The Sleeper's Den

I unexpectedly find myself with extra time on my hands, so I thought I might offer to do commissions, if anyone is interested.


Subjects:

I will draw knights, historical characters, original characters and fanart. If you want me to draw one of your own characters (or characters from a fandom I don't know), please provide me with enough reference.

I will not draw realistic portraits or actors (I'm just not good at those).

Series/fandoms/comics/characters I am familiar with include:
Harry Potter, Hellboy, Blade of the Immortal, Avatar: The Last Airbender, ElfQuest, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, XXX-Holic, Chobits, Vagabond, Fables, Batwoman (Kate Kane), Catwoman, Wolverine, Thor...

Please note my Special Snape Rule: I won't prettify Snape or make him look like Alan Rickman. Also, I won't draw Snape in the nude. Just saying. You know he'd crawl out of my Potter books at night and strangle me if I broke that rule.

Have a look at my dA gallery to see what kinds of things I can do. I like a challenge, but I have my weak points (which I think are pretty obvious). Please don't ask me to draw a tavern brawl, a naval battle or the interior of a cathedral. I mean, you can ask, but I know my limits and I do want to make you something good.


Media:

You can choose between inks, watercolours, colour pencils, charcoal and pencils, if you have a preference. I use high-quality materials and heavy paper.


Process:

Note me or send me an e-mail at severelysigune at yahoo dot co dot uk if you would like to commission me. Once we are agreed on the contents, technique and price, I will start on the pencils for your drawing. Those will be sent to you, at which point you can request changes. Once you have approved the pencils, I will ask you to pay me and I will start work on the final version of your picture.

Please bear in mind that I work with traditional media and cannot make any changes once I have started work on the definitive version of the picture.

The picture will be sent to you when I have received your money.


Price:

My standard price for an A4-sized drawing is €50 ($68) + shipping & handling (if you want the original). Depending on how complex a picture you want, the price may vary a bit.

I can also offer other sizes, from postcards to A3 - price to be discussed.


Payment:

I accept bank transfers from people in the EU. You can also send the money through Paypal.



...Any takers? :)

Lookie lookie! It's Snape art! :D

I haven't posted any Snape art for a while. I haven't written any Snape for even longer. That's what happens when you have an ongoing original project, I guess... But these last months (I'm afraid I do keep people waiting ;^_^) I have received three Snape commissions at once, so the ex-Potions Master, ex-Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, ex-Headmaster has been on my mind quite a bit. And then I haven't even mentioned the prospect of the Big Bang next January! I have started brainstorming about that too.

One thing I have noticed while working on my commissions is that drawing Snape is still tremendous fun. There is nothing quite like that hooknose and those black robes... :P



I have also realised that Deathly Hallows hasn't really changed 'my' Snape. The character I draw is the same sarcastic, tenacious and rather ruthless git I used to write before the seventh book ruined it for me. The only - rather worrying - difference is that these days, I seem to be making him more handsome (see sketchie above) than he is supposed to be. And I'm not doing it on purpose! That's just painful. He's ugly, dammit!

Ah well. In any case: have some Snape.



( Her Glasses )

Ahem.

Welcome to my first sort of attempt at something supposed to resemble a tutorial. The best thing I could think of was to take you step by step through the process of inking a picture, and addressing as many issues as possible with your answers to my tutorial poll as a guideline. Because some of the issues you have put to me are quite terrifying (and, to be frank, I don’t think I am the right person to help you with them), I opted for a focus on something in which I at least have a little confidence *g*.

A note before I start:
The only education I ever received art-wise was in secondary school, one hour a week in my first two years there (ages 12-13). The only thing I actually learnt and remembered was a thing my teacher told me at the very beginning: that the single most important thing for any artist is to develop a personal style, a manner that distinguishes him or her from all others. The teacher in question was quite a celebrity in my hometown, and maybe she said it as an easy excuse for not teaching us anything resembling technique; but the fact is that I always did remember those words, and whatever its countless shortcomings, my art is recognisably mine.

I have drawn countless pictures, teaching myself by copying all manner of artists – comics artists (Merho – as a girl; then Wendy Pini; later Enrico Marini, Mike Mignola, Colleen Doran, and Linda Medley), illustrators (Warwick Goble, Arthur Rackham and Aubrey Beardsley), and several greats of the artistic canon (Alfons Mucha, Gustav Klimt). Though I have consulted a number of “How To” books, I have learnt much more from looking at what my favourite artists do. I am afraid I do not believe in the “How To” style. Whenever an art book tells me what I should do, I do it differently. That is not just because I am stubborn (I am, very) and difficult (I certainly am), but also because I don’t want to be a clone. I would therefore ask you not to treat what follows as “How To”. I called it “How Not To”. But if you find something that you can bend to your purpose – well, that’s good, of course :D.

( Warning: very image-heavy! )

1. First Things First: What and When
( Read more... )
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2. Stuff I Used:
( Read more... )
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3. Design and Draw: The Sketch
( Read more... )
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4. Tracing
( Read more... )
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5. The Inking
( Read more... )

seaislewitch commissioned this picture from me for her trilogy Romance, Slytherin Style which you can read at romance_slythrn. And look, it's my first ever Draco! :)


( Night Counsel )

I said previously that I'd start taking commissions in November. Well, November is drawing closer, and I'm still not sure about how to arrange payment. I have never bought fanart, and the only piece I have sold I delivered personally in Vegas, but I obviously can't do that all the time :D. I have no experience at all with the whole thing, but I know that some of you do. Please help me out by taking the poll, commenting and letting me share in your wisdom!

[Poll #851225]

Thank you! :)

I suppose I am so proud of myself because I finally finished my very first commission that I have started to think about offering to do more. These days I am far too busy, but within a few months I will be without a job and without an income (hopefully not for long, gah), and I will have time to work on order. There are a few things to figure out, though, like subjects (fandom only or not?), prices and shipping and stuff; but before I even start to think about those, I would like to know whether there would be any interest at all... So please take the poll!


[Poll #751976]

Thank you! :)