Here's a Michael Phelps illustration I just finished. I came up with the concept after doing a couple quick sketches, and this one stuck out. So I worked it up at a larger size, and went to town. I was pretty pleased with the inking job, but when I started with the watercolors, my mood quickly sank. I think I nailed down the fleshtones pretty well (though some of the color was lost when I scanned it). But the water and the smoke aren't nearly as successful. After finishing, I started to rethink the green smoke elevating out of Phelps, as a reference to his recreational drug usage. I think it makes him look too much like some sort of smoke stack releasing toxic waste. But on the other hand, I'm guessing the news is recent enough that viewers will make the connection. As for the likeness, I dont know that I quite captured the goonish face of Phelps. One would think it would be an easy face to caricature- big ears, big nose, weird mouth, skinny face, big chin, eyes close together, fairly defined brow ridge, etc. Somehow though all those characteristics were featured, I just missed him somewhere. It might be the hair, or the eyes might be a tad big. I'll figure it out sooner or later.
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