With a bang!

I teased this piece at the beginning of the month, and I'm proud to close out January with it in its finished state! Take a look!

This took a whole lot of time and effort to create, and I'm ecstatic to share it with you. Putting this together was a test of the skills I've built up over the last year, and I'd say it's one I passed with flying colors! Calling something finished is always a bit bizarre because the second you stop there's almost always something more you think you can do. While that's no different in this case, I do think this is one of the most fantastic things I've created. I'm really excited to put more time into the pieces I've been posting, because I know that they need more work. If I can do that I think I'll keep improving, and I hope to keep exciting everyone viewing what I do!

Here's to another year of blogging, another year of art, and another year of improvement! See you all in February!

It's great to wait!

While I only spent an hour on tonight's post, I think it turned out alright. Check it out!

It's a little rough 'cause I was trying to get it fleshed out pretty quickly, but I think the concept comes through. I tried mixing up my brushes a little so I could lay down more color faster and it seemed to pay off.

Well, that's all for this post, stop by tomorrow for something new! 

The third time's the charm!

Although I had been looking forward to coming home and working on some art all day, I got off to a bit of a strange start. Take a look!

A teacup and some poorly drawn fabric, riveting! Since this was clearly going nowhere fast I decided to try drawing something else!

Some guy with a sword, in front of bushes? It's all just kind of lumpy and weird. Also the colors are crazy hideous. Except for that purple in the background, that color was speaking to me a little bit. That's when I tried this!

There we go! That's what I'm talking about! It's got movement, the beginnings of a nice range of values, and an interesting character. I can't wait to add some blues and yellows in there, It's really going to make the image pop! I'll have to save that for another day though!

Well, that's all for this post. Check back tomorrow for something new!

Level Up!

I started watching an instructional video series on traditional painting recently, and for tonight's post I tried to put what I've learned into practice digitally. Take a look!

I think this looks fantastic! I'm using what is referred to as a "classical" color palette. These were the colors available to painters before the Industrial Revolution and the development of the wide variety of pigments used thereafter. Armed with only hexadecimal color approximates of titanium white, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and phthalo blue, I created this! While I'd love to get more into detail concerning the process, I'm apparently too sleepy to do so, haha!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

And then there was

Imagine a person you know well, a person you know better than any other person in the world. Now imagine not being able to describe this person your friends, or family, or even total strangers. Sometimes art is like that. When you sit with pen in hand and fall into your imagination it's all there, as bright as the sun, but that light can wither when brought out into the world. Every so often though, you catch it, and you can share it with other people. You can make them see what you see. What I've got for you this evening isn't anything groundbreaking, but it represents the opening of a door. A sliver of light shinning into a darkened room.

It's a little rough, and it was kind of hard to get it to this state, but I'm really proud of it. The work is so rewarding, and I think that's why I love creating so much. Ultimately the finished product is for everyone else, but the journey to that point is for me, and it's something I hope to enjoy for a long time to come. Every post on this blog is pushing me in the right direction, getting me to where I want to be. It's really great sharing this experience with others, because I hope it helps people to feel the joy and pride I feel while I'm working on something.

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Fun

You might have noticed a small difference in the way my last piece looked, something you couldn't quite put your finger on perhaps. If you did, you were right about something changing. I used a different brush! I was fiddling around in Photoshop yesterday and decided to make a new brush to use, one that emulated a traditional paintbrush look a little more closely. Tonight I decided to have a little bit of fun by painting something with it again to really see what it could do, take a look!

Now I know the painting's not much to be impressed by, but it does look a bit more impressionistic! I can get some really cool strokes by angling the brush, and there's a good bit of texture in it too! I'm looking forward to working with it more soon.

That's all for tonight's post, check back tomorrow for something new!

The wire, you're down to it.

Hello, I come to you this evening late but not empty-handed! I honestly had no plan for today's post, luckily inspiration struck after a delightful nap. While I made a good bit of progress on the preliminary work for this piece earlier, and had plenty of time to complete it sooner; I didn't! But the most important thing is I finished before my self-imposed deadline, hooray! Now, let's get to what it I actually finished. Take a look!

So this is rather different! That's not a bad thing though! I kind of thought while I was sketching that this was piece was going to end up scrapped, but I actually like it. The colors are interesting, I think the composition's nice, and it's actually finished looking! There are some flaws of course, like the clouds not really looking quite right, and the overall light in the scene being off. Fixing things like that will come with time and practice though, so I'm not too worried.

Well I hope you enjoyed this update, don't forget to check back tomorrow for something new!

Good morning Sweden!

I decided to take a break from my latest project and work on something a little bit different. Check it out!

