Batboy

Another experiment in a looser and more painterly style than my usual hard-edged pen & ink look. I learned a lot about what not to do in a digital painting!

I spent a lot of time trying to make his wings look translucent. They came out OK, but there's definitely room for improvement.

Drawn in Photoshop on the graphic tablet.

Red Devil

It might not look like it, but this drawing represents a milestone for me. This was the first time I ever drew an image ENTIRELY in Photoshop on my graphic tablet.

Before now I'd always drawn everything on paper, then scanned it and imported it into Photoshop where I'd add color. It worked OK, but I was frustrated because I'm not a very good inker. I always had to touch up my drawings after I scanned them into PS. There had to be a better way.

I'd wanted a graphic tablet for a long time, but always thought they were too expensive. Then one day I saw one online and discovered they were surprisingly affordable. So I bought a tablet and it changed my life changed forever. I wouldn't trade for anything. In fact I now divide my life into two distinct periods; life before the graphic tablet, and life after. I'd marry my graphic tablet if it was legal in my state.

I practiced for a while and finally got to the point where I can draw an illustration right on the tablet, leaving out the whole drawing on paper & scanning it in process. It's a lot faster this way and I get the same, if not better results. Plus if I mess up a line I have an undo button! Can't undo with pencil and pen.

I still draw on paper; I haven't totally abandoned it. I usually still sketch things out on paper and will sometimes scan in a sketch to use as a guide for the onscreen drawing.

As for the devil illustration, I'm not sure why I got it into my head to make it look like it was drawn on a piece of cardboard. I looked around online for a cardboard texture, but couldn't find any I liked. So I ripped up an old box until I had a suitable scrap of cardboard, then scanned it for the background.


I also made this version that looks like a printed sticker stuck onto a piece of cardboard. I like them both equally, so I included the pair here.

Drawn in Photoshop on the graphic tablet (I guess we already covered that).

Rooster

I usually draw in a hard-edged cartoony style. I was experimenting here with a more "painterly" look. I leave it to the viewer to decide if I was successful.

Drawn in Photoshop on the graphic tablet.

The Boss

Just a generic grouchy cartoon boss, and not based on any particular one I've ever had. I drew this shortly after I got my graphic tablet, and I was still trying to figure out how to use it.

My favorite thing about illustrating in Photoshop (or Illustrator) is that I can quickly and easily try out tons of color combinations until I find the one that's right. Sometimes I find a color combo that I never would have thought of in a million years. The computer helps me push myself farther than I would if I was working on paper with paints or colored pencil.

Drawn in Photoshop on the graphic tablet.

Dexter

Nothing much to say about this one. Just a bored looking kid with big, flesh-colored hair.

This kind of thing happens a lot when you turn a doodle into a color illustration. In a doodle it doesn't matter than his head and hair are one big object, because it's a black & white pen drawing. But when you color it, where do you draw the line between head and hair?

Note that I solved the problem by ignoring it altogether, something I tend to do in all aspects of my life.

Drawn in Photoshop on the graphic tablet.

Biff

I use this illustration as the icon for most of my social network stuff. No real reason why, other than I like the drawing.

Despite the fact that this is my official icon, it's not a self portrait. I don't quite look like this... yet.

Biff was drawn in Photoshop on the graphic tablet.