Late for Halloween...

Pencil drawings and digital work collide. This is one of my charming (cough) children's story about a bug's revenge over Halloween. Beelzebug's speech to the other bugs about how they can take back the season. (Did I mention it's unpublished... any publishers interested? *wink*)

Weep

New Illustration, keep your eyes posted to this blog for a demonstration tutorial where I cover the whole process from expanding the initial thumbnail, rough sketch, color planning to final painting. My aim with the demonstration is to help others as much as I can. Its a love gift to anyone who wants to learn more from the universe through me... so I hope it does help. I'm editing and 'voice overing' so I'm hoping to get it up here within the next week. I'm doing it in between writing my next book (due early next year) and illustrating my first comic book (also due very early next year preview of page 23 ). If you like contemporary fantasy please consider buying my debut novel: The Snickitysnatcher HERE

ciro correia

Page 23 of 'The Piano'

My first comic book is set for release early next year and I'm trying to nail some steep deadlines. Here is, with the kind permission of my editor, a preview of work in progress on page 23. On another note, I'm currently working on a painting demo video (on the side to keep me sane) that I'll post up as soon as I'm finished. Hopefully it will inspire and help.

Speed Paint - Salute the sun

I'm super busy at the moment and my blog posts have unfortunately whimpered down to almost nothing. Had some time this morning to do a quick speed paint. Man, probably primitive,  saluting the sun on the horizon. I'm working on two books at the moment, one is a comic book and its due out for release very early next year. Hope to post a page from the comic book, for preview and promotional purposes, here on this blog... but have to clear its use with ed. first ;). The other book is an Epic and I'm very excited about it because of its originality and absorbing story-line.

If you want a copy of 'The Snickitysnatcher' - my first book, get it from Amazon here: THE SNICKITYSNATCHER Digitial and print versions available.

Quick photo study - 1 hour

Working with my timer on again, aiming at skill building. Changes are subtle, in my head... to do with my approach and focus. Aiming at the most direct method and brushstroke, honesty, letting go of particulars and details until the end, compositional principles, form, value and color. Its not about reproduction, likeness happens anyway; AND ABOVE ALL SUBJECT MATTERS LITTLE.

Older Illustrations - The Juniper Tree

These are from 'The Juniper Tree' by Brothers Grimm (My illustrated version). It is one of my absolute favorite Grimm fairy tales, I remember finding an old dusty copy of Grimms at my local library when I was about eleven. Reading it late into the night. Probably post more of these sometime. My personal favorite out of these three is blood in the snow.

Photo study - focus on shapes - rough

Photostudy, rough. I made a screen capture of me doing this but unfortunately it crashed. I approached the study from the point of view of shape and honesty. I usually sketch out the form but here I first painted the shape and subsequent shapes onto the original. Great exercise, about 2 hours.

The Imperial Road - Concept Art

Created from the rough sketch, done in sectional perspective, in last post here is a Concept piece featuring 'the Imperial road'. I did this concept for my new book (title undisclosed as yet) due out at the end of the year. It is meant to give a feel of the terrain and area that the imperial road runs through as it winds through the northern most province of the great empire. The artwork and illustrations in this book will be substantially different to my debut novel which were pencil sketches and concepts (if you have not bought my book yet - or at least checked the free downloadable sample out - shame on you! Go download it right now here: The Snickitysnatcher or at Barnes and Noble here: The Snickitysnatcher at BN or if you have an ipad and feel compeled to only buy through Apple, at the ibook store here: The Snickitysnatcher through itunes .
The Barnes and Noble site has a really cool 'look inside instantly feature' - :)

Concept Sketch for new book and other projects

I'm currently working on two, exciting large scale projects amongst my smaller scale projects. Firstly, I'm working on my first 'comic book' slash graphic novel, written - illustrated etc on my own. It is going to be interesting, currently looking at my options on publishing. Storyboards are pretty much done and preliminary sketching is under way. The deadline has not been set in stone as yet but I'm hoping to get it all done before December. The second project is well on its way and getting me excited. Here is a concept sketch done for my new novel set for release and to be published near the end of this year. The sketch is of 'the imperial road' which runs through a huge empire. Some of the main characters travel along the road at one time in the novel, armies march off towards rebel provinces and ultimately some battles are fought on it. This is just the preliminary concept sketch of the road and terrain. Will post some from sketches and completed art from this project from time to time for those who want a sneak peek. Sketched out in Photoshop with brushes.

AArrgghh - I'm officially left handed again!

