Tag: #journal

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Grotesque Moi! #27: It’s Been A While

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I’ll start with where I’m at now creatively and how I got here.

It’s been a roller coaster from COVID lockdown forward. I left a non art job of 15 years due to poor management decisions on their part. Started a new management position with a new to me company. Two months later COVID hit. After work opened back up the company decided to down size and I was with the newest employees so we were let go.

Some health issues that I’ve been dealing with for a while returned or developed.

I had a serious injury 45 years ago. Among other things, unknowingly, my hips wound up being affected. Around 25 years ago I was at the point of needing both hips replaced or getting a wheel chair. My orthopedic surgeon suggested that I try a device that came available with my insurance. I used it and got back my ability to walk without any problems. 14 years later I started having problems again. The original injury was still healed but arthritis had set in and was causing me problems with walking again. It has been progressing since then to the point that just going grocery shopping takes me forever. I’m exhausted by the time I get home and walking is affected for days. It’s progressively taking more days, the pain doesn’t fully go away anymore and I don’t really bounce back like before.

Around 10 years ago I believe I had a minor stroke. It was during a stressful situation I was having with my parents. I read a message from my wife about a meeting with my dad and stepmom and it didn’t sit well with me. One of my coworkers noticed that I was struggling with my words and had slurred speech. She said that my head and ears were bright red and that the left side of my face was slumping. Ever since this I’ve had problems that slowly develop with my short and long term memory. It’s so frustrating trying to keep up with things that I’m doing from minute to minute.

Art wise….

I lost my main computer for illustrating. I still have my IPad but I did final editing and adjustments on that desktop. I was able to wake Artsy up one more time and double backed it up so I would have all that work. The laptop I have doesn’t have the drawing program or the graphics capabilities. It’s also Windows 7 so internet is on again off again continuously.

Traditional art is a bit harder than it used to be. I don’t have the tools I used to have when I was doing it more full time.

It’s been hard staying motivated but I know this story has to be told. It feels like multiple books already.

Where I’m at now.

I have continued with the journal, making sketch notes of the locations that the creatures I’ve been creating live in.

I’ve also been working on writing the story of that world. I’m trying a different style of writing and storytelling. It’s from a current perspective for the characters. It’s also less of a narrative format. I want the reader to feel as if they are there experiencing things with the characters.

I’ve given strong consideration of a written and illustrated companion guide with reference details explaining things in the main story. These guides will be specific to each book they reference.

I’m still open for commissions to illustrate your creature portraits from the Grotesque Moi collection. Details are available in my shop under the tier banners. http://www.xtillos.com/shop

I hope you all are well! I’ll update when I’ve gotten a little further along. Thank you for your support!

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Grotesque Moi! #25 – Planning for 2021

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I hope everyone has had a great holiday and a Happy New Year celebration! I’m really hoping that everyone has a successful year in whatever you do!

Plans for Grotesque Moi! are as follows:

  • Illustrations – The goal is to produce 6 to 12 new portraits this year. some may be in the form of scene illustrations combining multiple creatures.
  • Illustration Canvas Print Frames – I plan to continue creating customized frames for each of my illustrations.
  • Red Bubble Catch Up – Setting a deadline for updating each newly finished and released portrait or illustration.
  • Expansion – Develop illustrations on a splinter line that are quicker to create and potentially making a separate set of pricing tiers that fits with these quicker illustrations.
  • Plan for phase II and III of Grotesque Moi! – More on these after the above has been integrated.
  • Grotesque Moi!’s Patreon Page – Add more sketches and line drawings to Grortesque Moi!’s Patreon page..

Plans for Terrene and Ba’anta

Now that Terrene and Ba’anta have been hinted at in the lore of the Grotesque Moi! creatures, it’s time to start the story debuting this world on Patreon!

  • It’s time to share the first posted sketches that was in my early blog posts here to Patreon.
  • All future sketches will debut on Patreon first.
  • Publish the updated labeled geographical map of Ba’anta on Patreon.
  • Create a large (maybe 48”x36”) illustration of the lands of Terrene.

There’s a lot of things planned out here! I will have to create a calendar to keep things on track!

Indicates Grotesque Moi! Exclusives And White Tier Merchandise!
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Grotesque Moi! #13 Project Update

Lupinenaga Sketch

Here with your latest project update! I decided to do things a little different this time. It’s time to bring the guys in. I’m starting with one that I’ve been excited to create the finished illustration ever since I created the pencil sketch! ”This is a Lupinenaga:

To learn more about these powerful creatures check out my Patreon and support at one of the tier levels. Each released creature has details and a back story there along with downloads of some of the original sketches for my patrons.

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Grotesque Moi! #7 Project Update

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Hi, Grotesque Moi! fans! For the second February update here’s a couple of sneak peeks from the next creature illustration commission WIP. It’s coming along well and should be finished soon. What do you think this one might be?

