Acrylics WIP

I'll be attending the Illustration Master Class in a few weeks. I'm equal parts excited and nervous. Amidst all the lectures and demos, each student has to complete a painting during the class, which is a week long. I promised myself I'd get back to my traditional roots during the class... problem is I literally have not painted traditionally in years. Here is a practice piece I've been working on, hoping to get my groove back:

Pencil sketch on tracing paper


Under painting on board. This is new for me; I'd always painted on canvas but I want to try board.


And a progress shot.


The palette is coming out very differently than I intended. Laying down colors is still a huge weakness of mine, one I can easily work around digitally. Going back to traditional is making me confront it without shortcuts. But the good news is that in the years since I last painted, my color theory has improved tremendously, so at least I can work with whatever colors I end up with.

I am still doing thumbnails for the image I will be painting at IMC, but I am already mentally compromising. Whatever ambitious elements the image might have, the palette is one thing I will keep well within my comfort zone!