Proof for 'The Piano' arrived and approved, Available on Amazon soon

'The Piano', the print version goes on sale in about a week's time. Volume 1 looks great and there has been a lot of excitement expressed by everyone who got to see the proof. Here's one of my favorite spreads from the book. I will post details when the book goes live on Amazon, but you should be able to order one from your local bookshop soon afterwards if you prefer. ciro correia

WIP of New Illustration for 2nd Edition of The Snickitysnatcher

Unfortunately I'm not allowed to post a final copy of this illustration just yet. It's going to be in the revised edition, out at the end of April in digital and print versions. Here's a work in progress shot showing the illustration's progress from sketch to about 70% completion. I've been told the final looks stunning. Hope you enjoy the teaser, and keep checking for release dates on this absolutely 'must have copy' of 'The Snickitysnatcher'. I'm thinking of giving away a signed poster print of the final, closer to release date. Would anyone be keen on trying to win a copy in a lottery style give away?

About the Illustration: The Illustration is of Dione, the leader of the fairies from the forest around Fangtop. She plays a pivotal role in Indigo's rescue and in getting her to understand the danger she is in. I based the character loosely on Minerva, my favorite Higher Power. She is the goddess of art, magic, wisdom and learning.

ciro correia

New cover, 2nd Edition - Revised, coming soon!

I'm currently working on the 2nd Edition of 'The Snickitysnatcher'. I've revised the text to fit more with my original vision for the story. I'm adding a few more illustrations. Full color paintings for the digital version and grayscale copies in the print version. It will be out by the end of April. We'll be making a formal press release next month, so keep your eyes peeled. ciro correia

Head study

Hello dear friends and visitors from the web somewhere... The aim of my study was to approach the painting task by laying down shapes instead of sketching in with line. This has to do with a seemingly subtle change in perception and approach, but it is interesting in that one can develop this part of our perception and cognitive processes whilst creating art. I found the exercise to be very helpful and I learnt new procedural skills through it. This is essentially the way I approach my painting. A major breakthrough in the study session was what I call "jumping". "Jumping" is visually thinking about what you want to achieve and then processing it through your cognitive processes to achieve it the most direct way possible, requiring the least amount of edits necessary. It requires on the spot multilevel focus to achieve and as all skills can be developed. Try it, but just remember I coined it first. :)

Below the video you will find the finished study. Could have polished it to a photo real finish, but what's the point since all necessary information was achieved to convey the subject.

Below: Head Study - 15 Feb. 2013

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Darkness Falls

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

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.

Speedpaint - alien environment

Experimenting and playing around with different techniques and approaches:

Character concept - action

This was another one of the pieces I submitted, the pose is in a state of movement. Now that I have some extra time coming up, I succumbed to the temptation to do some work on this. So, this post will carry a few updates as work progresses. I'll leave you with a low res of the original for now. It was done in a rough in style. I decided to hint at villainy in the character. I imagined him standing in from of some peasants house while it burnt down. (que-in evil laughter)

Last painting of 2011 - city in the sky and environment

Very last painting of 2011, just finished minutes ago (excluding edits, i'll probably want to do later). Now, I'm gonna kick up my legs and chill with my fam for New Years. Happy new year and see you next year ;) .

Original done for Concept Art test, this is a concept of a city in the sky with surrounding environment. My own musings and ideas on it are that the city is a kind of entertainment hub for city slickers, corrupt officials, celebs and so on. A kind of floating city of vices. Damn just remembered wanted to add some steam emitting from the city vents. Will have to do that later. (updated)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

edited version - updated 5th jan 2012

SciFi Environment - WORK IN PROGRESS

I recently did a concept art test and this was one of my submissions done in a 'rough-in painting style'. (waiting in anticipation). I liked the rough so much that I decided to take it further. I'll be posting up some of the other submissions as well, rework them etc... So here is the first of the work in progress images for what I'm doing with this. These are really low res. Will post more in this thread as I find time.

Above: WIP 1

Above: WIP 2



Below: WIP3 (updated)

Below: The original rough. I had to portion my time over three images, and ended up doing as much as time permitted. I thought the image had potential. So, I'm taking it further. 

Here are some of my original thumbs for the image.

WORK IN PROGRESS - 'Catgirl'

This is a very low res work in progress post on my 'catgirl' painting. I've sorted out the color palette and I'm working from back to front. Laying down forms and shapes and keeping to my plans. Ultimately I want the girl to be the key point of interest with foils  pulling your eye about the image so I don't want to overwork the background. Been quite busy of late, will have more posts up soon.