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Grotesque Me #4

I’m working on the pricing for the different media for this project. In the meantime, I thought I would give you more information on this project.

I chose the word grotesque because of the mixing of human and different creatures. These hybrids are not necessarily hideous in nature. Quite the contrary in most cases. There are mermaids, harpies, gorgons, faeries, draconians and many other.

I have pieces that I will start posting after the first of the year so that you will have examples of the type of work you can expect.

Fingers crossed for the pricing and where the project sales will be posted. I’m very excited about the potential of this work! Broadcasting news of this it is critical to bring it to life. Please help by sharing my posts throughout your social media. Every little bit helps. Thank you in advance!

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Grotesque Me 3

I’ve been working on some rough sketches for a project. I hope to start it the first quarter of next year. It will have many creatures classified as grotesques! It will be an interactive project where you can be part of the creation of this work! If you’ve ever wanted to be in a piece of fantasy art, this project is what you’ve been waiting for.

You get to decide the creature that you would like to become. Also, you will choose how much the creature resembles you. I will take your characteristics and blend them with your creature choice! The level of the transformation will be up to you. The range is from your likeness to total creature, or somewhere in between. The choices are totally yours.

I can help you choose if you’re not sure what creature you like. I can also help with the level of the transformation. With some other details we can bring your creature to life! Well, at least the image of your creature. The scene, illustration technique and color options are also open choices.

Line drawings of some of the creatures will be posted in the next up date. These will be For reference and to start things off. Also, in the next posting, I will provide a rate chart so you can decide what level of illustration you will choose.

As examples I’ve used myself to show how this will work.

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Grotesque Me 2

So, what really is Grotesque Me? You might ask. The answer will be revealed soon! Check back to catch the update on this interesting mystery!

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If you are curious please like and follow me here and on most social media. Thank You!

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Sketching An Imp Head On IPad Pro

I guess since I draw and have for most of my life usually with a No.2 pencil (or a 4H most of the time) and scraps of paper, I have to try the drawing tools more. So on this IPad Pro I used the Sketching tool with an HB pencil option. It works a lot like a real pencil. The line quality is good. Scribbling, hatching, general basic shading works pretty well. Once I started blending, though, everything turned out more like paint and not so much a drawing. Still I like the results of this piece.

I originally Left my working lines on the right side so that anyone interested in how I created this image, could see how I designed this piece. It’s another in the latest project I’m developing. This is the Imp. A vicious little tormentor that loves to pull evil pranks on the unsuspecting travelers.

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Latest Updates 1

I thought I would update you guys on my current status on my projects. Before that I wanted to ask a question of you:

When you don’t have your materials redily available, what do you do about creating?

My position on this will be explained within this post.

Here I am working on a very long term project, “Relative Perspective”. (I plan to share the whole journey once it is finally finished.) I’m having breakthrough after breakthrough and making good progress, for this project. I find myself delayed, again. It’s not from any issues with the work.

As I have mentioned before, having a portable art tool has been a liberating benefit. My daughter is enjoying the benefits with her school work. Because she has assignments due, the tablet is spending time with her this weekend, again.

Luckily I have traditional work to continue. I was able to get some sketching done last night. I plan to bring that journal with me out today so that I’m making progress. As much as I hate multitasking and it’s horrible side effect, symptoms of procrastination, at least one of the projects waiting in the cue gets attention, today.

I’ll have to remember my mindset when I can resume “Relative Perspective”. I hope my daughter does great! I’ll keep plugging away on the other work.

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What’s Been Happening? 

Hi everybody!

I thought I would ask you what’s happening in your world. Aside from the recent holidays, what events are influencing you? Is there great positive things going on? Maybe it’s not so positive. It’s ok, you’re welcome to share that, too. 

Many of my friends are gearing up for this year’s convention circuit. Either submitting work, getting notifications of their submissions or preparing for an upcoming convention. 

Some of my friends are dealing with tough life events. Physical or emotional pain has entered their lives. Stress in dealing with these situations, trying to erode their peace of mind. 

For myself, it’s a mixed bag. For the negative side, problems from a old injury have come back on me. Sometimes there’s pain for days, even weeks. My real world paying job is affected because of this. I’m stressing over where my future is going. What about my family? How will I continue to be able to support them? Will I return to having constant pain? How much this is triggering my blood pressure and depression. A lot of heavy things.

On the positive side I’ve celebrated 20 years of happily married life with my wife! Both her and our daughter are my whole world! I’ll be turning 54 soon. I’m reworking a piece of fantasy art that was started as a pencil sketch in ’96. I’ve posted progress photos of it before here, “Relative Perspective”. I’ll post updates of it later.

Here are some photos from before: 

I hope all is well with you and your world is great! If it’s not, I hope you find a way to get peace and balance. May the right side always win.