House in a Tree

Arrraaaaabiaann nniiigghtttsss......

2008-08-04T23:34:00.000-07:00

Like Arabian days...

Glad I got that out of the system. I have been doing yet more stuff I can't share as of yet, so sorry for the short gap. I wasn't going to post this next one till it was totally done, but since it's been a while i will post the WIP.

I'm mainly just trying to improve my painting speed now, so i can hopefully move on to doing some environments that don't take 4 days to paint.

Hope you like what you see, will post the finished version as and when it is done.

Another book full, another one started

2008-07-28T14:41:00.001-07:00

Just posting the first two pages from my sketch book. I had been using the yellow CO-MO sketch books, which were wonderful, but the last two I have gone through have had a big problem with the paper tearing after 2 or 3 strokes.

Perhaps I got a couple from a bad batch, or they have changed something, either way, I was finding it unusable for anything other than the loosest of quick sketch's. I picked up a Bateman series WWF supporting recycled pad. I would love to say I got it because I am determined to save the world a 100th of a tree at a time, but honestly it just has nice thick sheets and a toothless finish.

So far, its the nicest sketch book drawing surface for tight pencil work that I have found. Now I just need to figure out the tight pencil bit ;)

take care.

All is well.

2008-07-23T23:05:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I have spent the last 4 days biting my nails as my wife has been in hospital. she got out yesterday, and It wasn't anything too major, but could have gone pretty badly if we hadn't been so lucky. She's still a bit weak, but at least shes home now, and on the mend.

Either way, today was the first time I got to push pencil over paper for the best part of a week, and it felt good, even if it was only for 40 mins.

I guess the hazmat guy could be medical themed? And I am thinking of using the girl in a short comic I may or may not do, depending on how things fall over the next week or so.

Take care all.

Nuther guy

2008-07-18T19:40:00.001-07:00

He's in the works for now. Need to take a step back on this one, I keep drawing the legs wrong, and might have to take some ref shots or something (which I typically try to avoid till I have finished an image, so I can compare what I did to how it actually should be).

Anyway, Don't ask about the spite, nymph, host, demon thing, because I don't know where that came from.

Also, i reallllly need to get some painting going, I might start work on a few comic pages or something, so can do a full project with buildings and cars and such, kills as many birds with one stone as possible.

tata for now.

Hammer Time

2008-07-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Yeah, so that's a lame title, but I couldn't resist. the sketch pretty much explains it's self. its a guy, and he has a hammer. Should be another guy sketch coming up a bit later. I have been drawing a lot of woman recently, so I needed to start drawing blokes again.

Oh and most of the guys a draw are bald, mainly because I find it easier to just paint guys hair over a bald head for some reason.

Sony's E3 conference was interesting. Produced a lot of mixed responses over the various blogs/forums, but people we generally disappointed from the sounds of things. I frequently saw people asking "where is the big announcement like the Microsoft FFXIII release" which to me is odd.

The Only reason for Microsoft to make that their big, end of conference surprise announcement is to have a poke (or full on slap) at Sony. It's not going to sell systems in the USA, every one who would play a game like FFXIII I am willing a bet already has a 360 or a PS3, and its apparently a PS3 exclusive in Japan still, so it's not going to help the 360's situation over there.

Anyway, I thought Sony did all right. Sure it was pretty much what I said last post, Little Big Planet and the various sequels that are going to make it out this year, but with the Video service going live, and some of the funky stuff coming out on the PSN it was hardly a disappointing conference.

I think it's going to be an interesting console war, Microsoft seems to be trying to make everyone happy (Or more accurately, milk as many markets as possible), Nintendo are rinsing and repeating (fair enough, the 3rd party's seem to be bringing some decent games for "hardcore" gamers anyway), and Sony are still trying to get their stride (I hope it doesn't take till the end of their 10 year plan).

http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/7/16/ said it best, if a little harshly (I guess that's why its so funny though). If you haven't read it already, you should check it out.

Oh one more thing. Speaking of guys and hammers; http://www.drhorrible.com/act_I.html

Well, back to drawing,

Ta ta.

Lil somthing for mike

2008-07-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

As Mike didn't get to make the trip across the border (and probably not the one you'd expect either), I thought I'd better sketch something up for him to make up for it.

Ohhhh mannnn.

Anyway, yeah, lady of the night for mike, running girl for no special reason.

