Tapejara (Old Being)

I hadn't done any serious computer art in quite some time (and only once did I do something that wasn't for an assignment). For some reason I've forgotten now, I really wanted to draw a pterosaur. I decided on Tapejara, a weird reptile with a big crest. After three evenings of work, I threw in the towel and declared this exercise finished.

Now, being such a digital art newbie, I didn't have any techniques to use, so I just started in. I prefer digital art that doesn't look like it was obviously done digitally. First, I did the preliminary sketch with my tablet, then blocked in areas of color in Photoshop. The majority of the details were done with the size 3 hard-edged brush, set at various degrees of opacity, and lots of tiny scribbly lines. At the end, I put an almost transparent layer of grayish-green over everything to try to bring it together, like I might do with a wash of watercolor to try to tie different areas together.

The hard thing with reconstructions is that you never know if all your hard work is resulting a totally inaccurate creature! I did do some research of course, but not exhaustive research, and all the reconstructions I found of Tapejara looked pretty different. I based its coloring on cassowaries, the king vulture, the casqued lizard, and a cute bird called the crested coua. Many, but not all, resources said that pterosaurs most likely were furry. Next time I do computer art, I'd like to try something with not so many different textures.

Cuteness, defined

The majority of my sketches fall into three categories. In this post, I show some examples of the first thing: overtly cute animals. I went through various sketchbooks and found these images as examples. Looking at them all together, it seems like to me, cute involves something with a big head, most likely with its mouth open, and maybe an arm raised or a hand on its chin. Big eyes are not a necessity, but they do help. Fuzzy is good, as are small legs and feet.

Clockwise from the top, I've drawn a tarantula (who says mammals are the only cute animals?), a confused bilby, a puppy, a kitten with bat wings for ears, a goose, and a kangaroo.

Color Sketches (kind of)

Here are some things taken from my daily sketches. For this first one, I used a red pen. Anyone want to guess what breed of dog it is? I like the cat, it's not my usual style but it has a certain charm. She has a bell on her collar but it looks kind of like a skull, which makes it even cooler!

The little purple goat was a quick sketch, also not really in my usual drawing style. For some reason, I can't stop looking at it. Ah, what a narcissist I am! I think I just like its expression. Why do I like my scribbly things more than the "real" art?

You got me a Taco Hat!

While flipping through a book, I saw a sketch of a character in cowboy gear. I thought the ten-gallon hat looked more like a taco. And so, in the spirit of Homer Simpson's Nacho Hat, I give you the Taco Hat! Watercolor sketch (as if you couldn't tell.)

More things from the sketchbook to come soon.