James Zapata's Sketchbook of Magic Candy Dreams

[Pixelhead]

update: Big red text

[Pixelhead]

Maybe I made this thread at the wrong time, but no one's commented yet >.<

Anyway, here is something I'm currently working on. I'm still not sure if I should continue it or just start from scratch. Either way, I'm taking a break for now.

Enjoy!

[Artastical]

Hey hun, sometimes it just hapens for no reason, people dont comment so dont stress over it :)

Anyway i can see you have a basic understanding of the digital medium all i can say is for you to keep practicing anatomy and value, because without values basicly it will be very hard for you to color even i you kick butt at drawing!
Oh and dont blur your image so much, make the strokes clean and smooth.

You should check out other sections of conceptart for anatomy, enviromental, etc. references, tutorials and more!
Oh and go to conceptart's weekly and daily activities to keep yourself active and improving in your art!

Ill attach some things i have collected and you can find them usefull.
Note: i didnt make them and i dont know the authors for i saw them a long time ago and cant remember them, just a note tho ;).

Best wishes honey <3

Ana

[Pixelhead]

Thanks so much for the advice, Artastical. I do need to study anatomy a lot more, and I have been. I'm also working hard on my understanding of value. I've just finished a semi-final draft of a new drawing which I think will be my strongest piece thus far.

Here it is! (Also, I have to brag that I did not use any reference material for it >.<)

[Icedearth15876]

Great work so far, your last one is really good. Keep up the good work.

[Pixelhead]

Thanks, Icedearth. I am very happy with the layout of that last image. I decided to go ahead and color it, so here it is. Tell me what you all think :)

[Pixelhead]

Been a while since I posted anything. Here is some WIP from a few days ago.

[Icedearth15876]

The colored version of your last picture is much better than the original, your stuff looks great.

[Pixelhead]

Thanks a lot, Icedearth.

Here is another sketch I came up with yesterday. Also added the process, for those interested.

[Pixelhead]

This is a concept I'm working on for a local art show that is happening on Halloween. It is a terrifying beast :)

[Pixelhead]

And it is done. For now :P

[Pixelhead]

Here is a new WIP. It's for a small contest in a local art group. The theme is "Primal Rage."

Most people who grew up playing videogames in the 90's will immediately think of the SNES fighting game in which dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals (and a giant gorilla) are pitted against each other in mortal combat.

I, however, can't seem to get the movies 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. The crazy cooties that everyone seems to be catching in those movies is called "Rage," so I can't get that out of my head.

[Pixelhead]

It's been forever and a half since I last updated this thread. I really want to start being more proactive on CA.org, so I will continue what I started long ago!

The order is chronological, with the first being most recent.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VMB7UIC0ML0/S9KnymbbpNI/AAAAAAAAAN8/uFXtCIZhTwA/s1600/sorcerer-flat-web.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VMB7UIC0ML0/S9FCwG-dAJI/AAAAAAAAANk/1Ft13BZo4rU/s1600/darkart2-rust-web.jpg

I have a finished (less un-finished) version of this here (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=187471)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VMB7UIC0ML0/S8OpXd9cyDI/AAAAAAAAALE/LM_fnOvDxk8/s1600/hawklord-color-web.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VMB7UIC0ML0/S7koKgtW63I/AAAAAAAAAKM/ihYQfy-qFT8/s1600/honkhonk.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VMB7UIC0ML0/S67XXUJm5QI/AAAAAAAAAJM/JZNSsS4g0no/s1600/armor-web.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VMB7UIC0ML0/S6rh0lOWpJI/AAAAAAAAAIc/NKHyR8wCxJw/s1600/walking-web.jpg

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/o/2010/053/b/a/ba3845944ed4dcd036fed469aa107fac.jpg

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/o/2010/053/8/2/829e6665450f2801951a79fa1e5c731d.jpg

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/o/2010/053/8/f/8f9fff8a996ce5cad2f500be1e255e52.jpg

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/o/2010/055/6/3/63e4c541a48989035e68b003dc6ddc0a.jpg

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/o/2010/053/3/3/337e1ec6d1da3cebaf4f34f744845184.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Been a while. Here is a WIP for a client. I thought this one would be a bit difficult but I think I can deliver. It is Zeus and Osiris playing chess. They are not at war, so I am trying to show that there is a unity between them.

