The Madness Continues...

So I sent my image off to Netdevil and got a not-so-favorable e-mail back. In the e-mail, the director sent me one of my own fashion images (from my website) and said "I'd love to see a mini-fig done like this..." I laughed, and sent him the earliest version of Ninj-o (left), which I considered "not working," when I embarked on the Mike Rayhawk journey. I got a quite-favorable e-mail back, saying that they like this one MUCH better and it's more my style, and to just add more mini-figs and bricks in the background. So...it really isn't as hard as all that. I really do get to draw things the way I want to and like to draw them, and that really IS what they WANT (eek! I hope this is what they want!) AH! So, here's the latest, greatest lego rendition :-). --L

MiniFig Madness

I've been working madly on a test for Netdevil, a game developer in Colorado currently working on a new MMO called "Lego Universe." (Excited to create your mini-fig alterego?? Me too!) My first couple of attempts were SO off-the-mark, and even kindof embarassing, but I restarted and came up with this lego ninja dude, currently in-progress (left to right).

The way I currently interpret the assignment (because I didn't interpret it correctly the first time!), is that I ought to draw a mini-fig character, and put him in a setting. The focus is the mini-fig, and the background is there to support him. I did my best with the composition--avoided tangents, used leading lines, overlapped objects and made them lighter as they recede into space, narrowly used the rule of 3rds--but the only thing I'm a little worried about is the use of red lanterns. Red tends to draw the eye, which is sortof what I wanted since the ninja is supposed to be hidden in darkness, but I also want ninj-o to be the first read. If you have any comments at all, please PLEASE leave them so I can make this the best I can, and move to Colorado :-) --Lauren

Edit: The single image is the current "finished" version...there isn't much of a difference...just cleaner in places, and I amped some highlights around the swords. I sent it off to NetDevil, and asked if there's anything more I can do to it.

Armenian Woman

Oh, beautiful Photoshop Brush, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

Goodknight....

Pumas

Eh...lacks the fun of the previous one...but at least it's something for today :-). --L

La Tigre!

Finally something new! Still diggin' the rough brushes :-)

New Dressmaking Blog...

I just put up a wee blog for my dressmaking/costuming adventures, for anyone who's interested:

Oh This Old Thing? (deceased)

Edit 2009: According to my Analytics, many of you are landing on this page, clicking the link in anticipation, and being taken nowhere. I do, however, have an operating dress blog that you are more than welcome to peruse, located here:

American Duchess

--Lauren

Post-Photo-Post

I LOVE this picture Grayson Dere took...I think it's my most favoritist picture of moi ever. He did a great job photographing me in my costumes for the costume section of my website. So...it's not a drawing, but it is art :-) --Lauren

Costume Stuff

I put up a "costume" gallery on my webpage officiale for the purpose of showing off what things I have actually made, and the drawings I did for them. It's also got pages of just costume sketches on it, since those, it seems to me, are way more impressive than the actual garments, ahaha. I'm hoping to get into a costume shop somewhere, maybe Berkeley. I expect I'll have to work my way up, just like you would anywhere...it's just that right now my resume reflects only my animation/illustration experience, and absolutely nothing related to costuming. Hopefully I can get some potential employers to make their judgements based on my work. I feel kindof like a hack, or a fake, or something, but maybe all entry level folks feel that way at first. Somebody somewhere is going to give us poor college grads a chance to learn the trade. These are two little color sketches I did for a page of Elizabethan concepts. The brown dress is my own gown, and the red and blue are what I'd rather be wearing, hahaha. --Lauren

Slacker...

Okay, so I haven't been doing so great on the "one finished drawing per day" thing. Some days you just can't draw anything! I've only missed one day, though, and I don't feel so bad for it when before that I was doing 2 finishes a day...so there. Here's the piece for today...there's something wrong with it, but I can't tell what. It seems to be missing something...any suggestions? Oh well, they can't all be winners! --Lauren

New Brush Fun...

Hey All. I went to the zoo yesterday with Erin, and drew elephanti. I tried to take the great advice of Dave Colman, and try to find the character in the animal, but I really just needed to draw a decent elephant first, before trying to cartoon it. So I did some not-half-bad sketches, and this morning tried out some new brush sets in The 'Shop, which resulted in a pretty painterly look that I like mucho. Thus, for today's "daily," have some elephants! --Lauren

Today's Goodies

One day, two "finished" drawings. The samurai could be better, I know, but I was experimenting and like the results of the paint (it's the pose that's not great)...plus I REALLY needed some color stuff for the new section of my website, "Game Art", which I put up for potential employers from places like Cryptic Studios, to which I applied online today.

I did another fashion illustration, too, though this one is less "fashionable," and more just my kind of thing to draw. I got some old Sears catalog plates of sewing machines, tubas, tables, corset advertisements, etc., and think they'll be great to incorporate in. I tried out a flat pattern technique on the kimono...that's actually part of the beautiful pattern on my own kimono.

I'm glad people are diggin' these lil' fashion plates...I hope the magazines dig them too, and commission me :-). Two more and I'm about ready to have my cards printed...thou shalt be updated as it all progresses. --Lauren