Creative Evolution

The evolution that we experience as creators is a unique one in my mind.  The way we change as we work on each project, the way we evaluate our work, and even the way that our faith intermingles with the work.  This is something I'm really beginning to see as I work on the project that I am writing and drawing (creator owned of course).

I started with very precise and finished pencils.  I traced them in ink, changing things as needed.  Within three pages my pencils began to take more of a layout form, and my inks more the detailed forms.  Now I'm ready to go to pencil layouts, and computer generated artwork for the page.  It's an evolution that I've seen a long time coming. 

But how did I get to this place?  How did my talents evolve?

As anyone who knows me will attest to, first and foremost I give Glory to God for the talents I possess as writer and artist.  The imagination I possess.  But it still takes time to move from raw talent to finished pieces.  In my case it's taken two decades now.  I began this dream when I was 12, and have never left it for long.  The longest absence I took was when God led me to put down my pencils and papers for a while.  That lasted over a year.  When I felt God leading me to pick them up again, things began to change at warp speed.

I've always been a traditional artist.  Pencils, pens, paper.  Get it ready then scan it in.  Only then I would turn to the computer for colors.  Now though I'm seeing my style evolve.  I have a rather firm hand on my pencilling, to the point that I'm finally happy with it.  Same with my storytelling.  Inks, I've learned a lot in the past year.  Computer wise though other than flat colors with some highlights, I'm still a neophyte.

Yet what if I were to take these graphic sensibilities I have and approach the coloring as more painting?  I've painted with oils and acrylics, and have a pretty good idea of how to use them.  The computer is just another tool with my Wacom Intuos 2 tablet and stylus.  What if I approached the whole thing, the whole page as a digital work?

This is where my creative evolution is leading me.  My plans are to do rather detailed pencils on "scrap paper", then scan them in and finish the work digitally from now on. 

I hope this glimpse inside my head was interesting, and always:  To God Be the Glory!