Inuit Boy Inks

This is the first time I've approached a close-up portrait using dry brush. At least for an illustration. Using a very line oriented technique, there was always the problem of how to get the subtlety I wanted in a close-up portrait. With straight line art you're limited to contour, and there's only so much you can describe with contour. So dry brush with a few lighter washes really added the nuance I wanted. Portraits tend to be the mainstay of a lot of YA book cover art, so this approach should serve me well in the future. This Inuit story has been a great trial run for YA illustration--I was hoping that Cricket would give me the chance to do some figure work and this is just the opportunity I needed. With a roomy deadline, I'm able to do a little more experimentation than I might otherwise do, and it's really paying off in ways I could have never imagined. Stay tuned for more dry brush inks!