Screenplay Process: Part Two

http://tomsarmo.com/

Cameraman. (Detail)

The first painting-to-be is about the filming of a movie.

This is a detail of the nearly finished, inked piece--pre-watercolor washes.

My resource photos are pretty basic.

For the pillars, I took a photo of a column on my porch.

http://tomsarmo.com/

In another part of the picture, the Bride of Frank has pencilled-in shading.

My own hand as photo ref.

http://tomsarmo.com/

After the pencil lines are drawn to satisfaction (notice I didn't write "to perfection") I lightly shade the piece with a 2H pencil. The outline inking is done with a small brush, the shading is done with a Hunt 102 Crow Quill nib...

http://tomsarmo.com/

...and the zen-like part (notice I didn't write "tedious part") begins. Yes, I love the look--and the process of--layered cross-hatching.

After a constructive critique by some fellow illustrators, I finished the pen-work. Rather than add paint now, I want to ink up the other two drawings first, so next post will be about picture number two: The Editor.

Thanks for checking in!

Cupboard Goblin: Process

Work on a series of paintings for prints led me to the idea of this little goblin-thief, surprised in the act of pilfering something from a household. Here's the road to completion:

 The earliest sketch that's survived shows a bit of my initial idea. But I needed some help with the pose, among other things...

...so this mannequin ended up posing for me--in a drawer.

http://tomsarmo.com/

My first thought was that the little fellow would be medieval-ish and stealing some liquor, but this bottle would have been goblin-sized, not human-sized. So I modified it to be a ring, and changed the face...

http://tomsarmo.com/

...and changed it some more. Also bumped the clothing to Victorian.

http://tomsarmo.com/

I traced up the border and cupboard sketch, with a back door in the cupboard...

 ...which didn't work; too much clutter. So here's the final inked line drawing, without the back door, ready for paint.

http://tomsarmo.com/

A detail of the lettering, and egg-and-dart-woodwork.

And a closer look at a detail of the completed work.

Had him (and a few others) printed up as affordable, premium-quality posters and cards. If you like them, please click on the link below and check 'em out at my online store--I appreciate your support!

Tom Sarmo's Shop

Thanks for the visit!

Illustration Construction: Part Two (and a Rough back-step)

Roughs. A few anyway.  

Sorry, I forgot about the roughs. I did about 8 for this project. These were done after the first composition sketch--the one with the words on it 

(see previous post http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/2013/06/illustration-construction-part-one.html ) and I should have stuck them in there.

These are a combination of value and composition thinking. The initial idea is just about subject. Roughs (or thumbnails) like those above help me develop the subject into an actual scene. Roughs are crucial in finding the best solution for the scene.

I decided that the interior, not just the characters, was important to me. So I chose the second from the left for my composition, and the last one will be a reminder for the light or atmosphere.

 Somewhere along this process I began sketching face ideas for the artist. Much of the time this sort of "thinking" is done while sitting around talking with my family, not necessarily while I'm in the studio. You could say it's like letting the unconscious take over.

There were quite a few more interim sketches of this guy, too many to reasonably show. This is one I traced up to see if I liked the character.

[You can skip this paragraph if you want--it's a bit of an apology. The most satisfying "making" for me comes while thinking and sketching and dreaming--and that lazy wandering feeling is very close to sublimity. I like to draw everywhere--both on paper and in my head, and most of those drawings get lost. There's something sort of nice about the impermanence.

Finally though, a fellow has to quit the lazy part and get to work. But the methodical exertion on the drawing table is not my favorite thing, and I too often rush that part. The tough issue for me is keeping the qualities of my wander-sketching--and the joy-- in a final illustration. I hope I can do that for this particular picture.]

Anyway, here is the second stage of the drawing. The artist and helper are still wavery and uncongealed, both here and in my head. But I'm getting there.

Next up: Part Three and some color.

Thanks for staying with me on this particular journey.