WIP Wednesday - Workshop Sketches

This past weekend was my 2D Concept Design TLCWorkshop - with 2 awesome designers from Weta Workshop in New Zealand (of The Hobbit movies designing fame) and a guest visit by Iain McCaig (well-known, super-star, Star Wars designer)(You can read more specifics about this workshop starting here).

Now I really don't have much desire to do concept work for films, but I found the whole process they shared with us fascinating. And tried to learn and apply elements that actually work well for illustration. I'm a strong believer in cross-genre learning. So much is applicable, and broadens one's understanding and artistry. (Part of this learning entailed doing a little impromptu sculpting so that I could picture the elements in three dimensions).

My efforts were a bit hampered by spraining my wrist (of my drawing hand of course) a couple of weeks ago. Could only draw in spurts. However, I used those spurts to redesign the iconic elements of latest fantasy portrait I'm working on. With the input of Paul Tobin, Nick Keller and Iain, I felt I learned a bunch about pushing design elements past my normal ruts/comfort zones. Ways to incorporate even *more* thematic elements and ways to research source material to help with it all.

It really was a fabulous weekend. Great class members, great learning curve, *fabulous* instructors, who are terrific artists and even more amazing humans. (If you haven't attended a TLCWorkshop, you really ought to treat yourself. They're pretty great, if I do say so myself).

Music Monday - Dual of the Fates

As I've posted, I spent the weekend with the amazing artists Brom and Iain McCaig (best known for designing Darth Maul and Princess Amadala for the most recent Star Wars. Thus I thought it appropriate to listen to the best piece from the first movie's score:

Here is his Darth Maul design - and the Darth Maul Pez dispensers we got this weekend as 'favors'. :-)

Workshop Report -

See the last of our adventures here. :-) What a great weekend...

Brom/McCaig Workshop Weekend!

The inimitable Brom and Iain McCaig are teaching a workshop this weekend for TLCWorkshops. For updates, check out the TLCWorkshop blog - here!

Surprise Last-Minute Epic Workshop of Awesome

Going through IMC withdrawal?

 How about a TLCWorkshop at the end of summer?

Featuring the astonishing pairing of Brom and Iain McCaig -

The Magic Art of Visual Storytelling - 
Friday - Sunday, August 17-19


See TLCWorkshops for all the details!

IMC Report - Part V

Today's post is dedicated to the incomparable guest of honor,
Iain McCaig.

Probably best known as the concept designer for the most memorable characters in the last three Star Wars movies, and the author of the most creatively imaginative art-retrospective book I've ever read (which I did. The minute I got it in the mail. Cover to cover. I documented it here).

He gave two outstanding lectures, showed lots of awesome work, gave many a critique (complete with role-playing and sound effects), and did several demos. He is possibly the most frenetically energetic human being I've ever seen! And boundlessly generous with his expertise.

He did one Creature Design demo that I did not photograph, but Chris Burdett did, and you should read his report on it here. (In fact, he's posted a really great day-by-day IMC description. Do check it out!)

The midnight demo I did photograph was a watercolor portrait. He started out painting Jonny Duddle in a nice earthy pigment -

...adding some tonality...

...strengthening the contours....

At this point, he decided to paint a more Gandalf-like portrait, and swapped Jonny out for Aly Fell.

(Jonny and Aly. Our favorite Brits.)

He added attributes of Aly -

- decided Jonny's underpainting was much too cheerful and started wiping it out and altering the features...

Once he had the face, hair and shoulders more like he wanted them, he started to add some color -

-using the magic pigments of Indian Red and Ultramarine Blue (a legacy from Alan Lee and Brian Froud).

Adding definition...

Coloring the hair, the jacket, adjusting where necessary...

Isn't he beautiful?

The third demonstration I watched him do was a personal one-on-one watercolor demo at 2:30am the last night of painting. He spent an hour with me - going over the way he approaches watercolor. I was nearly teary from the gorgeousness of paint application, the unbelievable generosity (and stamina) he was exhibiting and the extreme lateness of the hour after an incredibly intense week.

All in all, I must say that Iain McCaig is one amazing human being, on so many levels, and one of my all-time personal heroes.

Mail Goodness - Part I (Art Books)

I got a gift certificate to Amazon and decided to use it on this gorgeous hunk of bookiliciousness:

This overview of the art of Iain McCaig is gorgeously done - large, heavy, thick, glossy paper stock...

It's filled with sketches and concept art -

Mmmmmm......

As well as instructional booklets! (how cool is that?), pen and ink, watercolor sketches and finished work.

So much amazing work. So much talent.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother....?