Even grimier

Right, another. It's been bothering me why I'm not as happy with these as I'd expect. I have a couple of thoughts, the last few images I've posted I've not had control over the composition so they aren't as dynamic as I'd like, also the images aren't the subject matter you'd get excited about. The other reason could be is that they aren't any good, whichever it is it's all good practice for when I work on my magnum opus

Grimey...

A slightly more gritty affair. It didn't really come out as I wanted but meh... yeah that's right I'm in a 'meh' mood

..a very big house in the cooouunntttrryyyy!

A bit more sedate...

I was working in the lab late one night..

So I finally got around to doing something with this, I think I could have pushed it a little further but this'll do for now.

he's gone for the Hat-Trick

I think I'll work up that Sci Lab below using this technique

Wow I'm on a roll....

..and another

A brief appearence

Just a quick post to share this

Ssshh you ain't seen me .... right?

Okay, I know its been a month since we last spoke and my cintiq is at work :( lame excuse I know. I should be the purist and scan sketches off of the back of fag packets and perform banksy style graffiti but then again I am neither a smoker or an arsehole so this'll have to do until I can get back in some kind of routine. And by routine, read when my baby goes to bed at the same time every night! and my work buys me a Cintiq to use :)

Step 2 - Sci Fi lab type thing

Some lineart, as you can see i've taken the liberty and embelished the blockout. This was always the intention. This will hopefully prove a very useful guideline when I start painting it up. I think its worth mentioning that I've never done this process before so I'll be as suprised as anyone if this actually works! ;)

Next up the speedpaint over the top to get a tone and mood.

Step by step - Sci Fi Lab type thing

Okay posts are sparse currently so sorry about that. Obviously the main reason is my new daughter and the second is my new job. I'm drawing ALOT during the day, all of which I cant share currently..alas. So I'm beat when I get home also I've taken my cintiq into work so I cant cart it to and from work too much as knowing me i'll drop it or something.

In an effort to apply some of the new techniques I've acquired I'm trying to do something in my own time. I'll post it up step by step this way you get to see my process, I get to do things as and when I can and I'll feel obligated to finish it!

So step one, I've blocked out in 3D max a crude set of geometric shapes, set them in a cylinder and set the camera on an angle to give it a little tension. I've no real idea how this will end but let's enjoy the journey together (man that sounds just terrible) For now lets call it a test lab or something with a Sci fi twist. Ive toyed with the idea that using a 3d underlay is cheating, but hey I can 'do' perspective so i'm not ducking out of anything i'm just allowing myself to get to the good stuff more quickly. Plus I may as well take advantage of the fact that I'm a decent 3d artist besides the blockout took 10 mins if that.

Pathetic Update...

Right, so I am alive just that recently I've become a dad for the first time, plus I've started a new job. Not Ideal timing but not my choice either. This employer is a bit more of a heavy hitter so I doubt I can post any of my work stuff on here, yet, at least.

In the meantime...here are some more kids pics, which are now 'done' ..sigh..

Speed Paint 11

So back to the speedpaints this time with added cintiq

An old friend

My Second effort - Im gonna try and colour this and perhaps take it back into maya and get a nice render, perhaps, we'll see

Z-brush-ery

So, finally got my head around this little bugger. First attempt, I made an extremely rough mesh in maya first. Not bad for a first stab, still lots of things I need to work out with ZB3

"Guns for show..."

Here are some quick concepts for a sci fi blaster type thing. I'll pick one or elements from all three to use for a more worked up version. Not sure what guise this will take yet.

It's like Christmas

And so its shipped, by all accounts. Fingers crossed that it turns up in one piece. It is quite the extravagance but hell, I've been back into art is a serious way since the creation of this blog which is about 2 years now. In this time I've been using an intuos 2 wacom tablet. This has served me loyally but lately i've been feeling that its actually inhibiting me. With a bit of luck this little puppy will allow more of natural style to develop and help me get to the next level, if not then just halve the time it takes me to do the stuff I already do.

Its Wacky!, its Zany, Its..zzzzzzzzzzzz

Baaaa!

SO... stylized animals, that makes a change

A Whale with a Sail...

As promised...

*After these child friendly pics I do have the urge to paint something very manly "GRRRRRR"

Dog, Hog and a Frog

And so the innocence continues. These seem a little small on the page but thats the price to pay when you have to do fit three animals on the page. I've got another all but done, hopefully post it later tonight.

Shark and a Lark....

*chunk!* what's that you hear? ....another shift of gear, back to kids illustration, though lets hope one of those Sci-Fi nasties below doesnt end up eating the cast of this kids book. That will never do, oh no.

EDIT - Fixed the tooth getting lost in the background

Creature Design - Insectoid type thing

Well it's done, It took me longer than it should what with various stopping and starting. The 'buzz' kinda wore off before I finished it but I think it's an improvement on the last creature design so that's what its all about, getting better.

