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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
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Originally Posted by
Bakuel
Rainbow Dash is half-machine, Twilight has nightmare limbs, and you said it was a attempt to outdo Cupcakes. Sounds like something worth reading to me.
Call me crazy, but I like stories were everything goes horribly wrong then crashes and burns.
Can't help with the writing, as I am rather bad at it but I hope it's done one day.
Well, Thanqol and someone else (sorry, have a bad habit of forgetting names) offered up their skills for a Pony Rangers story, so perhaps they can be hooked into helping with this one as well. I need to write up a more in-depth summary at some point. With all the, uh, gory details...
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Thanks for the comment and advice! Alone in the crowd. I like it! I tried to follow it.
Pony art!
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I tried it, but I kinda ran out of good places to place ponies. So I add three more ponies. Still at least it seems more crowded now. The only other place that is open is the foreground, but I can't seem to be able to place one there correctly without it being distracting. So I'll just leave that open for now. So this is pretty much the final line-art, now I just need to clean it up and color it. Yay. I guess. Either this picture is taking too long or I should spend more time drawing. I'm thinking the latter.
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4...estdirtyli.jpg
The scene looks great! I'd say keep it, but as an experiment, try to make a version where Carrot Top (or whoever is the mare looking at the CMC) looks somewhere else, maybe at someone next to her, further along the street, perhaps partially off-panel. Her looking at the CMC sort of draws attention to her as well, implicitly adding her to the group, which by the scene's intent should probably look insulated. The focus should be on the CMC and Twist. This is just my impression though, which is why I suggest you keep the current one so you can go back to it if the altered version won't look better.
Starting shading on the scene, keeping the basic background for now. The color scheme likely won't change, so I can use it.
Not sure why, but lighting/shading on RD looks wrong. Too much light maybe, or not enough "depth" again? Nightmare Moon, however, is appropriately terrifying, I think. :smallsmile:
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
Well, Thanqol and someone else (sorry, have a bad habit of forgetting names) offered up their skills for a Pony Rangers story, so perhaps they can be hooked into helping with this one as well. I need to write up a more in-depth summary at some point. With all the, uh, gory details...
I'm always up for challenging myself, with through writing or anything else, so I'd certainly be up for this. What would you need me for - authoring, co-authoring, editing, or ideas board?
Quote:
Starting shading on the scene, keeping the basic background for now. The color scheme likely won't change, so I can use it.
Not sure why, but lighting/shading on RD looks wrong. Too much light maybe, or not enough "depth" again? Nightmare Moon, however, is appropriately terrifying, I think. :smallsmile:
What was the method you used for NMM's hair? I'm figuring it involves a few photoshop-only functions, but the theory could still help me a fair bit. I do love the little fragment of it caught on Rainbow's hooves.
I've got a better handle on shading by this point, after hearing Dispo's advice on the subject, but I'm curious as to how you're going to go about it. Do you use separate layers for the flats and the shading? How do you transition between dark and light areas? Blur brushes, very careful shaping? Anything you could tell me on the topic would be interesting :smallsmile:
Sorry if I've asked any of this before!
Seeing you do this step by step is actually really interesting and helpful!
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Thanqol
I'm always up for challenging myself, with through writing or anything else, so I'd certainly be up for this. What would you need me for - authoring, co-authoring, editing, or ideas board?
Well, ideas we probably have aplenty, but for now I think it's safe to say that even the first chapter needs a complete and utter rewrite. Depending on how "deep" we want the story to dip before it starts climbing back out, of course. It's probably not the squickiest thing around, but at least one person (who randomly stumbled on our thread) called it the most horrible and cruel thing he's ever read, so that might be an indicator. All in all, I'd much prefer to keep the graphic parts either to a minimum, or sort of dispersed through the story rather than concentrated at its beginning (flashbacks, what have you). More brainstorming required on that one, so if you have some kind of IM system like Skype, we could talk about it.
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What was the method you used for NMM's hair? I'm figuring it involves a few photoshop-only functions, but the theory could still help me a fair bit. I do love the little fragment of it caught on Rainbow's hooves.
I've got a better handle on shading by this point, after hearing Dispo's advice on the subject, but I'm curious as to how you're going to go about it. Do you use separate layers for the flats and the shading? How do you transition between dark and light areas? Blur brushes, very careful shaping? Anything you could tell me on the topic would be interesting :smallsmile:
For NMM's mane, it's a combination of several cloudy-looking brushes on low flow, spread across three different shading layers (Multiply, Color Burn, and Overlay, I think), but the whole point of it was to create this sort of randomly dark-blue effect that could probably have been achieved with one brush and some clever color jitter settings. Then one more layer for more deliberate shading. The tiny little stars is just a tiny star-shaped brush with maximum scatter and size/angle/opacity jitter, again to create a random-ish starfield effect.
