Goblins in progress

In my last post I talked about a Commission I got to do some Fantasy images.

that post > HERE

That Commission is finished and the finals for all 4 of those images are all on my online portfolio

See those Goblins > HERE

I was thinking that this project would be a good time to go into and share my artistic process with how I take an image from start to finish.  There is no need to go into all four of the Goblin images so i'll just talk about one.

Step 1. ink

    Step 1. So after the image is sketched out and inked I scan and clean the image digitally, simple step clearing up smudges and pencil lines just want the ink to be bold and crisp.

( the digital parts of this work is done in PhotoShop)

Step 2. Base Color

    Step 2.  this step is basically me turning my art into a coloring book, just filling in the lines.  But the real important part of this step is that I start breaking areas of colors in the image into there own layers.

The layers at the end of the image

    Creating separate layers is a very helpful tool to have for making quick corrections without effecting other aspects of the whole image, but when working with so many layers its a good idea to ether group them into folders or to at less remember to name them, which sadly sometimes I forget and when trying to fine 1 small light to fix among 30 something layers can get frustrating, so remember doing a little extra work early can save you a lot of extra work later.

Step 3. Light and Shadow 

   Step 3.  Then on separate layers i'll create a shadow and light layer to help give the whole image more sense of shape for each object and to push and pull different object back in the space of the image.  I also want to keep the shade and light layers relatively sharp as to not loose or take away from any of my line work.

Step 4. Splatters!!!

   Step 4.  This next step is still pretty new to me in fact this series is the first time I tried doing it, which is another reason I wanted to talk about it.

Random Ink splatter used for Goblin images

 I did a whole series of semi random ink splatter to add a more striking and designed look to my Goblin images, and in some cases and sense of grittiness.

Step 5. Final

   Step 5. Lastly I finish off the image with final light and shadow layers that make up the mood of the environment, instead of focusing on the individual objects in the image I think of it as a whole.  These layers can help me define a light source or just create a dynamic effect on the environment. Also can tint and unify the image as a whole.

That is usually my step by step process in making mostly all of my images.

Hope you find this helpful!

Goblins on Parade

A while ago i was commissioned to do a series of images. I was given a lot of freedom with this project, with the only guideline being that it had to be “Magic the Gathering” inspired.

I decided to focus on Goblins as a theme to tie them all together as a cohesive series with each piece being separated by the Goblins profession cause hey even a Goblins got to make a living.

The professions, or classes I chose were Warriors, Shaman, Builders, and a Dragon-rider.

After a series of  thumbnails and sketches I came up this these final images and below are the original ink scans.

1. The builders

  The Builders fight by creating all sorts of artifacts and explosives, which they use to cause confusion on the battlefield and with such a large verity of toys in there arsenal they are prepared for any situation.

2. The dragon rider

The dragon rider causes chaos and terror using the incredible force of his pet. How a Goblin trains a dragon is still a mystery.

3. The Shaman

The Shaman harvests the energy of the spirt world, though mostly using its power as a healer, he can unleash extraordinary magic to destroy his enemies.

4. The Warrior

The warriors use there overwhelming numbers to annihilate any that stand in there why, picking up scraps of armor and battered weapons along the way.