Self Portrait

It feels like it's been ages since I've posted anything online anywhere.  I suppose it has!  I'm not feeling bad about it, as there's a lot going on at the moment without the Internet being in my life too much.  It's also necessary for me to focus more inwardly on my work at times rather than putting it out online for all to see, as my way of approaching ideas can tend to turn towards crowd-pleasing, which isn't ever my aim.

For the past couple of weeks I've been in the process of designing a video game poster, and after a lot of pencil sketches, research and messing around I got into a rut.  Final layout is sorted, final character design is decided, but then the style...  My line work wasn't clicking with weak and wonky geometry and blah blah blah, so I took a step back to focus my artistic energy in another aspect towards the poster: skin tones.

I've never really stretched myself in varying light sources in my work or defined them strongly.  I knew that this would be fun but also important.  I took a few reference photos of myself with a strong upward light and set about a quick-ish painting practise.  

Completed entirely in Photoshop, my image was A5 page size at 300dpi.  I started of with a layer of the base skin tone with a layer on top of that for the background and began to carve out the figure out of the dark tones to reveal the skin tone. I slowly built layers of details and tonal values on individual layers from there.  I was pleasantly surprised with my translation of the photo to painting; despite using very different techniques and mediums it turned into a similar style to my pencil sketches for the poster.

The more I've practised and researched and practised some more I have begun to get to know myself and find my own style rather than attempting to imitate someone else's - which I enjoy doing!  And I never outright copy a style, but pick up bits here and there.  However, this time I've been relying solely on my own judgements when I get stuck for a moment.  I'm looking forward to applying all that I'm learning into one large piece of work.

J.x

Andi Again

I looked over my graduating project from last year to remind myself of how I can and have improved.

 
Andi, the young one-handed miner of my Pied-Piper-in-space Andona story acted as a sort of psychological mascot throughout the whole process, keeping me amused and affection for the project high.  So, one night, I started to redraw her to solidify her in my mind:

I'd like to practise more gesture drawings of her.
I'll probably continue to draw her for years!  She's pure fun and sweetness.

J. x

A Sketchbook at Bed Time

Another sneezes-and-sniffling-filled sketch from the comfort of my bed.

I'm feeling much better today [I write and then sneeze my nose off]! :)

So much so, I'm already starting work on the digital version of 'Pocahauntyoass', Threadless submission requirements downloaded and read thoroughly!  It would be neat if I not only make this look as good as I envision it in my head but, to then see people wearing it.....

Mind-blowing!  Fingers crossed!
J. x

Pretty in Ink

 A few quick experiments with Indian Ink and water combinations from Tuesday.
I did these with cloth material in mind as a part of costume design for the Children of Lír project.

I have a mix of tie-dye and decay with a Camelot/fasión/C.17th France mongrel style.
As it's fantasy I didn't want to set it in a specific time period so I'm completely free to be inspired.
J. x

A Quicker Update!

Even though it's 6 months away, I'm planning my next year's project.

My thoughts are, pick a well known story, design its characters, but in three styles for three different media: for an animation, a video game, and for a motion picture. They'll be specifically designed for children, teens, and adults.  I'm not sure which way round the last two go yet...  This way I can finally focus my styles for each industry I'd love to be a part of, as the approach is quite different for each, and I can show an understanding of audience and marketing.  Basically - GIVE ME A JOB!

I'm toying with the idea of Antony and Cleopatra, since I'm reading about the Roman Empire, and I recently watched the entire BBC 'Rome' series (why did it get cancelled? WHHHY?!).  Plus it's a fantastic and passionate story.  The fact it's a part of history is even better.

 Quick thoughts on Cleopatra

In my typically ignorant student fashion, Red Nose Day came before I knew it.  My mum was lovely enough to have posted me my red nose, that she bought me, to my student house, as I left it at home in Manchester!

I also got one of the Vivienne Westwood Comic Relief t-shirts.  Well, this is a vest...  Reading the label, I was surprised to find that only £7 of the £15 went to Comic Relief, so I decided I'd rather spend my would-have-been £30 on two t-shirts in a local charity shop.  There I found the vest!  How bizarre!  It was the only one, and just the morning after Comic Relief.  It was £2.50, so ethically, I don't know how I feel about buying it as I didn't give to Comic Relief, but I did give over £20 to Shelter instead.  Which is better than £20 in any high street store. Personally, the vest is a collector's piece and I wouldn't give it away so easily!