For shading, it's actually a little complicated. I have separate layers for the outlines, base color, and all non-base colored items. These three layers are then duplicated and hidden, and the duplicates are merged to create a single layer with the entirety of a given character. This is then used as a clipping mask for all the shading, which is as of now in five layers. "Ambient" in a Multiply layer allows quickly manipulating overall brightness, "Shadows" in a Multiply layer for the deep shadows, "Shades" in a Color Burn layer for the light shading where a shadow overlaps reflected light or something, "Highlights" in a Soft Light layer for, well, soft diffuse light, and "Specular" in a Hard Light layer for the high-intensity reflections and glows. So, that's that. For transitions, I usually try to use different-hardness brushes to shape the shadows I "see" the form of, and for the others it's usually a base blob with a hard or slightly soft brush, and the Smudge tool to push it into place. All in all, it takes a lot of time and likely not the best way one could go around doing this. :smalltongue: I'm continuously refining my approaches.
In other news, my only response to this: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/0...-returned.html
Is this:
I might clean it up and color it later, simply because I like to see Trixie suffer. Well, perhaps I like to see her ego suffer moreso than herself, because I'm not quite that horrible a person. :smallamused:
Merged post:
And now in color, viewable here: http://seanmirrsen.deviantart.com/ar...o-BG-281141854
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
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Originally Posted by
Bakuel
AJ looks good and on model!
But I must be annoying and point out that she seems to be floating because her front legs are higher then the tree trunk.
Also your eyes are very nice. And I must echo Derjuin, practice is better then nothing.
D'oh! Didn't even notice that height thing. Thank's for the compliments though! :smallredface:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bakuel
Thanks for the comment and advice! Alone in the crowd. I like it! I tried to follow it.
Pony art!
Spoiler
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I tried it, but I kinda ran out of good places to place ponies. So I add three more ponies. Still at least it seems more crowded now. The only other place that is open is the foreground, but I can't seem to be able to place one there correctly without it being distracting. So I'll just leave that open for now. So this is pretty much the final line-art, now I just need to clean it up and color it. Yay. I guess. Either this picture is taking too long or I should spend more time drawing. I'm thinking the latter.
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4...estdirtyli.jpg
Maybe it's just me, and maybe it will look better when coloured, but i can't help feeling that having those BG ponies directly behind Twist actually removes from that lonely feeling. But that's a minor gripe, it still looks incredible.
I love it! But, I'm guessing that you knew I would :smallwink: Anything where Trixie gets her comeuppance ('specially after putting a harness on Twilight :smallmad:) is good in my books!
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bakuel
I love hastily drawn animals!
The snout seems less defined on the deer, unlike the fox, which has some shading underneath his, the deer seems to be lacking it so it's snout and neck seem merged a bit more.
I can't help but feel the head on both of them should be a little bit more defined from the neck. I know shading is supposed to help add depth and dimension for realistic stuff like this. You already seems to have some shading going on there, maybe make it more pronounced, darker stuff darker, lighter stuff a bit more lighter?
Yeah, I agree that there's quite a bit of room for improvement, and at some point I hope to sit down and draw some animals seriously, but this was a quick 20 minute sketch because I was feeling crappy but still needed to get in my drawing for the day... (still haven't missed a day!)
Quote:
Thanks for the comment and advice! Alone in the crowd. I like it! I tried to follow it.
Pony art!
Spoiler
Show
I tried it, but I kinda ran out of good places to place ponies. So I add three more ponies. Still at least it seems more crowded now. The only other place that is open is the foreground, but I can't seem to be able to place one there correctly without it being distracting. So I'll just leave that open for now. So this is pretty much the final line-art, now I just need to clean it up and color it. Yay. I guess. Either this picture is taking too long or I should spend more time drawing. I'm thinking the latter.
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4...estdirtyli.jpg
I'm really liking this, especially the way the sort of tilt (?) to the perspective draws the eye to Twist. The other ponies give a decent crowd feel I think, and overall it seems to be coming together well! I'm eager to see it colored.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
Starting shading on the scene, keeping the basic background for now. The color scheme likely won't change, so I can use it.
Not sure why, but lighting/shading on RD looks wrong. Too much light maybe, or not enough "depth" again? Nightmare Moon, however, is appropriately terrifying, I think. :smallsmile:
Very excited to see the finished product here!
Also, have a pony I drew for the ATG, but didn't finish on time to submit...
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
Starting shading on the scene, keeping the basic background for now. The color scheme likely won't change, so I can use it.
Not sure why, but lighting/shading on RD looks wrong. Too much light maybe, or not enough "depth" again? Nightmare Moon, however, is appropriately terrifying, I think. :smallsmile:
It looks great! Nightmare Moon's mane is excellent!
A little note and nit pick on the background, at the moment the pillars look a little weird as they are all broken around the same length. When you get around to the background, you could try fancying it up a bit by varying the height of them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Maybe it's just me, and maybe it will look better when coloured, but i can't help feeling that having those BG ponies directly behind Twist actually removes from that lonely feeling. But that's a minor gripe, it still looks incredible.
I'm not completely sold on those two background ponies myself. If it turns out they don't fit then I'll probably get rid of them or move them over a bit, or get rid of the male and move over the female to the left. At the moment their fate is up in the air.
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Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Yeah, I agree that there's quite a bit of room for improvement, and at some point I hope to sit down and draw some animals seriously, but this was a quick 20 minute sketch because I was feeling crappy but still needed to get in my drawing for the day... (still haven't missed a day!)
Twenty minutes?! Well then, my hats off to you. I can't draw anything in under an hour or two.
