Tag: art process

Digital Painting: From Sketch to Finish

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Dragon Con is fast approaching. Before I’m lost to the rush of art show preparations, I thought I’d share some facts about the panel I’ll be hosting this year.

Panel: Digital Painting – From Sketch to Finish

Day: Mon. 9/5 | Time: 2:30 | Grand Hall C

A detailed look into the process behind a digital painting. Gathering reference, models, the final sketch, using textures, painting techniques, and the myriad of decisions that go into a large painting. Slideshow presentation will be followed by a Q&A.

The painting I’ll be using for this presentation is Forest Dreams. I’ll be delving much further into the process than this GIF below. You’ll get to see all the reference I used, learn where I find models, hear me gripe about the challenges I faced and so much more. I might even show everyone the hideous first sketch I made for the idea of the painting.

If you’re not attending, I will be converting this to a video presentation after Dragon Con. It will be available first to Patrons and later on Youtube.

Art Process: Ripley

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I told myself I wasn’t going to create any art for Month of Love, a weekly challenge in February, created by artist Kristina Carroll (she also runs Month of Fear in October–another addictive challenge). This is my busiest time of year. It’s essential I focus. My mistake was taking a peek at the challenges/themes for this year’s event. I thought, I’ll just take a look. Looking doesn’t hurt….

Said no artist, ever…

Ripley for Month of Love

Ripley for Month of Love

Month of Love (and its counterpart) are hosted through Tumblr. Click on the image above to read my official blurb. Below are some snippets from the creative process.

Graphite Pencils, Charcoal Pencils, Charcoal Stick and a Kneadable Eraser

Ripley is Graphite and Charcoal on 9 x 12 inch acid free drawing paper. It would have been nice if I’d had some charcoal powder on hand, but I made do with a stick I borrowed from my daughter’s supplies. I haven’t worked with charcoal since my college days. It was fun and messy! Working with the stick also turned out to be the better option as it gives the drawing an organic rawness that would have been absent with the powder.

Initial Sketch
Add more elements
Blocking in
Charcoal is messy
Final Scanned Art

I worked on the drawing over the course of two days. On one of those days this was all I worked on. Now it’s time for me to get back to work on my personal project. I have my first exhibit of 2016 coming up next month! Details to come soon…

http://www.amandamakepeace.com
http://makepeacearts.tumblr.com

The First Step in Painting

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One might think drawing is the first step toward a painting, but for me at least, the first step is a ton of thinking. I’ve always been a thinker. Looking back, I think some of my thinking as a child was misinterpreted as shyness. I wasn’t always quiet because I was shy. I was quiet because I was thinking, observing, mulling, and creating. These days I do have my moments, especially if I’m with family or friends, but for the most part I’m still a quiet person. It may not be best habit in the world, but while other artists are working on a gazillion thumbnails on paper, I’m mapping them out in my head. Like I said, not the best habit.

This week I’ve been getting back to work on a personal piece I’ve had planned for months. I took the reference photo for the painting in February, but I’d been mapping it out in my head months before I finally had my daughter pose for the shot. In March, I created a quick sketch to include in my sketchbook Daydreams & Wanderings. Yesterday, I began work on the drawing I will later scan for the painting.

Refining my sketch for The Bone Oracle

I don’t recall how the idea developed. So many of my painting ideas come from fleeting thoughts or things I’ve seen. I’ll jot down an idea in words first, which seems to lock the image in my head for later. Initially I named this idea Her Bones. What you can’t see in any of these images (because it’s in my head!) are the bones surrounding and laying beneath this young woman.

Beginnings of the new drawingThese bones are her tools of divination. She is The Bone Oracle.

The drawing is still in the early phase. I have a lot to develop before I have her where I want her. Follow me on Instagram to stay up-to-date on her progress!

amandamakepeace.com

 

Stone of Knowing – Part 3

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Stone of Knowing WIP 1/23

Last Thursday I’d only just begun painting the base layers for Stone of Knowing. The painting isn’t finished but it is moving steadily toward that line in the sand. Along the way, I decided a few changes had to be made. The more I looked at it, the more discontent I became with the orientation. So I switched back to Plan A with some minor adjustments. I also decided to completely ditch the background I originally envisioned. This happens. Often times the vision is clear from start to finish; while in others it’s more a journey of discovery. Read more