What's up? Today's going to be a mess around here, it's raining and-tho I've yet to check the weather forecast-I get the feeling it'll be this way on through 'till bedtime. I like my outdoors time :(.
Not a big update like I wanted today; I've been working on a group of new illustrations but want to hold out until Saturday to post them (that would include the background image for Pro-Spec), so in the meantime I have a considerable update for Bilstein.
The flats have pretty much been put in and the first wave of underpainting's done for the big man and his chair. When I say it was a tall order given all the little details, I really mean that. But I know I'm getting much faster at this 'easy bulk work' now as well, and that's a good thing b/c it means the difficult stuff can be given more attention, particularly the effects and finishing touch.
As of now, I'm moving the picture in a different mood than I originally considered. It was going to be a sort of 'golden renaissance' piece w/ a dominant hue range of cool yellow and red earths and a warm cadmium-like yellow. Basically, something warmer and 'royal'-like I'd suppose. Well, had I been serious w/ that, I'd of actually picked some Terra Rossa or Golden Ochre on my palette, but instead I picked some dark greenish-blue, earth greens, cool earth reds and warm earth yellow (I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out the colors). That's what has led to this very grim-ish, almost cyberpunk-worthy color palette, and I like that. Always wanted to do something a little darker and forboding, and since this guy is technically a villian (and the series invested in high-tech awesomeness), it fits him like a glove. Plus I learned some neat stuff about the colors on my palette so far, and expect to learn even more as I finish this up.
Since I only have 'till the 30th to complete this, the next update will be the finished piece. After that, I have another project entry to get to work on while I also begin tackling the background for the Pro-Spec site. Just b/c the holidays are around the corner doesn't mean there's time for a guy like me to rest down and hit Santa Claus on the cell. Indeed, he'd probably be using Rudolph emoticons in his texts...that idea's always bothered me for some reason...
Okay that's it for now; see you when I come around the weekend. L8r.
Good Wednesday people; I'm not up to posting a lengthy blog today, but as per usual I come in w/ a midweek update. This time, it's the finished inks for my Bilstein boss tribute entry. These should've been finished earlier, but I ran into the issue of working on multiple pieces. Some of those are on hold @ the moment as I continue painting this one (I'll probably post some painting progress next week if it isn't already done by then or close to being done by that time).
I'm still experimenting w/ line weighing to achieve the best results, and it doesn't help that-on the paper I use-my smallest pen (at least the Prismacolor one; haven't given the Fabel-Castell one any use yet as there's no need) still goes a little heavy-handed on some areas, tho I could use some further refinement in adjusting pressure of the hand on the surface. Indeed, I didn't really 'get' into the groove for the inking until around halfway through, and seeing as how I have to ink the image twice (once to cover details, then again to close gaps after erasing), I could've gone much easier on the 1st round. Notice for next time.
Also went ahead and changed his left arm quite a deal from what I had going for a while. The old position (not sure if that's in the WIP I posted earlier; doubt it) just wasn't convincing. Inking this image was somewhat a nightmare, and like I've said before the sheer amount of detail and non-organic features on Bilstein was a big factor. I definitely will be trying more inorganic, geometric objects to draw in the future (might as well go look for that ruler while at it) so characters and instances like Bilstein aren't as much of a problem.
Even so, I'm fairly satisfied w/ how the lines have turned out. Due to the way I paint, a lot of these lines will either end up getting chopped or trimmed down a lot, something I thought of doing w/ Mai but only sparingly did so. In fact, as I attest to in the opening, painting's already started. Hoping to have the flats done today (no biggie), and working on the underpainting w/ what time can be afforded. In any event it should not take long to finish this one, even tho the amount of detail is heavy, simply b/c the overall color palette is going to be smaller (if that actually qualifies for noting if anything's gonna be easier x3).
Next week I'll come back w/ an update on this, my Alita pic and the background image I'm using for the Pro-Spec blog (yes, I finally got around to the damn thing xD), all at various points of completion. Meanwhile I'll be drawing, living and tying up loose ends. Take care; l8r.
What's up everyone? Finally I can post up the finished image for my Mai picture, which will just serve as a short reprieve as of this time. I really tried to take my skills up a few notches w/ her, and imo the results were worth the headaches. I'll also mention some other stuff too towards the end, concerning my inactivity on a few other accounts and a few decisions that are for the best.
Yes, this is the same image that I had posted some time ago, but even I didn't foresee it being taken in this direction. I was really just going to do w/ this one what I did w/ the Chun-Li picture, before realizing that'd be a cop-out. I tried something bold (for me) w/ my avatar image and learned alot doing it, so it would be a crime to just rest on laurels and not do something challenging w/ this one. Next thing I know, traces of sunlight were penetrating through the blinds in my room and hitting the computer monitor. Normally that's annoying, but oddly enough it gave me a great idea, to try and play with lighting in a new way, hinting some form of interference. I would have pushed for something much more, but such can be implemented in anohther picture instead, whenever I get back to inking it out :S.
