Tuesday, March 24, 2009

And the wanting comes in waves



I thought I'd update with a WIP shot. The colors and vectors are getting closer to their final phases. This one has been alot of fun to make, and has actually gone alot faster than my previous illustrations in this style, meaning of course that the total time I've actually spent working on it is less. I've just spaced the hours out over weeks... and more weeks :P. Alas, the photoshop front will be really interesting and there are alot of special effects I plan to add in raster form, though I am dreading the conversion... exporting layered PSDs out of this kind of Illy file take forevorz! I might end up just working from a flattened PSD... that'll be fun. As always, if you happen to see this and have a thought or advice, don't hesitate to share! please! I always love crit! It helps me improve. :)
I recently purchased The Decemberists newest album: The Hazards of Love. And my god, the album has affected me. It is masterfully written and arranged... in such a way that makes you listen to it over and over again. As soon as I heard it, my mind flooded with imagery... and I decided to illustrate at least one of my many favorite songs: Annan Water. The song describes the story's hero braving the wild and living grey river to rescue his lover on the other shore... He pleads with the enchanted river to let him cross, and as payment it may take him upon his return. This is William making that plea as he attempts to ford the rapids. I worked out this sketch several times trying to get it just right, I thought I'd include some of those sketches below. I can't wait to get to work vectoring out the shapes, even so, I'm sure this one will take a while. I want this one to be good so if anyone has any crits I want to hear em! :)



This last piece is just a sketch, unrelated to the rest above. I love and miss the forests I grew up in and because I'm a nostalgia addict, I think I'm subconsiously doodling them. There were myriad gulleys there, and tree-bridges sometimes natrually formed in those woods. They had a magic to them, the forests that is. Maybe one day I'll get to go back.

4 comments:

Eric Royal said...

Looks awesome. I have 2 comments and they are both about the dudes head, i think it is too small and shouldn't he seem more determined if he is going to save his love and is willing to sacrifice himself for her?
Love the sketch at the end, makes me wish drawing landscapes didn't make me want to cry.

andy ristaino said...

hey chris i really dig the direction your going in with these last few peices.

keep up the good work

David Jackson said...

its coming along nicely.

Liana Hee said...

Nice job Vear! I love the coloring so far.