BIG Entry WIP composition

[Coreyartus]

This is looking so great!!! I can't wait to see a values treatment!! Very very cool--thanks for sharing your process with us!!

[chrisaakins]

I feel that the straw is creating a tangent with the barrel behind it. Perhaps you could simplify the straw or remove it altogether (Although I like how it reads whimsically) Or maybe put a spout on the tankard!

[Johanna Kim]

@swordofodin This drawing is so funny. Your composition also works really well. Re: how well the concept matches the prompt "Big", I had to think about it a bit to make it match, but it works with the following sample text: The gnomes mistakenly thought that their bellies were big enough for a full mug of ale. Suggestion: the gnome closest to the viewer lying down is hilarious and is what instantly caught my eye. I like how round his belly is. Consider emphasizing beer guts on the other two, as well. Or showing one of them doing a big beer belch.

[ArtofAleksey]

@johanna-kim cool thanks for the tips

[ArtofAleksey]

Ok i finished inking it. I messed up on a few places which I’m going tk fix on my ipad before coloring it. But here is the inked version:

[Nyrryl Cadiz]

Your gnomes are looking awesome

[ArtofAleksey]

@nyrrylcadiz thanks! I cant wait to color this

[LauraA]

@aleksey I am just now seeing this, but I really like the version with the darkened room! I like the overall environment. And I rather like the concept of the two staggering gnomes with their arms around each other. I like the others too, though.

My main advice at this point would be to make sure you keep eye going towards the gnomes. Although I like the torch light, maybe if it were obviously a light source for the gnomes, or else threw them into sharp silhouette, it would put more focus on them.

P.S. Oh wait, the inked version didn't load the first time. Now I see it. It does look good! You can do the focus part with color and value.

[ArtofAleksey]

@lauraa hah thanks. Yeah I really liked the staggered gnomes too but I didnt compensate for size when i redrew it in pencil so they had to go. But they will always have a warm place on my ipad.

I think instead of a torch I should have done a little candle next to the gnomes. But we’ll see what happens.

Normally I would redraw it. But seeing as I want to do other work after this that has a higher priority, I’m just gonna go with it.

[NizhoniWolf]

Looking great so far @Aleksey !

If you don't mind me asking, i was wondering if you digitally 'planned' all of your work on computer first? I saw that you did several sketches and a grey scale version which showed where the light and shadow sources where and I'm wondering if that helps you when you come to colour it traditionally? I'm asking because i need to learn colour etc, and it seems to be a quicker way to plan out illustrations and something worth trying ^_^

Good luck for this months prompt!

[hugowee]

This is so clever and well done. I cannot wait to see it in its final version! I also was wondering if you did some sketching on paper and then worked digitally? Thanks!

[ArtofAleksey]

@nizhoniwolf @hugowee hi thanks I’m glad you like it! So the new way I started approaching my art (might change once photoshop comes out for the iPad) is I do some composition sketches first on my ipad using procreate. I then make slightly more refined sketches on a new layer. After that I do values also on ipad. When i good general sense of the image I start sketching on paper, which may take several attempts depending on how happy I am with it. The Aaracokra sketch took 2, the adventure kid took 1 because it was a simpler design and I spent more time on the character design on the ipad. For this gnome contest entry I didnt redo it even though i wanted to because this does seem to be a more time consuming process. After the pencil sketch I do an ink over it with my brush pens. Then I scan it and put it into photoshop to get rid of the red or blue pencil lines and then send it to my ipad and finish coloring it on procreate.

[NizhoniWolf]

@aleksey Thanks for explaining your process for me ^_^

[ThisKateCreates]

@aleksey You get good sensitivity with your line work using the brush pens. Nice!

[ArtofAleksey]

@nizhoniwolf yeah no problem. I’m really proficient with procreate. I teach it at work so feel free to ask me questions about it. As far as art goes, i still got a ways to go.

@ThisKateCreates thank you! I ended up using 3 different brushpens for this one. One of them ran out of ink! Then I didn’t like the second one so i switched to a pentel brush pen but the ink is water based so it takes forever to dry but I like it more.

[ArtofAleksey]

Ok I think I’m done. There are things I like and things I don’t like about it but overall I’m pretty happy with it. I think I should have had the bearded gnome facing inward. Original plan included 3 more gnomes that were facing inward so that would have balanced it better but it’s fine I’m satisfied with this.