As for the water, I'm not quite so sure where the idea came from. Maybe a thought in my head went along the lines of "she's nekkid, maybe she should be sweating some". I looked around on Google for reference images and had to take some time to figure out how to implement what I saw, but it's actually work I did on my older Poison WIP that gave a giant boost in making it work as well as it has. I guess for this image, I'd say she's moreso wet than sweaty; indicating the differences btwn the two (they're extremely subtle of course) will take some time, as will contouring lines of water to the body's form (in this instance a tablet would be a significant help), but for a first effort it came out bangin'.
And of course, since it's fall I went w/ autumn-esque colors for the background ;3.
Like I said, this was a challenging picture to attend to once I decided to implement the lighting and the water; those two aspects easily doubled the time to complete it. Yet I have zero regrets on the matter. I think many, MANY artists are afraid to tackle subject matter like water, because of its innate complexity. I'm definitely no master on that, but I feel more confident in drawing and painting wet, sweaty peoople now, and wet-like items of clothing and the such. Certainly, I'll be building on this (and what was accomplished w/ the avatar picture too) in the next few pieces, which are about on the horizon. So I hope you all like what I was able to accomplish here..depending on how things go I might use this as a portfolio piece.
Not to take the festive mood down a notch, but I'm also using this time to announce that I'm renigging on my CA.org and dA accounts. It's too much to go into right now, but given the past few weeks I realize now how I work best as an artist. I think back to when I was at my peak in terms of creating complex pieces quickly (a peak I still feel I haven't reached or surpassed just yet, but am definitely running full gear into obliterating given this pace ;), and during that time I didn't really take much to frequently seeking criticism or posting stuff up. I just isolated myself w/ my work, and did what I felt made me happy, completing it in due time and maybe doing something w/ it from there. Granted, I'm really hoping to become a professional freelance illustrator but I know what that has in store, and it doesn't neccessarily involve what and how I've been conducting myself online so far.
Honestly, at this point I think it is best for me to scale back on my online networking, at least until I get myself to the level I want in terms of bulk of art and skillset. I should also be more honest in working at a pace that's natural to me, knowing when to push, and when to kick back. Altho I won't be having my Pro-Spec blog up until early next year, at least then, I know I'll have a hefty deal of art to publish there and a solid lock on my process. Sorry all; I just learn best when I attend to myself in my own space, my own world, the outside inconsequential to my drive and focus.
To that end, I'll keep my CA.org account open but won't start publishing there until January. As for dA, my current account is maybe loaded w/ too much excess baggage, in terms of the things that have occured w/ me and others over the time since it was created, and it just isn't very professional. I'll be deleting it completely and opening up a new account under my new screename 'fngz', also in January. And this time it'll be strictly professional (tho just to the fanart side of things). For the time being I'll keep up the current account and post this and a final few selection of fan pieces under that name, but from then on everything will be under the new account.
....Ready to pick the mood back up? Heh, cool; here's an update to my Gally/Yoko/Alita picture:
The perspective for the background is being shifted from what I first imagined, and the image as a whole is now a lot different from the one I was using as a mental ref from the graphic novel. At this point her form is basically complete; I'm giving her the cape she wears in the first few volumes of Last Order, and as for that right hand? Possibly a plasma sword. Her left forearm meanwhile is completely gone, so I gotta make that look banged up. I'll have to work a little less on this one as I finish up the Bilstien image over the next few days for that contest entry, but it shouldn't be too long before this one is complete.
That's all I gotz for today. If you're wondering about why no new sketches...yeah I'm not doing that anymore. Sure there's still sketches being drawn, but I don't finish a lot of them, and the ones I tend to really like (like the Alita one) end up becoming full paintings anyway. Maybe one day I'll dump the sketches to whoever, wherever but we're a shitload of time away from that happening. Until next week, do your thing and enjoy life. Catch 'ya l8r.
Good afternoon you all; the middle of the week is upon us and you know what that means...yep, nothing much lol. Who ever REALLY goes into Wednesdays expecting them to rock their world? Oh but don't feel too bad; I'm here to try and inject a small dose of X...and not the kind to lead to wild kinky night you-know-what [if you're looking for that try the blog three jumps forward ;].
There are a few pictures I'll be posting. Well, more like a few sketches and some progress for my Bilstein image. I could mention about the shitload of other pictures being worked on, but for me art is more the process of showing, and everything else is either too little or too far completed to show off today. Anyway, now that such has been established, let's cut to the 'ish.
