Zombie Fight In Progress

In lieu of any finished work (since there isn't any to really show yet), I figured I could post an in-progress thesis illustration.

This is a drawing for an interior book illustration for a part of my thesis. Two chicks fighting zombies--that's right, they're badasses.

I still need to work on this more (obviously), but like where it's headed. Now that I look at the image smaller--and after some time away from it--I'm wondering if I should move up the girl in the foreground since that angle of the bat is such a strong lead-in for the eye. I like that, but it doesn't need to lead us to the other girl's crotch... just a bit higher for the main desired focal point (the girl at the door and her struggle with the zombies). That and a few more zombie hands, a touch more disarray in the environment, and I think it might be ready for inking.

What do you guys think?

This weekend I'll be playing an epic session with my Dungeons and Dragons adventuring guild (we're fighting a dragon! First time for our party too. Breaking that dragon cherry.) I hope everyone else has a fun filled Labor Day weekend!

Age and Self-Cartoon Portrait

Hello! Sorry this post is a bit belated; yesterday time got away from me and by the time I was ready to post it was bedtime.

Without further ado, here's some more work from my Character Design class this past summer semester:

Voila! Watch me age! The assignment was to do an aging of one character from toddler to child to adult to senior. I decided to draw myself since the first half of the assignment would be some good practice for my semi-autobiographical comic about Catholic grammar school (which will be worked on more!). I definitely want to fill in the age blanks for the younger ones... draw pretty much each grade--I'm thinking that second one is me in fourth or fifth grade. Also, for my senior one I figured it's gonna be the future and damnit I want a rocket rocking chair!

I decided to re-work and color the adult one as I can use it on my site and business cards. Our instructor went over digital coloring methods both overall and for lineart. So I felt it necessary to at least throw myself out of my comfort zone of black lines and to color them. Here's the colored lineart version:

I did like the effect to some degree, but when looking at it next to the black lineart I still felt drawn to the dark, inked lines. Also, probably due to my method, but when I colored the lines they became a bit fuzzy and that just pissed me off; I love crisp and delicious lines, what was happening to my good lineart?! I'm going to need to solve that problem in the future since I would like to integrate this technique into future work. But for now...

The finished product with black lineart!

What do you guys think? Do you like the colored lineart better? Does anyone know why my lines became fuzzy? If you have answers, let me knoooow~~!

Until tomorrow!

Kvothe the Bloodless (one of many names)

I do believe I mentioned the reading frenzy I have been in previously. One book that I've nomed up in the process has been Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind. It's a really great fantasy book and was super addicting; it was hard to do anything but read whenever I had the chance! I even cleaned a part of my room to create a little reading nook! Now that's dedication....

So for today's post I wanted to draw some more heads while also keeping in mind the rules and teaching of these great videos:

He has really great tutorials and there's more on his site here.

Here are my first head studies for Kvothe:

I think I like the bottom most left, middle of the middle row, and the bottom right corner. I still want to develop his character a bit more. This is meant to be him in his story that he tells the Chronicler in the first book when he's attending the University, about 15 or 16 years old. I think he still looks a touch too older in my drawings...

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, but am also a bit concerned about the lack of doing anything else in life when that happens. Ah, literary addiction.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

200 and Beyond!

And the drawing continues! Soon I'll be starting on the hands and feet as well...

This time drawn with dip pens and ink on bristol.

Slowed by an infectious Reading Spell

Today I had wanted to post that lil' illustration I was working on. Then I thought, well, since I don't want to rush it maybe I'll just do clean up on the next ten from 200 heads. However, I wanted to go about this on nice bristol this time with the crowquill and, truth be told...

I was under a vicious must-read-all-day spell yesterday and today. But I finished Garth Nix's Sabriel in two days! (Be wary of the link to the Wikipedia page on the book in case you don't want to read too much and spoil it for yourself, if, like me, it has taken you this long to read it). I really enjoyed the book and now need to read the next one. It was nice to tear through a book at a steady speed... but that means not much to post today.

So here are the clean-ups in progress!

The sketches posted on my wall back there are not mine at all, but the lovely shapes and sketches of one Sarah Fenton, whom I luckily got to meet via Character Design class and her being a former student. Check out her blog cause she has some great stuff.

Have a great weekend, everyone! And I swear to the old gods and the new that Wednesday there WILL be work to share!

Last of the Class Drawings

I was working on a lil' illustration but didn't want to rush for today's post so that will have to wait until Friday. Meanwhile, here's the sketches from the last day of Character Design class!

I thought this pose was exceptionally creepy... haha... dolls always add a creepy factor for me.

I also have just passed 200 heads today! So another set of ten from there will be cleaned up/inked soon. There are still projects from classes I want to further develop, along with thesis work so every post should be pretty lively for awhile!

Have a good hump day! ~_^

First 100 Complete!

My first 100 heads is behind me! Actually, I'm almost to 200, but each hundo is a place marker of achievement. ^.^

For those of you just coming along to my blog, I'm working on a 'Draw One Thousand Heads Challenge' and you should too! Drawing is fun, so let's all practice!

Also, I'm going to clean up/ink the best ten of each 100 as I go along. So here's the first ten inked!

Never again will I use pens on printer paper, though. I wanted to kill every bleed I saw (and there are a lot of them). Next time I want to ink them Imma have to bust out the nice paper and crowquill.

Have a sweetass weekend, everyone!

Sidge McDougal's Zombie Crisis

I present to you some of the character design work for my final project in Character Design class...

We had the option of working on an original story or something for our thesis and I spent at least a good two days (that's a lot of time in summer semester) trying to figure out what I should do. Then it came to me one night as I lay in bed....

Sidge McDougal's Zombie Crisis!!!

This is an original concept formed from the brainstuffs of my boyfriend and friend. The premise involves a zombie apocalypse and the hero who steps forward to bash zombie brains. It's a pretty old concept of theirs, but one that stuck with me and that I wanted to see made. Henceforth, Sidge McDougal it is.

The designs still need some tweaking, but here is the main character, Sidge McDougal.

head studies

turnaround minus the bad back view.. that side view still needs work though...

And then one of the first antagonists, James Billy Johnson.

I still want to work on this project more and had a bunch of fun designing these characters. Once I develop them further I'll post some more. Time to really utilize the free time between semesters!

Sidge McDougal's Zombie Crisis was created by Jesus Gomez and John Prucha. The characters and concept all belongs to them.

Super Studio Space Work Time, Go!

I'll spare you panning to the other side of the room, which also serves as my bedroom, to avoid one of the effects of Super Work Time... a tornado of crap everywhere.


This is my last stretch before the end of the semester, meaning this weekend is work, work, work. I'll have a butt ton of stuff to share in the weeks to come, so I decided to just share my work space with you today.

My instructor for Character Design draws during class and does re-draws of our homework, then scans and shares them with the class. I chose my favs and posted them above my work desk during the latter half of the semester. It was super helpful to have inspiration and reference right where I looked, even at the cost of looking a touch psychotic. I think I need to go full blown mental and continue the taping-inspirational-shit to my walls trend.

My cat Scottish Play sure enjoyed all the papers to lay on.

D'awww... happy kitty.

Have a great weekend, everybody! Time for me to bust some drawing ass!

Expressions

Hark!


Today's post are my character expression studies for my shifter shaman Tempest Brookshire, who I play with my trusty group of adventurers about twice a month. DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) is very fun and I recommend it to everyone to try at least once. Beware, you may become addicted. (Or you may just hate it, but that's no fun).

Just a couple of the expressions I liked for more detail.

Have a great week. And holy shit, it's August! How the time flies by...