Book Cover - almost finished

My book cover assignment is nearly finished!

Corel Painter X

I painted the majority of this all in one night. Phew! I'm pooped out. Goodnight!

Delilah Thumbnail and Value Study

This is the sketch I started with.


Next, I took reference, using a two model, a lighting studio, and proper equipment (it was my first time using the studio and equipment - it was great!). Using my photos, I made the drawing, which I then copied to a small size and worked on this value study - a mix of pencil and photoshop.

I hope to have the color comp underway - maybe finished?! - this weekend. And I'll shoot reference for another piece on Tuesday.

Only a few more weeks until these are all wrapped up - yikes! Wish me luck, pleeeaaasse!

Sapphira Sketches

So, I'm not finished Esther yet, but I'm moving on to another piece in my series: Sapphira.

You can read the story of Sapphira here.

Here's my thumbnail.



And here's a study for the face I've been working on tonight. In the unfinished one, I used my own face as a model because the reference I had of the other model didn't have the right expression. However, working for the reference of her and the reference of my expression, I was able to blend the two and finish the study with the intended model.



Now, I'll do the final drawing, so I can scan it and start the color study by Tuesday. Then, I'll shoot reference for Delilah on Wednesday and begin that sketch right away.

Forward motion!

The Lady or The Tiger?

To take a break from Esther here's something different. I finally put the pencil to the paper, and, while it's not a whole lot, this all occured between 9AM - 3PM tpday.

**NUDITY WARNING**

What started out as a "book cover" illustration for the short story, "The Lady or The Tiger" morphed into a fantasy book cover with an unidentified tiger-lady as the featured character. Here are my character designs and layouts in pencil/digital sketches.

Progress!

I'm making progress on my final! At this point it SHOULD only take another day to finish it up. At this point, it looks like it's from the zombie apocalypse adaptation of Esther...but I promise it won't for long. So pumped :)

Esther: Updated Color

Here is my updated color study!  I spent some time playing with my first one in Photoshop to see how far the image needed to be pushed, and then I pushed it traditionally on the original study.  After pumping up the colors and focus, as well as changing some lighting, I am much happier with moving forward.

See for yourself how it's changed below.  The first version is on the left and the newer is on the right.

Unfortunately, some other projects need to come before the next stage of this piece. But I'm finally on my way to the final!

Esther Color Study

So, here is the color study! I worked at 6.5"x9.25" The final, which I'll begin today, will be 11"x17"

Let me know what you think and wish me luck!

***EDIT***

I'm actually updating this color study as you read.  Once I scanned it in and played in photoshop, I found these values and colors to be a little weak and taking away from the focus.  Here we go :)

Esther: Process

There's a long tradition of artwork inspired by biblical narratives, so I've decided to take my crack at it. I'm creating a series of five pieces based on women of the Bible. So far, I've selected two Old Testament gals and two New Testament dames. From the Old, we have Esther and Delilah, and from the New, Mary of Bethany and Saphira. For the fifth, I'm thinking of Mother Mary, but I'm willing to reconsider.

This weekend I was reading my friend's copy of James Gurney's Imaginative Realism. I was feeling lost with this piece, but it set me back on track - thanks again, Mr. Gurney! If you don't read it already, check out his blog. It's a wealth of information and inspiration!

Here is some of my process for Esther.

This first one is my original thumbnail. I sketched a few others for her, but I went with my first. It's important to me to show both her uncertain gaze ahead at the king as she approaches, what may well be her death, and her hands, clenched in determination.


I soon realized, that to match the format I want (a two-page book spread), my image would need to change. After I shot reference, with a model I clothed and lighted, and after creating the interior of the palace, I created this drawing. However, I bit off more than I could chew at this point in the process. I was making this 11"x17" sketch my value study; it was taking me too long and getting me off track. It was good, however, for planning out the format. At this point, I also realized the image needs another figure - a soldier standing guard at the entrance to the throne room. I added him in the next image. (Also, everything is outlined here so I could re-trace)


This is the official value study. It's about half the size and I was able to get a handle on the values in less than half the time I spent not completing my first try. The guard is suggested at the bottom.



Now, I'm on to finalize the guard and then I will move on to my color study.  The final will  be watercolor and pencil, 11x17.

I welcome any feedback on what I've done so far!  Thanks!

Finished Digital Painting

Here it is, folks! My first digital painting.


Corel Painter X


To be honest, I've never been crazy about digital work or the idea of creating my own. But after working on this piece and seeing what digital painting as a medium can bring to a piece, I have a new appreciation for it. There's so much that can be done digitally that can't be brought as gracefully to a traditional painting. For instance, multiple paper and canvas textures, charcoal texture over oil paint texture over watercolor; there's a whole world of mixed media that can be created and emulated in digital painting.

Personally, I think I still favor the confines of traditional media. Now, however, I'm much more open to working digitally in the future and I have a new appreciation of digital artists and what they endure to create a piece (hours in front of a computer - ew!). Still, I don't think I will ever get over working traditionally.

By the way - can anyone think of a name for my new monster?

Digital Painting!

Here is my first attempt at digital painting of any sort! First, I scanned in a drawing and then painted this greyscale underpainting in Corel Painter 10. Next week, I'll be finished the color version. The criteria were made clear: Mandatory Kickass. So, I'll see what I can do to satisfy :)


Pencil, 9x12


Corel Painter 10, 9x12

Fall is here!

Hey there!

A lot happened over the summer. An internship, a new job, a new apartment, a new internship, a new school year! It's senior year, so I'll be working on my thesis. I'm so pumped for this year. It was an internet-connection-less summer; so to make up for it, here is an excess of work!


Stuck in the Suburbs, 9"x12", Watercolor and Digital


Chocolate Desert (one-day-painting), 5"x7", Oil on primed board



Orange (one-day-painting), 5"x7", Oil on primed board



Olive oil, 8.5"x11", Digital



Bust of Homer, 18"x24", white and black charcoal on toned paper


Self Portrait with Key, 18"x24", colored pencil on toned paper

Hey! I'll be posting my artwork: school projects, personal projects, and doodles: from here on out. I hope you enjoy and stay tuned!

To start, here's one I completed this semester. The project was to create a piece based on family folklore. This is of a story from my Nonno's childhood.

Il Uovo di Compleanno

Watercolor and charcoal pencil

Frequently, through out my life, my Nonno has sat down next to me, or stopped me at a party, or leaned across a bustling dinner table and whispered my name, “Aymily...” and told me this story.

“Aymily, whin I wassa seesa years ole’d, eet wahs my bert-day. In Sicilia, we ware, so poor. I wassa sahd bee-cowsa we hahdda no mahnee. No mahnee.... Ahnd so, I wassa cry-eeng eh cry-eeng eh cry-eeng eh. Ahnd my zia say to my moe-ter, “Fry Nino ahn egg.” So, my moe-tera, Grazie Dio!, she fry-eh mee an egg fer my a bert-day. Ay-mily, I wassa sooo hah-py , soo hah-py. Grazie, Dio! We ware so poor. I-ah ree-maim-bair. I wassa so hah-py. I wassa seesa years ole’d.”

I hear this story more and more the older I get. And lately, the tears start to well in his eyes sooner and sooner. And even though, I can recited it now by heart, I’m glad to hear it every time. It reminds me of where I’ve come from and how happiness can be as simple as a fried egg.