Meow, only 42 days until it's time to #PokemonGoToThePolls on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, so here is Mountain Kalos Dex #042, Purrloin!
This is the first Pokemon I've drawn that I have no connection to--this guy is from a generation I've never encountered!
But given the selection of various regions' Dex entry 42s, this one looked the most exciting, and I'm a sucker for purple.
Plus this guy seemed to be associated with city life, according to my research, so it was an excellent opportunity to draw an urban background, something I've been itching to do.
The background here is somewhat a loose study of a photo I took in Shinagawa while on business, and of course, at the only business one can have in Shinagawa: immigration stuff.
This piece seems to have settled me on where we want these pieces to go--after all this time, it seems going lines on the figure and just kind of live-inking the background is where it's at.
I just need to make sure not to get carried away on the background. The sky was the indulgence of the drawing, which extended to the windows, since they were kinda sky-like, too, but basically everything else was SAUB. So I must insist on not going overboard on the background, because that counteracts the helpful simplicity of Pokemon figures, since they thankfully don't require that much time to get right.
Anyway, Shinagawa's quite a bittersweet, beautiful place. It doesn't hurt when you have to go there, but the immigration building is super beat-up, and all the city's glamor fades once you roach it out into the middle of nowhere, because of course they place that ogre of a building as far out from convenience and humanity as possible.
Though to be sure, just walking around the city is fantastically enchanting. Man, I spent an incredible Christmas Day running around there...twice.
But don't let them give you the runaround and purloin your rights! Make sure both to register if you haven't already and elect to be a voter on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.
Not normal,
Reuxben
Oh man, only 49 days until it's time to #PokemonGoToThePolls on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, so here is Ula'ula OG Alola Dex #049, Psyduck!
You know, the hardest part seems to be deciphering these increasingly complex Pokedex numbering systems, though on the bright side, it means plenty of pokes to choose from to feature.
Psyduck is of course an old favorite, and I distinctly remember it being news when people spotted a Psyduck plushie on Caroline Rhea's desk on her old talkshow--she said she loved the little guy, but called him "Psychoduck," so it was bittersweet.
I always liked how Psyduck, or at least Misty's Psyduck, could get super serious and unlock his true potential, despite ordinarily being dopey. It felt like a lesson in not underestimating people, believing in yourself, and all that.
This piece was a fun challenge, again for its more experimental construction, as we continue striving to keep the illustration simple but effective.
Unlike last time, where we went completely lineless, this one was lines on the thankfully simple Pokemon's design, and then completely winged background, including the extremely enjoyable watery depths, with all their murk and particles floating around.
The concept was loosely based on vague memories of one of my favorite Pokemon TCG illustrations, by my favorite PTCG artist, Mitsuhiro Arita, of Expedition Feraligatr, which I didn't think to look up until just now!
I've always wanted to attempt that submerged look, but the tough part was getting the expression right while still connoting forward motion, as all our pokes are going to the polls, after all. I settled on a somewhat confused, but assertive chap nevertheless drifting forward.
But what's so confusing? Just make sure both to register if you haven't already and elect to be a voter on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.
Not normal,
Reuxben
No more than 56 days until it's time to #PokemonGoToThePolls on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, so here is National Dex #056, Mankey!
I was excited to go with Mankey over Johto #56, Wooper, cuz this would partly be inspired by the episode when a mankey stole Ash's official hat.
This was also an exciting one because I kinda drew linelessly after getting the rough sketch down, I just carved the shapes in with colors.
I don't know if I'd call it advisable, but it was a nice change of pace, and a worthwhile experiment.
The background was also pretty free-form, and I more boldy worked with layering a bit, including independently blurring the farthest BG elements.
The numbering for this piece was a little risky: I knew I could always figure out how to work in the number later, so I just focused completely on drawing the piece first, and left the number utterly out of mind.
And like clockwork, as soon as I finished the main imagery, within seconds my subconscious delivered: falling bananas in the shape of "56."
But you know what isn't bananas? Making sure both to register if you haven't already and elect to be a voter on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.
Not normal,
Reuxben
Just 63 days until it's time to #PokemonGoToThePolls on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, so here is Kalos Dex #063, Pumpkaboo!
Again, this one feels just a little more complex than what I'd like these to be at.
The thing is it always feels like I'm pulling too many punches on these, though.
In any case, I enjoyed drawing this guy, he has such a neat little design.
My earlier sketch featured some Tim Burton-y swirls in the background, but we ended up going with a spooky little cornfield.
I wanted to make sure there was a lot of action in this piece cuz of how round the character design is, which makes high-action a little less expected.
I also abandoned an early sketch where the Poke felt just a little too static, but which was sorta vaguely inspired by Algenpfleger's Saproling token.
And speaking of which, don't be sketchy or a sap--register if you haven't already and elect to be a voter on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.
Not normal,
Reuxben
