Not Very Productive This Week

I wasn't really motivated beyond the weekend, so I figured I would at least post the picture with the addition of the outlines for the cursed eye.  So, here we go:

I am not sure what I will do this weekend or during the following week, but if I do, it will make its way here.

A Weekend In Retrospect

So, I didn't have the energy this weekend to post the productivity of the days I spent painting; this post will serve as a glimpse back at what I accomplished.

Here it goes:

Morning coffee and A Random Painting later, I came up with this concept for a photo...

The Start...

Continuing...

 Continuing... Close Up

Continuing...(Mottled Second Face)

Continuing...Close Up Mottling

Continuing...

 Continuing...Up Close

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...Conceptualizing Colors

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

Continuing...

...And all the base I could do without a lot of mixing is completed for now...Monday night I added the outline for the "Cursed Eye" on the left, but I will have to upload that from my camera later.

Basically, this weekend was getting the brush back to the canvas, no matter what, and I accomplished that goal.  YAY ME!!! =D

Time to go enjoy some tasty roast I cooked up in the ol' bean pot last night.  Nom, nom, nom....  I am hoping to get some other project underway this week, but it may just be conceptualizing sketches.  At least it will be something =)           

All Your Base Coats Belong To Me

Since it wasn't as dry as I wanted it, I decided to finish the Naruto painting's base coat.  I killed the battery on my Nikon so these were taken from the poor cell phone.  Notice, the image quality blows, however, here are the results of the initial layers of paint on the canvas (a.k.a. Far From Finished):

Adding the black background base layer (I like to build off a solid)

Continuing around the edges

Gentle and Subtle color blending around the necks.

A closer look at it.

Color (gray) added to the Hidden Leaf Symbol

Color (gray) added to the Hidden Leaf Symbol (right side)

Finally...All Your Base Coats Belong To Me =)

Bring on the Magic...

Well, it was that time again....MAGIC TIME!  Not really, but I am running with a theme, so try to keep up.

I got home from my doctor's appointment this morning, and decided since the day was so miserable due to the rain that I would go ahead and get started on some creative magic.  First things first, I had to get out of the "good" clothes and into the more painter friendly gear.

Why yes, those are the mystical meatballs of magical creativity on the sides of my head! (I am pretty sure Maynard the Betta thinks I am crazy)

Once the gear and "magic" was set, I grabbed my canvas, pencil, and eraser, which I didn't use once and began to sketch out the ideas I had been working on with my concept sketches since the Naruto "first coat" was complete.

Here are the results, and I am fairly pleased with the sketched guidelines for the next piece in my Ani-Me series:

Face One of D.Gray-Man

Face Two of D.Gray-Man

Face Three of D.Gray-Man

 Because I like to see things crooked...

I warned you!

Concept Sketch as Painting Guidelines - Complete - D.Gray-Man

...And that is what I have so far.  No major plans for the rest of the day or tonight, and I plan to add more paint to Naruto as well.  Perhaps I may even get a coat on this one too!!!  

Stay tuned and see...

Crazy Kind of Week

Nothing much on the art front this week.  Too busy with work and my midget monkey monster!  =)

However, I am not going to let stuff hold me back this time around.  Perseverance and dedication will win and poor excuses about not having time or energy will not overtake me, except for this week.  It has definitely been a rough one.

I will update the blog if I can at least get a chance to do more concept sketches for the next project.  Perhaps I will! =D

Infectious Sketches

A Spongebob Drawing by my little one

Nothing starts a blog posting quite like a drawing of impeccable quality by a 7 year old.  =D

So...Now to the updates and such....

Yesterday was one of those days where I decided what my next piece would be.  The next focus will be D. Gray-Man.  I wanted to practice a bit with some concept sketches since I have never drawn Allen Walker or experimented with the many ways he can be attempted.

Here are a few ideas:

Allen Walker - Focus on Eye Scar

Allen Walker - Manga Style - Focus on Scar

Basic Concept Sketch One for Painting - Allen Walker Cursed Eye

Basic Concept Sketch Two for Painting - Allen Walker Cursed Eye

It was a great day for ideas; both for midget as well as me.  Today will be a day of rest, practice painting for us both (upcoming entry), and maybe preliminary canvas work for the next painting...we shall see... 

However, I am glad that art has become infectious in the household.  Not only have the sketches become that way, but even painting has infected us too.

Like A Virgin...LOL

Not really, but it sure felt like it once I got changed out of my work clothes and into stuff I didn't mind destroying (with paint or other such agents).

Me; All Ready to Go! (Keenan the Betta too)

Now, it was time to find all the tools of the trade.  In other words, I needed to lay out my arsenal of supplies and get to painting!

Brushes and Cleaners (Paints Underneath)

Palette and Such (Decided to go back to the Disposables after this)

Paint Bin with the Tubes I wasn't Using!

Okay...Everything was checked and ready to go.  Grabbed my sketched on canvas, took a seat, mixed up the colors I wanted to use as a base coat for the faces and got right into it.

Yes, I like a fairly deep base since I believe in multiple applications of paint.

Let the highlighting and low-lighting base coating begin!

Yup, I am getting brave and adding color.

Adding the base coat eye lines for more definition.

Getting really brave with the hair now too.

Hair Base Coat Added - Beginning the Accents to Nine Tails Hair

Nine Tails - Base Accents Complete

Nine Tails - Eye and Facial Accents (Base) Complete

Nine Tails - Mouth, Eye Shading, Hidden Leaf (Base) Complete

Sage Mode - Hair Accents (Base) Complete

Sage Mode - Eye and Hidden Leaf (Base) Complete

And then finally...

Subjects Base Coat Application is Complete!

Finally, I have cropped the documented photos, tidied up the living room some, soaked my brushes for easier paint removal, written this entry, and now, I need to finish the brush cleaning and head to bed.

I feel immensely satisfied with my start (of this project) and my return (to painting with oils).  Nothing quite beats the feeling you get when you are truly proud of something you did, even though you were apprehensive about doing it in the first place, however, I am most proud that I have accomplished this for myself.

Tomorrow, I will probably take a much needed rest, or begin sketching out the second part of the series, but for now, I say, Goodnight!