Armor Nick's art evolution thread

[LVUER]

Perhaps you're looking at professional tablet and commercial version of Photoshop price tag. Both are expensive so I completely understand

Try to take a look at Wacom site (varied from country to country/where you live, so just google for the website address, mine is Asia-Pacific btw). Wacom Bamboo is pretty cheap (less than US$200, varied slightly depending on which version and where do you live) but still pretty good for professional (in fact, some of my pro friends use Graphire (Bamboo ancestor). And along with it, you get Photoshop Elements 5 for free (along with Corel Painter X Essential).

[armornick]

Perhaps you're looking at professional tablet and commercial version of Photoshop price tag. Both are expensive so I completely understand

Try to take a look at Wacom site (varied from country to country/where you live, so just google for the website address, mine is Asia-Pacific btw). Wacom Bamboo is pretty cheap (less than US$200, varied slightly depending on which version and where do you live) but still pretty good for professional (in fact, some of my pro friends use Graphire (Bamboo ancestor). And along with it, you get Photoshop Elements 5 for free (along with Corel Painter X Essential).

Yeah, I figured something like that. Especially when I looked up the prices on Ebay and Amazon. I've also used Photoshop Elements, but I started using GIMP and I really like it. I'm also not going to buy a tablet, since I'm getting used to drawing digitally and learning the tricks to getting decent graphics.

[armornick]

Alright, I successfully hijacked my own thread I really don't like double-posting but this is a major update

I've been playing around with my graphics editor and I've succeeded in creating a bit of art. This is the first time ever I've done some art myself, so I need a lot of tips and such.


To me, this is officially the first thing I've drawn. I sort of know what's wrong with it, but I don't know how to fix it. All the colours are flat, the face is disproportioned, I can't draw any hands or eyes. And you guys will probably think of some more flaws.


This is my second character graphic. This one is a little better, with my first attempt at dimensionality. And a woman. Women are seriously hard to draw. Hair as well.


This is the same person as the character above, in chibi form. I'm actually pretty proud of this one. Especially the eyes look good to me. I've also been trying to do some shadowing.

So, any opinions are welcome. How do I improve? Any tutorials you guys recommend? (We should have a sticky with tutorials, actually )

Let the butchering begin

[PyTom]

Actually, I think drawing digitally might be the problem. I don't know what my problem is, but I can't draw a straight line when using a mouse. My hands tremble when I'm drawing

You may want to consider using the bezier curve tool. (GIMP calls it the pen tool, and I don't know what it's called in Photoshop). This tool lets you click with the mouse to control where points are, and create a curve that you can then stroke or fill.

It lets you trade patience for dexterity.

[Auro-Cyanide]

Actually, I think drawing digitally might be the problem. I don't know what my problem is, but I can't draw a straight line when using a mouse. My hands tremble when I'm drawing

You may want to consider using the bezier curve tool. (GIMP calls it the pen tool, and I don't know what it's called in Photoshop). This tool lets you click with the mouse to control where points are, and create a curve that you can then stroke or fill.

It lets you trade patience for dexterity.

It is called a pen tool in photoshop too. It's stolen from vector programs. I don't like dealing with it at the best of time, but it does give you incredible control and crispness that takes practice to achieve with a tablet. Excellent for mouse users.

[lordcloudx]

Mouse-user here. I would second the advice about using the pen tool to make your lines. With a little practice, you can get pretty fast with it. Also, if you can get SAI, the line tool for that program is much easier and more instinctive than Photoshop's. I don't know about GIMP, but I've heard it's pretty similar to Photoshop's.

Here's an example of what you can do with just a mouse in Photoshop. I simply traced one of your practice sprites with the pen tool and then modified it a bit (hope you don't mind.) and added a 2px stroke all around the edges (which is a default layer style in Photoshop.)

[armornick]

Mouse-user here. I would second the advice about using the pen tool to make your lines. With a little practice, you can get pretty fast with it. Also, if you can get SAI, the line tool for that program is much easier and more instinctive than Photoshop's. I don't know about GIMP, but I've heard it's pretty similar to Photoshop's.

Hmm, but SAI is rather costly. I guess I could possibly get it, but I don't condone piracy, as a software developer.

Here's an example of what you can do with just a mouse in Photoshop. I simply traced one of your practice sprites with the pen tool and then modified it a bit (hope you don't mind.) and added a 2px stroke all around the edges (which is a default layer style in Photoshop.)

Wow, that's awesome I only wish I could get a wonderful artist like you on my team
Of course everyone can edit everything I make

[Fawn]

Fancy tablets and programs are tools for drawing, but they won't actually improve your artwork.

As a beginner, it'd be best for you to read some basic drawing books. They'll help you understand how to draw a lot faster (It will take you a loooot longer to figure it out by yourself). "Drawing on the right side of the brain" is a great beginning drawing book. Teaching yourself from a book will help you a lot more than just having other people who are more experienced draw over your art.

I've improved a ton from studying, I used to think that I could learn it by myself but it's really a lot more convenient to learn from books. That's my advice.

[0ion9]

Remember there are also usually smoothing options in the painting software, which can help compensate for a wobbly hand.

