Sparks's toyhouse profile • plot info • toyhouse • tumblr • deviantart

This is Sparks. He is the rear gunner in the Lancaster portion of my WW2 plot. I have been fighting this asshole the past 2 weeks.
He's stubborn and sassy. Not a morning person (I feel ya buddy). Talking to him before 11am is ill-advised, at least give him a chance to smoke a few cigarettes and drink a mug of the pisswater that passes as coffee.
Sparks is a nickname, I haven't gotten round to giving him a proper name yet. Suggestions welcome and appreciated!
Theme is Hammer to Fall - Queen.

I usually need a vague mental image before I can make a new OC but I did try to work spontaneously and forced Sparks because I want to get on with the Lancaster portion of my WW2 plot. Trouble is, I am very visual and can't do that unless I have art of all the characters in front of me. Heck I can't even begin to develop them until I have at least a flat shaded headshot sketch.
It took quiet a few passes to get him down then took a few colour passes on top of that!

Used this as more style testing/refining: tried a new brush, made my highlights softer and forgot how I shade clothing. Continuing to figure out how many lines are unnecessary. Was also good to get a chance to practice my hair shading technique on lighter hair, with medium/darker tones I can get away with 2 shading layers but for lighter tones it becomes a bit more involved since I want to keep value in mind whilst keeping it subtle.
Tbh I could of done better on the sleeve but I re-drew and re-shaded it so many times I just want it done now. I have a half decent working knowledge of how clothing folds work now but because I naturally over-complicate things simplifying is hard for me and I could not get simplified folds to look right. I actually work better with drawing fabrics requiring a lot of folds.

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Disclaimer: Historical plots focus on the psychological impact of war and are written from an anti-war POV. All are researched and taken seriously but there may be some mistakes.