Art Archive Pencil art & character work - Inverted Sith (17 April 2006) *page 4*

Very nice. I adore how you have elongated the face to add to the cruel qualities of this characters, reminds me a little of the actor who played Tarkin in his horror film roles. That kind of aristocratic, "look-down-my-nose-then-kill-you-and-your-descendants" evil. The palette is very nice too, that pallid complexion combined with those eyes is mezmerising in effect. Well done paraquem on yet another skillful piece.

 

Very mean looking character; you definitely get the 'evil lord' feeling from him. And I like the pastel/chalky look to that piece. Lots of interesting grain happening.

 

FalconFan

Thanks very much for your comments. To be honest, I still struggle using Painter really. I guess I?m probably scrabbling about in the dark when it comes to using the software to its full extent, though I think I at least got the sort of idea that I was looking for. Once I take the character out of being so stylised and make a more realistic drawing of him, he should be a lot better I hope.

Corellian_Rogue

Thank you. I do think that the extent of the elongation will have to be toned down, but I did want to use a sort of Akhenaton type of idea for this character. I?m really glad you mentioned the aristocratic thing, he?ll definitely be someone to whom that applies.

wicktone

Thanks. It?s the first time I?ve ever used the chalk option on Painter and I must admit I found it really enjoyable, much more responsive than acrylics, which I?ve used up to now. I?ll try to do more stuff with the chalks from now and see how it goes.

 

Fantastic. I love the contrast and shading and especially the gestural style to the brush strokes. Your eyes are immediatley drawn to those deep eye sockets which are beautifuly complimentd with the stark contrast of the nose ridge highlight. Love the detail in the chin area too.

 

Lovely artwork, I espeically love the second one of Anakin at the beginning of the thread.

 

bwize - thanks for those comments, I thought the rougher brush stroke style did help this one. I think the eyes could have used a lot more work perhaps, but as long as it got the idea across.

Idrelle_Miocovani - thank you, I did the second anakin pic when I was just beginning to get into drawing again. I fit hadn't turned out i'd probably have given up so i'm glad it came out ok.

 

A pencil drawing of the character previously done roughly in Painter. He's derived from a villanous sort in Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky, so he couldn't have a better pedigree for being a Sith. He's far less stylized this time, but hopefully his villany still comes across.

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/2690/linedsith0de.jpg

 

Sheesh, paraquem, I got a definite chill, looking at this guy!! Fantastic!! I was just dreading that he might look "down-his-nose-then-kill-me-and-all-my-descendants!" (to borrow a phrase from C_R's post above! ) This is stunning in it's powerful mood--I'm especially intrigued by the two parallel "tattoos" down his cheek: somehow, they really add to his "hard look." The creasing in his cheek and around his mouth are wonderful descriptors of this fellow's continuously-scowling mood--and that bellicose, staring eye...
**shudders again**
A fabulous study of evil and danger--beautiful!

FF

 

He definitely still looks evil. I get a sort of conniving, sniveling personality from his expression. He looks like the type of villian would attack you from the shadows, but wouldn't fight you head on.

It's beautifully rendered, especially the folds and creases of skin around his mouth. And I'm really impressed by the inside of his cloak; you achieved such a smooth, deep black! That's so hard to do with pencil, but the effort really makes his face jump off the page.

 

FalconFan - Thank you, I really appreciate your comments. I still haven't really decided whether the marks on his face are tattoos or decorative scars (i'm leaning towards the scars at present). The other Sith I have in mind have their own markings, not all on the cheeks though, and to varying degrees.

wicktone Thanks very much for your kind words. You've pegged him correctly in that he's not for doing his own dirty work. I see this guy as the head honcho. Where I did change my mind was in having him be an epitome of evil type of guy. Now I see him as weaker on the surface, but stronger for his caginess. I wanted him to have shark-like eyes and a worn withered look. Take away the cloak and markings and he should almost be reminiscent of someones Grandad

I have to admit though, the level of black in the drawing wasn't as dark as in the scan, I had to ramp up the contrast on it a bit. I'd been over the dark areas umpteen times and it still wasn't just right.

