Tag Archives: pen & ink

Re-Imagined Album Cover, Asia in Copic Markers

Re-Imagined Asia Cover, Copic Markers

It’s Re-Imagined Album Covers over at Monday Artday. My first thought was artist Roger Dean, because I like his strange creatures and alien landscapes, and I knew he’d done a boatload of album covers. I settled on this, Asia’s self-titled debut album, so I could do my first sea serpent. Thank you, Roger Dean!

Side by Side Asia Covers, Roger Dean and Cindy Dauer

I stopped short of a handmade font because I haven’t done many and I didn’t want to muck it up. I could have done it on a separate sheet but I felt like I’d taken this project as far as I was going to take it. The frame and font (Carmenta) were added digitally.

His name is Horace. If you want to know why he looks mildly irritated, it’s because the damn sea urchins get all camouflaged against the sea floor, and tickle poor Horace as he swims past. This usually causes him to shoot straight up out of the water and amuses the urchins very much. By the time he hits the top of the water he is no longer surprised, merely annoyed about forgetting to avoid the sea urchin bed again. I can’t give you any information about Roger Dean’s serpent, however. That one is a mystery.

And here’s how it went:

Re-Imagined Asia, Sketch

Re-Imagined Asia, Ink

Re-Imagined Asia, Frisket 1

Re-Imagined Asia, Color 2

Re-Imagined Asia, Color 3

I was really worried about the colors at this point. Too many colors! And the red planet idea was not so good. But it worked out.

Re-Imagined Asia, Detail 4

Re-Imagined Asia, Detail 5

Re-Imagined Asia Cover, Copic Markers

I wasn’t quite happy with the sky, or the planets, but decided to put down the pens at this point. I am pretty happy with doing something a bit outside my usual style. Not a ton outside, but a little. Thank you for visiting!

 

A Flock of Misfits for Illustration Friday

Flock of Misfits, Copic Markers with Digital Help

She worries over them all, her adopted family. Sometimes they stay just a little while. Some, like Vicente the sleepy fellow to her right (and her common law spouse), have been together since the beginning. Some say Mariella is the oldest bird living. Others say she is immortal. Only one thing is certain: she’ll never tell.

The topic is “Return” for Illustration Friday. I like the idea of a misfit family of birds, though I am not happy with the execution. You’ll see in the progress pics below that the original background had a friskety swirl like many of my recent entries. But the color was too close in tone to the birds, and though I started to darken it, I kept smudging the black ink so I decided to repair the background by replacing it with some digital clouds (one of my few Paint.NET skills!)

And here’s how it went:

Flock of Misfits Sketch

Flock of Misfits Frisket

Flock of Misfits Color 2

Flock of Misfits Color 3

Flock of Misfits for IF Return

Flock of Misfits with Digital Background

I think I have decided I like my illustrations best where I’ve referenced a photo, even if I only use it for the initial sketch. Though I like many of these silly birds, the tallest one didn’t work out quite right and some of the others might have benefited from just a bit of photographic inspiration. Live and learn and all that!

[On the off chance some of you wonder their names: Top row: Jodi, Podi, Bodi, Kodi (sometimes grumpy). Branch 2: Moppet (sometimes ornery), Braenwyn, Quoc, Afri (top), Bobek. Bottom left: Mariella, Vicente, Radhika (the sweet Auntie, everyone’s favorite), Deva. Right branch: Tiki, Fatima.] The font is Gisha.

Thank you as always for visiting! Brutal critiques (within reason) welcome!

 

Stork and Chameleon for Illustration Friday

Stork and Chameleon 8x10 Copic Markers

She rather liked the company, if you want to know the truth. Other storks were so… tiresome, always talking about the latest bugs they ate, always trying to outdo each other. Lucille preferred to spend her days hunting for snacks and shiny objects in a plodding, unhurried manner. The chameleon was welcome to tag along, even if she had to pretend he wasn’t. In her mind she named him Douglas.

