Square Thoughts

11/10/2005 - Moving the Blog.

I decided to move my blog.
b/c I am enjoying this.... and will be running out of image storage space very soon.

So if you have been enjoying- the sketches- head over and keep reading
Thanks

Brian
goobeetsablog

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11/9/2005 - Recent Drawing Stuff-aka Who are you stealing from?

Hello Again.
I am still working on the new show- which will be 12-15 pieces when
complete. But currently I'm writing notes, figuring out concepts and doing some
color studies...not very interesting from a visual standpoint.

So in the meantime I scanned some drawings from my binders.
I tend to do a lot of drawing from other people's work, as well as
strange little stream of consciousness things, and blind contours to keep the eyes
in tune.
These tend to help me generate ideas quickly- without worrying about how things will look- believe me there is plenty of time for worrying and panic attacks later:)

My drawings as I mentioned are ugly sort of things- that are more functional
than beautiful, here's one you may recognize:

These are the strange little drawings I like to do to loosen up- I draw one curve
and then flip the drawing 90 degrees and draw another shape- and so on...until an image develops. Sometimes they suck- sometimes they are very interesting.

and then there are the people who I am constantly learning from (steal from)
I work on a different batch of artist's each week. I've been looking at Staurt Davis and Jacob Lawrence's colorwork alot recently- but for pure cartoon drawing these guys have been helping me out :
Timm

hand practice- Bill Morrision, (Blue hands are from a Batman Coloring Book)

J Otto- great personality and shape and just plain fun.

and these 2

and a drawingboard favorite of mine Mandigero- I really loved this image
when I first saw it 2 years ago- so I decided to give it a go- and try to find out what
made it tick.

So there you go- I hoped you enjoyed seeing these- I'm a firm believer in the
notion that "art isn't created in a vaccum." There will be more originals coming
after I finish the preliminary stuff- so keep checking back.

-brian

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11/6/2005 - A New Comics Forum.

Advertisement below:

A friend and former classmate of mine Luis Diaz has a a website showcasing his
dark and fantastic, surreal images. He has worked with a variety of comicbook and movie companies- most recently providing images for the new series of Garbage Pail Kids. Here's his site: Luis Diaz

He and fellow artist Richard Porven have started a forum for showcasing their macbre creations as well: "Hallucinonia"

This advertisement brought to you by delicious Choco Leibniz. The wafer with chocolate! Open up a box and enjoy with your next cup of tea.

until next time-
Brian

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11/3/2005 - New Project- Costume Sketches

I am in the beginning stages of a new project. I've been gathering costume reference and
creating color studies based on stock characters. Lots more coming soon.

enjoy!
-brian

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10/28/2005 - Jason in the Library- My process

Hi everybody.
I thought this time I'd show you- "How I go about making an illustration."
My process is not a perfect thing- so many of the steps overlap, and there is lots of
trail and error when designing the characters, lots of shifting around of the pieces in photoshop etc.

Most of my ideas for illustrations start with little thumbnail sketches like this:

It's one of 15 or 20 ideas on a page, that I scrawl down quickly- usually
adding notes for color or details. Below are some other ideas I had about a
vampire crime scene (note: the upside down rough for the line-up piece)

Next, If the idea has some merit. I try it out in a composition sketch like this:
(also more ideas for another project- samurai organ grinder?)

I liked the idea enough to do a complete illustration. If I can't get the compostion
to work- I usually put it aside for a few days, or scrap it all together.
So at this point- I break out the reference material- and of course
I have forgotten to put in a picture of Jason- so you'll have to imagine it next to
the others. But you get the idea right?

Then a drawing is made of the major elements. They are flipped, and squashed and stretched until they are workable. Most of the drawings are never complete, they serve as a guideline for the computer work that is to come. The notes say Skew/smaller...and the author of the book is I.M. Irate....yeah I know very lame:)

I use photoshop for the coloring- using the pen and lasso tools to make the shapes.
The shading is done on multiply layers. The highlights and small details are on normal layers. I use layer sets to organize things. This is a small illustration so I had one folder for "Character" and one for "Background"

Final Comparision of the before and after

I love photoshop. When creating the shapes, the whole process feels more like
paper cut-outs. But when adding the shading and details it begins to feel like painting again. There's a nice duality in that for me.

Most of what has developed lately in my work has been a direct result of this book "Picture This" by Molly Bang...and just taking things from what I like. I'm really happy to be part of the drawing board forum- it's always very inspiring. It's exciting to watch your work, and the work of others improve.

Well I hope that gives you some insight into the my process.
thanks-
brian

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10/19/2005 - More Blocky Color Stuff-and some gestures

Like the titles says:
The blocky color stuff is from a stream of consciousness story that I haven't yet
finished. Draw an image- draw the next image- sort of thing.

The sketches are just some quick things from my daily routine of sketching.

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10/18/2005 - Color Studies

I'm in between projects right now...

So I'm working on my color skills. Doing roughs of movie posters- to get a feel

for the colors used; and why they seem to work so well. I did about 10 or 15

but these were my favorites.

7 year itch

Metropolis

House on Haunted Hill (Vincent Price)

A Boris Karloff movie (Can't remember which)

Hammer Vampire Film

Part 2 of this post is to show off a recent comission for a friend.

His wife saw the "Muppet Self-Portrait" I did recently and commisioned

something similar for her husband (who has an interest in astronomy)

They really enjoyed it- and that made me happy.

(note to Filius: I did steal your hanging star idea-I liked it too much not use it for this image.)

Until next time-

Brian

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10/18/2005 - Show Update

Show Update-
I sold a few things! Some framed work and prints.

I can't take photographs ( unfortunately) of the other artist's work
but here's 2 of their sites

Mister Reusch

Michael Ramseur

I have plans to sell the Demon Women prints on-line.

For those interested- I am adding a store to my portfolio site- which will be linked to PayPal.

I'm almost finished setting things up and will have a working link in 2-3 days.

I'll keep you posted.

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10/3/2005 - Lasso Tool- color roughs

Here's some rough ideas I'm working out: 2 character designs, a monster and girl piece- and a possible illustration about vanity (a washed - up, hollywood starlet-sortof thing.) Lots of stuff will change for the finals should they become something- but the general idea is there- and that's why I love the lasso tool.