New Topic: The Snow Queen

Since I didn't post in time for a holiday-themed topic, we'll at least do something for winter. This topic is based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, you can read about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snow_Queen

Although I figure people don't need to know the story: just come up with a Snow Queen, her court, her minions, or castle. Be creative and enjoy!

The Littlest Brownie Scout

Having recently been forced from his home in the dwindling woods, Aberfeldy found a place to stay in a nearby garden. When news spread that a new brownie was in the area he was invited to join the local troop. Not one to quibble over the difference between brownies and gnomes, he graciously accepted the invitation (and the special miniature boxes of cookies). He did find the uniform a tad itchy however.

One gnome to good home

When this topic came up I looked but couldn't find any good reference of gnomes or other woodfolk. So I went out to my garden, set some traps and got this guy. He was a mean little bugger, biting and scratching until I got him drugged and tied up in my basement for a good sit down portrait session. This live gnome is now available on Ebay, free shipping!

Woodsy Elf

Gnome-N-Bones

Elf folk...in the woods

Brownies

This makes me hungry. I must be excited for Thanksgiving.

Late Paranoid Squirrel

I know the acorn is a little contrived ,but with a paranoid squirrel I couldn't resist.

My squirrel thingy. . . Shoot, now it's late.

So, I've lost one of my iterations between these two, but here's a go I had at making my squirrell and then trying to emulate an artist's style, B. Drouhard.

New Topic: WOODFOLK

Something about Autumn colors and falling leaves remind me of the old European legends of mischievous or malevolent woodfolk.

For this topic we're looking for unique/interesting takes on gnomes, brownies, or elves. (other woodfolk may be acceptable, too)

My Badger...

... using Amanda Visell's style (her blog here). I never copied someone else's style before. That was a very interesting exercise. Big thanks to Sam who run the workshop.

Final Badger

I know there's still problems, but I'm hoping this is good enough to post. Done in the style of Baz Reynolds.

Pony!!

This is my wrestling squirrel for the character design workshop. These are the results of week 1 and 4. I am not about to show you what a mess weeks 2 and 3 were.

woggle of warlocks?

I think I'm the winner of the late entries. And its not painted, or even witches. Man, I suck at this game.

4 Degrees of Muskrat

You learn a lot putting all of your failed designs on one page. Goodbye pride.

failed drawing

Although it failed the character design workshop, I will post my character only as a warning to future designers: swallow your pride and stick to flat shapes.

BadgerTailor

My thoughts behind this character are that he can get around in tight spaces to solve puzzles n what not. He uses his handy "tailor" tools to pick locks(pins n needles), cut...stuff(scissors), make traps(knitting tools) and ...that's about it.

Sam the Squirrel

My Badger

Here he is... shooting love arrows. He's still going through changes, but this is him so far.

Berserker Muskrat

I still need to take this guy through the last two filters but this is my current progress.

Excitable nerd badger

These aren't necessarily in order, but that's good because you can see how little progress I've made over the course of the workshop. :(

Mafioso Badger

Retarded Inbred Badger

One More Witch

I was a bit surprised and disappointed to find out that hardly any of my nearby coworkers had seen The Witches, a movie based on a Roald Dahl book. Anjelica Huston has always played an excellent witch. I wonder how comfortable she is with that fact.

New Topic: Design Workshop

Time to give people a break, so we're just going to have people post their designs they've been doing/will do for the character design workshop. You can post your entire progression of drawings, or just post the final results.

For those who haven't been able to attend and would like to catch up, this was the assignment.
Design one of the following animals:

• Squirrel
• Badger
• Muskrat

With all the following parameters:
Audience: Ages 7-11, mixed boys and girls
Purpose: Should fill a "helper" role in an action/adventure game. Character must be able to dispense advice in some way, as well as perform limited actions to help the player
Design in a different style than you are confident with

We then took our designs through four filters, one at a time: Contrast, Novelty, Story, and Style. If you want to try yourself and need more explanation, come talk to me.

Haunt at company Xmas party

I thought I would do a Haunt and a pre-emptive Christmas painting

The Old Fisher of Blindman's Wharf

He is seen only rarely, but when the wind picks up over the water, you can hear the Old Fisher dragging his hook across the crates.

Leatherface

The cleaning lady of Avalanche's forgotten time

Before buyouts, layoffs and Tak she reigned supreme. And if you say her name three times in the bathroom during crunchtime she will apear.

Happy Halloween

This a late "Woggle of Witches" entry.

