Matt Lichtenwalner

Mobile mapper for Ushr - roaming the US and Canada constantly. Maybe a bit of art and/or writing here and there to spice things up.

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Still doing the heads thing. Here we have 36-40 and they be gerblins!

In case you're curious about the pseudo random geometric shapes I started this batch with, you're in luck - here they are:

If you would like to see the rest, they're in a thread over on the Twitterz.

Not So Traditional Media

So I won't be in town, but my family is having a get together this Sunday. There's going to be some festivities for the youngins' thanks to my folks. Slip 'n Slide, water balloon toss, etc.

And speaking of tossing water balloons, my folks asked if I would create a target to put down in the yard so they can launch balloons at it from the deck.

My Dad got the idea that it would be good to use Tyvek since it's all white so the image would stand out. Tyvek isn't exactly the best surface to work on, but I couldn't argue with the contrast idea and he has a bunch extra so it was free, and it's durable, so... Sharpies worked to lay in lines:

Then, because this is clearly a "use what you've got handy" kind of project, we used a pair of random latex based house paints (watered down to various levels) that they had on hand and some overly large brushes to paint it. This was a little extra trying BECAUSE TYVEK.

But also, I was having fun doing something stupid and calling it art. So:

Certainly not the greatest work I've ever done, but it was fun, and hopefully the kids will get a kick out of chucking stuff at it. :)

Also, it kinda looks like a goblin head. I think I've got goblins on the brain lately.

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7/20 '22 6 Comments
And just like that, I notice the horns coming in at odd angles into the eyebrows. Apparently the sun was getting to me as I worked on this outdoors.

I'll never be able to NOT see how b0rked this is ever again.
I wouldn't argue with dragon horns. I might throw water balloons at them.
Thanks. That IS what it's for, after all. :)
Clearly, it’s due to swelling of his occipital ridge from that time he tried to eat a day care center outside of Jackson, Mississippi, and seven four-year-olds rolled a refrigerator directly into his head.
Can’t fool me.
That is a terrific water balloon target.
Thanks, chica. Hoping the kids feel the same way!
 

So yesterday I posted about about the funny faces I was working on.

Last night I watched a video about digitally painting skin tones. I've seen the video before, but last night I used the heads I'd already sketched and inked and used them to follow along in the video.

And just like that, the bit flipped in my head. From 0 to 1. Suddenly, I get it.

Okay, I've still got a long way to go, but I feel the difference like a dark moonless night to a bright cloudless midday sky. It might not even be recognizable to other folks, but I feel so stupidly different. My digital painting game just took a monster leap forward.

I'm pretty stoked.

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1/14 '22 9 Comments
I have to say, I've never seen your work look like this. That lower left face, it really looks like a painting now, not just an illustration. This is crazy! Keep going!! And congrats! <3
Thanks! It really does feel like a big jump forward. :-)
These are good.
Thanks, man!
TRIANGLE MAN TRIANGLE MAN
I am now earwormed. I am not complaining.
Neato!

ETA: one point of that video blew my mind - the colours following blood flow. I'm slapping my head at how fundamental that observation is, and how I've never considered anything more than the structural anatomy for shading. Wow. (Note: I'm no artist. I just play around with stuff.)
I know, right?! It’s impressive with a sub dural bloodflow does to tone and color.