Swamp is the word at Illustration Friday. I believe I have veered somewhat from my normally goofy characters, though I suppose making them pink and purple helps. Considered adding leaves or plants, or some flying bugs, but didn’t want to busy it up too much. I am pretty pleased about the wood stork. Inspirational photo came from For the Love of Florida photography blog (last updated 2008!). Undecided about the color scheme. I was going to do a blue swamp, with only shades of blue, and you can see how that worked out.

And now, progress pics! By next time I may have figured out how to post a slideshow, which I think is a cooler way to view progress pics. No plans on videos though. But then again, I don’t own a cell phone. (Unless you count the pay-as-you-go one that has been sitting unused for eight months because I can’t be bothered to look up the code for adding minutes.)

Stork and Chameleon Sketch

Stork and Chameleon Ink

Stork and Chameleon Color 1

I thought this was pretty cool and I tried to decide whether to leave the trees or the animals white. But then I couldn’t do it. Arrgh!

Stork and Chameleon Color 2

(The eeek, why did I pick these colors stage!)

Stork and Chameleon Color 3

Stork and Chameleon Detail 1

Stork and Chameleon Detail 2

Thanks so much for visiting!

Miscalculation Leads to Llama-Cat, Copic Markers

Miscalculation Leads to Llama Cat, 8×10 Copic Markers

Miscalculation, for my second Monday Artday submission. My main regret with this is that I didn’t take the time to create some eye contact or other communication between Figgy and the Llama-Cat. Also, maybe there should be some indication of magic at the end of the wand. (I added some silly sparks digitally in a version at the end of this post.)

Figgy was captured here in a bit of a state of shock right after the event. You might expect the same of the Llama-Cat, but she didn’t seem very bothered. Of course it’s several months since the events pictured above, and the two are (usually) great friends, sharing a love of buttered croissants. Also repeated viewings of Milo and Otis.

Many work in progress pics:

Llama Cat Sketch

 

Llama Cat Ink

Llama Cat Color 1

Instead of my usual swirls, I kept the masquepen down the whole time and did messier swirls. I don’t love it as much as the kind with the curly-q ends but I am trying to expand my toolkit!

Llama Cat Color 2

Yes, this is the point where I say yack! These colors are not working! Mainly the clownish blue and green stripes on the robe. But I have learned to stay the course through these stages.

Llama Cat Color 3

Llama Cat Detail 1

Llama Cat Detail 2

Llama Cat Detail 3

Llama-Cat with Digital Sparks!

This was fun. More full figures (rather than heads only), a different color palette (for me), and some general silliness. Thanks for dropping in!

Umbrella for Monday Artday with Copic Markers

Artemis Umbrella, 9" x 6" with Copic Markers

My first challenge for Monday Artday! The challenge: “Umbrella”. An interesting creature Artemis, and I do love the flowing locks of an Afghan Hound! But I wish I’d used a larger piece of Canson 150 lb. Fanboy Drawing Pad. See, I haven’t found smaller than a 9×12 pad and my scanner only does 8.5×11, so I have to choose between not scanning, cutting the paper down slightly and wasting the edges, or cutting it in half and doing two 9×12’s.

I have been doing Illustration Friday since October 23rd, 2011, and I could not love it more (I missed a few, as to be expected). Well actually, I could love it more if spammers didn’t link there but otherwise, it is such a great thing I can hardly stand it and I cannot thank Penelope Dullaghan enough for creating it.

However, in my continuing quest to DO LOTS OF ART, I have been looking for another challenge in case I need a content nudge between each IF topic (as my goal is 2-3 new art posts per week). With all my bouncing around to the hundreds of artists at IF and their favorite links, I ran across Monday Artday a few times, and finally took the plunge.

In any case, here are some Artemis Umbrella progress shots:

Artemis Umbrella, progress sketch & frisket

Artemis Umbrella, color 1 and 2

Artemis Umbrella, 9" x 6" Copic Markers

Some things I like (she was too small to go overboard with detailing), and some less so (her right arm is odd and the angle of the umbrella/parasol is off and the cropping is not ideal). But otherwise not too bad. I didn’t mess with the background after peeling the frisket. Oh! I used a masquepen recommended by Mardi Speth and holy cow, so much better than a brush or other struggle. Thank you, Mardi!

