[Art] First Drawing in a LOOOONG time

[techmaster-glitch]

Ok, so, here's the skinny: I have not drawn anything in many years. It's a shame, really, everyone always said I used to be so good at drawing. Well, first time in many years, I sat down, got a mechanical pencil and scoured around for a tin of colored pencils, and drew. Like said, it's the first drawing I've done in years, so it's probably horrible, but them's the breaks. It's also one of the first time I've ever done a serious attempt at a face, I used to draw only robots and other machines or non-human things, and I tried to copy anime-style for the face. It looks horrendous. Especially since the face is the most detailed part of this drawing. The drawing itself was meant to be very simple and plain (hey, it's the first time I've drawn in years). And, it's also the first drawing I've ever fully-colored. Wow, this drawing is a lot of first's for me

So, without further delay, here is the image: http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/8581/quaddledp5.jpg
(Note: no, he doesn't have a half-shaved face and neck. That was a smudge )

This is Quaddle, archmage Planet-Guardian of the Earth. Yes I know he's not a furre, but he is the character I made for the Hero's League RP here. In fact, the reason I'm posting this is because I'm trying a shameless and blatant attempt to generate interest there. So, if you see this, and think you would make a good hero, go here!


But passing over that, back to the "art" itself. Constuctive criticism is wanted, I'm wondering if I should get back into the habit of drawing.
But if you want to flame and blam this doodle because it is terrible and plain and has little-to-no detail at all, feel free

[Kenji]

It has an almost "non-arm-tumor-popeye" feel to it.

[techmaster-glitch]

"non-arm-tumor-popeye"

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[Kenji]

"non-arm-tumor-popeye"

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Its a certainly unexpected thing.
In other words, the anatomy, odd as it is, could simply be it's own style, as the style of anatomy is consistent throughout the picture.

[techmaster-glitch]

Ah, consistancy. I got one thing right, at least!
I think the reason the anatomy looks wierd is because of the robe-like outfit he's clad in.

[Kenji]

Well its also partially the stance. A nice old-school cartoon stance, one most definately constantly featured in popeye.

[techmaster-glitch]

Huh. Now that I look closer at it myself, it does look a little bit like something out of popeye. Hm. I definately wasn't shooting for that. Oh well, that's all right, to you. Thanks for the comments!

Does anyone else have anything to say? I particularly would like advice on improving my technique, particularly faces.

[Zedd]

At least you can do better humans than me..Thats always a plus

[Rammenstein]

Hmm...that's not bad for your first time in a long time. Like the others said, the anatomy is odd, but it is consistent throughout. The face looks a tiny bit too rounded, and the pointed elbows look somewhat odd, but overall it's pretty good.

[techmaster-glitch]

The elbows are supposed to be pointed 'cuz that's how the outfit works

And that's another thing why I'm asking around for advice. I have absolutely no idea how to make a human head that isn't a perfect sphere
Even years later, I'm still used to blocky, angular, straight-edged robots. They're simpler to me

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

I think it's pretty cool. I especially like that right foot, and really all of that leg.
I'm going to propose that you should practise drawing with subjects within view, it helps to be sure. I'm loving how you drew the entire body, where-as I while drawing (even now) tend to taper-off when it comes to the more difficult parts of the body like hands and feet. I just don't allow myself to hide body parts anymore.


Of course, being as it is getting late I'm sure I'm really not making so much sense.

I think the cloak's cool too.

[GabrielsThoughts]

it reminds me of shaggy from scooby doo, but the color is confusing I almost missed the outline.

[techmaster-glitch]

To Sienna: Thanks for the compliments! I guess it's not as bad as I feared. Hands I think I can do OK, it's the feet that I usually have trouble with. Though I don't quite understand your suggestion:

I'm going to propose that you should practise drawing with subjects within view, it helps to be sure

What exactly does that mean? It sounds like a useful tip, and I'd like clarification on it.

To Gabriels: First Popeye, now Shaggy? My artistic style seems to run a completely random gamut, doesn't it?
Also, turn up your monitor contrast The only place the outline fades a bit is the lower right-side leg (Quaddle's left), and that's because that's an area I had to erase and redraw in the initial stages, and I forgot to re-darken it.

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

Yes, that was really the place I was referring to when I mentioned the tiredness.
Basically I was saying that it definitely helps (in my own experience) to use references, such as photographs and real people around you when trying to draw.
I might also suggest tutorials, because you can look in the mirror all day and still not realize the appropriate proportions of your face while trying to transfer it to paper (although it can help)

Good Luck my friend.

