Illustrator Art

One of the hazards of becoming a full-time Illustrator is that you find it hard to just sit down and draw for fun.

What I've noticed in the past couple of years is that whenever I sit down to draw the first thought that goes through my head is "How can I make money off of this?"

It can put a real damper on enjoying the act of sketching.

Especially when you're in a slow period.

When all you're thinking about is how to get more work so you can pay the bills.

I do my best to fight off the "Money making blues" the best I can when I open up my sketchbook so that I can let my brain wander and relieve some stress.

I draw whatever comes to mind and try to fill up the pages with as many images as I can.

Sometimes they lead to an idea for a project that I can use as an Illustrator.

Like the image below.

I had been sketching birds in my sketchbook.

I often draw birds and bugs when I let my brain run free.

I guess it's due to a love of nature and a library full of books I read in school.

The image you see above originally started out as an idea for a simple animation for my church to show before services start. I decided to do it on my own and bring it in to show.

I haven't done the animation yet. I have to fire up my old G4 and open up my Flash program and learn how to use it properly.

I made a couple of animations way back when, but I never got the timing right.

So I'll have to spend some time experimenting.

While I was working out the bird characters I started liking the image as a moment in time and thought it would be good for a example of my digital art.

If you've followed this blog at all, you'll know that it's mostly traditional art that I post here.

I prefer to do my art traditionally lately because I spent 8 years doing mostly digital art and started missing being able to hold the finished piece in my hands and be proud of what I accomplished.

I do however still like being able to digital art.

I just like it to be kind of flat and graphic, not realistic.

So I decided to work this image up as a promo piece to send in an e-mail to prospective clients. Above.

One of the other habits you'll develop as a freelancer is that you will try to get as many uses as you can out of one image.

In this case the image will be used as the promo piece, the animation, and a mock-up of a book sample piece. Below.

As you can see, I cropped the image so that it would work as a two page spread.

So I have managed to take one image and figure out 3 ways to use it.

1. As an e-mail promo piece.

2. As a digital portfolio piece.

3. and as a animation.

I might even take these characters and work up a couple of more mock up book pages, or a simple story.

Mermaid progression 8/05/10

It is progressing.

Here's where I'm at so far.

I started by painting the turtle. He's was looking pretty good, so I started on the mermaid.

She's looking good so far. 

Her hair going to be a challenge though.

I painted out the little sea horses in her hair. They might come back.

As you can see I haven't started the the single fish in the lower right or fish on the left yet.

I believe I'll start figuring out their "local colors" next.

They are going to be a bigger challenge than the hair.

I want to make sure I don't go color crazy.

I'm considering a rainbow effect.

Or maybe limiting them to 3 or 4 colors.

After I get everything mostly done, I'll go back and finish off the whole image.

Mermaid progression 7/22/10

I just scanned this in so I can get started on the painting this girl.

This is the tight pencil on Crescent illustration board.

Right now I am planning on painting her as an Aboriginal Mermaid.

Dark skin and hair and white markings on her skin.

Her hair will be a dark reddish brown with some strong highlights.

I want her and the turtle to be the focal point so I believe everything else will get lighter as it gets farther away from them.

I had been planning on doing it the complete opposite way by painting the girl pale skinned with flowing red hair, but I like the aboriginal aspect for it's uniqueness.

If I was working smart I would print this out small on paper and do some color studies.

But, the original intention of this image was to experiment and have some fun, so I'm just going to "dive in"" and start painting.

I will search out some paintings by other artists of mermaids and give them a look for inspiration.

Water we do now?

I was able to get back to my mermaid art the other day.
I looked up some reference on the net for the sea turtle and various fishes.
I did some sketching in my sketch book of the reference materials and then put them away and drew the fishes so that they will have individual personalities. I don't think I'll be trying to depict specific species of fish. I'd like to just make them up and see what I end up with.
I'll go back to my reference for the markings on the turtle.
The mermaid is starting to look like she's going to be a "girl of color." Not your typical pale skinned mermaid. What color I don't just yet.
Here's where I'm at so far...

The basic idea is that she is ripping the net that is keeping the turtle and fish from having free access to the other side of the ocean. That ropy thing she is holding is the edge of the net. It's weave will make the left half of the painting darker than the right half. Her hair will fill the upper right corner of the page.
The bottom right corner will have a brain coral who's patterning will mimic the patterning of the net.
I don't have any idea what the color pallet will be yet.
I know there will be an overall color wash that will be built up to establish the modeling.
If you see anything that is glaringly wrong let me know.
I still have to figure of what kind of "top" the mermaid will be wearing.
As I am typing this I am thinking that I need to look up some reference of the indigenous peoples of Australia. She's starting to look like one of them to me.
I have transfered this to illustration board and I'm doing the tight pencils that will go under the under painting.
I'll show the tight pencil stage before I move on.

One of the clients I work for owns  www.cartoonmaps.com

I do the art and layout for many of the maps.

One of those maps is for the Darke County Fair.

Each year they have a big musical act at the grandstands.

Each year I get to do cartoon versions of "The Band" for the map.

So far the acts have been REO Speedwagon & Styx.

Each year I put more effort into the characters because the map itself only needs some cosmetic changes to freshen it up. 

This years band is Lady Antebellum.

Below is how they will look on the map.

I enjoyed drawing them. I hope the band will actually get to see themselves.

Here are some of the characters that are wandering around the map this year.

Why a guy in a fish costume?

Why not?

Ribbit!

I haven't been able to post anything lately due to being busy with a day job and housework, but things have  started hopping again around here in the form of freelance work so I'll just have to start burning the candle at both ends again.
In the mean time here's a page from my sketchbook.

Frogs were just on my mind that day.
One of them may end up in a future book dummy.

Board book art

Okay, I'm ready for some constructive criticism on what I have so far.
Here's the set up.
This art is for a combination self promo piece and book dummy.
The book is a children's board book for kids from birth to 6 years old. You know, the thick cardboard pages that the young 'uns like to chew on.
Each image is a 2 page spread. Each spread features a bird of a certain color. Red Bird, blue bird, green bird,...
There will be 10 spreads in all and a wrap around cover.
I wanted to keep the art simple without being simple flat colors. Not even clean colors.
Here's the art...
RED BIRD

ORANGE BIRD


YELLOW BIRD


GREEN BIRD



BLUE BIRD


PURPLE BIRD


PINK BIRD

Pink bird admires her Prince.

BROWN BIRD

Brown Bird bakes bread

BLACK BIRD


WHITE BIRD

WHITE BIRD alternative

Could also be WHITE BIRD Walks on windy Wednesdays

I don't have the wrap around cover art figured out yet.

In case you forgot by the time you made it all of the way down here, I'm looking for your thoughts on what's posted here. Think children's board book and let me hear what you have to say.
Depending on how this turns out I have some pages for an alphabet book roughed out already.
If any of you out there are graphic designers let me know what I could do to make the type treatment better.