I'm Coming For You (Gavin)

I typically draw Gavin as a 9 year old boy (my beloved Gavin-yes I have favorites), which, I admit, is when most of his planned segment of Infinite Spiral (Angelborn) takes place. That might ... have to change ... I am not going to mess with him at this age (whoa man, who made you mad?).

Good morning, Sunshine!

A little morning warm up (two hours from sketch, to vector inks, to color). Out of all the Infinite Spiral characters, James and Allie would be the two to most likely have the craziest bed hair! And James is so put-together and fastidious about his appearance, the idea of crazy bed hair just tickles me.  He would have to hate it.

Worlds in Your Eyes: James and Rory

I've started exploring the interactions between the three main characters more, but I had yet to explore just Rory and James. If you look at my other art you can make some assumptions about why their interactions are so important.

Here, Rory is just mesmerized by looking in James eyes under the light of the aurora, and has bursted the bubble of his personal space looking at them. People don't like to look in James's eyes for too long and he's not used to making eye contact. Rory is determined she can see the thread of the universe in there, which might be what bothers everyone else. However, Rory also has a rather extraordinary imagination.

Allie: Infinite Spiral Character Design

I guess I got on a roll yesterday.  Allison "Allie" Collins has a bit part in the intro to Infinite Spiral, but is actually a more significant character down the line. How you will have to discover by reading.

Maxwell Ward: Infinite Spiral Character Design

Still gearing up for the launch of Infinite Spiral, the comic I began scripting for Script Frenzy.  This is Maxwell Ward, a Wisen and also an Abdal (like Rory).  The Wisen have interesting abilities within the worlds of the comic, but I don't particularly feel like spoiling anything.  Really, Maxwell is a placid, Taurean type character, and begins in this way as an antagonist to James, Christian, and Rory. Wisen tend to dress alike, an as there is something academic and almost holy about them, in their habits, I've tried to mingle a little Druid and a little academia in the mix to dress up my childhood interpretation of them.  Usually, they wear the hoods up, which hides their face nice and Grim Reaper-like.

So many books

It has been awhile since I updated on the progress of my Christian and James illustration-in large part due to the fact that I just haven't had the time to dedicate to it. 

I had spent some time the previous week working on details of the floor and banister, adding light, and adjusting the far background.  Today, I focused on the books, as I knew this would be tedious, but one of those details that really starts to fill in the full environment.  So far, I've created and modified a Vector Smart Object, using Illustrator, the perspective grid, and layers and layers of blends.  I'm going to paint over the books to fill in the details, and blend it with what is going on with the image.  However, adding the books with some gradient overlays and shadowing does a lot to bring the environment to life.

Christian and James: Background Detailing Begins and Lighting

The work continues. I spent some time in illustrator and creating layers of light, shadow and texture on this bookshelf.  As the background comes to life, I can circle back around to James and Christian and really get them in gear.  I did change the blend mode on the shadows to meld them with the environment more.  That was a good call.

I admit,  this may be the most attention I've made myself give to environment (especially man made) recently.  Things are coming along.  Tomorrow I'll tackle the floor and railing.  Then I need to get some books on those shelves!!  Thank goodness for layers.

Christian and James Continued: Base Lighting and Background Flats

So last night and this morning I continued to illustrate this out.  I actually added some lighting values by creating a Linear Burn layer with a blue-grey applied to create the shadows, then a yellow white with Overlay to create highlights.  After this, I actually needed to adjust James's skin tones, as he looked a bit lifeless.

This morning I began my Illustrator hop.  I have a ton of reference pictures from old libraries, most from the Trinity Library, and wanted to get the perspective right.  With help from reference and the perspective grid, I was able to block in the form of the shelves and background, then bring these back into Photoshop, apply gradients to block in basic lighting  in preparation for going for the gusto--details.  Right now I'm rather happy with the tonal values and color palette.  We'll let it sit for another few hours and see what I decide to change before going in for more "character" on the environment.  I'll likely have to adjust the composition as I move forward, but that is the luxury of using Vector Smart Objects as the background base.  A little adjustment there will be my next step before detailing--unless I want half a dozen groups in my file.

