Druchii Commission Parts 1 & 2

This is an extra special post since it covers a project that I've been working on since years before I even thought of starting this blog.  Way back in 2011, my services were engaged by several members of a group of online Warhammer roleplayers.  They had seen my previous tabletop gaming character design work and wanted me to bring their team to life :)

First group, completed 2014.  Click image to see larger!

Specifically, they wanted me to visually design and illustrate six of their main player characters. They were all Druchii, the Warhammer dark elves, all with very different aspects and histories (as is only right in a decent roleplaying party).  I received written descriptions of each character and started my work from there.  Eventually, another member of the group liked my progress so much that he commissioned me to design a further four characters!  I was so excited to be in such demand!

Unfortunately, that excitement caused me to bite off way more than I could chew.  I thought I would be able to complete the project in a manner of months.  When all was said and done, it took me almost seven years!  I finished the tenth and final character in March of this year.  I suppose seven is an auspicious number, and I learned a LOT about a wide variety of things thanks to this project, so in the end, I completed it with positive feelings.

Second group, completed 2018.  Click image to see larger!

Aside from technical skill I gained through visually working on these characters, I learned a lot about myself as a professional artist.  I learned what I can and can't handle, I got a better idea of how long it takes me to create things, I realized that design work MUST be approached differently than work that already has complete visual reference available.  Perhaps most importantly, I understood the true value of my time.  As hard as it may be to turn people down or ask for more than I know they can offer, underselling myself just to snag the job does no one any good.  I end up losing money, motivation, and confidence, while the client loses faith and patience while wondering if they will ever see their dream brought to life.  If nothing else, I'm extremely thankful for this commission because it made me a better artist, both technically and professionally.

If you'd like to engage my services for a character design project like this (I give you my word I won't take seven years to complete it 😉) feel free to email me at Denise.Mikarts@gmail.com!

Click here to see larger images of all the Druchii characters from this project as well as my other previous commission work!

And this link will bring you to a list of all the videos of my livestreamed work on the final characters in this project.

Tomodachi Fest Commission - Chibi Gryphon

Ink and marker on index paper, 4x6", Completed December 2017

This piece was an original character commissioned by a client during Tomodachi Fest 2017 (the convention's last year and ironically my most successful artist alley there). I was asked to choose the two animals to make up the gryphon so I chose a harpy eagle and a black jaguar. The dark plumage and fur matched the gruesome appearance of the character (being blood soaked was a requirement) so that's why I chose those animals. I also designed the dress and am really pleased with the result! Note the repetitions of four throughout the character design--that was my addition, an homage to the Japanese superstition around the number four, because it is pronounced the same as "death".

Available for purchase in my deviantART Shop.

Here are my progress photos!

Basic inking complete.

Kiki loves to get all up in my work XD

Detailed inking complete.

Coloring complete.

Final details complete.

New Art - Butch Cassidy

The new art I am featuring this week is another commission piece from Tomodachi Fest.  It was my last chibi of the convention and I actually had to bring it home to finish since I was so surprisingly busy all con!  Because I had more time to work on this drawing, I was able to take breaks and photograph my progress to share.

Tomo 2014 Commish - Butch Cassidy by AnimeGirlMika on deviantART  

Although this piece is also an on-the-spot artist alley commission, it's quite a different type of chibi from last week's featured art!  Rather than a colored caricature of an anime character, it's an inked caricature of a real-life historical figure!
 

The initial pencil work is all done.

If you didn't already guess from the title of this post, the historical figure I was asked to draw is Butch Cassidy.  I was provided with a specific photo of him to use as a reference--my preferred way of working for on-the-spot commissions.  I simply took his exact pose, expression, and outfit and chibified them!
 

Partway through the inking process.

As I was drawing chibi Butch, I became very pleased with how he was dressed.  There are certain details I didn't notice until I was looking closely to ensure I captured everything I could.  Not only is he wearing a well-pressed three piece suit with a jauntily-perched bowler hat while sitting in an extremely ornate chair, he's got a watch chain through the buttonhole of his vest (I noticed that it's unbuttoned where the chain is; I always assumed vests remain fully buttoned even when a chain is worn), his vest is collared, and his tie has a decorative pin at the knot.  Butch Cassidy is simply dapper!
 

Final inked drawing and the photo reference.

I think this is the first time I've drawn a chibi in a bowler hat.  What do you think?  Does chibi Butch look like himself?  What historical figure would you have me turn into a chibi?

New Art - Chibi America

This past weekend, I spent the days having fun at my artist alley table during one of Idaho's fan conventions, Tomodachi Fest.  Of course, this means lots of on-the-spot commission drawings were created!  In this blog, I'm featuring the first piece I completed: chibi America from Hetalia.

Tomo 2014 Commish - America by AnimeGirlMika on deviantART

I really enjoyed chibifying this character.  It was difficult to get started at first, though.  In preparing for the convention, I was left with no time to sleep before setting up for artist alley.  I had already been awake for over sixteen hours when I received this commission order at the start of the first day.

The pose was based on a reference image my client provided.

 
I was feeling progressively groggy and disconnected while I worked--I frequently took breaks as my concentration flagged--but, happily, the sketch stage of the piece came out well despite.

The word "HERO" was specifically requested for his shirt.

 
I started inking the same day as the sketch but each time I put pen to paper, the lines seemed to come out a bit wobbly or didn't curve in the way I intended.  I continued with a few larger lines but decided to wait on the more detailed areas (like the face) until I could get a good night's sleep.  I completed them on day 2, with plenty of energy and enthusiasm!

Isn't he so cute?  I love his happy face!

 
Coloring was the best part, as usual.  I actually finished the remainder of the piece so quickly that I forgot to take progress photos!  I did scan it, though, and I'm so happy with the end result that this may be my favorite drawing from the convention.

Did you attend Tomodachi Fest this year?  What did you think of artist alley?  Did you commission anyone or receive a commission order yourself?