 

Another Sith character. Based on the wonderful Lance Henrikksen (obviously Lance looks a whole lot better than this though).

http://img193.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sith28tp.jpg

 

Mmm...beautiful depth and mood Paraquem as I've come to expect and love from your work. Your skill with portraiture is wonderful (especially since having done a few portraits recently I realise the effort and skill they required to look this good!). He just oozes malice and darkness, I can't describe it but it just sends chills down my spine with those piercing, yet kind of not human eyes. Great work!

 

Wow. You artwork is amazing! You are so good at providing rich moods and atmosphere in all of your portraits, making it all the more enjoyable in viewing them. Your latest piece is chilling and I think it's my favorite of what you've done so far. You can definately see the inspirational 'Lance' features.

Hmmm... actually, I think it might be a tie with "quicossewcostumesmall2tm.jpg" - his facial features are goregous and I very much like his expression.

- Suz ^_~

 

wow your art is amazing, and extremely real

 

Gads, what a fabulously dark portrait, paraquem!!! This is just wonderful in its realism and detailing--again, looking very much like a dramatically-lit black-and-white photograph of this character. I love the way you capture detail in the face--the forehead creases, around the mouth and eyes--allowing the light to define them, just as a photographer would do... It's just lucious, in depth and smoothness (how in the world do you achieve such lustrous black with pencils...?!), and most definitely conveys that "darkness" in atmosphere and mood. Amazing work!

FF

 

It's odd to mention, but I really like the paper you're drawing these on. The thick tooth adds so much texture to the images. That along with the sepia colouring of it kind of gives the character that these are old images of ancient sith lords or something.

Great lighting here, and I especially like how his iris is pretty much entirely black. It hints that the character is sort of soulless, even if he does have a lot of intelligence in his expression.

Terrific work again!

 

Corellian_Rogue - Thanks very much for your kind comments. Portraiture is really my one chop in all honesty, but at least if I can get the character to come to life (even a little) on the page, then i'm really happy. Thanks again.

Your_Worshipfulness Thanks a lot. I think I like Quicosse portrait more too. I just love the actor's face (I only wish I could find more reference photos of him).

LordNeo Thanks, that's very kind of you.

FalconFan Thank you very much. I'm really heartened that you mentioned a photographic aspect. That's what i've been hoping to achieve in the character portraits. If I can couple each one i'm doing along with a brief "bio", I can hopefully make them seem convincing and real (well, here's hoping).

wicktone I'd agree with you re: the paper. The rough texture takes really helps in giving the skin some life. I never really thought about the iris on the last Sith piece, but I think i'll incoroprate the near total blackness of the eye into the next drawings I make of this character. Thanks for pointing that out

Here are a couple more -

Another Sith (very rough drawing in charcoal) -
http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=inaction8vc.jpg

Rough imagining of a scene -
http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=courtyardencounter2tt.jpg

 

Wow! Beautiful work Paraquem The portrait is jaw dropping, such hatred and anger! Charcoal is such a great medium for portraiture, the texture of the strokes and the darkness you can achieve is simply amazing. I'm such a fan of charcoal and I'd do some Star Wars work in it if I weren't terrified it would stain the scanner glass! LOL

Wonderful wonderful work. The scene is very good, I like the placement of the characters very much. I particularly like the surprised stances of the two bodyguard like men, quite amusing in fact. The Jedi was expecting it but these two poor guys are shocked out of their minds! Well...that's what I got from it anyway...and I love that entrance. There's nothing like a circular door eh?

Hope to see some more from you really soon yes? Well done on a great update.

 

Oh, cool, more stuff from paraquem!!

