2. I redraw the Sprite to make sure she flows, looks natural because the previous drawings lost the thrust of the original thumbnail sketch, which has so much more dynamics (doodled on Steve Irwin's thank you letter of a donation of $20). I take even greater care to make sure the final drawing will have what the energy of the thumbnail began.
3. Putting it together to check to see if the Sprite and dragons mesh. Looking good, but I will have to lower the dragons (cluster of dragons? Flock of dragons? Gaggle of dragons?) away from fur vest for a better read.
4. I spray a little atmosphere into the background, because at this age, the bright contrast of line work against sheer white is killing me and giving me a headache. I higher that arm a bit (cut and paste and reposition) and add a flying dragon about to roost on that outstretched arm. Plus I ad a ghosting hint of a background, but not too much now.
5. Tightening it up. Going over lines with a more definitive line, "making it real", giving it volumne on trace paper. Drawing with a blue Col Erase pencil which is unwittingly, 2 inches long. Whoops. Really short now that I keep sharpening it. Praying and searching that I have another blue Col Erase pencil to draw in the characters. Another small problem: Paper is too small, so I tape and piece another paper to extend drawing surface. Ok. So I'm tired...
Had a rare moment to step away from the computer and get out into some sunshine. These were done at the Getty on the 405. To my dismay, they have discontinued the water fountains which run down the steps and the big center rock fountain in the Plaza. It's for "perceived water waste" I'm told, even tho the water is circulated. Maybe it will be filled if we get the down pour of El Nino, which is supposed to hit this season. Anyway, I feel like a cetacean finally coming up for a breath of air before diving deep, deep back down into the dark abyss of work and creativity. Drawn with my favorite pencil, a Blackwing. "Painting" with the pencil.
Flow