Pandora character with background

 

Have tried a new technique. Not so many outlines (dark that is) for the background and main character. Am really happy with the result as it feels softer.

Colour schemes

Only in the last day or too I have been studying up on different colour schemes. One such colour scheme that is in the above image is called 'Analogous'. This wasn't intentional either when I did this background. So it was very interesting for me to discover that I am naturally doing this. Kinda cool I reckon.

Definition of a 'Analogous' colour scheme as follows; '..are colours that sit on the Colour Wheel and have a common hue'. Example for above image is the dinosaur (mr bluey) in which he has 1-3 contrasts of that blue hue.

Helpful link for colour schemes

I would thoroughly recommend to check out this artist (on Deviant art) and there helpful tips regarding colour schemes.

As a side note, I have really enjoyed pushing the character design further by way of a background. It just gives so much more context of story for the character. 

Take care and thanks for visiting. 

If you liked this post, you may also like the following;

• Comic character concept - Pandora  
• Comic character concept - Pandora 14 years old 
• Pandora comic - model turn-around sheets: Front and side profiles

Tools used

• CS3 photoshop and illustrator
• Wacom intuos 5
• Reference for visual style (Brittney Lee) 

Sonya Crawford 2015

To the most amazing woman that I know, my beautiful wife. She has been my greatest support and loving ear when I have been a nut job in my pursuit of art.

Love you babe. Thanks for being you.

"Like a lily among the thorns, So is my darling among the maidens." Bible

Manga studio 5 girl image

Recently bought Manga Studio 5 or as it is known (Clip Studio Paint Pro digital). Wow, what an amazing program.

The features so far are really intuitive to use. Especially the brushes. They are so smooth and the responsiveness with the wacom tablet is in my opinion far superior to photoshop. 

In the past where I would have to do my inking on the ipad and then colour up in photoshop, I can now do all within the one program. Absolute time saver!!!!

Probably however the biggest selling point for the program is the cost price. I paid just over $30 (NZ dollars). This was with a sale that Manga had on recently. But I would be more than happy to pay the full price of $75. Also to note that upgrading is very affordable for the future. So well done Manga Studio.

So, in closing...couldn't recommend this program more highly enough. Can't wait to upload more yummies in the future from this program.

A question for you, yes you (the visitor).

If you have used Manga Studio I would love to hear any comments on how you have found the program. As always, thanks for visiting.

Take care

Tools used = Manga Studio (only)

Jurassic Kid illustration

 

Just had to do an illustration with the up and coming new Jurassic World movie. I initially wanted to go with a fan art image but I was thinking, nah. Let's go to a more emotional place. Like how I felt when I saw the very first movie. Now I definitely was not that young (above image), but watching the first movie made me feel that way. As did the remaining movies.

The fourth movie doesn't quite have the magic of the first but it still has plenty of action and enough dinosaur carnage to keep anyone well entertained. 

As always take care, thanks for visiting.

Tools used:

• Illustrator CS3 for the crispy clean lines
• Photoshop CS3 for the rendering

Star Wars fan art illustration

It is finished - whoooaaa!!!!This has been a labor of love and hate as I have worked on this for the last month and a half. So glad I persevered. Probably the greatest lesson I have learned is if something is bothering you, get rid of it. That walking carpet (Mr Chewbacca) was edited and re-edited sooooo many times till I got the fur where I wanted it. Full respect to artists who do furry creatures. Seriously!!!

I will post up soon a basic little run over of the basics in this piece. Hope some stuff in it may help.

As always, thanks for visiting.

And a big shout out to the awesome artist Patrick Brown. His tutorial online through Skillshare was awesome and helped me so much. Thank you Patrick.

Tools used:

• Photoshop CS3
• Wacom tablet
• Sketch up for AT-AT Walkers
• Illustrator CS3
• a mumbling plea of "this wookie will not get the better of me"

What if your pet had super powers?

My third entry into #creativeprompt challenge from Henrike Dijkstra.

Today’s challenge was to come up with an idea regarding what if your pet or someone you knew had gained a super power?

Thought of the ongoing power struggle between pets, specifically dog vs cat. Hey, I am a dog lover myself so went with dog having a super power and using it to get one over the cat. Seen way to many Youtube videos of cat's been so nasty. So here's to all you dog lovers out there.

