Au Naturale

I haven't posted in like over a month...and that's mainly due to my life taking a drastic change.  On May 7, 2014, my father passed away, and it was...and still is...very hard on me.  I miss him so much, and its just been tough adjusting to life without him, and especially seeing how his absence has effected everyone around me and not just me.  I lost my motivation to draw...and I had to force myself to do so because I was doing commissions amidst all of that.  But these pictures below that I'm posting were done before my time with my dad was cut short.

I was drawing a series of women of color sporting natural hairstyles, and I had no idea how many I was going to make...and I still plan on making more.  But my series was interrupted by real life happenings.  Hopefully I can return to this soon.  I wanted to make them look like posters but with a very limited color palette and see how that would work.

Like I said, I plan on doing several more of these.  If you would like to purchase any of these as an 11" x 17" print on high quality semi gloss cover stock paper, you can do so at Illumistrations.storenvy.com.  I'm also doing a sales promotion currently where you can save 15% off of your total purchase by using the promo code MOVE15.  Please help me with my moving expenses to a new city and a new job!

Never take anyone for granted and cherish all of the moments that you have with someone, because you don't know if that will be the last time you see them, the last time you can hold and touch them, the last time you see them smile, or the last time you can tell them that you love them.  Life is precious.

Stay blessed.

Without Wax,

-Charles

World Wide Woman (Wonder Woman)

That's a lot of W's in the title.

A looooong while ago, I drew this Wonder Woman image in like the spur of the moment and didn't do too much with it, just a quick sketch with colors on it, and it will not go away.  Everywhere I look online, I'm always finding it...and without credit or link backs...mostly because both my signature and watermark were and stay cropped off of it.  It keeps getting passed around in email blasts, flyers, facebook posts and profile images...all without my consent.  I guess I would be cool with it if people hadn't cropped out my name and all...but mostly since I drew it a while ago, I definitely do not like it.  If you're not familiar with it, here's the image:

I definitely do not like this image and it just won't go away.  So what better way to bury this image than to do a better one?  That's the thought anyway.  Plus, I feel as if I can draw much better now than what this image showcases.  So, I went on with the sketch:

It still has the same vibe, but with a more updated (very much updated) look to it.  

And then the inks and colors:

Also included, more watermarks and in a place where it would be difficult to crop out.  But doing that, it probably means that it wouldn't get shared as often as the previous one was.  I guess its better to have my name out there so people know who the artist is though.  Its very disconcerting to go online or to different blogs, or facebook/tumblr/twitter to see your image all filtered up and with your info cropped out.

As always, this illustration can be purchased in 11" x 17" size on glossy cover heavyweight paper at my Storenvy site.

So, lets share this image and help me in my quest to make all of my old sub-standard art die!

Stay blessed.

Without Wax,

-Charles

Spring is Here, Finally.

I'll be honest...I could have sworn that I posted both of these images on this blog already, and just looking at it now, I see that I haven't.  Thats a shame.  Both of these pics were drawn while the calendar said that it was Spring, but it was clearly snowing outside.  And now that the calendar and Mother Nature have shown parity...I guess its time to share these on this blog.

Beach Bike

Outside the Bistro

Normally I post the sketches that went along with the final images, but for both of these, I kept the sketch pretty rudimentary and honestly, its just not visually pleasing, especially since I had no rendering on them at all.  It did cut some time out of going from sketch to final, but when I render the sketch, it gives me an idea as to where I would want the light source to be and how shadows fall, so I had to do all of that in the coloring phase.  Doing either way isn't necessarily better than the other, its just different.  

And yay for warm weather finally!

As always, if you would like to purchase this or any of my other prints, you can do so at my Storenvy page.

And get outside and enjoy that warm weather!

Be blessed.

Without Wax,

-Charles

Hot Springs

I actually finished this a while ago but didn't post it here.  Life just gets in the way I suppose.  I wanted to do a more fantasy type of drawing, so I came up with this.  There is another that I want to redo from like years ago, and hopefully I'll be able to get to that (and make prints of it) thats sort of similar to this image.

Below is the initial sketch that I came up with:

At first, the background was going to be like a cave wall with water pools cascading down, but the whole thing just felt really claustrophobic, so I decided to open it up a little bit.  And I wanted her robe to be sheer to the point where it was going to be a little more than slightly see-through, but since I was going to get this printed out in a public place, I erred on the side of caution and to make her robe more opaque.  (I don't understand why my sketches on white backgrounds post on here as slightly gray, but whatever...)

