
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 10:19 AM

    looks like control called him. RIP

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute joeythelad
    Favourite joeythelad
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 11:00 AM

    A legend has gone but never forgotten RIP DB

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tina Kanayo
    Favourite Tina Kanayo
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 10:22 AM

    RIP. My condolences to his family.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek hutchings
    Favourite Derek hutchings
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 10:29 AM

    He was an icon R.I.P

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Ryan
    Favourite Mark Ryan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 10:19 AM

    Everyone??

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute LesBehan
    Favourite LesBehan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 10:25 AM

    Can we get Mark some more Corn Flakes, someone seems to have p!ss in them.

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Inanimate Carbon Rod
    Favourite Inanimate Carbon Rod
    Report
    Jan 11th 2016, 10:27 AM

    The essence of a clickbait article is to make people feel like they’re missing out on something that “everyone” is doing.

    Hey, I clicked so it worked. My Adblock is blocking 5 ads on this page so that works too.

    15
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds