For Fun

Just for fun, less than an hour. I really love using only 2 colors and trying to articulate everything with shapes! Maybe I'll do some more.

Talking Bird, Singing Tree, Golden Water -- Parizade's Aunts

Elder Aunt

Younger Aunt

These two are Princess Parizade's Aunts, elder sisters of the Queen, wife of Sultan Kostouschah. In a game proposed by the eldest, each sister in turn declared who, if it were not for their impoverished state, they would marry. The eldest said she would marry the Sultan's chief baker, and eat delicious pastries all day long. The middle sister said she would marry the Sultan's chief cook, because in the palace the bread is common place, and she would eat the excellent entries all day long. The youngest said, if they were speaking of wishes, she would like to marry the Sultan himself, and bare him a son more beautiful  than ever seen. Unknown to them, disguised beneath the window stood the very same Sultan! Out for a evening stroll, the Sultan heard their wishes and decided to grant them!

Overcome with jealousy at their sisters elevated fortunes, the older sisters plot the demise of her happiness. The elder aunt is the more spiteful, full of furry and sharp words. She doesn't think of the future very often, but is quick and sloppy. Very vain, she squanders much of her money on clothes and the like. 

The younger aunt (and middle sister) is a glutton, and is forever wishing for more. She works slower than her sister, but her plans are more meticulous and can come to fruition years later. She harbors grudges well, and can account for every coin spent by everyone she knows for years and years. 

The Talking Bird, Singing Tree, Golden Water -- A Discussion Among Siblings

    

A scene from The Talking Bird, The Singing Tree, and the Golden Water. This takes place shortly after the departure of the Holy Woman. In this scene, the brothers Bahman and Perviz detect something is troubling Parizade. Questioning her, they discover about the talking bird, singing tree, and golden water that she has just learned about. She confesses to her brothers that she has an unreasonable desire for them, and feels that for some reason, she needs them.

I had set this piece aside for a while, because I wasn't sure how to proceed with the colors. Finally coming back to it, I'm really happy with the result that I've created after my long absence. Thinking on it, I do believe that the piece I would have made a month ago is different from the image I've completed today. I almost feel like there is a crossroads in time, and I wonder what the other piece would have looked like, but I am still pleased with this one.

Tim asked where I got inspiration for the wall patterns. (To see a process shot of the wall, click here) To that, I've been looking at a lot of Islamic Mosques. There is A LOT of pattern in the tiles, especially floral swirls and designs. But a good part of it was just what I felt like drawing at the moment. *grin* Please enjoy!

A Small Preview

A small preview of what I'm working on, although I don't think you'll see much of this in the final product (laugh). Can you guess which characters you'll see?

Some Color Keys

Some color keys for fun and practice. Lots of fun and lots of different plans of attack.

Also, if you weren't already aware, I've started a second blog that catalogs and reviews some of my art books. I'll be updating as frequently as I get new books and get around to photographing old ones. Check it out!
To Galvanize 

A small Preview

I haven't been very good about updating lately, but here is a small preview of a piece I have been working on. I haven't counted recently, but I think I have close to 300 layers, and 5 photoshop crashes. Sounds like a typical piece 

Parizade and Me

A little bit of fun. What Parizade and I might look like if we hung out together. 

Sketchbook Doodles

A few little doodles from my sketchbook. My friend Tim gave me two colors to make an image, and I made the first one. The Second was just for fun to use a new color I got, and I liked the lighting I saw on this one building. That made image 3.

Talking Bird, Singing Tree, Golden Water -- Princess Parizade's Outfits 1

A new look at Princess Parizade's wardrobe.
a , e , f , h , i , m , t , s Are more of her warrior clothes.
j , n , l , q   Are her dolled up clothes
b , c , d , h , g , k , o , r  Possible more normal outfits
p   is her underclothes!
u - I'm on a horse

Talking Bird, Singing Tree, Golden Water -- A Plethora of Horses 1

Some horses for Princess Parizade and her brothers. Arabian horses is the obvious breed of choice, and so I did a little research. Small in stature, they are sturdy horses known for their strength, endurance, and speed. They can be easily recognized for their high tails and 'concave' faces

Talking Bird, Singing Tree, Golden Water -- Parizade Talks to the Holy Woman

In this scene Princess Parizade talks with a journeying Holy Woman. This woman tells Parizade that, while  the home she shares with her brothers is beautiful, it is missing 3 things. The talking bird, the singing tree, and the golden water.

This took longer than I thought it would, but it also involved a number of challenges. Like making the perspective (I'm not used to pillars in perspective) and trying to figure out what pallet to use. (This world is the cheeriest of the three I have) And I'm still cementing out the technique of layers and textures I use. But I'm glad with this, and I'm ready to make something new. Maybe another Parizade Image? I really have been flushing out this world a lot lately. 

Talking Bird, Singing Tree, Golden Water -- Background Sketches 1

 Some sketches for some layouts for the Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and The Golden Water. Made with ballpoint pen, and then shaded with photoshop

Image 1: The holy woman telling Princess Parizade of the Talking Bird
Image 2: Princess Parizade telling her two brothers about the objects
Image 3: Princess Parizade watching one of her brothers ride out

Italy Sketchbook Part 6

 More from my Italy Sketchbook. This grouping is assorted, I just liked them. As you might guess, the Half Price Books one is actually from america, but it was all from the same sketchbook, so there it is.

Italy Sketchbook Part 5

More from my Italy Sketchbook. This grouping is about architecture and color. The top one is from Vernazza, a beautiful town on the western part of Italy. It's part of a set of 5 towns called Cinque Terra, a place I was recommended to go by a friend. Thanks Generosso!

Italy Sketchbook Part 4

More from my Italy Sketchbook. One of the things I was really interested in in this sketchbook was mixed media pieces, especially with found materials that somehow related to the memory of the image. The top and bottom images were painted on a small fashion magazine I found in the area (which was also a hot spot in the evening). The top left quad was painted on the paper that that pastry was wrapped in. The top right quad was painted on top of the wrappers of the candy I was eating while I painted.