And below is the final image that I decided to go with:

The spheres weren't in the sketch at all, and I just threw them in on a whim, but I definitely like how they came out.  And as you can see, I made her robe semi transparent, and you can see a slight silhouette of her figure, and I think thats probably just enough to get by and get this printed in a family friendly place.

I posted several work in progress images of this on my Instagram feed, so you should definitely check it out and follow me for more work in progress shots of different illustrations and other randomness.

And as always, if you would like to purchase this illustration as an 11" x 17" print on high quality gloss cardstock, you can do so at my Storenvy site and see my other prints for sale there as well.

Without Wax,

-Charles

A Storm's Coming

I've been kinda busy as of late getting pulled in different directions, and its just been draining and exhausting.  So its always good to take time out to put down some personal drawings to sort of take my mind away from the every day day to day stuff.  And who better to do that with than one of my favorite X-men, Storm?

I had some preliminary sketches that while I liked, there were some things about them that I ultimately didn't.  Take for instance the first sketch I did almost a week ago with the general idea in mind:

I liked the idea of the sketch, but there were definitely some proportion and depth issues there that I could have worked on to resolve, but I just scrapped it in order to use the same idea, but a more dynamic pose.  So I went back to the drawing board and came up with this:

I liked this layout a million times more, but there were still some adjustments that I needed to make which I could do in the inking process instead of redoing the entire sketch which is what I went with.  I also liked the general idea for a background I had in the first sketch, so I went with that as well for the final version.  And after some toying around with it and some details changed here and there, here is the final version:

And as always, you can click on the image to see it in higher resolution.  Overall, I like how it came out, but I'm sort of bummed that I worked hard on that foreshortened hand only for it to be covered up in the final.  But hey, I learned as I went along, so thats the main takeaway there.

If you would like to purchase this as an 11" x 17" print on high quality gloss cardstock, you can always do so on my Storenvy page where I have more of my prints available for sale as well.

Oh, and make sure to follow me all over so you can see my in progress stuff as well as other non art related things! (Facebook | Tumblr | Google+ | Instagram)

Without Wax,

-Charles

Long Distance Relationships

Long distance relationships can be hard to maintain, but in the end, they're totally worth it.  No matter how many times you travel to see your significant other, you still get butterflies when you're on your way and almost there.  So, I guess I wanted to try and capture that.  I don't really do much storytelling with my drawings, they're usually just 'snapshots' I guess, so this was something a little different.  Below is the sketch:

This also turned out to be a coloring exercise with transparencies and glass...as well as reflections and related things.  Below is the final image:

Its great when you can draw something thats based on reality and something that you know and are familiar with.  It gives images I guess a sense of realism that just seems grounded.  As always, if you would like to purchase this image as an 11" x 17" print on high quality gloss paper, I can direct you to my storenvy store where currently I'm offering 15% off for Valentine's Day.  Just use the discount code VDAY14 to get 15% off.  

Back to the drawing board!

Without Wax,

-Charles

Untamable

Since I've been getting very loose with sketches recently, I decided to keep my sketches a little tighter this time, and this is what came out.  I say that you shouldn't let other people dictate what you do with your hair or how you wear it.  Do what's best for you, and only you really know exactly what's best for yourself.  So below is the sketch after I went over it again and tightened the pencils up a little bit.

And below is the final illustration.  I decided to make her shirt a Minnie Mouse shirt and gave her a tattoo to her side as well.  It was hard trying to decide how to put glasses on Minnie Mouse and make it look aesthetically correct, mainly because her eyes are too close together and her ears are too high upon her head, so I made some compromises that seemed to work out well.  

Per usual, this illustration is up for sale in 11" x 17" size on gloss cover paper on my online Storenvy storefront.  Feel free to browse and even buy a print or two!

Without Wax,

-Charles

Selina Kyle

It's been a long while since I've drawn Catwoman...like a really long while.  If I were to guess, I would say somewhere around 4 years or so.  That means this was long overdue.  The drawing that I did 4 years ago was very similar, but it appears that I may have deleted it, so I can't really use it for comparison purposes.

But I know for certain that this one is better, just take my word for it.

I've noticed that recently my sketches has been looser and less refined than I used to do them.  I guess that means that I just fudge areas in sketching and will define them more when I'm inking and coloring them.  Good thing that I'm the only one completing my work from sketches to finishes, cause an inker and colorer would probably hate me.

I guess the sketch does serve its purpose though, I get the main figure down pretty much (even though some adjustments have to be made) and it gets the general idea across.  And below is the final image:

I think it came out pretty well.  I may go back in later and make the light source coming from outside the window more pronounced, but who knows.

