Zombie Doodle

Been a while since I've seen 'the walking dead' so kept myself amused with a walker sketch, trying to draw more sketches each week, quick and quantity is the main aim here so more to come.

If your on Instagram you can find me and more sketches and pics there, look for @MCCANNOID

2014 Art Recap and Xmas Art Gifts

Happy new year all and Welcome to 2015!! Hope last year was good to you. Before I start posting artwork from the new year and all things related, I wanted to do a quick recap of last year on what art direction I went, did I achieve what I set out to do and was it productive in terms of creative Output. I also want to share four traditional paintings I completed as gifts/commissions over the festive holiday period.

2014 was definitely the year I returned to my more traditional roots, using watercolour, acrylic, charcoal, pencil and pastel to paint portraits, studies or other things just for fun but I was also fortunate enough to have some commissioned worked last year that further raised my confidence in my own ability to grow and improve my rusty skills. Although there was some digital and graphic design work I had completed there was also a string of irreparable faults with my technology hardware but somehow I managed or looked beyond this. It was a big set back for my digital ambitions with unmanageable costs at the time but it gave me time to step back, look at what I was doing, where I wanted to go and why, it also gave me a glimpse into what made art, painting and just creating for the sake of it so enjoyable and meaningful to me. To be critical of myself, I didn't produce enough, to be optimistic, I did produce some unique pieces of real value to those who received them as gifts or as commissioned pieces of art, this was especially felt during the holidays with the following four paintings.

I don't really have resolutions for 2015, I would rather carry the lessons I've Learnt from 2014 and grow past that, taking with me what I've done right and what I need to do. So here's a summary:

1. Return to Digital, Get the Tech Logistics Sorted, take what you've learnt and use it.
2. Produce Way more Art, paintings,drawings, design, sketches, stay accountable to quantity.
3. Keep Producing Art of value and content meaningful to yourself and others.
4. Monetise more efficiently, Think in business terms of how you will fund and fuel your creativity.

I've already given myself a list for this month so I'll be busy, currently working on some traditional portraits, a children's book and drafting a web comic, here's to 2015!! its time I got on with it.

Harry Potter Studios and GOT Exhibhition (2014)

Two of 2014's highlights were my visits to the Harry Potter Studios outside London and a special Game of Thrones Exhibition in Belfast. I highly recommend them both as they feature set pieces, props, creatures, costumes, concept art and designs, although the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour is based near Watford outside London, The GOT exhibition I believe is something that pops up annually in various locations, the time I went, it was situated in the Waterfront building, Belfast, so keep an eye out for it.

The Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio tour was a real surprise and treat for myself especially as I'm not even a big Harry Potter fan but I was truly captivated by the sheer scale of the sets from  Hogwart's Main Hall and Chambers to the cobbled way up Diagon Alley. The Creatures, masks, costumes and prosthectics were really something to behold, the animatronics were both amazing and creepy as some features came to life.There was so much for Harry Potter fans to take in surrounding the family details, its world and culture, the forces of good and evil, I was fascinated but struggled at times to keep up, but I managed to take a break and refresh myself with some butter beer! The concept art was amazing along with the detailed set designs and models, and by the end of the tour was probably the best bit.... a breathtaking vision of Hogwarts in big-ature form.

Though smaller in scale and features the HBO Game of Throne Exhibition held its own as an impressive spectacle and display of Westeros' finest and feared. Most of it featured well known character costumes from the show, beautifully designed and detailed, along with the more rugged and grim wears of fugitive wanders or dwellers beyond the wall. The props were a delight, from weapons, jewellery and set pieces, all build up the stories, lore and history of it's world along with the memorable and shocking scenes from the TV series. The creature features were also present with hanging model dragons, a very cool dragon head and painfully bloody Dire Wolf's head, all too chilling with dreaded thoughts of the Red Wedding. Despite this, I was cheered up immensely with my chance to sit on the Iron Throne and Experience the Joyride of Looking beyond the wall from dizzying heights using the occulus rift set up.