The Legendary Haunt of Sleepy Hollow

"What was to be done? To turn and fly was now too late; and besides, what chance was there of escaping Ghost or Goblin, if such it was, which could ride upon the wings of the wind?"

-Washington Irving

Tardy witch

As usual, a day late and a dollar short.
This is more of a study on the possible look of a real witch, which is essentially a old woman on a broom. It sounds ridiculous, I remain skeptical as to their actual existence.

New Topic: LEGENDARY HAUNTS

I kept this open, so it could refer to either a location or the being that does the haunting. You decide.

Great Aunt Minerva Oakgriddle's pie: Simply to die for.

Minerva Oakgriddle, 3rd eldest in the Witch's Woggle of East Wood, has over three hundred year's experience in malevolent baking. Her pies and dumplings were once legendary throughout the Woggle community.

Unfortunately, seventy years ago she burnt off the tip of her tongue in an ill-advised taste testing, so when you visit, keep your cat handy. A quick forkful under the table when Minerva isn't looking will likely save you hours of agony later on.

Tea Time

Woggle of witches

ok so this isn't technically a "woggle" and it isn't a sweet design like most of the other ones that have been posted. I was just trying a few new painting techniques, most of them unsuccessfully. So I apologize you all get to view my vomitous experiments.

Woggle like you mean it

Chubby the Witch

Bewitched, the Return

I invite you to click on the picture for a little suprise (you'll never guess what it is!)

Football fan

I didnt get it quite finished but here is my football fan.

witch installment #2

Dear journal,

Casey did a painting without green.

The end.

Mud Football

Late...again.

B-Witch

This is the "after" pose, but she still cackles like Witch Hazel. It's nothing that couldn't be remedied with a mermaid's voice box, but, alas, she's not a sea witch.

Casey's 2007 witch installment #1

Um, so I have a thing for all things Halloween. . . So, I did this piece on my own, just because. And since one of the characters is witch-like, I thought I'd add it. . . I'm sure I'll have more. I know this because I'm working on more, not because I'm clairvoyant.

The Fan

I've always been amazed by the intensity of some football fans.
It's fascinating to me!

New Topic: A WOGGLE OF WITCHES

Halloween topic time!

This topic idea from the excellent children's book by Adrienne Adams that tells about a group of witches (multiple witches=woggle, like a gaggle of geese) that live together in the forest, fly around on brooms, and cook up spiderweb bread and cauldrons of bat stew.

I know we can construct a really fun group, family, or organization of witches, so have fun and be creative!

Some Huge Football Fans

ye Olde Skülls

This one started out as a cheesy avatar for my Fantasy Football team, off to an 0-3 start. Go Skülls!

A football fan ahead of his time.

I guess it would look bad if I suggested the topic that killed off the blog, and then didn't even have the decency to do a football picture myself. So here you go. Come on, people. Football isn't that bad of a topic.

- Wanted in Hollywood -

Jesse James

Fan of fanny packs

Any resemblance to fans of a certain rival school is purely coincidental. :)
(Also, my apologies for the earlier dupe post---I accidentally posted it here instead of my own blog)

New Topic: FOOTBALL FANDOM

It's that time of year when roaring stadiums filled with rabid, chest-painted, wig-wearing fans cheer on their favorite sport. Love it or hate it, it has become an integral part of our culture.
So here's your chance to extol the glorious virtues of football, or mock the stupidity of the sport and its fans. Or just about anything else you think applies here works fine, too.

Thanks to Dave McClellan for the topic suggestion.

There's gotta be a crying fairy.

As I perused the legions of fantasy art online, I learned a few things; you don't have to worry about anatomy, color relativity is irrelevant, shiny metal and ethereal backgrounds are key elements to any fantasy piece, and fairies either cry or pose seductively. Since Scott has done such a fabulous job with all the rules but one, I thought I'd cover the one he missed.

Then I got to asking. Why do fairies cry? What gives them blue skin? What's up with the uprooted plant? Why does Wynona Ryder always come to mind when I think of what a fairy would look like? Why did I actually spend time painting a fairy? I could only justify painting her by putting skulls in her wings. . . Skulls make it alright.

Fera'cuile'rathea the Elven Fairy Sorceress

Rule #5: Truly awful fantasy art gives no regard to personality in female characters, instead opting for the "hotness quotient," by designing women who have the features of multiple supermodels combined. This invariably results in a character with the mental prowess of a wet toothpick.