I need to get on a draw something a day schedule.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
I'm really liking this, especially the way the sort of tilt (?) to the perspective draws the eye to Twist. The other ponies give a decent crowd feel I think, and overall it seems to be coming together well! I'm eager to see it colored.
Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
I'm actually a little apprehensive about coloring it and have been looking at pictures of thatched cottages for color and detail inspiration. It's a bit more ambitious then a field of grass or a bunch of clouds. Nothing to do but try though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Also, have a pony I drew for the ATG, but didn't finish on time to submit...
Very nice! Loving the strips of metal look.
Maybe it's the collar, but I can't help but get a evil count or aristocrat vibe from it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
Poor Trixie! When will her tragedy end?! She's the real victim in all this, think of her fragile ego. :smallfrown:
Seriously, the picture is awesome!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
The scene looks great! I'd say keep it, but as an experiment, try to make a version where Carrot Top (or whoever is the mare looking at the CMC) looks somewhere else, maybe at someone next to her, further along the street, perhaps partially off-panel. Her looking at the CMC sort of draws attention to her as well, implicitly adding her to the group, which by the scene's intent should probably look insulated. The focus should be on the CMC and Twist. This is just my impression though, which is why I suggest you keep the current one so you can go back to it if the altered version won't look better.
Thanks for the comment!
Alright, I tried Carrot Top looking away,
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bakuel
Congratulations on the tablet! Quick draw and post something!
Working on it... 0-0*
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Spoiler
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I tried it, but I kinda ran out of good places to place ponies. So I add three more ponies. Still at least it seems more crowded now. The only other place that is open is the foreground, but I can't seem to be able to place one there correctly without it being distracting. So I'll just leave that open for now. So this is pretty much the final line-art, now I just need to clean it up and color it. Yay. I guess. Either this picture is taking too long or I should spend more time drawing. I'm thinking the latter.
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4...estdirtyli.jpg
...Dude. That is friggen awesome. X) Amazing perspective! That is something I still need to work on... hence my upcoming picture. But, I digress.
I have no qualms or problems with this picture. none at all. It is really well done. Congrats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Also, have a pony I drew for the ATG, but didn't finish on time to submit...
GAAAH! They keep putting stuff up and I miss i? how do the timetables work for that thing?
aaand.... armored cloak? I kinda like that idea....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
Starting shading on the scene, keeping the basic background for now. The color scheme likely won't change, so I can use it.
Not sure why, but lighting/shading on RD looks wrong. Too much light maybe, or not enough "depth" again? Nightmare Moon, however, is appropriately terrifying, I think. :smallsmile:
I will pay you 50$ for a piece of art. =P
You are a good artist dude. Shadowing on RD looks wrong? meh, looks fine to me... The whole piece does. I can tell your not finished yet, right? Some of them don't have shading yet! 0-0*
A picture from me:
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bakuel
A little note and nit pick on the background, at the moment the pillars look a little weird as they are all broken around the same length. When you get around to the background, you could try fancying it up a bit by varying the height of them.
Heh, those aren't even supposed to be pillars! XD
I was thinking along the lines of this sort of hall, with pillars and tall ornamental stained glass windows in the far wall, but the roof has collapsed and the far wall is broken, leaving those odd "pillars". Again, horrible background construction skills. :smallsmile:
My problem with backgrounds stem from requiring to "see" the object I'm drawing, and my mind's eye seems to be nearsighted. The smaller the detail, the better I can "see" it - so large things such as backgrounds end up horribly mangled.
[quote]I'm not completely sold on those two background ponies myself. If it turns out they don't fit then I'll probably get rid of them or move them over a bit, or get rid of the male and move over the female to the left. At the moment their fate is up in the air.[/qupte]Ooh, things have gotten serious. The lives of two ponies now hang by a thread, their fates completely in the hands of a (possibly) cruel and (maybe) irresponsible Creator!
On a more serious note, this kind of feel is almost impossible to convey through a colorless sketch. The amount and positions of background ponies don't really matter, there could be a whole mass of them. If you use subdued colors for them, and vivid colors for the character you want to draw attention to, or even vice versa, attention will be drawn. A single bright character against a wall of discolored background people who don't pay attention to anything will look alone. I tried to find a good image to show what I mean, but in the end decided it was quicker to just use your sketch as a base:
I'm far from being "good" or even "decent" at perspective, but it won't detract from the point, I think. It's a little blatant here, in your version it's probably a better idea to be more subtle.
Quote:
Thanks for the comment!
Alright, I tried Carrot Top looking away,
After taking this and the previous one, and looking at them side-by-side (well, as side-by-side as you can get on a single-screen PC), I think the revised version is better. Not looking at the CMC pushes Carrot Top further into the background, where she should be if the pic's not about her.
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Poor Trixie! When will her tragedy end?! She's the real victim in all this, think of her fragile ego. :smallfrown:
Seriously, the picture is awesome!
Thanks! Apparently, a lot of people think the same way, but, apparently, not EqD staff. Figures.
edit: Haha, oh wow. I thought they'd put it in the drawfriend or something. Of all the places, they put it as the header for the Nightly Roundup. That's neat. :smallbiggrin:
..aand nothing new to report yet. I'll get right on it. 2 PM, this means I got roughly six hours of doing roughly nothing ahead of me. Wheee...