It's a neat little forest scene with a figure in the foreground! I thought this might be good practice to help me capture scale better. I was noticing in my last digital painting that it's sort of difficult to discern the difference in size between the figure and ship in the background, they kinda appear to be on the same plane visually. Because of that I need to add in some extra elements that help separate the two. I included several trees in varying sizes in this image, and there's a line in the form of the stream that gets thinner as it goes into the background. These things work together to create a sense of distance. I'm gonna try to work more techniques like this into my other work in progress so it looks more realistic.

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Part Two: The Second Part

Last night's update was a real cliffhanger! Were you all wondering if I would actually continue? Were you on the edge of your seats? Most likely no, haha! I actually did do more work on the piece I posted last night though, so let's see how it's shaping up.

Whoa! This looks pretty awesome. As you can see a whole bunch more detail has been added. The sky's now filled in, the dust around the ship has more shape and contrast, and the planet of the surface looks like more than just smudged shades of brown! I think I'm most proud of the way the character's suit is looking, for having done absolutely no preliminary sketching it's kinda good. I'm even not cringing terribly while looking at the ship, which I was pretty much expecting to do before I started working on it more! Oh, and a quick aside, the lines are white so you can see the detail on the ship and character, they were kinda imperceptible in black.

Since there was quite a leap in progress from yesterday to today I made a gif so you can see the difference!

Well, that's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Part One: The First Part

Hello! I'm posting rather early, aren't I? Due to other commitments I won't have time this evening to work on my art, but I do have something to share with you right now! Check it out!

This took about forty five minutes to sketch, right now I'm just laying in all of the color. I'm not quite done with that step but this is what I've got completed so far. I don't really draw vehicles ever, so rendering that ship in the background's going to be interesting!

That's all for this post. Check back tomorrow for more progress!

Marsupial Man?

So I'm sitting here at my computer listening to Kylie Minogue while sketching and this is what I came up with.

Koala-bear-man? Man-bear-koala? Australian pop induced fever painting? I don't really know. What I do know is that this is pretty cool looking! I think the one thing that really stands out here is the bounced light in the rock shadows, it really adds a touch of realism to the piece. Noting that makes me look at the absence of light elsewhere in the image, so that's something I really be mindful of. I never really used to get far enough into a drawing or painting to consider it, but now that I've been doing more art lately it's glaringly missing from my work. Guess that's just another post-it note on my to-do list of art things to learn!

Well, that's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new! 

Junkyard Giant

I was actually a little afraid this evening that I wasn't going to have anything interesting to post, but I feel like I turned it out! Take a look!

This piece came about after drawing over a sketch I didn't like. I tried to pick a color palette that was a little unusual to give the piece a mysterious mood. I definitely like the way this is shaping up, it needs a lot more work though!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Undercooked

Had a really cool idea but I didn't have time to fully realize it, here's what I've got!

Unfortunately, I couldn't quite capture the scale I wanted to convey in the image. My concept was depicting a huge cliff-face dotted with signs of life, like it was some kind of ancient dwelling. I think it just kind of looks like a low wall at sunset though, oh well! The sky's a nice plus, it's inspired by the sunset I watched while on a hike a few evenings ago. Maybe I'll revisit this idea another time, like when I've got some more perspective knowledge under my belt!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Rent, Rendered

I made a little progress on the silhouette I shared last evening, here's how it's looking now!

It's slow going, but it's going. This is really the toughest part of a painting, it's fun, but it's almost always longer than it is enjoyable. When you begin a drawing at first there's this quickness to it, you feel inspired, it seems to come so easily! But then the slog begins through refining every little detail, and that's when good music helps to pass the time!

Unfortunately too much time has passed for me to continue working this evening, so check back tomorrow for something new!

Different Strokes

Last night I mentioned that I'd probably be working on developing the characters I sketched and shared in that post, so that's exactly what I did!

The first one I focused my attention on was this guy.

He might seem a bit strange, but I thought there was some potential there. I liked his up-turned face and bird-like neck, so I tried to keep those features prominent in my redesign. Check it out.

This is, and I'm being kind, a little underwhelming. I started by drawing a silhouette to try and figure out how the rest of the character's body would look. Thinking it was shaping up to be pretty cool I then began rendering detail. Once I got to this point though, I realized it just wasn't working out. The design was too generic, the pose too static, and the composition wasn't interesting either. On top of all of that I didn't really take note of the design motif that was most important in the original drawing, the character's angular chin. I wanted this guy to look a bit fearsome, and the rounded features of the above drawing weren't conveying that message. Because of that fact I decided to start again, and this is what I came up with.

Now that's what I was looking for! There's a dynamism to the character's pose, which was missing from my first attempt, and the design is much more interesting. And although it's not really detailed at all, you can glean a lot of information from his shape and posture. I keep being reminded of the need to convey a story in what I create, and I keep seeing how much doing so creates better work.

