Thursday, March 29, 2007

Morton Salt Girl, Updated


















For the SugarFrostedGoodness Challenge last week, 'Advertising Character Update.' Done almost entirely as vector art; the 'salt' is a custom Photoshop brush. I'm working on learning how to exaggerate and animate a figure, and I'm happy with this for the most part, though it's hard for me to go past being realistic and push things around a bit, for some reason.

(Please click image for larger version.)

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Nouveau


















This was my entry for an 'Art Nouveau' contest on DeviantArt. I used Ida Mary Walker's stock photo reference for the figure. I played around so long with the background embellishments, and looked at so much art nouveau reference material that I never, ever want to do anything in this style again...


(Please click image for larger version)

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Illustration Friday: Total


















Drawn in Freehand; color and other stuff added in Photoshop.

(Please click image for larger version)

Monday, March 12, 2007

Scary Mary


















I did this as part of a poster contest for the movie "Dead Silence" that I entered at the last minute...the poster turned out crappy but I still liked this ink drawing of the main character, Mary Shaw. I never draw corpse-like old women--who knew how much fun it could be?

(Please click image for larger version)
Stephanie in Painter


















I'd really like to learn Painter--I've had it since version 1 and still don't know much more than the basics. This was a pencil sketch that I used as an excuse to 'paint.' I need to do the tutorials or read the manual that I paid extra for so I'm not flailing around so much.

This actually looks better at this small size, so please don't click on it for a larger version. :)

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Black Vinyl


















I'm continuing to experiment with watercolor, markers, ink and acetate.

As an exercise to improve my drawing skills, I start out drawing a figure in pencil, struggling to work out problems with proportion and accuracy, and ending up with a not-so-lovely pencil drawing. Then I throw that on a lightbox and, using it as a guide, loosely draw with ink and markers on acetate (I have lots of acetate left over from the old days of keyline/mechanical boards. You young kiddies won't know what the heck I'm talking about . . . heh heh.)

I do a separate watercolor, again very loosely, just playing with color and not worrying too much about anything but pleasing color and brushstrokes.

Finally, I combine the ink drawing and the watercolor in Photoshop, cleaning up a bit if necessary. Sometimes I'm pleased, sometimes it's a total throwaway but I do feel like I learn something from each one.

Inspired by a stock photo from Onnagata-stock on DeviantART.


(Please click image for larger version.)

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Monsieur Bignose



















I never draw guys with big noses. Well, until now, for some reason. I think he looks a bit French.

I have been so intimidated by everyone else's awesome art lately that I have barely been able to pick up a pencil. Stop it, all of you!

(Please click image for larger version.)