If you would like to purchase this illustration as a high quality 11" x 17" print, you can do so (as well as view my other prints) on my Storenvy site.

Have an awesome weekend!

Without Wax,

-Charles

Hold The Wall

Finally...some 2014 art!  2013 was pretty great, so we have to start 2014 off on the right foot.

 I experimented a lot with process on this particular drawing, and I really like the results that came from it.  I usually just sketch out a base gesture that I want for the drawing, then go back over it and add clothing, facial features and rough out a background...then go back over it again and make the pencils tighter before I finally ink it.  This time, I just did pretty loose pencils and went straight to inking.  Some parts of that came out well (like the hair) and some parts I could tell where I fudged the sketch a lot and definitely had to make up for it inking.

I drew the background on a different layer entirely from the main girl so that I could control it better than if all of the inks were on the same layer.  That's something that I found out a while ago and just makes my life a whole lot easier.

And as always, if you would like to purchase this illustration as a high quality 11" x 17" print on gloss cover paper, you can do so at my Storenvy site where I have a whole bunch of other prints available as well.

Without Wax,

-Charles

2013 Remnants

I can't believe I haven't made a post here for the new year yet, which is a shame.  I somehow got this blog out of sync with my Tumblr one and my Facebook page (Google+ is all out of sync, I probably have to do a massive art post dump there as well to catch up).  This year I'm dedicating myself to keep this blog with at least parity to my other online spaces as well as adding some exclusive stuff to here that I don't post elsewhere.  Actually, for all of my online portals, I'm posting stuff to each one that I won't post elsewhere to keep me motivated to updating all of them with different content.  I guess that is a new year resolution, even though I'm not really big on resolutions.

Let's not bog this post down with a lot of talking though as there is quite a bit of new art I need to share.

A while ago I posted a sketch of Black Canary that I was hoping to compile into one mega image that really never materialized (maybe in 2014?), but I decided to finish it anyways.  So here's that:

Black Canary 2013

And even further back in the year, I posted a sketch of Alice in Wonderland that I just never really got back around to.  I guess in December I felt that I had a whole bunch of unresolved sketches that needed to be seen through, even though I didn't finish all of them.  And here is that one:

Wonderland

And of course with it being December, I had to do the requisite holidays inspired drawing, so here's that as well:

I also did several sketches and redraws of what eventually turned out to be a Dark Phoenix and Scott Summers illustration.  I made a preliminary sketch a long while ago and just sat on the idea until I decided to revisit it with a sketch that went in a slightly different direction:

I just took the best elements of both sketches and combined them into one.  And then after I did that, I couldn't decide on a single background....so I did two.  How's that for not being lazy when it comes to backgrounds?

And then I had an opportunity to do a Jem and the Holograms commission...and why would I not jump on that idea.  I used to watch the show (and maybe still caught a few episodes on Netflix), so this was right up my alley.  Plus it was a chance to exhaust all of the shades of pink and purple that I know...a stark change from the usual color palette that I tend to go with.  It turned out to be...wait for it....truly outrageous.

Jem and the Holograms: click for higher resolution

That turned out to be my last illustration of 2013...which looking back went pretty well art wise.  Looking back at how I started 2013 and how my art has progressed throughout the year, I'm more than excited as to what 2014 has to offer.  I'm definitely looking to new avenues to share my art and get myself out there, and 2014 will definitely be the year for that.  

All of the above illustrations are available for purchase on high quality semi gloss paper at my Storenvy store: Illumistrations.Storenvy.com.

And I guess as always, follow me everywhere: tumblr, twitter, instagram and yadda yadda....the user name is Illumistrations.

Without Wax,

-Charles.

Objects in Mirror...

I have this really bad habit of doing a lot of sketches but never coming back to them.  I mean, here we are, 7 days away from 2014, and I still have sketches from the summer that I told myself that I would turn into full illustrations.  How crazy is that?

This was also one of those that was going to forever sit in sketch purgatory.

I drew this a while ago, and it just sat there while I sketched other things.  I liked it a lot, but I just never finished it.  I saw it not too long ago, and decided to open it back up, make some alterations here and there, and add colors and inks to it.  I normally draw comic related figures or cartoons and stuff, so it was great to take a break out of the norm and draw something a little different for a change.  Plus with just about every illustration that I do, I always learn something new.

And if you would like to purchase this illustration as an 11" x 17" print on high quality gloss cover paper, feel free to check out my Storenvy site Illumistrations.storenvy.com.  And be sure to use the discount code DECOPEN for an additional 15% off of your total purchase.

Without Wax,

-Charles

Illumistrations on Storenvy!

