This is another sketch done all in Photoshop. I actually have some more finished things in the works that are all digital too. I seem to be considering dropping the pencils again. It happens every year or so :) Who knows... maybe this time it will stick! In other news, I decided a few weeks ago to upgrade the Wordpress install I use for this blog. Or rather, I decided to downgrade it... After re-learning html, CSS, and PHP every 6 months for the last few years in the pursuit of keeping ‘up-to-date’ I thought it might be a good idea to stick with the most basic default template, and the least amount of plug-ins possible. Cutting down on life clutter, etc. Of course 5 minutes in and I am struggling with some ridiculously simple task that takes 5 hours to resolve. But such is the price of freedom. I am definitely not a web developer, and barely a web designer. But... I have always had aspirations on being able to design on a theoretical level. The only official art schooling I ever took was in graphic design, and despite not really getting as much as I could out of the course, I did come away with a lot of theory that related not just to page layout and logo design, but to all art in general. It is strange then to realise how badly my site has been (and is still) designed, just from an information flow point of view. I realised I was organising for ease of use. But more for my ease than others. People often ask where the art is. And I’m starting to realise my cool idea of having all my Dailyscrible Sketchblog entries in one easy location hides a good portion of my best work from people who had no idea what the Dailyscribble was. as does organising things based on time (new art etc...) great for me. Useless for anyone else. So...more re-org required. I haven’t really gotten there yet, still trying to figure out what the best way to shuffle things into categories is. I have made a small attempt to bring the more important items to the foreground via link icons on the sidebar. The typography and general design of which any of my designer friends would no doubt shield their eyes from. But I am learning. :) As always

I have been sketching digitally of late. haven't had a chance to get my full on drawing setup going after moving around between houses so it's all I have. This is just a warm up in photoshop after not drawing for a few weeks (writing scripts and getting wisdom teeth removed instead). Trying to get my eye used to the laptop screen still. I was checking out the image in my last post (the dancing one) on a proper lcd screen and it looked like rubbish :)

An actual thumbnail sized thumbnail. Scanned and painted a bit. I have this vague but nagging interest in doing some poster sized prints. Last year I bought an Epson 3800 (A2 photo printer) and have been trying to find an excuse to print something large. Most of my work to date is just too small in resolution to warrant it. This is a tentative idea along those lines. One of many.

I haven't really had anything fancy to post of late. Been focusing on writing my comic script and planning things out. Plus enjoying a break in my life that will probably not come around again for a while :> Instead I have started scribbling in pocket size sketchbooks wherever I go. Something I always strayed away from. Now I find it hard to go somewhere without one. Hopefully the feeling adheres when I start drawing full-time again. These are nothing special, just some character ideas for my book and other hand occupying bits and pieces.

Another design for my new book.

My trip to France went well. Despite the 22 hour flight, getting sick half way through, and realising that signing books is actual work :)) fun was had. Shoutouts to everyone I met over there. It was nice to catch up with all the people at (and around) Editions Delcourt who I have been working with remotely for so long . I probably sketched-in/dedicated about 200 books by the end of the trip. Constantly reminded how much of a newbie I was at it by my signing buddy Jerome (Artist of 7 Voleurs and storyboarder for 7 Pirates) who continued to draw and ink large pictures of people fighting dragons and riding horses etc in 10 minutes... Anyway, the above pic is another character design for my planned untitled fantasy comic. (I have mostly abandoned the idea of flat color for now)

I am off to France this week to sign copies of 7 Pirates. If anyone wants to check the adgenda for where I am going I think the Delcourt Site has locations and dates. The first one is on the 29th (at a Virgin store in Paris), and the last one on 9th of November (at a store called Brüsel in Bruxelles). With lots more sprinkled in between. The first time I have done anything like this and I am looking forward to it :) Here is another small thumbnail creature design I did last week:

 

 

 

Some more designs for my next project. I have been doing concept design for other people over the last few weeks so no chance to do more on this. I got my copies of 7 Pirates in the mail today though :)) kind of scary and fun at the same time...I still can't wipe the stupid grin off my face every time I look at it.