Monday, June 28, 2010

Griffin Portrait

Until yesterday, I had never painted a living griffin before.

A magnificent specimen named China Blue Rockett posed for me during my hour-long demo on water-soluble colored pencils at Anthrocon.

I used an assortment of Caran d'Ache Supracolor 2 pencils. After a light lay-in, I scumbled a few colors and dissolved them with three Niji water brushes: one filled with clear water, another with a middle gray (the strokes on the sleeve), and another with black.

By juggling the water brushes, I kept the edge around the head soft, so as to suggest the fringe of fur without painting every hair.
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Anthrocon aka Furrycon
More on GJ on that colored pencil technique
Wiki on Griffins (or if you prefer the spelling: griffon, gryphon, γρύφων, grýphōn,, γρύπων, or grýpōn).

7 comments:

DThompson55 said...

we knew china when she was little. she was friends with my daughter. so cool to see her on your blog. interesting family.

China Blue Rockett said...

Jim, I can't thank you enough for this. It was a privilege to meet and consult with you, even more so to sit for your wonderful demo. You're a huge inspiration to me-- and of course to many others! I will see ASAP if MassArt can schedule a talk with you!

Will bear all your lessons in mind when I go to my 3-week art program in Italy.

DT: Whoa! What a strange coincidence... well, here I am! Who are you? :)

Renee LeCompte said...

It was fantastic meeting you - thanks for spending time with me and everyone else at AC. I already have your 'Color & Light' book on my wishlist, ready to buy, and I'll be picking up 'Imaginative Realism' soon (wish I could have bought it at the con, but I thought you were sold out for some reason.)

dineegla said...

I loved meeting you.

Anonymous said...

It was really great to meet you and talk for a little while at AC. Watching your demo of the pencils making the portrait of China Blue Rockett as the wonderful Cardinal-gryphon was inspiring. I wish I had had enough room in my bags flying over to bring my copy of 'First Flight' with me too. Maybe one day if you are ever visiting Wales again!
Best of luck and I hope you had a great time at AC and perhaps will return one year again.
Modryd (Fangs the tiger thing) Faulkner.

Tyler J said...

Sounds like you had a good time and were embraced in the big fuzzy paws of the furry community.

Great piece, and thanks for sharing the behind the scenes stuff; it's great to get that kind of access.

DThompson55 said...

Hi China Blue - I'm Miriam's dad.