Tools used:

• Adobe ideas
• Procreate
• Photoshop CS3 for quick tidy up

Winter outfit for an octopus

My second entry into #creativeprompt challenge from Henrike.

Today’s challenge was to create a winter outfit for an octopus. I know, cool aye.

I thought I'd put up some conceptual ideas (very rough) to show how I kinda got to the finale. See below.

The challenge for me was to think how I would tackle 'heating' for this marine creature. Some of my attempts were literal (like one with a scarf and hat) whilst others were more in line with capturing heat. The latter I went with.

The idea then was along the lines of capturing heat through means of  good old solar(sun). The orange pad on his upper head is the solar panel.

The final pose I chose was to be relaxed and overall for the character to be 'cute'. Some of my early sketches were a bit too menacing.

Some conceptual ideas:)

Tools used:

• Adobe ideas
• Procreate
• Photoshop CS3 for a little touch-up

Zombie Mouse

This was a fun little image created as a result of #creativeprompt challenge via Henrike Dijkstra found here on twitter. The challenge is to come up with some idea / character design.Its a great way to quickly come up with an idea. Lot of fun.

Here are two inked up versions I did on my iphone thanks to Adobe ideas app.

The challenge I wanted to put on myself was rendering the image with a certain amount of un-restraint. It was a good opportunity to push myself and let go. Overall it's chaotic, whimsical and a hint of umpphhh!!!!Which is good. I need to push myself in this new scary area. Wish me happy thoughts.

Thanks to Henrike for the awesome #creativeprompt challenge.

Too my wife - did the awesome typography whilst having breakfast. She is sooo awesome!!! What a machine.

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Tools used:

Iphone with Adobe ideas

Procreate for rendering

Funny Wolverine illustration

Still can't get Wolverine out of my head. It's those killer curls, awesome. For this illustration I wanted to keep the image fairly clean and also wanted to try out the A-tone (mechanical tint) in photoshop. Credit here to Hi-Fi comics for the A-tone range.

Tried a new font called 'DK Lemon Yellow Sun' which my lovely wife suggested I use. Check it out online. Used here in the speech bubble. It has a lovely hand drawn quality about it.

A big highlight this week is finally joining up with Chris Oatley's Oatley Academy Live.  Lots to learn and lots and lots of people to meet. Very excited. 

So recommend that you go check him out. Find him here.

So long, take care.

Tools used:

• Adobe ideas on ipad for the inking
• Adobe illustrator for the type
• Photoshop CS3 for A-tone (mechanical tint)

Wolverine illustration

Fun concept of Wolverine.

I have a tonne of pencilled drawings, this been one of them. I said to myself, c'mon this needs to be finished. So I took a photo on my iPhone and then inked it using Adobe ideas. From there it was into Procreate to colour it up. Still can't believe just how great these two apps are. Couldn't recommend them more highly.

One of the main reasons for using the iPhone is the immediacy from using it. With a full time job and only so much energy to expend within a day this is a welcomed trade off. I can have the image inked and coloured whilst on the go. Just brilliant. T-I-M-E investment – yes!!!!

Here are the links for those great apps.

Procreate

Adobe ideas (Adobe ideas is now incorporate in an updated completely new App from Adobe called ‘Adobe Illustrator Draw’.

As always thanks for popping on in. Take care!!!

Tools used:

• Procreate
• Adobe Ideas
• Photoshop CS3

Star Wars Day_May the 4th be with you

 

Another step towards finishing this tutorial with Patrick Brown through skill share. Seriously check him out here.  

So here's to a little Star Wars fandom with Star Wars Day. Like a lot of fans I got a little giddy with the release of the recent teaser trailer Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Can't wait.

As always, thanks for visiting. Take care and God bless.

And hopefully will post up soon the next installment update of this tutorial.

Hulk fan art_illustration

Hulk coloured up in Photoshop. Yay!!!

The background was done also on the ipad using adobe ideas. One such item found here on my pinterest board helped me heaps when trying to figure out how to do the explosion. Pinterest by the way is a great site. A reference depository of absolute greatness. Hopefully going to the link will bring up the smoke cloud. If not directly just scroll down till you find 'Thinking 3-dimensioanlly when designing smoke clouds'.

As always thanks for coming on by and visiting. 

And please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to know what makes your world tick too.

Have a great week.

