Category: Work in Progress

Unfinished artworks.

Painting: Machiya Family

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Thomas | Oil Paintings,Work in Progress | Tags: , , , |

Another painting from Kyoto. It’s the last days of the exhibition, so only until Saturday to see it in real! I offer anyone who wants a personal tour, since I live close enough to drop by… and I’m always curious about reactions and opinions

Machiya Family

“Machiya Family”, oil on 45 x 38 cm linen canvas.

35.02209 135.74351

Here are some steps of the process. After scouting the house, I first made some sketches. As with all the paintings there, I mixed several perspectives into one. So it needed some figuring out.

Machiya First Sketch

This high format, with the street bending the other way, was one possible option – but I went for the wide format to give more room to the lower area.

I came back the next morning to continue and found this stool waiting for me in front of the house, with a little message in German. Meeting the really nice family of this house – and getting some support (morally and coffeiny), made it all very enjoyable and motivating.

nice letter and a helpful chair

“Good Day Thomas! Give your Best! (with a little dragon painting one of the children living there)”

With this I couldn’t disappoint. Here is the sketch on canvas at the second day.

Painting Sketch - Step 1

In this case I started with a pencil sketch, and as per usual mixed all colors before painting. That helps me to figure out the color relationships.

Machiya Painting Step 2 - base

The base I had at the evening. That goes usually fast.

It took me two more days. At home I added some details that I could paint from memory. I also choose to open the door, to make it look as welcoming as I experienced it.

Kyoto Gateway – Work in Progress

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Thomas | Work in Progress | Tags: , , , , , |

One painting in progress from Kyoto (still on white canvas). Needs one more sitting to be done.

Kyoto Machiya – behind a gateway. To be finished if there is sunshine again.

Portrait Mashup – Step Two

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Thomas | Work in Progress | Tags: , , , , |

Here is another work-in-progress of the portrait mashup I did at the Portrait Month.
That one is over now sadly – still want to finish the image though (see first step here). So maybe one or two portraits will still come. But the next event is planned: I’ll be at the Noordwijk Painting Festival – where lots of artists paint from real life for one week. Expect lots of beach-pictures coming up!

Portrait Mashup - Work in Progress second step

Portrait Mashup - Work in Progress second step

Portrait Mashup WIP

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Thomas | Work in Progress | Tags: , , , |

The second week of the portrait month is on.
Painting people for three days in a row really taught me a lot, I should do it more often – else its really just walking in shallow waters. Anyways, here is a work in progress – planning to have two or three more faces on this canvas. And maybe I’ll fill up the white with a dark color so the colors come out more.

Also by the way: good news from the Dutch Government! I mentioned recently their plans to raise sales taxes on art. This has now been reversed – they’ll now lower them back to 6 percent.

CCJJB Work in progress, oil on... big canvas

Work in progress. Two or three more faces to come.

Work In Progress: Katie

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Thomas | Oil Paintings,Work in Progress | Tags: , , |

A new painting close to finished – one more session.

Katie, Work in Progress

Katie, Work in Progress

Work in Progress 3 and Random Linking

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Thomas | Discoveries,Work in Progress | Tags: , , |

And the 3rd version of the Marta Oil painting (after first WIP and second one). Near the end of the session the model agreed to come another time – so it would have been done, but I sure appreciate having lots of time to do the face, and then just tweak. I really spent a lot of time just observing and thinking – and that paid off in my opinion.

"Marta" - work in progress 3

"Marta" - work in progress 3

Some finds on vastness of the internet space:

- Illustration art blog at a really touching update of the “Artists in Love” series.

- Ok, this “Jeff Koons must die” video game is a bit radical – but hilarious. Funny how much time the artist must have put in to copy Koons’s artworks – considering he doesn’t seem to like it.

- And some inspiration for concept artists: Forget Hollywood – these insects (called treehoppers) have the most alien body-appendages ever. Scientists just found out that it is transformed wings from ancient evolution. But what they are for is mostly unknown. (more pictures are here, and here)

Treehopper - Heteronotus Maculatus

Treehopper - Heteronotus Maculatus

As a twist, the following one, while looking like an existing treehopper, is a Papier-mâché model by Alfred Keller (thanks to Susanna Jerger for the link).

Treehopper Bocydium-Globulare by Alfred Keller

Treehopper Bocydium-Globulare by Alfred Keller. Based on the real bug.

Work In Progress v.2 – and a Trailer

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Thomas | Games,Work in Progress | Tags: , , , |

The next step of the Marta Oil painting (see the first one here).

"Marta" - work in progress 2

"Marta" - work in progress 2

And shameless as I am – I’ll crosspost again about my game. This time I can finally show some trailer. I’ve got some interesting feedback already. It is of course tricky – because not only is everything not even half done, but much has to be rushed. I’m the only artist on it for now, and can only work on it in-between earning money – so there are limits, and I cannot fix all critique. But good to hear anyways – so I will for example probably still tune down the light colors. We also will tighten up the level, so that the breaks between the player-interaction are smaller.
If you live around Utrecht, you can check the game on the upcoming Saturday – 14th of May in the Dutch Game Garden.

WIPs of Oils and Pixels

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Thomas | Work in Progress | Tags: , , , , |

Here is my current oil painting as a work in progress shot – two more sessions coming up on this one.

"Marta" - work in progress 1

"Marta" - work in progress 1

Also, since I spent sooo much time on these assets and videos, I’ll post them here too: This is the bigger object that has final quality for “caromble. Still will have to adjust the style a little bit in future assets.



Caromble Farmouse - Diffuse

Caromble Farmouse - Diffuse

Caromble Farmouse - Normal Map

Caromble Farmouse - Normal Map

Two Videos And a WIP Sit in an Airplane…

Posted on February 26, 2011 by Thomas | Work in Progress | Tags: , |

Here is a work in progress of the painting I’m doing for the Gallery Stoker exhibition.

Emily - Work in Progress - 20x20cm

Emily - Work in Progress - oil on 20x20cm linen


Also the other day I posted an update on Caromble, outlining our gameplay ideas.
And here are two videos I just have to post. They’re fun either way, but knowing Minecraft is a plus. And if you don’t know it, it’s about time to start playing :) .


This video is a spoof of the “Dead Island” trailer that is doing the rounds recently. Better than the original if ya ask me.

Ji-Hae 2: Work in Progress Step two

Posted on December 12, 2010 by Thomas | Work in Progress | Tags: , , |

Before I’m off again for the third session, here’s a quick update on the painting I showed off last week. Probably won’t finish it today – fixes on the face are left, the eyes of course, hands, dress, flower-bucket… too much, so I’m planning to make one session without model next week.

"Ji-Hae 2", Work in Progress 2

"Ji-Hae 2", Work in Progress 2

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