Thursday, June 23, 2011

Goddess of the Summer Solstice




The summer solstice has just passed, and it saw me working on this experimental digital piece, called at the last minute "Goddess of the Summer Solstice." My recent work with life drawing has inspired me to work on paintings/digital works which include beautiful women in revealing costumes or mostly nude. Most of the fantasy art I see features beautiful women, in various states of undress, even if they are in the midst of battle. I want to be a fantasy illustrator, so I also must have these women in my pictures. I am more confident in drawing figures than I used to be, though I still have a long way to go. A well-known illustrator, guest at Balticon, suggested that I combine "realistic" elements with my "geometric" style, and this is one of my first attempts to do this.

This is one of a pair of experimental pictures. This one is digital, in which I take advantage of all the cool tricks that Photoshop's layering techniques and semi-opaque blends allow me to do. The next one in this pair will be done conventionally, on a panel with real acrylic paint. I may use an airbrush if I feel like it. These will both be portfolio pieces, to be shown to potential clients.

"Goddess of the Summer Solstice" is Photoshop, 300 DPI, 8 1/2" x 11", June 2011. Click on the picture for a somewhat larger view.

4 comments:

Rae Trigg said...

That is gorgeous, Pyra! Beautiful work.

Anonymous said...

Beautifully executed. But then again, I am a bit biased.

Joel said...

Looking good :)

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of combining figurative realism and geometric elements. I always love your color too.