Art and Cookies

3 kings / driekoningen

2012-01-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

This is one vignette of a poster I did for Averbode with all the Christian Holidays. I'm still trying to incorporate analog textures into my stuff.

Now I'm off to NY for the SCBWI conference. Hopefully handing out postcards and business cards to random attendees and shamelessly self-promoting myself (uuuggggghhhh) will get me some new opportunitues. If not, there's always NY pizza!

Postcards and test prints for SCBWI2012

2012-01-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

These postcards came out great. Always a little bit of a gamble whether the colors and values will print out nice. They did!

The test prints are just to make sure my monitor calibration is spot on. They also looked good although I lost some contrast in the blacks.

Anybody going to the conference?

Happy New Year!

2012-01-10T13:43:00.001-08:00

Thanks for everything in 2011!

New print for sale.

2011-12-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

New print for Sale!

Buy my art here!

Monster illustration for Portfolio.

2011-12-07T07:38:00.000-08:00

I experimented on this one. I used some very textured brushes and I like the analog feel they gave the illustration. To complete my color palette I used a technique detailed in James Gurney's book Color and Light: A guide for the realist painter. Here's the gamut map I used.

All in all a pretty successful experiment.

Another illustration for ID magazine

2011-11-23T06:39:00.000-08:00

This is the second of two illustrations I made for the ID magazine for publisher Averbode. The story was art directed by Thijs Delrue.

Pretty straightforward composition. Works just fine, though.

Magazine Illustration for ID

2011-11-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

This is one of two illustrations I made for the ID magazine for publisher Averbode. The story was art directed by Thijs Delrue. The workflow on this was smooth an although I had to finish things in a hurry I'm quite satisfied with the results.

Expression Sheet "Slick"

2011-11-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

There is one more of these.

Next Color illustration Lines

2011-11-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

Took me a while to get back on track on a personal project. Either way here are the lines for the next color illustration. The lay-outs for the next one are done as well hopefully I'll be able to post the linework later this week or early next week.

Wouter

Expression Sheet "the pro"

2011-10-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here's another expression sheet. I just finished another illustration job for a Belgian magazine. I will share that later on.

Expression Sheet "Dodgy"

2011-10-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

More on the way. In the meantime I'm working on a (small) illustration job for a Belgian Magazine. Exciting!!

Expression Sheet: "the heavy"

2011-10-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a comic book project. About 17 pages and I'm developing the characters and the drawing style. Here's the expression sheet for "the heavy". Full body model sheets will follow eventually. This one needs clean-up.

And finally another color illustration

2011-08-20T14:14:00.001-07:00

This one took me a while. Very busy with motion graphic work.

Third Zonnestraal illustration!

2011-07-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Third and last Zonnestraal illustration. Art directed by Isabel Vandeginste. Next up Monsters!

Second Zonnestraal illustration

2011-07-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here's the second illustration for the Zonnestraal story I illustrated. It was art directed by Isabel Vandeginste.

Illustration for Belgian magazine.

2011-07-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Here's one of the illustrations for Zonnestraal, a Belgian magazine for school children aged 8-10. It was art directed by Isabel Vandeginste. It was a very positive experience. Despite having only about a week to paint 3 of these, I managed comfortably. There were some revisions but I believe everybody was happy with the results.

Picture Book 13

2011-07-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

Here it is. I feel my contrast and rendering are improving. Good workflow on this. Next up is either another full color big one or a B 'n W one. Crits and comments are welcome.

New Picture Book illustration: Monsters around campfire.!

2011-06-22T10:33:00.001-07:00

This one will have some nifty lighting effects. I will be out of the loop for a while. I'm working on an illustration job for a Belgian magazine and I've got plenty of freelance work coming up, mostly animation and motion design.

Next Picture Book illustration: Monsters!

2011-06-15T08:27:00.001-07:00

Really enjoyed drawing this one. I've been reading and watching so much fantasy stuff lately, it was destined to show up in one of these illo's. Happy with the boy in this one.

New Postcards

2011-06-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

This isn't actually a postcard but a card that will be bundled with other cards and shipped to art directors, et cet by my agent.

New version of Picture Book 12

2011-06-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

I've shifted some things around, added some extras to strengthen the composition. Thanks for the comments!