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
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Originally Posted by
Bakuel
Looks great. I'd love to see this coloured.
Here's my ATG Day 2 drawing.
Spoiler
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This one took me quite a while to do; I ended up spending a lot of time redoing Lyra in an attempt to make her look better, though still not completely satisfied with it. Perhaps both their legs could do with being a little thicker? Stances could do with some work too. The swords look a little small too. I also need to learn how to draw swords properly.
All in all though, it turned out better than I thought it would while I was drawing it. Incidentally, this is the first drawing I've done with more than one pony.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Level8Mudcrab
Looks great. I'd love to see this coloured.
Here's my ATG Day 2 drawing.
Spoiler
Show
This one took me quite a while to do; I ended up spending a lot of time redoing Lyra in an attempt to make her look better, though still not completely satisfied with it. Perhaps both their legs could do with being a little thicker? Stances could do with some work too. The swords look a little small too. I also need to learn how to draw swords properly.
All in all though, it turned out better than I thought it would while I was drawing it. Incidentally, this is the first drawing I've done with more than one pony.
Your ponies are a little, well, fat. Necks should be longer, as should legs, and make the bodies a little more compact. Remember the body is 1.5 the head worth of mass and 1 head worth of length :smallsmile:
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Progress!
I'm not quite sold on the elemental attack effects (I don't think any Power Rangers even used them, so they're more for extra shiny things on the screen), and I'll never be happy with the reflections on the faceplates, but it's looking good to me. Some tweakage was done on Rainbow to bring her a little bit closer to the viewer, and some very minor tweaks all over the place. Now, it is time for the last part. The dreaded background. :smalleek:
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
Progress!
I'm not quite sold on the elemental attack effects (I don't think any Power Rangers even used them, so they're more for extra shiny things on the screen), and I'll never be happy with the reflections on the faceplates, but it's looking good to me. Some tweakage was done on Rainbow to bring her a little bit closer to the viewer, and some very minor tweaks all over the place. Now, it is time for the last part. The dreaded background. :smalleek:
Oh, by the way, I thought I should tell you that I'm slowly colouring this as well. I've half done very basic blocking flats at the moment, and I'll slowly be working on it as I get free time (:
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
And here's my day 3 entry for the ATG - a pony dueling!
I think I'm getting faster at this...
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Well, I've been doing stuff, I've just been lazy at posting it.
Day 23, SiuiS' birthday:
Day 24, Earthpony Jim. I'm pretty sure someone in ponythread requested this (maybe Bleakbane? I don't remember, it was a while ago).
Day 25, Couple of Alice in Wonderland/Pinkie crossovers, for Even Human's birthday.
I can't be bothered with the ATG today. I just can't. I'm tired and in a bad mood. And I need my own scanner. :/
Question: How do you guys colour your pictures? What programs and methods do you use?
EDIT
Day 26. Still in a bad mood, decide to illustrate it by drawing myself as a pony:
Also, scanned versions of the previous pics:
Still no ATG pic. I'm just not in the mood for it and have absolutely no inspiration.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
What does it take to get people to comment in here? Where is everyone?
Sorry for the doublepost, but with the activity level here...
IIIII LIIIIIVVVVEEE!!!
But here's the thing. I physically am incapable of participating in this thread. All these images... Even this respond sub page, because of the high art saturation in the 'last 30 posts' thing, the page is still loading. I can tell I'm inputting text because the keyboard is responding but the page is will mislead. Has been for several minutes.
So unless everyone decides to magically switch to linking their art instead of posting it, I can't join discussion. I can't see any of the stuff I would be discussing! Terrible, really...
My hat being said, I have an art project for the draw thread coming up. With luck I can make it a sub thread, too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Thanqol
Ah, Corel I know, and it's a great place to get started. The interface should be pretty easy to handle. You want the Fine Point Pen tool, under pencils tab, to do your linework (2B pencil tool has a bit much grain to it). Brushes and waters are fun to play around with, but there's a whole world to colouring that you just need to explore at your own pace. Bucket tool is a decent place to get started but it's very, very limited.
Work a lot on your basic lines, straight and curved, because it's kinda difficult to use a ruler along with a tablet. Remember the blessed key combination, ctrl-Z, to undo bad lines. Play around! Explore the interface! Have fun with it!
Eventually, if you ever feel limited by what Corel has available, I recommend Paint Tool SAI. Good luck!
Thanqol learns to draw in a nutshell! This is fabulous advice.
One thing I'm beginning to notice though is that you are doused too much on tryi new things. Sometimes it's nice to just refine what you has. Develop the depth that spending all your time on breadth makes you lose.
Remember, practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes rote. Perfect practice makes perfect, and you don't get that if you bounce around too much.
But cautioning that maybe your path isn't the best is what I do, so take it rhetorically. It is to provoke thought more than anything.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Since you guys want some posts, here is one, I guess...
Just the things that I don't think I've posted or stuff I'm working on.
Sean's NMM vs Rangers pic, just doing flats, sooooooooo far from done. Less than an hour so far.
The humanised AJ I've been doing on and off for a while. Hair is mostly done, shirt is around 70%. skin is just blocking and slight refining of shading so far, so maybe 30%, and the rest hasn't even been started.
