The good news is that these aren't terrible. I think I'm coming closer to the right body shape; the more realized drawing on the second page is pretty good. I draw a lot of big burly guys, and varying their body shapes is becoming more and more important. I can't have Beorn just being a big dwarf, and I have to differentiate his body shape from the trolls as well. I'd like to show him with that type of strength that comes from manual labor rather than weight-lifting, with a solid core and sinewy, corded muscles in the limbs. The first drawing on the left is too ape-like, too stupid. I like the one on the right. Let's see where it goes.
Beorn's long, low house is surrounded by hives filled with bees bigger than your thumb, which of course beings to mind one of the ultimate horrors of this world, the Japanese Hornet. Learn more about these living nightmares here. I don't know if the final piece will include them in any, but now's as good a time as ever to get good at drawing hornets.
wtf i have never seen honets like that
ReplyDeletehey do you scan your drawings then fix them and put it on here or do you scan them in all the glory and post it
I scan and post. Sometimes I run the automatic levels adjustment.
ReplyDeleteIf the hornets ever rise to enslave us, we can take solace in the fact that our bee ally's can be taught to murder them in defense.
ReplyDeleteI like the lefts head and the rights body.
hi !
ReplyDeleteI have to agree, these aren't terrible, they're terrific ! that's exactly the way Beorn looked like for me when I read the book. I admire the care you take to think about why and how the character is what he is. great job !
You're right; the one on the right looks quite a bit nobler.
ReplyDeleteAlso I'm somewhere between wanting one of those hornets as a pet so it can perch on my shoulder and curling up in a corner in terror.
I love seeing your progress work! Can't wait to see the end product.
ReplyDeleteI remember running from the those hornets many times. Japan has some craaazy big bugs. So cool when you find a dead one so you can pick it up and get a close look at it without fear of death.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what you do with this one Sam.
Great sketches! Nice exploration.
ReplyDelete