A4 Acrylic Paint: Bene Gesserit Sister

I've using a lot of water colours, charcoal and pencils lately so in a bid to do something different and refresh some long slumbering practice I've turned to acrylics. Still had some in the house and I miss the bold colours and contrast I use to get using them years ago, so to start I used a simple A4 canvas and began to paint a female face keeping some scatter magazine references at hand. At the beginning it didn't look like anything expect a creepy child's painting but with time and persistence it soon evolved. At the end I got used to a black background and instead of adding hair I could add a shoal or nun's garment but that wasn't my style, then it reminded me of the witch/priestess order from Frank Herbert's Dune so I went with that in mind. I kept everything outside the face relatively quick and less detailed than the face, next time I'll buy some better, more detailed brushes and work with a larger surface to achieve such detail. Here's my progress, just goes to show even from crude beginnings if you trust yourself and keep going to get somewhere.

Charcoal Gorilla (and process)

One of my animal studies using traditional mediums, charcoal and chalk on green paper, the study uses photographic reference, exercising accurate observation and hand/eye coordination, details can be difficult to achieve with charcoal and chalk but it is great for establishing value and light.  I'm no expert as I taught myself along the way but here's my process.

Sketch outline lightly with pencil, the first stage is generally the most important., use eye (or grid) to measure shapes like head, body and eyes, be loose and messy narrowing down an accurate layout of shape and important focal points such as face. Look at outlines and the negative shapes (background) then spin and check 360, No details here, as this will be mostly covered up, tidy layout outline with eraser.

Establish main values and lighting, biggest and darkest shadows, usually leave chalk to very last. Smudge shadows with tissue paper to keep hands clean and achieve medium shadows, outline with charcoal.

Smudge and add details, build up image with charcoal  details and shadows, the gorilla here is still all charcoal the lighting has changed to make it appear brighter. Don't be too precious about the lines you draw, if u need to smudge in more value do it but keep medium tones (paper) and light (Chalk) areas charcoal free, put in the time here, if your starting image is accurate trust in the process and go at it.

This is the finished image. Finish all details, suggest fur details with charcoal strokes and light chalk brushes, use charcoal pencil (or sharp edge) for line details, zoom in your focus to ensure focal points like face are detailed and lit accurately, zoom out to ensure overall value with head, body, face has been established and works, bring the background up to scratch, lightly smudge as this will put it out of focus and establish distance. Leave it, then come back with fresh eyes, call it done when your happy (or when your done).

Sci-Fi Pen Doodles

Recent Portrait

Heres a recent portrait I completed with watercolour, I've been doing more and more portraits as comissions, gifts and portfolio builders. Its been a few years since my last portrait or painting like this so it was a welcomed return to traditional artwork, I also tried a few little warm up runs before going at it. I really like painting people but even more so animals as their feedback is always consistant. More like this to come.

Portrait Warm Ups

More recently I have been working on a few commissioned portraits and despite a return to traditional work I can still feel a little rusty and somewhat apprehensive before undertaking work for others. That's why I do little warm up practice paintings or drawings before getting into the real piece, it allows me to make those early starting off mistakes without comprising the commissioned piece and helps me form guidelines with what to do and not to do. The top one is a coloured pencil sketch, the bottom is a watercolour practice, I try to do them right but keep it small in size and quick in time (about 30mins), its also important just to get it done and use that momentum in the actual commissioned piece.

The Robot and the Roses

Back to Charcoal and Chalk. Rather than a straight forward portrait or study I wanted to do something a little more science fiction inspired. So using reference material and imagination I came up with this Image, I like this kind of work because it doesn't seem like it, real reference mixed in with a sci-fi concepts with traditional mediums and there will be more like this in the future. Without saying much more, here's the process.

There will be more like this in the future so follow the blog or my art page on facebook or if your on Instagram look for @MCCANNOID to see bits like this and more. Thanks.

Fantasy Map Sketches!

Sometimes studies and practising fundamentals like portraits, still life or perspective drawing can be a little demanding of concentration and effort, when I like to draw just for the fun and draw from the imagination: I draw fantasy maps. These can be as simple as you like or as complex, for example I like to separate imaginary Kingdoms by symbols or flags. building architecture styles, ensure they have access to metal mines, or lumber works or seaport access for trade. I also treat it like a game, like if you use your finger to follow a road, eventually you'll have a fork in the road and choices to make which might take you to a magicians citadel or a barbarian encampment with ruins and wild creatures along the way. Its basic, pencil and paper basic, but its creative fun especially if you like studying maps like me and getting bearings between areas and if they tell a story or an intersting  cultural difference (even if its fantastical) all the better.

