Clay Fish

After finishing the head portion of I Remember, I went on to create the hanging fish. The fish will never actually hang; the strings will be fitted in the image later via Photoshop. I chose to use modeling clay to make the fish. I used one decent sized ball of clay, and destroyed each fish after completion  to create the next one. I tried not to get too detailed and decided to ignore scales and stripes. Instead I focused on shape and shadow. I have used modeling clay before in conjunction with the overlay tool in Photoshop, and I have found that they complement each other quite well. I was able to add color and definition without losing shadow and shape. I still may find an alternative object to use for the eyes. Originally I was going to treat the eyes digitally as well, but now I believe that it shouldn't be hard to solve with a real object.

The Red Head

I chose to complete the head portion of I Remember first. Initially  I considered making a paper mache mask of my own face with the help of my wife. I have never attempted such a feat, and the thought of scarring my wife for life by having her assist me in my own suffocation finally deterred me from trying. The less threatening Plan B, which consisted of using a Phrenology head with poor facial features as a base, was a more appealing route to take. After covering the Phrenology head with plastic wrap, I then built a better nose, brow, lips through the use of modeling clay. Next I covered the head with paper mache ( I used corn starch and Elmer's Glue.) For the proceeding step I used a hot glue gun to affix red yarn to the paper mache head. For each strand of yarn I cut a decent length piece so there would be extra free-hanging yarn on the top of the scalp and the lower neck. I was able to shape the extra yarn at the base of the neck to resemble being tucked into the collar of a dress shirt and tie. The top yarn was tied to a wooden clothes rack to create a good base for what will be seen in the final image. There will be a need to shape and multiply the yarn digitally to gain the same effect seen in the sketch.

Better Late Than

I have yet to become the blogging master that I aspire to be. As you may have guessed I have finished Knight quite some time ago. 

The final stage of this illustration was to paint digitally on top of the final collage. I  have found that using textures and shadows helps the drawn and painted pieces become more cohesive with the photographed elements. I ran into some trouble with the knights. The final drawing of the knights had both too close in proximity. I realized this dilemma when I was fitting the pieces of the final collage together. I spent a decent amount of time on the knight drawing and the main nurse figure was blocking a good portion of their hands and swords. I decided to fix the problem in photoshop by splitting the knights into two, and then moving them further apart which allowed for more of their details to be seen. On the downside, the sword's edges and directions no longer matched up on both sides. I then had to redraw the knights' swords in photoshop in order to get their relationships to match. Overall I am happy with the final image. I believe I have stayed true to the original idea of the first sketch.

For my next project I am going to create an illustration based on a few lines taken from the T.S. Eliot poem The Wasteland:

Do

You know nothing? Do you see nothing? Do you remember

Nothing?

  I remember

Those are pearls that were his eyes.

Are you alive or not? Is there nothing in your head?

                   But

that Shakespeherian Rag.

It's so elegant.

So intelligent. 

I intend to create and photograph as many elements as possible for this illustration. The head will be made of red yarn, the fish will be made of clay, and for the first time I am going to try to build a miniature cityscape.