Okay... So I spent some time the other day messing around with this image--in an attempt to try and combine wet media and digital elements. One problem... My studio where I do most of my painting hasn't gotten above 40 degrees in the past two weeks. I made a valiant effort at starting a painting yesterday but ultimately decided that, for now, I'd have a lash at doing this completely digital. You see, the problem I have been having is that most of my digital work looks too polished and, well, flat. My sketches and pen work seem to be very vibrant and energetic--but when I attempt to render one of those sketches in color, it seems to go limp. So, I am still struggling with how to bring the same energy and organic quality to my full color illustrations that exists in my sketch and line work...
I don't know... I mean, I am very happy with the result here but I still can push it a little more I think. Or maybe I need to just own up to the act that I am just a draftsman and not a painter?? No... I am not willing to throw in that towel just yet. I'll figure it out...
Anyway, here I treated this just as I would a watercolor. I started with a tight pencil sketch and then slowly added washy layers of color starting from the background and working back to front. The last areas to work on would be where I finally add the lighter highlighted areas--which, were I working in wet media, I would just add with guache or acrylics.
Really though... I am continually frustrated because I don't really feel like I am comfortable or confident enough in any media... I am trying to break this tendency to be tentative. The upside is that, drawing every day is making me better at all of it. It really is a muscle that has to be exercised. Now, if only I could burn calories by drawing...
2 comments:
You did great!!! I'm having the same problem as you do so I know exactly what you're talking about. I just started using digital media a couple of months ago though and thought that it was a "newbie" issue. Don't give up, stay with it!!!. You'll already way better than I am. :)
ATL is suppose to warm up today!
This looks very vibrant, James - and very energetic. There's definitely a sense of looseness I see in this piece - maybe it's a looseness that's hard for you to see while you're deep in it? I think this piece really works - I love the connection between the two characters. Keep that vibrant and you've got it. (Which you do!)
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