Goldfish Monster, with some WIP

I’ve mentioned that I’m working on my color usage, yes? The entire point of this particular piece was to push my color usage, and experiment a bit with my application of watercolor. Also, I was trying to speed up my overall worktime (this sort of worked out). It’s a pretty silly, simple picture, but I like how it turned out overall. Sometimes one needs to draw something silly.

I don’t believe I pushed myself nearly enough, in the end, but the result was good at least. One lesson I learned is that I really, really need to make more of an attempt to prevent my hand oils from getting on the paper while I’m drawing. It’s hard to see the effects of this in the scan, but it’s there. And of course it drives me crazy. I’ve heard that laying down a layer of spray fixative over the pencilwork can help (putting a barrier of plastic between you and those hand oils!) so I may try that. Or I suppose I could put a slip of newsprint down under my hand like you’re supposed to. Heh…

I took photos of the piece as it progressed. If you’re interested, they’re after the cut.

Birdmarks part 2

After much procrastination (and many distractions) my second page of bookmarks is finished! (The first one is here, in case you missed it). Only four of these are either birds or bird ancestors, but what the hell. Birdmarks page 2!

Top: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Golden-faced dragon, Blue dragon of some sort, Eel-inspired dragon. Bottom: Some mossy sloth thing, Anchiornis, Velociraptor, Caudipteryx

As you can see, I went on a bit of a proto-avia spree at the end. The Anchiornis’ coloring is based partly on recent scientific discovery regarding its actual feather coloration, partly on modern Pileated Woodpeckers. The Velociraptor is loosely modeled on a Red-shouldered Hawk, and Caudipteryx is even more loosely inspired by a goose. Of course, after I finished painting Caudipteryx I realized just how tiny it was, and not really that goose-like at all, but ah well. It will be years before anyone can contradict me with concrete evidence!

I’m not done with that kick yet, either, so expect some more feathery saurians and proto-birds in the future.

I’m not very happy with the dragons. Dragons are usually my favorite, but these were probably overly influenced by the various anime I was watching while sketching them. Unless anyone’s desperately in love with them, it’s unlikely they’ll actually make it to my shop.

Mossy, dancing sloth monster just is.

As with last time, WIP after the cut!