BRAINSICK: Sun Cries Morning, 2014 - Stage 2 - DONE!

Sun Cries Morning (2014)
technical pen on approx. 8" x 14" smooth bristol
black and white inks

I'm not sure how many hours I logged on this piece, but I worked on it over the course of nine days. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. My shading is too heavy in several areas, but with more practice, I can learn to control it better. I considered stippling the background to lend a neutral tone, but I decided to test it in Photoshop instead. Thus:

Which do you prefer?

I'm just happy that the tree looks more like a TREE now and not some ersatz tree-thing like what I drew in the original (although I still had tons of fun drawing that tree-thing). Again, for reference:

Sun Cries Morning (2005)

Even though this is a finished piece, I'd be more than happy to hear your thoughts, suggestions, critiques, anything you may have to say about it.

First-pass textures begun on tree.

Above right: first-pass tree textures completed!

Second-pass tree textures started.

Above right: fur shading finished on Paranoid's foreleg.

Adding better contrast with white ink.

Now I need to really push myself and create some LARGE pieces. I still have 14" x 17" bristol, after all...

BRAINSICK: Sun Cries Morning, 2014 - Stage 1!

Sun Cries Morning (2014) - outlines
technical pen on approx. 8" x 14" smooth bristol

If there's one thing I miss about my high school-era art, it's spontaneity. Before I learned how to concept or thumbnail my pieces, I simply drew. That was it. I'd make changes as I went along. While it didn't necessarily equate to strong compositions, there was a freedom in this approach that I have largely lost since graduating college. Nowadays I usually can't create something new without overthinking it to death.

I want to reclaim my old spontaneity and put it to good use. Let's call this an exercise in confidence and decision-making.

Sun Cries Morning is a partial rework of a piece I drew in 2005. It was inspired by the song "Down in the Park" by Tubeway Army (Gary Numan's short-lived punk / post-punk band). I sketched the new piece without any prior thumbnails or drafting, and I opted for weighted lines to give a trompe l'oeil effect.

The only major elements I kept from the original are Paranoid, the tree, and the Möbius strip.

More progress to come soon! This serves as practice for the illustrations I want to make for Brainsick when it's published.

Sun Cries Morning (2005)
Pigma Micron on 8" x 11" sketchbook paper

Sketched in Grey Col-Erase pencil.

Above left: plain outlining done; ready to finish weighted inks.

Above right: tools of the trade! Technical pens and a Copic Multiliner for the border.