Chapter Book 3: Values

2011-05-30T08:55:00.001-07:00

Next up is my new postcard and a new color illustration with some dramatic lighting.

Lines for next chapter book illustration

2011-05-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

Values will help the main characters stand out from the background. Should be done by Monday.

Picture Book 12

2011-05-24T07:51:00.001-07:00

Picture book 12 Preview

2011-05-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Finished Chapter book Illustration 2

2011-05-16T21:36:00.001-07:00

I'll clean up the values a little bit in PS. It seems scanning a graphite drawing, diminishes the blacks.

Next Chapter book illustration

2011-05-13T15:18:00.001-07:00

Chapter Book: Beginner

2011-05-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

And finished. Work flow was very smooth on this despite being my first analog finish is a while. Perhaps a little clean-up here and there and then I'll put it in the portfolio.

Chapter book illustration

2011-05-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

Not done yet but this is pretty much 80 percent there. Will mess around with values and clean up line-drawing

Next Picture book illo.

2011-05-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'm very happy with the comp thus far. There might be minor changes but nothing huge. Trying to tackle some subjects that were lacking in my portfolio. Adults and interiors.

Chapter book lines.

2011-05-03T21:03:00.001-07:00

This one will be finished on paper in pencil, coloured pencil and charcoal.

Character Designs for Cover

2011-04-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Character Designs for a cover. Not sure if the cover assignment will still happen or not. I won't throw it on the blog until I have some certainty.

Finally finished: Picture Book 11

2011-04-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

The process on this one was a bit messy. Changed my mind on the composition a couple of times (Art Director, where are you?) So it took me a little longer. Next up is an interior full color illustration and some black and white chapter book illo's.

I might make a post detailing the many incarnations this illo had before I figured out how to make everything work.

sketch dump

2011-04-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

Finished illo next week!!

Next Picture Book illustration

2011-03-26T20:07:00.001-07:00

Here's the skecth for the next one. Does anybody recognize the monsters?

Composition will still change. I will add an element in the foreground to the left.

quick post.

2011-03-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

No finished illustration this week. I did finish one but I need to keep it under wraps for a while. It's for a bigger publisher and might mean future work. Exciting!

Picture Book 10 REDUX

2011-03-12T22:54:00.001-08:00

Who can spot the 5 tweaks? (big improvement)

Picture Book Portfolio Piece

2011-03-11T23:17:00.000-08:00

Probably touch it up here and there (hair!) but I need to move on this weekend.

more sketching!

2011-03-08T09:23:00.001-08:00

Midnight sketching

2011-03-04T23:08:00.000-08:00

Next week I'll have a finished illustration!!

I've been out of the loop for a while

2011-03-01T15:10:00.001-08:00

My wife and I went for a wonderful vacation in California. Perhaps I'll post some pictures later on. I've also been spending a lot of time doing promotion for both my illustration works as my motion design. It's a drag but I'm learning it's the only way to make actual progress on the business end of things. I'm back in the saddle though and regular updates will resume. Working on some fun stuff!

Next Picture Book illustration

2011-02-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

Kids and close-ups, that's what my portfolio was lacking. I'm trying to work on that with this one. There is a story behind the illustration so there will be one or two more in this series. I will probably rework the face of the girl.

Postcards have been sent.

2011-01-27T14:13:00.001-08:00

I sent out 106 postcards today to art directors, publishers and agents. I'm all set, just waiting for the money to come rolling in.

Picture Book 9

2011-01-22T20:45:00.001-08:00

And here it is. I'm very happy with this one. Far from perfect but a good illustration none the less.

fashion 10

2011-01-14T19:31:00.001-08:00

I think this one turned out pretty awful. I couldn't find a proper balance between line and render, realism and simplification. I over-rendered it and now it doesn't have a lot going for it.

flats and lines.

2011-01-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

Now I'll start rendering. A lot of the lines will disappear.

Picture book flats.

2011-01-02T14:01:00.000-08:00

Colors aren't final yet. I'll have to look at my values and make sure there is enough contrast.I'm experimenting with extra saturation in my shadows.

Fashion Process: flats

2010-12-30T21:19:00.000-08:00

There were definitely some things wrong with the drawing so I've fixed those and put in my flat colors. Now comes the rendering part.

Next Fashion Sketch

2010-12-24T09:34:00.001-08:00

Here's a little bit of process. There's a couple of sketches before I reach the first stage shown here.