Here is the backstory: I discovered I was fully ambidextrous by mistake about 7 years ago when I, as a joke, tried to write and draw simultaneously on a board. I nearly fell over when I did it easily and almost faultlessly. Giving the ability some thought, I realized that I am actually left handed but was 'forced' to write with my right in primary school. This made me highly proficient in using my right hand, and from research I did off of the net I understand that the hand you use doesn't matter but how your brain is processing things does. Fine, whoopee but I decided to develop my left hand skills nevertheless because it felt more natural and visual space problems I was struggling with just disappeared when working with my left. I figured that this must be because of the left/right confusion I must have experienced as a child and probably still have to a point. In early days of digital work this was easily seen by me flipping the piece horizontally, I discovered that I was flipping the design in my head and that I could correct it by manually flipping it back over. Weird right. Anyway, working with my left hand was correcting a number of issues; but over the last while I went back to  using my right hand in work because of speed and a lifetime of development made right hand work more proficient. At first It was okay but I have become increasingly more agitated because when I use my right hand space becomes flatter and not as easily to manipulate on the 2d surface. Previously I thought, hey I can use both why not use both then. Now I have come to the point where I realize I have to choose and of course it is going to be my left hand. Some time spent drawing and I've regained my skills on the left and my speed is great again. As for space, things are becoming clearer again. Wow, feeling better. :)

Below is a quick thumb sketch with my right hand. I redrew the same idea out of my head with no reference, like the right handed thumb, with my left hand. Then I redrew the left thumb again with my left for a more dynamic composition. They're just roughs but the difference in processing the ideas from my head onto paper were light years apart.

Above: right handed

Above: left handed

Above: left handed - redrawn

Faerie - sketch more, paint more, do more!

The more we do, the more we fail, the faster we grow.... I'm trying to up my productivity and to let go of pieces instead of trying to polish them up. I think that you get to a point when work on an image will not add anything to the viewers experience of the image. That is probably when you should stop - that is probably 'the finish line'. Here is something I'm letting go, though I'm not promising I won't come back to it ;)

I wanted to create a fairy of a different kind, something mystical and away from what one would normally expect a fairy to look like.

updated 25th July,'12 - Just in case anyone thinks I'm advocating not finishing work here is a post that I agree with completely about starting and finishing (Thanks to Scott Johnson who reposted it on google+). What I am talking about is when to declare a picture finished, I've previously leaned towards polishing every inch of the canvas but that is not finishing. Finishing is a difficult line to draw especially if you obsess and desire perfection (I'm a perfectionist and constantly deal with my ideal versus my 'at that moment skill level' issues). PLEASE FINISH your work but finishing something is a personal line you have to draw and sometimes you have to cut the lines and send your boat out to sea... even if you end up drawing it back to the shore later.  THE FINISH LINE

Screen capture of one of illustrations from 'The Snickitysnatcher'

You can purchase the book, or download a free 15% sample here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174900

"The Snick Waits" Illustration - part 1 from Ciro Correia on Vimeo.

Book cover Illustration - C'est La Vie

Something completely different. Book cover for 'C'est La Vie' by Margaret Heslop. 

The Snickitysnatcher - Digital Book available.

I launched the digital version of my book 'The Snickitysnatcher' yesterday. Written and Illustrated by myself, it is a contemporary fantasy story about an unlikely hero who is drawn into a game of trickery and deceit against an ancient evil - the Snickitysnatcher! The book has many pencil and concept illustrations in it; the 'Special Edition' will contain much more as well as have several full color paintings.

You can download a free sample (about 10% of the book) at the link provided. If you like it please purchase it, your support will be appreciated. Please support an Independent writer and Freelance Illustrator. BUY IT HERE: The Snickitysnatcher

Here is the cover illustration, (copyright 2012 Ciro Correia):

Breaking Silence...

Been a long while that I have not put anything up anywhere on the net, but that does not mean I have not busy. I'm currently working on a mammoth project which I'm hoping will be done in another one to two months time. Finally got some time to do some studies and other stuff this Sat. Here is a speed paint photo-study:

Concepts for short movie - Mother Mary

I'll be updating this post with more images, as I have time. 'Mother Mary' is a classic ghost story written by A.N. Calaway. They have a kickstarter page and it would be great if someone interested in investing in the development of independent films got involved here . The speed painted concepts below are for the orphanage on the moors. David Francis is the director and he is trying to generate funds and interest to shoot this short film. 

Moebius has left us. 1938-2012

Its strange but I was thinking of his work today. Just read the headline. He has left a mark on many of us, peace on you as you continue on your path. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Giraud

Lost! (revisited and expanded)

So this, it seems is on its way to being published under a one time, non exclusive license. I extended the left side to show the wall off. Feels kinda new. :)

Below i've posted a close up of what I usually fear people miss when looking at my art, it is a detail from the domed ceiling of the sinking ruin the guy is in, Cherub painting is flaking off of the ceiling:

Doodles and sketches

My sketchbook hasn't featured here for a while. These are a few recent doodles, sketching without any aim just for the hell of it should be a daily regimen. Preaching to myself here! Doesn't matter if the results are 'good' or 'bad'. The experience, practice and experimentation are what counts. All of the above were done with my left. The strange egg doodle was inspired by a kid called Ray (he drew a doodle that I liked...).

