Character Sketch Process

Sketchbook 2011-2012

I recently finished my personal sketchbook that I started just after I moved to England this time last year. Here's a few photos of some of the things I've been doodling over the past 12 months...

Looking back, I think I've been clearly influenced by vinyl toy artists, and vector character illustrations I've seen in Computer Arts magazines. Although I've enjoyed exploring this type of art, and I like the simplified style of drawing, I feel it is perhaps a bit too simple in its approach, and I'm keen to incorporate more comic book style illustration. I think I'll also try and work on drawing architecture and life drawing, to hopefully improve and continue looking for that ever elusive personal "style".

I've already started my next sketchbook (in between rediscovering my acoustic guitar, and trying out the Mac's GarageBand for the first time!). Lets see what the next 12 months bring!

Flying House

It's been a while since my last update, but I haven't stopped sketching! Here's something I drew this week, probably with a little inspiration from Disney Pixar's "Up"...

In other news, I think I'm finally getting somewhere with the online portfolio update. After sampling a few different systems with varying degrees of success, I've settled for Cargo Collective. The templates are so simple yet look very professional, and the ability to edit CSS means there's still room for some geeky customisation if I feel like delving into coding any further! 

My new site is still a work-in-progress so for now I'll continue to use Carbonmade and this blog. But I'm pretty keen to get the new Cargo site up and running, so stay tuned for an update.

Website Woes

Although this blog is usually for posting my sketchbook work, I thought it was worth sharing my recent troubles with building a personal website...

Despite being a regular internet user, I still feel held back by a lack of knowledge of web design. For years I've contented myself with using Coroflot and Carbonmade, but I have found the lack of personalisation quite restricting, and the professional image is somewhat lacking when your homepage is a template site that looks the same as thousands of others.

So I've tried and fix this in a number of ways:

• Try to teach myself basic html and css via www.dontfeartheinternet.com. Very well explained and enjoyable tutorials for building a website from scratch. I'm just waiting for more of them!

• The other day I found a quite satisfactory although not 100% desirable method of manipulating a standard Wordpress blog to create a portfolio site. The tutorial is available in pdf form here.

• I am currently trying Wordpress software. I have heard that Wordpress is the most popular CMS (Content Management System - see, I have learnt something!), but currently I am struggling to go beyond the generic templates and design something that reflects my own style.

• I am also trying Squarespace, and would like to give Cargo a go too. Although Squarespace is a paid portfolio site, and Cargo is strictly invite only!

Ideally I'm looking for a simple, customisable, fast, easily updatable CMS to create a portfolio site with an integrated blog & social networking tools. If you're reading this blog and have similar troubles, or can offer me some further direction, please get in touch! 

Sketchbook Doodles 1

Here's a few random sketches from my sketchbook; some old, some brand new. I think I might try vectorising a couple of these. What do you think? Comments welcome as always!

Vinyl Toys!

Since posting my entry to the Sketchbook Project I decided to finally start customising the blank Kidrobot vinyl toys I've had kept in storage for most of the past year. I've started small with a 4" Glow-in-the-dark Munny & a Raffy.

The Munny design was completely improvised as I was just testing out my Posca markers and to get a feel for designing directly onto a toy. Its certainly more difficult than it looks trying to draw neat linework onto a 3D surface!

Below is my geek Raffy design, although I haven't yet decided on a colour for the glasses! Any suggestions?

I've also drawn up several possible designs for the larger Munny using the 2D templates (some of which are shown below). See any you think are worth pursuing? Feedback is very welcome as always!

Finished Sketchbook!

On Tuesday I posted my entry to the Sketchbook Project 2012! It felt really good to get back into drawing and I hope this is the first of many projects to come...

To see the sketchbook in full its here on Facebook and Google+, and hopefully if it reaches the Brooklyn Art Library in one piece it will be added to the digital library too!