Llewellyn's 2011 Astrological Calendar

The Zodiac 2011 Calendar is now available for pre-orders! Looks like the release date is scheduled for July.

Also, several interviews & deck reviews:
* LLewellyn Journal interview
* Shadowscapes Tarot review by Bonnie Cehovet
* An Interview with my Shadowscapes Deck by Zanna Starr

The article I wrote for Llewellyn will be forthcoming next week too, and I'll post when that's released.

A few random things...

Realms of Fantasy Magazine is having a reader poll on artwork and stories from the past year. If you're a reader and enjoyed my illustration for the story "Impractical Cats" in the April 2009 issue, please do vote for me!

* * *

Secondly, my artwork is being featured in this month's issue of Blue Canvas Magazine. The entire magazine can be previewed at the bluecanvas.com site, and I believe it can be purchased at your local bookstores. It's filled with great artwork!

* * *

And lastly, my zodiac original paintings are now released for sale.

Zodiac Cover

Zodiac
Size: 15.25x15.25 inches

Medium: Watercolor

And with this one, the zodiac series is complete. This is the cover piece. A bit of a deviation from what Llewellyn has done in the past for the astrological calendars. They wanted this one to show representations of each sign integrated into a scene, rather than the standard celestial wheel with cut and paste sections for each month. I'm glad they wanted to go for something different with this year because I had more fun with this type of piece than I would have had mucking around with design and graphics to digitally stick it all together.

* * *

On another note, I've had people asking about these for a while, but I've finally put up the tarot ink originals for sale here. I was holding onto them for a while until I had the book published just in case I needed to rescan anything.

Zodiac cover sketch & new etsy pendants

Sketch for the calendar cover. Blank room at the top and bottom needs to be left for the title information.

Also, 12 new zodiac designs added to etsy! *click here*

A few more new designs to come once I get my shipment of supplies next week hopefully.

Back online, and Zodiac series complete!

Feels like it's been forever since I was able to scan and upload work. In fact I was starting to get a bit worried that if my string of bad luck and misfortunes here regarding my computer weren't fixed soon I'd start running into deadline troubles.

Fortunately I had sketched and scanned all 12 of the zodiac pieces and having art director approval before starting. Not my usual mode of working. I prefer most of the time to sketch one at a time and go from sketch to finished painting before starting a new one. Which for this instance proved to be a very lucky thing!

And so after computer trials and tribulations, UPS angst, scanner incompatibility issues, more UPS angst, it looks like all systems are finally good to go!

Just the cover left to do now.

Also, new zodiac bookmarks available here.

Pendants with these designs will be available hopefully in a week or two when I have a chance to make some. They'll be posted on etsy.

On Computers, Productivity, and Unicorns

*grumble* Well, my new computer is delayed STILL. It was supposed to be shipped out on the 18th, but at this point it doesn't look like it will be shipped until the 28th at the earliest. Which leaves me very grumblesome.

On the bright side, without computer distractions I have been extremely productive. Can't scan any of the art yet, but I'm down to the last two zodiac paintings. There will be big pile of new stuff to upload once the new computer gets here. I might possibly be done with all of them by the time this mythical "new computer" ever shows up on my doorstep. So patience for your next fix of art -- this famine will definitely have a feast at the end of it.

Also, all pre-orders of The Art of Shadowscapes Tarot have now been shipped (up to 10 business days for US orders, up to 8 days for international, so if you ordered yours more towards the end of the pre-order period, it might be a couple of weeks before you see it yet), after a flurry of sketching all of the past two weeks, and marching many armloads of books up and down the two flights of steps from my front door to the street. Dana is convinced that I'm having him shuttle the same box up and down the steps each morning and evening as a thinly veiled ploy to exercise him.

And finally, I heard from a little bird that The First Last Unicorn book by Peter S. Beagle might actually see the light of day, nearly 5 years after I did that painting (and the series of pencil drawings I did for the interior as well). I had thought that the publisher decided to scrap the project completely when a long period of silence ensued completion of the art, but they contacted me last week to let me know that it would possibly be released early next year. I might be adding a few more pencil drawings for the additional stories that had been appended to the collection in the intervening years.

* * *

Zodiac - Gemini

"Gemini"
Medium: Watercolor
Size: 10x14.5 inches
for Llewellyn's 2011 astrological calendar

The twins. The higher and lower mind joined by recognition of duality, social and enjoying the company of others, thought and communication.

To view the walk-through of this piece:

The Sketch
Part 1 (background)
Part 2 (painting skin)
Part 3 (main figures and foreground)
Finished Painting

Painting Skin

...continuing from previous posts...

