They've got...texture.

I've got other classes besides Don Brandes' Advanced Illustration Media, despite how my posts look. Most of today, for example, was spent in my Concept/Character/Environment class, which is a computer animation class taught to illustrators. Our current project uses different exercises to free up the imagination, including looking at photographs of textures (tree bark, rocks, stucco, etc.) to find faces and figures buried within. The dragon on the surfboard was inspired by some discoloration in the parking lot.

Awwww!

Okay, I did look at Puss in Boots for his "cute-and-harmless" face.  This is the result, the final change for the illustration because I have to work on other classes and I don't have any more time.

More tweaks...

After the last post, I realized that there was something lacking. I needed to frame in the image so the monkey could break the frame. The white sidewalk also posed a problem because its brightness would pull attention away from the monkey and cup.
I made those adjustments and went to class for critique, where another MAJOR issue was pointed out....the monkey's eyes are too dark and alien-looking.
I researched white-faced capuchin monkeys for this. They truly have these dark, huge, almond shaped eyes. I didn't see an image of one where the whites of the eyes were evident, but Brandes says that it is just too creepy, so I'll work it a little more. I was aiming for the Chuck Jones "so-cute-it'll-break-your-heart" look, the same one Shrek's Puss in Boots did so well. A little more research and I'll post another version tomorrow.

Man, pet, machine

Yes, I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've been trying to keep abreast of my illustration assignments. The latest Media class project is another pen and ink illustration. The requirement was that everyone had to include a man (or woman), a pet, and a machine. Actually, it is a pretty flexible arrangement because a cybernetic wolf-man covers all the bases at once. I chose an organ grinder and his monkey because "you can't go wrong with a monkey." I had fun with textures and deliberately wonky perspective.

New semester, new class

The first day of my final semester at Ringling College hit the ground running. I'm taking Don Brandes' Advanced Illustration Media class and he gave us 48 hours to do a pen and ink portrait. 75% of our grade depends on our classmates being able to recognize the subject. I had to think of someone famous, iconic, and fun to draw. Hopefully, you know who it is.

Final self-portrait image

Hey. Welcome to 2008. Being away from Photoshop during Christmas break made updating my blog a little hard, but I'm back at school and happy to share my illustrations with the world at large.

I added a black line around the edge of the wings and removed some of them in the shading of the dragon's body. The color seems to do a really nice job defining the shadows anyway, so I don't have to overwork the image.