- Keep On Steemin On -
a Todd McFarlane Inspired Original ArtworkPhase 3 - Torment -
Earlier this week I began a new artwork series on Spider-Man. As the subtitle indicates it's mostly inspired by Todd McFarlane's Spidey days as well as describing some of this process, Torment. There was a series he did called Torment that had some very influential art in my earlier development, especially the cover, which helped form and inspire some of this original artwork you see in my posts here Phase 1 & Phase 2
I have documented the creative process and progress of the artwork from conception to design and now execution. This has been a challenging endeavor to say the least and not without it's obstacles. Some aspects have gone smoother than expected and other elements (I thought would be a breeze) have turned into nightmares. In this post I will ask you a few questions and would like to hear your answers in the comments!
As we look at the crypto markets fluctuating and see STEEM & SBD and our wallets going up and down in value it can be deflating for some. To be honest, I have been too busy Steemin On to really keep up with it all. If you aren't keeping up with any of the #DolphinSchool activities... you Should! It will give you something to occupy your time and mind. There have been some great posts and a growing community there thanks to @markrmorrisjr which leads me to the moral of the story to my post!
Keep On Steemin On
When I just show you a series of images you see the progress I make... and usually I explain what I am doing and why. In this post I will present things a bit differently. When you look at the next few images... you don't get to see the mistakes I have made other than the obvious ones I haven't corrected yet.
But Tim, "We don't make mistakes... Just Happy Little Accidents!"Point Taken!
As I was saying, You don't get to see the "Happy Little Accidents" or how much time passes between updated images. You don't get to see the interruptions or the challenges and obstacles that have to be overcome along the way. So today, I wanted to show you just one issue that needs a creative solution as well as persistence and perseverance in order to manage the crisis!
At this point you can see some progress and you can see some of what it takes to make this all come together in a cohesive way. Looks like a cakewalk so far doesn't it!? Got some pencil forms, inked some outlines, filled with red and blue for a base layer of color. Moving along pretty well!
By this time I have begun to get some darker blues mixed into the True Blue. This will give the effect of texture and shape. I get excited at this point in all my artworks because you get to make the art your own, truly! So, go figure, the worst case scenario emerges! If you didn't know, Blue and Red don't get along so well when they mix if you are trying to keep them separated. Blue and Red make Purple... and we aren't going for a Purple Spider-Man today.
Now, Imagine you are about to do some of the precision work around this piece on the clean Red Spidey suit and you are all full of momentum and excitement. You begin to get this thing rolling along and CRACK! You now have a broken Blue pencil to work with.
No Big Deal, Right!?
I am sure everyone has seen this before...
- You sharpen your pencil
- Your pencil tip breaks
- You Sharpen it Again
- It Breaks Again
- You Repeat Steps With Same Results
WHAT DO YOU DO?
We have a few options.
- We can quit and start something else
- We can look and see if we have a second pencil of that specific color in a sea of pencils
- We can switch to black and move along
- We can be stubborn and prove a point using the materials set before us that we decided to use originally (WHISPERS "Keep On Steemin On!")
Now, is when you get to see some perseverance and a little grit! I chose to balance the broken tips inside the wood and wedge them against the paper. This means that I had to hold the pencil with pressure at all times to hold the core in place. You have to align the broken tip along the break and keep it in it's original position at all times. This also means you have to hold the pencil almost completely straight up and down.
This is a very difficult and risky task. One wrong stroke angle, one wrong pressure application, one wrong slip of the paper, or one wrong slip on concentration or miscalculation and you will end up with a happy accident that can't be fixed. Here is the point of no return... Pun literally intended!
After I got to this stopping point (pun still intended) I was pretty pleased with the outcome even though it isn't what I planned or intended. If you think the obstacle was successfully overcome by the look of that last image... I want to encourage you to never give up on anything.
This story has been a microcosm for many moments in life. Frustration and challenges are just a part of life... but it's not what defines it! What we do about these aspects of life is what truly matters. Take a long look at this final image and understand that everyone has an unseen struggle they are going through! Never giving up is the best wisdom and advice I can share with you from experience! Either way, rather it be in life or on the platform....
Keep On Steemin On
Now, that you made it this far, I salute you! Did this post remind you of any of your own struggles? If so, feel free to share in the comments all about it! I also told you folks that I wanted your participation in the creative process also. I will be finishing this Spider-Man soon and was curious to know...
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE ME DRAW NEXT?
Answer In Comments Below For Your Entry
I will pick one comment suggestion that I like the most to draw after I finish what I am working on! I look forward to hearing your ideas and I appreciate your time stopping by!
&
STEEM ON MY FRIENDS
