Mash it up?

There are many talented artists out there who have found work revamping or doing “mash-ups” of others IP.

Now this is a completely legitimate process and I am happy to see so many successful.  But out of the multitude of My Little Pony, Dr. Who, Transformer, Firefly T-shirts, tote bags and prints, I wonder how many original works are lost by these same artists, and how much work is ignored by the companies that cater to these revamps?

Consumers clamor all the time, “We want something new, we want something new!” and when the something new is delivered they say “Oh, but it is not like this, that, or the other thing.”

 Now this is not a complaint mind you, but rather an observation. I am wondering what it takes to gain a greater audience with my own work and if I should start putting my spin on tried and true characters. After all, my most popular comic is one in which I reference Dr. Who and that very comic is based on AD&D itself.

I just cannot keep thinking that if I divert my efforts, what wonders will I miss creating.

 

So for those of you who may not have seen, I am starting to make progress on the Playing card prints. I have finished the Jack of Spades

 

I have also started a new series of prints based on the antics of baby Dragons.

 

I would love for any of you to chime in and tell me what you think. :D

New look, New ideas...

Well I think I am out of my rut and working toward lots of fun and exciting things!

I will be the Art-Guest-of-Honor at a local convention called Leprecon 39 here in Mesa.

leprecon39For those of you who can you should come on by and say hi.

Also I will be sharing a table in artist’s alley at Phoenix Comic Con, whereas Chain Reaction Studios

Chain Reaction Studios

 I will be selling prints of some of my work. Which brings me to the pointof even having this blog!

I have been drawing tons and tons of late and I hope to be ready to publish a Dungeon Notes book soon!

 

This is one of my favorites as the outdoor bit I think came out well. I have been concentrating on my backgrounds. There is another.

 

Soapbox Moment

Being an artist, people are more than willing to say you are great, for that costs them nothing.

Paying for that worth is a completely another matter. I more than appreciate the accolades, but I cannot eat praise nor can I pay my bills with it.

Being an artist is hard; it is very hard work as is any profession. There is nothing you can reach out and touch, as you are reading this, which was not touched by an artist or designed by one. Yet it is the very last thing people want to pay for.

\End Rant

Tonights progress

Tonight progress was me just tweaking the face some to give it more character. ( I think there needs to be much more). I worked on the helm some and refined it so Onslow does not look so much like Dirk the Daring. The big addition was the eyes. I now have full control of the irises opening and closing.

 

 

 

Over all I think he is starting to come along.

 

Again any feedback,comments, and critiques welcomed.

Old Onslow

 

*EDIT! Here is a render with his eyes in place from the last post. :D

 

It seems the modeling of the New/Old Onslow is coming along. I was able to rough him out tonight.

I know right now he looks like a very old Dirk from Dragons Lair. That was completely unintentional and will "Hopefully" be fixed down the road. I would love to hear feedback as I move along, getting ideas on how to improve the short from the previous incarnation.

 

The next few steps will be to refine Onslow’s face, and start working on a range of expressions for him. I will be trying a new trick where I make a Ref of this head and from it make the different blend shapes or Morph targets. In theory I should be able to go back to the main head and make any modeling tweaks along the way without having to completely remodel the Morphs.

I will post more as I finish.
 

Tip Toe Re-Newed.

They say the eyes are the window into the soul. I hope this is true as I have found a rekindled energy for re-doing an old and lost short I did years ago.

 I want to use it to apply all of the things I have learned since then and see if I can finish it.

I start this process with rebuilding the eyes and I hope soon to have a head here to join them.

 As I finish bits and peices; I will start posting here my progress from time to time as I get things done. I plan on revisiting the old story boards and tighten up the animation. Here’s to hoping for success.


Jeff