Sketch-A-Day: Drezzer Redesign Thoughts [artwork]

[the_gneech]

Today's sketch is a brainstorm on redesign thoughts for everybody's favorite gay British wolf photographer. Drezzer's look was inspired by two major things: first was a sketch of Spiked Punch done by Herbie, and second was George Harrison. And while I've always been fairly pleased with the end result, it does have a few rough spots that could stand revisiting, especially when moving to the larger canvas of the comic page.



The original idea behind the floppy ears was just a way to give him a bit of a distinctive look. This time around, I took a little inspiration from Don Karnage and just had the tips folded over, instead of the whole ear bent in half.

What do you think? :)

-The Gneech

Comments

I like it

[eddiecanis.livejournal.com]

I think the smaller folds are great

Re: I like it

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Thankee. :)

-TG

[aj-hyena.livejournal.com]

This says "Generic Wolf" rather than "Drezzer Wolf" to me. *shrugs*

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Interesting!

-TG

[invisiblewolf.livejournal.com]

Wow...that's really sexy! :-)

-Spiritwolf.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

-TG

[stilghar.livejournal.com]

Agreed. :D

[darkwingpsycho.livejournal.com]

I like it! He looks very dashing! :)

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Thankee!

-TG

[ceruleanst.livejournal.com]

I do not get the Michelle-Light-badge practice of breaking the line of the mouth. Is there a reason for it, other than "this is what furry art is supposed to look like"?

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I always read it as "the fur obscures the mouth seam," myself, although I've seen it on non-furry things as well. I think it's just a stylistic thing to make the mouth-line less prominent, sorta like the "no mouth profile." This is actually the first time I've ever tried using it.

-The Gneech

[wielder13.livejournal.com]

Well, it's hard for me to object to any design of Drezzer. :) But in truth this is a good look for him I think. It looks more mischievous and playful to me but with a serious edge. A more sophisticated edge. The ear folds add to that I think. The additional details around the edge of the 'cheeks' give him a more wolfish look too. Overall, I like this design. Very sexy.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Thankee!

-TG

[athelind.livejournal.com]

It looks more like Drezzer than ever, to me.

It also looks perhaps a few years older and wiser, in that same subtle way that Dana's changing styles made Ozzy and Millie look like they were getting older, despite her occasional insistence that they were intended to be the same age as always.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

It looks more like Drezzer than ever, to me.

Interesting! How so?

-TG

[tr-wolf.livejournal.com]

Well it still certainly says 'Drezzer' to me :)

As for personality and the sort, look into Russell Brand, he has what I'd consider Drezzer's sort of personality and voice :P

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

What Russell Brand I found on YouTube was a little OTT for Drezzer (although I did like the line "I didn't expect to have to justify it to the cast of 'Cheers'!").

re: voice, I've always imagined him sounding like Tony Robinson.

-TG

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

I do like the revised ear folds - definitely says 'wolf' now.

Perhaps I'll start liking his character better too...

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Aww! Ya don't like ol' Drez?

-TG

[theodwulf.livejournal.com]

I like everything about this except how wide the mouth is. It somehow makes him look not british. Couldn't hope to say why.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Upper lip not stiff enough? ;)

-TG

[rogue-megawolf.livejournal.com]

*swoon*!

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I'll take that as a vote in favor! :D

-TG

[rhanlav.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. Slighly floppy ears! I like. Now if he'd just talk in a bad Carnage piratey accent.

--Salen

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Baldrick doing a bad Dezi Arnez imitation -- the mind reels! 0.o

-TG

[jason-kenyon.livejournal.com]

Absolutely charming! I can't put my finger on it, there's just something about it, but I just love the new design :)

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks. :)

-TG

[stilghar.livejournal.com]

I like it.

Maybe its the ears, maybe it's just that grin, but I think he looks rather playful.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

"Playful" is definitely a word that should be associated with Drezzer! :)

-TG

[susandeer.livejournal.com]

Oi! Drez's gone all Hollywood on us! Lookit that nose job! Good nose, like a fine wine!

Overall, definitely more wolf-ish. I might trim back a bit of the shag on the ear-tips, though, fuzzy, but not shaggy.

Hmm... Look how many more comments there are on the Drezzer sketches than on the Tiff sketches... Guess you know for sure now which side of the bread gets the butter, eh? @;)

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, this is the furry fandom. ;)

Plus, Drezzer came out better than my Tiff sketches did -- and the world at large hasn't seen yours yet. ;)

-TG

[kylet.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm kinda curious exactly how you want him to look. That may sound stupidly obvious, but I've never been sure exactly how much of Drezzer's, um, physical popularity was intentional. Particularly because, Beatlemania-era girls aside, I hardly consider George Harrison a sex symbol. I know you said much of his sexiness is his attitude, but it's still a matter of whether he's good-looking but doesn't put too much effort into it, or whether he's more just sorta scruffy-cute and the attitude is what counts.

Cuz, to get longwindedly to my point, your original design seems to be more of the latter, but this version looks a little more good-looking-and-he-knows-it. Probably due to the mouth/jawline.

This isn't to say either is right, or will be interpreted by everyone as such, but as another artist I find it fascinating to play the game of what the artist visualizes and what the public sees.

Drezzer's in sort of a unique place that while people "expect" a model or a bartender or an athletic computer geek or a goofy mystic to "look" a certain way, but with Drez, you've got free range :-)

FWIW, I'm afraid the folded ears always make me think a collie. But I do approve of the more realistic wolf coloring to the ruff.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Drezzer's supposed to be fairly good-looking in a bohemian kind of way — not supermodel-gorgeous the way Conrad is John-Wayne-rugged the way Leonard is, but certainly very appealing to those who like his particular type. (They're also the type who swoon over Neil Gaiman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Gaiman). His "imperfection" is part of his appeal.)

In Drezzer's case, it's not so much that he's "good looking and knows it," as it is "he's very comfortable just being himself and will happily share that with you." It's more of a happy confidence, than a swagger.

Interesting, re: collies, given the prominence they have in his backstory. :) That might actually be a good thing!

-The Gneech

[tchall.livejournal.com]

I don't have much to add to what's already been said. He does have a more wolfish look to him. I think the way you've redrawn his cheek ruffs is one of the things that makes a difference. Not having his ears so floppy also makes a difference.

The changes are subtle, which is good, since it's still clearly Drezzer. His personality, also, still comes shining through, as you said, happy and comfortable with himself. Very nice job.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Thankee! :)

-TG

[level-head.livejournal.com]

I like this. Interesting how the angularities make him look rather more like Leonard in places.

The folded ears worked for me, though, and were a sort of "spot him from a distance" trademark.

I'm certainly happy to see the ears not folding. And the strip.

===|==============/ Level Head

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Actually, from Drezzer's very first appearance in my sketchbook, he had Leonard's eyes, which wasn't deliberate on my part but probably points at some psychological underpinning of mine somewhere. (And both pairs of eyes are based on my own ... go fig!)

-The Gneech

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

I read in the Tiffany thread that you had posted a redesign of Drezzer.

I had to look!

Dashing, strong, and three-dimensional. His image matches my mental image. Great work!

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks. :)

-TG