A couple nearly done

Here's a couple Nerd-tastic things I'm playing with.
  

The portrait is just practice in Photoshop techniques.

 Wow. Just like a high school students work. I didn't really have a feeling for it, just working on techniques.


 The illustration, is in my personal drawing/painting style in pastel and I like how it's turning out quite a lot. The subject matter is just for fun.

I use layers of alternating colors. Lay a color, counter it. I'll put ~4 colors per layer and build 2-3 layers. I do the same when I work in pencil. I tend toward a heavy hand, big stroke, style as it allows me to add energy and dynamism which is what I am primarily concerned with. The suit coat in the fore has probably 5 colors all working in opposition to their compliments and in conjunction with their analogues.

More writing, more to come.

I've also been writing some little pieces in dialogue format.
I've been exploring a single topic and peeling it apart via two characters, a setting that isn't explicitly stated and an attempt to be esoteric by adding a poetry undercurrent which tries to encapsulate the whole piece.

Take a look at those here...

Back on Track

Finally worked out the issues with outdoor durability in the nests. Nowyou can set a 25 pound weight on top and they are solid.

I've been slow to get the improved versions out due to an in sane schedule but they are moving.


In the mean time I've also been working some ink drawings which are turning out pretty good. The practice is really improving my skill in a single finicky media.
I've also noticed my visualization skills going off the chart which is really helping in drawing from memory and the design process.

Production Failure

It happens to everybody. You create a cool thing like my bird nests. Those are great. People love them. Some buy them (read: actual love, not "they look cool").

I sent a few out the door thinking I had all the kinks worked out but when I weather tested one of the current batch I was...less that satisfied. It became mostly structurally unsound for something that is supposed to be a habitat.

Tonight I tried a couple different things which I think will solve the issue but I'll also be pushing past a mere fix and expanding my range and knowledge of the tools I use to make these things so it doesn't happen again.

Here's a couple from the new prototype batch.

When I get these things up to outdoor standards I will send out new pieces to those of you who've already got them. Free of Charge.

As for the batch you guys already have, enjoy, just know you will get significant structural degradation as long as they are thoroughly saturated with water.
I apologize profusely for anyone who has already had this happen and know that I am fixing it.

Thanks everybody for you patience!

Cheers

Movement.

A bit more on style. I know many of you are saying Hey, this guy's all over the place. Can't he just conform to a style?

The answer is NO.

I'm all over because my brain is all over. I work hard to master each of the styles I post about and I will not say that this blog encompasses my limits. I can work in any way my brain tells me makes sense and then put in the effort to make the ideas into real work.

I do however, have recurring themes to which I tend to hew Movement being one. I also tend to like nature themes because people stress me out but that's neither here nor there.

Let's try this:

1. Movement
2. Humor
3. Nature
4. Political commentary

If I can combine two or more of these in a piece then I will be happy.
As a practical matter, if you are stuck in a creative rut, make an assignment for yourself that has several themes. You'll probably like the challenge and you creative brain will thank you for the effort.

Cheers

A couple more. Pet portrait, Ink drawing

So, finally knocked out a couple more pieces that have been marinating in my brain.

 This pet portrait was challenging to say the least. I talked a bit about the process in a previous post but the final drawing really made me want to toss it in the trash.

After checking in with the client, I'm glad I didn't.
I think the issue was not only cumulative stress but that in my head I thought I was going to do this one in the style of my previous composite.

This turned out to be nearly impossible, at least for me, though not as an executable style, I just haven't mastered breaking down fur into believable shapes yet.
So I worked this in pencil like I would a painting, with many colors that don't really register to the eye unless you're looking for them.

The second is a development from the Sandhill Crane I just completed.

I stippled nearly the whole thing before adding several layers of light ink wash to finish it off. 

The goal for this piece as with the crane was movement. Of course the photo kind of mutes that effect but you should get the idea when you read, I hope. 

I think I'll re-shoot to get rid of the reflected light areas which dampen the black on the right third. 

Inky situation:

Sometimes when the mood is right and all my thoughts align, I can knock out something like this in about 14 hours...

Black ink only.  Sandhill Crane.

I'll drop it on my Illustration page.

T-Shirts!

My Ronnie Ray Gun design is finally done. I think it looks great and I've gotten great reactions so far.

Now I'm working on finding a vendor who specializes in printing shirts and hosting designers work on their site. I found a couple so I just gotta do it. I'll link my blog to any sales pages I set up.

After that I'll get an Etsy account or something setup for my bird nests. 

I love when production gets going. Lately I've had to slow down quite a bit to spend more time with family but I promise I'll get back up to speed soon to give you guys something to look at and more stories to read.

