Last Christmas Bag

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bags Productions

This is the last Christmas Bag of 2012, it is another "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" red bag, it is somewhat successful, but I will need to try and think of a better way to use these guys in the future.

Pitt Pens, Col-Erase Pencils, prismacolor pencils and white gel pens.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

In this week's bag I tried to use a red bag this time with mixed results I think.  I used both prismacolor colored pencils and also copic markers with a sharpie for the black background and an oil pastel over the top of that for a little glow.

2012 Christmas Card Finals

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle bag Productions

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle bag Productions

Here are the final illustrations for our 2012 Christmas Cards. We are depicted on our very own Christmas Album.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Red Lunch Bag Study

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

I am trying to use a red lunch bag this week so I am experimenting with the results.  This is a quick study.

In the Bleak Mid Winter

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

This week I tried something a little different and it appears to have generated mixed results. The carol is "In the Bleak Mid-Winter" which is a very somber song and didn't seem to lend itself to a character. I also tried to not use lines to define the image and fell back on the crutch in a couple of places, but I am not skilled enough with the markers it seems to get a good blend yet. It still has some good parts and Sara seems pleased.

Kraft Paper (lunch bag), copic markers, calligrapher's ink, white gel pens

Gandalf

Gandalf property of respective rights holder(s)

This week's sketch card is in honor of the Hobbit film that has been released.  My son read the Hobbit several years ago and has read it a couple of times since then, we are going to see it tonight, so his sketch card for his lunch reflects the movie.

Illustration board, copic markers, pitt pens

Christmas Card Update

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

Finally got the front composed!  On to the back!  In the home stretch!

Card Mock up

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

This is the mock up for the Christmas Card with all the characters composed.

Christmas Dad

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bags Productions

Sara's Dad tripping over and bumping into the edge of the frame (to be added later) for the Christmas Card.  

Hand drawn, inked, computer colors and updated inking.

I'll be home for Christmas

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

This week's lunch bag for my daughter with the lineart and the insert for the story in place. The Christmas Carol is "I'll be home for Christmas" A soldier in WW2 reads a Christmas Card and dreams of being home for the holidays amid destruction.

Kraft Paper, col-erase pencils, pitt pens, copic markers, prismacolor highlights.

Yoda

Yoda is owned by Lucasfilm (and eventually Disney) and the Force

This week's sketch card for my son's lunch copic markers and pitt pens on Bristol board sketch card.

Lunch bag sneak peak

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

The colors are going down on this week's lunch bag.  The illustration is from the Christmas Carol "I'll be home for Christmas"

Kraft paper, pitt pens, copic markers (so far)

Christmas Card Taylor

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

Still plugging through the character images for our Christmas Card.  Taylor has been colored and I am on to the dogs!

Sand People

Tusken Raider belongs to Lucasfilm and eventually Disney

This week's sketch card for my son's lunch.  Tusken Raider on Bristol Board sketch card with copic markers and dark sepia pitt pens.

Silent Night Lunch Bag

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

After Thanksgiving I change from the normal lunch bags with the story to bags that have illustrations from Christmas Carols, some are contemporary and some are traditional.  This is the first one with the information about the song.  I had thought about "Silent Night" for several years but had trouble trying to figure out an image that would work on the bag until I remembered the second stanza.

The bag is a traditional bag with col-erase pencil, Pitt Pens, Copic Markers, Calligrapher's ink, white gel pens and oil pastels

2012 Christmas Sara

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

Here we have the illustration for the Sara character for our Christmas Card.

Christmas Card Work

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

It is that time of year when the best laid plans come crashing around me.  I have been working on the Christmas Card off and on since July and am now just getting to finishing it up.  This year I wanted to set us up like we were on the cover of a Christmas album.  The top image is the back of the card, Santa has visited the house and dropped his cell phone while the dogs look at it receiving a call or text.  The bottom image is Sara's Mom in her Christmas outfit.  More to come soon I hope!

Sara's Lunch Bag 016 - 5th grade

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

This week the real villain appears, the Gym Rat has been encroaching in on the Locker Gnomes territory.

Kraft Paper (lunch bag) pitt pens, copic markers, oil pastels and calligrapher's ink.

Darth Vader

Darth Vader copyright Lucasfilm (Disney soon)

A Darth Vader sketch card for my son's lunch.  2.5" x 3.5" Bristol Board with Copic Markers and calligrapher's ink.

Star Trek Girl

Star Trek copyright Paramount

This is another warm up drawing, sticking my toes into the Star Trek world this time, with an another old background thrown in for good measure.

Batgirl

Batgirl Copyright DC Comics and respective Rights Holders

This started as a warm up sketch for working on the Christmas Cards, then I decided it was also a warm up for the digital colors.  Then I just had to finish the darn thing.  I grabbed an old computer study model I had done as the background image to finish it up or else this thing would have kept going.

Boba Fett Sketch Card

Boba Fett - copyright LucasFilm and other respective rights holders

This is a sketch card I did for my son's lunch, 2.5"x3.5" bristol board with copic markers.

Lunch Bag 014

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

This past week's lunch bag for my daughter, I tried using dark sepia pens for the line work, but it kind of washed everything out I think.  She has caught her parachute on an outcropping of debris and is trying to get down as the Locker Gnome looks on in panic.

R2-D2

Copyright by Lucasfilm (and now Disney)

This week's sketch card for my son's lunch.

