With a Side of Iron

Some sketch studies of those interesting extra-jointed fingers. While I have rather long fingers myself, I don't have that extra joint like that of the fae characters in this set of books... Since I tend to have a bit of a problem drawing "realistic" hands, I thought it might be a good idea to fit in some practice sketching these. Not that I erase a hole in my illustration board when I'm pulling together the final drawings -- ouch. Yesterday after work, instead of sketching in that little hour of time I have before heading for bed, I did some more research to make sure that I had all the descriptive info that I wanted regarding the key characters for the montage. In some respects, I'm still a little uncertain about some elements, but I'll just go with what I feel is best then.

And here's another one of the fae rough sketches that I'm developing into a finished drawing, a kelpie and his rider. Should have a nice set of five Sidhe or Fair Folk illustrations once I'm done: the modern fairy montage, the summer gate, the kelpie (or maybe pooka) and his rider, the Wild Hunt or Sluagh sidhe (haven't posted a sketch yet), and finally...not sure what the final one will be just yet.

Going Under the Hill

Here's the first rough sketch of my next fairy tale project. This one will be a montage of a few key moments from one of those stories by Holly Black. Just for fun...and probably will be a part of the set of fairy tale illustrations I'm doing this year to help update my portfolio.

I started out with the roughest of scribbles to lay out bits (er, main characters and sets) in my little black sketchbook that I want to be in the final illustration. At this point in this particular sketch, I've also begun tightening up the face of the main character in the sketch, and fixing her proportions (lower body doesn't yet match the upper). However, I'm still doing some manipulating of the layout which means some other character sketches, too (I'll post them tomorrow night or Monday); and I'll be doing some fun little Photoshop rearranging of all the bits before going to a final tight drawing (yup, I still love doing pencil work). And then finally, painting digitally a la Photoshop and Painter.


All of this and the TD illustration, and apartment packing, too. Still moving in a couple of weeks. Somewhere.

Of Water

Been reading about elementals this past weekend while doing some random research. Which is partially what inspired this quick sketch.

It's Been Busy

Managed to squeeze in the last Harry Potter book between finishing up a couple of freelance final illustrations due the following Monday morning and completed some new color concept sketches for my final assignments for July, with finals due this past Monday. Spent about 4 hours re-reading The Half-Blood Prince first, and then settled in to finally read The Deathly Hollows. It took about 6 hours, but what a lovely read; and, IMO, a fitting conclusion to the series.

And that's all I'll say about that.

Still working on a variety of personal projects with my own art and writing that just won't go away. Well, it would help if I had more time to work on them, though I'm not sure where that will come from, LOL. Did manage to get farther along on some portfolio pieces after a couple of desperate energetic evenings -- not sure how I managed that. And, now there's another little TD over at CA.org that I'm getting myself involved in...how could I resist the call of fairy tales, heh.

Still moving at the end of the month; and I'm still not sure where just yet. Stay here for awhile longer or no. (Preferably -- No). I almost feel like throwing a dart at a map of the US and just going where that lands. Almost. And...as long as it's not along the East Coast or in the South. One is a nice place to visit, briefly; the other has never been a place I have appreciated more until I managed to kick off the sticky mud from my feet and move away. I simply do not like the South. I have my reasons, yup; illogical and completely personal. But, the southern US is pretty in pictures. Unfortunately, I do not have the kind of finances that would enable me to drop my day job and just take off in an instant. A lovely dream, though.

I recently heard from my old illustration instructor who is now living up in Seattle, Washington. It's interesting that Seattle is one of the cities I've never visited, but know several people that are currently living there or have worked there in the past. He and his wife (she was a fellow art history student for several classes) live in a beautiful Arts and Crafts home that they're fixing up here and there. I'm totally jealous - ha. It was fun to chat about some of the old classes and discuss some of the different projects we've each worked on since I graduated back in '92. He's currently working for a game company up there that I've only recently heard about. Seems to be much enjoying it, and is quite busy. Also been hearing from some other folks that I haven't talked or emailed in forever...July seems to have been a time of friendly reconnection, yup.