Roots 1: Illustration: Pencil and Watercolor

This is a continuation from the last post:

I was able to unplug for the weekend and it was great! However, I wasn’t able to smell the roses because it was moderately raining. It is uncommon for January to have a storm in the country, but we have, so I guess the weather patterns certainly have changed.

The weather also affected my work but in a minute way. The speed for the paper to dry and stretch took me an hour or two to be completely done, whereas during dry periods  it will take only a couple of minutes. So while waiting for the paper to set, I doodled some more and created another artwork in conjunction to this one. I shall post them next time.

After the paper was mounted and stretched, it rained accompanied with cool bursts of lazy wind wafting in through the windows and the open door that I lost a couple of hours. I fell asleep in Saturday’s cool relaxing afternoon.

So it’s only this Sunday morning that I was able to finish it, and here is the progression of the work made.

 

This is the end of the initial sketch. I can still edit this during painting.

For the skin tone, I colored the darkened areas in yellow. Later it will blend easily smoothing the tones. I am sorry that I wasn’t able to produce images from the production in between.

 

 

 

 

Close up.

This is my interpretation of Venus emerging from the sea sans the shell.

 

– M A R I F O S Q U E

Roots: Going back to Traditional Art

As a professor and adviser of Multimedia Arts it’s part of my work to be dealing with computers and graphic software. Although we teach traditional skills in drawing and illustrations, it is highly overshadowed with the computer software for enhancement. I cannot disagree with this as the computer does the work faster in some cases.

So each day I am committed in front of the monitor coming up with various designs and artworks, challenging myself and the students to come up with optimal works.  However as the school began this year after the holidays, I have just been checking thesis papers,  submitting lesson plans, and exams. That said, it’s becoming boring once again.

Therefore I am in the procrastinating mood. But things must change. I want to go back to my artistic roots.

Understand that I am “old school” when it comes to illustrations yet I also know the value and usefulness of the computer. It’s just that it has been a while since I touched an actual pencil, and I do believe that behind every successful graphic artwork is a very good hand drawing skill.

So I started this personal project to keep me unplugged for at least two days. I want to spend my weekends quietly and in my kitchen where I work as I eat, occasionally coming out the apartment to smell the roses, literally, when my hand grows tired.  This is a  personal challenge. This project is to recreate the Goddess Venus, as I see her. So far I have two  ideas in my head and this is the one I started this afternoon.

It’s been months since my last post on illustrations. And soon I shall post the progress along with more poetry.

This is Venus as she emerges from the sea.

My Christmas

Heaven as dark as these eyes of mine,

My cheeks- red, my lips sensuously divine,

Yet heart is warm and my love your hearth,

Come in from the cold and touch satin girth,

Here, I’m made for you this Yuletide Night,

Worship my temple as you worship the light,

Stay here in my arms; caress my hair, my bosom,

Wrapped in fur and velvet, allow me to blossom,

Let my difference and strength disarm your belief,

I’m human, all woman and love has no “if”,

This night your wish comes true, this Nickelmas,

Open  your present sinful in crimson, Merry Christmas!

– M a r i f o s q u e

122612

Mad Hatter

Beach Babe

Initial pencil sketch…

New work: Pencil and ink (shading)

I’m practicing on pencil, ink and watercolor combination for future works.

I hope you like the transformation:D

This is the pencil sketch of my work

This is the close up. I used a mechanical pencil with B lead- it helps get the details better.

Here I am adding ink to put points of light and shadow.

I also added base color for the eyes, this will set it before applying water color.

So here is the close up for the skin and face shading.Then I added some shadows for her hair as well…

 And this is the initial using ink.

Hunt for Redemption: character concept sketch 2

Hunt for Redemption: character concept sketch 1