Snow. Give Me Snow

   Lots going on, which I'll be elaborating on in the near future. This is, after all, an art blog, so regular updates will be coming in 2009, even if it is only a sketch or two.

   Here are some of the highlights: I'm currently working on two book projects. The first is an illustrated edition of 20 original short stories with accompanying illustrations. The stories range from being set in the modern day to fantasy.
   The second project has been ongoing for a while, but has really taken shape over the summer and fall, being a retelling of the Tales and Legends of Robin Hood, fully illustrated with some 80+ images. It's been loads of fun, as I've been getting to draw trees, trees and more trees. Oh, and all the classic characters like Robin, Marian, Little John, and of course, Friar Tuck. I decided to go with the older tradition of Tuck, complete with his pack of barely domesticated hounds! The publisher and I are in negotiations at this point about format and such. More on this as it develops.

   This past month I begun writing a strange little tale that I'm not sure where it's headed. Into the land of Fey, probably, but at this point I'm working on the character sketches and trying to nail down the plot, which keeps shifting into unintended directions.
   For me, inspiration and ideas come from unlikely sources, and the mixing of genres has always held a fascination. In this particular instance, it's been A Winter's Tale, by Mark Helprin, the 2008 movie with Jackie Chan and Jet Li called The Forbidden Kingdom, Little, Big by John Crowley, and last but, instrumental in bringing these quite different sources together, repeated watchings of Lazy Town, the children's show created by Magnus Scheving and filmed in Iceland.
   As Solomon wrote: "There is nothing new under the sun," but the twisting of genres can sure lead to some interesting situations! How all of these will play out in the mix remains to be seen.

   In early '09 The Fantasy Artists Guide to Witches will be released by David and Charles in the UK. I'll have three images in it. Two full page inks and a color double-page spread rendition of the Salem Witch Trials. The color was done digitally.

   Also, I'll be featured in the February or March (not sure, yet) edition of ImagineFX magazine. Primarily it's dedicated to digital art, but they also do features on traditional artists in each issue. Four pieces of work will be spotlighted as well as the obligatory bio and photo.

   Which is a good point to say that I'm enjoying my new Wacom graphics tablet! For the time being I've just been coloring some of my ink compositions, but a few weeks ago I finished my first "painting," and am already planning a new one.
    New art coming next post, but for now I'll leave you with a song that I've been singing lately:

Cya.

Teacups

Sitting behind a table at conventions always gives rise to the following question: "Where do you get your ideas from?" To which, in a moment of stunning insight and absolute clarity I reply, "Ummmm…"

Now, in all honesty, it probably isn’t that hard of a question, but I falter when I consider all the parameters involved, because each piece has its own genesis. It really depends.

The short answer, of course, is that inspiration is never far. It can come from external sources, such as sight, sound or touch. Moving in the world around us is a constant cacophony of people, places and things to give us visual stimulation which can later be filtered through the artists’ mindset and set down in line, tone, or color.
And then there are those internal sources, such as experience, memory, and teaching. Often, the external and the internal combine in a fusion which produces and illustration or fine art image.

That’s the short answer. The long answer is, well, a little more complicated. Inspiration is never done in a vacuum, but is a process of editing; of refining a series of images and ideas until once central image is decided upon. Many times, as the adage goes, it’s "not what you put in, but what you leave out".
I have a tendency to put my work though a long period of gestation before I actually sit down at the board and start it. While walking the dog, I’m mentally looking at all the elements of and idea, taking this one out, putting another in. While driving, I’m considering possible color choices and how each one will react against another. While sitting, I’m thinking about how to get the viewer to focus on certain sections and how to use tone and line to achieve that end. In other words, most of my actual planning is done in my head, and when I have narrowed down many of the possibilities, at that point I’ll start actual conception sketches.

If a picture has too many focal points, it becomes unreadable (which we won’t go into today, as that subject falls more in the way of Composition). However, to be inspired, one must practice a few lessons:

1). Find the miraculous in the mundane. Learn to see ordinary objects and places as being wonderful for what they are, and then it is a small step to see them for what they can be. Differ your perspective, which will not only allow you to see things in a new light, but will also make people wonder what you are up to as you stoop down to view the sidewalk or street corner from an ant’s point of view.

2). Have fun with scale. A great example of this is, instead of seeing an old stump of a tree, pretend in your mind’s eye that it is the walls and battlements of an ancient fortress or castle. Why do dragonflies have to be tiny? What if they were the size of horses? Look closely at texture along the ground, and image that you are seeing a terrain map from high above! Imagination is the key to inspiration when manipulating size.

3). View other artwork. One thing which continues to inspire me is looking at other artists’ work. How they approach problems of lighting, color, form, focus, and detail constantly gives me a fresh way to look at my own work. I like two kinds of artists: those who do work similar to mine, and those who do things I would never do. For those who work in the same genre, I am challenged by how they treat similar subjects and situations, and for those who work in other genres, I appreciate that someone is drawing or painting something that I most likely would not even think of drawing.

