Sketch+: FlayGrunt Series

So.  Long story, medium-length-  Was going to hang up the Sketch+'s a bit, but got quite wrapped up in a buncha misc. biz-  Finished that, and needed a break so decided to get back into another sketch+ miniSeries.  Should really find a specific skill to rail [practice] on during these sets, but for now...  Just another batch of sprinkling a bit of color onto some of my favorite sketches...

... A slight nod to Garfield?;P

Another oldie [Promise to start sketch+ing some newer pieces]-  STILL IN PROGRESS-  Really digging the lines/ ink on this one + interesting [to me @ least] tidbit-  The  BG is actually the confetti-covered ground @ a Flaming Lips concert in NYC ~7 years ago!  [Would still like to integrate it into the piece more, although sometimes the juxtaposition is kinda nice:)].

Enjoy!,
PATENAUDE

Sketch+: Criminity Series

Having too much fun with these sketch+'s, so I'm stalling on my "BIG small" project a bit longer, in favor of another 'series' or so of these-  Going to start working more components than just single characters into the pieces, and try to hold 'em all together.
Note: I'm adding the most recent ones @ the top.

OLD concept...  Still dig him-  Pilfered him from an archived sketch pad a month or so ago, and couldn't help but slather some color on this huggable fella.  PS, Pretty sure those horns squeak when he gets excited

^One last color variation before hanging it up + letting it sit and cool for a bit.^

Another pass on this piece to pull the colors together a bit more:)

^UPDATE 01.19.2013: 'Just a few friends all gussied up [in burlap and denim] for a night out on the town'...  Might do a little more work on this one, but then again...  who am I kidding?  I probably won't- ONTO BIGGER AND BETTER, FOLKS!  PS. LOOK!  I finally started signin' my arts again!^

UPDATE 01.15.2013: Digging these guys [above &below] + having a lotta fun playing with the colors-  As always, searching for 'unique' palettes/ something new! 

Playing around with the colors a bit.  Started with the blue sky 2 images below, which i dig, but didn't feel like it popped enough, so gave the orange and pink a whirl-  Will probably delete my least faves after they stew on here for a bit. 

^Original sky color^

Here's the original-  Didn't feel like dealing with the guy on the left, so he got the axe.  My condolences.

Enjoy!,

PATENAUDE 

Sketch+: Lambada Series

More sketch +'s-  Might start collecting the quick 'pieces' created in a given week [or other random time frame] and assigning a name to the 'series', so...  let's call this group the 'LAMBADA SERIES'...

"I was *THE* ORIGINAL New Year's baby model...  Now look at me..."

'Might be allergies', he declared.

^Really like this guy-  Keep digging him up during various projects-  Hoping to get him in a game some day:)^

^Ver.02, Added a bit more highlighting + shadows [in addition to playing with the colors], but still keeping it light/ flattish.  Thought it might be nice to post a bit of the progress-  Will probably hang it up for now + move onto the next.^

^Ver.01^

...  All for now,

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Getting back into it...

Yes, I've gotten a bit lazy with the amount of ME/ personal art I've been doing lately [yeah, yeah, poor me, I'm SO busy;P], so I'm getting back onto the saddle with a BIG round of 'sketch +'s' [quick pieces that I'll use to get back into drawing/ creating + experiment with different methods of display while retaining their spontaneity by not OVER-working them -> , etc.].

For now, I'm trying to JUST DRAW, and not over think any of it much, but hoping that at least a few seeds of something useful might come from it.

I have about 20+ 'pieces' on deck @ various stages, which I'm hoping to post & re-post during their progress this year, then GET DOWN TO BUSINESS next year, by putting a plan together [and actually ACTING on it] TO MAKE SOMETHING *REAL!*. 

So!  Here's what I have so far-  Stay tuned for more, if you so choose!...

NOT: Remember-  These are quite rough-  Plenty more work to do [maybe]!...

^UPDATE: Born: 12.19.2012^

Having a bit of a time fighting the smoothness of working some shading/ highlights in while also trying to keep the images relatively 'flat'-  Experimenting with painting the rendering in with masks [in photoshop] then filling that layer with noise to get some tooth to it-  Will keep tinkering w/ the process as I go because...  that's what this is all about:)

^UPDATE: Born: 12.16.2012^

^UPDATE: Born: 12.15.2012^
Oh!  Hey, [Matt]-  I'm working your paper wash scans into those BGs up there-  THANKS!

REALLY need to fix the line work on this dude, but one of my fav.s nonetheless

Enjoy!,
Patenaude

Random McRandomness...

Every once in a while I run across a bit of art that I _barely_ remember creating.  Sifting through old canvases, sketch pads, directories, etc.  Tonight I did just that while digging through some old art to repurpose for some tShirts.

In this case, I was shooting to create a small series using some of the components [characters + background elements] that I'd created for another series of which I ended up _hating_ the final product.  Since I actually kinda dug the elements/ components of this comps, I wanted these guys to have another go at it-  Anyway-  This is as far as they got [In-progress shots of PSD comps]...

...  Might dump more of this type of stuff on here in the future, if for no other reason than to not have them die in vain;)

Oh!  And here's another that I just stumbled across...