Here we are:

Despite the lack of shadow under James and Christian, the two are very much coming to life.  Obviously, still a lot of work and clean up to go, but this is really moving along like I pictured in my head.

Christian and James Flats

I'm showing some process again on this one, which helps me and others learn.  I've digitally flatted this piece using the lasso tool. Then, I went in with the eraser and cleaned up my penciling to make digital inking easier down the road.  Next I'll be flatting in some environment (which will make this image much wider).  The current flat is this semi-neutral purple to provide a base for a dark library aisle.  I'm going to be hitting some lighting reference on this hard.

Actually, I'm really happy with some contrasts in design I made with these two.  Even if you put James, Rory, and Christian together, James is going to stick out as ... different.  Which is something I want (Gavin's the same way ... he gets it from his Papa.)

Christian and James Sketch

It has been a little too long since I last posted a sketch, mostly because I've been working on Rory's costuming and would rather do a color test before posting more on that front.  But, today I got it in my head for a great picture that really begins to showcase the almost sibling like friendship that they have, so I'll be taking this sketch to a full illustration.

I can't imagine the ruckus Christian would cause in a library, but of course he would climb on James to get a book down.  I'm not sure whether James is concerned about the book or Christian or both, but Christian is having a great time retrieving the volume the hard way.  I've pulled some nice library references to build the environment.  I'm looking forward to bringing this one to life.

Character Sketches Since Spring Break

So, I'm attempting to be very thorough with the character designs for Angelborn to learn more about the process and honestly get better at it (since I adore designing characters).  Also, I really want designs I can stick with through the event line.  This means, I'm spending serious time on costuming (and silhouetting), expressions, poses/body language, and colors schemes to really nail down who my characters are now that I'm nearly 30.  

 
Rory, my adbal from Angelborn, will be making this face frequently ... at Christian or in response to him. As part of forcibly going through characters designs for this comic idea, I'm making myself practice these different aspects of character design. This particular piece focuses on expressions, but I'm planning to work through character poses, body language, and costumes for each as well (I should really do the first two with Gavin at this point). I've focused a lot on Rory as I've tried to discover her real character, and it is proving to be an interesting and arduous journey. I really see her being a little Dorothy meets Peter Pan inspired, but we'll see how that turns out really. My characters tend to take on minds of their own and quickly.

I'm spending some time on Rory sketches today, with a bonus Christian sketch and colored piece.

When You See What I See

I'm very excited to have finished my Gavin painting.  I didn't take it the direction I thought, but I like where it went.  I can see a couple spots I may want to touch up, but it is probably time to move onto something new for the practice.

"When you see what I see ..." Gavin's catch phrase. You know, I've never quite been able to begin to tackle the world Gavin sees, and I'm just striking on it in the painting. The dead, unnamed spirits, angels--if it is unearthly, Gavin sees it.

This painting has gone through a few phases, and I'm happy to call it "done" (okay, abandoned).

Keep reading to see the WIPs of this piece.

Digital Colors for James and Rory Character Designs

I couldn't stop yesterday and just kept practicing digital coloring (mostly cell shading style) with sketches.  I'm glad, because I'm getting a great feel for how I want the Angelborn world to look when I begin pages.

I digitally colored my character sketches of the adbal from Angelborn who wanders around with James  I was down to two names, Rory (Aurora) or Perry (Peregrine), but my sister approves of Rory and I think she is right that it should be the name that sticks.

Now for last names, the list (in no particular order):

More character designs, must be Spring Break

I've been busy with pencil sketches, and trying some new techniques to quickly test color palettes, etc without full painting (as the Gavin picture has demonstrated that takes hours and hours).

I had to draw Alexis again!  It has been so long, but I finally got that vivid character picture in my head I've been looking for.

