Tag: #journal

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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

Grotesque Moi! White

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.

Fantasy Self Portrait Progression Study 07242017.jpg

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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.

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Side Note

Hi all! I’ve not been posting as often as I would like. I feel that I need to share with you whats going on. I’ve purposefully kept personal things out of my work. While they affect the outcome, I was always told to keep things professional. I’ve realized it is not really possible to separate these things. all of it goes into creating. It’s part of the emotional influences. We create from our heart more than anything.

Frogman 1 process sketch 1

I’ve had problems with my health for a while. for the most part nothing so life threatening. Just things to make some days more difficult. lately there has been more of the difficult days. This has caused problem with my day job because of having to be out so much lately. Being able to pay the bills is important to me. My family is my highest priority.

Frogman 1 process sketch 2

To depend on my greatest skill for support is my ultimate goal. I love creating images for stories. To show people the things I see is a great ability. I look forward to doing this forever or at least as long as I can. I guess to be able to do this and survive, I need to find an audience that will buy my work.

Frogman 1 process sketch 3

What I guess I would ask of you is to please share my work. If you would like to purchase my work, prints or commission something please contact me to discuss arrangements at richard.thaxton@xtillos.com.

Frogman 1 process sketch 4

May we have many more fantastic adventures in the future.

Frogman 1 process sketch 5a