The End of the Beginning

This is the final composition ideation of image 2 of 8 for my Graduate Project Proposal this Friday (28th Oct).  The white space is where intricate patterns/symbols will be, representing the wedding between the King and his new Queen, general love and signs of it decaying.  Of course, after the presentation changes can be made to any of my images, but shouldn't be anything too drastic.
Instead of composing scene stills, I've decided upon a more illustrative/conceptual approach.  I feel much more comfortable with this.  I realised that I find the unnatural most natural.
At this stage I need to be filled with certainty with all of my design decisions so I don't waste any of my own time and can commence my final paintings as soon as I can.
...And find time for my dissertation, finish my Threadless t-shirt, a couple of illustration favours for friends, and continue my comic.....
Oo-errrr!
I'm definitely graduating this year!  =/
J. x

Costume Development

This has to be the bit I find the most fun!

Developing the costumes for my 'Children of Lír' project, so I know exactly who I'm creating in the final 8 digital paintings for my degree.  I love creating characters, and the clothes they wear put them across and tell stories without words.  Even though I chose specific design inspirations there are so many costume possibilities; sleeves/cuffs, layers, ties/ribbons, collars/off-shoulder, what type of material and how it drapes...  It's dizzying - I need to stop time!  But the possibilities keep up my motivation.  I've yet to really hone in on the male characters, but King Lír is to be kept simple and strong, and the Princes are pretty much decided.  The females though...  Well, we can never have too many clothes! ;)

I start with a rough line draft

Then on a new layer I finalise the  line drawing before the colour...

I have a lot more to show and even more to do!

So I'll be uploading all the project's work in to a set on Flickr, so I have it all together in one place for anyone to see but, most importantly, to see my progress and not lose sight of what I'm aiming to achieve for the June exhibition.
J. x

Silhouettes #2 - 4

The other silhouette work, before I began developing costumes in colour and detail.
The first piece I posted is here.

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

Biro Fever

Tuesday evening I suddenly came down with a high temperature, runny nose and all the usual icky cold symptoms!  I had so much work left to do for my project proposal (which is tomorrow morning!) but I felt like dying by half 7... I tried to sleep at half 9... but ended up drawing at half 11.  It wasn't work related, but I was feeling too delirious to work, with strange images and shapes going through my mind - and not everything needs to be 'for a purpose'!  It's important to do things 'just because' for a change :)

So, tucked up in bed, on the phone to a lovely friend who helped me stop feeling so sorry for myself, I got out a Mole Skin and a ball-point pen and drew whatever I felt like!  Now I feel like a fool!!
For the past month I've been hating my pencil sketches I've had to do for uni, and I think the problem is right there: 'pencil sketches'.  There's something about your mentality when you pick up a pen instead of a pencil, knowing you can't rub out the lines.  With a pencil I make marks that end up being meaningless, but with a pen you could say I air-draw.  I act out each line I want to make before I make it and, with no room for error, I really focus rather than believing I can make a load of mistakes and rub it out later, which in turn means I'm careless, making even more mistakes.  With a pen I think before I act.

Above are some fairy wing doodles which I might incorporate into one of my digital paintings I've got planned out.  And 'Poca-Haunt-Yo-Ass' came to me after being told completely dreadful home-made knock-knock jokes - which are the funniest kind!  She's just in time for Hallowe'en!  I'll definitely do a digital coloured version.  A possible t-shirt design?
I also did a whole page of word play ideas and tongue twisters which could make a few good greetings cards....
Being deliriously feverish turned out to be productive!
J. x

Day of Rest

Thumbnails of Revised Compositions

Begin With A Death

A New Queen's Plot

The Transformation

The Royal Hunting Party

Today, I went over 4 of the draft of drafts of my Children of Lír digital painting proposal from two weeks ago.  They were all simple pencil/biro line sketches (so simple, they're really nothing worth looking at).  I was asked to rethink the compositions - basic stuff like expanding horizons - so I re-jigged the image ratios and added colour to give my lecturers an idea of what the ambience would be like in the final versions.  There are still a lot of details to add, such as wildlife and costume details.
I have all 8 images pretty much sorted but, like always, I also have completely alternative ideas, which I'll discuss in my presentation this Friday where I find out if this is what I progress.
It's a strange experience having to do such rough (seriously, rough) drafts since this project is meant for the year, so we can't get too ahead of ourselves at this stage.  Though it'd really be something if I finished the project months before our June exhibition!  As if, but one can dream...

J. x

Silhouettes #1

A bit of costume design work that I did last night.

I've been throwing costume ideas around for a while, and figured I'd simplify things down to silhouettes.

The benefit of this is that you see what shapes have the most impact, a visual balance, and by adding little lumps and edges here and there your mind then inspires you to think of it in further detail - what material could that be caused by?  What detail does that lead to?

Silhouetting stops you from over-thinking.

Now I can pick and mix from the shapes I'm happy with to go on to develop specifics; materials, colours, patterns and even finer details (stitching, buttons, embellishments etc.)

I also need to produce a sheet for the Princes, the King, and the Queen.

I'd be really interested in hearing any opinions on what designs stand out!

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