ok....so, I lied. the image took quite a bit more than a couple days to finalize...
...after a few "failed" color renderings, I decided on limited outlines (mainly to separate the various layers of the scenery - a method I used to employ while creating environments for video games so many years ago). I wanted to avoid the brain wrenching task of having to cel-shade everything when it comes down to painting the "analogue" version - life can be difficult as it is.
...I've already procured myself some canvases (30x40inch - 76x102cm) and acrylics for the scene, and am planning a trip to our local home depot to get me some styrofoam sheets to sculpt the subject (Savannah trolley tourist zombie - happen to see a lot of those around here).
oh...I went with a late afternoon setting during the summer months - makes for great contrast!
I've attached a still frame, as I am still working out the kinks to creating the animated digital loop using a bit of Adobe After Effects and Premiere...
HELP! to all animators out there - how do I export an infinite loop using Adobe AE or PR?
I've added the animated gif for those of you who want to see the loop (though rough) - and as it is a gif, the image is limited to 256 colors, and thus heavily dithered and striated...
...i'm making no promises on how long the actual hand painted version will take (i'm quite a bit slower without the luxury of ctrl-z).
i'm working on a new painting series that spans my 40 years of world travels, a 15 year career in video game art and advertising, a digital media communications degree, and a life-long creative passion for everything zombie.
each painting with have a digital and an analogue version (actual hang-on-your-wall-and -gawk-at type canvas)...
...the process (simplified):
step 1: location shot (as I can't realistically afford to revisit many of the locations in person, i'm relying on the advances of Google Earth and Social Media for the leg up).
step 2: draw the full color animated gif (pen, paper and Photoshop work famously for this one).
step 3: paint the background on the canvas (using acrylics, for some reason oils make me hurl), and sculpt the character into the foreground.
as I now live in Savannah, GA, it'll naturally be my first pick - the scene is Factors Walk (our local semi-underground) with a view of City Hall. the character (a zombie - refer to paragraph 1) in local garb, in this case, the ever so abundant tourist...
here you can see the rough (coloring should take a couple days)...
...i'm still on the fence of using the black outlines in the final or going for a more free-flowing approach without...
thoughts?
