Scanned and Digital Colour

I've been scanning my illustrations on a white back ground and colouring them digitally for a while now. For me it gives me so much control to reposition and edit the drawings. Sometimes independently to the background and whilst I feel pretty confident in creating characters it makes it so much quicker to be able to swap out a different expression and change the weight in the drawing.

Digital colouring also offers a great level of freedom over the whole look of the image. I've been experimenting with texture, either scanned or created with one of the many brushes available in Photoshop. The images files are increasing in layer size and it probably makes you a little lazy with designing your layout until you get all the elements in together but I'd sacrifice that to hours of worry that you had the perfect smirk only to not be able to reproduce it. 

This is an example of an entirely coloured and scanned image. I really wish I could make the vines over the top of the image more defined and change that bird's positioning. This method has it's perks too, you retain an original rather than a digitally only version. I just scanned this one and deleted the dull white paper background. Maybe I'll revisit this drawing at another time. For now I think I'll stick to digital placing the colouring and keep my option open.

Artist Commisions

I was asked a little while ago if I still create commissions and I do, I really do.

Commissions are an exciting part of art making, figuring out what the customer wants, how to best approach the subject matter and stay honest to your own style. 

Once given the subject I like to get as much information from about the topic as possible. If they are people or animals a photo is great. Sometimes a description from the customer is a good start, if they want a jolly looking man with floppily handsome hair and jutting out elbows that certainly says more than a photo. Next to talk about the style of image, black and white, edgy, graphic, romantic, traditional, having these things in mind can help to avoid multiple redraws. 

I like to explain the process; it’s a collaboration after all, the initial sketch, any wording (hand drawn), use of particular colours and deadline. Size of image and paper size is something else I like to nail down at the beginning. Oh Yes and Money, no creative types like to talk about but it’s a necessary evil.

Once the sketch is accepted and all the snags and additional details have been finalised I’ll send through expected delivery date and details of where it doing, ideas of mounting, hanging that sort of thing and another more concrete sketch.

A final photo of the completed artwork will be accompanied by the terms of use and declaration, although I have no intention to replicate, the image copyright stays with me and the sole transaction for the image means sole use. (No shifty scanning it in and adding it to a shop window without consent)

So, all in all the process can last from 6 days to 6 weeks depending on schedule and changes. I’m always interested in ideas; if I’m unsure of the direction I’ll supply a few different variations. Once bought it is an original Creative Fox that no one else will have. 

Commissions are perfect gifts for those special or unorthodox occasions -weddings, civil partnerships, and death of a family animal, Big Birthday or just for the person who has everything.

So I do still do commissions, I do.