Next picture book illustration

2010-12-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

Need to straighten out some of the perspective and I might add a fire hydrant to the left of the traffic lights. And there's a pidgeon on the lights in the upper right corner.

Wouter

Fashion 9

2010-12-10T08:09:00.001-08:00

And here it is. I like to keep my pencil lines. It does mean you need to make your final drawing clean and with a nice greasy pencil.

Next illustration

2010-12-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

Don't know why I didn't just draw her pupils. Now I'll fix it in PS and I'll probably shorten her legs a hair.

Postcards are here!

2010-11-30T19:35:00.000-08:00

I will be sending these out as soon as possible (once the website is redone).

Fashion

2010-11-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

Picture Book 8

2010-10-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

This is the 8th and for now last illustration in this series. Next up is the anta commission and a fashion illustration.

next two illustrations - sketches

2010-10-21T20:06:00.001-07:00

I'll fix a bunch of issues in these. Eyes and wheels mainly.

Composition sketches

2010-10-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a Santa commission. Basically Santa on a Harley.

picture book 7

2010-10-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

And here it is. I messed around with the trees for a long time. Next one is a commission and I'll probably be do a fashion illustration in between. I almost have a portfolio full of these.

Click for details.

Coffee Sketches.

2010-10-02T11:58:00.001-07:00

I go sketching in a local coffee place once every three weeks.

Nina Simone

2010-09-27T14:45:00.001-07:00

Next up is a picture book illustration and a commission.

New picturebook illustration.

2010-09-20T13:47:00.001-07:00

With or without the blur on the truck?

This one had a very smooth work process. Lots of details so click it. I will probably mess with some of the values surrounding the main characters but otherwise it's finished. The red truck in the foreground creates room for text.

More Nina

2010-09-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

No finished piece this Friday. I'm working on some big ones. Hopefully I'll get one of those done by next week.

Next Illustration sketch.

2010-09-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

Nina Simone.

Chet Baker

2010-08-27T19:55:00.001-07:00

Wild hair or slick hair?

Fashion

2010-08-20T10:22:00.001-07:00

Here we go. I've been trying to post every friday.

Steam Punk Again

2010-08-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

The previous steampunk illo had a lot of issues. The drawing was good but the coloring was sloppy and very drab. And off course it needed some crazy steampunk airships. So there.

Discarded Sketch

2010-08-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

An illustration I ended up canceling. There's a lot wrong with it. I scanned it before it was really finished. I didn't clean it up on the lightbox. The figure is boring and not cartoony enough.

I will probably revisit the idea and parts of the drawing after I finish my current work on the picture book and the steampunk illo (adding an airship or 2)

Bussinesscards arrived. Exciting

2010-08-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

Fashion sketch

2010-07-26T08:09:00.000-07:00

Not sure if I will color this. It's kind of a neutral sketch.

Picture book illustration 4

2010-07-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

And here it is. I'm trying to make my drawing more dynamic. Better moment choice, stronger perspective and adding certain painted effects. This will be evident in my next couple of picturebook illustrations.

Picturebook spot illustration

2010-07-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

I will also use this one on my business card. The drawing will probably change a little. I'm not sure about the front right paw (our right).

PS: those are two red or northern cardinals. Fantastic looking birds that are quite common in New England

Wouter

2010-06-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

This is a Batman piece for my local comic book shop. Still some small things I'll clean up and then hopefully someone will buy it at Coast City Comics on Congress street.

update! I forgot the batman logo and I fixed some shading issues.

Quick SKetch

2010-06-16T21:39:00.001-07:00

Steampunk show in Portland

2010-06-09T08:19:00.001-07:00

This is the piece I made for the steampunk show in Portland. For the month of June you can see pieces by the MEIC, a group of local illustrators.

It's a little more realistic than my other work these days but steampunk is about machines so I had to whip out my perspective skills. Couple of good reference sites for scientific perspective here and here.

click for details.

W

Picture book advertisement.

2010-06-03T10:23:00.001-07:00

Thanks to a generous offer by Judith Hunt I was able to be part of the Picture Book this year. It's an important annual publication which features hundreds of artists.

2010-05-22T15:31:00.001-07:00

And while I'm working on the steampunk illustration (I'll do a process blogpost for that one), I finished this one. Got a little carried away in the rendering. Do you like it with or without the rimlight?