Oh yeah... FFXIII on the 360? Wonder how much that one cost...http://kotaku.com/5025018/final-fantasy-xiii-coming-to-xbox-360

Seriously though, I am not too surprised, business wise it would be nuts for SE not to go multi plat with their biggest franchise (in the west at least). I am just feeling a little sorry for Sony, Microsoft have improved on most of their niche family entertainment/party games (lips, scene it, etc) get the insanely popular rhythm games first (rock band) have re vamped and further improved Live, which was already superior to PSN and are taking a lot of Sony's one time platform exclusives. That plus the 360 slashing prices again may be tough to match.

I will be watching at 2 tomorrow, but it will be interesting to see what Sony pulls to balance things out. Things are looking a little grim for PS3 in the west, and unfortunately, no matter how awesome, I don't think Little Big Planet and a bunch of sequels are going to be enough the drive sales through the holiday season.

sleep time, good night.

long time no... well nothing really

2008-07-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

Yeah, so big huge gap in posts. I was doing some NDA work for a while, so that's partly the reason, but mainly I have just been busy with life in general, so I apologies for the few of you frequent this murky corner of the web.

here are a few things I'm working on, and page of junk. I do an hour at least of scrap 'warm up' pages before work, usually just to try and get a gesture down that I half like before coming up with a costume/scenario or whatever for the pose.

Probably not the best way to work, but its fun, so hey.

Either way, I am going to try to post on a regular basis from now on. Hope you find something you like.

ta ta.

Around the world in 80 days.

2008-06-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

Well, not quite, but it feels like it. So any way, now I am in Sunny Kentucky enjoying blue grass, tobacco and Makers Mark. I would say KFC as well, but that's too easy. Anyway, here are a couple more sketches. It's hot so I figured they would appreciate some ice cream.

Thanks for dropping by.

Schools out!

2008-05-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

Twas my last Schoolism class this week. Kinda sad to see it go, the classes were very fun, but at the same time, I am very excited to put the lessons to good use. Thought I would post the first thing I have finished useing all that we have learnt. It's not fantastic, but for what was basicly a test, I think its gone pretty well.

Also, I will be in Vancouver untill next week, so no updates for a little while.

cheers for looking.

Heavy Gunner

2008-05-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Yeah, so another sketch done, and another thing in the big pile of things I need to paint. Can't wait till I get the last week of my class out of the way so I can start tackling some of these.

Hope you enjoy,

Take care!

Tight lines

2008-05-09T04:02:00.000-07:00

Just finished up the line work on a few of my sketches I posted last time, and fleshed out the concept a bit more (just costume details and adding guns). I really like the story idea behind the mother and child, but I don't know if this image tells it well enough.

well, hope you enjoy what you see :)

Whoa! It's May already?

2008-05-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the lack of updates. Took a wee bit of a break last week to spend more time with the family. I had been taking too many late nights and full days, it felt like I hadn't seen anyone in weeks.

Either way, the schedual should be back on track now, so hopefully you should be 'Enjoying' 2 to 3 posts a weeks again... possibly...

Well i will try atleast.

Just some sketches and an Idea I may take further from tonight

Thanks for looking!

Fading away....

2008-04-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

todays painting practice was subbosed to be some fadeing rockstar dude. No one in particular. Lighting inspired by the beautiful sunset outside the window, today and yesterday are the first I have seen in what seems like a lifetime. Amazing what that will do to raise ones spirits.

Well here he is. One bearded, one clean, just for a little extra practice. Thanks for looking.

Another painting

2008-04-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Got that walking girl done. Was a beautiful evening outside, so figured I would try to paint her as if the sun was low in the sky (and to her left).

Again, I don't know how well this has worked, but it was fun to paint either way.

tata

Few more to paint

2008-04-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

doing more tight lines ready to paint as soon as I figure out exactly how I want to do that. So a tightend up lizzard man, and some random guy.

Cheers for looking :)

Working

2008-04-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

Just thought i would up some lines that i am going to be working on over the next few hours. Will try to up the process as I go, but I am kinda inbetween techniques right now, so I don't know how good these will be in the end.

Ta ta.

Skin test

2008-04-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

I haven't been liking how my colours have been turning out after colorizing from tonal greys, especially skin. Figured i would have a crack at starting out painting in colour from the get go. I also wanted to figure out how to do stubble.

The drawing it's self was mediocre, just a means to an end to have something to mess around with, so please excuse the dodge placement of facial features, Just right it off to him being an ugly man.

Finished?

