Digital Painting, 1 down, 5 to go....

I'm working on a 4 piece series for a final project currently. Here is a finished piece. It's exploring how a person's identity is associated with the car they drive. I have been meaning to develop and create off this idea, and I finally had the chance to for a project I need to complete. They will all be digital painting, the focus on the person and their vehicle, juxtapose off to the side on the "digital canvas." My friends are all unique, and different traits can be exemplified in each piece. This finished one, for example, is a friend of mine who is a total motor head. The guy cannot go a day without cleaning the body work of his Mustang or doing some sort of auto mechanical tweaking. He is also one of the biggest rednecks I know, and I love it! (There's no shame in being a redneck, I glorify it!) So here he is, drinking some refreshing beer, smoking a Marlboro, and standing in a proud stance next to his pride and joy. I'm very pleased with the outcome.

Color Study Thumbnails

Ok, so the compositions of these sketches and color studies are being thrown out because they're too static. Too symmetrical, and not very interesting. I played it safe when I sketched these considering they are meant to be on a square CD cover, and I was taking into consideration where the text would be placed. Although these ideas are being thrown out for the most part, I absolutely love the work I did on the color studies, and I feel it was a major corner stone for how I approach digital painting. I am also using these babies for color study reference, as the color palettes used I really like. I was told more experimentation should be used with the colors, but I might just go with instinct and see where I end up, I fear too much experimenting could be a color disaster. These compositions have been built upon for a better idea which I have currently made into my final piece.

Thumbnail Time!

So I'm starting an album art project. These ideas are all based off of a friend's vision for a hard rock album cover. I need two of these pieces. So here's the nude with the tattoo in a desert sunset/sunrise, whatever it'll be. I have 4 thumbnails so far. I would love to incorporate a 3D element into this too, being my last 3D illustration was very successful.

3D Illustration is INSANE!

SO! I've just completed a project that needed to involve elements of collage, whether it be paper, drawing over photos, collaging vintage photos, or 3D illustration. I chose 3D because it seemed so entirely unique to me. So I based my piece of the of Jersey Devil, the odd horse headed bat winged creature roaming around the New Jersey Pine Barrens in South Amboy. I wanted to create a full blown, highly detailed Sculpey Devil, but my attempts failed due to the infrastructure poorly supporting the weight of the top of the figure. So, I photographed in pieces, collaged photos of gnarled trees and branches together, digitally painted, and came up with this gnarly concept. 'm almost reminded of I SPY when I look at this piece. But this was my first project ever involving 3D illustration, and I'm extremely pleased with the outcome!

Mustang Portrait

So I've finished this self portrait with an 04 Mustang GT, I felt inspired to do a series based on people and the significant impact a car has had on their life, not like the typical point A to point B car driver, but the person who will love their cars more than their kids essentially. It may be a summer series. Compositionally my digital paintings are getting stronger, proportions still need tweaking, but I'm really trying to correct my bad habits. I think the piece was quite successful. Especially the color scheme. The cold air intake vent is perspectively wrong by far, only issue I had with drawing a car free hand.