A Study of Moriarty // Art Dump

"Every fairytale needs a good old-fashioned villain" - Jim Moriarty, Consulting Criminal

 

Here are a few facts for you. 

1)  I love Sherlock because it's a brilliant, aesthetic, and addicting show full of the most amazing acting and plot-twists. 

2)  I also love Moriarty because he's the most evil and terrifying villain I've ever seen on a screen. 

3)  Steven Moffat.  I'm going to find you.  And I'm going to make your murder look like an accident. 

I won't go into depth about Moriarty's character, because it's like a black hole of sadistic insanity you get sucked into.  Just like the fandom. 

All you need to know, is that James Moriarty is one of the most fascinating and evil characters ever invented and is an arrogant, psychopathic, and brilliant genius. 

So what do I do when I find a character that I'm just so in love with, so deeply fascinated with their character that it's very hard not to throttle every other human who says derogatory things about said character?


I draw a picture.  That's what people DO.

Here is le picture.  I call it "A Study of Moriarty" because you know...A Study in Pink?  Get it?  I'm hilarious shut up.

I actually kept track of the progress this time so here is the step by step progress thing.


Step 1.  Find a reference image.

This is always the hardest part because I can never decide on an image.  It's a process of "I LOVE THEM ALL but which one SPEAKS to me the most."  I decided this one looked the most "evil" so there we go.  (Don't get me wrong though, I still want to draw all the rest)

 

Step 2.  Scribble out an outline.

I hate this part.  It usually involves long pep talks and me mentally preparing myself to take the plunge.  Because this is the part that will decide whether or not the entire picture will turn out and within a few seconds of that pencil being in contact with paper, tell me if it's a Drawing Day or a Not Drawing Day.  And it always turns out to be cringey no matter how much I try on the outline. 

look how cringey this is.  the cringe.

Step 3.  Recklessly start shading.

I have the patience of a small armadillo sitting on a cactus so no, I am not going to wait to check it the outline needs to be revised I JUST JUMP RIGHT IN WITH MAH BLENDER.

slightly less cringey and more evil but still

Step 4.  .....More shading.


This lasts forevaaaaahhhhhhhh.  Because this is the phase where I notice all the places my outline failed me and the proportions are all over the place.  And then my eraser comes out.  And I erase what I just shaded.  And this happens like 68 more times and my patience is usually snapped at some point.

the glare is coming along nicely

Step 5.  Realize proportions are still not right and panic.


..........................................
I hate this part so much it makes me have so much self-loathing and doubt and I basically start planning another career in law or medicine because THE ARTS HATE ME LOOK AT THIS MONSTROSITY. 

it was here that I realized with a sinking heart that his mouth was too small

Step 6.  Give up on the face and just start the suit.


This is where I throw in the towel, scream "IT'S GOOD ENOUGH", and just start shading the lovely creases of Moriarty's Westwood suit.

it's hard to draw with that face leering up at you

Step 7 (Step the Last).  Cry over the finished (?) product.


I always end a picture when my patience finally snaps and I have no desire to fix anything else I just want it to be DONE. 

kalghslghsHSLDKGHSskdhg

Aaaand that's the step-by-step progress of "A Study of Moriarty", everyone! 


Then I have to run around and show my parentals my new picture and spend an hour looking for good camera angles and places with good lighting and props for the photoshoot and which Instagram filters to use and....it's a lengthy progress. 

Well, that's the art dump for this decade.  Enjoy. 


Now have some heart-wrenching Twenty One Pilots concert renditions because feels:

Bye bye darlings.