Couldn’t help myself, I just had to make these… http://dog-gone-bad.spreadshirt.co.uk/
It’s the eye that’s important.
Watching The Art of Survival on the on demand tonight and looking at Johans portraits I was reminded how important it is to focus on the eye. We are naturally programmed to look at the eye, the window to the soul. I always say that in an animal portrait that if the eye is right the rest will follow.
I often focus on fitting everything into the space rather than individual elements when trying to draw people. By focusing on the eye and then letting the image grow from there I got a much better result when doing the above image of my hubby. Lesson for the day – the importance of the eye.
It’s a bit of …
It’s a bit of a cute on this, not my normal thing but like everyone I have a soft side too. I used to create alot of illustrations like these for a magazine so it only seemed right to create one for a t-shirt too.
<a href="http://www.spreadshirt.co.uk/cute-pony-holding-a-balloon-C59I14353077/” onclick=”window.open(this.href); return false;”> <img src="http://image.spreadshirt.net/image-server/image/design/14353077/type/png/width/190/height/190” alt=” Cute pony holding a balloon” title=” Cute pony holding a balloon” style=”width:190px; border:0px;”/>
<a href="http://www.spreadshirt.net/” onclick=”window.open(this.href); return false;”>Spreadshirt Market Place Design
<a href="http://www.spreadshirt.co.uk/cute-pony-holding-a-balloon-C59I14353077/” onclick=”window.open(this.href); return false;”>Cute pony holding a balloon
Maggie the office art dog
I have been watching Art Race, a Sky Arts programme, and really enjoyed the work done by Kenny Harris. He inspired me to get out my cartridge pen and play with the ink and water thing again. It is so much more restrictive than watercolour and it doesn’t allow for errors much. Ok, so not good if you like to get things perfect but great for making you commit to what you put on the paper.
I think it is a great excercise for speeding up and honing your drawing. The addition of water softens the hardness of the ink but it is very easy to overwork.
Art Race info is at http://www.skyarts.co.uk/art-design/article/art-race/
Defy Gravity
Featuring Mr Dance T Stevens, this is another favourite of mine. It has been a bit of a favourite on spreadshirt as well so I thought I would share it.
For the younger amoung us…
It’s a bit of a cute on this, not my normal thing but like everyone I have a soft side too. I used to create alot of illustrations like these for a magazine so it only seemed right to create one for a t-shirt too.
Horse jumping.
It’s a well known image, one of iconic power and beauty. Slightly simplified, it’s my version.
Street dance t-shirt
It’s a fave of mine this, featuring the fantabulous Mr T Dance Stevens. This one goes back a bit as I created it quite a while ago, still pleased with it though and it’s worthy of a post…
Dance lights t-shirt
It’s one that was inspired by festivals, music, dance and the magic combo with night and light.
The man in the moon
I thought it might be interesting to put up an example of a sketch that was later turned into a vector image. This sketch was simplified from an earlier idea so that it just left me with ‘the man in the moon’ that we all know of from childhood stories.
Moon Man and Lady
Man in the Moon
Man in the moon final image
The final image, although a simple image, is a vector image. What is a vector image? A vector image is made up of points that are plotted mathematically. The image can be enlarged to any size as it is a set of instructions rather than a set of pixels. Pixel images – what you get from your camera for example – are images made up of a series of dots. Ok there are alot of dots but you can only take that image to a certain size before the dots start to have gaps between the dots and the image starts to look fuzzy. Vector images take longer to make, alot longer, as many are drawn by hand into the computer but they are much more versatile. Logos are often created this way as it does’t matter what you use it for, it will be clear and sharp. If you ever needed your logo on the side of a lorry for example, the pixel image just wouldn’t work!
I create and make logos and vector images on a commision basis but also have a small selection for sale online through royalty free websites. This image, and others can be found at http://us.fotolia.com/id/23964236
LisaButlerArt 