tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post6455440416815397790..comments2024-03-28T16:36:12.581-04:00Comments on Gurney Journey: Cumberland, Part 2: Choosing the SceneJames Gurneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-47491962501700906782009-09-02T10:49:07.268-04:002009-09-02T10:49:07.268-04:00You know...in my upcoming comic book, the best sce...You know...in my upcoming comic book, the best scene that I wrote was actually suggested by the person that reviewed the scenario.<br />My own black smoke.Erik Bongershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02409523352634066030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-37228391307472942062009-09-02T06:53:36.719-04:002009-09-02T06:53:36.719-04:00Erik and Badbot--I agree that the smoke helps the ...Erik and Badbot--I agree that the smoke helps the painting. It needed simplification somewhere, and were it not for the requirements of layout, I probably would have crowded in a bunch of detail up there. Sometimes as you know the demands of the page design can actually improve a painting.James Gurneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-22677010385465724682009-09-02T06:24:59.301-04:002009-09-02T06:24:59.301-04:00as Erik said i thought the black smoke was really ...as Erik said i thought the black smoke was really useful in the composition. To me it give more focus on what's going on the desk and give more sense to the image... it finally turned out that it was for layout reasons.<br /><br />anyway, i really feel the final composition enhanced comparing to early sketches ( there are stunning by the "reality feeling" they evoke by the way ! so small sketches giving such an accomplished vision...).<br /><br />a great work!<br /><br />thanks for sharing this experience with us!badbothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17827386343541823313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-22564483381533009902009-09-02T05:37:55.930-04:002009-09-02T05:37:55.930-04:00Tyler and all, thanks for the nice compliment. I&#...Tyler and all, thanks for the nice compliment. I'm glad you're finding the stuff useful. <br /><br />And by the way, I catch every comment on back posts--even very early posts--because the email flags me. So I read 'em all, even if sometimes I can't get back and answer questions.James Gurneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-50562269281132994702009-09-02T01:22:23.032-04:002009-09-02T01:22:23.032-04:00Not sure if you will catch this comment since it i...Not sure if you will catch this comment since it is so late, but I so appreciate your generosity with your time, talent and instruction. It is invaluable. Besides learning a great deal, I find something in your blog daily that inspires me to do more (and hopefully better) art.<br /><br />My sincere thanks.Tyler Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07171434906811033069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-70679170266856714802009-09-01T19:06:54.280-04:002009-09-01T19:06:54.280-04:00Ah...so, I'm praising black smoke that was ...Ah...so, I'm praising black smoke that was 'just' a layout idea...Erik Bongershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02409523352634066030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-55911856096754435052009-09-01T15:47:27.777-04:002009-09-01T15:47:27.777-04:00I was going to ask that's a lot of effort to g...I was going to ask that's a lot of effort to get the right camera angle on the scene. Why not have them worked out in a tonal pencil study instead?<br /><br />But as you say, with the experts...getting them the clearest picture in your head can get to the specifics of more informed dialogue.<br /><br />Great job.<br /><br />=s=Shane Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05706984816021430077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-39226265460293469902009-09-01T15:04:09.743-04:002009-09-01T15:04:09.743-04:00"I wanted to give the expert naval historians..."I wanted to give the expert naval historians something to react to right away."<br /><br />Very smart.Daroohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02269629297022511462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-35295409700445775252009-09-01T14:12:27.792-04:002009-09-01T14:12:27.792-04:00Hey, these are all great questions. I do the resea...Hey, these are all great questions. I do the research in a series of rounds. The first round (since I was a compleat dummy on Civil War history) was to read a bunch of children's books. <br /><br />I looked at whatever references I could find easily to do thumbnail sketches, and then I did those four little oil sketches (about 3x4 inches each). So those are pretty early in the process. <br /><br />I did them before meeting with the experts, because I wanted to give the expert naval historians something to react to right away. I found out if the position of the boats or the light direction or whatever was fundamentally wrong. It's not as productive to meet with experts empty handed. <br /><br />The comprehensive sketch was about 9x12 inches. Erik, the art director and I decided to use the black smoke in the upper left with the thought of this being a double page spread, with type running across the smoke.<br /><br />Nat Geo pays for the research stage as part of the whole job. I don't charge extra even if I do more work, unless they change their minds and make me start over on a whole different concept. They paid the full price even though the piece wasn't run, which was good of them. <br /><br />The deadlines in this case were very generous--the story kept getting pushed back--so we had the art evolving over a year and a half. Though I also work on one and two-week deadlines from other magazines, and enjoy those too.James Gurneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-84213548238461573452009-09-01T14:01:46.685-04:002009-09-01T14:01:46.685-04:00Based on your Utopiales posts, I'm assuming we...Based on your Utopiales posts, I'm assuming we are missing the step where draw a bunch of pen and pencil thumbnails, exploring angles, action/posing and lighting.