WIP: Book Character
Xris | 09/19/2006 @280 | edit post

WIP: BOOK CHARACTER CONCEPT SKETCH Having recently begun a collaboration on a novel with  Repercutir, I'm taking a break in the book's site building and writing to begin some concept character work. This is the WIP for my first character, The Grand Wizard Jen aZ Pinz of Corivan. While the island of Ki (in the novel) is populated primarily with humans, Corivan the mainland, is populated with a whole host of creatures. So over the next few months, both myself and Repercutir will need to come up with ideas for various non-human cast characters. This is my first drawing in about 6 months so it was especially good fun working on it. Thanks for checking this out. Oh yeah, no references used here NB: I wish to thank in particular  Repercutir and  EideticImage for their invaluable stream of comments and encouragement while I was developing this character. In addition to this new character sketch and following the suggestion of many people who've been looking at my pencil sketches over the while, I've finally pulled the wits together to attempt tinting ('colorizing' in the  Andy--Jones vernacular) my first 'cg-assisted' sketch. It was really good fun, much to my surprise. It took me about 5 hours to tint, so I wont be making a living from colouring sketches in the near future

Re: WIP: Book Character
Thorsten | 09/19/2006 @345 | edit post

That's absolutely fantastic. Is there any reason you do not put this in your gallery?

Re: WIP: Book Character
Rafsan | 09/19/2006 @370 | edit post

Wow, thats really great! So many details and it's a very appealing character!

Re: WIP: Book Character
Andy--Jones | 09/19/2006 @611 | edit post

Ahhh you said colorizing! I declare holy war on you! Looks bloomin brill Xris and the colouring of the character is great. This sounds like it will be quite an epic novel!

Re: WIP: Book Character
bigkate | 09/19/2006 @614 | edit post

Awesome! Reminds me a bit of the Dark Crystal (love that movie)

Re: WIP: Book Character
Xris | 09/19/2006 @654 | edit post

Hey  Thorsten... thanks for your comment. The reason it's not in my gallery is primarily because it really doesnt fit any category (and I dont want this particular work in My Profile) - as a concept piece, it's technically unfinished (no bg, presentation etc). Also I'm not currently submitting works into my gallery. Hope that answered your lil bit of confusion Hi  Rafsan - Thanks very much for your comment!  Andy--Jones: Well I had to use the term 'colorize' at least once on GFXA at some time or other. In fact to be honest, I spent something like 12-13 hours creating this, just so I could use the term, which I wouldn't ordinarily use as a traditional illustrator. Yeah... we hope the book will be something of an epic.... Cheers Andy Heeey  bigkate! I thought that seeing as Dark Crystal was just a made for cable movie (or Hallmark or such) that no one would know of or even remember it. Funnily enough, I didnt have those amazing creatures in mind (one of my fav movies too ^^ ) but later, when two other ppl mentioned that movie regarding this illustration, it (again) brings to mind if we ever have an original thought in our heads (outside of subconscious referencing) Thanks Kate, nice to hear from you. If anyone wants to know a lil about this particular character, try here: http://www.clocktower.ic24.net/extract_5.htm (I know it's maybe spamming a lil, but it is relevant to this work and you may find the source texts for this character interesting) [Message edited on 09/19 @674]

Re: WIP: Book Character
Andy--Jones | 09/19/2006 @656 | edit post

Was The Dark Crystal made for cable???? I remember seeing that on the cinema back in t'early 80s. Love it. Death to the Podlings...and Gelflings whilst I am at it. Skeksis rule...when did I become a nerdy geek fanboy? [Message edited on 09/19 @721]

Re: WIP: Book Character
bigkate | 09/19/2006 @669 | edit post

Well its true that it's hard to have an original idea! But, i think you have put your own spin on it that makes it original, ^^ ! I think it reminds me mostly cause i love that movie and is stuck in my head this week for some reason, lol! (it is one of those movies, though, that you thought you dreamt as a kid ^^ ) Im glad to see more work from you!