That's all for this post! I'm gonna try to work on this guy a bit more tomorrow so look forward to that then!

Not trying to make this a habit

Got a little derailed tonight as far as art goes but I'm back on track now. I couldn't really come up with anything all that impressive, though I did manage to create some characters with potential! Check 'em out!

I really like the guys in the background with the strange shaped heads. I think I might flesh out these characters a bit over the course of the next few days!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow (and hopefully earlier in the evening) for something new!

Down to the Wire

I'm cutting it a little close with this post tonight, it's almost the 16th! Without further ado, here's what I was working on today!

So last night I tested the waters of perspective with an archway, and tonight I jumped into those waters with a few ruined buildings! This was actually a lot of fun. I've always been a bit trepidatious when it comes to the realm of lines and angles, but this wasn't so bad.

Here's how this all came together, in gif form!

Whoa! Pretty cool! I wish I had more time to work on this, but I guess that'll have to wait for another time.

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Cotton Candy Sky

I thought it might be fun to do a landscape tonight and after a lot of scribbling I came up with this!

It's a little basic, but I enjoyed painting it! The archway above the lone figure in the scene isn't quite correct with regard to perspective, I don't really mind though. As you can see this is quite a turnaround pallet-wise from my more recent pieces. I figured it might be good to switch it up!

 I put a little gif together so you could see how the process of painting this went, check it out!

Pretty neat, right? Seeing the finished product is one thing, but the most enjoyable part for me is working on it, and that's what you get a glimpse of here.

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

A spark, a flame

Last night I produced a sketch that didn't quite work. However, with a little extra time and thought, I came up with something I like. Have a look!

I'm really loving the way this is shaping up. As I mentioned in my post on the 10th, the key to the success of a piece is the story. My tree character from the evening before has been fleshed out a bit more, and not only that but he's found himself in a perilous fire! And with that circumstance come questions. What's he doing there? Doesn't he know he could easily perish? Is he trapped? Is this his doing? Looking at a image and wondering things like that let me know I'm on the right path.

I can't wait to work more on this, but I'll have to leave that for another day! That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Slow Liftoff

I struggled a little to get started this evening, but I ended up with something kinda cool, check it out!

He looks like some sort of toga-wearing tree-person. I suppose that's not a bad thing. His "ears" were originally supposed to be wings of a sort that emanated from his collar, but that didn't pan out. I don't think there's anything particularly incredible about this sketch, but it has given me some cool ideas!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Sketchy Sketches that Sketch Sketchy

Did some drawing with a good friend in a bar earlier, here's some of what I came up with!

I tried to do a little digital art today, but it just wasn't happening. Switching it up helped I think, different can be good!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Success!

After being a bit disappointed in what I produced last night, I thought a little bit more about what I was trying to convey. What I have for you this evening is the result of putting those thoughts to [digital] paper, check it out!

Now this is something I'm proud of! There was no context to the image I posted last night. It was a close-up of a half-baked character design, and a background that provided no information whatsoever. This piece actually tells a story, which really is really the core of what makes it interesting. Originally the top third of this image didn't exist. After a friend looked it over he suggested the character needed something to look at, and that's when I extended the canvas and added in the spaceship flying away. Thanks for that Angelo! With all of the pieces in place I arrived at this finished concept sketch! I can't let myself forget, story, story, story; that's the goal!

On another note, I thought it might be fun to share a little process gif with you this evening, so here you go!

I know I mentioned that I wanted to spend this weekend working on some of the posts I've shared previously; and although I didn't get to it today, that's what I hope to do tomorrow!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new(ish)!

Trial and Error

Tonight I took a stab at painting without sketching first. I think it went alright but I'm not exactly over the moon. Check it out!

The design of the character's pretty reductive, and the background isn't really anything worth mentioning, but I think this could have been cool had it more intention. This was one of those times where I wish I had a second monitor. Were that the case I could have slapped some cool references on it and just painted away with them in view. Unfortunately my desk is minuscule and monitors don't hover politely in the airspace around your workstation - yet.

It took about an hour and half to get to this stage, but I don't think I'll be continuing work on this particular piece. It's just kinda "blah." With a little research, and maybe more sketching, I might be able to resurrect the concept though!

That's all for this post, stop by tomorrow for something new!

Accidentally; Beyoncé.

When I embarked upon my artistic journey this evening I didn't anticipate painting American pop royalty, but I may have done just that! Take a look.

I sort of can't unsee it now that I've said it, but I like it just the same. Did I paint the likeness of Queen Bey? Or is this simply a portrait of a woman serving serious hair, face, and pseudo-plumage? I suppose that's for you, the viewer, to decide. I had a lot of fun with this one though! I can't wait to render it further.

