Nuke Girl

Well, this was a fun image to do. I find that I'm stuck in a production mode. It's nice, only had to de-tox from art school for a year or so. Not that art school is toxic. I'm talking about a notion that was brought up by Harvey Dunn. Art school is great, but learning how to make a good image is something that takes time, commitment, and dare I say it; an interest in seeing what you can do on your own. That being said, there's a few things that now (of course, after I post it up on the blog... /sigh) that I'll go back in and fix. But the fact that the image file is there, is half the battle for me. Strangely, I find that there's an expenditure of energy in Digital Painting. I expect it with traditional media; and much of it is expressed in setting up and cleaning down. (?!? Stupid idioms...) But the will, for lack of a better word, to pick up the stylus and make a controlled mess can be draining. But then it might have something to do with staying up all night digital painting. That, strangely enough; is why I keep this blog. I feel better being able to rant about things like that.

Well, that and I'm too lazy (busy? sure...) to update a proper website. But, illustration was never about what's proper.

*yawn!*

Can't think of anything to type here. Old sketch, kinda... worked over in Painter. I feel bad that my computer can't bench press Painter 11 like it lifts 9.5. But meh, I just saved 100$ because of that.

Anyway, digging for more cool sketches. With my archive? this could be a while.

SoB, er.. Sister of Battle

Ah, just a quick sketchbook gouache painting I did back when the county fair was going on. There were some stretches were I was able to get some serious drawing in. And yeah, I had to dig this out of a sketchbook I kept while I was running around. The sketchbook in question was tucked away in a box with all of my other summer gear. Scandal! The scan doesn't show the intricate sheen that the metallic makers lent, but the colors are pretty accurate.
As for my gouache technique here... I should have been a little bit thicker with my paint application. I think the face is the only place where I really leveraged the advantage that the medium has over water color.
I'm curious, about the nature of digital medium. How reliable is a blog? Will this be around like a paper record, or will all of this dissolve with the advent of zero point computers. Who backs up the web?
In other news, I've got a cold. Ewww.

New post. Guess I better preface it with noting that this is a colorized image from way back when this blog was new. It dawned on me that many of my best images are laying in my sketchbooks. Anyway, I'm seeking to reclaim them. And reclaim them I will.

In other news, I fear I have let loose a terrible terrible sarcasm on my facebook account. I'm sure no one will catch it. But to be sure, I'm leaving note of it now. First, so there's a key. Just in case some one misses it ( I'm sure no one will catch it.) And secondly, I don't think the crowed the sarcasm's aimed at know that I have a blog too. Oh well, such is life.

Cup fiend

Just a sketch, the file is up in painter at this very moment being worked on. Of course, it's also very possible by the time you read these words, that I'll be in a picture file right above this. Guess it depends on if I sleep tonight or not. Anyway, the drawing here was done on 19x24 bristol board, regular (vellum) surface. I couldn't scan it, so I took a picture with my camera. Seems to be my import method of choice. Listening to Harlan Ellison on youtube right now... he's got some very good points about copyright law.
Enjoy.

Ah, I guess two weeks isn't bad. As it is, I'm pretty thrilled with sketching right now. I think I've discovered the best sketching surface for me. I know there's artists out there that try everything that they can get their hands on. I know, because I've tried just about every sketchbook at least once. (working at an art supply store for a few years has it's perks.) Long story short, I've dug out an old 19x24 pad of bristol board and hit it with a 6b pencil (Sanford Draughting Pencil on Strathmore 300 cold press if we're counting, and we are.)

It's changed everything.

I mean, I like to elongate my figures... a lot as I've sat back and looked at my collection of work that I've amassed. trying to get something to fit in a 9x12 is pretty futile. I mean, most of the time, if I'm putting a reasonable sized face on the paper, I can't quite fit anything beneath the knees. On that big sexy pad of bristol board, I've got room to spare. Also, the tooth is perfect. Makes me think that Strathmore's going to discontinue the line or something. Getting it into the computer has proved to be a challenge however. Well, a regular scanner is right out. I takes a digital camera. Two things I've learned the hard way. First, don't flash a graphite drawing... it won't work. Second, I don't care how oversized 8 megapixels feels for simple line art... you're gonna want the highest res you can squeeze into your camera.

Anyway, Here's my favorite right arm that I've drawn yet in my sketching career. Enjoy.

Critical Hit!

Woah, didn't want to get to more than six months without updating.

Not that it would be a record or anything. I just didn't feel like I had anything that I liked enough to post up, that or I've been too busy working on working.
Found a good way to light a nice fire under my can... I've been posting on deviant art under this same name. Drives safari nuts, but whatever.
It's cool, because you get near instant feedback on your work. I know if I haven't got a favorite in less than five minutes I've posted up a real dog.

This was based off the new mmo Aion. It's got some pretty slick characters and some crazy group pvp gameplay. More or less as if someone cut all the fat from World of Warcraft. Something that drives me nuts about any hp based combat system is the lack of a devastating head shot system. They'll weave in the occasional critical hit, but nothing that really represents the full removal of the brain pan with a instrument designed for, uh, removing brain pans.

I guess this is where I say that art > video games.