swamp crash sketch
The point of a sketch is to give you an idea of what a finished product will look like. It's a prototype, and all good prototypes leave room for changes. Take this sketch, for instance. It's my first attempt at a detailed sketch of an illustration, because while it has been fine for me to jump in on projects, previously, by just going direct to finished drawing without even a thumbnail sketch (I'll post an example later), those projects have usually involved computer colours (where the original pencils would never be seen), and have always been simple stuff -- one, two, three figures at most.
Now, however, I need to expand, quite literally. I want to do a relatively complex, inked scene on a fairly large piece of paper. I had considered just going for it, but the feeling that if anything went less than well on the project (and I'd be stuck with a piece I didn't like and didn't want to complete) nagged me no end. So I decided to do a sketch in a small notebook, entirely in pencil and ball point pen.
The results were quite good, and I was happy even when it was bad. Confused? Let me explain:
Taking one look at this finished sketch, I can tell right away that it will make a good inked drawing. I also know that the composition doesn't quite work. I need to shift the 'camera' around a little. Now, I didn't know this before it was done, and if I'd have gone direct to the final I'd have a pretty but boring picture on my hands. The framing of the two silhouetted figures is also a bit forced, and composition-wise it makes the right side of the image too heavy -- the picture is 'off-balance'. My inital plan on how to light the eyes of the creature is also wrong. You will note that the bottom left row of eyes appears to be lit from above, whereas the major light source is clearly the lantern the man is holding. The rest of the eyes are shaded right.
Also along the way, the scene has changed a lot. If you peek in the top corner of the pic you can maybe see a blurry pencilled mini-thumb of what I had initially planned, which was pretty-much the same scene but with a one-eyed monster and set against a moon-like outer-space setting. In fact, it wasn't even going to be a crashed ship, but some kind of ancient altar. Furthermore, I had planned more creatures attacking them, but I think I'll learn to draw creepy, gloomy swamps before I try to tackle hordes of anatomically correct running bipeds, thanks.
So hopefully when I'm feeling confident enough I'll put this one down on a large sheet of paper and ink it. Until then, I hope you enjoy the sketch.
V
Vishal K Bharadwaj is a generalist; a writer, graphic designer, illustrator, photographer and all-round crazy person.
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This reminds me of the Mellies silent film about the man in the moon (certainly you know the one; glitchy stop and go old film, lots of makeup and physical gags... Also I always feel that the man in the moon looks like he might be made of Brie... but anyway), or Journey to the Center of the Earth. Its framed very similarly (feels almost like a stage set). Youre right about the figures in the fore being a little heavy, but the composition isnt nearly that bad (but static, yes.).
I demand updates on your drawing! Have fun with it! I like the tentacles and the looming spider eyed monster.
How are you inking?
Yeah, definitely aware of the film, even though I haven't seen it (although we've all seen "that Smashing Pumpkins video":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_7VRYySrVA methinks).
Good to know you agree with me about it being static. Its theatre-style staging is what contributes to the silent film look, whereas originally I was going more for a Pulp SF cover idea. This was, of course, when it was set on the moon and was going to be in colour finally. In a jungle it looks more like something out of King Kong (have you ever seen "this fabulous piece":http://www.comicartcommunity.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=7138 Arthur Adams did?).
I think I'll stick to black and white for this piece -- still have to decide on what kind, though. This sketch was done with a fine-tip ballpoint pen. I want to try out that toothpick method you mentioned, and the prospect of cutting loose with a ballpoint on large areas of black in a 43x26.5cm paper is probably not the best idea yet. Plus I want to see how different it will look in ink.
Before then I might do another notebook-sized ballpoint sketch (18.5x15cm) with a cleaner composition, purely because it was hell of a lot of fun (and there just isn't enough of that going around these days...)
Oh, and the new composition will highlight the monsters and people more. :-)
I really love that SP video, its got such a lovely mood, and Im a sucker for the vaudevillian moving set pieces.
O, Arthur Adams! His art is drool worthy and speaks of a meticulous compulsive need to decorate everything, in a wonderful tasteful manner! I love the fluidity and cleanness of his line, it all looks so SIMPLE.
As far as method, don’t forget that you’re not really stuck in just ONE media. I find switching between brushes for large blacks (much faster and easier on the hands than a pen, also looks better with nice flat blacks) and loose line work, toothpick for the majority of inking, and assorted pens and markers (but I find pens will bleed more, so I like to stick w/ the brushes and toothpicks).
Thumbnails are good. Im only now really learning to utilize them in my drawing, its tricky. Im used to rushing headlong into a piece and not really giving it much thought (and inevitably ending up w/ a flat boring shot). Yay! More!
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