20121129

Just a few thumbnails for tonight. I tried exploring the lower left one, but it didn't really amount to much.

20121128

I missed yesterday! ): I was exhausted after work, and though I did spend a couple hours drawing, I was too out of it to actually come up with anything. But anyways, I seemed to be back on track today. When I was doodling thumbnails at work (amongst all of my scribbly math and vector diagrams) I decided I kind of wanted to depict people worshipping someone. As I played with it, I started to come up with the idea of a group of people who worship what is basically a corpse. The person would have been alive initially, but in order to achieve some sort of divinity, was killed/sacrificed there (by having wet linen wrapped around his head, causing him to suffocate). Now, they try and mask the fact that he's a rotting corpse with incense (the stands in front of him), sweet smelling plants, etc. Pretty grim, but I like the concept.

What I don't like though is that silly super-foreground drape I stuck in the corner. Baah, bad decisions!

20121126

20121125

20121124

20121123

I think I'll do these every evening for a while. I got a new tablet this evening! So I spent most of the night tinkering with the settings. Didn't plan on upgrading until December, but Black Friday sales have their sway. I was a bit worried about going down from my Intuos4 large to an Intuos5 medium (I'd initially regretted getting the large, but had since gotten used to it). I'm happy to say that I don't feel any issue with the medium's size, and the fact that I got it for $100 less than the regular price definitely sweetened the deal.

20121122

Above all else, set design and all of the frustration it brings is the greatest challenge I've found when it comes to art. Coming up with a scene, figuring out the appropriate camera angle and perspective, coming up with architectural elements to fill up all of the stupid-empty-space-oh-god-i-hate-it, and whatever else it involves! IT'S ALL SO HARD. But I think I can conquer it. Maybe. Eventually.

20121120

20121119

Do not ask questions.

20121118

I would have liked to have spent more than a couple hours on this portrait of IU, but unfortunately, I have work tomorrow.

20121117

Photo ref by Kathryn Lisko

20121116

we buy the president.

On a whim, I decided to do a portrait of Eric Rolland portraying J. P. Morgan in the History Channel's The Men Who Built America. With a little twist, of course.

Earlier in the evening, and after I finished the portrait, I was working on another perspective sketch. My reference was a photo of Angkor Wat, easily my favourite ancient site. I'm not sure why I like it so much, but I'd love to visit there one day.

Edit: So I didn't feel like going to bed, so I doodled some more. I donno, this is a succubus I guess? Naked 'cause of my lack of desire to draw clothes and nothing more! I really have no idea how I'd clothe her, anyways. I should work on that at some point but there's SO MUCH STUFF TO WORK ON ALREADY. AAAH.

20121115

More perspective, and a couple figures from my imagination!

20121114

For the next while, I'm going to be focusing on perspective. I didn't really want to start "officially" (as if there is such a thing) today, because I've been sleepy as hell all day, but I knew I wanted to doodle or draw something, so I took the opportunity to at least scribble some quick one point things from reference. I'm not going to lie, I had no idea what I was doing. I'm gonna go pass out now.

20121113

Last minute speed sketching that looks like total garbage wooooo!

20121112

Hooray! 31 consecutive days of studies! And I celebrate that by a decidedly crappy study tonight - definitely bit off more than I could chew. Definitely shows me that I need to work on figuring out a way to paint backdrops and architectural elements. I think I'm going to slow down for now, though. I'll still get in a few studies each week, but definitely not every night. Probably not. Maybe.

20121111

20121110

2012.11.09

20121108

20121107

20121106

Painting-wise, today was an off day. I've found that between today's study and the one I did from a photo of a craggy hill I'd taken in the Serengeti, I'm REALLY bad at these rocky outcrop things. I think it's all of the horizontal layering of stone, I find the texture really difficult to emulate effectively. As much as I hate to say so, I guess that means I should do more of them...

On a happier note, I received Elysium: The Art of Daarken in the mail, along with a few prints signed by Mike Lim himself! Oh boy! I haven't had much of a chance to flip through the book, but I'll do that in the coming days. Or in the next few minutes. Who knows!

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20121104

20121113

So Jane and I figured out this whole Google Hangout thing. We chose a single reference photo and decided to do a study with a 3 hour time limit. Here's mine.

You can check out Jane's at our group sketchblog.

20121102

Oh god so tired. But it's Friday! That means I can sleep for as long as I like! And boy do I intend to.

20121101

So apparently it's national self portrait day. .. but I'm Canadian. OH WELL.