Sketching away ...

Thanks for the comments everybody. I had a couple of technical questions so I'll answer them here. I usually sketch in photoshop or on paper and I always paint in photoshop. Today's batch of sketches were drawn in photoshop. The demo I'm doing this saturday will be in photoshop and I'll be sure to post up what I go over. Somebody asked what size I work and that really depends on the piece or sketch. I always set my canvas to 300 dpi and then pick a size that feels appropriate, as small as 2"x3" to as big as 11"x17". About the same sizes I'd create on paper. I don't go bigger because the computers I use don't handle it well and I've found that I can make prints look ok at double that size, and that's plenty big enough for illustration.

Enchanted pool

So I found out the demo I'm doing at the Art Institute of San Diego filled up rather quickly but it was also only for students of the school. However, if this goes well they've offered to have me do another for the public soon after. I hope this goes well. On another note I'm very excited because I've had some very cool opportunities arise, but I won't speak of those here. Suffice to say I feel rather blessed because I surely haven't done anything to deserve the life my maker's given me. I guarantee you that. But you know what? If God took it all away I'd still be blessed because I'd still have life in Him, and that lasts forever. All this here will eventually turn to dust.

I'm trying to be like one of my bosses with this new post but I failed. He's just too good for me to equal. But that only makes me push harder!

Somebody asked what 'advanced drawing' is in regards to the demo I was asked to do and to tell you the truth I have no idea. I think they spin it as an advanced drawing workshop to sell it as something above and beyond what the students are getting on a daily basis at the school. Helps sell tickets I'm guessing.

2 more ...

Top one is a study of the film Atonement and the bottom is a sword fight by firelight.

Yet again ...

Another abstract sketch up top and an abstract color/light study from the film Cold Mountain on bottom.

Even more ...

Yes. Even more. Keeping it abstract is helping me focus on color and composition. There's nothing else to get caught up in. I'm finding that I spend more time on the subtleties of color when I do these. I don't have to worry about the drawing, or anything literal for that matter. I take that back. The color I'm trying to achieve is very literal. If you look back a couple of posts at my cartoon guy getting shocked you'll see the palette is fantasy eye candy. Nothing you'd find in nature, where as I'm hoping these palettes bring a literal and tangible sensation to mind. Even amidst the abstraction I can feel the cool morning dew and the sliver of warmth coming up over the horizon.

More abstract landscapes

Abstract landscapes