Creation of the Santalope

Every year for Christmas I create a concept piece and make a limited print run for my immediate family and friends. I had quite a few questions this year about my workflow and how I paint, so I thought I would put up a post that shows the progression of this pic from start to finish.


I always start by finding reference photos and pictures. I wanted my Santa to have a classic, old timey, pre-Coca Cola Santa feel, with robes and a hood instead of a hat and coat ensemble.

 

This year I also wanted to give Santa a twist and create a new Christmas icon. So, I crossed him with a Jackalope and created the anthropomorphic Santalope! The Jackalope is a mythical animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns or deer antlers.

I like to begin every piece with really rough loose sketches to figure out the general forms and pose I want for the pic. Not worried about details at this point.  Just getting a feel for the character.      

                   

Once I have the general idea of what I want I will do another tighter sketch that includes most of the final details. This drawing is all done traditionally with pencil on paper. Once I like the line work, I will scan it in to the computer, usually at 300 dpi.

 

Then I start painting digitally in Photoshop using a Wacom tablet, still just by hand. I begin by laying down the base colors for the piece. Once these are established I pull out the original line work and everything you see is painting from there.

After I have the foundation colors I start to build up the lights and shadows, adding value and defining general forms.

I continue defining forms and finer details, painting more light and building up the background some.

Eventually final details are added, the background is finished and  everything is looked over and given final adjustments. For the final prints I upped the painting to 600 dpi and had them professionally laser printed.


There are only 33 in the original print run.

I hope you enjoyed looking through the progression and workflow of this piece. 

Merry Christmas to all!

DMax Graphics

 This is a series of graphics I have been working on for one of my clients, DMax Store.  They are the number one providers of custom Duramax Diesel parts and accessories, and have fabricated their own line of top quality extreme duty steering and suspension components, the Kryptonite line.

 Just a few quick sketches to get the general feel the owner wanted for the Kryptonite skull.

 Some variants I did for labels to fit on to specific components in the line.

A few more rough sketches that I did for another design we didn't end up using. The owner liked them though, so we may end up using them in the future still.

This is the first design for a clothing line that Dmax is going to be releasing, Six Six Life.  The reference is an homage to the 6.6 liter Duramax Diesel engine.

Everything Green Product Labels

This is a series of product labels that I designed for one of my clients, Everything Green.  They will soon be offering a super premium line of home gardening products, available at all their locations.

Everything Green Mural

A client of mine who I also do graphic work for commissioned me to paint a mural for the inside of their shop.  It is 8 x 4 feet painted on wood with spray paint, oil paint pens, and acrylic paint applied with both brushes and airbrush.

The original rough pencil sketch I drew up as we designed it together.

And a very quick color mock up I did before I began the actual painting.

I redrew the design on the board, mostly to make sure I nailed the spacing on the lettering.

Pictures during progress.  I started with the board vertical...

...then moved it horizontal on to saw horses.

The finished mural in my garage/studio.  And some detail shots...

The finished mural installed up on the wall inside the Everything Green shop.

My thanks to all the folks over at Everything Green in Fairfield, CA.  If you are anywhere near the area check them out for all of your gardening supply needs!

Hunter and Companion

Commissioned game concept art I created with Shana Dunham Slusser acting as Art Director.  I had a great time working on it with her.  The characters are inspired by a World of Warcraft hunter and her companion.

The Desert Wolf

 A commission piece I painted of a werewolf concept for a game character.  This is meant to show him in both his forms side by side.  I had fun designing the modular armor that expands when he transforms. 

You may notice the human character looks a bit different from the original drawing in the finished painting.  Those changes came down from the Creative Director midway through the painting process, and got incorporated as I was working on it. 

The Ghost Bard King

The finished painting of the Bard King in all his glory.  Character design by myself and Jeremy Dunham.

Animatic Character and Environment Concepts

Some drawings I did for a story board animatic. 

Pink Puppy

Just a cute puppy, trying a new look in Illustrator.  Very different from the style I usually work in.

Valentine's Day Hug

A Valentine I made for my Wife this year.  Caricatures of us and our kitty Lilith.