Ranarh's Art Blog

My standard sketchbooks are bound in grey carton that is great for working on. This is the A5 portrait format I use when going out. I digitally mock up the head-with-hands, and sketch it in charcoal on architect's vellum  - you can see the sketch at the top. After priming the sketchbook's cover with white acrylic paint I use a brown watercolour pencil for sketching, and then dab in first strokes of the colours I want. I have cheap acrylics left I use instead of my artist's grade paints, so I won't be sorry when it eventually gets beaten up from travelling. I work on the glass pane of an old picture frame, which is easy to clean, and I can put my sketches under it, like here: I'm going for garish colours, so I use the paints straight from the tube, expertly titled "brown" or "orange". Wonder why I want to get rid of them? I cover the entire thing in a thin wash of orange and apply reds and yellows with palette knives. Every now and then ...

Illustrations for the German RPG Splittermond by Uhrwerk Verlag, for their fairy sourcebook. http://www.uhrwerk-verlag.de/ --- Ilustrationen für den Feenband des Splittermond-Rollenspiels vom Uhrwerk Verlag. http://www.uhrwerk-verlag.de/

I just learned the term "zen tangle", which sounds like a scientific expression for "scribbling is fun", but anyway, I met this particular form of shapes as "linear expressionism" a few years ago and already made some felt pen drawings then (that I can't find anymore), and I find it indeed quite relaxing to do, regardless of term. Ink pens on photo paper sheets, 10×15cm.

My most recent tiny tip, dealing with the patience needed when creating art. I want to reassure all beginning creatives that time trying to finish something is never wasted. Finishing is part of the process and as important as any other; you must be able to draw a line under a project and start another. In time, you will learn when you can or should abandon an idea (for the time being), when it's done, and when it isn't. Most artists are apparently either unable to finish, or finish way too soon. Find the balance! (And while you're at it, learn how many projects you can have going at once.) Allen Williams puts it well by saying, "beginner's drawings are often not so successful because they leave too much white on the page. In other words, there's not enough drawing in their drawing." Considering this, I think, solves a lot of beginner's problems. Work until no spot is left unattended (which of course doesn't mean to cover the page in medium; an e...

Image for the RPG adventure " Theaterritter " for The Dark Eye, by Ulisses Spiele. The wealthy city of Festum high in the north. --- deutsch --- Illustration für das Abenteuer " Theaterritter " für Das Schwarze Auge von Ulisses Spiele. Die wohlhabende Stadt Festum im hohen Norden. Festum| © Ulisses Spiele

Image for the world guide " Aventurischer Almanach " for the 5th Edition of The Dark Eye, by Ulisses Spiele. A path through the deep forests of Aventuria. --- deutsch --- Illustration für das Weltenbuch " Aventurischer Almanach " der 5ten Edition des Schwarzen Auges von Ulisses Spiele. Ein Pfad durch die dichten Wälder Aventuriens. Waldweg | © Ulisses Spiele

Image for the world guide " Aventurischer Almanach " for the 5th Edition of The Dark Eye, by Ulisses Spiele. One of the ancient temples in the Selemian Swamps. --- deutsch --- Illustration für das Weltenbuch " Aventurischer Almanach " der 5ten Edition des Schwarzen Auges von Ulisses Spiele. Einer der uralten Tempel in den Selemer Sümpfen. Echsensümpfe | © Ulisses Spiele