It's not every day you can wear Vivienne Westwood!

Comic Relief always makes me feel very proud of the nation's people, and also pretty bitter towards the celebrities telling us to give our money without hearing if they've given any of their thousands towards it.  It felt crazy how much was raised this year considering we're meant to be up economic shit creek.

And here are some latest sketch book bits, just because....

I was watching Poirot at the time....

Life Drawing class, outside in lovely sunshine.
Solely ProMarkers to exaggerate colours.
2B pencil to quickly sketch in model as he passed.

Quick dynamic sketch of our lovely life model, Wilf!

Okay, back to Photoshop, yet again!

Today I'm doing texture work for a 3D model of a train station building.

J. x

Super Doodles!

Sometimes you have a little bit of creativity going on inside itching away that you need to get out, whether it has a 'higher purpose' or not.  These are this weekend's doodles and designs from one of my sketchbooks.  I've been keeping character animation pre-production especially in mind.

And moustaches. 

I have a couple more from another sketchbook too - for some other time :)

J. x

More Green Pencil!

Andi lovingly clinging on to Piper's leg!
J. x

Catching up on Andona

I was meant to post this a couple of weeks ago!  Yikes.  Time is just slipping away...

So, I had to present all the final major project work I had so far to my class and lecturer, in an effort to pitch my planned exhibition pieces.  It has been well received, and I got some good grades which is big a bonus!

After trying to imagine every aspect of the world I'd created, and writing the whole story, it all boils down to four images.  The four pieces I'm creating will (hopefully) look as if they're stills taken from an animated feature film.  I'll try to present each image on multiple layers of acetate to give the illusion of being from a cel animation, or a single print out on photo quality paper, A2 size.  It's a lot harder than I imagined it would be!

Finalising Andi

Piper Design

Visualising the Princess of Andona

Andonian Housing

Concepts for my final exhibition pieces

Developing the throne room scene

Designs for the palace guards and handmaids

Piper capturing the rodents on Andona

Andi dragging an unconscious Piper post-explosion

Drafting the scene on the Odd-Job Space Station.
The crew have just got the Andonian children on board

No doubt I'll put up images when they're done.
I'm excited to see mine and my class' work framed and displayed!
The exhibition will run from June 1st to 8th.

J. x

Pop Ya Colour*

I recently saw a great piece of work by Potato Farm Girl of Josie and the Pussycats.  The colours really popped, so I went off to play with my pencils and markers to see what happened.

I came out with this:

Character Design for Animation: 'Andi' (Prismacolour pencils, Promarker pens)

I often use orange and blue coloured pencil to draft out for cartoon images, but using green contrasted against the warm browns and yellows making my images glow.  What do you think?

Not only is it refreshing to do something different but it mentally refreshes - it's like seeing your work through new eyes.

J. x


*Yeeeah, that's a shameless Usher song title pun...

'Andi'

So, this week hasn't been a complete waste!  I have missed all my classes and been a big snotty lump on the couch for the past four days... But I got some drawing done!  And, surprisingly, it's exactly what I had wanted to create all project long.

Maybe my brain is fuddled from lack of sleep, but I actually prefer the character pictures I've done this week to all the ones I've drawn while in good health.  That's why I feel comfortable posting these up online:

    

[Pencil drawings.  Dodge and Burn Tool in Photoshop to shade and strengthen lines]

This is the orphan that Piper will meet on Andona and can't get rid of.  She doesn't have a name, so he comes up with one for her from 'Andona', settling on 'Andi'.

You might have noticed that I've taken away her left hand - the cruelty!  It's all a part of her back story and will tie in with how the story plays out.  Not only that, but I got fed up of looking at how gorgeously perfect female and child protagonists are in animations - either looks or personality, if not both.  I wanted a sense of realism, and what's more real than admitting life can be cruel and unfair?

I'm toying with a few ideas at the minute; making her a boy, less cute, short hair....

What do you think?

J. x