The Beginning - sketches

Whenever I start a piece I make a quick sketch of my idea in photoshop. I thought I would share some of those sketches. These are done somewhat quickly to block in composition. After this I'll do a little more detailed drawing to clean up the line work then try to work out where I want to use books and where I want to use cut paper and then I will work on color.

This first one is the roughest of the sketches I had a copy of. This is what most of them looks like at first. Very rough and sketchy to work out shapes and composition.




These next ones I have cleaned up the line work a little bit more. There are certain themes or elements that I like a lot. Those are birds, trees, and grave yards so you will see those in many of my pieces.


I've always had a thing for gnarled up trees either losing their leaves or void of them.