Critiques and suggestions are very welcome!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/chess-flat-test-web.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Here is an update to that last image
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/chess-flat2-test-web.jpg

[thrila]

Is that Skeeter? Awesome, he was one of my favorite characters~

I love all your work, can't wait to see more. Keep it up!

[Pixelhead]

Hey, thanks! Yes, that is Skeeter. I'm so happy someone recognized him. You'd be surprised how many people have not seen Doug.

[Pixelhead]

OK, it's been a while. Let's see if I can find a bunch of stuff to post. This is in no particular order other than the order in which I found them and placed them in my dropbox, ha!

Here goes:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/pinup-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/monsterpres-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/worm.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/undressed.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/leviathan-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/monster2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/ninja.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/skullchick-final-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/goliath-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/goliath2-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/battletoad.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/hair-paint-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/cthuluclub-web2.jpg

Some client work from this year:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/sleeper-concept1-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/sleeper-concept3-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/sleeper-concept2-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/sleeper-scene-final-web.jpg

More personal stuff:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/hairguy.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/alientroop2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/batman-final-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/freeze-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/alien-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/malon-final2-web.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/red2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/warrior.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/vamp.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/queen.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/alien2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/alanorc-final-web2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/smoke.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/fatorc-final-web.jpg

[takashmen]

great progress!
like the fatty from the last. keep it up :)

[Mitze]

Great stuff love the colours and your highlights. Great sketchs too.

[Pixelhead]

Thanks a lot! I will be posting some more sketches soon.

[Pixelhead]

One hour speedy inspired by a song by the band Nile. \m/
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/sacrifice.jpg

[Danza]

Loving what I'm seeing so far, lots of variety =)

Keep up the good work =D

[Pixelhead]

Thanks for the warm comments!

Here is a 2-3 hour concept I cooked up in one of my recent sleepless nights.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/dwarf.jpg

And here is the process (hope it's not too wide):
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/dwarf%20proc.jpg

[Pixelhead]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/spacesuit.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Wanted to flesh this concept out a bit more. I liked the way the character was turning out so I thought he deserved a little more polish :D
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/dwarf-final-web.jpg

[GHudston]

You've made some utterly enormous improvements over the year or so you didn't post anything. Well done!

Don't stop posting again, I want to see more! :)

[Pixelhead]

@GHudston - Thank you so much! I definitely want to participate more in the community, so you'll be seeing more of me :D

For now, here is a sketch of a character I'm doodling for a TMNT villain contest at :
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/stampede-new.jpg

[alexson]

I really like the piece with the orc dude and the wolf, and the dwarf. Really nice rendering. This thread is shaping up to be a really cool sketchbook, keep up the good work!

[Pixelhead]

@alexson Thanks a lot, man! I'm glad you like it. Hey, last time we spoke it was in Rapoza's stream, haha. Doubt you'd remember :P

Anyway, did a few character concepts, practicing a different approach to drawing faces. Pretty happy so far.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/faces.jpg

[Vaejoun]

Amazing progress. There are some really nice pictures in here.

[Pixelhead]

@Vaejoun - Thank you! I love your work, by the way.

[Pixelhead]

Here are a few more sketches I did yesterday/this morning.

Both of these are from imagination/no reference. Trying to put all the gesture studying I've been doing to test.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/girl.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/laying.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Just finished a painting for a Creature Planets challenge over at SOME WEBSITE I CANNOT SEEM TO NAME ON THIS FORUM. This one had us create our own TMNT villain. Here is my entry, Stampede.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/stampede-final.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/stampede-final-closeup.jpg

And a color study I'm currently working on:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/nude-study.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Moar stuffs!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/goblin2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/goblin.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/goblin-semifinal.jpg

[Pixelhead]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/drauga-new.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/drauga-final.jpg

[Fetsch]

great stuff dude, the last 2 pieces especialy.

