Self Portrait Day 2012

Gosh this year is flying by! Today is International Self Portrait Day.

I originally wanted to keep it in the same time frame as the one I did last year, but decided to just keep going to finish it.

Demon Babe

Wow, it's embarrassing how long I've updated... Here's a speed paint clocking in around 4-5 hours!

Idyllwild

Time is sure flying by faster than I would like!

Here are some paintings and sketches from my trip to Idyllwild this past weekend. I had a lot of fun!

My first attempts at watercolor painting... I still have a lot to learn, especially how to not make my colors look so pastel and edge control.

Some pen and paper work... I forgot how relaxing hatching can be. 

Name Change + White Lily Sprite

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to share my thoughts about my little flower trolls. I've been thinking a lot about their purpose and their name, especially because I would love to eventually draw different fantasy creatures and monsters. Plus with some input from friends, I've come to a really big decision!

No longer will they be called trolls, I'll now on refer to them as sprites!

Even though calling them trolls is cute and catchy, my peers have agreed that they are far too pretty to be called trolls. Plus I already have an idea of what trolls will look like, along with fairies!

I also attended an artists' workshop called Workshop SF this past weekend. Unfortunately I did not have a portfolio prepared, but my sketchbook was passed around. It was really awesome to hear everyone's thoughts on my sprites, even a friend wanted to get a tattoo of one, ah! What started off as a little fun has turned my art career around, and I never realized how much people respond to my art when I'm just relaxing and having fun. I'm blessed to have gone and to gain a million ideas of what to do with these little critters!

I have a couple illustration ideas I want to do, keep an eye out for them!

In the meantime, here is my latest sprite: White Lily Sprite! A very special sprite for a very special friend of mine.

Here are the sketches for the design! I'll admit I had a very difficult time choosing. I try my best to really make the sprite one of a kind yet still fit in with the preexisting sprites I have drawn. 

Moth Girl

What started off as a quick noodling around turned into a painting for the weekend! I was inspired by a moth photo I stumbled onto online and the idea just took off from there.

Moth Girl
Adobe Photoshop cs 5

Here is a process image!

EDIT: Just made some quick changes! Here's the update. 

Sketchy Saturday: Mo' Monsters

Ahh, I'm still addicted to sketching out monster heads. I'm going to start taking some of these guys further, both 2D and 3D mediums!

Here's the start of a collaboration between myself and Juan "Amaakir" Alvarado! 

 Already started sketching out body designs. Juan will 3D model one of these guys and I'll texture him. The other two I'll save for when I get better at 3D modeling!

 In the meantime, here are some life drawing sketches I did at the airport or on the airplane last week.

Here There Be Monster Heads and Rambles

Hello! I apologize for the silence on this blog - it's not intentional!

My wrist and shoulder have been feeling much better, but my attitude and ego have not. It's been a stressful couple of months and these past few weeks have been extra taxing on me due to working so much at my day job (which always makes my hand and shoulders hurt, then makes me mega frustrated and depressed). I'm happy to report that I put in my two weeks notice on Monday and by the end of the month I will be unemployed - but free from the world of retail!
The plan is this: The same week I work my last day at my job is the same week I'll be going out of town to the countryside of Ohio, and I plan on just leaving my laptop at home to get a breather from all my external stresses here and truly relax. When I come back, I want to whip myself and my work into shape. I have a schedule set up where I'll study three hours in the morning and then do four hours of portfolio work. The idea is to have some images to show off at Workshop SF 2012 and hopefully get some pointers on getting some freelance jobs. What happens after the workshop, I haven't a clue, but I just want to keep it like that and adjust when the time comes.

That also means more blog updates! Going to start bringing back Sketchy Saturdays (that does mean more life drawing, I miss my LCAD buds!) and I'm going to begin a new series: WIP Wednesdays where I'll post up any WIPs I have and will allow crits on it. In between those regular updates I will post up any finished images I complete, and will begin to put together a portfolio site (FINALLY).

I welcome any cheers of support and some slaps on the wrist if I stray too far from my goals. I blog because it helps not only let others see my progress or hurdles, but allows me to see how far I've come. And having voids between posts doesn't show much progress.

Okay, without further ado, here's my current sketching binge - MONSTER HEADS!

While visiting Arizona last month, I had the chance to sculpt one of the monsters! I want to do more of these, they're a lot of fun and it's so awesome to be able to hold a monster head in my hand. 

Thanks for reading!