Signal page 1&2

I just finished the first two pages of signal! :D Since I haven't posted much here yet, I thought I'd put them up here first. They're a double page spread. Thought I'd post them up for thoughts + opinions. Obviously I don't want to go back into the page and make giant edits to pose or composition, but small tweaks to colour, tone and shape are fine :) I'm excited to get this finished! Should be done in a month or two *fingers crossed*

For anyone who doesn't know about this project, you can read about it + see some progress shots on my blog.

Self-distortion: The art of balance (Rambly first post)

Let me dip my toes in this mango art blog.
Just wanted to post this up as this is the first drawing I've done in almost a year (if not more) maybe where it is just purely for fun. Not for a project. Not for a client. Just for fun.

I think my problem as an artist is that I tend to "think" too much. Not in a good way. I think about the projects I want to do, the pictures I want to draw. I obsess about them. I think of the flaws that can crop up. I think about my shortcomings that could prevent me executing this masterpiece perfectly. I think about the style I could do it in.

Do you see my problem? I do. I think too much, and don't do enough. Somewhere along the way I've fallen into the hamster wheel of obsessing with doing it PERFECT rather than just enjoying doing it. I've turned into some art fascist where I keep thinking "If I can't get it perfect, I might as well not do it at all!!!" It is something that I really need to kick myself to get over.

Anyway, this is a really simple picture where I was experimenting more with the idea of balance. (I was inspired to DRAW something after seeing John's lovely inky sketches) A few years back I was very driven by the idea of details. DETAILS! The more elaborate and detailed and intricately perfect I could make my colours, inks, linework etc, the better. It's only lately in the past year or so that I've started to realise how short-sighted I am being.

Everything requires balance. The balance of black and white, the balance of rough sketchy artwork and clean perfectionism, the balance of having just enough detail to bring out the life/joy in my artwork without being too sparse or weighed down with detail. I think John's comment mentioning "they become all tight and lifeless" put the issue I've been having with my line art into a more solid concept.

I'm not dissing intricate artwork. I just think that that is no longer the goal of my journey, and I still have a long road ahead in seeking this (almost) perfect balance in my art.

Its a novel thing though, for once looking at my little drawing and feeling a sense of completion. I am actually happy with how the simple inks and colours came out.

Sketchbook

I finally got around to scanning some of my crowded sketchbook pages. Most of these were drawn straight into ink, on public transport. They're really a personal reference library for me, and I've found them invaluable lately with my inking. I'd recommend everyone do the same- using their sketchbook not just as a doodle-pad, but a resource for thinks that you like, or suck at drawing.
~John~

Gesture

It's been a while since I did figure drawing and it shows... My plan is to go back to basics again, starting with gesture and eventually moving onto form and anatomy.

Gesture looks deceptively simple but is probably the hardest and most important part to grasp. If the gesture is right then everything else just seems to fall into place.