An old one

I have been lazy and otherwise engaged the past couple of weeks, sketches have been done but they either need to be scanned or finished up a bit more.

But here's one I found from a while ago. I love Gormenghast, I think I'd put it in my top 3 as far as books so. It's so full of amazing characters, I started trying to do a portrait of each one. I only got through about 3 thought and this sketch I started of Countess Gertrude was probably my favourite.
In case you haven't read them she's described as a behemoth of a woman, and is pretty much usually only concerned with her birds and her cats. She's a stout old battleaxe though and I liked her no BS attitude.

Holy crap, just looked on the date of the photoshop file and it's from July 2010. Little bit depressing!

Ellie

I'm going to my mum's house for a couple of days, I'm taking my laptop for working on my website but no tablet, so no pooter drawings till at least Sunday.

So here's a little one to keep you going. Will be excited to get the website done and put it here, it's in dire need of an update.

Swing

So I decided that since one of my 'goals' for my holiday was to redesign my website, I figured that some of the art I'm doing should go towards this.

Here's a bit of a planned background image, I'm quite enjoying the colours but I'm still working on her hair. Hair is one of those things that you can get right first time with not much effort, but if I don't it takes me aaaages to get it doing that effortless flowing thing.

The guy from 'drawing the head' (very good instructional book on chiaroscuro should you be interested) says that the less hair is rendered the better it looks, and in essence you should try to render it like smoke.

Well, I guess I'm going for the bold look. Here's a snippet.

Holloway

Ok, maybe not dynamic, but at least perhaps a bit better drawn than the last one? I started to try doing one of Vickers but that character needs to be drawn standing in a dark corner. She doesn't really do heroic poses.

Just realised he looks all slidey. Ergh. Nevermind. Scrap that 'better drawn' bit.

I was about to praise myself on my more regular updates but I've neglected to mention I'm on holiday. Yes, on holiday, not in the sun or pickling myself in a bottomless glass of vodka, but drawing. A lot of the time. Also doing other useful things and just generally having a break.

Wondering what I should draw next? I clearly still suck at people so maybe another one of those.

White Swan

I actually started this one a week or so ago, and have been picking at it since then. I feel like it's got to an ok stage so I'm going to stop busting my ass over it.

My big issue is I like to be able to see paint strokes but at the same time like it to look finished. I can never quite find a happy balance, I need to work out/learn a technique.

Because I was painting on one layer I started making copies at various intervals in case I properly cocked it up and couldn't get back to where I was before. Thought you might find it interesting and maybe have some tips for me. I do use levels, warp and hue/saturation to correct my work occasionally. Maybe I shouldn't?

Shaw

I saw Prometheus the other week, after much excitement about it and worrying it might not live up to the hype it was pretty damn good. Alright, not 'the best film ever' but it was gorgeous, the 3D actually added to the experience and I was suitably entertained all the way through. There were a few cliche parts (the two alien fodder guys at the beginning, anybody?) but I suppose what is cinema but an assimilation of devices and cues?
Go see it if you haven't and it's your thing. Even if it's not, there was a properly old and particularly well dressed couple in front of us who sat calmly through it and didn't at any point question whether they should actually be in 'Mirror Mirror'. My hat off to those people.

So I did a drawing. In typical me fashion I took forever finding the right pose and drawing it to a reasonable standard and then completely lost interest on the colouring. I promise I'll have another go, and challenge myself with a more dynamic position.