W

2010-05-14T17:41:00.001-07:00

This one was a lot of fun. The whole point of the exercise was to have a fast workflow so I didn't get into too many details with the painting. Takes about a day's work.

I have a couple more of these in the books but I need to focus on a steampunk illustration for a local show here in Portland, ME.

Quick fashion Sketch

2010-05-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

I'm working on three fashion illustration and i had this sketch hanging around. I decided to ink it using a pentel brush pen. I put on a couple of lines too many but it's pretty decent for a quickie.

The Wolfman.

2010-05-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

The latest portfolio piece. This one took me a while to complete. Mainly because I had some change of heart about the color scheme. I was thinking about putting in a blueish rim light but i think i like the homogeneous color scheme I have right now.

This piece was originally intended to be part of a movie poster illustration ("The Wolfman"). I'm designing the font and will repost it when I have painted it all.

Another picture book illo

2010-04-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been out of it for a while. I was very busy with a couple of animation and motion graphics projects. It's eerily quiet now, though so this week I got to finish this one. Almost ready with another one, hopefully I'll get to post that one next week.

Moby Dick

2009-12-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

I made this one for the MEIC show in the Freeport Library. I love the theme and the deadline this shows provided. Once i settled on a vertical frame, I finalized the composition quickly. The white whale was intended to provide some room for copy. The biggest hurdle was getting it printed and the final print ended up slightly fuzzy and overly dark. Click for details.

2009-11-22T14:01:00.001-08:00

And the last one. I'm working on two more of these but it might take a while.

2009-11-16T19:09:00.001-08:00

And another Storybook illustration. I have been extremely busy lately with work. I do have some more stuff coming up though.

2009-11-06T12:49:00.000-08:00

I finished this one a while ago. It the first in a series of three paintings in a style more fitting for a storybook. I think a style like this allows me to be more experimental with color and shape, something i've been wanting for a long time. I have to more finished paintings that i will post later on. And I have two paintings with the same theme in the works.

Sketch for MEIC classics show.

2009-11-01T22:27:00.000-08:00

A quick sketch for the classics show of the MEIC. This is Dorian Grey. I decided to do a Moby Dick piece instead. I'll post it when i get it done.

Crooks Illustration

2009-10-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

I'm still developing the style of these illustrations. I'd like to make the style less realistic. I try to go for surprising color schemes and give the illustration a decorative look. The drawing however still somewhat pushes me towards a more realistic color usage, away from the more graphic approach that I'm aiming for. I'll get there.

2009-10-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

I have a fair amount of new work to show you. Let's start off with this piece. I've made this piece for the portfolio and it's based loosely on a picture from the sartorialist, a well-known fashion blog. In between my cartoonier work, i love to do these kind of illustrations. Having a picture to work with for posing and attire, gives you the opportunity to focus on your interpretation instead of researching clothing, endlessly looking for poses, et cet. Having said that although this illustration is quite a departure from the original picture, i would like to have pushed myself towards a less neutral style.

Comments are welcome.

Hey

2009-08-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

And one more. These are the main characters in a children's book I am working on. Little mistakes everywhere but that's what exercises are for.

2009-08-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

And another one. This one is definitely an improvement. although his shirt is a little too blue.

2009-08-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

And another little acrylic experiment.

Click for details.

acrylic experiment

2009-08-10T18:51:00.001-07:00

My first attempt at acrylics. I like the face, the color scheme is a little of and so is the posture.

2009-08-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

Some recent artwork. Illustrator and Photoshop.

digital painting

2008-12-30T19:28:00.000-08:00

fast sketch

Fast Digital Painting 5

2008-12-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

And another one. Things have been slowing down. Lots of paperwork to do.

Fast Digital Painting

2008-12-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

And another one. I just got back from Boston. I`ll post some pictures later on.
2 hours in PS.

and another pretty bad one

2008-12-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

Decent face on this one.

2008-12-03T03:26:00.000-08:00

Another quick paint exercise.

2008-11-27T20:02:00.001-08:00

Not that good. I`m making a series so i hope they get better. About 2 hours in PS.

IF: Opinion

2008-11-21T17:34:00.001-08:00

Will probably bring up the saturation in some colours. Click it for details.

IF: Pretend

2008-11-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

Experimenting with textures.