Darkness Falls

A few tweaks might follow, but till then I'm done.

Darkness Falls (The Dark - version 2.0)

Please note that I treat my WIP posts as an updatable thread, updating the images as I work towards completion. Clicking on the post will reveal other images posted.
So I was far from happy with the final of 'The Dark'. I felt it lacked so much in so many areas. I was trying to reduce the amount of information I put into an image. trying to make a harder, more simple impact. I was not happy with the end result. I could kick myself for not letting myself do what I do,  jump streams and see things from different angles. Instead I got stuck on the particulars of the image. Trying to force a cylinder into a square slot. Lesson learnt, over and out. Here's 'Darkness Falls' ('The Dark' 2.0). It's not complete, rather a work in progress shot. I've got details to finish on the figure and background, stone and water stuff... but really close to finishing.

Wip 2:

Wip 1:

Quick photostudy

Interpreting, not copying.

Master Study - Henry Semiradsky - WIP

Please note that I treat my WIP posts as an updatable thread, updating the images as I work towards completion. Clicking on the post will reveal other images posted.
Here is my latest master study, Henry Semiradsky's 'Christian Dirtseya the Circus of Nero'. I'll be posting progress shots as I find time to do work on it. I don't have a whole lot of time available for this, as I am doing different projects at the moment. I do master studies to learn from the master's work and sharpen my skills. Here I'm blocking in the colors and bringing in the proportional relationships in my rough sketch. I love this color palette. You'll notice I started working a little more on Nero.

wip 1:

close up:

The sojourner and the dragons 2.0 wip

Please note that I treat my WIP posts as an updatable thread, updating the images as I work towards completion. Clicking on the post will reveal other images posted.


I'm re-doing 'The sojourner and the dragons' using a different thumb I had from my ideation process. This one I'm doing in a completely different style to the first. This is early on:

Update - still sketching in, laying in areas, etc - 1 march:

Painting Process - WIP : Sojourner and the dragons.

Aside from some minor details I want to add at a later date I'm calling this finished.

Files crashed and corrupted, lost all my work from the image below on. By some sheer luck I managed to patch back some of the work done from fragments of files and losing other portions. Think I know what happened but it could very well be weird electromagnetic debris from our recent solar max for all I know. The patched file with some additions Posted above:

Working back to front, pass by pass ;)

Rough Sketch - Sojourner and the dragons

First sketch pass, going to redraw this: The more I redraw the better it'll get. The challenge is to get it right at broad strokes stage.

The Dark

With this illustration I'd like to quote Ed Young, illustrator of one of my all time favorite children's books:

“To all the wolves of the world for lending their good name as a tangible symbol for our darkness.” 

― Ed Young, Lon Po Po

Wolves are amongst one of the most noble and beautiful creatures on our world.

The Dark - painting process and editing

It's amazing. Comparing the Value version with the beginnings of painting over in color, a kind of digital grisaille method I decided to apply to this picture as a means to sharpen some skills, it has become painfully obvious how color changes everything. I had to go in and make adjustments to the image that were fine in the greyscale version but with beginning to place color over and painting over elements the image shifted as it were. Some of the areas effected were proportional relationships and space related areas.

This brings home what Donald W. Graham writes "The importance of color as an independent force in painting developed in the nineteenth century. Methods of relating drawing to color had to be developed, for they had not been exploited by the renaissance painters or, for that matter, by most painters before Cezanne." His point is very insightful, he mentions earlier that color for most renaissance painters was not as important as linear perspective. Actually color had to be subject and bound to the laws of scientific perspective, so one ended up coloring in a grayscale drawing as opposed to painting in color. Now I know that this small little point can potentially open up a debate that could rage on for a while - let me state my intention plainly. I am not a proponent of one school of thought as a opposed to another. Rather I believe in integrating ideas to perfect skills and find truth to work by. Here is how this is relevant to us now. Our approach to a painting, if painting in a representational style of any form is effected by this underlying presupposition whether we understand it or not. As we learn to move from drawing to painting we encounter this problem. Color must be treated as an independent force, we need to be able to adjust color to meet our aims as artists. Even if we go against our 'logic' or what we expect to see in nature. After all, the artist's world is independent from reality in nature even if we are painting representational images.

I wanted a feral like quality to the girl. I'm painting over the image, initially with glaze like layers and increasingly more opaque in others. It has been interesting so far.

Since then... (updated at 11:26)

(updated -having found some time- 10:56 pm)

The Dark - working on color version

The Final sketch and value study  for the painting:

 

Here I'm working on a color version, doing minor alterations as I go. In sorting out the colors for the final I'm also trying not deaden it. I'll adjust things as I go to try and keep it fresh. Not sure if I'm :) or :( about it at this point and have to push on through.