...  Forgot what year I incompletely whipped this guy up-  Maybe ~2009?  Have always REALLY dug him for some reason-  Might take him further in the future:)

...  ENJOY,

patenaude!

A LEPRECHAUN per DAY until St. Patrick's Day!

[LAST UPDATED: 03.15.2012]...

In honor of St. Patrick's day [but mostly because I've been working on a bunch of leprechaun character concepts (essentially just colored sketches) for a little side game project], I've decided to post one leprechaun per day until St. Patrick's day!  ...  And then maybe more afterwards.  I TOLDJOO all that I'd end up getting obsessed with leprechauns by working on this, 'cause I'm a sucker for mutant humanoids (my latest was a fascination with smurfs:  http://blognaude.blogspot.com/2008/05/smurfs-color-remix-done.html.  So without further ado, here they are, starting @ the top w/ the most recent...

...  Saturday, March 17th, 2012.  Hated the leprechaun ear-marked for today, THE MOST SPECIAL & LAST DAY IN THE SERIES, so decided to revamp one of the magical midgets in an earlier post in its place...
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

...  Friday, March 16th, 2012.  Tomorrow's leprechaun...  TODAY

...  Thurday, March 15th, 2012.  Not my fav. but what can ya do;)?

...  Thursday, March 14th, 2012.  To get you your leprechaun fix, I'm cheating today!  One of the great things about art, is how contagious it can be!  After seeing my blog theme for St. Patrick's Day, Jani Stephan, a second grade teacher @ Custer Elementary in Ferndale, WA [who also happens to be my mother-in-law] decided to use it as inspiration for an art project-  She challenged her students to whip up some leprechauns of their own-  Here [ABOVE] are the final and FANTASTIC results!

...  Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

...  Monday, March 12th, 2012

...  Sunday, March 11th, 2012, No pants= NO PROBLEM!

...  Saturday, March 10th, 2012

...  Friday, March 9th, 2012, HAPPY FRIDAY!

...  Thursday, March 8th, 2012
[You might recognize THIS guy from his crossover CutOut fame]
(Posting this a day early, because of a bit of free time this morning:))

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012...
There are a few others like this in which I'm just experimenting with different head shapes + features.

...  Tuesday, March 6th, 2012

...  Stop back by tomorrow for another in the series!

...  ENJOY!,

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PROGRESS SHOTS, Week of ~02.26.2012 [+ a bonus thought]...

Another round progress shots from the cutouts that I've been working on over the past couple of weeks.   NOTE:  Top shots are most recent...

Added the final layer of sealant and the backings on Wednesday and these suckers are DONE[...  aside from a little touch up on the leprechaun's arm + the blue beastie's eyes]!  + In addition to wanting to ge the leprechaun done by at. patrick's day [for whatever reason], all of these suckers are ear-marked for potential side-project game ideas as well-  TWO BIRDS, ONE STONE!

I actually went w/ ~80% colored ink for this set-  Partially as an experiment +  partially because i had some nice colors sitting around;)

...  Ready for COLOR!

Off to the SAW!...

Final shots of the bunny-ESQUE heads-  from the last round-  These are ear-marked for potential cast member for one of my little side game projects.

ALL FINISHED and ready for a home!  Will it be the kids' rooms, the studio walls, or...  ETSY-determined destination!?

So...  I believe the CutOuts have served their purpose in getting me back onto the art saddle, but @ this point it seems they've become a bit of a procrastination tool/ distraction from the project[s] that I should really be concentrating-  So I might slow progress on them in the near future.  That being said, it's always fun to get my hands dirty, so I'm sure i won't be able to completely stop firing up the saw and dusting off the bristles completely;)

A BONUS THOUGHT...
In working on my side projects, I've noticed that because I don't have time to do a TON of work by myself right now [like *REAL* indie devs;)], I've actually called on help from "the ME of past" [from up to ~10 years ago] for a TON of the concepts for some of my projects.  Luckily, after a lifelong "career" in art, i feel like my style has conveniently/ finally stabilized enough, that many of my designs form quite a while ago are very consistent w/ what I create in PRESENT day-  So essentially, for the mean time at least, I'm working with a team of... me-  Kinda neat, eh?

...  PATENAUDE

Even MORE progress shots of the 2 most recent batches of CutOuts...

A handful of new progress shots-  Some of it from MONDAY night even.  How's THAT for productivity!?

...  Getting the ink on some pieces from the last 2 batches.

This is the one that Lily picked out of all 8 [with a little coaching from me as it's my FAV!].  I'm calling it part of her Valentine's present.

This is where it lives in her room [had to clear some of the flowers out of the way].  ^NOTE:  Colors are WAY off in this one-  I really need to re-shoot this^

...  A close up of the ink + more accurate colors [better lighting].

And here is the one that I picked for William [I thought it fit in well with the (THEME) of his room].  HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, little lion man!  I'm attributing his lack of enthusiasm to the fact that he'd JUST woken up-  I'm sure it had NOTHING to do with his displeasure with the design...  Right?

...  And a close-up of of it being freshly inked!

That's all for now,

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