In this post, I'll be sharing the process of creating the sparrow and banner artwork to the left from concept to finished colors.
Julia likes when I draw birds. So for one of the more animal-centric prints I decided to focus on a sparrow. But as I was drawing it, I really didn't want to add a mouse. So, I just kept looking at reference and doing a tight detailed pencil drawing of the sparrow. This is much more detailed and tight than my pencils are usually, but with all the delicate feathers, the way the tuck and the different textures of them around the neck and head and belly, I wanted my sketch to have all the info I needed when I'd get to the inking stage. Somehow, adding a mouse to this just felt like a stunt, not necessary to the drawing.
In photoshop I placed the sparrow pencils in the format template for my prints and painted in the tree branches to help me visualize if the piece really did need a mouse. Turns out it needed something, but instead of a mouse, I opted for banners streaming from the branches. Are these mouse flags? are they sparrow? or some other tree-canopy animal? It's not clear...though I'd bet on mouse.
I'd also considered making some kind of tall design, text, or symbol on the flags, but again decided to let the sparrow be the focus.
I printed out the photoshop assembled layout and taped it to the back of a sheet of Strathmore 300 series bristol and inked on a lightpad. I use a Huion lightpad that allows me to see the printout through the surface of the bristol. This means that on the surface of the bristol will only be my inks, no pencil lines to erase (though sometimes, I do tighten up the pencils a bit as I work if the layout sketch is too loose). For pens I used Copic Multiliners, the 0.7 & 0.3 nibs. After finishing inking what was in the rough, I decided to silhouette more branches in the background, but was careful not to have them intersect any of the existing linework to make them easier to isolate for color holds later. .
Once the inks are scanned, I start the process of flatting the piece for color. This means laying in flat color (no concerns with shading or texture) to establish that areas like the sparrow's various feather tones, the branches and banners.
Once the flat colors are in I start rendering each area using the dodge and burn tools (lighten and darken) with a textured brush. I also added a color hold on all the branches in the background.
For the fifth issue/chapter of The Black Axe, I built a model of a junk boat made of mouse-salvaged materials. With the fan excitement over the video of Adam Savage talking to me about my models on Tested.com I wanted to do some videos where I talk about a specific model, how I built it, what the materials were, and why I built it in the first place.
Each year HEROES Con has an art auction on Saturday night.
The layout is too big to print, so I break it up into single copy paper sheet segments and print those. The grid is to help align & register the 9 pieces of paper back into one image.
Close-up of the printed layout.
Mostly I just go over where all my drawn lines are, but there are so many close lines, tik marks, etc, that I end up coating most of the paper.
Here is the paper coated and ready for transfer. It's a messy job.
I then tape the layout down to the matboard and then trace over my drawing with a ball-point pen. Wherever I applied pressure the graphite on the back transfers off onto the mat board. This part is tedious.
Here is the mat board with a successful transfer!
I then started applying the lightest washes to the largest areas with watercolor.
Then time to cover some larger ground with the fur.
Saxon & Rand's fur built up a bit.
All mouse fur done with the tree branch filled in.
Primary color patrol cloaks blocked in with some rendering.
With a smaller brush I painted in the border detail.
Weapons, and small misc completed means that the painting part of this piece is done!
I feel like my watercolor work doesn't stand well on its own without a strong line. Instead of using ink (which would be too stark & bold) I "inked" the drawing with a dark brown color pencil.
Here again is the final piece 20" x 32". It will be in the Saturday evening auction.
I believe you must be present in Charlotte to bid, I'm looking forward to seeing this go to a good home.
Here are some more recent Toned Paper Commissions from Emerald City, C2E2, & my livestreams. I will be taking commissions like these at HEROES-CON later this month for $200. First-come/first served.