The Good Thing About Science is...

The next scientist portrait is finished: Neil deGrasse Tyson! A whole lotta Star Talk radio and Cosmos was listened to and watched for the making of this illustration.

As always, I start with research, sketching, and thumbnailing.

Can you tell I was excited to draw him?

Sketching ideas and compiling quotes

 

Hey, guuurrrll...

After deciding on the composition and getting a sense of drawing Neil, it was onto the finished drawing which I would ink from. I broke up the different elements of the illustration separately--Neil, icons for the border, planetary orbits--since I knew I was going into Photoshop for everything after inking.

Finished drawing. I don't want it to be super refined since I'll be transferring and inking it, but I want the right shapes and features defined.

Sweet, sweet ink...

Then all the inking and all the coffee.

I scanned everything, cleaned up my line art, and got to work in Photoshop.

Then the final finished product:

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a sassy guy.

This will be available as a print at APE in October along with the Carl Sagan illustration. I'm going to take a break from this series while I finish up my comic before the convention. Hopefully I'll have time to make some more before APE. I also plan on doing author portraits, but I want to do at least one female scientist before moving onto the authors.

Until next time!

We Are Made of Star Stuff

I'm a big fan of science. I really enjoy reading books about future science, breakdowns of theory, and larger metaphors that science brings to humanity and life. Last year for APE I wanted to create some scientist portraits for prints but didn't have enough time. It shan't be so this year! I just finished the first in the series... one of my all-time favorite scientists, writers, and thinkers... Carl Sagan.

get them thoughts on paper

First was a lot of research and ideas. I had just finished reading Pale Blue Dot, so Sagan's voice and ideas were fresh in my brain. I also watched a ton of Cosmos while sketching.

notes and sketching

draw all the Sagans!

Once I had the idea down and drew Sagan a bunch of times to get a feel for his facial features and attitude, I settled on a pose and layout. Time for drawing and inking!

finished pencil drawing

After I settled on the drawing and liked how he looked, it was time to transfer to some bristol and get to inking.

love me some croquill dip pens... Hunt 102 for life!

completed inked portrait

There were other elements I needed to execute traditionally before getting digital. I painted a watercolor space sky with stars and a violet/red color scheme. I also wanted to have a border for the illustration with icons from the scientist's work and interests.

billions and billions....

After I had all the elements traditionally inked and painted, the power of Photoshop was needed. I colored digitally, messed around with a few different concepts, and settled on the final illustration.

I'll have prints this October at APE (Alternative Press Expo) so come out if you want one! Next on the roster... Neil deGrasse Tyson, of course!