"Just the Same But Brand New"

Because I like St. Vincent, that’s why.  But also, because I think it’s reflective of this ambiguous sense of stasis and that surrounds any aspiring artist’s work in many ways.  It’s something you try to overcome, through improving your technique or through complexity in your work but it’s also something that’s difficult to abandon, as it’s somehow become all you know.  Of course, it does sometimes seem, when you look back at your work, both old and new, as if countless generations and ages have passed by; as if entire worlds were opened and then collapsed over the intervals between finished works.  You look at a similar aspect of two different drawings and you think how radically your approach to it has altered. But despite these leaps you believe you’ve made, something has endured.  For better or worse, there is a lingering, seemingly inescapable contiguity between the images.  It’s also just a nice title.  And yes.  This is how I talk now.

This is part of an unofficial series of illustrations I did in order to test various colouring techniques (I have yet to acquire a tablet and I’m still searching for ways to make the process more efficient and appealing), perspective concepts, character proportions and character design.  I learnt I still have plenty to learn (obviously) but I also learnt a lot while doing it.  There’s no real context for this stuff (I titled this Alien Escapee in Photoshop but it could just as easily be a bounty hunter or... a freedom fighter) other than the vaguest of details.

Also from that same “series”.  I'm reluctant to use that word because it maybe suggests more intentionality than there actually was.  I just happened to draw these ‘round about the same time with similar compositions.  This must’ve been the first one I sketched, though, ‘cause things noticeably more “wonky” than the other one. These were all sketched and then later inked freehand.  I should point out, however, that they were not done in the exact order they were conceived.  So while I may have sketched this first, the inking and colouring were likely done after the first one.  Either way, there’s some stuff on here which I really worked well , but also some stuff which didn’t work so well, but which led to some interesting solutions later on.

Probably my favourite from the series (screw it, you know what I mean), if only because of the lighting.  It’s not perfect, I mean those shadows on the bridge should reach a lot further off frame judging by how they hit her thigh, but whatevs.  It may just be because it’s more “Naruto-ish” than the rest (I called it Travelling Sage) but I really like the design and, of all the works presented here, I would probably choose to develop this as a concept, though I know not for what.  Also, that “blur” on the right isn’t an effect or anything.  It’s just the opacity of the layers and the particular mix of colours converging the way they did.  Just a freak accident really.

Although the Travelling Sage image is my personal favourite, I think this one probably came out looking the best.  There’s an effective simplicity, about the colouring especially, which I’ve been pursuing pretty much ever since.  Every time I look at this picture though, I can’t help but think how impractical that outfit is for... whatever it is that she is.  Thief, assassin, performing acrobat... whatever her profession, that outfit would hinder her in some way.  Looks cool, though.

I’m not sure how this ranks, as far as comebacks go.  I know it's not Robert Downey Jr. levels, but at least I’m no Jay-Z (anyone who’s bothered to read my older entries would know why that’s especially funny, not that I’d advise as much).  I stopped for a number of reasons, mostly because I didn’t think anyone cared, but I’ve returned to blogging mostly as a means of holding myself accountable for my art related activities (or lack thereof).  I need some concrete document that I’m actually moving towards something and not just imagining that I am.  And hopefully that will feed into the process and propel me even faster towards whatever that may be, with increased clarity. If not, I can at least work on my self-indulgent, pretentious prose.  Now that the people in the streets have long overtaken me, this impression of weightlessness no longer feels like it’s enough. (Annie Clark, I’m sorry if I’ve butchered the meaning of your lyrics).