Adventures in Paleoart
Recently I’ve done some digital sculpting. The thing that attracts me to digital art is that I have time and space to fix things that don’t look like the do in my brain. I have trouble getting it right on the first stroke of a pencil. But with digital, I’m able to iterate through and make small improvements throughout the course of the art.
For instance, maybe I find a better brush or technique 1/2 way through the art. I’m able to go back to that section of the art and make changes. Digital sculpting and drawing both give me this flexibility.
Where did I start? With dinosaurs.
Both of my children are very accomplished digital artists. So I asked the 13yo where to start (the 15yo was sick at the time). Her answer was something akin to, “rough in your outline and block in the color on a lower layer. Then shade and start adding detail.” That sounds a lot like “and paint the rest of the owl” to me. With them looking over my shoulder, I was getting constant feedback. If you haven’t arted with a backseat driver that you love, I highly recommend it. It’s illuminating.
For inspiration (or pretty close digital tracing at times), I chose this 3d render of an Anchiornis from Joanna Kobierska, an actual Paleoartist!
Step 1: Sketch the outline.
Step 2: Block in the color (you block it in)
Step 3: Add some shading
Step 4: Add details!
Step 5: REALLY screw up flight feathers
Step 6: “fix” flight feathers
So - that’s my progress thus far. I spent a few hours on it yesterday. I’ll be putting more time into it this week. I need to incorporate some learnings on flight feathers (the last row needs to be WAY longer). and the lower grouping should fold up under the top grouping.
Oh - and I need to finish the rest of him as well.
Vulnerable question… “What’s something that can be improved upon?”
