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

T-Rex Rides Them

4B Pencil and Coloured Pencils

While researching swans for one of my project proposals yesterday, I did a few study sketches.
The project is based on the Irish folk tale The Children of Lír, where the king's children are transformed into swans by their evil and jealous step-mother (of course!).
Step-mother's don't half get a bad rep in fairy tales....
I should write my own where the step-mother's the outright heroine.

I'm getting a little nervous for my project presentations, which are this Friday.
I've got an unusual visual style for this one, an imaginative concept for the other, and a mixed media/installation approach for the final, so I really have no clue what I'll end up doing for the rest of this year!

J. x

Eye On the Horizon

Initial Cover 1 Design

After much discussion and inspiration (people are great! I love people....) I'm making a serious start on one of my comic strip ideas, The Winter Coast.

I've loved comics as soon as I was old enough to read Asterix and Tintin all by myself but ever since university I've neglected that part of me.  Coming back to it has reminded me who I am and feels a bit like going home.

I had this particular comic planned about two years ago, but the story was almost a metaphor for my life at the time which made it intimidating to start.  I didn't want to feel psycho analysed, I wanted to create something simply enjoyable!
Enough time has passed, I've learned a lot since then and tried new things, so now is perfect to begin.  I feel relaxed when I do work now, and I know that this comic is something that's achievable.

So far I have lots of bullet-pointed scenes/ideas, I've begun to script out the scenes and drafted out panel layouts.  Once the first chapter is fully laid out I can begin pencilling, inking and will finally colour.
To make sure I keep going once uni begins I'll add it to my timetable, meaning I should do a bit each week.

J. x