Over the past couple of weeks, I've been working on some new pieces to represent my style and work for mobile game companies. I started out designing pumpkin characters in my sketchbook, then explored ideas of how I could use the jack-o-lantern face in different characters for a cohesive cast of characters.
Currently working on the next set of characters.
Here are the illustrations I shared the last two days of the 5 Day Art Challenge
GOBLINS
My favorite Monsters (in color)
Last week I was nominated by my friend Darrenn E Canton to share my work on Facebook. While I'm not a huge Facebook person I took the opportunity to share my work. Here are the first 3 days of images I shared.
Day 1- Sketches
Day 2- Ink Drawings
Day 3- Digital Illustrations
For the past few weeks, I've been spending a lot of my time working on a personal project that includes many of the Monster Monday drawings. In my past post, I showed the process of how I created the Fungus Behemoth, but didn't show the sketch I created for the ink drawing. Lately I've been experimenting with pencils that are similar to my technique I use when I draw in my sketchbook. So I bought some new pencils in Terra Cotta, Red, and Blue prismacolor pencils to create rough drawings for ink drawings. Here are some drawings I created over the past few weeks.
Some of these have been seen already as ink drawings and digital pieces. Others will be popping up in the next few weeks for Monster Monday and other blog posts.
I've been a fan of Rocket since I picked up back issues of Mike Mignola's run back in the '90's. A raccoon running around with a crazy gun and Mignola draws it, awesome. Experimented with more texture in the piece like Rocket's hair, pants, and rocks. It was weird drawing a crazy scifi gun since I don't draw a lot of science fiction. But it does make me want to try to make a large scifi illustrations.
Rocket raccoon belongs to Marvel
Illuxcon Part 1
This year I decided that I wanted to attend Illuxcon, I bought my ticket in January during my winter break and knew that all the work I created from that moment to the beginning of September could end up being in my portfolio. Luckily between my thesis and generally nonstop drawing, it wasn't to difficult to choose 12 images for my Illuxcon portfolio.
Thursday night, after my 10:00 class ended, I jumped in my car to head to Allentown. Unfortunately it rained the entire drive from school to Allentown, at some points I was driving less then 50 mph because of rain fall. But I made it there in one piece. I checked into the hotel, and quickly passed out from the long drive.
The next morning I got up early to be at the Allentown Art Museum as Illuxcon opened. For the first hour, not to many visitors where on the floor, making it easy to move around and see lots of the paintings. Very soon, the floor filled with students and other illustrators, some getting portfolio reviews, some purchasing prints, and others buying the paintings off the walls. For the good portion of the first day I talked to the illustrators exhibiting in the main showcase. I was very excited to have Chris Seaman review my portfolio, as he is one of my favorite illustrators. His paintings have a great sense of color and stylization that is often missed in the fantasy genera because most often its realistic oil paintings (not that there is anything wrong with that). Its easy to relate to more stylized work for me. I even purchased an illustration from Chris Seaman and happy to say its my very first original illustration that I have purchased.
Later on in the day I went to a lecture about illustration verus concept art. It was interesting to here two different opinions, one being Robh Ruppel from Naughty Dog and the other Jon Schindehette of Dungeons and Dragons. It all leads down to what answers are being found, a final answer or an explorative answer.
I also purchased to white backed magic cards from Ryan Pancoast and Ralph Horsely. A white back is a printed magic card with out the normal logo of Magic written on the back. Its left white and illustrators often sell them with a nice sketch of the back. From Ryan Pancoast, I got a goblin and from Ralph Horsely I got a tree folk.
Later that night was the showcase at the Holiday Inn a few blocks away. Many students, up and coming illustrators, and seasoned pros set up tables with originals and prints. It was great to see so many people passionate about one thing and it made the experience even greater. I got to meet Sean Murray, who worked on the game Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, one of my favorite games I've ever played. I purchased his sketchbook and it is amazing to look through.
There were the books, prints, and the original painting that I bought on my first day of Illuxcon. After the showcase, I headed back to my hotel to do some home work with all the energy from Illuxcon.
I received my printed copies of my book over the weekend when I went home for free comic book day. I was very excited to see that the print quality was great, though pricey for the resale so I wasn't able to buy extra copies to sell at Free Comic Book day. Lots of customers were asking for copies and got me thinking I might do a kick starter or indie go-go for people interested in purchasing a copy and allow me to get a bulk order so it will cost less per book. But that's for the future.
Here's some snap shots of the book.
Over the next few weeks I'll post some of the illustrations I've created for the book. But now to get back to painting.
With the new year, comes more drawing. I have one semester left of my thesis and a large amount of paintings to accomplish. Here are some recent drawings from my sketch book.
A drawing I did for 'Goblin Week' started by Evan Dahm (Vattu, Rice Boy, Order of Tales)
A drawing of a Troll. I decided that ink lines help make the drawing stand out then just pencil. I like this dude's outfit as well. I have plans for using this design in a future illustration.
A recent drawing, I tried to play with some more textures. I like the carrots, Trolls like carrots... and sticks
A new creature I designed. Its a Froglin, an aquatic goblin. They are rather large about a foot and a half tall. They prefer the water and tend to steal bait off the end of fishing lines. I've been having a fun time drawing these guys.