sketches to final

Wow...it's been a while since I posted sketches. I promise to do better in the future. and I'll start by offering my first 'process' post. This particular job was a quick turnaround cover for the Pasadena Weekly on the BCS national championship game. When talking sports illustrations (and college football in particular), Jack Davis and his battling mascots come to mind.

My initial loose thumbnails were based off the idea of Bevo, the Texas Mascot, battling the Alabama elephant (does he have a name??). My first three thumbnails have the Titans in different grappling poses both inside, outside and above the Rose Bowl.Joel, the art director, ultimately decided to go with the one showing the mascots dukin' it out inside the Stadium, and this was a great choice considering the game was to be played in the iconic Rose Bowl with it's immediately recognizable facade.

For the second and third round of sketches, I added details to the mascots and stadium, blocked out a space where the header would go and made sure the sketches fit the cover dimensions.

After a night of inking and photoshop, I emailed the final cover illustration to Joel!