Ox and a Fox on a Box, and an Owl with a scowl

More childrens book illos - Not very sure about the Ox but I am lovin' the fox and the owl even if I say so myself. I am doing these out of the goodness of my heart for a friend so I can't get too bogged down making sure everyone is absolutely perfect otherwise a) they'll never get done as there are 14 b) I dont want to resent the time spent on them and c) did I mention there are 14 of them!

I do have a creature design on the go but just havnt got around to finishing it just yet.

EDIT - uploaded the new and slightly improved fox and ox pic

There's a moose, loose aboot this hoose

Okay so this isnt the more mature work I sounded out but ironically I also have some childrens book stuff on too. There is some more creature stuff on the way. It's becoming fast apparent that my style and genre is all over the place, which hopefully is good, in the long term at least. I know I'm greedy but I wanna be able to do video game concept art and then be able to switch to something like the above when needed. Not sure if this is a wise strategy but it makes for a diverse portfolio.

Random Creature Design

Just fancied doing something a little different. I'm not saying the design is especially groundbreaking but I wanted to get my workflow of designing a creature. Now I think I've got that I can do something a little more interesting/wierd.

Garden - type - fountain - type - area

Dont fret I still have some different style stuff a-brewing, but its just been soo sunny that I dont wanna be inside

Bonjour!

Here is a blacksmiths design with a pseudo french flavour. I believe this to be architectually racist. Sadly I think I'm getting a little bored with these, I should probably go off on a tangent and work on something big-ish and in a different style. Watch this space I have a few things perculating.

Bumper Tuesday!

Right, where to start. Okay so the first couple of designs are for game 'sets' hence their rather drab composition as it has to be indicative to a final envisaged game screen. The third image is just a 45 minute sketch. I'm trying to get a more 'mature' style in my repetoire so this isnt a bad effort, I just need to push it more and get comfortable with it. Let me know what you think.

By the way I have installed a nifty little site counter so I now know I am not just ranting to myself, so dont be shy and leave a comment. I dont mind if it's crit, as long as its constructive, afterall that's how we get better

Cheers

Someone call for a plumber??

Game mascot for the new Pipemania game and other bits 'n' bobs

It's hip to be square......apparently

A Grand Entrance

Castle Garden

Artistic Stamina

Right, first off as you are probably more than aware I'm not into wordy posts on am 'Art' blog but there is quite a valuable lesson I'm learning currently and I've never seen it mentioned anywhere else. Trust me I read alot of art blogs, forums and publications.

Now to be a successful artist you have to have the talent, you have to have the desire to learn, and you have to push yourself constantly (to name but a few things) but nowhere have I heard anyone mention "mental stamina'.

Picture it, you've been working 4 or 5 hours on a piece, agonise over it and get it to a point you can feel happy with (for now at least), most of us then feel spent, emotionally drained. We may coo over it a while and post it on a blog nobody reads...., then go and do something else safe in the knowledge that you did your bit today. Now imagine the same scene but as soon as its done there is no time to admire your handy work, oh no, its on to the next one. This is where the test comes in, you've just given everything you have to your previous piece but now you have to do it empty, as it where. The artistic version of the vinegar strokes if you will, okay sorry there was no need for that.

Learning to work for great lengths at a time one piece after another is the difference between doing something and thinking "yeah thats pretty sweet" or using that as a base to go on a put another 4 hour shift on something and make it great. It's then you can focus on the subtlties and the finesse. I guess thats the irony of the guys who work at places like disney, you have to pretty useful to get in there in the first place but then you must just go stellar.

It sounds glaringly obvious as I type it but just think of it in "gym terms" you can be happy benching your standard weight but then someone doubles the reps and after a struggle you come to terms with it and hey presto in no time you'll be upping your workout weight. This has very little to do with talent or flair but just sheet mental commitment.

Some of you may be reading this and thinking hours? geez dude more like days, well I guess then you're the artistic beefcake and I'm still to grow into my vest.! just dont kick sand in my face just yet

Getting All Environmental

Well you've seen the Knights but now they have to have somewhere to live!

The Black Knight - with a Japanese flavour

Times are hard for a bounty hunter

Here are some other versions of knights. The aim is to use the same proportions and still create different characters. The coloured ones are just brain dumps, they are not the intended colour schemes

Look like a certain Mr Boba Fett has crept in for an audition.

Medieval Madness

Here are some horse designs and more thumbnail realisations. I feel like I should talk more but dammit my brain is fried at the minute.

Honestly they're like freekin' buses

Here's an illustration test for some freelance beer money. This was a nice task as I had a style to adhere to. To my mind all a style is, is a set of rules once you can read the rules you can interpret the style and apply it yourself.

This is definately a feminine style and not one I'd ordinarily try myself but I think it makes for more interesting work and in the end better art.

A knight to remember??? yawn..

Here are a few fleshed out

Insert your own knight gag here

Here are some quick thumbnails exploring shape and proportion. Apologies for lack activity of late work has been crazy and i've been, well, living and doing house stuff.