Aaaaand the best thing I've coloured in ages, yet I managed to only save it as a .png and not a sai file so I can't ever finish it, which really, really annoys me. And it also made me stop doing art for around two weeks...
EDIT: Lots of skin showing because that's the thing I'm working on most right now...Or was...I guess. Hair is up next, then clothing. If I ever get around to it :-/
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SiuiS
Thanqol learns to draw in a nutshell! This is fabulous advice.
One thing I'm beginning to notice though is that you are doused too much on tryi new things. Sometimes it's nice to just refine what you has. Develop the depth that spending all your time on breadth makes you lose.
Remember, practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes rote. Perfect practice makes perfect, and you don't get that if you bounce around too much.
But cautioning that maybe your path isn't the best is what I do, so take it rhetorically. It is to provoke thought more than anything.
I actually disagree with this. Every time I experiment, even if it's a godawful failure, I've learned a lot of actual, usable things. And then, months later when I'm rummaging in my bag of tricks for a specific effect, I'll have a bunch of things to call on and an informed choice as to what works best. I did a whole bunch of experimentations with fire effects a while back, found one I liked, and I can just come back to it whenever I need to. It's a permanent upgrade to my visual arsenal.
And it's not like experimentation takes up my entire draw practise time. I typically do an entire picture 'standard' except for a few colouring and shading techniques that I take huge gambles on, even if it risks ruining the entire picture. I learned from Day 254, for instance, a lot about the limits and variance of the bristle brush, and I learned a three-point shading technique that I absolutely adore. In subsequent pictures I'll practise those lessons while experimenting with other things. In the same picture, I used lessons on solid black+transparency slider from previous experiments to get the shadow right. It all adds up, and flows together. Everything has use, like a big pile of Lego blocks.
Yes, attempting rote-drawing of standard humaniform heads until I can do it reflexively is an enormously appealing concept which often features prominently on my to-do list. But I don't have enough Lego to start building and refining the style I want yet. I don't have a good way to do hair. I haven't practised enough with skin tones. I can't draw figures in physical contact right. I want to experiment with these things until I've got understanding of each conceptual element, until my Lego box is full of pieces, before I work on refining a style.
I'm getting closer, but I'm also getting better at seeing which areas I'm completely clueless on.
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Aaaaand the best thing I've coloured in ages, yet I managed to only save it as a .png and not a sai file so I can't ever finish it, which really, really annoys me. And it also made me stop doing art for around two weeks...
Ouch, sucks mate.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Thanqol
Yes, attempting rote-drawing of standard humaniform heads until I can do it reflexively is an enormously appealing concept which often features prominently on my to-do list. But I don't have enough Lego to start building and refining the style I want yet. I don't have a good way to do hair. I haven't practised enough with skin tones. I can't draw figures in physical contact right. I want to experiment with these things until I've got understanding of each conceptual element, until my Lego box is full of pieces, before I work on refining a style.
Do you have Bionicle or the new Hero Factory figures? I sometimes use them to help me make poses, and the best part about them is that you can modify proportion, number of limbs, even make Non-humanoid figures, which isn't possible through using one of those wooden dolls from art stores.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Question: How do you guys colour your pictures? What programs and methods do you use?
Well, bearing in mind that I'm still very new to digital coloring (the ATG being my biggest source of practice so far) I can outline the basic process I've been using, which owes a pretty big debt to watching Dispo's coloring stream.
For the ATG pics, I basically started with a rough (and usually pretty 'hairy') sketch to figure out the posing, composition, etc. Primarily for this stage I've been using Autodesk Sketchbook (because it came bundled with my tablet) but I'm considering moving even the sketching process over to Adobe. Anyway, once the sketch is done, I set up a a couple of layers for the colored linework (since I've mostly been following the show's approach of darker lines to outline the forms), generally dividing it into fore-, middle and background groups and then I pick colors and start to ink the sketch (with lots of Ctrl-Z and redrawing wobbly lines). Once the lines are done, I create layers underneath them to put in the color, so the lines stay nice and crisp, and you have some margin of error for 'coloring inside the lines'. Once the color is in, I may add in a couple of layers for any special effects I want, and then crop the picture and/or collapse everything down/save as a non-layered format.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SiuiS
IIIII LIIIIIVVVVEEE!!!
But here's the thing. I physically am incapable of participating in this thread. All these images... Even this respond sub page, because of the high art saturation in the 'last 30 posts' thing, the page is still loading. I can tell I'm inputting text because the keyboard is responding but the page is will mislead. Has been for several minutes.
So unless everyone decides to magically switch to linking their art instead of posting it, I can't join discussion. I can't see any of the stuff I would be discussing! Terrible, really...
My hat being said, I have an art project for the draw thread coming up. With luck I can make it a sub thread, too!
Hmm, this is actually an interesting point. Do people have issues with loading this thread? I have a pretty decent hardware/connection combo so it hasn't been an issue for me, but if others are experiencing problems I wouldn't object to switching to links; they're easy enough to include and it's only one click for either spoilers or links.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dispozition
Since you guys want some posts, here is one, I guess...
Just the things that I don't think I've posted or stuff I'm working on.
