Composition of the Day: (untitled)

Composition of the Day: "Snakeskin and Thread"

Had to give the girl, the fox, and the fairy a break- the characters had developed to the point where each day's composition was taking longer and longer since it usually also required fitting in with the other ones and developing plot along with the

This is based on a drawing I did years ago. I liked the general feel, but it was done with little to no planning, so some parts hadn't totally worked out. This one is a step to resolving some of the issues of the old one. I'm also trying to recapture some of the energy of some of my old sketches. It's not there, but it's heading there....

Composition of the Day: "Imminent Danger"

A different take on yesterday's, which wasn't quite "enough" somehow.

Composition of the Day: "The General Gains the Upper Hand"

Composition of the Day: "The Fox Arrives"

Still working to figure out how I want the sketch for these to look. Went for something a little more tonal today. I should probably start putting these into a consistent format...

Composition of the Day: "The Challenge"

Spent a bit more time on today's since the last two haven't come out how I would have liked. I spent a lot more time on the thumbnail before moving on to the bigger sketch, and I think it really paid off. It lets me take the bigger sketch further more easily, and it's good practice trying to blow the composition up.

Composition of the Day: "The Fox Returns"

Hmm. Another one that didn't come out how I want. I'm having a tough time deciding what level I should take these to- just get the idea down, or start resolving some of the drawing problems? I think sometimes when I have less time it would be more beneficial to do the first. I imagine the best practice would be to solve as much as I can in the thumbnail before moving on to the bigger sketch, and posting the thumbnail if that's as far as I get in a day.

Composition of the Day: "The Escape"

I can't tell if this one works or not. I went against my thumbnails and added the foreground at the last second and am not sure if it holds up. Making the foreground read required more value than I usually need to make a composition read, and I find that simpler is usually better to make things read. However, this piece has a bit more mood than some of the others...

Composition of the Day: "The Show"

Not really happy with the way this one turned out. It's based on a little composition sketch I did years ago. I'd like it to feel like the space is packed full of stuff but still keep the center of interest clear. Right now it feels a bit empty, and far too flat.

Composition of the Day: "At Redwing Market"

Composition of the Day: "Above the Painted Valley"

Revision of the Painted Plains composition. Based on a region of China...

Composition of the Day: "At Cauldron Lake"

ConceptArt.org Character of the Week: Dr. Who

This was a good piece to do. I didn't really know a lot about Dr. Who and I don't prefer doing sci-fi art, but I felt it would be good practice to do anyway. I love to read sci-fi and if someday someone decide to hire me to do sci-fi art I wouldn't turn it down, but when I dream up images they tend to be more towards light-fantasy or surreal narrative. That's where I'd like to find illustration work- so although this piece distracts somewhat from building a portfolio towards that, it would be good practice nonetheless.

Researching Dr. Who was a lot of fun. I knew next to nothing about it, and it looks a wonderful mix of camp and cool stuff. I love the idea of the regenerating doctor- blatantly done to get new actors into the role, but they really ran with it, and it adds an interesting dimension to the character across the different actors. I loved David Tennant as Barty Crouch Jr. in the Harry Potter movies- really a standout supporting actor: only on screen for a little bit, but totally memorable. Would love to see some of his Dr. Who episodes, along with all of the other doctors.

So I had to do a lot of research out of my comfort zone, and also try to scale the piece properly so I could get it done and do it justice (shot too high with my last Character of the Week effort). This was also a chance to put some new digital painting techniques to the test. I didn't get to spend quite as much time on this as I would have liked (Aileen and I went out of town this weekend and got back much later that expected last night), but it still is a major improvement on the last CHOW in several ways, which is about all I could ask for.

Daily Composition: "At Gotteren Falls"

Daily Composition: "Underneath Redwing Bridge"

Was out of town this weekend, but managed to get my daily compositions done!

Here's the first...

Composition of the Day: "Above the Painted Plains"

Quickie today- busy day at work and didn't bring a sketchbook on the subway since I'm headed to the Yankees-Cubs game after work today. It's pouring rain and Yankees Stadium is always really annoying about bringing stuff into the stadium. At least they were at old Yankee Stadium- maybe they're more lenient now- but I don't want to risk missing the first pitch at new Yankee Stadium because I have to go check something across the street.

Composition of the Day: "Underneath the Weather Tree"

Daily Composition- "In the Sultan's Sanctum"

Double post today to make up for yesterday, which was eaten up by a piece I'm working on the for the Character of the Week competition at ConceptArt.org.