This piece is one of them I am working on right now, I am in process of more than one, something I am trying not to do. In my Steampunk game, there are item cards you can find, some are useful in-game, others are simply treasure. This one, could go either way frankly, but will probably have a limited use. The drawing is not quite done, but I am uncertain what direction I want to go to finish it. I remember seeing my friend’s grandmother wear a wrist piece for sewing that had several things on it. I have seen other ideas like that, some actually were used and some are expansions for the Steampunk theme. Which is this? I am not sure, but it also has a bit of armor to it being a hard leather gauntlet.
Gauntlet Sewing Kit
There are a couple of details I need to correct or smooth on the piece, but the foundation is there and it is mostly complete. I drew quite a bit of it sitting outside for lunch – pleasant but bad lighting for computer use.
This picture is a return to things more closely related to my game design. Obviously this needs some changes to fit on an airship but I was still working on lighting and other aspects. I would prefer it to be a bit smoother, but am pleased with several aspects of this picture. I started somewhat differently in this on than I have in several others with the first layer or two being simple washes of gradual color development. In the others I have started with shadows and highlights to mark specifics. Working on these also reminds me of the frequency with which you see people comment on Photoshop as synonymous with fake images…I started this with blank pages, not even white and developed the image just as if on a canvas….where is the fake part? I enjoy this type of art with the Wacom for the ability to combine styles I learned in traditional art forms without the requirement to sit in a studio for days…I can do this at lunch at work.
< This one is The previous drawing I said I was not going to finish right now. I decided to post it in the current state so you can see where I am on it.
I am finally posting this drawing. Frankly, I’m not entirely pleased with it and have had a terrible time figuring out what is actually causing the aspects I do not like in these drawings. I am not sure if it is the medium, the brushes, me, or what. I am pleased with my progress and the development in the depth of an image and use of layering but still find lighting an issue. Oddly, I am usually good with shadows, it is the highlights that get me. Certain materials and textures are a challenge for me. Metals, Skin, and stones are especially challenging to build up color by color without metallic colors. I need to understand a few things in Photoshop better. Overall, good progress and development, just not what I was initially intending. Makes a difference when you know someone well I think.
This is one of my favorites so far, but partially because I just love sari
Today’s Picture was drawn from an image at DressRepublic.com
The pattern is a little different, but recognizable. I love Sari, I was going to make my wedding dress out of the material but went with leather instead. Some of my roommates in Hawaii had beautiful Sari and we would get dressed up in them and I would go to temple with them sometimes for dinner and to watch the dancing. I loved it, they are gorgeous, comfortable, flattering, and incredible materials. I have collected some images from the correct period Sari and want to include them in my Steampunk game. Besides, they are great practice in how material moves and hangs with the types of materials used and the draping.
Working with my Wacom today I found myself doing a whole new style of art. For one thing, I have to learn portraits and people if I am going to do the art for the game. As such, I did several stages of a test male in a Victorian suit and cravat. I have an art style in mind that is somewhere between a slightly cartoonized old photograph and an old sketch. It requires either being able to draw all the right tones in sepia or drawing it all in color and making it sepia, so far I prefer the result of the second. I am beginning to remember more of the material recreation drawing I learned in college taking design. In the Interior design portion of my program we had a couple of classes that required exact recreations of a variety of design and construction materials using colored pencils. The Wacom is a perfect medium for a quicker version of this method. It is a good skill for this project although it can be very time consuming and I am out of practice. I am uncertain what my final art style will be, as I work, I find I like the images in color for the people. I may combine art styles and use different ones in different parts of the game if they blend together. I have been drawing in Photoshop. I tried GIMP but it doesn’t work right with my Wacom and I am not yet clear how to fix the problem. These are drawn only except for the one I made a sepia version of.
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Art's Folly 