2008-04-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

Wanted this woman to look wicked and sickly, kinda gross. She was inspired by this old fat woman that was with 3 kids (I know this is cruel, but i hope not hers) and she was just puffing away right into these kids faces, one wasn't even out of a pram yet. Seriously, there is no need for that. So yeah, dunno if i pulled it off. May have to play a bit more with it.

Cheers for looking

Practice

2008-04-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Just hit a slump at the worst possible time, and I have changed my routine and method to try and compencate. We will see how it works out. Well for now, this is a sketch that I did today, that I am practicing some painting methods on.

Planning on finishing the misconception paint soon, I just need to get out of this rediculas slump first.

Value test

2008-04-05T16:02:00.001-07:00

I have been messing around with the values on the ogre, trying to make his muscles defined, with out looking too Dragon ball Z. Will be fiddling some more i think, i am not too happy with it as is.

Tightend

2008-04-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

Just tightend the lines on the misconception sketch, ready for paint. To be honest, I think its lost a lot of what made me like it in the tightening process, so I may just paint over the first sketch anyway, and just used the tighter one for muscle refrence.

well, we will see how it goes.

Few things

2008-04-02T08:43:00.001-07:00

Just a couple of sketches i am working on painting. I am trying to work more story into a single image, as a concept artist should, rather than just doing straight up character designs. The ogre and kid is pretty self explanatory as it is i think, but the lone walking guy is part of a larger crowd. Both should have Backgrounds at some point too.

Looking forward to having these done.

Thanks for looking, ta ta

Zoooooooooooommmmm

2008-03-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

Man, I don't draw enough plane/space ship/ shuttle things (as in, this is my first) I had so much fun doing this... of course, most of the time i was pretending i was flying it... Yeah, I am that cool..

Well here it is from lines to compleation. Painting Mechanical objects turns out to be quite hard, and I don't think I was all that sucessful. Still think it looks quite fun though

tata for now.

Colours and texture

2008-03-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Colours and textures on the squatter. Got some of the other things half compleated, but i need a few hours kip. Starting to make daft mistakes. Tata for now.

Post bonanza

2008-03-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

Trying to see how many images I can get into my portfolio before business hours finish tomorrow, which should be interesting. So yeah, I will be posting each stage of my images as they are finished, mainly so i can look at them on my PSP, as the screen colours are a lot better than my crapped our moniter, but also so Bills can see them too... him being the only one that checks this place out.

So enjoy, First of the night, greays over a sketch posted earlyer, done in just under 2 hours, a new record for my slow ass.

Tagging

2008-03-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

So this is me trying to apply lesson 1,2 and 4 to one image of my own. Obviously i am no Bobby Chiu, but I am deffinatly more confidet with digital colours than I was 4 weeks ago.

Anyway, this is sketch, tone, value then textures, one after the other.

Thanks for looking.

p.s. for some reason the progress image is staying very small even when enlarged, no matter what size file i upload, so i have added a large shot of the finished look.

Class 4

2008-03-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

The 4th week of my Schoolism course has come and gone, leaving behind another finished project. This week was a second session of textures, the difference this time was that instead of painting a textured value ontop of a line drawing, we were applying textures to an already fully toned and colorized image.

I found this class massivly useful and informative. It's started to unlock for me, some of the secrets behind how the amazingly detailed concept art you see being done is actually compleated. I knew that real textures were used in alot of cases of course, but actually understaning the process is a real insight, and I can't wait to get on useing it.

Line work, Tone, colour: Bobbie Chiu

Textures, adjustments. touchups: Me

Class 3

2008-03-18T04:13:00.000-07:00

This is my first work useing textures in Photoshop. Yet again Bobby's instruction was clear and consice, making the work seem deceptivly easy. I am quite happy with the result, although I messed up the lower body, I will re do that part of the lesson at a later date.

Original image: Bobby Chiu

Textured painting attempt: Myself

Textures Part 2 coming up!

testing

2008-03-13T15:14:00.001-07:00

This is my first attempt at actually implimenting what Mr Chiu has taught me thus far onto one of my own sketches. I really enjoyed doing this, but i am not sure i have got the process down yet. I have a few more sketches to work through, I will see how its going after i have finished those.

I will post them soon, possibly with some sketches inbetween.

tata for now.

Lesson 2

2008-03-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Second Week of my digital painting class over at schoolism.com. This was our first colour work, and the lesson was mainly to illustraite how effectivly the visulising through darkness process works with colorization.

