Jahzel Misner - Designer

A quickie entry for me for June. I spent only 3 hours on this, when I usually spend at least 6. Funny story, I totally misunderstood this month’s topic. I was busy drawing Rainbow Brite in one of my cartoony drawing styles. I realized last night that I’m suppose to do a realistic style. Booo reading comprehension.

Media: Painter (Oil pastels)
Reference: Hayden Panettiere

May’s topic for Drawing Challenge was,  An unconventional take on a fairytale character. I chose Rapunzel.

It did not turn out exactly as I imagined. I had an envisioned a marionette princess being controlled by a hungry prince-eating beast. Unfortunately, I kept changing my mind and ended up mashing 2 ideas together – which I think weakened my original concept. I must remember to stick to the plan. I still really like it thought. I’m also starting to enjoy using Painter. I’d like to point you to my first Painter drawing.

Media: Painter, with some Photoshop touch ups. Photoshop is still my security blanket.

2 early sketches

Wheee! Finished my entry for Drawing Challenge with 1 hour to spare.

This was a true challenge for me, drawing something and knowing that I can’t use Photoshop colouring to make it pretty. I enjoy coloring, so I tend to rush the drawing phase. This results in my drawing skill improving very slowly. I’m going to make a point of doing character sheets every once in a while. Surprisingly, I had a lot of fun drawing this character. One challenge I didn’t expect was making the character look like the same person from different angles. For the next few challenges I would like to continue focusing on facial expressions. Also I must remember to leave enough time to draw clothing.

Media: Painter. (Simulated pencil and smudge stick)
Topic: Galactic Empress. She is the empress of the galactic empire. She sits in her throne, made from the idols of conquered civilizations. Always at her side guarding her life, stand high assassins of the galactic guard. In her hands she carries the scepter of interstellar truth.

My March entry for Drawing Challenge.  My focus for this month was the pose and to have the 4 arms as natural as possible. I used Goro (Mortal Kombat) as a reference. If I had more time I would have spent more time cleaning up the colouring of the pants and the machine parts. My goal for next month is an expressive face.

Media: Painter & Photoshop

1. Pencil drawing in Painter
2. Blocking out colours in Photoshop
3. Shading and detailing. Many new artists get discouraged at the “awkward stage” and stop. Don’t stop! Keep adding layers of details and shading. Each layer will contribute to getting out of the dreaded  awkward stage.

Topic Description:

TANK Year 2075 Tank is the most popular DJ on Earth. He is a cyborg: half machine, half human. He has 2 arms: 2 biological, 2 machine. He is of African American descent. He has a slim figure and an afro hairstyle. His style of music is techno/hip hop. He is Buddist. He has a slight cocky attitude. He is single, but a big player (has lots of groupies).

My February entry for Drawing Challenge.

I wanted to challenge myself this month. I was going to do a cell shaded style and that is why I started in Illustrator. I changed my mind and decided I wanted to try an even scarier challenge – acrylics in Painter. My favorite part about this drawing is the old woman, she was so fun to draw and color. My least favorite part would probably be the hands. Illustrator is great for clean and smooth lines, but I find it hard to draw more intricate parts like hands and eyes. My goal for next month is to focus more on the drawing. I think I need a lot of work on anatomy and posing.

Media: Illustrator, Photoshop, Painter, Photoshop (in that order)

My interpretation of January is a painful and unnatural birth. The edges are not as clean as I want them to be. I find that I get sloppy if I draw/colour for more than 5 hours. Unfortunately I ran out of time! I am taking a long break from drawing trees – so many trees lately. The tree drawn for this one is pretty much a dying (and sadder) version of the Gnomes Homes smiling tree.

Media: Draw in Painter. Coloured in Photoshop.

My entry for the December Drawing Challenge. 

Written By Devin Misner

In a time long ago on a farm near a hill, little Billy was playing with his sister Jill. It was getting dark and almost time for bed when all of a sudden the sky burst into red. Jill screamed to her brother “What’s that over on the hills!? It looks like a tornado but made of fire that shrills!” The fearful Jill ran to the safety of her home while her much braver brother began to roam. Curious by nature this little boy had to see what was causing this maelstrom of fiery debris.

Billy ran towards the neighboring hill but stopped near the top and stood still. The familiar peak where he had many times played had completely changed as a crater now laid. As quick as it began the fiery maelstrom then stopped and from its burning center a large stone dropped. With the flames dying down and the smoke beginning to clear Billy saw the strange stone resting quite near. He gathered his strength and ventured into the hole to confront the object that resembled a piece of coal.

As Billy reached the strange burnt stone from inside he could swear it began to groan! The stone began to shake and then started to crack and Billy then realized this was no rock but an egg in fact! He watched with awe as cracks and small flames began to spout, this egg was about to hatch no doubt. With a last burst of heat the egg was no more but instead lay a creature that seem straight out of lore. Billy gazed upon its strange wings and scaly red skin and then he began to have the biggest grin. “I know what you are! I can’t believe my own eyes. You’re a baby dragon, like the stories, the kind who flies” The dragon stood up and extended its wings. “Yes that’s right! Lets see you use those things!” It began to flap against the charred ground and then took off like an eagle and began to circle around. “You did it little guy!” cheered Billy jumping from where the dragon once laid as it was on that day a great friendship was made.

My November entry for Drawing Challenge. I made a multi-user art gallery for the Drawing Challenge Group using Drupal.

I’m really proud of this one, I spent a lot of time with the background – which is unusual for me. I will make an effort to draw backgrounds more often as I think it really completes the picture. This is drawn in Painter and coloured in Photoshop.

The inspiration for this drawing was a mini story written by Devin Misner.

A young and beautiful girl walks cheerfully while on her way to her love. She decides to take a short cut through a forest. The woods are old and an evil lingers through every moss and pine. Sadly the forest has taken an interest in this girl and has decided to not let her leave. It wants her beauty and youth as its own and it will take it with force. The withered branches grab at her from every direction and slowly pull her into the endless brush. Her humanity is now lost as she has become part of the woods. Not fully human nor fully tree, she is trapped in her wooden prison for eternity. This beauty is lost to the world and all that remains is her endless sadness for her lover lost. Her soul may be lost but it is said when the nights are just right you can hear her cries carried by the wind.

Drawn and coloured in Photoshop. Many many hours of shading. I think I’m getting the hang of drawing again. I am going to start challenging myself with more complicated poses – Perspective!

Description: This misguided vampiress has droopy gray eyes. Her fine, straight, amber hair is worn in a style that reminds you of a horse’s mane. She is very tall and has a voluptuous build. Her skin is nut-brown. She can turn immaterial. She can read the minds of people. When exposed to human purity, she will go into a coma. Her outfits are classy.

And this is my entry for September’s drawing challenge. My pick this round – The Imp, Tyrion Lannister.

Drawn and coloured in Photoshop. I only wish I made him uglier.