I've been doing some massive reading on the Battle Angel Alita graphic novels since a while ago, as I attested to in the previous blog. It's good-fashioned cyberpunk sci-fi seinen [I think it classifies as seinen, since it-in my opinion-is a little too complex and violent at times to be shonen, even if most of those injured or kill are cyborgs...cyborgs got feelings too ya'll] and was something I had been wanting to get the full story on since seeing the OVA some years ago, and again just recently. If you haven't already, check them out, especially if you're hoping James Cameron's adaptation will live up to the source [I'm hoping so, squarely off his work on the Terminator films...oddly I still have zero interest in watching Avatar, maybe the material doesn't strike a strong enough cord w/ me just now].
Before too long I knew I'd wind up doing some Alita sketches, which is what I have here posted above and below. They aren't anything special these sketches; still trying to work out varying issues of perspective and anatomy, only using a recognizable character this time. Since these ones are sketches, there's no telling if I'll complete them or not, but if I do I'd rather save the final versions for some sort of sketchbook. In fact, that likely will be the new plan w/ this; post w/e sketches are around for the week and finish them for inclusion in some form of something later on down the road. That way I can do new sketches for each week rather than reposting updates.
I will, tho, be posting some more progress for this sketch as it's turned into a full inked and colored image. Alita is quite gorgeous, but it took me a volume or two to really notice. And those pouty 'octopus' lips just make her even sweeter to me. There was one graphic in the extra stories graphic novel where Alita [in some revealing short-shorts] is posed ready to battle a quite formidable nemesis. The pose and overall composition and foreshortening work on it inspired me to try a recreation of that image, my own way, and altered enough to not look like a copy. It'll also give more good practice on many things, too numerous to mention.
I just started drawing this one yesterday admist completing the Avatar image and working on other pictures [not to mention attending to ho-hum chores and duties], but so far we atleast got a head and upper torso defined xD. Still figuring what I want the full shot to be in terms of a background, lighting, color etc, but for now I'm just gonna concentrate on getting the pencils laid fully by Friday. If it's alright, I might start uploading progress at each big step w/ this picture, just to give an indication of how my process is like, altho I know there will be quite some hurdles along the way that could make that impossible, but oh well, it's worth a try.
As for this big lug? Well he's still waiting to get finished, but one thing Mr. Bilstein needs to understand is that he's possibly the most complex-designed character I've ever tackled, and stupid me had to throw this overly extravagant chair into the mix as well. I have had some lousy luck in finding really good reference shots for him, so some details are being made up, others taken liberty of, etc, but there isn't any major compromise in that regard. I wanted the chair to look more Egyptian, but...well, meh, I could use some studying of Egyptian architecture sometime if in case something like this pops up again. Full-blown work on this one probably won't start until I finish the Mai image this week, but once it does, it should go by fairly quick, hopefully just a week or so, which would complete the dude right on time.
So that will finish the updates for this week. Well, I will upload the Mai image btwn Saturday and Sunday, so this technically isn't it. But until that time comes, I wish the best of prosperity for everyone out there, just so long as you do what you love. Truly, life isn't worth a damn if you hate what it contains for you day in and day out. Oh, and put down the Iphones for a while eh; Jobs wants you all to stop texting him so much in Heaven already.
Hey peeps, my keyboard has suddenly stopped providing functionality for the Shift keys these past two days, so I probably won't be loading this short entry w/ a lot of funny little faces that quickly grow repetitive. Damn, and just as I was hoping to annoy w/ just that...
Anyhow, the past few days have been somewhat filled in terms of pictures getting worked on, with a few new sketches started, inking on older sketches and resuming work on my Bilstien entry. Meanwhile I'm trying a few 'new' things w/ my Mai picture to elevate my skill set, and it's going pretty well. More on her, tho, as she's completed, which-barring other things to attend to-will be a few days out from now.
So with all that said, I have at least managed to get one picture completed today, my late Avatar image, which is gonna be whored on my scant few social profiles [including this one], if just for a few weeks. Altho I went into it w/ just the intention of doing a mere avatar image [thus, it probably has too much going on to serve that purpose lol], I took the plunge and pushed to try many new things, particularly regarding getting better at contrast and lighting. From what I have here, it was a big success.
I even tried doing a little desaturated lighting, and that came about on a whim as I was finishing this up. Granted some parts look a little underdeveloped-particularly the flames-and those are phenomena I will study up on more to learn how to interpret them better in future pieces. But as a whole, a lot was acquired working on this piece and I feel like a much stronger artist b/c of that. In fact, a lot of things I've done here and am doing w/ the Mai picture have been going back and forth, but thematically they're as opposite as can be.
The only regret I have about this picture is that I couldn't finish it in time for Halloween. A bit of a shame, but something that can be tolerated. The true horror festivities never cease w/ just the passing of a holiday, of course hehe.
That will be all for today; I'll post back some new pieces tomorrow. Not gonna say what they are, it'll just be a surprise until they're uploaded. But regardless I hope you all dig the work on this picture and look forward to more extremely soon. Until then, be awesome, and catch 'ya l8r.