Lunch Bag 013

All images and Text Copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

This week finds Sara caught up in her parachute as she tries to follow the Locker Gnome.

Happy Halloween

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

This is the final 2012 Halloween image for the big night this Wednesday.

Lunch Bag 012

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

Sara takes a tour of the Locker Gnome's storage facility via a parachute, they just need to take care that they don't get stacked into one of the bins!

Mummy Doodle

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

This was a little doodle I did while sitting through a painful seminar on the merits of fiberglass windows.  The things you do to get CEU's.  

Mummy and Zombie oh my!

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

Just a little Halloween doodle on a post it note, zombie action wrapped in a little mummy fabric

Dr. Who Cyberman

Cyberman copyright of respective rights holders 

This was a sketch card for my son's lunch.  Bristol board sketch card, copic markers, and pitt pens.

Locker Gnome Production Schedule

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

The Locker Gnome has let Sara into his office, she has asked him what he does and he explains that his work has taken a big hit since kids have started using electronics and he doesn't know what he is going to do.

Pumpkin Trick or Treater

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

This character was used on a new Halloween composition.

Ghostly Trick or Treats for Halloween

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

A little Halloween imagery that was used in a bigger composition.  

Oktoberfest

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

These two bags were done for the hosts of an Oktoberfest Party that we attended last night.

Kraft Paper (lunch bags), col-erase pencils, pitt pens, copic markers, and white gel pens (with a little prismacolors here and there)

Sara Lunch Bag 10

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

This week Sara has tracked the locker gnome to his office and he is hiding out for some reason. 

Kraft Paper (Lunch Bag), col-erase markers, pitt pens, copic markers, white gel pens

Robot Card

All images and text Copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

This past week's sketch card for my son is the reaching hand of a robot with a gaping mouth beyond.  Copic Marker on bristol board with Pitt Pens.

5th Grade Lunch Bag 009

Copyright 2012 - Michael Smith, Doodle Bag Productions

This week finds the Locker Gnome still on the run and making a break past some storage bins for "lost textbooks and homework"

Thor Sketch Card

Thor is property of respective rights holders

This week's sketch card for my son, in honor of The Avengers movie being released for home viewing this week.  Thor.  3.5"x2.5" Bristol Board sketch card, copic markers and pencil.

Presentation Video

I was asked to give a presentation for the Nashville Pecha Kucha group, where I present 20 slides that stay on the screen for 20 seconds.  I was the first presenter at this event and there was some technical difficulties with the last part of the video, but it was a lot of fun and I really appreciate the opportunity. Click the link below for the presentation:

Doodle Bag Productions Presentation

For more information on Pecha Kucha:
Pecha Kucha Nashville

2012 Halloween Witch

Copyright 2012 - Michael Smith

First character for a Halloween composition.  Hand drawn and photoshop colors.  On to the next character...

Lunch Bag 008

Copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

This week the Locker Gnome is making a break for it!  Sara has surprised him in his secret lair and he wants to get away!  Standard lunch bag, col-erase pencil, Pitt Pens, Copic Markers, Sharpies, white prismacolors, white gel pen

Lunch Bag 007

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

Sara has entered the realm of the Locker Gnomes and surprised one of them who was in the process of stealing a math book.

Kraft paper lunch bag, col-erase pencil, pitt pens, sharpie marker, copic markers, white prismacolor pencils, white gel pen.

Lunch Bag 006 Color

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

The bag with the color added, way too much hatching, it took longer to hatch than it did to draw or render the bag.

Sara Bag 006 Ink

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Designs

This week's bag in process, the inks took a long time for this one, I got to get her into a well lit area soon!

Bag #5 and a friend

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions

Here are two bags that got produced last week.  The top one is for my daughter to take to school on Friday, she is making her way into the depths of the locker and finding out what is hidden in there.  

The second bag is for her aftercare teacher who wanted to give it to her granddaughter in Colombia.

Both are done with col-erase pencils, copic markers, pitt pens, white gel pens and oil pastels.

4th Lunch Bag of 5th Grade

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

Sara and the Leaky Locker is the theme for this year's series of lunch bag's.  I don't think that she has enough time to read a story at lunch, but I like the idea of the character having to deal with the added challenge of dealing a locker.   One that is out in the hall that houses all kinds of random gear and troubles.

Building on the previous year's techniques, the pencils went down as blue col-erase lines on the bag itself, then I inked over them, fleshing out the detail and then layering in the cross hatching for shades and shadows.  The color is done with Copic markers and some sharpie. Finally the white on the character is mainly prismacolor pencil with a little gel pen to give it some punch.  The white mist is added to help "pop" the character using smeared oil pastels.

The 11th Doctor

Dr. Who is the property of the respective rights holder 

This week's sketch card for my son's lunch.  The 11th Doctor Who and his sonic screwdriver.

2.5" x 3.5" illustration board sketch card, sepia pitt pens, Copic markers, oil pastels, and just a little sharpie.  

The size of the cards are a challenge to convey an image that is recognizable on such a small layout.  Then having enough room to blend the marker color.  The lines are also kind of a pain, the Pitt pens take time to dry enough to go back over with the markers.  I have recently experimented with starting with color and treating it more like a painting, but my skill level has not reached that yet!  I was pleased with the tones of the skin and the fact that ever 3/4's of his face is basically recognizable as the character.

2012-2013 lunch bag #3

All images and text copyright 2012 - Michael Smith Doodle Bag Productions