Sean's NMM vs Rangers pic, just doing flats, sooooooooo far from done. Less than an hour so far.
The humanised AJ I've been doing on and off for a while. Hair is mostly done, shirt is around 70%. skin is just blocking and slight refining of shading so far, so maybe 30%, and the rest hasn't even been started.
Aaaaand the best thing I've coloured in ages, yet I managed to only save it as a .png and not a sai file so I can't ever finish it, which really, really annoys me. And it also made me stop doing art for around two weeks...
EDIT: Lots of skin showing because that's the thing I'm working on most right now...Or was...I guess. Hair is up next, then clothing. If I ever get around to it :-/
Just quoting this to say that you're awesome Dispo, and learning from watching you color saved me a ton of headaches over the ATG stuff!
Ok, since I only sorta posted them here, I thought I'd round up the pictures I did for the latest ATG and actually put them up with my thoughts and self-critique. Further comments and suggestions are more than welcome!
Day 1: Draw a pony in armor
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...Lyra_armor.png
So this was my first picture, and if you read my post at the time, I actually didn't finish it in time for official ATG submission because I got my timezones crossed...
At any rate, I'm actually still pretty happy with how this one turned out. This was my second attempt at actually coloring something with my tablet, rather than just sketching and in the final analysis, it taught me the importance of using multiple layers to give myself some breathing room when doing things that overlap like hair or clothing (because I didn't use as many in this pic, and coloring it precisely took
forever). Also, some of the lines aren't as smooth as I'd like, but it was pretty successful as a proof of concept.
Day 2: Draw a pony training
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...oxing_dash.png
This is probably the image from the ATG I'm least happy with, although while I was drawing it, I liked it better than the Lyra one. There are some successes here - I found a line weight I liked better, and I figured out that I should use a smaller brush for the accent details on the face; also the lines are in general smoother overall I think.
On the downside, the head seems way too small, and the hair is pretty flat-looking (apparently RD needs to invest in conditioner). I also colored her mane and tail in the most labor-intensive way imaginable, which was dumb, but taught me more lessons about the value of layers...so a mixed bag, overall.
Day 3: Draw a pony dueling
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...id/Duelist.png
This picture was the first where I started to get more ambitious with my posing - Lyra was fairly static and RD was drawn pretty closely according to a reference screenshot from S2E1. I think the cape and sword turned out fairly well, and I experimented with throwing in some shadows and highlights in various places which worked out more or less. Still, something seems off about the picture, or at least it seems a little plain. I also think the highlights on the eyes should me moved around some - they don't strike me as being entirely correct.
Day 4: Draw a pony on a rescue mission (warning: kinda big)
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...oid/Rescue.png
This is another entry I'm quite happy with for the most part. I'm particularly pleased with the posing, since I did it mostly from scratch but I think it worked out anyway. I made use of the lessons I learned about layers to get rope-covered Phoe right, and it payed off; if I'd drawn it like I would have starting out I would probably still be trying to get it right. I also experimented with a basic background in this picture, and decided that even simple ones add quite a bit to a piece and make them feel less like a disconnected sketch and more like a finished product.
Day 5: Draw a pony coming home (also big)
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...homecoming.png
Definitely the most ambitious of my ATG entries. Once I started working on this one, I decided to turn up the importance of the background which meant a lot of mountain coloring... I also made use of a semi-transparent layer over the top of everything to give it a nighttime feel, which turned out fairly well, although I had to search around for the right shade of purple to make it work. So much purple in this :smalleek:
The biggest problem I have with it is that as a result of some combination of perspective and how I chose to shape the hills in the background, it seems like the picture has a bit of a tilt. If I were going to re-draw it, there are a few tweaks I would make, but overall I'm pretty happy with it.
-
Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SiuiS
IIIII LIIIIIVVVVEEE!!!
But here's the thing. I physically am incapable of participating in this thread. All these images... Even this respond sub page, because of the high art saturation in the 'last 30 posts' thing, the page is still loading. I can tell I'm inputting text because the keyboard is responding but the page is will mislead. Has been for several minutes.
So unless everyone decides to magically switch to linking their art instead of posting it, I can't join discussion. I can't see any of the stuff I would be discussing! Terrible, really...
Don't you browse on a smart phone though? That might explain it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dispozition
Aaaaand the best thing I've coloured in ages, yet I managed to only save it as a .png and not a sai file so I can't ever finish it, which really, really annoys me. And it also made me stop doing art for around two weeks...
EDIT: Lots of skin showing because that's the thing I'm working on most right now...Or was...I guess. Hair is up next, then clothing. If I ever get around to it :-/
Ouch. I feel for you buddy. I've had similar stuff happen to me before. I used to do level editing in games like Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. Lost a few half finished levels by accidently saving over them. So frustrating.
Still, what you've got looks good! ^^:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Well, bearing in mind that I'm still very new to digital coloring (the ATG being my biggest source of practice so far) I can outline the basic process I've been using, which owes a pretty big debt to watching Dispo's coloring stream.