There will be more maps to come, eventually I'll be adding colour or maybe even developing the game or storytelling aspect of it. These examples are basic and fun but detailed drawings look good framed on a wall  adding a lot of interest as a unique talking point, so I will be taking on some commissions for these in the future (if your interested email me at chhmccann@hotmail.com) but I'll also keep the personal examples coming.

Smart Monkey

Here's a quick pen doodle of a noble looking chap, rather dashing yet somber looking. Cheer up old boy!

I've plenty of little sketches like this I'll be adding to the blog including some digital works (once finished). Follow to see more: here and on facebook,Instagram (look for McCannoid). I'm taking on a few commissions at present, if readers are interested email me for more info or requests. Thanks

Charcoal n' Chalk Female

Bringing the Blog up to speed. After having a total malfunction of my Laptop last year, it was a good time to return to traditional work whilst saving up for somet new tech. One of my favourite methods is using black charcoal and white chalk to create images on coloured paper/card, preferably a mid range tone or dull colour like grey is perfect. It was a while since last using this medium so my approach was a little slow and rusty but it got there in the end.

Step one: Using study reference draw outline of Image, being keen to get applying charcoal and chalk I kept this fast and loose, this may have lead to positioning and symmetry issues later but we live and learn.

Step two: Went about outlining hair, eyes and shaded areas with charcoal, and brightened skin by smudging lightly chalk dust, this was more than I originally intended almost drowning out the skin highlights but brought a illuminated look that worked out but I got the message, don't be too liberal with your chalk highlights.

Final Stage: So I continue adding light and dark building the image, following reference guides, the charcoal pencil was used from tighter details and the process often required smudging or erasing with charcoal eraser, but also household cotton buds (for ears) and tissue, you don't want to get too much on your hands and stain the image plus I think with the warmth and moisture of hands or fingers, using them as smudge tools is a little less predictable/controllable. Just finish when your happy or when its past 2am, like this one was.

Not using a great camera but I often like to add an Instagram filter on bits like this depending if I like the effect or not, You can check out @MCCANNOID there and follow me to see more! I'd love to hear any comments, critique or advice for future works using this media or just in general. Thanks.

Lets work outside and offline

OK, so not exactly what I would call 'work' or creative masterpieces but definitely good practice and some fun in the sun. Decided to paint with some watercolours and be creative with charcoal/chalk  and managed to get some nice sunburn in the process. Its interesting to see how my work looks traditionally, a little rusty I would say, but also that it could be improved with better preparation, more time and more sun (please).

A view from the back garden, drawing and watercolour.

Charcoal Image from scratch and imagination on card.

Bug Style Helmet Sketches...of course

I decided to take a break from the laptop yesterday and sit with folks and unwind with some TV but I brought my sketchpad and randomly doodled a few insect/spider based helmets over 1 A4 page with a black Biro , i changed the layout and added colour in Photoshop but the rough sketches remain the same.
I may throw up a few more sketches as I am still working on some paintings at the moment and need blog fodder so stay tuned.

I'm leaning towards 5 and 15, I could see them as rivals as some kind insect tech based super heroes (Mantis vs. Red Ant) just my imagination, 9 and 18 are interesting and could be developed also, anyway more of a blue sky project for fun. Let me know what you think, more little bits like this to come.

The Skull-Binder

A definite return to my dark side. This was a monster idea I had held originally in an iron aged based 'fantasy world' project I had created a long time ago...but as I drew initial sketches of this piece I realized that it was best suited to a different personal project I was working on, the crusades with demons (basically). Not really a ground breaking or original character I'll admit, but nothing like painting a bad ass brooding demon.

Here are the stages and the process of my working, I don't always work in this way so its by no means a prefect recipe and was often defined a little too much by mood, patience and music playlists.

