Blue Moon Blog

I recently had the pleasure working on a piece for the Coast Guard, a cartoon lobster illustration to be used on a coin and more. I did the art while the agency I worked with handled the rest of the border design and display font.

My first pass had the lobster simpler and happier:

I was provided more reference for the buoys. They also wanted to see his eyes on stalks and a bit more of his lower body, so…

And everyone liked it fine. But with more time to assess and with more eyes on it, they wanted to go a different direction, so I drew up this new rough:

I like how it turned out, but still have a soft spot for my first lobster.  =  )
Here’s a look at my final illustration sans border:

The latest class was a workshop day – no lectures, demos, guest speakers or in-depth critiques. That leaves less for the teacher to do. Luckily, I had my trusty Pentel Pocket Brush and some marker paper, so was able to sketch some artists at work.

Sure, a good amount of what artists do is drawing, but so much – especially in early stages of the creative process – is the hard brain work of writing and/or planning. Considered and refined are characters, design, composition, layout. Stories are tossed, creative lovelies are snuffed out, the work takes shape as decisions are made, new paths discovered and forged.

Every artist is not only in the process of honing their skills and craft, settling in on their style, but are in the act of creating themselves. Call it exploration, expression, self-actualization. These presentations and personae are experimented with, some discarded for a new look, sometimes they fit like a glove and stick…at least for a time.

Each artist gets comfy with how they like to work: tools, environment, trappings, habits and posture. Most have a tendency to get their noses right down there into the work. I know I do.

Students nowadays come equipped with their own laptop and headphones. They’re plugged in to keep inspired and entertained, to research conceptually and visually. Alongside the traditional tools of brush & ink, pencils and a sketchbook is a tangle of cords, and a slick screen.

A relaxed posture can belie a confused creative mind. Those somewhat scruffy-lookin’ can have the most ordered thoughts and/or work spaces. Some that appear more together can be most disorganized or work away amidst chaos. I’ve been all of these and more.

Drawing/writing/creating is part what we see, part what we know. We observe the people and world around us, filter it through our selves, our personality and sensibilities to capture truth, perhaps create new worlds. We explore, test an idea there, make a mark here, feeling things out tentatively, striking out boldly in an effort to convey and connect.

I sketched up and inked this brute in Manga Studio, then added a textured background and colored with the Chalk brush. On that rocky surface, he seems pretty solid.

Two more character sketches for my SpongeMonkey story. Sid’s Dad and sister, Imogen.

As I continue to write the story, I notice it’s changed it’s focus a couple times as I honed in on what’s it’s really about, keeping that clear now in my sights. Knowing the themes, plot and story points informs the character sketches, and vice versa. Imogen had a different name earlier, and certain traits I wanted in the sketch were at odds slightly with how I was writing her. This sketch has altered her character and will change a scene or two, some lines that don’t fit anymore.

In just the last week or two: the story has taken more solid shape; I’ve settled on the look, process and format; and the characters are becoming more whole and complex, both visually and in terms of personality.

What fun!

Well, this one sure was fun!

My client, Matt McCabe asked me to do up for his site my spin on a cross between Dr. Strange and the monkey from Family Guy and this is what I came up with. The image above shows the stages of work, from rough pencil, to ink, and color – all digital.

For context, here’s how Matt used the image at his SemiTechnical site. Look over rest of his stuff, too and perhaps avail yourself of his services – he’s a good guy!

Once I’d decided to draw an Imp creature for my Alphabeast entry this week, I knew I wanted to keep it simple – no composition, no black areas, just character and goofy fun. I began with a quick blue line rough in Manga Studio. Nice and loose, but the gesture and construction is there.

I was shooting for a rough look on the finished piece, so tried inking with the brush tool in MS, but didn’t like the look at all (above). So I inked with the pen tool as usual. I think I lost something in the tongue and while the hands are still expressive, I wish I’d done better. I added some details as I’d intended and some that came to me while inking. I changed the swoop of the tail.

Since I gave up the rough look in the inks, I decided to give the colors a rough, chalky look. Though some coloring was done flat initially, and I used the opacity flow marker tool in Photoshop, the chalk tool was used for the rest, whether darkening areas as I modeled or lightening for highlights. I colorized most of the lines but kept his eyes and hair black to pop ‘em.

I wanted a general light fleshy tone, pink in particular spots, a yellowish cast to the lighter areas. The purple-blue shadow was the final touch to balance the mainly warm tones used throughout. He turned out fun! But…NSFW?

