sketching a dude in the nude....

Last Saturday I went old school and used proper pencils and paper and remarkably used an easel for the first time.

I spent a day at Westbury Farm Studios. If you are having trouble visualising it, if you've ever had the misfortune to see the film 'the Cottage' its pretty much the same building. Add to that segments of mannaquins hanging from the trees it was quite a freaky setting! pft... Artists..

Ive captured the best of the day on my camera. There are a few sketches I want to show but I'll have to take a picture in natural light as they are not coming out too clever at the minute.

That time of the week again

So Ive tried to make a point of adding something every week now. Sunday seems to be the best day for this. Ive been dining out on old work for the last few weeks and this post is no different. That said I now have some ideas kicking around my head that I want to get started on so hopefully there maybe a couple of WIP's in the coming weeks, plus I have a life drawing day next week so there should be plenty to keep this going for a good few weeks.

Another main motivation is that I know some friends whose opinion I respect who have been following my progress for sometime (Damien & Dan) still look (and comment) and that means alot, plus I know I have a few new lurkers and thats great too. So thanks all, it keeps me motivated.

Some more

funny how posting something up can change your perception of it, I've uploaded this one several times trying to get the tones and saturation better. Why cant I see it in Photoshop?

Been a while....

EDIT this is a little more saturated, I viewed the other on a different screen and it was dull dull dull

I'm back, in more ways than one

After 6 months of having my confidence ritualistically tortured and abused I am back. This time with a sample of some freelance work I've been doing for the guys at http://superbulous.com/

I enjoyed the challenge of getting a cartoon network/nickelodeon vibe to it.

'Racer'..Lunch time Speedpaint - 50 mins

Still not great but Im hanging in there...very much in my 'childrens illustration' comfort zone though.

lunchtime speedpaint - 'One eye'

Soo Im trying to loosen up after getting bogged down with more 'tight' pieces at work. This was painful, Im not proud of it but it had to be done... so warts 'n' all here is it. Hopefully the more I do the better they'll be, just got to form the habit again.

lunchtime Thundercat design

So sometimes at lunch when I can pull myself away from my sarnies we have a speedpaint thing... this is about 40 mins..

....and more

..because Blogger seemed fit to only allow me to attach five or so images and I wasnt finished goddamit!

Your Saturday afternoon Happy Meal

It appears that Ive become somewhat of an estranged father of late in terms of this blog, I've just been so busy with work and things, y'know...slide. So as a way to make a mends please accept a bumper offering. Consider this, if you will, as our Saturday afteroon trip to McDonalds and the emotional bribe of a happy meal.

No! you dont get a toy...I'm not made of money. I guess the harsh and somewhat ironic reality of this all, is that I used this blog to try and get my standard up, and now its getting there and I'm actually employed as a concept artist I've got less stuff to post and less time to do personal work.

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.