How about a throwback sketch from my younger years. I came across this old billboard looking specimen in one of my old sketchbooks. I always wanted to expand on this idea but never found the time to execute it. Maybe a revival is due.

Title // The Saint

Media // Mixed: Mech Pencil, Colored Pencil  Ink, Watercolor, & Digital Editing

I have finally brought a small self portrait to completion. The main purpose of this was to design a new blog header. Although the goal was small I really love the outcome of this little illustration. It makes me see myself in a different light. (No pun intended). Doing self portraits is always an empowering process. You attain the ability to see yourself in a variety of different ways and scenarios. You can almost live through them if only just for a moment and feel like your someone or something else.

I decided to experiment a lot with this since it wasn’t a huge piece. I wanted to try using more media this time to receive better results in certain areas. Especially facial detail. I don’t often implement digital editing in my illustrations, but with the way illustration is progressing I feel it more necessary for me to take that first step and start utilizing it more often.

But to dissect this illustration by medium it would go something like this:

Hair // Watercolor + Ink

Face & Skin // Watercolor + Colored Pencil + Ink

Headband & Collar Accessories // Ink + Mechanical Pencil

Blouse // Mechanical Pencil

Just in case you want to implement some new media into your own illustrations. Each serves a very specific role and in tandum they create a more intense and contrasted feel to your drawings.

Finally got the chance to test out my new moleskin notebooks I purchased awhile ago. I must say I’m not as happy with them as older ones I’ve purchased with thicker pages. I like everything to stay flat and my edges without fray.

I’m not really sure what propelled me to do this study but it made me think on a very interesting and gripping take on Alice falling into wonderland… with a more realistic twist. So perhaps in the future I will consider this route for my Alice series…but for this little morsel it’s too soon to tell.