Creature Feature

Hey guys, back again I am still working in and out of this art funk, however, having some freelance projects on deck really helps out a lot. So, as I mentioned in my last post I was hitting the art wall, to update that I am getting over it slowly. What exactly have I done to help that out? Well one thing I started doing is reestablishing what my goals are for the year. This is something I recommend not to rush but really think about it. Once you have done this it will really help you to focus on your day ot day activities.

After that I write down my daily goals of things I need to do and want to finish. It's kind of like grocery shopping, you slowly cross out all the things you need to get and eventually your list is all checked off. First, when you make your list for your daily goals be realistic. I put down maybe 3 or 4 things and write down how much time I want to spend for each. I have even allotted time for my blog post so I do not waste time writing banter (which I think I'm doing right now) or wandering off to other blogs and getting side tracked form my work.

As I type this I am at a coffee shop, that is the second thing I did, get out of my comfort zone. Being surrounded by people makes you concentrate on your work for 2 reasons 1) it simulates a work environment with others and 2) you work so you do not listen to some really stupid conversations going on...AHHHH! Today has been one of my more productive days and psychologically as I check off my daily goals it really makes me feel more productive and creates a sense of artistic accomplishment. I know this may sound silly but honestly you have to trick your brain sometimes so that perfectionist mentality of not doing enough doesn't dominant your thinking.

I hope me writing this stuff helps other artists and even non-artists who seem to hit their own wall. You are not alone, there are others....hmm, that sounds hokie.

Anyway, on to some art, the following are some creature speed paints I have been doing with a few of my buddies. Each week we study something different and this week was creature design. Spent about 45min-1 hour on each really focusing on shape pushing myself out of a comfort zone.

Topic: Volcanic Hound






Topic: Creature from the Black Lagoon (more creature less anthropomorphic)




Topic: Sabre-tooth Arachnid

Thanks for looking all, I'll be back with a new post with a ton of gesture drawings from the past week.

-Pat

Back and Ready for action

Apologies for being MIA for so long without a post, I have been drawing everyday but for the past couple of weeks I had hit the "artists wall." Every artist goes through this no matter how late or early in their career they are in. It is usually different for each artist but a lot of times it is usually about the following:

1) How one has progressed?
2) Where's the motivation?
3) Why is my friend getting it and I'm not?
4) Damn, how am I going to get that good?
5) What do I want to do?

Now, I wish I had a magic filter on Photoshop to give you and BAM all this would be solved, believe me if I had one I would so cash in on that puppy. All I can say is to take a step back every once in a while and evaluate your priorities and give yourself time. I am lucky to be surrounded by people who support and give me a kick in the ass when I need it. For me, I think the main thing was setting my goals, something which I haven't done in about a month, hence, the WALL.

Other times you may just need to not draw for a bit and chill out. Do some physical activities, hang out with friends, or go to a coffee shop. I need to practice what I preach more but I think these things will help. I hope reading this is of some benefit to you who "the wall" does happen to everyone and that its not just you.

Alright, enough of that you are here to see some drawings so drawings you shall see. Here are a few pages from my sketchbook. Really trying to focus more on personality and shapes that exist in life. A really good teacher once told me ".....you cannot even begin to design out of your head the shapes that exist in real life, you just have to learn to see them." I actually think this is a hybrid of a few things that teachers have told me, regardless, I now see what they mean.










Enjoy, more work to come this week!

Slum Marketplace

Just trying some things out in Photoshop, doing some daily exercises. Concentrating more on the big shapes, suggestion and lighting for this environment. This one came out OK but I got a long way to go.

Sketches and old stuff

Freelance I did about 3 years ago. Not sure if it was used but it was for some Fantastic Four game.




Next is a page of gesture studies I did tonight after my class. This was a 20-25 minute session in my friend's classroom, I got into a pretty good zone and was able to manipulate more shapes to really push the personality and story of his students and of him teaching. Good times!

SOTD 04/09/10

Been working on some side projects here and there. I am still doing daily studies but those are kinda boring to post. But here is a sketch for my buddy John that he will be getting in the mail along with his print. Thanks for your patience and support man!


Sorry for the watermark, gotta do what you gotta do to protect your art nowadays!

SOTD 4/25/10

Today I woke up at 530 AM to go to Orange County to sub for one of my buddie's 730 AM class. Good lord that is waay to early to have a class, who makes up these class times? Anyways, hope you were all driving safely out there cause there were a lot of jakasses when I was driving.

So for part of the class I decided to do a quick character design digital demo. I spent about an hour on this from concept to finish. As I was designing this guy I spoke mostly about personality and story and how it helps to evolve your design into something believable. For this guy, my story was that he was a coffee shop guy, waiting in line to talk to the pretty cashier. Unfortunately, his soft spoken voice and social awkwardness make him not too much of aladies ma'n. I gave him a pale complexion to add to the idea that he might play a little to much World of Warcraft and should get out in the sun more.




Quicky about my process: first is the line drawing, next I added colors to give it a little depth but still retaining my linework and finally, the closeup of the head shows how I would take things more to a finish, adding softness to the hair and reflectivity in the glasses. Fun design to do and it unfolded naturally, I wish all my drawings could go this smooth.

UPDATED WEBSITE

Hey guys, pretty self explanatory from the title, I update my site with new content to the concept, illustration and storyboard categories. I added a lot of the concepts I did for Jak and Daxter, my illustrations from my Cereal Killer show and storyboards for some TV commercials I did last year. So please stop on by and check it out when you get a chance!

Below is an image I showed some progress shots of in a previous post, but here is the finished image that I am now using for my homepage.



As always, thanks for stopping by!