Alan Lee is an inspiration who's work I greatly respect and, by sharing an affection for trees, I am using that sketchy, imagined arboreal world as his creative environment.
Leyendecker's use of line and his narrative of the beauty of the human figure I respect. I have no wish to make a comment on his personal life, but instead on the icon he began, the arrow collar man. I am using that created icon as a ghostly imprint, combined with the rather notorious framework he used with his Saturday Evening Post covers.
These are the larger, more tight sketches heading toward the color stage.
I work in a way which allows for alterations in the final stages, so you will see how the accuracy of Leyendecker improves and where I alter a bit of Lee's angle and trees.
 |
| Lee, graphite. Mairin-Taj Caya 2010. |
 |
| Leyendecker, graphite. Mairin-Taj Caya 2010. |
We'll see how they develop into the color stage!
You've got Alan Lee's eyes just right - so wide and bright! Reminds me of Dominic mocking Elijah Wood's bright eyes in the special features.
ReplyDeleteI actually think of Alan Lee's eyes sometimes, while walking, probably among trees, and I try to keep my own eyes wider and more attentive as long as I can manage. It makes me chuckle.
Lee has a wonderfully observant, fairly permanent, natural expression to me. I appreciate his vision in his work deeply.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was in my early teens and my mother looked at one of my sketchbooks and said she thought I had a style similar to Lee's drawing work. I didn't know who he was at the time.
She introduced me to his book "Castles", and from then on I was motivated by him first and foremost amongst the current illustrators that followed.