Again, Bobby's teaching method is thorough and easy to understand. He also provided the amazing image for use to spill some paint over. So credit to Bobby Chiu for the image above, except for the colours (which after watching the vid's a monkey could have done).

Will post some of my own work done useing these methods some time soon.

Ta ta

Pon Pon Pata Pon

2008-03-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

Some more sketches, you know, this being a sketch blog and all. As some of you may have guessed from the subject, i recently picked up Patapon for the PSP. I have heard some mixed reveiws, but I love it. Its a simple rythem game mixed with an RPG/Tactics element. I am only a few missions in, so it remains to be seen if the game play will start to grate on me after a while, but for now, I am loving it. The art direction, as you would expect from the guys that did Loco Roco is top notch. So much so that i could probably have fun just watching somone else play the game.

If your on the fence, even after the demo, i would take the plunge and go for it, even if just for the inspirational visuals.

Tata

Lesson 1: Flex

2008-03-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

So this is the result of my first leson with Schoolism.com . The class was well presented, clear, and Bobby Chiu's approach makes a lot of sence to me, Which is great because i am terrible at this sort of thing.

They results may look a little dark to you, my comp tends to see things brighter than they are, so i will tweak it when i get the problem resolved later this week. I will post the final image from the classes as I compleate them (I think i am allowed to do that) and post some of my work with the techniques apllied to them in the intrum.

Line art: Bobby Chiu

Dodgy tones: Me

C'ya Space Cadets

2008-02-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

Just some random B movie, sci fi space adventure themed girl. Tried doing a different thing with body and head shape, but i don't think it really worked out for me this time.

Was gonna take this further, but I think more than anything it needs a re-draw.

Take care

Some more sketchy sketches...this time with some ink!

2008-02-25T17:52:00.000-08:00

So was out with Kate, and she wanted to look around the shops in Boro, figured i would play the typical art guy and sit in Starbucks, do some sketching.

So here we go. Some of these are people i saw, some are figments of my imagination, some have some ink on them, some don't. The inks were done with a Pitt brush pen. I don't use them very much, prefering a crowquill. It was really fun to use though, i just need some practice so i can get those really fine lines.

I should have some finished (i.e. coloured) stuff up and coming as I start Mr Bobby Chu's Schoolism class tomorrow. Mega excited.

Well, hope you enjoy these for now (Bills, lol).

Warm Ups

2008-02-11T15:53:00.001-08:00

Long time since i had anythin decent to post. Arm has been twisted to post somthing, so i pasted together a few pages of warm ups.

Front Colours

2007-11-17T05:20:00.000-08:00

spilt some paint on the front turn around. Done a lot faster than i would useually colour, but still too long. Dunno what i think of the result, will look at it later to make up my mind.

This one goes out to mike

2007-11-14T10:19:00.000-08:00

Who bitches at me EVERRRRYYY day that there is nothing new up. Well here ya go mike, Heeeere ya go.

This is part of what i have been working on to try and get work in concept art for games. Most artists seem to take the speed painting tack toward this sort of work, so i am hopeing my weird kinda comic style might apeal to someone somewhere. I guess i will actually have to get better at the old digital painting at some point though.

More to follow

Take care

Penn

Golly! That was fast!

2007-08-27T03:21:00.001-07:00

I have just posted the flats and have managed to finish the first page in just under 3 minuets... Yeah right, i wish. In True Blue Peter (or any cooking/craft show for those of you not of my generation UK) form, Here is one i made earlyer.

The first page in final colours. I actually did an alternative final colour version, as i am still getting used to this colour thing, so please feel free to comment about prefrence.

Take care

Alex

Pancakes!

2007-08-27T03:09:00.000-07:00

Are flat. Well they should be, and do you know what else is flat? The colours on these pages. This is kind of a work in progress, or what I like to call the Ugly Phase of colours, or my colours atleast.

I will post the final colours as and when they are available for any one interested in the whole compare and contrast thing.

Take care

Penn

Somthing with colour

2007-08-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

A Page infact.

Takecare

Penn

Inks

2007-08-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

Page 2-5 inked, ready for colours, which will be posted soon.

Take care

Penn

New pencils.

2007-08-20T00:21:00.000-07:00

Some edits to the page 3 i posted last week, and page four and five. Hopeing to ink these all within the next 24 hours. Wish me luck :)

Take care

Penn

mmm...Paintery

2007-08-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

Yeah, first blast in painter, dunno what to think. its different. That bottom "Canvas" layer confuses me (is there any way to unlock it?). I certainly found it nicer to work in when useing a tablet then I would if I were doing this in Photoshop.

