Hope that you enjoy this one, more to come soon.

Little bonus tutorial as well - to show the steps...

Sorry that it was delayed from Saturday... but I hope it was worth it.

And the tutorial...

As always... time to just keep on powering more down!

Title: Game of Thrones - Season 1, Episode 1 (Stark's Dilemma) (Work in Progress)
Date: June 17 - 24, 2014
Medium: Photoshop CS6
Scale: Original is 12.8" x 7.8"

Notes: I really want to do a study for every episode, so I've been taking screen caps of what I would consider to be a 'pinnacle' moment of each episode. I'm really behind as far as the work goes, but I love this show so damn much that I just want to keep pushing on my studies for these. They are some great examples of dynamic lighting, crazy scenes, and even awesome character design. Either way... more to come on these.

All of these words are so negative. I hear people everyday talk about how "If only I could have done this..." It just grinds on me everyday. If you want to do it, STOP MAKING EXCUSES. Just do it. Try something new, try it again, don't give up. It might sound cliche, but that old Nike slogan had it right: Just Do It. I think truer words could not be said.

Stop letting things get in the way. If something distracts you, get rid of it. Move it, change things. The world doesn't change in a day. It takes time, but just stick with it.

If it's one thing I've learned since I've started doing art, you just have to do it. There is no special 'instructions' to doing it. You just have to get out there and do it. The media doesn't matter, the size of your paper doesn't matter. Honestly, my Life Drawing professor had it right in some capacity "Some of the most interesting work throughout history wasn't even done with the intention of it coming out that way." Basically just get in there, make a mess. Go in with an open mind, don't think about the results, think about the journey there. And once you get to that destination, look forward and grab a new one.

I've had people ask me why I do art, or even how I got started. Well firstly, I don’t think there is anything else I can do. I tried a multitude of jobs… everyone of them always inevitably led back to doing art somehow.


Over time I saw a pattern and so I just stuck with it. You can actually track my progress from beginning to now…

The point I’m trying to make with this rambling is that everyone needs to stop making excuses and just fucking do it. Do exactly what you set your mind on. I think there is an old saying that goes something like: “Do what you love and life will work itself out.”

Title: The Graverobber (WIP)
Date: August 8 & 9, 2013
Medium: Photoshop

Scale: Original is 2755px x 4150px

Notes: Still a ton of work to do yet, but here is my piece so far... I can't get enough of Repo! The Genetic Opera. I think it might be my favorite movie honestly. I tried to go a little more 'painterly' on this one, but like I said I have a long way to go. And for some reason I keep avoiding the right side... <shrug>

Title: True Blood Portrait Series 2: Hoyt Fortenberry
Date: August 5 & 7, 2013
Medium: Photoshop

Scale: Original is 10" x 13"

Notes: Looks like I skipped a day and didn't even realize it hahaha!! Oh well... here is Jessica's counterpart, Hoyt. He was a bit faster to paint, either that or I'm getting better at this whole transferring thing... Regardless, it was a fun one.

More soon!

Title: True Blood Portrait Series 2: Opposites Attract I
Medium: Photoshop

Notes: I originally had this plan to lay each of them out side-by-side. Each pairing would be a counterpart type thing. I'm going to try and do each one of them as I go. And then I'll upload them all together at the end to see how they relate, which are better, etc.

Title: My Muse
Date: August 5, 2013
Medium: Photoshop CS3

Scale: Original is 2400px x 3200px

Notes: The coolest part about this painting was how the light was playing on her face. It was like two different light sources competing at the same time for attention. I can't help but love paint ma'lady! She is my muse for sure. She's the one that started me on the path to artlyness, and she's the one that constantly pushes me to do more and more art! Without her I don't really think that I would do any art at all...

Title: True Blood Portrait Series 2: Alcide Herveaux
Date: July 24 & 30 - 31, 2013
Medium: Photoshop

Scale: Original is 10" x 13"

Notes: Err... there was a bit of a break in between on this one. I started it right after the Jessica painting, and I think I just got kind of side-tracked on other things I guess. Or maybe I can just blame my Skyrim addiction as of late. I've been playing quite a bit of that before school starts up again. But what can I say, that game is ridiculously addicting.

Anyway, here is the finished painting of Alcide. I think it's a step up from my previous attempt...

I can say though, to simulate a blurry background is nothing short of impossible. I tried the blur tool, I tried a blur filter... I just said screw it and just used a blurry brush and dabbed it here and there.

Tutorial:

Title: Dazed and Confused
Date: July 30, 2013
Medium: Photoshop

Scale: Original is 2400px x 3200

Notes: I haven't done a self-portrait in a little while... and here it is, with a little bit of experimentation. Did this one really fast honestly (around 1-hour-ish...) and just had a blast. The portrait is a little on the creepy side... but it was the best of the two I took for ref. Mental note: Try and not be creepy in pictures, but I can't guarantee anything.

Also, this was a contest entry for here!

Title: True Blood Portrait Series 2: Jessica
Date: July 21 - 23, 2013
Medium: Photoshop

Scale: Original is 10" x 13"

Notes: HEY! Remember back a few months ago when I painted Jessica (and all the rest of the True Blood cast...) Well, here's a redo!

 Original Painting...

I'd like to think that I've gotten a little bit better? More on this redo of the portrait series coming soon!

Oh, and as usual, here's the tutorial...

Faith has Learned Her Lesson

Title: Faith has Learned Her Lesson
Date: July 14, 2013
Medium: Photoshop

Notes: For anyone that keeps up with Buffy or Angel (which I was skeptical about at first, but it actually proves to be a pretty awesome show), this is a powerful scene from Angel. I just really wanted to try and continue on that push with the painting, and this is actually the first time that I have ever used the flip canvas in Photoshop and actually seen results.