GIMP : In recent development versions, you can find 'Smooth stroke' in the paint options.
MyPaint* : Tracking->Slow position Tracking (in the 'Brush Settings' dialog)

* (I do all my drawings with this, and leave GIMP to what it specializes in: Image Manipulation. MyPaint specializes in Image *Creation*)

And like Fawn says.. Learning to actually draw, rather than learning tricks, is what's gonna benefit you the most in the long run.
I suggest:

* forget neat coloring (or perhaps forgo color altogether for a while); work on accurate construction until you get that up to a manageable standard.
* Use at least two layers if you are coloring, with the lineart on top (Try 'Multiply' layer mode, if you're using GIMP.) and the color beneath.
* Don't take mice seriously as a *drawing* implement. As an artist once said to me, 'That's like drawing with a bar of soap'. If you don't have a tablet or plan to get one, I highly suggest drawing on paper with a pencil or pen as your main practice. You can crank out a lot of on-paper drawings, and learn a lot more, in the time it takes to make one drawing by mouse.
* Use references! Reality knows a lot more about how things look than you do

[Fawn]

Oh my god someone actually agrees with me for once!

*cough* Anyways, yeah, Mypaint is awwweeesoome I do most of my photo studies in there.

[armornick]

Alright, so I've tried a few things on paper now. These are still just sketches so I haven't even made the lineart yet, but maybe you guys can already give me some tips.
I've posted them on deviantart this time because my dropbox folder is getting pretty cluttered. You don't have to fave my pics (because they will probably suck anyway)
Also, now I really realised that drawing with a mouse is indeed a considerable amount harder (near impossible to me) than pen and paper.

Have fun

http://fav.me/d3kujta
http://fav.me/d3kujiu

[Pyonkotchi]

Far better than the mouse drawing, but not quite there yet.

I went ahead and redlined. I hope I don't sound rude or anything, this is just how I crit ( which is something i don't do often, so forgive me for sounding so...awkward D:)

the hair. the hair. as a hair fetishist, That was the first thing i NEEDED point out /oh god
it needs to be flowy, It's stiff and glued to her scalp. when you draw hair, think of how hair behaves, its not gonna set still, hair moves with movement. flowy~
her skirt also has that flow problem, which i pointed out in blue

The characters eye are pretty good, the pretty much right distance apart (Eyes are supposed to be one eye apart, so You did a good job there), just odd, crossedeyed looking, but to be fair, a lot of people have that problem for anime styled eyes :U


Her shoulders are missing! and her stomach is too ...straight(?) I redlined those areas as well. women are curvy in that area, even with girls with pear shaped bodies and such

one other thing is her limbs are noodley and short, really short, Maybe you are going for a chibi style, but for the sake of this critique, I'm going to say they are too short. I went ahead and redlined her limbs, you can see, arms and legs have like, tube looking pieces that are connected with the elbow/knee joint thing

I redrew her on the side, but that being said. I am no pro, and I probably don't know what I'm talking about, because what I draw totally reeks of "Pyon-Style" and if you want to learn drawing, you should totally study pro anatomy and drawing tutorials/books ,

[armornick]

I went ahead and redlined. I hope I don't sound rude or anything, this is just how I crit ( which is something i don't do often, so forgive me for sounding so...awkward D:)

Nah, I totally appreciate it. Everyone has to start out bad at something, after all

the hair. the hair. as a hair fetishist, That was the first thing i NEEDED point out /oh god
it needs to be flowy, It's stiff and glued to her scalp. when you draw hair, think of how hair behaves, its not gonna set still, hair moves with movement. flowy~
her skirt also has that flow problem, which i pointed out in blue

The characters eye are pretty good, the pretty much right distance apart (Eyes are supposed to be one eye apart, so You did a good job there), just odd, crossedeyed looking, but to be fair, a lot of people have that problem for anime styled eyes :U

Head and hands are very difficult to me. Hair and eyes especially. Also, I downloaded a bunch of stock photos to look into the flowiness, so I hope it gets better.

I redrew her on the side, but that being said. I am no pro, and I probably don't know what I'm talking about, because what I draw totally reeks of "Pyon-Style" and if you want to learn drawing, you should totally study pro anatomy and drawing tutorials/books ,

Your drawing is fantastic
But yeah, I should get a book but I'm pretty low on money so I have to learn by looking at other pictures, mostly. Or tutorials on deviantart and other sites, maybe. Again, if anyone knows a great tutorial, please post

[armornick]

Hi everyone, another update from me and again, sorry for the double-post.

So...
http://fav.me/d3kyxy1
I caved under all the peer pressure and bought a Wacom Bamboo Pen, because apparently I have too much money. (Nah, just kidding, I haven't got anything else to spend money on, being a college student who lives with his parents).

So far, it is very nice to work with. Especially with MyPaint, as suggested by some of you I also don't have to scan my drawings anymore, which is a huge plus. I hope this will improve my artwork but I guess only practice will help there.

Finally, this latest drawing was made by sort-of mimicking a stock image to get the pose and flow of the clothes right. What do you think?

[Fawn]

Well, have you read any how to draw books yet? Have you studied? You need to learn how to draw basic structures before anything else. If you don't understand what makes up a drawing, you can't draw correctly.

Don't copy from stock images until you understand how to copy, especially when drawing humans. It doesn't help just to copy, you have to learn basic anatomy and perspective first.