One artist's journey into the world of Illustration
I've been commissioned to paint another dog portrait and this time the breed is a Collie-Samoyed mix. As I have a short time frame to complete the portrait, I've decided to try something I've read some artists employ in their process, and that is to create a model (yes, I know it sucks ) for the purpose of determining the best lighting and for my reference. I've begun the rough underpainting in greyscale.
Yesterday, my friend forwarded me this photo of her cat, Sabrina, posing in front of the portrait I painted and I just had to share. The expression is so comical! I hope you enjoy. :)
Sabrina, meet Sabrina
And here is the final digital painting printed on canvas wrap. I'll soon be posting photos of a new commission I'm working on of a Samoyed-collie mix.
Well, this one took a little longer than expected, circumstances not withstanding but she's finally finished. The client is happy and I'm looking forward to my next project.
I went to Kansas City this past weekend to attend the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 3-day conference event to listen to some of my art idols share their experiences about their work, their life and the industry, and to get inspired. I was indeed inspired... and overwhelmed by the amazing collection of talent in the hall. It was a real treat to meet in person some of the artists whose art books grace our library. And, they were all so friendly and willing to share their process! I was especially fortunate to meet and chat with Michael Whelan, James Gurney, Brom and Brian Despain.
Since this would be a boring post without any pictures, I've included some photos below of Kansas City architecture I found interesting, a drawing I did at the life drawing session put on by Spectrum, a picture of Michael Whelan who was kind enough to pose for us, James Gurney's work in-progress of an ogre (he jokingly called it a self-portrait), along with some art treasures we brought home with us.
The story part of my friend's graphic novel is complete so I thought I'd post up a character design I did last week of the protagonist. At her request, I did a rough front pose in colour. Alas, the project has taken another direction and I am no longer a part of the process. C'est la vie.
A wet miserable day is perfect for painting. Wish I didn't have to go eat now. I'm so in the zone. :)
Before getting too involved in the details, I've laid in some flat colour with which to show the client. I've added the pillow colour and flooring on different layers so that I can make quick changes should the need arise.
I've completed inking the piece digitally and have submitted it to the client to ensure she's happy with the likeness. I could also have prepared this traditionally in pencil but I often find it more efficient to do this in Photoshop because I can add another layer underneath to show where the bones sit. This helps me to see any obvious errors in the pose and to see how the fur will sit.
