Longhorn Beatles

Here's a nice project I did for one of my old Half Price Books coworkers :) His dad's two favorite things are the longhorns and the beatles, so he wanted to give him something for Christmas that combined the two. So here it is, and Merry Christmas everyone!

Only a few sets left!

If anyone is still interested in Christmas cards, I only have 1 set of the Christmas stars left and have sold out of the Fireplace card. Just email me if you'd like a set or two and I'll respond with the payment information. Once again, I'm selling them in sets of 10 for $15 and you can see the images larger here: http://tinyurl.com/35jprfl. Hurry though, because they're going fast!! =)

Christmas Cards!!!!

Here are the Christmas card designs for the year! I'm selling them in packs of 10 for $15. If you would like to buy some, just send me a message at raymond.penajr@gmail.com with your choice and the address you'd like them sent to, and I'll send you the payment info. Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Time!

Here is a new template for some Christmas cards. Let me know if you would like one, and where it should be sent to. I'll be ordering about them pretty soon so let me know fast! Also considering selling packs of ten cards each in case you want more than one...but haven't decided on pricing yet. Also, I might do one or two more card designs before it's said and done with, so I'll keep ya updated!

On another note, I might be working with my cooworker Gavin to actual create this Christmas tree as a sculpture piece out of iron and copper, which should prove to be a fun and exciting project! WoOt!!!!!

Jaded

This is my personification of the state of being "jaded." To me, this state is a prison created by your own mind. It blinds you to the potential of good in your life and keeps you bound to a wall of cynicism and pessimism. I show this with the figure cloaked in a hood and trapped inside a decaying room, organically designed and lit with low key lighting to bolster the sense of a dank subconscious space.

Photoshop CS5

So I just got the new Adobe Design Premium CS5 and decided to try out some of the new features in Photoshop. More specifically, the Mixer brush. It's pretty cool how it can simulate real paint: you can adjust the amount of bristles, the thickness, the length, and whether or not the brush is dry or wet. The colors even mix themselves on the canvas as you paint!! I'm really kind of excited to see what I can do with my normal Photoshop texture brushes in combination with the mixer brush. I highly recommend giving it a try =)

Finished Tree Painting

Here is the final Tree sculpture-painting and some close up of details. Gonna do some thinking to figure out the pricing on this baby. Anyone interested in purchasing it?

Concept for a new painting: "Sapped"

I got the idea for this painting last night at 5am while eating with some of my co-workers after work. It's based on my emotional reaction to some events that have transpired over the last week and the perpetual drain I continue to feel while out in the night life constantly. I often feel like such an oddball around people these days with my intense emotional consciousness and deep rooted sense of loyalty and integrity. I don't understand how people can be in a relationship with one person yet play around with others and still consider themselves loyal and in love with their significant other. These concepts totally throw me off balance and as whacked out as it sounds I almost feel like I'm socially retarded. And it's not like it's based on one or two experiences...it's as if the entire world has accepted a flippant and flighty lifestyle of shallow lusts and half-ass promises of endearment. Am I alone in feeling this and doomed to be sapped away by the manipulative predators in the world? I sure hope not.

Lost

Things change. Can't try to live in the past when the world has moved on. So just let it go.

Concept for a tree painting

Here's a concept for a tree painting I want to do. Since my phoenix painting I really have become interested in texture and using different materials placed on the canvas and painted over with oil. For this one I'm actually thinking of stripping bark off of trees and placing it on the actual trunk and then painting over it for some cool textures. What do you think?

Pain

Logos?

I did some logo designs for the game: 1 for the game overall, and two depicting symbols for the two different factions. The tree icon represents the Gaeans, forces of nature, and the one on the right represents Da Vinci's Acolytes, the insane zealots of technology. The designs were highly influenced by another style...maybe too much. I suppose if you can guess it then they probably need to be retouched a bit =P What do you think?

Winter

"I run off where the drifts get deeper. Sleeping beauty, she trips me with a frown. I hear a voice, 'You must learn to stand up for yourself, because I can't always be around."

"Winter"
-Tori Amos

Quick Concept Sketch?

Sooo, after researching some examples of concept art, I decided to try my hand at one of those quick color sketches. It's not terrible, and it took me a little over an hour an a half? But it's my first one so it can only get better, right?

Titan on Etsy!!!

My Titan painting is now for sale on Etsy. go check it out if you'd like =)

The Titans

Here is the final race for the Forces of Nature for my game concept, Pangaea. The Titans are the brute force of nature, her ultimate sentinels and watchmen. They are incredibly tough to bring down and can hold their own, even against armies or multiple other minions. They draw their strength directly from the earth, and can therefore manipulate it to some extent and draw on its energy to increase its strength and size. Imagine the way the ground would shake when this guy comes pounding your way!!

Do to my accidentally almost deleting all of the creatures I've been working on, I missed a step or two in the following process sequence...but it's mostly there. Enjoy!

IF- Worn

Meh

Another Pass on the Elemental

So, I decided I was dissatisfied with the final image of the elemental that I posted the other day. Turns out there was a stylistic conflict between the realistic and stylized elements. So I took her back into photoshop and made a smorgasbord of some fire and water images I found on the internet and the original stylized drawings, and came up with this. I feel like the different aspects gel much better than the original, and hopefully I can let this rest and move on to my next project =)

Elementals

The elemental is the essence of nature, combining the energies of earth, fire, and water. She can control these elements and bend them to her will, capable of hurling fireballs, healing and strengthening herself, causing massive earthquakes, and controlling the weather. These creatures are loners by nature, and with their fiery, unpredictable behaviors it's probably better that way. Though their appearance is rare, they are rumored to surface when a threat worthy of their wrath challenges the natural world.

Here's some process:

The Defiant

I finished a character portrait of the forest wizard guy from the previous post. The name of his race is the Defiant, and he is the embodiment of the darker side of nature: fear, decay, plague, etc. He is the evil face of the natural forces combating the technological zealots called the Lexia, brought forth from the bowels of the earth in response to the rapid contamination of the world. They are capable of manipulating our darkest instincts, and can spread disease rapidly, as well as hold dominion over the vile creatures that inhabit the earth.

Here is a bit of my process as I painted this portrait:

Quick preliminary sketch

Big shapes of color to establish light and tone

Clean-up the edges and more in depth rendering with texture before adding the overall texture that enhances the mood I want.