This illustration is a Work-in-Progress, but I had to show you my progress. I am using photos scrounged from search online as my resource material. Most of the time the resolutions are pretty low - like 96 ppi at 400 x 360 or worse. This means less detail and my end result can only be so good. However, I did a search for Yabusame, an archer samurai specialist, one I'm doing a Samurai archetype for. I found this awesome photo which was an amazing 6000 ppi wide, so excellent detail to work from. The problem is it's so detailed, it's putting me through extra steps to depict this well. This has taken me twice as long as I have on the other illustrations and I'm only close to half-way. Anyway, the photo also featured a yabusame on an Asian horse - which you usually don't find.

Something I've learned about myself, when I tackle a map or illustration project. I identify what the hardest part of a given job is and I start there first. The mane on this horse was the first of a number of hairy issues all over (I was intimidated by the mane), so I started with the mane.

I'll post the final of this one when I'm done. I just wanted to show you the detail I've gotten so far (too far), and to show you a work-in-progress with vector illustration. I'm likin' it so far, just got to finish this before I go mad!

GP

yabusame-wip.jpg