Jonathan Duncan: ORIGINS

I owe a good bit to videogames. Ever since I was in Middle School anyone that knew me could attest to the fact that I was always drawing videogame characters from copies of Electronic Gaming Monthly or taking videogame guides into English class for mandatory reading time. It started out as an obsession, but after I matured (maybe) I came to appreciate games rather than have an unhealthy obsession with them. 

Metroid was one of my favourite franchises. It was by unlocking concept art in Metroid Prime that I knew I wanted to do concept art in videogames for a living, and Samus Aran is by far the character I've drawn more than any other. After a mother of an old friend found a rendition of Samus painted on her basement wall from around eight years ago, I decided to give it another go, for old time's sake:

There's something endearing I've lost with the newer version. 

Maybe it's the broken arm or the glam-rock boots. 

Make Believe

Another image that will be finished and added to my Senior Show

When I was little I used to pretend I was a monster. This memory came back to me in the middle of this sketch. When I pursued the monster from a long time ago I was surprised to find that the monster himself had gotten older. His design changed (just like mine) and his visual aesthetic had different needs now than it did when I was younger. 

I'm reminded with this image that art (for me) is not a one-way project—it is an exchange. There are things I've forgotten that haven't forgotten me, and I learn about these things (and inevitably myself) the more time I spend in an artistic state of mind. 

Ego Trip

That image I planned on finishing is mostly completed. I'm new to this whole "finished image" business, but in doing this image, I'm appreciating the importance of a visible brush stroke. The less strokes there are, the more important the strokes become. A simple concept, yes, but I had to learn it the hard way.

Left to right: Id, Ego, Superego

I have more images to work on for my Senior Show. If you're in the area of IWU, it'll be on April 4th.

Let's Try This Again

Still in progress.

This time I made sure to include my less-flattering traits. This has been my most successful self portrait to date (according to my sister, at least)!

Licorice

Grape Twizzler, if you were wondering.

Wallpaper

I had been meaning to make a wallpaper for my MacBook for ages. Finally got around to it today!

I used a texture from CG Textures, as well as a picture of grease from tonight's dinner (spinach rice and marinated pork, in case you were wondering).

Looking at the work of Andrew Jones reminded me that I do not do enough self-portraits.

I certainly hope I do more in the future!