For the ATG pics, I basically started with a rough (and usually pretty 'hairy') sketch to figure out the posing, composition, etc. Primarily for this stage I've been using Autodesk Sketchbook (because it came bundled with my tablet) but I'm considering moving even the sketching process over to Adobe. Anyway, once the sketch is done, I set up a a couple of layers for the colored linework (since I've mostly been following the show's approach of darker lines to outline the forms), generally dividing it into fore-, middle and background groups and then I pick colors and start to ink the sketch (with lots of Ctrl-Z and redrawing wobbly lines). Once the lines are done, I create layers underneath them to put in the color, so the lines stay nice and crisp, and you have some margin of error for 'coloring inside the lines'. Once the color is in, I may add in a couple of layers for any special effects I want, and then crop the picture and/or collapse everything down/save as a non-layered format.
Just quoting this to say that you're awesome Dispo, and learning from watching you color saved me a ton of headaches over the ATG stuff!
Ah, I see. Not too different from stuff I used to do back in photoshop. Two questions then: 1) Do I need to get a tablet if I want to be serious about doing digital colouring, or am I okay just scanning drawings in? 2) Dispozition, got any links to this stream of yours? :smallsmile:
Quote:
Ok, since I only sorta posted them here, I thought I'd round up the pictures I did for the latest ATG and actually put them up with my thoughts and self-critique. Further comments and suggestions are more than welcome!
Day 1: Draw a pony in armor
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...Lyra_armor.png
So this was my first picture, and if you read my post at the time, I actually didn't finish it in time for official ATG submission because I got my timezones crossed...
At any rate, I'm actually still pretty happy with how this one turned out. This was my second attempt at actually coloring something with my tablet, rather than just sketching and in the final analysis, it taught me the importance of using multiple layers to give myself some breathing room when doing things that overlap like hair or clothing (because I didn't use as many in this pic, and coloring it precisely took
forever). Also, some of the lines aren't as smooth as I'd like, but it was pretty successful as a proof of concept.
Day 2: Draw a pony training
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...oxing_dash.png
This is probably the image from the ATG I'm least happy with, although while I was drawing it, I liked it better than the Lyra one. There are some successes here - I found a line weight I liked better, and I figured out that I should use a smaller brush for the accent details on the face; also the lines are in general smoother overall I think.
On the downside, the head seems way too small, and the hair is pretty flat-looking (apparently RD needs to invest in conditioner). I also colored her mane and tail in the most labor-intensive way imaginable, which was dumb, but taught me more lessons about the value of layers...so a mixed bag, overall.
Day 3: Draw a pony dueling
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...id/Duelist.png
This picture was the first where I started to get more ambitious with my posing - Lyra was fairly static and RD was drawn pretty closely according to a reference screenshot from S2E1. I think the cape and sword turned out fairly well, and I experimented with throwing in some shadows and highlights in various places which worked out more or less. Still, something seems off about the picture, or at least it seems a little plain. I also think the highlights on the eyes should me moved around some - they don't strike me as being entirely correct.
Day 4: Draw a pony on a rescue mission (warning: kinda big)
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...oid/Rescue.png
This is another entry I'm quite happy with for the most part. I'm particularly pleased with the posing, since I did it mostly from scratch but I think it worked out anyway. I made use of the lessons I learned about layers to get rope-covered Phoe right, and it payed off; if I'd drawn it like I would have starting out I would probably still be trying to get it right. I also experimented with a basic background in this picture, and decided that even simple ones add quite a bit to a piece and make them feel less like a disconnected sketch and more like a finished product.
Day 5: Draw a pony coming home (also big)
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...homecoming.png
Definitely the most ambitious of my ATG entries. Once I started working on this one, I decided to turn up the importance of the background which meant a lot of mountain coloring... I also made use of a semi-transparent layer over the top of everything to give it a nighttime feel, which turned out fairly well, although I had to search around for the right shade of purple to make it work. So much purple in this :smalleek:
The biggest problem I have with it is that as a result of some combination of perspective and how I chose to shape the hills in the background, it seems like the picture has a bit of a tilt. If I were going to re-draw it, there are a few tweaks I would make, but overall I'm pretty happy with it.
Very nice stuff! I don't have anything constructive to say, I'm afraid, but I do like Lyra's armoured gala dress and the third pic with Caramel(?).
Anyway, Day 28. Q) What do you get when you cross Pony with Squid Girl? A) This, I guess:
-
Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Ah, I see. Not too different from stuff I used to do back in photoshop. Two questions then: 1) Do I need to get a tablet if I want to be serious about doing digital colouring, or am I okay just scanning drawings in? 2) Dispozition, got any links to this stream of yours? :smallsmile:
1.) There may be a very few folks that tough it out with a mouse and patience, but in my own view, a tablet is probably the way to go if you want to do much of any digital art. You can still sketch things up on paper and scan them in, of course, but even a relatively cheap tablet will make life tons easier when you pick up the digital brush.
2.) Unfortunately Dispo's super busy, so the streaming kind of depends on when he has time. I was lucky enough to get a heads-up from kpenguin on the IRC when it happened last time. If I hear of anything though, I'll try and pass it on.
Quote:
Very nice stuff! I don't have anything constructive to say, I'm afraid, but I do like Lyra's armoured gala dress and the third pic with Caramel(?).
Thanks! I do like the way the dress turned out, and it is (sorta) Caramel. I was originally going to draw him with the fencing sword, but I couldn't get the jaw to look right, so I rounded it off and made him into female!Caramel. Of course, I think that happened in the show once already, so perhaps he's used to it by now...
