Nicx the Devil

This is 1 of 3 examples I am doing for a tutorial sheet on my ‘Splice’ technique. It’s basically a random ‘name-out-of-the-hat’ method to create unexpected paintings. I got 'Dragon-Deformed-Black and White Sketch' for this one.

“Deformed Dragon, that sounds a lot like my character Nicx!” I thought,
Nicx is the title character and villain of a plan sequel to a story I am writing. She is the unfortunate result of intense inbreeding between the Vitis Dragons of the dark islands of Pélé, where the aristocracy have hunted them to near extinction. The Vitis Dragons use their two pairs of ‘tentacles’ to grab, strangled and hold onto prey.

Mothman

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“Paint Mothman, but make him as unthreatening as possible.” that was the brief I set myself. Not particularly the easiest thing to do with a big black creature with red eyes.
I have always envisioned Mothman to be a giant black owl (with no visible beak) rather than a humanoid. It also fits with the eyewitness depictions of Mothman without a neck, as owls puff themselves up when they feel threatened, giving the appearance of no neck. This portrait does show his neck, as if he was just startled (by some snotty wood walker with a yapping dog) and is thinking “The fuck is that?! I was snoozing!”

Mainly done in ArtRage, but switched into Photoshop for the detailed parts and colour alterations.

-- Original Sketch ... what was I thinking with those 'whiskers' and antennae?

Blackout Phoenix

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Commission for Phoenix Rise for his upcoming album. He wanted something similar to a scratchboard look so this painting was done entirely in ArtRage with the pencil tool (only later touched up in Photoshop.)
It was fun to return to the ArtRage program, I neglect it so badly, for it was perfect for this type of painting. It’s curious the client chose this pose from the thumbnails (see below) as I was starching my head for ideas when I glance at my Peregrine Falcon model by Schleich perched on my CD collection. And that’s where those wings came from.

Baron Tower Exterior Sheet

I was going to do an interior design sheet and a illustrative painting, but I think I’ll save that for a later date. This was mainly to try my fingers at Google’s 3D tool, SketchUp. I then used the 3D model as a base to draw/paint over.It was tricky at first but I got there in the end, at least on a basic level. However, It's quite clear I need to brush up on my building painting skills.

This is the Baron Tower, that features in the prologue of my story I'm writing and briefly, later on as a ruin. It’s were the mother of the main character was shot down and rather symbolic in a number of ways (details of which I’ll not bore you all with).It was interesting trying to think in terms of cultural influences and purpose to a building. This was, to begin with, built to be a watch tower, but turn into an arrogant status symbol of Man’s dominion over nature. The Bron (the land of whom the settlers descended from) have certain features in their architecture that I had to bring into this. In Bron their buildings are made of redstone and feature arches and round ornate windows. In Fëylonn they had no access to redstone, but they make do with other material.

Gigalith

The last pokemon interpretation I plan on doing for a while. This is the odd looking rock pokemon (who I also mistakenly thought was a Rock/Dark type because of the colour palette) Gigalith. There’s not much I can really say about it. Only that I imagined it to be a pissed off rock. I’m glad to see I’m thinking and improving more in cast shadows.

Honchkrow

My interpretation on my second favourite pokemon, Honchkrow (yet another dark type?) The head crest, that’s meant to look like a hat, was tricky to figure out in realistic terms, but I think I nailed it.

Honchkrow, in his descriptions, are the bullies/ bosses/ the Godfathers of the corvid mafia, so he had to look big, tough, and intimidating. You almost get the feeling that, if this was a real crow, it would peak your eyes out if you looked at it wrong.

*In a Mafia Voice*: You come here, disrespect my family... I shit on your car.

Quill Cat Skeleton

A preview of a creature design that I'll eventually add some flesh to, literally. It took so long to do the spinal cord, even though I mostly copy and paste each part I still had to paint over so it they looked like individual bones.