The Sketch
Part 1 (background)

* * *

Painting skin can be tricky. Here's an example from my current painting, "Gemini." This basic technique can be used for a variety of other skin tones by experimenting with variations for the shadows, and the main glaze.

Most of the time I use combinations of cooler colors for the shadows. Greens, purples, blues. For the main glaze, I use yellows or browns, mixed with a touch of red and diluted.

In this example I'm using some non-standard pigments (Kremer) which were being used throughout the rest of the painting as well. The WinsorNewton colors (WN) are fairly standard and can be found in other brands as well.


Base layer of shadows
With a mixture of the Red Cabbage Blue and Elder Purple, diluted, I paint the shadows. I find it easier to do shadows first because when the main glaze is laid on top, the shadows get smoothed out nicely. If they are painted on top, you might run into problems of lifting and splotchy looking skin.

Main Glaze

When that has dried, I mix together the colors for my main glaze and swipe this on top. I make sure to leave some edges of white showing for highlights. Also it can be useful to leave bits of the shadow layer showing through as well. The cool shadows and the warm main tones side by side make for interesting contrasts that really bring out the depth.

For this particular image I did mix a bit of opaque white into my main glaze mixture. I don't often do this, but I wanted the chalkiness that this would add to the glaze. These two figures are almost like statues, and a semi-opaque glaze over the purple tones adds to this effect.

Over the warmer main glaze layer, I also did some light glazes of Stinging Nettle Yellow, which has a faint greenish hint to it. This provides a more bronze touch to their skin as well.

Emphasizing the Deepest Shadows
With a fine brush, I go back and emphasize the deepest shadows with a more concentrated mixture of the original shadows color, also mixing in a bit of Burnt Umber or Payne's Grey needed for the darkest areas.

* * *

Part 3 (main figures and foreground)
Finished Painting

Zodiac - Gemini in progress

The Background

After the initial sketch, I start with the background of the piece. I start with a Lemon Yellow glow around the butterflies, and work my way outwards from there to lay in very light washes of mixtures of blues/purples.

In order to keep the yellow glows from just turning into sickly green tones, the purples are kind of used as a buffer zone between the two. Because I'm working in such thin and gradual glazes, you don't really notice the purple so much, and the transition from the yellow light to the blue skies is even and smooth.

* * *

Leafy Background

I work my way into the details of the background foliage now.

The general color scheme that I have in mind is for most of this to be an almost monochrome golden tone, with the blue of the sky offsetting that. I don't plan the colors too much, but I have some vague ideas in mind. Sometimes if a client insists, I'll do a very quick color study in photoshop; or if I run into indecision and can't choose between two options on a personal piece. Most of the time I just pick colors and run with it, letting each choice dictate what comes next in a sort of natural progression.

The more distant foliage becomes darker shadowy blue/purples - darker versions of the sky. As I approach the foreground, the leaves are more Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, and Naples Yellow. Filling in the shadows first, then lifting out bits of highlights. Leaving random watermark textures in some places without overworking them.

* * *

Walls and Arches

Continuing towards the foreground. Next up is the lower wall area. I can't finish the winding branches in those areas without painting the walls a bit first since, some of the branches twine around in front.

Again, most mixtures of yellows, with shadows of blues, violets and Payne's Grey. Mostly the same shades as what I had thus far been using for the foliage. On the upper walls laying in a base coat as well, but having yet worked the details up into that part yet.

* * *

More Walls

Throwing in some salt for texture along the walls. Keeping the areas around the wings of the twins brighter. More Lemon Yellow there, to have a nice glow, while the shadows fade to Raw Umbers and purples.

Haven't yet decided what color the butterflies will be, or for that matter, the wings on the twins. But starting to get some ideas at this point. Maybe a bright warmer yellow, or even orange for some contrast. Don't want to stray too much from the almost-monochrome look, but want a bit of sparkle and attention grabbing, since the butterflies really provide a lot of motion in this composition. Birds and winged things are great for that.

* * *

The Twins

Finally getting to the main foreground.

Pale, gold-ish skin. Underlayer of shadows with purples. Overlaying that with Naples Yellow, mixed with opaque white, and a touch of Alizarin Crimson. Not enough to make them rosy, but just enough to differentiate their skin tones a bit from the walls they are perched on.



Enough for one day. Finishing up (maybe?) tomorrow!

The Sketch
Part 2 (painting skin)
Part 3 (main figures and foreground)
Finished Painting

Zodiac - Leo

"Leo"

Medium: Watercolor
Size: 10x14.5 inches
for Llewellyn's 2011 astrological calendar

The lion. Loyal, proud, generous, outgoing and with a flair for drama, glories in leadership.

