The Barber of Pie-ville

Hi!

It's a shame I haven't been able to post anything in a while, but that's because I've been super busy with work. However, expect to see more frequent updates from me in the future.

So, here's the most recent piece that I've finished. (Well, actually I (always) think I could fiddle with it some more, but I'll step back for it for now) This work was for a sort of poster competition for an opera production called "The Barber of Barkerville", which is an adaptation of Rossini's "Barber of Seville". Haha, so no, not "The Barber of Pie-ville". That was just one of my silly jokes. But, pies do play quite a role in the story!

 

Finished piece

After making several roughs, I was drawn to this concept:

concept sketch

When I was refining the sketch, I separately drew out the two figures.

Rosie, with a note for Al

Al, in his disguise

After, I tweeked the sketch by reworking the pies, adding the town, and some mountain/hills. I scanned all the drawings, then scaled and added the figures into the composition. I printed the re-worked concept at size I as going to be inking and painting in.

pencils

Using a make-shift light table I re-penciled the image on to a sheet of Bristol Smooth paper, and then inked it with micron pens.

inks

Then it was time to paint...

a progress picture

And here's how the coloring ended up, but I wasn't done yet. I felt the green was too strong so I decided to calm the shades of green down in Photoshop.

Adjustments in Photoshop

Finally, I added a subtle paper texture as well. I decided to keep the sky light and simple so that it wouldn't compete with the title of the production. I didn't win the contest, but what can you do right?

close up

Size: 11x17"
Media: Waterproof inks + watercolour + gouache + microns

That's it for now!

Chapter-Head Compositions

Today I present here my latest Decorative Illustration assignment. The goal was to create 4 black and white illustrations that would be the little chapter-head images. I addition, end page illustrations were to be made. If the illustrations were for a well known story/novel, then the illustrations should have exhibited some sort of a twist.
Still being in a floral mind set from my previous project, I put a floral twist on the classic novel I've chosen to illustrate for. I'll keep the title and author a mystery though, just because=)

Available for purchase on RedBubble

Media/Materials:

`Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper (6 x 6")
`Pigma Micron pens (0.05)
`Pelikan waterproof black ink

And the end pages:

version 1 - freestyle magnolia spread

version 2 - magnolia cluster - all over repeat pattern

version 3 - magnolia - all over repeat pattern, muliticoloured

version 3 close up

 

version 4 - magnolia - all over repeat pattern, multicoloured/half-drop. I chose this as my preferred design

 For these end pages I went through the following steps:


- I hand drew various individual magnolia branches.
- I scanned them into my computer.
- In Photoshop I arranged them into a cluster I liked and then I made a pattern out if it.
- Finally I imported this into Illustrator and I there I did a live trace and live paint.


Happy Monday! =)