Alexis is a character near and dear to my heart.  She's bitter, a little crazy, and probably the only person in the Angelborn universe that actually understands exactly the kind of world Gavin lives in on a daily basis.  She has a "milder" version of Gavin's sight, which is actually scarier in many respects as she does not see his world of realities and spirits as clearly, leaving what she sees open to misinterpretation.  A kindred spirit, then an enemy, then an ally, she is a character that I look forward to exploring as I tell Gavin's story.  Not on that, but she is also, hey, an abdal, and the daughter of an old ally of James's (what a tangled web?).

This piece was a pencil sketch and I applied layers of flats using Photoshop to give it a wash and explore her new color palette.  She's gotten less "goth" and more gray, which I think will make her a stronger character.  May go back and make those buttons brass like I'm picturing in my head.  I think I've nailed her costuming though.

Gavin's Not on a Sidewalk Anymore

The creation continues:  starting to detail in now ...  Still working ...  But, I've pulled the lineart now.

Gavin on a Sidewalk WIP

I sketched this interesting drawing of Gavin during the MSU Comics Forum, and started today working it up. I actually nixed the sketch for this post, and did some quick lineart to throw over it. I'm pleased with how things are coming along, mostly flats with most attention currently on the face.  Will be taking a pass around those clothes next, though I'm ready to break for now, as I currently don't have the best desk set up for this kind of art. Actually, it makes me realize how long it has been since I've done any images of Gavin in color.  Hmm, still looks like Gavin (duh).

I have to play with that BG next. I just vaguely roughed it in.  View the original sketch here.

Lazy Reading Inks WIP

I wasn't going to post until I'd finished the inking phase of Amanda's lazy reading portrait.  However, I am very excited about how her hair turned out:  it is black and curly--two things that become a challenge to ink.  I'm inexperienced at doing this traditionally (despite having Amanda forever, I've always focused on the "outlines" being black, so her hair would wind up this awful blue-grey), so I'm very excited about the progress here.

Obviously, I'm still working on problem areas, but I was tired of the pencil for the black hair smudging.  This was a fun solution.  It will be interesting to take this one out to digital coloring.  I think I will have to touch up the arm drapery (it got out of control), but we'll see one the entire piece is inked.

Work in Progress and More Angelborn Character Sketches

My work preparing for Angelborn, I admit, is fairly scattered due to the number of game projects I am involved in this semester.  However, I keep squeezing in time to refamiliarize myself with the core characters and dig some old ones out of the closet to balance the cast (Angelborn is chock full of female characters).

I was really excited about a sketch I started of Amanda over the weekend (Gavin's older sister, James's daughter, fun stuff).  She's simply musing over a book.  I liked the expression and the lazy way she seemed to be drifting over pages, I've actually moved to fleshing it out and cleaning it up, as well as adding environment. 

As you can see, I am trying to work out the value so I can properly ink her black hair.  What am I doing to myself?  Black hair, curls?  But I love it, so it sticks.  I am also fighting a bit with this chair (I wasn't quite sure what I wanted it to be), so I'll be out for some references for Victorian furniture this week to tackle that more effectively before inking.   The hands need some additional work as well.  Time for another page of hand drawing in my sketchbook.

 I like that she is sitting with a cup of tea.  James does that too, and it is kind of a fun little add in. 

Quenby Digital Colors

Using my tablet and various select tools, I spent some of this morning practicing digital coloring with my Quenby lineart. It could use some tweaking, but I'm pretty happy with the result, given that it was a quick color.  It looks like Quenby.  Of course, her colors are pretty much blacks, navies, and greys.  I'm going to spend some time with lighting in the near future.

Twins, Villians, and Wannabe Characters: Oh my!

Throughout the week I've continued on my mission to develop and redesign characters from Angelborn.  I've amassed a few more concepts (though I may have to sit on them before I decide how happy I am with them.)

The first is of Celeste, Gavin's twin.  She dies at the beginning of his part of the tale, rather the catalyst for his adventures.  She's always been a troublesome character to draw, but these sketches have captured many ways she should look.  Also, if you look carefully, you can see where I decided to try and draw with my left hand (I sometimes get the desire to do things like that).  That could be because Gavin is left-handed.

 

But I'm not done yet.