Thanks for stopping by! (Tactful) criticism always welcome!

Illustration Friday, Puppy and Cow, Copics

Yield for Illustration Friday, Puppy and Cow

Before the new topic came out at Illustration Friday this week, I had sketched a very silly but promising cow:

Cow Sketch

I figured she made the perfect platform for something, but what? And then the topic “yield” was posted, so I thought about how I could use this cow and that word and what I came up with was to put a giant pie on her head with the words, “The apple tree produced more than double the yield of the previous year due in no small part to the fertilization efforts of Hannah the cow.”

Cow pie. Fertilizer. Yeah, not a highbrow moment. I’m ok with that. But I didn’t think a pie would be visually very interesting. I have since decided a pie would have been totally doable – but I went with cute, in the end. Which may be cheap but so is cow pie. ;)

Cow and Puppy Sketch

Cow and Puppy Mask

This was actually a really great blue that I lost with too many light colored coats. Alas!

Cow and Puppy Color 1

And this is the stage where I say to myself, ugh, this is not going well. But that always happens in the beginning color stages so I don’t despair quite as much as I once did. Which is good. Unless you’re one of those people who thinks inspiration is only sparked by misery. I am not.

Cow and Puppy Color 2

Cow and Puppy Color 4

I really need to finish all of the color before adding the black ink (which isn’t supposed to smudge, but does a bit!) Lots of muddy spots as a result. Probably could have done more with the background but a decent effort overall.  Thank you for coming!

Note: In case you didn’t know, I have put a detailed tutorial on how to make yourself a thumbnail for IF (or avatar or other tiny image), on my sidebar near the top of the page. I hope someone finds it useful! A thumbnail will get you more views than no thumbnail.

A Wizard’s Pantry for Illustration Friday

Wizard's Pantry, Copic Markers & Pens

(Apologies for having made a 9″ x 10″ item which does not quite fit on my scanner arrggh!)

“Intention” is the word this week  for Illustration Friday, and it has been my intention for a couple weeks to make a color version of my “Prepare” Illustration, which was a pencil sketch with potential. You can find that post here.

This particular color version did not live up to the promise of the sketch. I hesitate to provide a list of the problems I have with it, partly because there are so many! And partly because some of my dear visitors shall scold me for it. (I have been known to do some mild scolding of my own so it’s only fair.) Anyway, the colors and perspective and the handwriting all have problems. I’ll just leave it there.

A couple progress pics:

Wizard's Pantry Ink

Wizard's Pantry Color 1

I was going to add a porthole, or a window to fill all the space behind Mr. Imp but ended up with a weird thing that looks slightly like a large plastic device for hand-juicing oranges. (The wizard who was kind enough to let me draw his pantry let me know it is a portal but refused to elaborate further.)

Wizard's Pantry Color 2

I actually still like the color family at this point. But then I fooled with it too much!  Alas! Also, the imp has turned out somewhat more creepy than the cute I had imagined. I do like his crazy circus leotard, though. (It just didn’t seem right for him to stay in the buff.) I’m not sure why he likes to hang from his arm like that.

Wizard's Pantry, Copic Markers & Pens

I really love some of the Illustration Friday folks who do awesome collections of tiny, detailed things. So this was an attempt at one of those. Further attempts will be made.  Thank you so much for visiting!

Also! I have written up a (hopefully) easy and detailed tutorial for making your thumbnail for Illustration Friday (or anywhere, really).  It’s in my sidebar here! Don’t miss out on views because your thumbnail never works!

Two Horses, One Hound, Copic Markers

Horse 'n Hound Table Tennis Association

I stuck to a color family! I am very pleased with that aspect because I often try and rarely make it to the end. I mean even here, wouldn’t a pair of blue eyes or a purple background be neat? That’s the trouble with having collected half a metric ton of Copic Markers (ok hold on, I’ll check) (ok, about 115, various sizes, collected over 10 months or so).