Illumistrations Storenvy 

So by now, everyone should know that I've started selling prints since the beginning of the year.  I've actually been selling them longer than that, but at the beginning of 2013, I decided to take on all aspects of making and shipping the prints out myself.  I've used different services along the way, such as Redbubble, Serve, Zazzle, Square Market and a host of other services all with different results.  With all of those services, there were things about them that I liked, but I never fully 100% loved them all, and I thought that I would just have to settle for a 'lesser of all evils'.

That is, until I found out about Storenvy.

It was everything that I was looking for: a place to showcase my prints, offer coupon codes, user friendly, and a great service backend.  And with that, I have created my own personal store on Storenvy.

Illumistrations Art Print Storenvy Store

Feel free to check it out, and browse all of the prints that I've been making for like a year or so now.  And purchase some for either yourself or friends!  And to celebrate my new store opening, if you use the discount code DECOPEN from now until January 1, 2014, you get 15% off of your total purchase!  All of my prints are of the 11" x 17" aspect ratio printed on high quality gloss cover paper with bright and vivid colors.  The print quality I've found from the print service I use is nothing short of excellent.  They truly do justice to my artwork, and there's just something about seeing an illustration you've worked countless hours on finally printed out in high quality.

So be sure to check out my Storenvy page, and buy a print or two!

Without Wax,

-Charles

Fall

I love the changing of the seasons.  I love the Spring because the weather is just perfect...plus I'm a lil biased since my birthday happens to be in April.  I love Summer because there's so much to do and so much happening in the Summer.  I love the Winter, basically because of the holidays, but not the cold weather...not at all.  And Fall...well, because of the fashion.

Without Wax,

-Charles

Chillin' on the Stoop

Like I said earlier, just because I haven't been posting doesn't mean that I haven't been sketching.  From doing commissions, and struggling to fit in personal stuff in there, to trying to finish illustrations, please believe that the pencil has been busy.  I soooo want to finish this, and there's some modification that I need to make before I do (eyeing perspective is never a great idea...always use rulers), but this will definitely get done.  

I mean, you can't complain when there's an influx of creativity...you just have to roll with it and get as much of it down on paper (or the screen) as quick as you can before its gone.

Hopefully I can show some progress on this soon!

Without wax,

-Charles

Harley Quinn: The Joke's On You

I have a seriously bad habit of neglecting this blog...and I don't really know why.  I seem to post stuff on every other social network BUT the one that I started posting my art on.  I need to cut that out.  Anyways, a while ago I finally finished that Harley Quinn picture that I posted on here not too long ago.  I also made it available as a print, if you would like Harley to grace your walls or frame in all of her 11" x 17" splendor.

I have other newer art that I need to post, and I definitely will soon, but once I get on a creative roll, I have to keep that pencil busy.  And you should always do the same too!!  But I do have at least a little time to tell you to follow me on Tumblr if you haven't already, check out my Facebook page, or follow me on Instagram!

Without Wax,

-Charles

Harley Quinn Sketch(es)

So, I decided to do another Harley Quinn illustration, so I made a pretty decent sketch of her yesterday, or so I thought.  I liked it a lot yesterday, but I didn't really love it.  So I slept on it, and decided to do another one.  I took some elements from the first and put them in the second, while changing some, and came up with a new sketch.  Who knows, I may just finish them both, but cel shade the first and do what I normally do on the second.  Or maybe, the first one will forever live in sketch purgatory and never get finished.  Dah, oh well...at least I'm drawing right?  I mean, that is the important thing.

The first Harley sketch

Second Harley sketch

Without Wax,

-Charles

Soundwave, Superior

Well looky whats finally done!

I've been feeling very creative lately...which is great.  And I'm struggling to find enough time to get down all of these sketches so I can get the ideas out to finish later and juggle commissions, but its an issue I'm glad to take on.  I still feel as if I need to draw more, and having like 2 months taken out of productivity really put a damper on things, but I'm sure that I can catch up. 

I have other sketches that I need to finish and hopefully make into prints, so I'll squeeze those in if I have the time.  But in the meantime in-between time, this illustration is available as an 11" x 17" print on high quality poster archive paper...and you can definitely be one of the people to call this your very own!  Obviously on the print, the watermarks are not there, those are only there for online posting purposes.  But you can head on over to my Square Market page, or right here on this blog to my Commissions and Prints link to purchase your own print.  

And feel free to look me up on any other social media sites that I'm on (the links are on the right hand side of the page in my profile).  Thanks for stopping by and checking out my art!

Without Wax,

-Charles