Mother and Child!

'Mother and Child'. Or something. I really struggle to come up with good titles for finished paintings. I seem to want to just say what the painting is of, like 'Lion'. 'Tiger'. 'Wolf'. 'Paint on canvas, applied by a brush over a number of hours, whilst listening to the inane babble of ITV's Loose Women'.

I really tried with this painting, but all I could come up with (before Mother and Child, which is pretty rubbish really) was 'The Universal'. Which is incredibly pretentious. Ha. Oh well, something to work at...

The painting itself, I'm quite happy with. Again, I feel like I could have done more, as usual, but it was becoming a case of ever diminishing returns the more I worked on it. I'm still learning what works and what doesn't. I still haven't mastered what brush to use and when, instead sticking to the same one or two brushes, which probably aren't always best suited.

Ideally I'd like a really, really fine and stiff brush to get the really fine details on, but I can't seem to find any for sale.

Mod. Project XIX.

Yes, 'Project XIX', our codename. Ssshhhhhh!

Here are some more detailed heads. They're primarily for our 3D modeller for reference whilst he creates the face so that he can get the right shape and expression for everything- hair, moustache, beard, etc.

They're still very sketchy for now as it's still very much conceptual. I intend to create much more detailed and finely rendered versions at a later date. A good opportunity to further my Photoshop painting skills.

Below is an early, unfinished (as always) view of the cowboy character from behind. It lacks details, like weapons, bullet belt and other accessories, but it gives the general idea of how he should look.

More concept art

Instead of just adding more work in progress to the original Mod post, I'm going to try and make new posts from now on for anything that warrants it. I'll also try and provide more commentary and insight.

But for now, here is a more detailed face for the cowboy character:

Still work in progress though!

To Post or Not to Post

I've been in two minds for a while now as to whether or not to make this post. The reason being; I'm not all that happy with they way the above painting has turned out. But then I decided there's no point in only showing things when you're happy with them. If I did that, I'd probably never ever post on here. I almost always feel that there's more I could have done with a painting or sketch. Most artists probably think that way. It's what drives us on as human beings- the eternal search for perfection.

Actually, that probably gives the wrong idea about what I'm aiming for in my work. It's definitely not perfection. Not in a photo-real sense anyway.

Unfortunately with the wolf painting I ended up leaving it too late, and being as I had a deadline for its completion- the hand in date at the gallery in which it is now hanging- to me it appears unsatisfactory. I know that if I had managed my time slightly more effectively I could have achieved a higher degree of detail and finish. As it is, to me at least, it looks incomplete and lacks detail, which is a shame as I can see its potential.

At this moment I should point out to any future potential employers or clients, that on a professional basis my time management and ability to reach deadlines satisfactorily is impeccable :) The wolf however was done purely for personal reasons, so I'm allowed to slack off.

Mods and Rockers.

Recently, as an antidote to being extremely bored at work, my workmates and I have decided to have a crack at making a game mod. This fulfils two important roles. 1.) It gives us something to talk about, and 2.) It gives hope. Hope that there's something better out there beyond our contemptible working lives. Jokey face.

I'm providing the concept art whilst one of my workmates will do the modelling based on my designs, and the other- the coding. We plan to use Valve's Source Engine and Hammer.

Currently, we're keeping things simple in terms of narrative and gameplay, with an aim to expansion once we get things properly underway.

The story is yet to be finalised, but is essentially just a means to creating some interesting looking characters who will form the backbones of two opposing sides or teams: The Alliance (think evil big corporation, profits driven, bully boys, well funded) and The Independents (think space cowboy, renegade, smuggler, mercenary pirates for hire).

To start with we will be focusing on creating one character from each side and making an interesting map with a few cool weapons for a simple death match/slayer mode of game type. However, we have lots of other new an interesting ideas for game modes that we think will be pretty fun and unique.

Below are a few early sketches.

The first sketch, pencil in pad, I like the idea of Sci-Fi borrowing from periods in history, in this instance the Wild West.

Some head sketches done on a Wacom Tablet in Photoshop. The independent character. Facial hair is a given, these guys are too tough to shave! Unbound by any particular regime as such, their appearance could well be described as scruffy. I like the idea of facial tattoos and scars implying a certain 'don't screw with me'-ness to his character. We've also been toying with the idea of mechanised body parts, one of the Sci-Fi elements. Perhaps a voluntary upgrade or maybe a necessary one. Either way these guys have seen a lot of action.

Another Photoshop Wacom Tablet attempt. The proportions are a bit messed up, but it's something to build upon.

Pencil sketch. My first attempt at an Alliance character. He's quite Storm Trooper-y at the moment, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I don't want it to be too derivative of Star Wars.

Wacom Tablet. Incomplete.

Still incomplete...

Also incomplete...

Officially a Professional?

Great news, I've sold my first painting. In fact it actually sold a few months ago. I'm now working on another. Stay tuned.

It's flattering to know that people are prepared to part with their hard-earned in order to have something I've created. It also provides a nice confidence boost and incentive to keep doing more. Hopefully, quicker, better and more often.

Oops.

How'd that happen then? It seems my last post was July 2009? Wow, that's a lifetime ago. A lifetime of a relatively short lived entity, admittedly, but a lifetime nonetheless. I'm not quite sure how that's happened. I mean, it's not like I haven't done anything art related in the last 9 months... Oh God, what have I done? STUFF and THINGS. That's what! Read on to see a very small selection.

Finished Lion Portrait.

I should have made this post a couple of months ago, but the lion painting has been finished, framed and exhibited. As always I felt like I could have done with another week or so to fine tune it, but never mind. With any luck someone will like it enough to buy it.

"Lions"

A friend of mine wrote a poem once, entitled "Lions". The poem went as follows:

"...
...
...
...... Lions!
...
...
... "

The pause and delivery were integral to the poem's success. Obviously it was better in real life than it is on paper, but to this day it remains the only poem I can recite off by heart. And that, I think, speaks volumes.

It was with this poem in mind acting as a vast well of unending inspiration, that I began my latest painting.

That last sentence is not true. I painted a lion cos I like lions and thought it would be a fun subject. I've only just remembered the "...Lions" incident as I write this.

The painting in its state above is probably about 95% complete. There are a few little bits and bobs I want to tidy up, but as always with painting this could go on indefinitely. The painting is acrylic on canvas, approximately 12 by 9 inches in size. I like the mixture of fine details with broader brush strokes and blocks of colour.

Not as good as it should be.

Hmm, I meant to post this weeks ago, if not months... It's the final scan of a painting of Lucy, my cat. As mentioned in a previous post, there were a few things that made this picture a bit of a chore to do and trickier than it needed to be.

The main problem being the squinty eyes; much more difficult to paint than wide open eyes. She doesn't look quite right as a result. I think it shows in the finished product as, in my opinion, it's not as good as the painting of Minnie. The likeness isn't as strong either, so I'm a little disappointed. Still, consider it a lesson learnt; when painting from a photograph, make sure you choose a good image.