So I have been a no-good bad Keevy over the last few months. I haven’t been drawing. Which is pretty terrible of me because I love doing it and want to be better at it. Hand in hand with the sketching goes the mad photoshop skillz which are also getting rusty.

Or are they? I sharpened my pencil to do some concept art for Crowsong with a fair bit of trepidation. but…

It all seems good. Maybe be even better than I was when I last put my pencil down… the lines are bold, there are strong character and emotional choices, the style is jagged but holds weight. I need to push perspective still – make the posture more dynamic.

But basically I’m feeling good. Definitely a little cocky.

I think the key factor though is that I had very specific images in my head to draw from, rather than just doodling. This got me to actively make clear choices, from expressions to setting.

It also helps that I’m not drawing too many women for this, since they’re sort of my weak point. Puppet girl doesn’t count I think.

It’s that voice, asking you the questions you need to answer with lines and shading, that every artist needs to cultivate. At university you have the professor/tutor/Papa Muf asking them for you – you need to take that on board yourself.

Ultimately the questions aren’t hard. What is the picture/scene/paragraph about? Can you tell the whole story in this one expression/movement/moment?

The answers aren’t hard either. For whatever reason though, we forget to ask them. Call it laziness, apathy, lack of ambition or imagination – it doesn’t matter.  You are better than that.

I’m just going to leave you with my photoshoping in progress:

mad skillz, buddy.