I am once again feeling the necessity to branch out into more than headshots. However, Illustration Friday has been providing for that nicely. Oh! So my last post is heading toward 70 comments (about 8 are mine). Can I just say thank you so much to every single one and also holy cow! If I didn’t reciprocate, it is only because you did not leave your web address!

On a related note, because I was curious, I decided to count how many comments I had left so far this week for Illustration Friday. One hundred fifty-one.  Haha, is that insane or what? I doubt I will be able to keep it up, but I have been finding so MANY great art blogs. And I don’t have kids. For all you folks with a regular job AND kid(s) AND doing Illustration Friday, my hat is off to you. Seriously!

What I do is visit the IF site every day, several times a day. I know that other people don’t have the time to do this. On the other hand, I feel like I am building this wonderful, mutually supportive community. I have been able to identify a whole bunch of folks who visit regularly,and who I visit in turn. (If you are looking for folks who are more likely than the average to comment back when you’ve commented at their site, I suggest visiting the commenters from my “Capable-IF” entry just before this one – just click on their name. You will find so many great things!)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, here is how the Horses ‘n Hound thing happened:

Horse n Hound Ink

Horse n Hound Color 1

Horse n Hound Color 2

Horse n Hound Color 3

I’m thinking of starting to put together a book with some of my goofy beasts, each with a silly/weird/non sequitur type caption. (In case you wondered about the table tennis thing.) Thank you so much for coming by. You’re the greatest!

Oh! I almost forgot! I just wrote a how-to for Illustration Friday thumbnails (in my sidebar, here). If you’re someone whose thumbnail never works, give it a try.

Illustration Friday “Capable” Copic Markers

Cape a Bull With Copic Markers at The Slumbering Herd

“Capable” for Illustration Friday this week, where 104 entries have already been posted.

Yes, this entry is quite silly. I saw some other folks had gone with the cape concept, so I had to crank it up a notch! I think (again) this one is overly busy. Arggh! What I’ve been aiming for is ‘neat and intricate’, but where I have been landing is ‘overworked and confused’. But I’ll keep trying.

Here’s how it happened:

Cape a Bull Sketch

Cape a Bull Liquid Frisket, Ink 1

Cape a Bull Ink 2

Cape a Bull Ink 3

Cape a Bull With Copic Markers

A decent effort but definitely overworked. And I don’t love this color combination quite as much as I’d hoped. Next time I’d go with browns instead of blues. I’m often worried that browns are too subdued but 1. sometimes subdued is good, and 2. I really do have a lot of different browns and I generally like it when I go that way. And so ends today’s ramble!

The font is Ugly Qua. Thank you for your visit!

Blue Llama with Frisket and Copic Markers

Nell the Blue Llama, Copics

This is Nell, and she has come up in the world quite nicely, benefiting from her predecessors, I think:

The Slumbering Herd Copic Llama Retrospective

The trouble is, I have been doing a lot of dogs lately. And dog noses are not llama noses. It seems I forgot this when crafting Nell’s curious nose. So, she has a doggish, rabbity sort of nose. She seems to like it though.

This was Liquid Frisket Experiment Number 4,which started here:

Blue Frisket Llama Sketch

Blue Frisket Llama, Frisket Phase

So I decided to fill the background before adding the frisket. I knew I would go over the outline of the llama and I didn’t know if it would affect the texture of the background even when peeled off. I filled up the middle with frisket swirls then went over them with several blues.  Started a little shading but not much. Lost my pencil line in a couple spots, but no disasters.

Blue Frisket Llama Ink

Blue Frisket Llama Ink 2

Blue Frisket Llama

She looks pretty happy, which is nice. I can vouch for the fact that she is, generally, a happy llama. I may have to branch out into (gasp) profiles or (double gasp) a whole llama body. It could happen.

Thanks as ever for dropping in!