[techmaster-glitch]

Ah, got it. Unfortunately, there's not much I can do there, as I don't have many photographs, or any pictures for that matter, of anything. So what I do instead is get something on my computer, then run back and forth between my computer and my newly-dubbed "drawing space", which also happens to be wher i do my paperwork. But that's only when I actually need a refernce for something I don't think I can just pull out of my head. (I actually have a partly-started drawing before I did this one, it was going to be a furre with wings, and I put up one of the DMFA comics with Fa'Lina's wings streated out as a reference. i wonder if I should finish it?...)

As for tutorials, I have looked through, and even owned one, How To Draw books in my lifetime, (though it was a long time ago), and that's how I started this drawing out with what basically amounted to a stickman with shapes, just to get the location of everything. Then I build around that. The last few drawings I did, before I put down my pencil for years, were done in a somewhat similar fasion.

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

I personally use the computer for my references quite often (as well as my own body obviously) but I also used to draw at my computer desk. Now I just draw wherever.
You could always either print-off or sketch concepts for use in more extensive drawings?

And of course you should finish the drawing, I don't see why not.
I certainly think that your unique style for these times would be neat to see on these forums, and in the furre-style.

Well... *insert some awesome advice here*  ... and that is why you should never mix ten hours of staight television and burritos.

[techmaster-glitch]

I'll try to finish the drawing...but the reason I haven't already (Becasue I was actually planning that drawing to by my first) was because I couldn't get into my head what i wanted him to look like. The part that really stumped me was his right elbow (really, the whole right side of his body, it was suypposed to be different from his left), I couldn't figure out, even in some test sketches, how to get it to work. No, it's not because the angle was all wrong or something, it was the detail. I couldn't figure out how to make it look good.

As for my style... the drawing of Quaddle most definately is not representative of my style, I don't think I ever had a specific one, even when I did draw when I was younger. In fact, I just went digging through my junk and found a stack of papers from my entire sixth-grade year (I think that was the last time I drew), it had alot more stuff in it than I thought. I was going to scan some of them and put them up so you could see how and what I used to draw, but looking at them now, I'm suddenly suffering from Artist's Vision, which I didn't even know I had until now. Not to mention spelling. Seriously, they're horrible If I put them up on the internet, anyone in the world could see them, and I would have to kill myself out of shame so I'd never have to show my fugly face again

I might work up the courage to put up one or two of the better ones, though... after I've gotten back into drawing and found out what my (probably) new style is really like. Overall, how has my drawing changed in years? Only time will tell...

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

I think it's cool that you used to draw as a kid.
I didn't, so I suck.

Although coincidentally grade six was about the only point in my life where I'd ever taken any sort of a stab at drawing. Obviously I don't have any of those drawings left, as anybody who's known me through-out my DMFA-Fandom Career could possibly tell you.

[Fuyudenki]

Not at all bad for a first shot.  It's recognizable, at least, and the length proportions are decent, if the thickness proportions are a bit odd.  The head may seem rounded, but there are people with heads that shape.  For some reason, it reminds me of Avatar: the Last Airbender(would I get kicked for calling him a Windbreaker?  I don't watch that series.)

Any advice I try to give is going to be advice on how to draw Japanese-styled anime(not the Amerime ripoffs), so I'm not going to give it unless you want to adopt that particular style.  What I will say is that if you see a particular art style you like, grab a few pictures of it, and start tracing.  The idea here is to get into the mindset of seeing the same curves and shapes and emphasis that the "pro" artist sees.  Also, a few drawing manuals never hurt anyone.(we've got one, but I'm hesitant to ever pull it out, because the author seemed to dislike clothing, for whatever reason.)

If you just want to go for a realistic style, then Marvel/DC and Japanese-style anime actually would be what you're going for.  Trace those and some real photographs you find.  Even now, I often find myself dragging a picture of a real person into Paint, taking a large paintbrush, and painting red all over the important lines.  Like I said, not going for a good picture, just the lines.  Honestly, though, what you've got there is a great style.  Better than anything I ever produced before I decided to copy the Japanese.

