My Miscellany

[White-Tean]

Latest work to bump off the old thumbnail:

... ... ...

Figured I should finally commit to progressing further on my art and subjecting it all to the closer scrutiny of the very canny folk around here. Please share any thoughts you have on my work, on the body of it and on the individual pieces.

Well, here goes nothing.



A pair of compositional doodles featuring Wedge-Tailed Eagles for my graduate exhibition banner/portfolio cover.

[White-Tean]

An unfinished piece from back in February, when my university work abates somewhat I hope to have a chance to finish it and work with it in Painter 11 as well, now that I have it.



This is another unfinished piece from last month - it's the blue Wedge Tailed Eagle "Pigeon Eagle" (named for the fact that it reminds me of cartoon pigeons which are often blue or purple) that I'm using as a mascot for my work. I have somewhat of a problem with not being able to do the last things needed to finish a piece and refine it properly, so if anyone has any suggestions on what finishing touches these pieces need to make them look really great, I'd be most grateful to hear them.

[White-Tean]

Jade sketchy-edge vignette Foo Dog, inspired by a stone statue I photographed while in China in '08.

[White-Tean]

Reworking of an illustration based on the Secret Garden, created for university in '08. Suggestions on how to improve the bird would be great, it's looking a little awkward - it's supposed to be a European Robin.

[danlambert]

Hey, really digging those eagles in the 1s post. Love the graphic and rendered contrast (if that makes sense?) Thats a really great idea on that last piece as well, subtle. I like it! I think the problem with your robin is that it's looking a little flat. It doesn't help that you have the head in profile. Maybe try punching up the values a bit for some more contrast, and altering the position of the head.
I think it kind of looks a little fat as well, but I haven't studied bird anatomy so that's an uneducated comment.


Peace
Dan

[White-Tean]

danlambert: Thankyou! It's great to get feedback on my work.
In a couple more days when I have some more time I'll be working again on the piece with the Robin I'll certainly be trying the head in some other positions, because I think you're right that, that may help it look a little more interesting.

I'm hesitant about how chubby the bird is as well, but my reference photos indicate and a friend has confirmed that European Robins are just rotund little things. I think the pose might be pushing it over the edge though and that another pose might make it look a little less obviously bulky. I think if I tilt the head down it might help it look less blimp-like. I'd love to be able to angle it somewhat as well after reading your suggestion, although I've got a lot of pieces to work up so I don't know that I'll have the extra time to spare.



In the meantime, here's another piece I've been working on (I've been working on a number of pieces as I'm trying to build up a graduate portfolio, which I'm realising may well wind up being 50% birds) which I'd like to work up to a very realistic level (it's looking more than a little dull at the moment), while still keeping the colour palette vaguely restrained. I'm normally keen on the whole Crayola box full of colours, so it's an effort for me to tamp it down a bit. I'll still be arranging my portfolio in rainbow order though.

[towy]

special work that interesting, i like really the post 3 of course
keep up :3

[White-Tean]

special work that interesting, i like really the post 3 of course
keep up :3

Thanks so much!
Well, I've been working hard so hopefully my work is gradually getting better.

This is that vignette illustration for my banner design that the first post's concept sketches were for. I’d like to take the concept a little further for my portfolio, so please leave any suggestions you have here. There is a loose theme in this design (at least in my head) of isolation in the Australian outback, where for long stretches of road there’s not a lot of activity to be seen but for circling birds of prey, including the remarkable Wedge-Tailed Eagle. Heavily inspired by an old pin box design and my trip (by car) up to Ningaloo reef last year.

I'd like to give it the look of an older design such as seen in the inspiration, with the appearance that the screen-tones have been cut and pasted by hand, and perhaps a little bit of stooged-up overlapping/poorly aligned printing of colours. I'd love some suggestions of adding some more Retro flair.

Powerline silhouette created using stock by Elaweasel.