Re: WIP: Book Character
deandude | 09/19/2006 @686 | edit post

dark crystal was a jim henson movie if I recall....I have the DVD at home... Xris, superb pen work buddy! I'm a sucker for the details

Re: WIP: Book Character
Xris | 09/19/2006 @699 | edit post

deankuhta: Hey thanks Dean! LMAO! All the Dark Crystal fans are coming outa the woodwork! Cool.... Dunno where I got the idea this movie was a cable job... we just get these things fixed in our heads for no good reason other than to creep up on us and bite us in the ass in some future years Thanks people for clearing that up for me. And it's nice to know I'm not on my own in appreciating one of the best and most unusual fantasy movies ever created. [Message edited on 09/19 @702]

Re: WIP: Book Character
kittyKat | 09/19/2006 @716 | edit post

all that took 8 hours??? holy cow!

Re: WIP: Book Character
EideticImage | 09/19/2006 @785 | edit post

Toatally awsome Xris ! Fits very much the part of a wizard wise but powerful and all mystical ..You have a great imagination and talent No thanks needed * blush * AND the book is comming along just marveoulsy ! [Message edited on 09/19 @789]

Re: WIP: Book Character
Wysiwyg | 09/19/2006 @926 | edit post

Glad you caught me on IM, I almost missed this sucker! Very intricate color work....you complimented the ink well with the saturation levels.

Re: WIP: Book Character
theClairvoyant | 09/19/2006 @932 | edit post

quote:  kittyKat wrote on 09/19 @716 all that took 8 hours??? holy cow! seriously !!! LOL thats what i was thinking -- this is totally amazing work man !!! keep it up !

Re: WIP: Book Character
Xris | 09/20/2006 @657 | edit post

kittyKat and  theClairvoyant - Yeah, a total of about 8 hours, just over two days. It looks a lot of output, but its just mostly textures which are easy to do (just needs a lil patience) and your mind can wonder off and do other stuff while your pencil hand is just doing the business I've found in the past that pure fantasy work (with little or no need of referencing) is much easier and faster to do as oppose to something that needs to be (for example) anatomically correct and usually requires lots of tweaking or constant checks with your reference(s). This sketch more or less drew itself Thanks both for your comments. Hi  EideticImage (I do LOVE that name!) All and any help is always appreciated and remembered. We all struggle to come up with ideas, often never quite sure if we're steering in the wrong direction, or our standards are dropping, or whatever. It's always good and a valuable asset to have someone around who is willing to give good input and impartial advice. Thanks again Rachael, you're a pal Hey  Wysiwyg! Thanks for your comment. I've had a few ppl over the years suggesting I should really try to (paint program) colour some of my sketches, but a number of things caused hesitation on my side. 1) I dont do cg ... have never had time, hence no skills. 2) I really didn't think it was even possible to tint a pencil sketch, without having to more or less totally repaint the complete work. Much to my surprise, I discovered that just blocking off areas and hitting them with the gamma adjust tool would change the tone of the line work and pencil shading in that area. The rest is history. I'm now suitably impressed with the practice of tinting traditional pencil works and will no doubt be doing lots more in the future - certainly more of this fantasy work for The Clocktower. [Message edited on 09/20 @668]

Re: WIP: Book Character
jmBoekestein | 09/20/2006 @775 | edit post

Love all the patterns, that's really cool. I think yu need to work more on the light interactions it seems parts are just more bright than others but there's no light bouncing on them if you get my point, light colour interacts with the colour of the substance it's reflected of, it would add a lot especially since youput so much effort in allready. It would als add a more real and full feelign of depth to add colour variance in the shadow parts, and less contrast in them, as in more towards the background. Very fun character.

Re: WIP: Book Character
infinity2080 | 09/20/2006 @821 | edit post

that detail is amazing....will you adopt me?