Inkober 2017 - Day #10 - Gigantic

Got the start of a "micro-arc" story with this picture....hopefully continued in the "Shattered" (Day 12) image....which....err....I haven't finished yet!

Inkober 2017 - Day #8 - Crooked

Trying to keep to a certain schedule and aiming for at least four images (the "5K") for the month of "Inktober" (maybe 5 at a push).

For Day 8 ("Crooked") I posted this:



And here's the pencilled version:



(Click on images to see bigger versions on Flickr.)

Inkober 2017 - Day #1 - Swift

The amazingly talented artist Jake Parker started a little exercise called "Inktober" some years back. Basically, it involves trying to produce an inked drawing each day through the month of October. The idea Jake had behind this was to help improve his inking skills whilst also keeping to a schedule.

I thought I would take part this year. I know I'm not fast enough to produce a drawing each day - however, I shall attempt to get at least four images produced!

There is a running theme to my Inktober ideas - linked to a story idea I have brewing in my imagination pool.

I am using the official Inktober 2017 prompt list. So, in advance of the first day of October....here is the first image! Day 1 prompt: "Swift".

Enjoy.



Oh....and here's the pencilled version that I inked over:



(Click on images to see bigger versions on Flickr.)

Sketchbook page #4 and #5

Actually a couple of older sketchbook entries that I did last year, but forgot to upload them. (Partly plans for an idea I have involving robots!)

Sketchbook page #3

Continuing with the female themed sketchbook drawings.... I've been reading an online superhero book called Worm. I was influenced by the main character, Taylor Hebert, to draw a female superhero (or "Cape").

This is a not my version of how Taylor (aka "Skitter") looks, just a character sort of based on her. In the book, Taylor is more of a plain, geeky type of young girl who (if I remember correctly) wears glasses when not in costume.

I like her ability, which is the power to manipulate bugs, insects, etc.

This is my attempt at trying to colour an inked sketch using brush marker pens (water-based).

Sketchbook page #2

Time for some more sketchbook drawings. I decided I need more practise drawing females!





(Click on the images to view full-size versions on Flickr.)

Sketchbook page #1

I've decided to try and do more sketchbook art to keep up a regular artistic flow. Characters, scenery, whatever....!

During our recent stay in a cottage in lovely Amble (Northumberland), I was inspired to draw the plant box and "frog" flowerpot that sat on the wall in the back yard.

There was also a framed display in the cottage of different knots (Amble being a fishing town). I fancied having a go at trying to copy the "Carrick Bend" knot that was part of the display.



I'm experimenting with using coloured pencils at the moment, so there might be a "coloured" version of this sketchbook page appearing soon!

(Edit: 10 Sept 2017)
I thought it best to add the coloured version here, rather than start a new blog page. So....here it is!

I'm still here :)

Yes, I'm still here and still drawing....just! It's been a strange few years....

I started a new job back in June 2014, and I haven't looked back since. My previous job had become very stressful and, without fully realising it, I had become very anxious and depressed. Unfortunately that time in my previous job also had a profound affect on my artistic side, so I found myself drawing less and less.

Glad to say, I'm now in a better place....and my creative side is starting to reveal itself once more. I am enjoying the creative process again! Yay!

Anyway....here are two new pieces I created (fairly) recently. They were both done for my family; one for my parents and one for my sister.

Coloured character designs

I have now completed the colouring for the character sketches. I have tried to maintain a traditional inked look, with a simpler colouring scheme (mostly flat colours with edge highlighting and light shadowing.

This is the first time I've done some major colouring in GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), a free image editing tool that is pretty close to Photoshop. It's a great tool for what it does, and (hey!) it's free, so can't complain!

A new beginning....

After a long hiatus, the drawing board once more calls. I have had a story idea roaming around my head for quite a while now, and it's time to "set it free" (fly, my pretty, fly)!!

These first few sketches are character designs for what I shall call (for now) the "mystery" character. Think of him/it as possibly a storyteller....

The Lion in the Cinema

One of the groups I am a member of on Flickr is called "Vixen UK", set up by a fellow artist from the days of the "Freddie and the Fairy" as part of her own freelance business. She posted up someone's poem as an idea for a picture book: "The Lion in the Cinema". Even though I haven't got the time to fully illustrate it, I did have a go at a few sketch ideas.

Click on the images to view them full size on Flickr:

 

Nan and Granddad's Seaside - finished!

Well, I've finally finished the "Nan and Granddad's Seaside" cartoon originally intended for my Mum and Dad's 70th birthday! Hmmm...at least it's in time for Christmas!

Here's the final image:

A hair-raising project...Complete!

Well, I've managed to finish the remaining illustrations. Here are the images for the front and inside of the young woman Gift Wallet Card:

Gift Wallet Card cover (click to see full-size):

Gift Wallet Card inside flap (click to see full-size):

And here's a line-up of the finished products. I ended up printing on 150gsm Photo Card, to give the cards a more professional look and to make sure they were sturdy enough to stand up.

Right...back to the Nan & Granddad picture... ;)

A hair-raising project (cont.)

The inking and colouring is finished for the "young man" illustrations. I'm still working on the young female images.

Gift Wallet Card cover (click to see full-size):

Gift Wallet Card inside flap (click to see full-size):

Onward ever onward....:)

A hair-raising project (cont.)

Well, I've finished the pencils sketches for the young women illustrations, and now I'm moving onto the inking, and then the colouring.

I've since found out that the money wallets are also referred to as Gift Wallet Cards (<-- click the link to see a YouTube video on how you can make your own).

The idea with the wallets aimed at young women is based more on the "before" and "after" approach...

BEFORE and AFTER:

Look to future posts on the wording and finished products!

A hair-raising project

I've now got a 3rd project under way, with the "Nan & Granddad's Seaside" cartoon temporarily on hold, along with my "Jack the Giant Killer" project (doh)!

I've been commissioned to come up with some character designs to be used on money wallets that will hold gift vouchers. The wallet (and vouchers) are to help promote custom for a hair salon. These first illustrations are specifically aimed at gift vouchers for young men...the challenge being, not only to target the person buying the gift voucher, but to also make it appealing to the person (young man) receiving the voucher!

There will another set coming along soon, aimed at vouchers for young women. Future sets will also target older men, older women and possibly families.

Once the characters are fully coloured and rendered, I'll post the finished images, along with some photos of the finished money wallets.