Tik-Tok: Robot Army of Oz

My latest piece of artwork is one I've been wanting to do for a while, and I finally made time in my schedule to transfer the image I had for so long in my head to a more physical form.  Tik-Tok is actually literature's first robot.  A clockwork machine man, Tik-Tok first appears in the book Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum.  He is rescued by Dorothy Gale from being run-down and locked away in a hidden room and proceeds to have several adventures with her.  Eventually, Tik-Tok takes up residence in Oz as one of the many unique inhabitants of the royal palace in the Emerald City.  Tik-Tok was also a featured character in the movie, Return to Oz, starring Fairuza Balk as Dorothy.

I drew Tik-Tok once before on a cover for Oziana Magazine in 2005, but I wanted to think more about the reality of his joints.  I also wanted to use aspects of his design by John R. Neill and how he appeared in Return to Oz, for instance giving him emerald green glassy eyes and making his hat more resemble and army helmet from World War I.  The text is also an homage to pop singer, Simon Curtis, who refers to his fans as the "Robot Army."

This piece is available as greeting cards, post cards, prints and posters at RedBubble.com!
Pencil, ink, Photoshop
©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

The Tik-Tok illustration is also available as t-shirts, hoodies, kids' clothes, and stickers in assorted sizes, colors, and styles at RedBubble.com!

Pencil, Ink, Photoshop
©Kevenn T. Smith 2011