[Pixelhead]

great stuff dude, the last 2 pieces especialy.

Thanks a lot, man!

Here's a fun little speedie I just did.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/spanish.jpg

[Pixelhead]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/karina.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/asiandude.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/ammut2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/curves.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/dark.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/toughguy.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/eel.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/passage.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/acolytes.jpg

[Pixelhead]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/lion.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/goliath.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/nightmare-finish.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Experimenting.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/giantmonster.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Study, study, study!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/study-nudemale1.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Update to that last study
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/study-nudemale1.jpg

Another study
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/grayport.jpg

Some stuff inspired by A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/blackbrother.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/armorchick.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Character I've been picking at for a few days.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/merchantking.jpg

[Pixelhead]

1.5 hour study
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/poledudestudy_comp.jpg

Skyrim-inspired doodle
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/cold.jpg

4-5 hour value study
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/misslaurelle.jpg

[Pixelhead]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/redandwolf.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/discogirl.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/selfportrait.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/snakelady.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/port-collect.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/karina-final.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/sexy.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/oldwest.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Quick sketch of a Warhammer ork. WAAAAHH!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/ork.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Practicing armor
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/knight.jpg

Mage sketch
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/mage.jpg

[Pixelhead]

A few updates:

Here was my entry for Crimson Daggers Bloodsport 4:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/gorilla-jameszapata.jpg

A few sketches
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/caveman.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/brave2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/nsfw.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/kingkiller.jpg

And lastly, my color comps for the Crimson Daggers Bloodsport 5: Miyazaki Re-Marketed challenge I couldn't finish :(
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/mononoke-thumbs.jpg

[Pixelhead]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/crazy.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/soldier2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/jester.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/warriorgirl.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/underwater2.jpg

[GEB]

Wow awesome improvement!

[rastaray]

Dude , your improvement is spectacular!You're getting pretty amazing!I love how sensual are your paintings.Of all , I'd say your environments suck the most ( if I can say suck , because pretty much amazing.What I mean is that everything else is a level higher than your enviros :) But wow , seriously great job! :X

[Ricardo Robles]

man you have improved tons since your first posts... lots of creativity and inspiration here! 5 stars for sure!!

[NickyBeats]

awesome work man!! some fucking LEGIT progress up in hurr. keep it moving man!!

[Pixelhead]

Wow, thanks a lot guys. I agree about my enviros, I need to work on that.

[Syle]

/jaw drops

/golfclap

Utterly insane progress from the beginning of your SB. Something truly clicked for you during that year of not posting, because you returned with an inspirational vengeance.

You have a great imagination as well. A good majority of your works incorporate some good storytelling elements.

If you don't mind me asking (and if you don't mind going into some detail), what/how did you study during that year away from the forums?

Keep up the amazing work.

[OnkelJoe]

This sketchbook is jawdrowwing.
just WOW!

greetings from the stream (Joho)

I'm really looking forward to see more!

[TFsean]

Your killing it man, your lighting and values are real nice and the composition and story telling in your works is really engaging lots of great illustrations over a large variety of subjects. Awesome sketchbook man :) Just keep doing what youre doing

[-D_art-]

holy *** you have improved a lot!! edge quality, color, lighting everything!! I'm looking forward to your next updates!

[Pixelhead]

Thank you all so much! <33333333333333333333

[The_Flying_Dutchman]

Very impressive range of work, sir!

[jedininjaman]

awesome awesome awesome. I hope you stick around a while. I love the diversity in your work.

[Pixelhead]

Thanks so much, everyone! <3<3<3

Here is my latest painting:

One of Batman's villains, Clayface.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/clayface-final-web.jpg

[kidult]

Great clayface! For a second I read your name as daverapoza and I was a bit confused

[Pixelhead]

Great clayface! For a second I read your name as daverapoza and I was a bit confused

Ha, thanks. I suppose that is a compliment, Dave is great.

[Pixelhead]

WIP shot of my next Bat-villain!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/scarecrow-wipshot.jpg

[NickyBeats]

ahhh! scarecrow! this is gonna be sweet! i love the clayman!!

