Untuva Art

I loved the idea behind Utopia’s “hidden messages” in pages of art/comics - in both US and UK versions of the show. João Ruas’ (the artist behind ‘Utopia’ and ‘Dystopia’ illulstrations in the US remake) art style is absolutely stunning to me as well. I wanted to pay tribute of having one of the pieces on our wall. I had made some pages from The Utopia Experiments (UK version’s graphic novel) for my SO, but I’m not sure how I feel about posting those quite yet.

During a period of art block and a need for a stress relief, I started making postcard sized copies of video game related posters & in-game items. (I make these for my own enjoyment as an addition to my postcard collection on our wall).

This was also a fairly good opportunity to practice the use of watercolors as a medium and matching the colors seen - which I have had a lot of problems with.

Another reference study I started in February. I’m slowly trying to add more color to train my brain away from monochrome mindset.

Also losing my s*it trying to wiggle and figure out the software and exporting settings for digital painting, so the posted image doesn’t look way different from what I’ve been staring at. Kind of makes me want to go back to traditional art altogether but I’ll figure it out.

Counsilor Mel Medarda from Arcane.

Marisha Ray as fun-creepy Laudna with Pâté de Rolo.

My patience has been thin lately, so I felt like leaving the drawing in a sketch-like stage, and since I messed up something with compression or exporting of the file - it left the picture unnervingly grainy. Another one to ear-mark to be re-drawn some day.

[Edit] Already did a re-draw. The two lower ones are the first versions.

Tablet & new drawing software practice.

Digital painting study from reference.

Digital painting study for practice.

“(metal music on radio) This is one of the greatest love songs ever written.“

There’s a lot that bothers me with the Bright (2017) movie, but I absolutely love the design and makeup work of the orcs, I still go back to the movie just for them. Even with the prosthetics the orcs still have a realistic feel to them and room to emote (unless the minor facial muscles were animated post-edit or something - in any case kudos for the end result!). Especially for Jakoby as a character - he’s such a gentle sweetheart.

Digital painting study for practice.

“Harriet is a pookah, that rare form of spirit which has a genuine love of mortals. She is vaguely confused as to why her friends tend to end up in white, padded rooms, but doesn't let it bother her. “ One of the games I loved in my adolescence was Ghost Master (2003), and still enjoy it to this day even though it’s relatively outdated visually. I see a lot of potential in it for a remake or a spiritual successor (like Dungeon Keeper games to War for the Overworld), but I doubt there’s a “big enough market” for its kind.

Ashley Johnson’s lovely character on Exandria Unlimited, Fearne Calloway aka Dita Faun Thief.

I had a bit of trouble with patience; First tried making it digitally - didn’t like it, scrapped it. Tried to trace the digital sketch on paper and paint it - didn’t like it, left it unfinished. Tried digitally again from scratch, and here it is.

I feel like if I spend too much time on one piece while feeling like it’s not working out or the progress seems to take me further away from finishing it the way I see it in my head - I just need to drop it. Maybe after some time I’ll come back to this, redraw it or continue on the WIP file.

I have been itching to put something on the walls of the new apartment and simultaneously stressing about not having ideas for creativity - I thought it might be cool to have a map from a game on the wall and decided to make a copy of Enderal: Forgotten Stories world map (on A3 paper). Allowing myself to make a mess and wrinkles (on purpose) was somewhat therapeutic, I think I’m hooked on making maps now... The scanner is still in unpacked, so that’s a task for later.

As much as I love all of the characters in Critical Role’s Mighty Nein, Caduceus hits a very specific soft spot in my heart with his perfectly balanced patient kindness and wise tough love.

Practicing digital painting is testing my patience. I’d like to think it’s because of drawing with a janky mouse instead of using a tablet, but mostly for not being familiar with digital painting or using colors in general - who knows.

The first version was digital color on inked lines but I didn’t much care for it and decided to redraw the lines digitally as well.

I might come back to this one to redraw and paint it in watercolor, but for now I am tired of this project - just wanted to get it over with. Despite that, I can see some progress in skills and that makes me happy.

[ Draugr / Draugai ]

I recently started studying Lithuanian, and it brings me child-like joy and giggles to make connections even if they’re completely unrelated. Like the name of the zombie-like enemies in Skyrim Draugr and the word for ‘friends’ in Lithuanian Draugai.

And just in time for Valentine’s Day too, which in Finnish is “friend’s day”. I hope you have a lovely one! Be kind to yourself and each other!