Now that I've gotten to the painting part of this project, things are much more relaxing!

So finally something not-green. Well, at least not predominantly green!

There used to be a time years ago when I didn't like orange and yellow. But after forcing myself to paint the full spectrum of colors when I chose the color themes for the tarot, the windows were thrown open.

One thing I like to do when looking at other artists' work, is to identify the characteristics in the paintings that I would normally steer away from in my own paintings, but that work really well in their cases. Sometimes it might be the strong use of a color I don't like, or an odd compositional element. Identifying those pieces, figuring out why I steer away from it in my work (fear of "ruining" a piece? never thought to utilize something that way? old preconceptions that have become habit?) and then figuring out how I can incorporate it into a future painting, is one way of pushing myself. No need to attack problems all at once though. Picking small elements and focusing on that one thing for a piece is a major step.

Zodiac - Cancer

"Cancer"
Medium: Watercolor
Size 10x14.5 inches
for Llewellyn's 2011 astrological calendar

The crab, water, nurturing, the reflective surface of water, focus on the family, protective, sensitive.

Here we are, the first of 12. At last, after all that sketching, I can get down to the painting. It's a relief. I haven't had the opportunity to really paint since before Gencon, and it feels like forever since I've had a chance to take the brushes in hand.

Somehow I'm still in green mode, but that will change soon enough as I get to the fiery and air elements. I was actually toying with the idea today of (after finishing the 12 and cover for this calendar deadline) going back and doing second male (or female) versions of each of the signs. Because 12 paintings isn't enough, and I have to go and double it...yeah, 78 pieces for the tarot has made me a sucker for more pain I guess.

Zodiac - last 6 sketches

...and the rest of them.

Eager to start painting these on Monday!

Scorpio

Libra

Pisces
Aquarius
Sagittarius
Capricorn

Zodiac - 6 sketches ready to paint

I usually like to work on one painting at a time, from sketch to finish. My mind focuses on the image better that way, because even as I work on the sketch I start getting ideas for the color schemes and for little bits and pieces I want to incorporate when I get to the painting part.

Unfortunately, when working for a client, I don't always have that luxury. Sometimes I'll work on sketches for multiple clients at once, since the response time of ADs can vary, and the sooner I get approval for a finalized sketch, the sooner I can start painting it, in my own time.

Since this project is on a deadline, I don't want to waste days sitting on a sketch and waiting for the art director to get back to me about the pieces one at a time, so I have to work on several sketches in parallel. This art director was out of town for a few days, and I managed to make my way through 6 finalized sketches (all ready to go on the illustration board and set for painting).

I'm thinking that since I've gotten this far, I might as well finish sketching all 12 of them, and then I can settle into the painting part next week. The sketching is the hard part of a piece. It is the phase that I find most draining, because I have to actively brainstorm, think about composition, placement, and anatomy. Once an image is laid out, the painting almost happens by itself, even though it takes longer. It's meditative in a way.

Taurus

Virgo

Leo

Cancer

Gemini (was worried my male/female twins here wouldn't pass the AD approval, but yay it did!)

Aries

Zodiac - Cancer In Progress

Progression for Cancer.

When I first get a description for a piece, I start with sketches and thumbnails. In the case for this zodiac series, I was given a series of keywords and colors. I like working with this kind of very loose guidance for a commission because it leaves me free to come up with my own connections to the concepts. In this case: the crab, water, nurturing, the reflective surface of water (for the colors), focus on the family, protective, sensitive.

* * *

Once I have a basic sketch worked out, and the composition pieced together in Photoshop, I send it off for approval from the art director. When I get the okay, then I start to flesh out the details and correct anatomy with references if needed. In this case the latter required looking up pictures of seagulls, crabs, and lotuses. When I do the first concept sketches I don't worry so much about the accuracy of things like that, wanting instead to capture the flow and mood of a piece.

I picked up a couple of Audubon books for fairly cheap the other day from Costco with great references for all sorts of birds and animals.

Though of course the internet never fails for image references as well.

* * *

Transferred to the final painting surface (Strathmore 500 series illustration board), I refine the details even more. By flipping the image back and forth several times during process, it allows you to get a fresh perspective on the composition and work out any imbalances that might otherwise be overlooked. Working on a piece for too long, everything starts to look right. Flipping also helps for spotting strange anatomy flaws. When working with a symmetrical (or even semi-symmetrical) piece, looking at it in reverse is extremely useful.

All set for painting now. Just awaiting the final okay from the art director!