mid term malaise

I'm at that point in the school term where my creative energy is at it's lowest, combine that with a piece that I just can't get to grips with means I haven't done much in my studio for a few weeks.

I remember an artist once saying that the best thing to do in these circumstances is just to do anything to get you going, stretch a canvas, anything. In my case I find just making the first thing that comes to mind helps, so here are the results of my art therapy!

I want my GCSE art class to make sketch book covers for a project on surrealism (the theme is strange materials, impractical objects, visual puns)

So we have a book with spines, a book made of stone,a sardine tin, a sliced loaf and a mouth. The result of an afternoons work to inspire year 10.

While researching images for Surrealism I came upon a sketch for a weird beast by Shaun Tan. If you don't know him he does amazing illustrated books, possibly for children)

Anyway it's a friends birthday soon so I thought they might appreciate a weird steam punkish creature. It will have legs and eyes soon.

Finally Mr Hyde, who is living up to his reputation as a troublemaker.

Mr Hyde

I was discussing with someone on Deviantart the idea of creating Steampunk characters based on well known novels. She suggested Oliver Twist. Fat too cute.. so Mr Hyde. I've already done a few doctor/scientist types so it seemed a good choice. Plus I wanted something with a big mechanical arm, a dangerous looking beast of a figure. I know Hyde is not mechanical but this is steampunk so lets assume that Jekyll's skill is not medicine but robotics; hence half man half machine.

Below are some pics to get me thinking (I've tried to include links to the artist's pages where possible):

I want to include some of my favourite elements such as a big Victorian greatcoat with shoulder cape, I used a plastic vial full of washing up liquid in my last figure's back and this would fit with Hyde, along with other mechanical bits in his back. Also a big mechanical arm dragging on the floor and big heavy boots all topped off with lots of straps and buckles.

I'm not sure about the face, goggles and respirator or a distorted human face, perhaps one side mechanical (terminator style)?