HOME | DD
RussellMarks — Dragon design
Published: 2016-01-18 23:35:34 +0000 UTC; Views: 2205; Favourites: 93; Downloads: 0
Redirect to original
Description
DigitalRelated content
Comments: 17
Thanks!, not sure that there was much of a thought process, the original side view I had done very roughly in my sketchbook years ago and decided to revisit it. my sketches can be pretty hit and miss, the ones I like I cut out and put in my scrap book file with the intention of one day getting around to making a more finished design like this or a full painting with environment and other characters. I have lots of dragon designs I want to make more solid so i should be posting a few more dragon designs throughout the year.
For the face I agree with you , there is a strong dinosaur influence and the body though only a silhouette is more reminiscent of a heavy bodied lizard.
My original sketches were of a bipedal winged type but i changed this inspired by Harryhausen's quadrupedal dragon in the 7th voyage of sinbad.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
That sound a lot like my process as well, my drawings are pretty hit and miss too. I never heard of artists taking their sketches out into a scrap book before. Can't wait to see more of your dragon designs, I really like how the nostrils are behind the jaw. I can see the influence of Harryhausesn now that you mention it. Really neat mix of inspirations!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
The reason why I scrapbook the better sketches is so that I don't have to wade through a lot of rubbish to get to something worthwhile and I have all my 'potentials' together in one place. I should also point out that when I say sketch book what I really mean is any old loose bit of paper or most usually quick ballpoint pen sketches done in A4 lined writing pads, so its not like I'm cutting up a good quality sketchbook. I probably should make more of an effort with a nice sketchbook but the thing is I did that for years and my mode of work has changed so that I don't like to get too finished with my drawings preferring to get more serious on the final painting this stops me getting fatigued with the design and so keep it more more enjoyable to work on.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Great work as usual Russell! The textures look absolutely beautiful and the design is really wonderful. I can see a dinosaur influence in the snout and lizard in the body silhouette, really fascinating creature! I really like the placement of the nostrils, creates for an inserting face shape. Your color relationships are so well done too. The front view is really appealing. If I may ask, whats your thought process when designing the head? You draw reptile heads so realistically.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hi, sorry replied above but made the mistake of writing it as a comment rather than a reply 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Thanks, I prefer the side view too.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
awesome design! It looks like it would take a long time to paint on all that texture!
Do you use Photoshop for your digital work?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I do use Photoshop, the details can take a while I have to try and stop myself from getting too OCD about it! LOL
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I can't get over how good your work is. Mind me asking how much time you spend drawing / painting every day?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
No not at al, I don't ever time what I'm doing and I don't paint every day (i know good artists are supposed to!) because I have a full time day job and I work some funny hours, it's a bit of an as and when affair lol. I think the most I've done in a day is about 8 hours but with lots of breaks, I really do need to get more disciplined about it though!
Are you still studying?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Wow, I presumed because of how good your work is that you must have worked at it every day, every second you have! Even more impressive that you are so good with little free time!
I studied a computer animation and special effects course in uni so I had a bit of time then to start drawing and get into it. but now I work full time I seem to get next to no time to work on my illustrations so I am not improving much at the moment.
I ordered some new drawing supplies the other day though so I am hoping I can get some free time soon to start using them.
I ordered them from Hobbycraft in fact, I wanted to test some dip pens for inking. There are a lot of different inks in store too so I wasn't sure which to get as I know some are more like water colour where as I prefer an opaque solid colour I can use for line art.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
It can be hard trying to find the time to make stuff especially if you want any kind of a life lol! I'm probably double your age so I've had a lot more time to get on with it but because of that I haven't had much of a life, I'm only just getting to the point now where I'm ready to start making some money from it! I would just say don't give up, you make good work and you obviously care about what you do.
My HC store is the smallest in the whole company so we stock a limited range, we only sell 3 ink types in store, the HC own brand the FW acrylic range and a black India ink but I can't remember which company probably Daler but reading the blurb on the labels the last one I mention is the only one that says it is suitable for pen use. Not sure why that should be the case? but a girl came in the other day and said that she used the FW in a pen and had no problem with it, I wonder if because it is acrylic based it clogs the pen over time and you have to be really thorough when you clean the pen out?
Anyway good luck with the line art, I haven't used inks very much myself so I can't really advise on which would be the best for what you want to achieve but if I remember correctly (loooong time ago!,) I used winsor and newton and I think I got good solid black lines from it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks for all the help man, your work is really inspiring, also thanks for the follow! Although I don't think my art will impress you for a little while yet haha.
Do you have other pages for your website too? Social media or a shop site or anything? Would love to support you on those too.
Keep up the good work !
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks I'm just getting my website ready but there isn't any work on there that's not already on here, I'll start thinking more seriously about social media in the summer.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0