Another portrait started, this time a pet.

I can do pet portraits as well though they can be somewhat more complex than people.

Here is a shot from my sketch book.

While the final piece will look nothing like what's here,

I used this space to define for myself what I think the colors, texture, should be.

Also I worked what I think the personality of the dog is since that will make or break what the owner of the dog will see in the final piece.

A person could conceivably a take drawing from an animal that is not the animal of request and try to match the coloring since for example many dog breeds have a very similar if not nearly identical coat pattern and color within the breed but the personality wouldn't be there and as a fellow doggie owner, I know I would probably spot the difference.

So, that is what I work out in sketches. I did something similar for the "Granger" composite.

cheers

One work finished a new one started

After a bit of a break for the family I finally got around to posting what I've been working on...

This is a composite of the character "Hermione Granger" from the estimable Harry Potter saga.

I started with the mask, just the face area, of the character and tried to read into the character and her story to come up with something completely unique within the bounds of the client's instructions.

The job was basically the illustrators' version of fan fiction and of course I claim no rights to the character in any way, just the unique drawing.

This type of thing can be done with any portrait. I can drop you or anybody into your favorite movie or book and can finish to any level off detail you want.

I can make you or somebody into a serious drawing, a caricature, traditional drawing, digital painting or photo composite. It all works the same. Priced by medium, number of colors, number of figures, and size for traditional drawing.

cheers.

Finally...Fiction

I posted my first short stories from my archive. I'm fairly nervous since I feel like kind of a dork.

I write mostly sfici/ fantasy type stuff with the bone of those stories being about human nature, politics, and government structure.


My aim is to finish my 75% completed book The Unbound and publish. 

Hope you like!

T-Shirts!

 Got my first t-shirt back from the printer and well...it's printed.

I had no idea that the shop I went to didn't specialize in screen prints. They have so many very high quality screen printed shirst hanging in their shop!

Sadly I had to find out after the work was in progress and this is not the first time I've used these people and they never made it clear they could only print at 70 dots per inch (dpi)

I lost a bunch of detail on the design but I know it will print fine at higher resolutions.

What a bummer. They also couldn't print to any scale so the design couldn't scale up to an XL shirt.

Man...

That's OK though there are plenty of printers around and now I know what I'm doing.
Here's how it should look.

Ronnie Ray Gun

The next shirt/character I'm working on I'm calling "Ronnie Ray Gun"

I Think I could get a series out of this character. 

Birds Nests!

Here's some better pics of a nest with the cover. They attach with a couple simple knot/loops, Chinese style.

 A hanging loop is built into the top

...and a tree shot...or rather a bush.

Need Illustration? How about sculptural models? How about both at once?

Look for Bobo and Oni on my Sculpture and Illustration pages!

Here's a two page mock up of a graphic novel. I'm redrawing a couple things for clarity and then will repaint the two pages.

This is proof that you can get a million miles out of a couple simple characters in terms of production!

For now I'll drop these on my Notebook page. I've also got a couple illustrations from the maquettes to clean up and I'll show those as well.

New Pics!

As promised there are some new sculpture pics as well as some completed Bird Nests.

Sculptural Illustration

Here's a shot of two Maquettes I made for a sculptural illustration. Same material I've been working with but with a wire frame. More shots on my sculpture page.

Here is the idea behind this type of illustration.

 You can create a scene from you models...

 ...or you can create new drawings

Bird Nests!

The first batch of bird nests are out the door and I'm really excited that they've been well received.

I worked out a design for a removable cover for cleaning that blends seamlessly into the whole.

I'll post some more pics after I set up a good photo shoot that doesn't involve myself standing there holding one like a dope.

T-Shirts!

I'm still waiting for a test print of the Bear-a-crat T-shirt. After that It's game on and I'll run off a bunch in different sizes for everyone to buy. Not sure about a price yet. That will depend on production costs of course. 

 Of Course I'm available for hire for all your t-shirt design needs, group, business, whatever. I prefer work on stuff that shows everything I can do like the Dire Badger shirt but will work for food as they say. 

Further Update:

I will soon be reshooting some of my work so you all can get a better look. I bought some more photo studio stuff so pics on this site should get a needed improvement real soon.

An illustration update I promised...

The original is on my caricatures page.

It reads darker than I had intended but the tone of the editorial is pretty dark so I think it works.
Also, I finally got the mouse design worked out and the camera angle for the inset now makes sense.

SO, the fiber sculpture factory has opened...

I think I've worked out a design for a cover that can be removed for cleaning on my practical birds nest. The cover blends seamlessly into the whole so it looks pretty good.