So yeah, just a super quick little profile. When i get time i will use this somemore me thinks.

Pg 3 Layouts

2007-08-13T01:36:00.000-07:00

As the title suggests, these are the page 3 layouts. Keeping in mind these are my roughs, i am actually quite not upset with this page...in fact I am moderately happy, and that's kinda a big deal for me. Of course, i am probably just hallucinating from sleep deprivation, and the illusion of kinda grandeur shall be shattered after my next sleep. Whenever that will be.

Take care

Penn

pg 2 in the works

2007-08-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

Second page ready for inks. Actually had these finished for a little bit, but never got around to posting. Think i will pencil 2 more pages before start inking. I don;t know if this happens to anyone else, but i have found that if i pencil one page, then ink it then coulour it, when i get to penceling the next page i feel really rusty.

so yeah, more pencils to come.

Take care

Penn

A Page!

2007-08-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

So this is my first finished colours on a page. Any one who saw my recognise this from the roughs posted earlier. I made a lot of edits to the pencils and the inks to get to this stage, as both of them came out pretty bad, so that is why they are not posted. They would require more cleaning than i have time to do to make them presentable. The second page will hopefully be done by the very latest tomorrow. Deadlines are closing in, and i am starting to panic just a smidge :S

Back to the page at hand, I was attempting to go for mood colours. I am not sure how successful i was, but i am very new to this, so at least i can only get better? She is supposed to be waking up from a nightmare, so i hope the colours help push that. If anyone has any tips other than burning it and starting over, please feel free to share :)

Oh, and there are words i need to add to this page, but having never digitally lettered before, i have to figure that one out first.

Take care

Penn

Variations on a theme?

2007-08-06T15:08:00.001-07:00

So yeah, Part of the Face Book sketch group. The weekly task was to redesign a mythilogical creature. Running with an old joke with a freind, we both decided to do unicorns, except i kinda cheated and made her a Centaur unicorn woman thing. I don't know if this even has a name... I am sure somone out there could tell me...

When i get time, i kinda want to colour the sitting unitaur (See that? new name on the fly). I think it will look halfdecent when i tighten it up with some inks and colours.

Below this post are some 3 minuet gestures from a life drawing sesh i did a few weeks back.

Take care all

Penn

Sketches!

2007-08-06T14:58:00.001-07:00

Page roughs

2007-07-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

Some roughs for two pages i am working on. I am not happy with the layouts, especially pg 1, so I will probably be doing some tweaking between these and the final pencils that i will post tomorrow.

Take care

Penn

Comic Con

2007-07-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

So i am here, in San Diego, my first time on the west coast that didn't involve just getting a connecting flight, and more importantly, my first time to the Comic Con (Or any con for that matter).

Its been quite an experience, it was fantastic to meet so many of the artists that inspire and influence my work, its actually quite surreal. It's odd having a face to put behind the drawings, and even odder despite not really feeling nervous or anything prior to a conversation with a favorite artist, how i always manage to trip over my tongue and come off like a total tit.

For example, When talking to the Penny Arcade guys to get the Birds are Weird book signed, they noticed that i was with my Wife and daughter. The Penny Arcade duo having young kids of their own start up a conversation about the subject matter leading to a baby picture being produced (On a very snazzy i Phone i have to note), to which i comment "Oh that's nice, how old is it".

Now i was meaning to ask how old the picture it's self was, not the baby but after speaking i realised that it sounded like i was calling the Kid an It.

On top of that when asking fora sketch in the book they were signing for me, apparently i mumbled or something, and it came out sounding like i was asking for a sketch of a pair of tits.

So yeah, aside from the fact i apparently act like some gormless fan boy at cons, its been a great experience. I am really looking forward to The Drawing Board sketch session tonight. It will be nice to hang out with some of the artists in a more relaxed environment, and actually get some drawing done this weekend.

ta ta for now

Penn

Concept

2007-07-26T09:25:00.001-07:00

So here are some characters that i am working on. I will post some turn arounds when i get back from San Diego, perhaps some action poses too if i have enough time to tighten them between pages.

Take care

Penn

First post

2007-07-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Not a spectacular first post, but a first post non the less. Just putting up some stuff i am currently working on, and in a bit i will put up some of my concepts that i am hoping to use. Of course any and all crits are welcomed.

Thanks for stopping by

Take care

Penn