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I found this neat old sign for Mutt’s Amazing Hot Dogs and thought it would make an interesting study. I changed the wording a little. #digitalpaiting #vintage #sign #hotdog #study #photoshop #lettering

Excited and honored to be on @chrisoatley ArtCast this week with 4 other astonishing talents: @zachsgotyourback @doozdraws @amiefarrellart @natalieskerlong talking about how our approaches to visual development have changed as we’ve learned, and our recent mentorship experiences with Chris and the amazing @elyjenna You can hear the show and join the conversation at: chrisoatley.com/visdevmyths/

SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch is today!

The painting style from that last piece turned out to be too complex for the project, so I’m toying with ways to simplify. So far the method is to start with a photo study (so I can just observe rather than invent the light and color) and for each part I try to just suggest with a shape or a gradient rather than rendering, and see how far that gets me. #visdev #illustration #conceptart #digitalpaiting #library #gothic #window #reading #books

An uneasy silence settled in the hallway between the fiction and non-fiction sections. Neither Marie Curie nor Will Shakespeare could remember who had started it, but both were determined not to be the first to break it. . #shakespeare #curie #visdev #library #illustration #digitalpaiting #portrait #statue #bust #fiction #science #literature

Aaaaa....what sword? Some early design sketches of Lucas from my sketchbook. I think I’m starting to get better at capturing expressions. I was so excited to get this pose to look like the image I had in my head. #characterdesign #visdev #conceptart #sketches #sword #expressions

A few more character design variations for Laina from my sketchbook. Trying out different versions of curly red pigtail poofs. I got the pose for no. 3 from a little boy I saw who was giving his dog a lecture. #visdev #characterdesign #illustration #sketch #conceptart #pencil #pigtails #hairstyles

Sketches for a bust of William Shakespeare come to life. I had fun trying out different expressions in the mirror for these. You might be able to see a little Eric Idle and Stanley Tucci in them too. #visualdevelopment #visdev #conceptart #characterdesign #sketches #shakespeare #statue

Cathartic burning of artwork from last night’s Art On Fire winter solstice event at @lawrencepercolator. I had 3 prints in the show but this Robert Heinlein inspired stag print from a skillshare lunch at the office didn’t find a new home, so it was consigned to the bonfire. Kinda fitting for the quote at the bottom of the print: “Brightly, brightly, and with beauty.” Big thanks to the Percolator and Andy Papek for organizing the event.

Some more bits from my character design sketchbook. I was looking for some hairstyles that would make little Julia’s dark hair into an interesting shape, but still keep it out of her eyes while playing sports. Julia’s design went in a really different direction than these but a version of pig tails made it to the final design. #visdev #characterdesign #conceptart #illustration #sketchbook

Some character variations from my sketchbook. I was trying out some different head and hair shapes looking for something that fit her personality. We ended up going in a different direction, but there’s something I really like about number 9. I may come back to her for something else. #visdev #characterdesign #conceptart #sketchbook #pencil #redhair

I need some angry bickering faces for a couple of my characters so I spent some time yesterday sketching from YouTube clips of old sitcoms. It’s a good way to find interesting facial expressions that are a little more animated than just angry eyebrows. The likenesses aren’t great but you may be able to pick out Frank, Marie, and Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond and Ed O’Neil from Married with Children in there. Check out those amazing angry mouth shapes on Peter Boyle 😠 #visdev #conceptart #characterdesign #drawing #sketches #pencil

Introducing the “Let’s make a thing!” Voices in my Head DIY Puppet Kit. It contains everything you need to make an adorable or deplorable mini minion out of your own drawing, complete with easy to follow instructions! I’ll be handing these out at CTNX this weekend (while supplies last). If you see me, say hi! I’d love to give you one. #ctnx #puppet #kit #visdev #characterdesign #illustration #crafts #clothespin #design #DIY

When I was a kid it always struck me that every chair I sat in was built with someone 2x my size in mind. I imagine if you were a 4.5 ft tall alien you would have the same issue. I had this fun idea of putting my alien in one of those classic Jacobsen egg chairs like a little Edith Ann, and that lead to a whole rabbit hole of mid century seating options. #visdev #conceptart #propdesign #illustration #animation #alien #midcentury #eggchair #sketch #design #chair #furnature #digitalpaiting #pencil #photoshop #lilytomlin

In the 60’s, even a ride on the bus could look like stepping into a future of rocket ships and atomic power (or at least in my head). A set of silhouettes for a mid-century bus that will take my main character from his old familiar surrounding to a futuristic government lab. Along with the retro shapes, you can also see some reference to the great steam ships that took early immigrants from Europe to the states at the turn of the century. #visdev #conceptart #retro #midcentury #bus #silhouette #illustration #design #retrofuture #propdesign #sketch #greyhound

A secret government lab or a radiation proof shelter can be a stressful place for kids. So Uncle Sam makes every effort to bring our littlest citizens all the comforts of home when away from home. And that includes a good ol’ American box of crayons. . I needed some crayons for my alien to draw with, and it got me thinking, “What kind of crayons would you find on a secret base?” Civil defense ration crayons, that’s what! My initial instinct was to make them utilitarian, but my research turned up so many fun and quirky graphic styles from the period that I just had to find something more interesting. I figure the government suppliers would want to give the kids something fun and expansive to think about while they are cooped up, so I came up with this space theme. #packagingdesign #visdev #conceptart #civildefense #crayon #box #secret

Good morning loyal subject. While One certainly does not condone your skullduggerious activities, One would like to present you with this royal cipher disc, should you find it necessary to send Us any missives of a clandestine nature. As always, We shall disavow all knowledge of you and your actions should you be caught. So don’t be. Stiff upper lip. — HRH ER II . . . #visdev #conceptart #digitalpaiting #illustration #queen #england #royal #secret #cipher #cryptography #slang #british #spy #sketch #design #graphicdesign