[Pixelhead]

Scarecrow is finished! Love him as he will love you.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/scarecrow-final-web2.jpg

[theUNKNOWNsketcher]

supa sup 0,0

[jedininjaman]

Nice renderings and effects. I'll broken record everyone and say, shit ton of improvement.

[Pixelhead]

Haha, thanks guys.

[Pixelhead]

Here's a new WIP snippet.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/freeze-wipshot.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Victor Von Fries, ladies and gentlemen.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/freeze-final-web.jpg

[poetry man]

mad improvements! mad.

[tempest-haze]

The textures in that scarecrow one are just...wow.

[KevMcGivernArt]

Love the textures in all your work. Really makes the image pop!

[LtPlissken]

A copy of someone elses style with not much originality?
Like them anyway.
Keep it up.

[Pixelhead]

Work in progress of next villain!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/ivy-wipshot.jpg

[midknight523]

subscribed. good stuff

[Forrest_I]

Just looked through your whole sketchbook. Love your newest Batman Villain portraits James, the improvement you've made in the last 2 years is amazing, keep goin :) I can't wait to see how Ivy comes out.

[kidult]

edit - i need to shut up and not post before my morning coffee

keep up the good work james!

[Pixelhead]

Poison Ivy!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/ivy-final-web.jpg

[rich4rt]

Hope you don't mind but I did a quick paintover of your ivy piece I noticed some things were off, or could be enhanced to bring out more personality -

http://rich4rt.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ivy-final-web-rich4rt-paintover.jpg

[Pixelhead]

Some process stuff and a WIP

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/scarecrow-process.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/freeze-proc.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/ivy-proc.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/son-wipshot.jpg

[Pierce.]

Goku's face leveled up over the last time I saw a wip on it. Keep er rollin!

[Pixelhead]

A bit of a fan art crazy the last week or so :3

Had to regurgitate this one as well:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/goku-final-web.jpg

[kischi]

great work man, the livestream on this was hilarious!

[JulieSS]

Absolutely love your creativity, I think it's because I always enjoy seeing things that doesn't exist in the real world and that come from someones mind.
I really like the Halloween monster on the first page, and also the magician/villain drawing a big c*ck of smoke in post #50 hahaha!!

[NakedZergling]

dude.....great SB. Thank you for sharing!

[Pixelhead]

@kischi - Glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully I will do some more :D

@JulieSS - Thank you! That Halloween monster is soooo old, it makes me cringe anytime I see it, haha. Glad you like the work, however! :)

@NakedZergling - Thanks so much!

Here is some quick sketch poop I did to unwind a bit. It was fun.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/oldman.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/march.jpg

[bloody]

thanks for steps.

[Scriar]

Nice work, I like the way you have done the lighting on the Scarecrow picture :)

[merl1n]

Great stuff! Some pieces just seem too "laboured". You could try to render your images with less brush strokes. Leave out uneccessary or just indicate it and you will get more lively results imo.

keep it up anyway

[Pixelhead]

Something new I'm noodling.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/summon-wip1.jpg

[Pixelhead]

And done! Had a bunch of client work and worked on this in between.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/summon-final-web.jpg

[GEB]

nice lighting dude! Her face seems a little off but I don't know why. Maybe it doesnt feel as nutural as the rest of it

[Flaskpost]

sick!

[shockowaffel]

You've got a great hand for rendering , light and colours.
I wished I could do that, too.
I want some more fanart of yours, they're so much fun...except Ivy.
I was al ittle disappointed of how she looked compared to the level of awesome the others had.
Still, very good pieces.

[fudgeloaf]

ohhhhh james only just found your SB man, great work! dunno how i missed your goku <3

[Pixelhead]

Here is some poop I pooped out on livestream yesterday. Come hang out, sometime: www.livestream.com/jamesart

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7951644/dwarfsmoke.jpg

[LePush]

haha that newest piece is so fuckin histerical xD great stuff man, great stuff!

[Obstfelder]

Awsome super villain portraits! Great to see your WIP's and how you build up the image. Do you do any lineart or construction lines there for reference too?

The cigar wielding dwarf is great.