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Into the Forest

In my last post I mentioned that I might be starting something new today. Well, that's exactly what I did! I think it's shaping up to be pretty neat, check it out!

As usual, I didn't start with any particular subject matter in mind, I just knew I wanted to paint on a canvas that was taller than it was long. I started scribbling a little bit and came up with this cute character in the foreground. She looked like some kind of forest nymph so I drew a forest around her. I really like how the colors are looking already. I've been doing something different lately by just laying down a few dark colors at 100% opacity, then "washing" over those colors with lighter ones. It really seems to create this lovely painterly effect. I can't wait to work on this piece a bit more, unfortunately I actually will have to wait until the weekend!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Christina Aguilera

If I had one wish I'd probably wish for more time to work on my art. Since I didn't have too much time tonight I whipped up something new, and here it is!

He's kind of giving me a just-summoned-genie vibe, which is totally a good thing. Hopefully I'll have some more time to work on him tomorrow. I might just start another new digital painting and catch up on them over the weekend. Guess you'll have to check back then and see!

That's all for this post, stop by tomorrow for something new.

Spawning Detail

When I start a digital painting I can usually make a great amount of progress in a very short amount of time. However, as time goes on it takes more time to get ever smaller things done. You can see what I mean here; this is the latest work I've done on my salmon sirens.

They're looking good, everyone seems to have had some time to fix their hair, but not much else has happened. The progress I made here took about as long to accomplish as all of the work I did before this point. That's what tends to happen when you start to tighten up all of the components in a piece though. Creating art is kind of like starting a to run a marathon upright, then ending it crawling to the finish line over broken glass. You're proud to say you did it, but it can be pretty tough getting there!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

Another World

Tonight I wanted to share something I made for a friend, which was inspired by photographs she shared with me from her home in Sweden. Have a look!

While strolling along the beach she captured the snow-dusted landscape and these incredible rock formations jutting out of the water. I felt like I was looking at images sent from a far off planet and for that reason I knew I had to paint it! I really do love landscape painting, especially when the subject matter is as interesting as this.

I'm still working on my slamin' salmon posse, and my big surprise piece, so you'll see more of them soon.

That's all for this update, check back for something new tomorrow!

Salacious Sockeye

I wrote a poem sometime ago after making myself lunch with some lox, bread, and arugula. Here's how it goes.

"Six sultry smoked salmon sandwiches sauntered up to the bar. Their locks were mermaid and their legs were fishnet-clad, all of the regulars agree - that was the best night that dive ever had."

Ever since I put pen to paper and created that little gem I've been yearning to illustrate it. Since I didn't have too much time to work on my latest project today, I thought now might be a great time to take a crack at it. Here's how it's shaping up.

I love this so much, it's simply wonderful and completely demented. That just so happens to be exactly the way I was hoping this would turn out!

I've found in the last few days that I feel like something has changed, I've really been able to execute my ideas a lot quicker than I have in the past. I would have labored over this for a week before getting to this point, and yet this took me all of an hour tonight. This makes me so excited for the future, and so happy that I might be able to do more this year than last!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for something new!

The Sistine Chapel

I have done an immense amount of work on this piece in the last few days, and I'm unfortunately still not quite finished. While I may be feeling a little like Michelangelo right now, painting a ceiling that must have seemed to extend into infinity, I know I'm on the right track!

Here's another little teaser for you!

I hope doling out little pieces like this isn't too cruel, but I really want this to be a big reveal!

That's all I've got for this post, check back tomorrow for more!

Happy New Year!

Wow, I almost can't believe it. This time last year I sat in this exact spot and decided to commit more time and effort to my art than I ever had before. I promised myself that I would post one piece of art on this blog every day for a year, and I did just that. It's a pretty amazing feeling, and because I've made so much progress I definitely think this is something I'll continue to do!

I know I mentioned yesterday I'd have the finished product for you to see, but it's not quite ready yet! I'm trying to use what I've learned in this last year to make something really special, so this piece is gonna take a bit more time to polish. I do have another teaser for you today though, so here it is!

This is kind of turning into a puzzle, isn't it? Haha! I've still got quite a bit more work to do, but I know that when it's done this will be a reveal with some impact!

Before I wrap up I just want to thank with everyone that stuck with me on this journey last year and supported me by viewing this blog. When I pull up my blogger account to start a new post I always check the views I got from the day prior. It's incredibly encouraging to see your support quantified before my eyes, because that means I'm creating things that people want to see, and that's so cool to me! I'm really excited to embark on a new year creating new content, I hope that you'll be with me every step of the way!

That's all for this post, check back tomorrow for more!