Creature_009_A2_Concept Design

This was the first time i worked this big - was originally done on A2 sized bond layout paper. An illustration/concept design i did for a prehistoric creature of sorts... Trying out more stuff with line work and texture.

You can see the ultra hirez version HERE

Gorillas

Been trying to loosen up my illustration style and focus on speed and message rather than just technical draftmanship... This was a quick illustration and a reprieve from rendering other stuff... Tying to just flow and emote in an impressionistic style as opposed to achieve realism..

Second attempt at color pencils...

Heres another attempt at color pencils. This time i used both sides of the drafting paper - this allowed me to get even deeper and richer colors and helped also with adding tone and shades to the piece. It was kind of a god-send working this way in layers really, as the pencils im using seem to get to a point where they make the surface of the paper slick and unworkable. Also this kinda gives you a second avenue for escape if you make a mistake or the colors just dont seem to jive together; the blue/black coat i got on him actually started out with me trying to render it in white - i failed but somehow managed to pull it back together using the second layer.

Of note, using an electric eraser on this surface is abrasive - you can pretty much rub out anything from this surface including watercolor paints as well as gouache, but when you rub out the color pencil the area you rub out becomes slippery and doesnt take the same amount of color as it did originally, you get away with a little more if you just use a regular eraser. I think im gonna look into using fixative at some point when i have to erase large areas - might help give some bight back to the papers surface; i do know however adding too much fixative almost fogs up the surface of the drafting paper leaving white misting - so gotta be careful there.

I also tried using complementary colors in the darker tones of each color rather than black - kinda gives the work a richer look. Layering in different hues of color in very light shades beneath the final color seems to make the colors shimmer optically - this is something i havent seen with printed digital works, not entirely sure why though.

A bit of a crux is that my palette is still limited to 24 pencils at the moment, and unlike paint i cant really get every color under the rainbow by layering - it would just take wayyyy too long than it already does to mix colors this way. On that note color pencils really do take wayyyyyy too long to finish pieces with, just the amount of layering gets quite annoying, but the end result i must admit is really worth it, and the digital scans really dont do the hardcopy justice. My biggest complaint about this medium at the moment however is getting darker shades of color without mixing black, like deeper shades of red would be a god-send at the moment, but alas im relegated to some post work in photoshop - you live and learn i guess....

The pencil sketch - i print this out and place it under the drafting film for reference

The color pencil on drafting film

Burned and dodged as well as extensively color adjusted in photoshop

Digital Alternative - i kinda like this version better.

First Go at Color Pencils...

This is my first attempt at working with color pencils, everything besides the background was done traditionally using Derwent Artist Pencils (24pack) on drafting film. Pretty chuffed with how it turned out... thinking i might invest in a full set of polychromos, although i must say working this way is sooooo much slower than digital - takes really long to blend colors; but more satisfying for some bizarre reason.

Cleaned Up Pencil Sketch Used As Underlay

Color Pencils On Drafting Film

Final Comp in Photoshop

Back to Basics....

Been a while since i posted anything new.... Last couple of months been doing more and more concept design and illustration... kinda at the detriment of sculpting unfortunately. its a constant painful juggle but im a big believer in all areas of art informing one another. Anyways, here a few illustrations on toned paper done using graphite, verithin, and white charcoal - its a nice change from the usual white paper.... Kinda took the approach i used to at the age of 5 years old - keep scumming around on the page with a 7h graphite pencil until shapes emerge - ie no thumbs, no preliminary work - kind of a nice change from whats fast becoming a formulaic way of working in the concept design world - not a good thing in my opinion....

Back into the thick of things...

Figured it was about time i posted on this blog again. Been trying to get back into the thick of things and do more concept art and 3d. So heres a few things old and new ... Ill post some of my sketches soon - traditional media has been more my focus as of late, since the seeds to any 3d are in my opinion sown early on in their design and thats really done in quick sketches.

Been a while...

Been a real long while since i posted anything 3d realated on here... figured it about time i get back to basics. Started a series of sculptures based loosely around creatures in the real world - a kind of exploration of anatomy and forms in the various animal kingdoms. Hoping it will improve my sculpting and overall concepting skills... This one was based on a pie beetle/darkling beetle. Got plans to put it into an environment and texture it up some and possibly animate it - kinda hoping to merge the macro photography ive been doing and 3d i suppose. Hopefully that all pans out. Regardless one of the harder models ive had the 'pleasure' of doing - trying to balance hard surface and organic forms is by far more difficult than i'd realized when starting this little guy up... happy its over though.