I'm suddenly suffering from Artist's Vision, which I didn't even know I had until now. Not to mention spelling. Seriously, they're horrible If I put them up on the internet, anyone in the world could see them, and I would have to kill myself out of shame so I'd never have to show my fugly face again

Oh yeah, been there.  I was starting to wonder, about a year ago, if I'd actually gotten better at drawing, or if I my ego had just gotten out of control, and I felt better about what I drew, so I looked at some really old stuff, which I kept in a tiny notebook, intending never to let other people see it.

Short answer, most of those old pictures will never again see the light of day, unless I suddenly decide "shame" is a good form of suicide.

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

The way I view it, I'm not going to upload any of my old art, but what's online is what was my best effort at the time I did it (although I knew it was sucky at the time) and I'm not planning to take it down any time soon, as they were all part of the process to the artist I've become today.

Yes, that's right folks. I consider myself an artist 

[techmaster-glitch]

To Raist: When I said I was trying to copy the 'anime' style, I was mainly talking about eyes. In my old doodles, on the occasion I drew people, their facial features were as follows: Eyes were never anything more than circles with dots in them (with slanted lines (eyebrows) occasionally over them to show emotions, mainly only anger or sadness). Mouths were no more than lines when closed (bent in appropraite directions for emotions), or ovals when open. Noses and ears were utterly nonexistant. I just wanted to do anything other than what I used to do, and for the eyes on Quaddle, I just pulled out whatever came to my head in all the cartoons and comics I've seen in my lifetime.
For now, I'll just try random things until I find something I'm comfortable with. Failing that, I might just go back to my old standby; robots, tanks, and fantastic machines

To Sienna: Just a BTW for earlier, thanks for all of the encouragement I give you a hug

[Fuyudenki]

woah, you said something about wanting to draw anime-style, earlier?  I must have missed that.  In case you didn't catch it, I was assuming you didn't want anime-style.(it's getting a little bit cliche, these days.  I'm starting to feel like Dave Anez, except that I didn't hop on the bandwagon early enough for that)

Anime eyes are actually quite simple.  It's easier to show than tell, so I made a tutorial on Artpad.

Then, I hit "Back" before I got the URL.  Here we go again...

[edit]FAIL!  They didn't even save it!

I think I saw another place to do these besides Artpad.com, I'll look for it tomorrow.[/edit]

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

Well then, at the very least you can be a conceptual designer for Jy-Jy.

And yey! hugs!

[Fuyudenki]

I found something not entirely unlike Artpad.  It's not what I was looking for, but it should be close enough.

anyway...

how to draw an eye.

Hope that helps.

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

nice.

(PS- You've gotten your pupil and iris mixed up ^-^')

[Fuyudenki]

Yes, yes I did.

It wouldn't be so bad if I'd just gotten them flipped, either, but I actually called the Iris an "Iris," then five seconds later, at the bottom of the page, I called it a "Pupil."  I decided it was too much trouble to fix, though.

The site seems to support multiple pictures per account, so I might do another one on proportions and deformations of the human face.

I don't seem to do well with furry faces and feet, it seems.

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

yaurgh! Furries!
And I found it humourous at least. We'll just call it a game, called "spot the mistake!". It will be both fun and educational! *nod*

[Fuyudenki]

I make a lot of content for those types of games.  You should collect all of it and sell it as a board game. 

[techmaster-glitch]

I found something not entirely unlike Artpad.  It's not what I was looking for, but it should be close enough.

anyway...

how to draw an eye.

Hope that helps.

Thanks a ton, Raist. That tutorial will help alot
I've also been taking a look at other's art styles, and seeing how they do eyes.

What I originally did was, I'd been playing alot of DragonBallZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 on a friend's PS2, and this was around the time I was about to get started on Quaddle. I took a close look at the eyes of the characters in the select screen, and noticed--virtually all charcaters in DBZ have rectagles for eyes. That's what I tried for Quaddle, but as we all see, it doesn't really work for me, does it?



Oh, and just a completely random, out-of-the-blue note I forgot to add in the initial post, It took me only a single night to draw Quaddle. But I attribute the speed to simplicity


EDIT: Well, now that I'm armed with new knowledge, I think I'll give it a shot again. I'm prolly gonna do a Quaddle action pose. His face will probably look completely different, though.

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

Yes, we'll make a killing.

(There shall be enough money for my amazing 'take-over the world scheme', but I just can never seem to get enough cookies)



*Insert*
Yeah, I tried that with DBZ myself, even tried a little Inu-Yasha, but it just wasn't my style.