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Spring
An all vector image created in Serif DrawPlus X2 just using the ‘Quick Shapes’ as the staring point. An entry in flick’s ‘Serif Users’ group monthly competition, titled ‘Spring’. No special effects have been used and all colours are made either with flat or vector fills. The out-lines are purposefully kept thick to provide a cartoon like appearance.
Escape
Another entry into the ‘Serif User’ group’s monthly competition titled ‘Escape’. An all vector, digital painting created with some of the various brushes available in Serif DrawPlus X2.
Yes, the ‘Springbok’ gets away!
Patchwork
A ‘patch’ created in Serif DrawPlus X2 as part of a combined ‘Patchwork Quilt’ project in the ‘Serif Users’ group. The image ‘grew’ out of playing with fills and quick shapes. The central square is filled with a ‘four colour mesh’ vector fill. This same fill is applied to every ‘Quick Donut’ created and each is also given a very slight ‘drop shadow’ and ‘inner glow’ effect to help bring them further out of the image. What I find interesting is the optical effect created by the same fill in two basic shapes but in different sizes and positions.
DrawPlus Images
This entire web site is created from images begun in Serif DrawPlus X2
Father’s Day Hero
When we are young, our fathers tend to belong to the super-heroes group. We seldom see the underpants being worn over the trousers, or the undone shoelaces. Growing older and noticing these things for the first time tends to shatter the image we grew up with. It is only as we join the circle and have children of our own that we really appreciate the hero (faults and all) found in our dads.
For those who are still with us and those who wait on the other side.
Theme and Variations
Each variation is shown alongside my original pencil sketch, the variations were created in Serif DrawPlus X2. Both the black & white and colour variations are basic vectors, the final image was created using the mesh fill tool (a vector fill tool).
Spacebus
A Retro-cum-Futuristic space ship created for the Serif User Group (flickr) monthly contest. This image was created using both Serif DrawPlus X2 and Serif PhotoPlus X2.
The Spacebus and its’ passengers were created in DrawPlus while PhotoPlus was used to create the space background.
Spring
Escape
Patchwork
Father’s Day Hero
Vision
Watching and waiting but never losing sight of the “here and now”.
This image has been simmering for the past couple of months - the clouds were the hardest part, going through several revisions. My wife, Laura, came to the rescue, casting her eye for detail over them, providing just the right words of encouragement. I’m happy with the end result. As always on this page, the entire image has been created in Serif DrawPlus X2.
African Elephant
Drawn using only the basic tools - the pen, ellipse fills and ellipse transparencies in Serif DrawPlus X3. Clicking on the image will open up a larger version. To provide some insight as to how this image was produced, I’ve included an animated gif of select stages in the drawing. Please click here to view it.
This is the first of my drawings to be made available as a print - you can see it here with the option to purchase your very own copy, framed or unframed.
Celtic knots
I’ve always been fascinated by Celtic knots and their use in Illuminated manuscripts like the Book of Kells or the Lindisfarne Gospels. The Sutton Hoo collection is also a rich treasury of Celtic artwork.
Drawn using only the basic tools - the pen, fills and blend modes in Serif DrawPlus X4. These knots are made up from four separate paths. Guidelines were drawn on one layer, the basic knot was drawn on another. For the highlights and shadows two other layers were created, one to hold the shadows, the other to hold the highlights. Shadows and highlights were drawn using the Soft Light Blend Mode. Blend modes were introduced in DrawPlus X4.
What is interesting is the difference the colours make to the same image. The black and gold version has a boldness and strength about it whereas the lilac and blue version has a much softer feel.
Clicking on the image will open up a larger version.
Celtic cross
Following on from the Celtic Knots below (I’ve really got the bug for drawing celtic artwork at the moment) here’s a variation on a Celtic Cross.
Drawn using only the basic tools - the pen, fills and blend modes in Serif DrawPlus X4. These knots are made up from four separate paths. Guidelines were drawn on one layer, the basic knot was drawn on another. For the highlights and shadows two other layers were created, one to hold the shadows, the other to hold the highlights. Shadows and highlights were drawn using the Soft Light Blend Mode. Blend modes were introduced in DrawPlus X4.
Scruff
A very quick doodle using the Serif DrawPlus brush tool.
It takes its drawing like quality from using the pencil style brushes that are available in DrawPlus X4.
I began by doodling the head and thought it looked a bit like a dog, so continued on this theme. Our dog loves playing with a soft squeaky ball so I added this in at the last minute as a tribute to her. She’s not called scruff and looks nothing like the drawing!
Doodle dinosaur
This was my entry for the 2011 Drawing Day event.
I began drawing using the Serif DrawPlus pen tool, drawing the body shape and thought it looked a bit ‘lizardy’ or possibly even dinosaur like. Continuing I added the eyes, spots and then the ‘ground’ which is a bitmap fill.
Wanting to maintain the strong vector appearance, the lines were given a Pressure Profile to make them thick and thin, providing a weighted look.