Drakenhart Studios

So, as Flight Rising has both male and female dragons, with specific morphology, I took the time to re-sketch and re-ink using the same base sketch. I had some trouble with the crest of feathers interfering with the overall silhouette. So I had to move the tail.

So I decided to do more cute character work using the Flight Rising dragon morphology as a base. As I was looking through my Lair (yes, I play FR), I was inspired to do a Coatl dragon.

After some feedback from fellow artists on one the (various) Flight Rising Discord servers, the one on the far left was picked and I refine the sketch using a tradigial hybrid process.

First I worked up a traditional sketch. Then scanned it, and took it into Photoshop. After which I reduced the opacity to almost invisible after cleaning up and increasing the contrast on the image.

Then I print it out on decent printer paper (white) and adjust the sketch again. I do this until I am satisfied. I scan it in another time, then print it on higher quality paper (bristol, watercolor paper, good sketch paper that holds ink well).

At this stage I ink it, and if I mess it up very badly, I can always print another (and NEVER ruin a finished sketch again! I end up with two originals (or more depending on how often I feel the need to reprint and resketch).

This is a style I started to experiment with years ago, and it is a bit creepy. That's the point. However, I need more practice with this. Again my texturing still needs work. However, this is much better then the Mirror dragon I did on Day 1. 

This is a piece based on someone else's dragon. She is a golden dragon. I tried to do a crystal effect in a traditional medium, but it was very difficult. >.> I'm going to see about using some white ink and putting planar highlights here and there later.

Having scanner issues still, so this is a poor photo of one of my better inking. The practice helped. :) I love the dragon added to give a sense of scale. The species, in particular, is a Skydancer from Flight Rising. They are a bit taller than a human.

I'm having some scanner driver issues. So here is a bad photo. ;)

The sketch I did turned out better than the inking job because I was trying to do too much on such a small sketch. The dragon in question is a Mirror from Flight Rising with the wings half folded, as it runs. I can tell my inking skills are rusty. 

So what I did was take some basic circles, lines squares, and overlapped them. Then I took my ink pens (different sizes) and filled them in, thickened the lines, played with texturing and more. This helped loosen me up. The inking for this day is done, and I got work out as well as part of my effort.

Good first day!

Inktober started with Jake Parker. Others adopted the idea and it has become a worldwide phenomenon. Just goes to show how a single amazing idea can spawn a huge following!

Jake Parker's work is amazing. If you click on either of the two graphics above (made by Jake Parker, and borrowed here for use in this review) they will take you to his Inktober page on his site. Please take time to look through his portfolio and you'll see what I mean when I say he is simply a very inspiring artist.

I came across Inktober a couple of years ago, via word of mouth of artist-associates of mine on Twitter. I've tried, unsuccessfully, several times to complete the full 31 days of inking. In fact, some folks have started a "Sketchtember" in preparation for Inktober.

Due to my currently hectic and very busy life (more about that in a different post), I only have a small window of opportunity with which to do work. So I must manage my time wisely on a daily basis. 

That said, I hope to manage this year a little better than last, and finish at least 15 out of the 31 days. Some of the items will be awful, as it has been a while since I last inked, but you have to get the "bad art" out somehow before your brain and hands remember how to do things. Just like getting back on a bicycle.

I also hope to do some experimenting with inks and markers this year as well, and really challenge my skills. No matter where we are in our art careers, we can always improve somewhere!