Alphabeasts is a 26-week project, a blog where artists of all types and stripes contribute a mythical beastie any old way that suits them, as long as it’s a new drawing or sketch of a creature whose name begins with the letter for that week. Check out a cornucopia of crazy creatures by an amazing array of artists at the Alphabeasts archive, and be sure to check in every Monday.

Okay, so it’s not cheery. Just an image/idea that came to me, though I’m not particularly feeling Christmas stress this year – I can’t afford to.  C’mon even Santa has to take the edge off as the Dreaded Deadline looms….

With a lot of my drawings lately I’ve planned them for color, but sometimes like the black & white art better. Not so with this one. It works all right, but seems way too busy to me. The dramatic, muted flat color helps simplify the piece some.

And here’s how it began, with a very rough pencil, leaving much of the drawing again left for the inking stage. As I drew, I added detail and busy-ness – too much, as I said.

I’ll do a happier Christmas illo or two before The Day, promise.

I couldn’t find time to draw up my “G” Alphabeast til that week was nearly up, though it was one I’d been looking forward to for weeks. I finally drew and posted it just under the wire late Sunday night: G is for Gallu.

Gallu are underworld demons from Mesopotamian mythology, beasts which haul off unfortunate victims off to the Realm of Death. Rather than drawing a single demon, the image that popped in my head immediately was a bevy of beasties below the surface in the dark, threatening the innocent above. My roughs/pencils were very loose…

…even more loose than I thought they’d be, looking back again. Yep, I inked from those squiggles, and perhaps I was able to because I did all the inks immediately and wanted to produce it quickly, saving most of the drawing for the inking stage. Which turned out like this:

If I’d allowed myself more time or return to the piece to make a more finished art print, I’d vary the creatures more, change the composition slightly here or there. And what I’d envisioned as a single color for below the surface need a few spot colors added to separate and pop elements. I may darken the dirty purple, gradate from that color above to a deep, dark red below.

For “H” I was able to complete on the day intended, as new Alphabeasts are technically due and best unveiled every Monday. Maybe my Babooon Monster, or Hihi is more baboon than monster, but he’s pretty gnarly, I think. I used a small bit of reference, but only as a loose guide; I determined the angle and pose separately. Again, my rough is on the scant side, just enough to go on…

I did most of my drawing in the inks, figuring details, shapes, approach and shadows on the fly.

As much as I like the black and white line art (it stands on its own, I think), I already had a plan for the colors, which were fun to do. Double light source, cool from the left, warm from the right, a more neutral dark brown in the middle, with a bit of yellow, red, pink and magenta to pop the violent eyes and add some spice.

Alphabeasts is a 26-week project, a blog where artists of all types and stripes contribute a mythical beastie any old way that suits them, as long as it’s a new drawing or sketch of a creature whose name begins with the letter for that week. Check out a cornucopia of crazy creatures by an amazing array of artists at the Alphabeasts archive, and be sure to check in every Monday.

Having done a character sketch based on a photo, I tried a few more stabs at Grampa Fisheye without the benefit of reference, save but my initial drawing. It’s a challenge to keep on model as one explores various angles and expressions. What is lost in this process? What is gained?

The old coot can’t always be grumpy, so a smiley profile was up next…

He still kinda looks like himself. Not bad. But not so great with the arms & shoulders. How about a full figure shot?

I tried to expand on the character, add personality with body language and gesture. This is the pose that first popped into my head after that initial sketch. But the details we’re foggy. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do with his hands, which tell a story. Somehow I ended up drawing him pulling his wallet from his pocket, perhaps suggested by him leaning forwards, finger on chin. Now I figure he may be considering a purchase at a garage sale. There’s more than a little of my Mom’s Uncle Bill in these two drawings above.

As I set out, I just wanted to draw like myself, in my own style, but had the work of Alex Toth in the back of my mind. It didn’t turn out that way at all. I see some Robert Crumb and Will Eisner influence crept into the drawing. That might have something to do with the nature of the Manga Studio pen tool?

One more…

For this one, I first did a quick rough, inking on another layer. I wanted him to be giving the viewer the Hairy Eyeball, but from a different angle. I was going for less harsh and crusty, but wonder if he became too round and friendly? This drawing reminds me a bit of character actor S.Z. Sakall.

Hmm. Uncle Fisheye. Will he appear in a story or comic, or is this it for him? Time and the creative process will tell…

Drawn with Manga Studio, no pencils…

from this photo…

The idea of working from reference is to not copy directly, but make a few changes, add and delete. Augment, exaggerate, make it your own.

Tomorrow: Taking the drawing challenge/exercise one step further….