Title: 3D Illusttration: Y.T. Character Turn-around
Date: January 28 - 30, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Scale: Varies

Notes: For our first assignment in 3D illustration we are to make a character from a book in clay.

I decided to go with a secondary character from Snow Crash. Y.T.

Initially we were to do a bunch of sketchwork to try and search for what we wanted the character to look like and then take some sketches and render out (fully and professionally) the character into a full orthograph view. Complete with Front, Side, and Back as well as any detail shots.

In addition, the images below are part of the style exploration and questions I asked myself during creation.

Comics 2: Aunt Shirly's Garden Adventure

Title: Comics 2: Aunt Shirly's Garden Adventure
Date: January 24 - 26, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Scale: Each 'page' fits to 8.5" x 11" 

Notes: This was an assignment for comics 2 in which we traded characters with one person, who wrote a script based on two separate characters and then that was handed off to another person to draw a comic based off of it. Confusing, I know!

When first approached with this concept, I really had no direction initially... All I was given was two character sketches (both radically different) and a quick write-up of a scene.

Other than that do Master Studies. Look to old masters like these:

http://greatilluminators.blogspot.com/

and try your damndest to copy them.

OH and I almost forgot… the brushes.

http://matkaminski.blogspot.com/2013/10/typical-brushes-that-i-use.html

also… http://bluefley.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-create-my-square-brush.html

Hopefully this will help someone… Happy painting. If you have any questions or whichever, you can always ask. I’ll try to respond as timely as possible :)

OH! Lastly… I followed this for awhile. It’s a bit intense, but it has a supply list and all that if you want to follow it exactly but that’s up to you.

http://matkaminski.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-summer-schedule.html

It is a little intense though…

But yeah... I can't update without art... so here you go!



Title: Green-Haired Madam
Date: January 23 & 24, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3
Scale: Original is 2048px x 1326px

Notes: So this was an experiment really in field of vision painting. I was trying to see if I could make focal areas based on the rendered / looseness of the area of the painting. I think it came out okay, but I really need to play with that smudge tool a bunch more. It doesn't look as purposeful as I would have liked. Either way, I think the girl rendered out decently though.

As usual with my painting, I try to keep with as big of a brush for as long as I can, so initially this was painted at 25% zoom, and then as I painted I would get closer and closer rendering the focal points as much as possible. For example, her face and hands were painted at 100%.

And yet again, a tutorial gif... I hope this helps someone. Any questions or if you need anything clarified, toss up a comment.

Title: Cora Turnaround
Medium: Pencil

Scale: Original is 9" x 12"

Notes: For our first 'official' comics assignment, we are to draw our first character in a turnaround (front, back 3/4, front 3/4) and then a few faces for studies, and any small notes that you have about the character. And then you are to fill out a fully fleshed out character bio for said character.

The bio is pretty long, so I'm not going to post it here, but let's just sum up... Cora is nuts.

Title: Silhouette Challenge
Medium: Pencil, Brush and Ink

Scale: Original is 9" x 12"

Notes: Just a small supplemental exercise to go along with our first character: shape design and silhouettes. Mine are pretty specific, but I tried to make my characters based simply off of the three core shapes: circles, triangles, and squares.

Either way these are actually really fun to do and I suggest that people do these really often!

Title: Applied Studies
Date: January 19 & 20, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Notes: So... I was attempting something new: a master painting, and then immediately afterwards I would jump in and try to paint one using the techniques I just learned.

The portrait on the left is a Sorolla.

Using the strokes and brush work from the left, I tried jumping in and painting a portrait that was in a similar vein using the same brushes and strokes that I just used. This of course proved harder than expected. I think I will try more of this soon (as you can see from the half-started piece on the bottom left).

Title: Environment Speeds
Date: January 20, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Notes: Studying environments to +1 on them. Actually got this idea entirely from Lee Parks here. His are quite a bit better, but then I can honestly say that he studies environments far more than I do. Something that I should try and play catch-up on sometime soon.

It might not only help my characters from just floating in a space, but will most likely help my colors get closer to a more realistic palette instead of being quite off.

Title: Here's Pinky, where's the Brain?
Date: January 19, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Scale: Original is 1200px x 2000px

Notes: Yet again, more of those photostudies while listening to my madam read books. She's already on the third book of The Strain, and I highly recommend that people read it. It's AWESOME! :)

Edit: BONUS TUTORIAL!

• Step 1: Render Background some, this will help you to define your 'character space'.
• Step 2: Sketch out the character in it's entirety (or at least what you plan to paint in later.
• Step 3: Wash layer. Basically throw a quick wash over what your want the basic backdrop colors to be.
• Step 4 & 5: Render, render, and more rendering.
• Step 6: Because I was a little unsure of all the crazy jewelry and add-on stuff this girl had, I made a new layer and just popped it up there.

Title: Anatomy (from Imagination)
Medium: Pencil

Notes: So, from the last time you saw some pencils, I have tried that mouth technique using no reference at all and have discovered that I can draw a mouth in pretty much any way using that technique. So I tried continuing on with the full head and even some body, and discovered that I need to go back to the drawing board even more before I can just spit these things out from imagination. More studies of shape design for sure.

Title: Potential Logo Designs
Date: January 14, 2013
Medium: Pencil

Scale: Original is 9" x 12"

Notes: We are assigned to create a series of logos for a potential company that could exist. 

Mission Statement: "We Bleed Inc. / Origin Entertainment is a full service studio serving up high quality creative endeavors on a client-by-client basis. We provide many outlets of creativity such as Illustration, Storyboarding, Animation Assets, Graphic Design, as well as Script Design, Screenwriting, Story Development and even Consulting to help get your project on it's way.

We Bleed Inc. / Origin Entertainment is located in the heart of Memphis, TN. As a result we are centrally located and have the ability to ship your project cross-country if need be.

Let us create for you so that you can be free of the burden that's been keeping you up at night."

Since there are two potentially companies, I have split between the two. Hopefully during feedback I will get a definite on one or the other.

Title: Storytime Sketching
Date: January 10-13, 2014
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Scale: Varies

Notes: More sketches from life and images while listening to my special lady friend read her stories.

Title: Sass-a-Frass
Date: January 7, 2014
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Scale: Same as Above

Notes: Little portrait study using what I learned from drawing all of those noses and mouths. Might do well to do some cloth studies as well as some hair studies for a bit methinks. On a side note though, all this painting is prepping me up good for this semester. Digi-paints GOOOO!!

Edit: Made a tutorial of this one...

Title: Creepiness
Date: January 5 - 7, 2014
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Scale: Varies

Notes: It's amazing what kind of weird stuff pop out when you listen to your fiancee read The Strain...

Title: Anatomy Simplification Again
Date: January 3 - 6, 2014
Medium: Pencil

Scale: Varies

Notes: Yet again, discovering more and more ways to simplify facial features. I'm sure more of this will keep coming up for some time to come.

Title: 2013 - Art in Review
Date: 2013
Medium: Varies

Scale: Varies

Notes: The entire year best of the best per month.

One thing I do notice is that I need to draw a ton more dudes...

Title: Lap Painting
Date: December 31, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Scale: Same as Above.

Notes: Looking down, I noticed that my mouse in the distance and was being all reflective and whatnot, so to paint? I THINK SO!

Title: Master Swordsman - Thus Far
Date: December 23 - ?, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Notes: First few frames all animated out... many many more to come!