**does happy dance**

I love the portrait--this guy just looks nasty! With that sort of contained snarl on his face, he really looks coiled to do some damage--I just love the way you render expression, it's never overdone, just exactly what's needed to convey the mood/attitude. Beautiful! And I'm so jealous that you can work with such accuracy in charcoal (which, for me, has always been a messy and very difficult medium)--the details you get are gorgeous!

I, too, love the "scene," and I agree with C_R that the circular door is a great feature! The light coloring of our Jedi in the mid-ground is perfectly balanced against the rest of the view--the eye goes to him first, then takes in the rest (made short work of that fellow in the foreground, didn't he...? ). I love the almost "Dark Ages" feel to it--sort of like we're outside a fortress or an abbey of some sort, witness to this brief but deadly contest. Beautiful additions, paraquem--can't wait to see some more!

FF

 

WOW - Thats some amazingly dark workings!

Congrats! Have you ever tried applying your work to some EU characters? I'd love to see what you could do with some of those!

CONGRATS AGAIN!

 

I was hoping you had some more stuff in the works, Paraquem.

I like that we get to see such a variety of styles in each medium in this forum. Lots of people use pencil or charcoal, but they all look very different from each other. Yours have a rough, raw quality that I really like.

Beautiful job on that scene. Again, the texture of the paper and the warm dark tone give the image an old, antiquated look, like a picture from a faded book. The image really captures action that had just occured, and kind of has the feeling of everyone in the room drawing some air after holding their breath for a little while.

 

Corellian_Rogue - Thanks for your kind words on my last update. I definitely agree with you on the use of charcoal for portraiture. It's a great encouragement not to get to prissy (essentially because you just can't really). As for scanner glass, I gave up on reclaiming mine from charcoal dust a long time ago. I sort of like the random marks it puts onto every other piece.

The second piece put me in a tailspin though. I kind of wished i'd left that one off, that's what happens when you're desperate to get something finished, you end up putting out something sub-par. Ah well, they say your mistakes teach you more than your successes.

FalconFan - Thanks very much. From your comments on the portrait, I think I got close to what I was trying to achieve. I used my own ugly mug for the portrait, so it wasn't too hard to make an unpleasant looking character

I won't say much more about the scene, except I was really heartened by your Dark Ages comment. My story is set 1,000 prior to TPM so i'm looking to make a sort of mediaeval feel to everything.

Lippy - Thanks. I did toy with the idea of doing a rough graphic novel of one of the EU novels a while back, but I doubt I would ever have gotten anywhere with it.

wicktone Thanks very much. Even though I pretty much loathe the scene drawing from the last update, i'm really pleased that you mentioned the antiquated look of the piece. I got something out of the piece in knowing that one aspect of it was successful. Thanks again


Only one drawing for this update, another rendering of a Sith (based again on Lance Henrikksen). Rough round the edges, in charcoal and pencils again.

http://img361.imageshack.us/my.php?image=moresith3qz.jpg

 

You say this is "rough 'round the edges," paraquem, but I just don't see that...
Again, a wonderful portrait! I especially love the wide, almost manic feel of his eyes--as though a strange "madness" is at work within him, and we're seeing only a glimpse of it. Awesome handling of the light and shadows (I've found it very difficult to render features in deep shadows, and you seem to have mastered it beautifully here!)--the one bright spot on his forehead, and then just catches of reflected light over the rest of his face. The accuracy of the folds/wrinkles of skin is stunning--very "tactile," and very realistic. For some reason, I love the way you've rendered his nose and mouth, too--perfect perspective. Beautiful work!

FF

 

Your charcoals are beautiful. That is such a wonderful likeness, with an incredible atmosphere to match. I realy admire your talent.

 

These charcoal drawings are beautiful! You've got some very fantastic shading and porportions are dead on!

For one of the less recent ones... the "rough imaging" of a scene -- I love that one mostly because it seems like one of the scenes from one of my longer fics (the Jedi are gladiators in it). I love the mood and the background in that drawing.