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.

Puffty Tufty

I found a scrap of wrinkled MiTientes and felt like painting with gouache. I decided to make a bird, and I like the look of black and white on gray, so I searched for a black and white bird. I came upon the Tufted Jay, native to Mexico. I thought its little hairdo was so cute! I didn't feel like making a drawing first, so I just started painting away. It resulted in an awkward-looking bird, but there are things I like about it.

I want to make more birdies now! But I have trouble coming up with natural looking poses.

The Beautiful People, Take 2

I like these caricatures better. Still not perfect but then I guess it's hard since I can't see their features from other angles. I can't get a handle on what their noses look like. Yay, we like Brooks Brothers.

I'm Voguing!

I found the proceeding ad in Vogue magazine and decided to use it as my caricature practice. I thought trying to exaggerate models' features would be challenging. I had never done any caricatures, to my recollection. Drawing people isn't really my bag, baby.

I came up with this drawing. I don't think it works too well as a caricature; usually they're cartoonier, and uglier/meaner, than this. I think the woman was easier. Thank goodness for her far-apart eyes! The man came out pretty generic. I tried to latch on to his uneven eyebrows and kind-of-weird ears. Ah well, not too bad for a first attempt. If anyone else tries this, lemme see!

Monkey Business Casual

Oh yeah, here's the finished painting of the proboscis monkey. Watercolors and inks, about 4 inches wide.

No Gnus is good Gnus

I went to the Getty. I drew a python killing a gnu.

I don't really like sketching paintings, because they don't really look too impressive as some pencil scribbles. But this one is a clay model, so it gave me a 3D form to wrap my head around. And look, my drawing is of the opposite side as the photo of this piece on the Getty website. Ooo, ah, oh! (Poppinfresh dough)

Nasalis Haiku

Proboscis monkey,
Wearing a blue polo shirt,
Chopsticks in pocket.

This is how I start a watercolor painting. I put lightish washes of color all over the picture, usually wet-in-wet. I've been using my Niji waterbrush for small character study type pictures like this. Also Winsor & Newton watercolors, both Cotman and Artist's.

Monkey's Casual Friday

Here's the inked picture of the proboscis monkey. I went right over my pencil sketch, which was pretty messy so no scan of it.

He's thinking about lunch.

Pig ---> Primate

Another doodle, this time of a bald Japanese monkey, sticks in my mind. So does a drawing of a proboscis monkey. The pig has now become a monkey. Tune in next time for the finished line art.

Carousel of Progress

I thought the progression of a picture might be fun. Today, we have a little drawing that inspired a finished picture. This pig showed up on my page of daily doodles. I kind of liked him, and I hadn't done any color in a while so I decided to try to develop it as a painting. Somewhere along the line, he changed into a different animal. Tune in next time to see what!

Wee Kiwi

Here's a little watercolor doodle of a happy kiwi. It was going to be on a pile of strawberries but I didn't feel like making them.

Skunk Gymnastics

When spotted skunks are threatened, they stamp their front feet, then go into a handstand before they spray. This one's practicing.

Oh Bwunhilda, you're so wuvwy...

Here's a Valkyrie cow. It's hard to make an animal with hooves look like it's holding something. And to make them stand on 2 legs but still kind of have regular cow anatomy.

I like her bangs.

Mmm, helical!

This may be the weirdest picture I've ever made. It came out pretty much exactly as it appeared in my mind. It's some kind of DNA candy, don't ask me what it means!

Bwa-ha-ha!

Last post of the month! I saw some Inca terns at the zoo a while back. They had interesting long curly white feathers by their bright red beaks. I sketched a few with some color notes (which, after finding some references online just now, I see weren't very accurate!). Recently, I saw a picture of one in a book and was reminded of my first thought: they looked like old-timey moustached villains. I'm sure this one is thinking of tying a girl to the railroad tracks or something.

Water Dog

I love new art supplies so. I got a new Winsor Newton Series 7 brush, and some nice new Alizarin Crimson paint, and what do I use them for? A picture of an axolotl with a feather boa.

It's not easy bein' green

First up, we have a green penguin. Not for any artistic purposes, just because I was too lazy to mix black. I was mostly trying out a new outline-less style. I did the green first, with no drawing underneath, so it's a big wonky but it works. Then I added the red. Finally, I scrubbed on some blue to define the white edges. I think it looks kinda cool, but it leaves no room for errors! Penguin photo referenced from a nice photographer who took it for an old Sea World souvenir book.

My other picture is a raccoon dog, acting more doggy than raccoony. I was surprised when I drew this because I don't think it looks like my style. Water-soluble ink smeared around.