Tools used:

• Adobe ideas
• Photoshop CS3
• Illustrator CS3 for the The Incredible Hulk text

Hulk fan art_inked

Avengers age of ultron is on this weekend. So can't wait to see it. And it just so happened that I was doing some muscular studies. One thing lead to another and....boom, the Hulk appeared. Hello Mr Hulk.

Always struggle with hands so I did a little reference gathering. Thanks Ipad camera. Luckily for you the viewer I didn't have to take off my shirt. Thank goodness for that!!!

Hulk inked on ipad over sketch using the wonderful adobe ideas app.

Happy friday everyone (that's tomorrow) New Zealand time.

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Tools used:

• Adobe ideas (on ipad)
• Free model (may need to mention to smile for next time)

Character Concepts no.3

Been another busy week and only having time to do quick doodling. Where is the time going?

This Friday is going to be super exciting - live streaming from Anaheim, Los Angeles for Star Wars 'The Force Awakens'. Panel of guests include J.J.Abrams. Hope to see it after work!!!

Thanks for visiting.

Star Wars fan art_Concept completed

Han, Chewie now all setup with background elements (AT-AT walkers). Next is to ink these guys up following Patrick Browns tutorial. Then it's onto colouring. Really looking forward to that.

The AT-AT walkers were sourced from Sketch up and finished up in illustrator.

I am thinking probably a Endor feel for the colour palette (forest colours).

As always, thanks for visiting. Happy Wednesday!!!!

Star Wars Fan art_Chewbacca Sketch

Continuing on from a previous post  - click here - I have developed Chewbacca. I will post up soon both Chewie and Han together in a background. As I love the AT-AT walkers from Empires Strike Back, they will definitely be in the shot somehow.
Thanks for visiting, hope you had a nice easter. Love holidays!!!!

Bye for now.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizza toppings

TMNT fan art!!!!

What can I say. I love these guys. They are super fun to draw and as a character design they are awesome.

And they love pizza, c'mon. What's not to like.

I initially started with Raphael (Big dude). Then threw together some random face sketches and drew them on the ipad through procreate (another great drawing app). 

As I didn't have a strong idea how these were all going to fit together I did what I normally do...leave it for a few hours, come back and see what ideas were culminating in my brain. Still nothing, so wrestled with it throughout the week until I stumbled across the idea of a pizza menu. Then everything feel into place.

As always, thanks for swinging on by. 

Tools used:

• Photoshop CS3
• Illustrator CS3
• Adobe ideas and Procreate on ipad

Character illustration

A rather random idea that started with the man character here on called 'Mr Flick'. Mr Flick started as a pencil sketch that was transported to Adobe ideas.

Can't say this more than enough but Adobe ideas is a wonderful "free", yes you read that right...free program for the ipad. I just love the way it handles even with a cheap stylus. And best of all your lines are 100% vector. Absolutely crisp!!!

I finished off the concept with some help from Sketch-up for the vehicle and trailer. Mr bunny was done in photoshop.

Well, another illustration done. Completed. Finished...in the bag.

As always, thanks for coming on in and having a look.

Question? Have you tried Adobe ideas. And if so, what is one thing that you just love about it. Love to hear your thoughts.

Tools used:

• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Sketch up
• Adobe ideas on ipad

Zombie illustration

Originally this all started with the character at left. Not content to just leave him as he was I thought, he needs a background. The dog was random initially, as was my first concepts to have the dog on a leash. But it just didn't look right, not dramatic enough.

So I jumped on google and after some looking found these funny images of dogs with their bones. From there all the other elements fell into place as I now had a direction.

Loving sketch up - so great to get quick references for 3d structures...like the dog house, fence and house in background.

Thanks as always for visiting. Keep well.

Tools used:

• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Sketch up
• Wacom tablet

Croc man illustration

For this illustration I wanted to focus on rendering form in a different way than what I usually do. Specifically the arm closest to your view. 

A big thanks for a tutorial here by Kiwi-RGB 'PS, Gimp shading tutorial. It was really helpful to be able to breakdown the form into different techniques and take away the mystery that is in shading. It was super helpful understanding edge control for the forms. Want to know more definitely check out the link!!! A great tutorial.

Thanks as always for visiting. Have a great rest of the week.

Tools used:

• Adobe ideas for inking
• Photoshop CS3 for colouring
• Adobe illustrator for the brick wall background
• Sketch up for a brick wall model concept (sketch up is super awesome)