A new Commission

I was asked/commissioned to do an illustration for my quirky friend Ed. He originally asked for a deranged pixie on crack (well i did say quirky). Here was some of things he wanted:

"Please illustrate for me a deranged Pixie in an alley way, perhaps with some trash, said Pixie should have been on an alcohol, heroin and crack binge and look quite rough and downtrodden. I thought of some pixie or goblin, something green, pot belly, hadn't shaved in a few days, looking rough and hadn't slept, smoking, drinking, obvious signs of drug abuse beside him in an alleyway which looked shady to begin with, him leaning against a wall behind some trashcans under a light or some nature. there would be some litter around him also as its a shady alleyway and a puddle for good measure".

This, in a way, was a perfect brief. It is something out of my regular comfort zone, is something different to add to my portfolio of work and allows me to create something strictly to a brief. Also it helps that I'm being paid in cookies and alcohol.

I decided to do a process of, so I took screen grabs every so often to show how I started and how I  came up with finished piece. I tried to associate my friends characteristics with the goblin's hence facial features and the tshirt. I also added details and objects that my friend likes i.e. the fun snaps, Chinese food, beer and games.

Goblin drawing

Hand-rendered then drawn digitally type

Experimenting with placement of type and background colour

Added details and character to goblin

Background details

Added detail/character to foreground

And the final illo...