Cover Art 02

Here's a look at a cover I'm working on  after an artist @moxham_ on instagram. The impression I got from his character design sketch was a strong  centaur warrior with an armored head, a spear, and sword.

Step 01 Design Sketch:  I decided to do a front view and concentrate on changing the proportions. I maintained the focus on the armored head.

Design Critique: After the design was completed, I thought it would have been better to do a three quarter view in order to show the back legs better. I didn't choose the best view for the design. I will have to make more thumbnails in the beginning so I don't do this again.

Step 02 Design Clean up: After the sketch of the design was finished I made adjustments to fix perspective, gesture and anatomy. Also the design needs to be simplified.  I used colored lines so that I could see my changes easily.

Design Critique: There are still problems I was not able to see during this stage with anatomy. I should have used reference when making corrections. It will end up helping me in the end because I won't run into rendering problems.

Step 03 Create 50% mask: I make a new layer set to multiply mode and fill the character with 50% grey. This allows me to render from a middle value outward to black and to white. It also helps to keep the contour from changing as everything outside the lines are masked away.

Step 04 Create 3 masks for basic rendering: I create one mask for the shadows, lights and, rim lights.
Masking is a wonderful way of keeping a process simple so that big changes are easy. For example, in this video, I am able to toggle an under lit or top lit situation just be inverting the mask. It was originally painted as under lit but I decided to invert. I didn't have to repaint it! Time saved.

Step 05: Polish: This stage is currently still in the works. I apply my understanding of light and anatomy, working slowly to render each form within the hierarchy of focus. Basically, the chest area is the focus for the light. I wanted the head to be dark and mysterious so the contour could stand out. the back legs are finally added.

Step 6 Finish: This stage is currently under construction. Please return later to see how this ends!

Happy thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Helpful Bear Production’s Creature Design Contest

Helpful Bear Production is having a creature design contest. "The winning artist will receive our special online promotion of his or her work, along with the hardcover edition of Animals Real and Imagined, personalized and signed by Terryl Whitlatch and including original, beautifully hand drawn creature designs.The winner will also receive a one on one live video chat critique with Terryl Whitlatch." -HBP
This is a design I am going to eventually enter.

Cover Art 01

I'm new to design. In order to get better, I rely on other artists to help me out. First, I find sketches of character or creature designs that stir some emotional response in me. Then, I hold onto that feeling and make sketches of my own, loosely based on the same design elements. Finally, I render a completed image. Here's one I'm working today. It is based on @ajfander on instagram.

Welcome!

This blog is about connecting the habit of drawing with the habit of excellence.  Over time excellent work can become as common as mediocre work. Only rule is that drawing and excellence be approached everyday. Let the struggle begin.