Chirashi Don & Cold Lemon Juice

Chirashi Don & Cold Lemon Juice

SketchBook

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt 28: Craving

. . .

Here is my last art for the challenge. 

I have recently found this local Japanese restaurant while I was looking for lunch. I was craving some Japanese, so when I found the place, I thought I’d give it a try. 

The interior is so cozy and the food that I ordered -- a chirashi don, which is basically rice with sashimi, tamago, shredded crab meat and fish roe, with a bit of ginger and wasabi and cucumber -- tasted pretty good, complemented by the cold lemon juice. Thought I’d paint this moment for the challenge. 

Anyways, it is also the Lunar New Year Eve, so Happy Lunar New Year Eve to y’alls who are celebrating! 

Ink Sketch of Finch and Jeff

Yesterday, I was working on a digital painting for #JanuaryDechART Prompt 28 (’Craving’) that I didn’t expect to be so tedious and time-consuming to accomplish. So at one point last night, I decided I needed to take a break from it because I was starting to get a bit of a headache working on the details, and that was when this little ink sketch came about. 

I had just finished watching Apple’s film ‘FINCH’ at the time, too, starring Tom Hanks as the titular character and Caleb Landry Jones as his robot sidekick. (Quick and massive shoutout to @voidoutbt aka @missteal1-blog​ for recommending this beautiful film to me! Thank you so much, hun!) The film didn’t have any business being this sweet and beautiful and sad, but I am glad that it is. An effectively emotional and gripping story that, while not being the most original, really does pack a punch. The robots are so humanised in this story, I legit squealed when one of them met a terrible and graphically violent end midway through the film (mind you, I still shiver from just thinking about it). 

(also this film reminds me so much of DEATH STRANDING, from the setting to the vibe to the costumes -- I love jumpsuit uniforms XD)

Anyways, about the sketch: it is inspired by one of my favourite parts of the film, where Finch is clearly distressed after finding out about something and he immediately runs to his fridge to get a can (of peaches, I reckon) to eat. He seemingly calms down after that first bite. It’s just a beautiful human moment for Finch, that I wanted to draw it, hence this picture. 

I Will Hold You

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt 26: Caress

I will hold you

And protect you

So let love warm you

Till the morning.

I wanted to paint something cuddly and cozy today and prompt 26 was perfect. On top of that, the release date for DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT on PC was also announced today! 30th March 2022! And with that, I knew what was it that I wanted to paint. 

Here is an alternative version with the DEATH STRANDING title. 

 

Lurking

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt 30: Liquid

LURKING

SketchBook

1920 x 1440

. . .

When I saw the prompt, the first thing I thought about was sea water and waves, which then got me thinking about mists. So, I started the painting process by blocking in the colours, before going into the details of the water. Here I wanted to really focus on doing the lines right, with lots and lots of patience -- I did this same thing for a much older painting, but I was less patient then, so things ended up really messy and crazy and nonsensical. I must say, I am quite proud with what I have done here.

While I was working on the water, I blocked in the person halfway. I initially gave him a normal hoodie, but after some painting, I decided to put him in a rainsuit with a reflector instead -- I have recently received the exact rainsuit in the mail, too, but haven't got a chance to use it yet. Waiting for a really rainy day to test it out.

Once all of this was done, the negative space in the mist felt a little empty, so I decided to do something there. Things always lurk in mists, don't they? I initially had a few silhouettes of weird creatures painted out (a la Lovecraft and Stephen King's 'The Mist') but they all seemed too obvious and not as ominous as I wanted them to be. In the end, I settled for just two white dots, which was probably the best choice.

A quick ink sketch of Norman Reedus.

 Quick ink sketch of Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon from THE WALKING DEAD in a poncho because I like Norman Reedus and I like ponchos.

Self-Portraits In Ink

Just some sketches of myself made with ink. 

P.S. I don't smoke, I just thought the cigarette would fit with the imagery. 

So what now, Mr. Aphenphosmphobia?

So what now, Mr. Aphenphosmphobia?

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt: Awkwardness

A DEATH STRANDING Fan Art

Saw this image in my head when I saw the prompt. Not sure what's going on between Sam and Higgs, though. Y'alls got any clues?

If I Could Melt Your Heart

IF I COULD MELT YOUR HEART

SketchBook

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt: Frozen

Another piece for Frozen, inspired by the beautiful music video for Madonna's song 'Frozen'. This was probably my first conscious encounter of Madonna's music when I was still a kid and has remained one of my top favourites since.

A New Dawn

 A NEW DAWN

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt: Horizon

 . . .

Recently got started with HORIZON: ZERO DAWN and thought I’d make at least one fanart of this beautiful game for this challenge since I found out about it through Dechart Games. 

A Kingdom

A Kingdom

1920 x 1440

SketchBook

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt: Horizon, Rest

. . .

First repeat of a prompt ('Rest'), with additional 'Horizon'. Just felt like painting this today. Partially inspired by KINGDOM COME: DELIVERANCE and also John Williams' score for 'Angela's Ashes' (made me think about the Irish countryside)

The Leviathan Beneath

The Leviathan Beneath

SketchBook

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt: Beast

. . .