Stage one: Hand drawn sketch on A4 paper, based on references i readily researched beforehand.
Stage two: Added grey base over drawing to add shade and light as a black and white value painting.
Stage three: lose the drawing, detailed value and paint, flip the image to check and correct the form.
Stage four: complete the value painting, its ok but flat/grey, added colour and experimenting with ideas.
Stage five: flatten the colours, burn/dodge to strengthen shadows/light, adjust sizes, paint background.
Stage six: finalize the piece, quick tidy and armor highlights, mist separator and lighten focus areas.

So that was that, suggestions, comments and critiques most welcome and for now onto the next one.

Irish Mythology: Finn and Sadv

So in December and January I picked up an old book on Irish myths and Legends, so old it was missing its cover and its pages were sandy in colour and musty in smell. I remember reading it ages ago and it set my mind alight with vivid images that gripped my imagination, so I decided to try and illustrate these, so there is more to come from this.

One of the stories was about Finn captain of the Fianna, an elite group of guards that served the High King and defended the shores of Ireland before Christian times. Finn as his name means was fair haired and handsome, he and the rest of Fianna would often go hunting game with their wolf hounds. On one occasion Finn's hounds chased a deer into some old enchanted woods, he  followed and soon found them at an opening, sitting and guarding the deer, as Finn approached the deer transformed into a beautiful woman, her name was Sadv, the Deer Goddess. Sadv had originally been trapped in deer form by a dark magician of the old age but the spell had broken in the presence of her true love, Finn.

After the painting was complete I was compelled to paint what Finn looked like and the expression on his face, partially to add more of a storytelling element and emotional aspect but also because I had the idea of doing a banner or background scene for a Facebook page which would have an accompanying profile image related to the scene.

In later Posts I will share the process of my digital painting progression to show how I ended with these results and to hopefully get tips, suggestions, ideas, feedback and critique by breaking down the stages. Again I will return to Irish Mythology as a theme/source for illustrative paintings, so stay tuned by following.

Blogs don't die, just forgotten.

Lets dust the Cobwebs off this Blog!

I considered the idea of starting a new blog....but instead decided to return to this one which I left like an abandoned car, luckily blogs don't rust or die, well this one won't as I've decided to breathe some life into it once again. After months Painting late into the night or procrastinating on Facebook its time I found an alternative means of  expression and a better way to spend my time into the wee hours of the night.

So in last few months I've been writing, drawing, painting (digital and traditional), and developing other bits of digital media for fun and communication, including a return to 3D, mostly all personal projects, so I will do my best to recap my selfish actives and current bits and research pieces of 2013.

And for new  readers, these are some of my other links:

Portfolio
Twitter
Deviant Art

Armed Transport

This started out as a perspective sketch for fun, I then coloured it in PS. I've meaning to do a few more concepts on Vehicles and Environments, working on solid forms and rendering hard surface, this may be combined with elements from Maya as I am currently practicing and moving more into 3D.

Bust Study

I've not uploaded much art in a while so here's a study of a bust i was working on, whilst visiting the British Museum in London, I took several photos of various exhibits there with the intention to either use them as reference or as a study object. As I have gathered a trove of museum images, I may post a few more of these digitally painted Photoshop Images or hand sketches (if I can find them) in the future.

From Creepy to Cartoony

After giving it (too) much consideration and looking towards more locally based companies I have decided to develop a more cartoonic and stylised approach to my work both in regard to 3D and 2D since my work has a lack of...fun, happiness and jolly good joy, where as the dark, brooding and monstrous elements may not be as appealing or marketable as i would have wished. This is also to address the lack of fundamental, even basic 3D elements in my portfolio at present but also the lack of variety in 2D aspects and having plenty of cartoon and comic sketches scribbled on paper around me it makes sense to advance this style/skillset further to a point where it is not only fun to do but also self promoting in regards to employment. In context to games it's ideal, as my main 3D skills lie within having a low poly count and simplistic texturing, also it will give me the chance to practice basic animation within Maya which I have been waiting to do for a long time, although for now just some render snapshots will be fine. So whilst I listen to the darker tunes of bands like Danzig and Rammestein I will try to remember fond childhood memories of FraggleRock or Rupert the Bear as I draw, paint and model, somehow I think something scary/creepy will sneak its way in and it'l look like something out of Watership Down: the directors cut. Anyhow in closing, I don't like to leave a post without a picture so heres a quick coloured sketch of some plant people (a bit creepy...again).