<br /><br />These color studies do seem highly finished. Is their purpose not only to sell the concept and give you a clearer path to the final painting, but also to give the client something more specific to "sign off" on? <br /><br />I would think it would give you much greater confidence to paint the final, if you knew everyone was on board (Pun intended).Daroohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02269629297022511462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-76377352733867702502009-09-01T12:58:05.967-04:002009-09-01T12:58:05.967-04:00Incredible ! You call these "sketches" b...Incredible ! You call these "sketches" but they seem to be more fully realized. How much reference is used for these sketches? Do you have photographic reference you shoot yourself of men in uniform? Do you pull things from memory and imagination for these studies as well? This is such an impressive work.Dave Lebowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03367655752088520869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-30256133403453811152009-09-01T12:16:17.647-04:002009-09-01T12:16:17.647-04:00Hi Jim,
The (former) illustrator in me wonders ho...Hi Jim,<br /><br />The (former) illustrator in me wonders how many sketches, mock ups, roughs, whatever you want to call them, does NG typically want to see when the hire you for a job?<br /><br />At what point do you start asking for more money?<br /><br />You mentioned that you traveled to the location and met with historians. How much of your travel and research would they pay for?<br /><br />What sort of deadines do they give when they comission art?<br /><br />I can't help but think of "Where's Waldo" looking at all of the figues and all of the stories you tell by what they are doing.<br /><br />Gorgeous work! I love the water.E Colquhounhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02521661863846363083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-46810371039080360172009-09-01T11:40:55.543-04:002009-09-01T11:40:55.543-04:00Very interesting and informative! I'm thinking...Very interesting and informative! I'm thinking about the same thing as Paolo Rivera, about how detailed and correct these sketches are. Did you do pencil studies first, or did you just paint straight from your photos of the scale models?<br /><br />And an unrelated question: It says in your store site that you only ship within the US. Will the Imaginative Realism book be available in any other way outside the US, or do you only sell from your website?David Stillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06788583610600014354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-33817413213875377952009-09-01T09:59:49.907-04:002009-09-01T09:59:49.907-04:00Jim, These are such great studies! Could you tell ...Jim, These are such great studies! Could you tell us what size they're painted at? <br /><br />I have to believe that at this point in your process, you've already done a great deal of research. Though painted loosely, these studies have an immense amount of detail in them.<br /><br />And finally, a nitty gritty question: does National Geographic pay you a flat rate, regardless of the number of iterations and proposals?Paolo Riverahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11088106827920011644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-33396610155844523162009-09-01T09:43:52.439-04:002009-09-01T09:43:52.439-04:00I was just wondering out loud if illustrations of ...I was just wondering out loud if illustrations of post color photography historical events would be 'accepted' or looked at as 'not real' .... <br />for example, sept 11th... could thre be an effective illustration of that?<br /><br />Anyway, as previously mentioned, thanks for posting this, I have been looking all over for some tips on 'epic' history paintings...<br />Although atleirs like Grand Central have done a wonderful job of reviving lost academy techniques, there's not a lot of information out there about history painting...its fascinating to see the process 'looking over your shoulder' :)i, mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14866554133662047782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-13941599513169342562009-09-01T09:34:34.441-04:002009-09-01T09:34:34.441-04:00JAMES GURNEY!..YOU ARE A BIG MASTER!!...BEST :)JAMES GURNEY!..YOU ARE A BIG MASTER!!...BEST :)FATİH KARAKAŞhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12583650723030902911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-88850546229144494532009-09-01T09:26:32.319-04:002009-09-01T09:26:32.319-04:00Comparing the final sketch and the painting, I rep...Comparing the final sketch and the painting, I repeat the comment I gave the first time you posted this painting: the thick black smoke that envelopes the scene at the top was a golden idea for drama and composition.<br />Also because the mast and lookout drag the attention away in the sketch.<br /><br />As to the decision to 'zoom in a little', there you have the trade of between artistic concerns and illustrative concerns from the art director. A bit similar to what's discussed in the "Marooned" post a couple of days ago, I guess.Erik Bongershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02409523352634066030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-21038595644954089472009-09-01T09:17:15.964-04:002009-09-01T09:17:15.964-04:00Wow! As an amateur painter and a huge history geek...Wow! As an amateur painter and a huge history geek, I love seeing the process. I've taken a couple of classes with Keith Rocco, and I believe he has as much fun researching the project as he does painting it. Do you find the same is true for you?Petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09011033104850067775noreply@blogger.com