Work floor

05-23-2016

Hello! Perhaps you have noted our latest addition to the shop, the Work floor book 1. I wanted to chat a little about that here. The Work floor was a section I started way back in 2003, and I kept it going to about 2012. It was my first attempt to get a bit more personal, sharing some of my thoughts about drawing, illustrating and the wonders of bondage in general. I wanted to show how I did things, and more important: why I did things, why I made certain choices. Now, for this editorial, I would like to take this up again, and do something of a work floor page 2. In the book I explain that in rendering, I always work in the same way: from the upper left corner down to the bottom right. It makes sense because that way you can always keep track of everything you have been doing up until then, and you can balance things out in tone, light etc.

But I also have a few more rules of thumb I usually like to use. For instance: if a piece has an elaborate back ground like a furnished room, or just even some random elements, I always start with the least exciting objects. I'll start with the walls and the floor, or maybe the chair or the lamp: whatever. First of all because I'm still fresh in my head, and able to concentrate well, and secondly because this way, I have something to look forward to: the more exciting stuff.
Next thing might be the clothing, or the bondage gear ot gadgets, getting a little more interesting. And then I will got to the figure(s) in question. And for all these phases the first rule still counts: from the upper left to the bottom right.

At some point I may even have a sort of intermediate phase, in which I first try out something with a little sketch, to see if things will work out, like with this kidnap scene.




And then, rendering the figures, the second rule applies again in small. I think it were the ancient Greeks who, when they did a sculpture, they always put the eyes in last, because they brought the statue to life, so to speak. Well, in the same way, I always turn to the face last, because I enjoy rendering facial expression the most. To me, that is almost always the most exciting part.
But guess what? Last week, after having followed this routine for years and years, I suddenly thought: why not start with the face for once? After all there can also be made the argument that at first, you are still at the peak of your concentration.

And now I don 't know anymore; do you see any difference?

Coco

(PS I'll probably stick to my old routine...)

Apart from the new book, there's a new work in New art, and a new Short story.

Bye for now,

CBAP