All posts by michael sanborn

Treasure Map to Ghost Gold

In planning my daughter’s 7th birthday party, a ghost hunter themed celebration, I was called upon to create a treasure map to ghost gold that was apparently buried in our back yard.  I constructed the map from memory, sketching it first and then inking it with my micron pens on bristol board.  Once I was done, I scanned it, laid out coordinates in Photoshop and embellished it with a few ornaments.  After printing out 16 copies, one for each kid, I soaked and then spattered them with coffee and tossed them in the oven for 10 minutes at fairly high heat to weather them.  I think the effect worked pretty well.  I really enjoyed the process and think I might enjoy making more treasure maps in the future.  Props to any of you who figure out the clue at the bottom.  It was a little challenging for the seven-year-olds but once I helped them a bit, they were off and running!

msanborn_ghostTreasureMap_small_72_2016_3_19

Larger Animal Painting Value Pass Continues 2

I’ve been super busy with work and planning my daughter’s birthday (she wants a ghost hunter themed party!  Couldn’t be prouder!)  I have been managing to get work done on the painting nonetheless.  Got the character’s pretty well blocked in and I’ve started plugging away on the ship and background.  I’m not super happy with the clouds and water I have in my comp so I’ve started pulling new reference of a more active sky and water.  Here is the latest image of the work.  I am hopeful I will have the values blocked in after about two more week’s work.  Keeping my fingers crossed that nothing comes up and gets in the way.