...a couple different sizes with varying openings. I think I like the smaller opening better.

FYI, these things set up about as hard as a volleyball. I was tossing around one with some friends so we know for sure they are durable.

Yeah, so I'm making all this stuff while working full time at an entirely unrelated job that makes me miserable...

...Join the club right?

I really just like to build things and crack sarcastic jokes but it'll probably take awhile to get there.

Everybody is in a shit hole right now, globally. I think a massive return to cottage industry is probably the only way individuals can pull themselves out from under the colossal steaming pile the idiot politicians and bureaucrats put us in.

1. decide what your ideal life would be. easier than it sounds but the most important step.

2. make small steps every day. Everybody know this everybody gives the same thing. Make thousands of them until making a small effort becomes habitual.

3. Keep going...

4. Keep going. If you hit a goal. Keep freaking going. No matter how bad it hurts or how bad you want to rest on whatever laurels you've gained, keep going.


Cheers for now.


Check out my other pages

New Work...

I'm working on a line of bird houses and/or  "fairy houses"

Here's the first prototype.
I think this project has got some long legs...

The nest step is to systematize the work, like an assembly line. That's pretty easy for this kind of busy work, not so much for illustration where total concentration is key.

SO, the finished t-shirt is here. available for sale or licensing.

 It turned out okay. The logo is TM, maybe the bear too.
I can see both turning into a series of shirts.

So, a t-shirt I've started. It's going to be the first in a series that I hope to start selling.


Tentatively titled Bear Hug a Bureaucrat.

Once again using line only as structure. Like I did for Dire Badger. I'm working to evolve this into a coherent style akin to the old Tony Hawk logos from the '80s.

 Don't forget to check out the other pages on this site. I update things frequently as I work in each category. 

Coming Soon: Fiction. 

Working on a couple rewrites then I'll start posting pieces of stories and books I've got my teeth into.





So another color work piece from the notebook.
Everybody loves their doggies, so do I.

and the original. 'Sokay.  As I see it here I noticed a few things to fix. Derrrr...
That's what happens when you work angry... or too fast...

I tend to get a little wider than an original. I keep forgetting to get the paper up off the desk.

When you work on a piece flat on the table and you are not directly above you tend to get a skewed perspective.
Another possibility is that when I dropped the line work I took from the photo into Illustrator, I may not have made absolutely sure the ratio remained unchanged when I printed.

 Looking at this on the web I also noticed some small improvements I could make.
Changing the viewing medium makes a difference in how perceive your work.

A selection of works in progress...

 Here I'm working on line structure on a swallow and amaryllis.

 This was a concept piece from photos I took of a koi pond. Brush and ink gives us "Koizilla"

More on political structures. The socks will be labelled with various activist groups and other government/political entities.
After I get the basic shapes worked out I'll take the line drawing to Photoshop and work it like the toons on my caricature page.
I think Ill resize the squid/wheelbarrow combo to much larger than the figure. I'll also make the puppet master hand bigger and more ominous. You know, ominous like a Monty Python animation...

Anyone have thoughts on Adobe's new pricing structure?
Works well for us poor folks.

So what are we doing people?

It seems like societal tension is pushing those who were living near the edge of control right over the cliff.


I would love take the easy route and blame politics but really politics has structure inherently based on human nature. We all have wants and needs. We all have visceral reactions about things we see in the world that are born from a lifetime of our individual experiences.

Politics can't account for the infinite combinations of events and circumstances that shape the bulk of a person's life. We also have structures like governments and institutions that were born from the contemporaneous needs of a time. Those structures evolve over time but the one constant is the human factor. Our basic animal desires for food, shelter, protection, procreation still govern no matter the events of time.
The structures we create to serve all those needs inevitably take on a life of their own and become like macro organisms in which we humans are like the bacteria that live in and around our own bodies.

I have idea. All of us want to "fix" what's broken but we seem to always just create more self sustaining bureaucratic structures.
New "fixes" for old problems. The fixes have fixes and so do the fixes until the constellation of fixes becomes unmanageable and nobody working to maintain those structures has any idea why they are doing what they are doing. To try to remedy that is risk the wrath of others in the structure with more power who incidentally are doing the exact same thing, just maintaining the structure of fixes the best they can.


One can invoke religion or education or whatever else but the fact always remains that we still, despite all our mastery over this world, behave as simple organisms and that is what sinks our high minded endeavors more often than not.

Blame homeostasis or resistance but we still ignore all of our collective millennia of wisdom on how to control and overcome our animal natures. We do it over and over. Like animals that refuse to learn.