And most importantly,

4). Allow yourself to have fun. Artists take themselves way too seriously. Loosen up! Have a great time in the very act of doing what you love to do, which is the reason that you draw, paint, color, etc. Yes, yes, it can be work (and often is when faced with multiple deadlines and lack of sleep), but remember to keep it fresh. Sketching will help this process.

Over the years I’ve developed a one word response when someone asks me that forthcoming question, "Where do you get your ideas from?"

"Everywhere."

Cya.


Sometimes, inspiration comes from just
wanting to draw barn rafters.

The Details are Sketchy

Dave Sim, the creator, writer, and artistic talent behind Cerebus, the Aardvark, once remarked that (paraphrased), "if you sketched on every sheet of paper and stacked them about 6 feet high, you’ld just begin to learn how to draw." I would have to agree.

Sketching is the lifeblood of the artist. Based on the simple premise that the more one does something, the better he or she becomes, sketching is a way to not only loosen up before you begin your actual work, but becomes a visual journal of impressions, thoughts, ideas, and images that you may want to return to for a finished composition.

Rest assured: if you don’t write it down or draw a sketch of it (however rough), it will be crowded out by newer ideas or life itself. One thing you can do to help is to carry a little sketchbook with on your journeys "out and about." You never know when that next idea for a painting or drawing will pop into your head. Just as a small voice recorder is essential for a writer, toting a sketchbook is as paramount for the artist. It doesn’t have to be big. I have a small 3.5x5 inch, hardcover sketchbook that I take along in my car. That way, if I arrive early to an appointment or meeting, I can sit and do a rough sketch of any ideas that I’ve had as I drive along on waiting for the hour of my meeting.

Excellent places to sketch are: parks, zoos, airports, malls, train stations, skydiving, etc. As a side note, sketching is another great oppurtunity to build interest in your services as an illustrator. People will want to see what you are doing, and after an initial conversation, you can close with a business card!

Learn to sketch quickly and confidently. Conceptual artist and painter John Howe, in his book, Fantasy Art Workshop, suggests holding the pencil in a different manner than which you hold the pencil when you write. This precipitates the laying down of new types of strokes and helps to strengthen the bond between eye and hand coordination.
Another way to sharpen your skills is to sketch with a tool that you don’t normally use. For example, if you normally use graphite, try a ball-point pen for a change, or switch to a magic marker. Try sketching in a different style or choose a different subject matter. Draw objects or people that you see around you. Develop a visual shorthand to quickly capture the essence of moving objects.

The main point is to experiment. Have fun. Record ideas. But do so everyday! Five, ten, or fifteen minutes daily is better than an hour every week. It keeps you up to date, keeps you improving, and keeps your skills honed.

Below are three sketches:

1). A fairly loose rendering for an oil painting. Although generic at this point, I could go in later and add specific types of flowers and such. Also, I think I would change the Greco-Roman architecture to something a little more organic.


2). Another oil painting sketch. Most of this would be in blues and greys, with the focus of the piece coming from the bright pink blossom that she is smelling.


3). A simple figure sketch of a supporting character from an original manga story.


Remember: sketch often and have fun!

Cya.

Up and Dancing

Where to start? Good grief, not at the beginning! We would be here, like, forever!

First things first. This is a blog about art (mine and others), with an occasional diversion into the wacky world of global culture. I have an ongoing fascination with the people, things, and places that attain the coveted designation of "popular," as well as those which fall by the wayside.

I've been an illustrator since 1988, and have thousands of images published "out there," mainly in the fantasy and science fiction genres, but I also do wildlife and historical illustration. Lots of RPG's, magazines, books, etc. Early in my career, I worked for Turner Outdoor Advertising in Atlanta, and could truthfully say that my "art" was seen by millions of people everyday as they commuted to and from work, if you count renditions of the latest soda can or automobile as art. Just ask Andy Warhol. Oh, sorry, you can't. He's dead.

I've since moved on to more esoteric material, drawing what I want when I want to. I work primarily in brush and ink, oils, and water-dyes. Although I'm currently learning digital color, I am very much a traditional artist at heart. I love the look and feel of ink on paper and the process of painting with oils. I enjoy the conceptual stage of coming up with new ideas and the satisfaction of watching the finished image evolve.

I've published a few art books over the last couple of years, and am now working on a book of twenty original short stories with accompanying illustration.

I'm an avid photographer, and will shoot anything that moves (or doesn't). Mostly for reference, once and awhile I’ll actually take a picture which stands up on its own merit.

On the right are links to other blogs which you may find interesting from people around the planet that I know. If you want to view more of my work, go by my official website, Sharayah Press Online or my informal hang-out at DeviantART.

So, with all the above being said, in the coming weeks, I'll be spotlighting sketches and finished work, as well as some experimental mediums that I like to delve into once and awhile.

Below is my first offering. Originally brushed in 1998, The Storyteller was done for Imagine Roleplaying's Dungeon Manuel as a black and white full-page illustration. Digital color was added last week.

Cya.