Inspired by DEATH STRANDING

Drew inspiration from the posters of JAWS and TREMORS and also the general vibe of thalassophobia art.

An ink sketch of Sir Gawain’s meeting with the Green Knight from THE GREEN KNIGHT

An ink sketch of Sir Gawain’s meeting with the Green Knight from THE GREEN KNIGHT

Ink, brush pen and white gel pen on paper. 

#JanuaryDechART

Prompts: Botanical, Sprout, Frozen

. . .

Here is an ink sketch of a scene from THE GREEN KNIGHT -- again. Yes, I am currently quite obsessed with this story, and probably will be for a while. 

In this scene, Sir Gawain goes to meet the titular Green Knight at the Green Chapel -- an old ruin covered in creepers and plants -- to fulfil his half of the game, that the Green Knight shall finish the game by loping his head off, which have our hero frozen in fear moments before it is supposed happen. 

Here, I wanted to continue with the ink and yellow/ochre brush pen style that I have been doing, only used in a different way this time -- to suggest illumination. Had some help from the white gel pen too. A fun little piece, and I’m quite happy with the way it turned out. 

(Please ignore the Anglo-Saxon runes. I basically took most of the letters over to runes, with some exceptions depending on the sounds made. Mostly guesses based on my (relatively basic) understanding of runes) 

(By the way, if anyone here wishes to correct me on the runes, I welcome the corrections)

An ink sketch of the countryside landscape as seen in THE GREEN KNIGHT

‘An ink sketch of the countryside landscape as seen in THE GREEN KNIGHT’

Ink and brush pen on paper

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt 9: Healing

. . .

Today was a little bit of a low energy day (mostly a bleed-over from the previous day), and I was feeling the urge to create art as personal therapy. I initially opted to create something original and digital, but after blocking in the colours, I abandoned it. I just wasn’t feeling up to it. I wasn’t in the right mood to work on anything original and I didn’t want to have to look at a phone screen for this, too. 

It was then I decided to pick up my sketchbook and ink pen and just go with a screencap I took from THE GREEN KNIGHT, which is of a breath-taking landscape shot seen when Sir Gawain rides back home after his second encounter with the Green Knight. 

It had been a long while since I last drew a landscape piece with ink, so I thought I’d give this a try. 

I’m still feeling a little low energy, but I feel better now having completed this piece. 

Touched up with a bit of light ochre highlighting there too. 

An Ink Sketch of Dev Patel as Sir Gawain in THE GREEN KNIGHT

‘An ink sketch of Dev Patel as Sir Gawain in THE GREEN KNIGHT’

Ink and brush pen on paper

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt 8: Adventure

. . .

I just finished watching this film today, and I never knew I needed to experience this story so much! It’s soooooooooo interesting, and absolutely riveting! One of those few special movies that really resonated with me, too. 

And after watching that, I couldn’t help myself to a fan art sketch. I needed to. 

And I am now also obsessed with this:

Our Backyard In The Evening

Our Backyard In The Evening

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt 12: Tranquility

Prompt 20: Rest

17.6cm x 25.0cm

Gouache on paper

. . .

This was a spontaneous decision. After working on the portrait of Sam Porter Bridges in celebration of Norman Reedus’ birthday, I felt the urge to continue painting with several #JanuaryDechART prompts in mind, but I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do. I played around with a few ideas, but nothing really seemed to stick. 

Then, the evening came and while sitting in my room, I looked out the window and our backyard lit with splashes of pink and orange. It was then that I decided that I wanted to paint this for some of the prompts in this Dechart Challenge. So I snapped a few pictures for reference (because the day was very quickly giving way to night) and got straight to work for the rest of the night. 

Happy Birthday, Norman Reedus!

 A bit late to the party, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NORMAN REEDUS! 

Golden Bridges

GOLDEN BRIDGES

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt 4: Golden

1200 x 1500

SketchBook

. . .

Where mah #GoldenBridges peeps at? 

For this prompt, I have decided to pay a little tribute to our two bois from DEATH STRANDING. 

 

Rattled Snow II

Rattled Snow II

#JanuaryDechART

Prompt 1: Rewind

1980 x 1440

SketchBook

. . .

A little late to the JanuaryDechART party. 

For this first prompt, I have decided to rewind to an old piece, one of my earliest serious attempts at digital painting, inspired by ‘Rattled Snow’ by Asgeir. 

Here is the original piece:

Here is the link to the song that inspired by the original: 

** I will most likely take it slow with the DechART challenge this month. I’m not sure how I will go about it, but it’s definitely not going to be daily for sure. We’ll see. 

I'm Still Here

I’m Still Here

1980 x 1440

SketchBook

. . .

Inspired by DEATH STRANDING & the landscapes of Iceland

My first art of 2022, and what better way to celebrate it than a little homage to the opening scene of DEATH STRANDING? 

I initially had an idea for a long post with a story about how 2021 was for me and all, but as I wrote it all down, I realised how much of a mess it was and that I needed to take more time to write it before posting it on here. 

But anyways, let’s just say 2021 had been a uniquely perplexing year for me, and I am strangely grateful to have experienced it the way I did. I will post a more detailed write-up about it soon. In the meantime, have a great start to the new year, guys!