Zads explores under the stairs...again

Zads getting ready in the morning

New Zaddison Design

After trying to watercolor Zaddison, I felt like she looks too elf/sprite-esque so I played around and came up with this more monstery-ish version of Zaddison.

Studying John Tenniel

Looking at all the children's books I loved growing up was a kick in the crotch that I need a lot of practice before I can illustrate a book that kids would enjoy.

So I went to the library and picked up some books to study their artwork and learn how to draw better.

These sketches were done after studying John Tenniel's illustrations for Alice in Wonderland. I looked specifically at the way he proportions Alice's face and practiced drawing my character several times and while trying to keep her looking consistent.

Meeting Doodles

Sketches of an Opera Singer

These are some of my first sketches of what the opera singer might look like. I don't have a lot of expertise in drawing people so I'll be doing some more studying character designs and experimenting with shapes.

The Octopus & The Opera Singer

Last year me and Jon were talking about how much fun it would be to do side stories about some of the NPW characters and turn them into children's books. On the way to work the next morning I was thinking about what kind of adventures Dark Beard could have had when he was growing up when I thought of the story for The Octopus & The Opera Singer.

It's part mystery, part love story and won't involve pirates, but I think it will be a lot of fun to draw since octupi are far and away one of the coolest animals of all time (can they be called animals since the live underwater? Aquatic creatures perhaps?).

This is quick ink sketch I did of the moment before the opera singer sees the octopus for the first time. If I drew it over again, I'd have him looming over her a bit more and extend the bottom tentacle so that it curled closer to the cliff.