Process: Dreadbaby - 1. Value Rendering

We are revisiting a recent post in order to show a process I sometimes use to paint. While it's not Earth-Shattering, I hope everyone will enjoy it. I can't promise that it will continue each day but I will tag it so you will be able to catch it at your leisure.

The initial sketch was the beginning. The sketch was then projected on to a piece of Stathmore Water Color board using an opaque projector. It was enlarged during this process as well. I traced my line art on to the new board using a 2H pencil. One completed I then started rendering the light and shadows as well as reinforcing the lines. The idea of this underdrawing is to make the pencil values do the heavy lifting when I paint. In the finished painting the pencils will still be visible. There is more to do in this stage but I thought this is a good example to show parts that are rendered versus parts that are not. To be continued.

A Princess of Mars in living color

It has been a very productive few days. Finished the revisions of a very big and important job. Will hear tomorrow if any other changes are needed before heading to press on Thursday. Signed a million DIARY OF NIGHT postcard size prints. Not a million really, just looked like it. And tonight after a late dinner I did the above. Based on a sketch I posted here a while back. This is done in ink, watercolor, and acrylic on 11" x 15" 140 lb, Strathmore cold press watercolor block. My scanner made it look brighter and more saturated than the original so I desaturated it a bit. Got it looking the same as the original but then I post it and it looks duller than the original. Oy! I can't think of the last time I painted something using traditional mediums. I think I needed to bust loose a bit. I really have a ton of work to do but sometimes you just got to take a couple of hours after a 12 hour day and do something for yourself. :) I also wanted to do something different for the blog. It's been a lot of misc. sketches and business illustrations lately. Don't want anyone to get bored. :) Good night all!

Pencil fun again

Here's a quick piece from this morning. Deadline looming on Wednesday. Miles to go before we rest. Back to work. :)

Fun with a Prismcolor Pencil

Yesterdays post was a drawing done in graphite and rubbed with my fingers to get some nice gray tone effects. Highlights were picked out with a kneaded erasure. I was asked by Gary if the same effect could be done with color pencils. I haven't tried before so the idea got my interest. So thanks to Gary, here ya go. Now for the details. This was difficult to do. Most of my color pencils were too hard and did not smear. I switched to Primacolor Soft Lead pencils and I did get it to blend but I did have to use a paper towel. The pencils are too waxy and don't break down the same as graphite. I also had to use a piece of bristol board as opposed to my sketchbook in order to have more texture on the paper. Lifting out color was more difficult as well. The erasure would take up either too little or too much. There wasn't much in between. I think using pastels would be the medium to do this sort of effect in color. Still, I like trying new approaches to creating art and it was a good experience. Thanks for the suggestion Gary!

Fun with a Pencil

Todays title is actually the title of a Andrew Loomis art instruction book but the sketch today was inspired by illustrator Robert McGinnis. I'm not an expert of his work, I have been aware of it for years though. Recently I have been collecting his book cover images to use as my desktop. The women he painted were always strong, cool, sultry and sexy. But it is the strength I think is sexy. The women looked tough as nails in so many covers I have seen. Even when playing the seductress. If you are not familiar with his work, goggle his name and look at the images you find. You won't be sorry. Todays piece was done in pencil in my sketchbook. With a whole lot of rubbing my fingers over the graphite and then lifting the highlights with a kneaded erasure. Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. :) 

Do you believe in magic?

A little Zatanna sketch today from my sketchbook. I used to own the original art for a complete Zatanna backup story from Adventure Comics with art by Dick Giordano. I parted with it a few years back and I still regret it. The pages were beautiful as you can imagine. Ah well. Here she is in a slight variation of her original costume. Pencil in the sketchbook. About 35 minutes. Happy Friday everyone!

Naughty & Nice

I have two today. I was playing with this idea of a devil girl lit from below. Just wasn't working out but in the interest of showing the good with the bad on this blog, I decided to post it. That said...
since the "bad" was going to be represented, I figured "good" needed equal time. Came up with a theme for the post without even trying. :) Weekend is almost here folks!