Groucho

The other night I was treated to seeing a bio on Groucho Marx. I did some doodles in my sketchbook of him as I studied his features. The really interesting thing was I noticed his nose was a bit fatter at the tip than I had always thought. But it was a great look into such a quick wit and the master of one-liners...but there was also a bit of sad stuff with regards to his life. It seems he was such a perfectionist and 'on' all of the time so much that it tended to drive people away after a while.

Anyway, the next day in class I was explaining some basics of Photoshop coloring. It is easier to think of it more as a 'painting tool' than a drawing tool. Most people may not see the difference but there is a freer mindset if you think of it this way...like oils, it can be a bit more forgiving filling areas and then going in and adding detail work vs. drawing with a fine point to cover areas. It was easy to 'blob' in spots and use the eraser to mold the shapes. After that it was just a matter of using the brush tool in screen for highlights and multiply for shading (both at lower flows). A lot of computer concept art is done this way and it can have some great results...(I also have a more refined color example of this way back at the start of this blog called skimmer...)

http://blankenstine.blogspot.com/2006/11/processs-is-key-final.html

Working in multiple layers and locking off pixels lets you 'stay in the lines' while also adjusting transparencies as needed to keep from having harsh blends when not desired. I chose a young Groucho for two reasons...I didn't have a reference available when I did it...and second...it is REALLY hard to screw up a Groucho drawing...get the hair, brows, and stache halfway correct and you pretty much know who it is...which is why so many people could mimic him...from Bugs Bunny to Alan Alda...a quickie but just a chance to stretch my legs back in the digital illustration realm since I've hit the traditional more the past few months...