Dames and Dinosaurs: All Wet

• Dames and Dinosaurs: All Wet •

I like drawing women and dinosaurs so why not put them together? This is the first print in a series themed: Dames and Dinosaurs. This was inspired from being shut in due to a rainy weekend in the SF Bay Area. I felt more like the dinosaur. I was not amused, lol. But, I was able to create this print so enjoy!

PROCESS

 Sketch

First step is coming up with an idea and then thumb-nailing it. Unfortunately I've saved over my thumbnail so I can't share it. So I'm skipping ahead to the sketch. During the early stages of the drawing process I prefer to work digitally using Adobe Photoshop. This frees me up mentally because I'm not bound to the drawing since it's just pixels allowing me to make drastic changes to better the art. Once I get something I like I convert it to a blue lined image. For Photoshop Users: Image > Mode > GrayScale > Duotone. In the color adjustment window that pops up after selecting Duotone adjust just the Cyan channel only to your liking in the CMYK section and zero out the rest of the color channels. I have a printer that can handle 11x17 bristol so I print blue line directly on to the paper. 

Pencils

Now that the sketch is blown up I'll go in and refine it further with blue pencil. Usually hands and faces need further refining. I stick to blue because it's easier to get rid of once it is scanned in allowing only the black ink to be left. 

Inks

Now my FAVORITE part, inking. I've switched inking tools through the years. Currently I like Raphael 8404 Kolinsky Sable #1 as my brush and for the nibs I use a G-nib or a Maru nib. I use the brush when I need to create very controlled smooth lines with varying thickness.  For example the girl is mostly brush. The nibs I use to get more of a sketchy drawing feel. The dinosaur is all nib so he is "rougher" in contrast to the girl. For my ink I enjoy cheap Speedball Special Black. It's watery which reacts better with a brush and if you're into washes you can get varying gray tones in the ink. The paper is Strathmore 500 series Semi-Smooth Bristol, which is kind of hard to find in art stores unless you have a nice comic community in your area. I order mine online from Blick Art. I use papers with a tactile surface as opposed to a smooth finish because I actually get more control when inking. As a professor explained to me if you zoom into the paper you will see that a rough surface will have peaks and valleys that are trying to grab at the bristles of a brush. This actually forces the brush to retain its tip allowing more control. Pretty neat, huh?

Once the inking is complete I scan in the image and get rid of the blue line using the Photoshop Channel Mixer. Then switch the image mode to grayscale and bump up the contrast so the black ink can really get beefed up. From there I color it. 

I will admit this is brief outline and hopefully in the future I'll create a detailed document.

Until then if you have any specific questions about my process please shoot me an email: robinholsteindraws@gmail.com

Pokemon Commission

The Secret World of Arriety

 

In anticipation for the release of "The Secret World of Arriety" here is a 90min challenge. Not sure if you know that this is, but you have ninety minutes to create a finished image. It was difficult at first but I think I'm starting to get the hang of the challenges. 

The Triforce!

Alatriste

Inspired to create this after watching the movie Alatriste

Warm-up

From the Sketchbook

I was in DC for a day this week and I figured sketching Captain America was appropriate. That was my first time in DC and it was nice to be the tourist and see a few important landmarks before jetting home. Which I almost didn't make it because DC has a 10pm curfew at their airport. First (and probably only) airport I have been to with a curfew.

From the Sketchbook

Snow White concept. Trying to get better with drawing the ladies. In hind sight i should have made her performing an action to figure out her personality than just looking like a porcelain doll. oh, well.

Medium: Blue Pencil / Winsor Newton Series 7 #2 brush

Just bought a Pentel pocket brush and I love it. I have to get used to the weight since it's heavier than my Winsor Newton brush. I also enjoy the thickness of the Pentel when gripping it (big hands), and not having to stop and get more ink. Sometimes I get into a groove when inking and having to stop for fill up the brush can ruin my flow.

As, for the sketch I decided to draw a old guy. I love elderly males because I can throw as many hatch marks as I want and it will look fine. As opposed to females where its the 'less is more' scenario.

Medium: Blue Pencil / Pentel Pocket Brush (yay!)

This is my inspired sketch from "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin. It's Ged or Sparrowhawk at a young age just learning how to summon little critters.

Medium: Blue Pencil / Pentel Pocket Brush

Getting distracted

Trying to work on homework, but having a hard time focusing so I decided to make this sketch instead. Materials are black pencil and a fat permanent marker. Trying to work on my focal point and treating the drawing as a design when using spot blacks.

Also, here is a funny picture that my girlfriend took about a year ago. I think it demonstrates how I feel right now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/susanholsteinphotography/4543936754/

Don't Look Into Her Eyes!!!

I need to work into my schedule at least a hour a day where I draw for myself. It's the only way for me to experiment and address any drawing issues that I have. Like for example my characters need to be more expressive. They're all starting to get bland and stiff which stinks.

2 1/2 hours

Speed Illustration 1 1/2 hours for completion

Old Sketches