WIPs and changes in my process

Some current WIP stuff I'm doing. Inking on the Community piece and a Gravity Falls piece I started last night. I've also got another one in the works that is near completion and in color, which is something I haven't done in awhile and need to get back into.. I will do my best to color these as well.

So something new I'm trying with these is using a resolution that I'm not too comfortable with right now. With most of my work, I work at 300 ppi at about 1000x1000 px and scale the canvas up if need be. While this has worked pretty well for me in the past, I've started wanted more crisp and clean lines when getting into the fine detailing. So now, I'm still working at 300, but starting with a bigger canvas. For example, my starting size is the standard paper size 8.5 x 11 inches, or 2550 x 3300, and then again, scale up the canvas  if need be.

Currently, the Community piece is at 11000 x 3300, which honestly, I don't think I've ever worked on a drawing at that size. When sketching at that size, it's a little challenging to get into, but after getting used to the size and the changes you have to put into your pen strokes as well as pressure, it becomes pretty comfortable. Inking on the other hand is a monster I'm trying very hard to tackle. I wanted clean crisp lines, but sometimes I feel like it's TOO clean and TOO crisp that all my mistakes and crappy line strokes just stand out so much. It takes a lot of concentration to not get wiggly lines or to get that angle you're trying to achieve. Last night I felt like I was sort of getting used to it, but then got frustrated when I realized that it took me half an hour to cover only a small portion of the drawing. But I need to be patient and let my mind and hand coordinate and learn. I just need to keep drawing, period.

I know it was nearly a month since I last posted, and honestly, it's because I was so unmotivated. Thankfully something finally clicked and I was able to jump back in. Also, I'm finding it helpful to be working on multiple pieces at once so that I can take breaks from one thing and see it with fresh eyes later.

And as I mentioned earlier, I'm working on some colored pieces, one of which I have owed my friend for a very long time, and he's been very patient with me, which I am thankful for.. (Sorry, Ray!) I've also got a few other drawings I need to start for people who were interested in commissioning me.. Oof, so behind with everything..

One more thing... Emerald City Comicon starts today! I should actually probably get ready to go.. This convention is hands down my favorite in the area. Art, artists, merchandise, toys, I couldn't ask for anything more. Other than a few extra dollars to spend there :)

GOSU! Art Rewards!

Finished these awhile back, but never got around to posting them. They're the illustrations I did for my friend Aaron's e-sports lounge he's opening called GOSU (Like and follow the facebook page!). These were made as rewards for people who contributed a certain amount of money towards his Indiegogo for the lounge.

Community Fan Art

Here's a WIP of a Community fan art piece I've been working on tonight. Calling it a night for now, but I had a lot of fun on the first pass, so I'm eager to jump back in :)

I'm also really glad the show's back, but super sad about this being the last season.. :\

Lunch time sketches.

Trinquette Challenge

Hey yooo~ I've been gone too long...  I feel like there's a lot to talk about but I'm always too preoccupied with whatever to write it down. I'll try to squeeze in a few posts this week, maybe to talk about some recent art books I got or movies I saw. Anyway, today was a productive night. The very talented Alberto Ruiz has been doing a weekly drawing challenge for the past few months via his facebook page, and tonight I decided to participate for the first time! Basically, he posts a photo and you use it as reference for whatever art piece you'd like to make. It's totally open to your interpretation as long as you use the source material. I had been meaning to start doing these challenges for the longest time, but yeah, you know...

Original image (I do not own this image, it is used for practice purposes only) :

My interpretation:

Nothing very creative, at least not like a lot of the submissions I see with these challenges, but perhaps next time... I just wanted to use this as a study piece :). Added the numbers because why the hell not? What do they mean? No idea. It's all the same woman, so uh.. clones..?

Still behind, but that's okay.

Okay, so maybe a drawing a day wasn't the best approach, at least not yet. I've just gotten the Fionna and Cake sketch to completed inks and that took a couple days of working on it off and on. So I could say that this could count for days 5-7 or whatever.. but I wont, considering I might just try to "update as much as possible," rather than daily.

Anyway, I actually like how this came out, aside from the amount of time it took me. Most of my stumbling points were on her hands and the background- two things I desperately need to do more of. I know I say it a lot, but I need to do it for real. Just need to keep drawing and drawing.

I went to a drink and draw last night, which was a lot of fun. It was a great turnout, which is quite the opposite of the last few I had gone to, especially when it was myself hosting, and no one showed up.. which is discouraging and made me not want to host it anymore... which is what I proceeded to do (not do?). Anyway, I got to see a lot of familiar faces and catch up on people's lives. Got some sketching done, which I'll post sometime soon, and talked game industry, comics, and other fun things. We're hoping to get them going more regularly, which will be good for all of us :).

(I just noticed I used the word 'which' up there ^ a lot, which is pretty odd.)

Okay, I never know what to say. People just come for the pretty pictures, so there you go!

Thanks for stopping by.

Running late

So I'm a few days behind now with my dailies... Been super busy with work, among other things, BUT I shouldn't make excuses... just gotta keep drawing. 

Here's day 4: Fionna and Cake, Adventure Time.

More will be done with this :)

:EDIT:

Here's Day 5: More Adventure Time with Finn and Jake.