Quote:
Anyway, Day 28. Q) What do you get when you cross Pony with
Squid Girl? A) This, I guess:
I love the prawn cutie mark!
Regarding the mouth, I think the issue is that you've shown too much of the far side of it; the line that defines that part needs to curve closer to the front of the mouth, which will also shift the tongue placement. Other than that, it looks pretty neat!
EDIT: Oh, one other thing - I think her jawline curves too low, which gives the face a pudgy look. If you raised that a bit, I think you'd be in business.
-
Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
And a pair of tiny practice sketches, one inspired by Thanqol's ideas:
Spoiler
Show
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4152380/Practice1.jpg
I don't really
see all of the main six as Manticores, because a Manticore is a specific set of parameters, a very specific race - lion body, wings, scorpion tail. Only RD would qualify to be a real Manticore, I think.
Just thought of the greatest idea: Monsterponies. Half ect, half pony. Ursaponies. Dragonponies. Cocatraiceponies. Perfect apponents for the Pony Rangers.
-
Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
Heh, those aren't even supposed to be pillars! XD
I was thinking along the lines of this sort of hall, with pillars and tall ornamental stained glass windows in the far wall, but the roof has collapsed and the far wall is broken, leaving those odd "pillars". Again, horrible background construction skills. :smallsmile:
Sorry for the case of mistaken background identity!
I just saw the newest version of your picture in your thread, it is looking great!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
The lives of two ponies now hang by a thread, their fates completely in the hands of a (possibly) cruel and (maybe) irresponsible Creator!
When it comes to my own stuff, I am actually a cruel Creator. :smallbiggrin:
I haven't completely decided, but I'm leaning toward destroying the male pony.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
On a more serious note, this kind of feel is almost impossible to convey through a colorless sketch. The amount and positions of background ponies don't really matter, there could be a whole mass of them. If you use subdued colors for them, and vivid colors for the character you want to draw attention to, or even vice versa, attention will be drawn. A single bright character against a wall of discolored background people who don't pay attention to anything will look alone. I tried to find a good image to show what I mean, but in the end decided it was quicker to just use your sketch as a base:
I'm far from being "good" or even "decent" at perspective, but it won't detract from the point, I think. It's a little blatant here, in your version it's probably a better idea to be more subtle.
Thanks for the comment, I read it and have been mentally chewing on it as I color the picture. I may take away one of background ponies and add a few more. It doesn't matter *that much*, since the background ponies are smaller they are comparatively easy to add in and out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Anyway, Day 28. Q) What do you get when you cross Pony with
Squid Girl? A) This, I guess:
Spoiler
Show
*snip*
Not too happy with the face on this one. It just seems off. I can't quite seem to draw ponies with their mouths open at that angle. Never looks right.
A squid girl pony!! I love that show! :smallbiggrin:
I must echo Druid Droid's comment on the mouth and jaw. I like how you made her tail tentacles. A very nice touch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Level8Mudcrab
Looks great. I'd love to see this coloured.
Here's my ATG Day 2 drawing.
*snip*
Spoiler
Show
This one took me quite a while to do; I ended up spending a lot of time redoing Lyra in an attempt to make her look better, though still not completely satisfied with it. Perhaps both their legs could do with being a little thicker? Stances could do with some work too. The swords look a little small too. I also need to learn how to draw swords properly.
All in all though, it turned out better than I thought it would while I was drawing it. Incidentally, this is the first drawing I've done with more than one pony.
I must parrot Thanqol on the pony proportions. There are some great tutorials in this thread you could look it.
I like how Lyra uses a shield. If there was one pony who could handle a shield, Lyra would be it. :smallbiggrin:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dispozition
Since you guys want some posts, here is one, I guess...
Just the things that I don't think I've posted or stuff I'm working on.
Sean's NMM vs Rangers pic, just doing flats, sooooooooo far from done. Less than an hour so far.
*snip*
The humanised AJ I've been doing on and off for a while. Hair is mostly done, shirt is around 70%. skin is just blocking and slight refining of shading so far, so maybe 30%, and the rest hasn't even been started.
*snip*
Aaaaand the best thing I've coloured in ages, yet I managed to only save it as a .png and not a sai file so I can't ever finish it, which really, really annoys me. And it also made me stop doing art for around two weeks...
*snip*
EDIT: Lots of skin showing because that's the thing I'm working on most right now...Or was...I guess. Hair is up next, then clothing. If I ever get around to it :-/
It all looks wonderful! But you didn't need me to tell you that. Especially the skin, coloring and shading skin is something I struggle with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Well, bearing in mind that I'm still very new to digital coloring (the ATG being my biggest source of practice so far) I can outline the basic process I've been using, which owes a pretty big debt to watching Dispo's coloring stream.
For the ATG pics, I basically started with a rough (and usually pretty 'hairy') sketch to figure out the posing, composition, etc. Primarily for this stage I've been using Autodesk Sketchbook (because it came bundled with my tablet) but I'm considering moving even the sketching process over to Adobe. Anyway, once the sketch is done, I set up a a couple of layers for the colored linework (since I've mostly been following the show's approach of darker lines to outline the forms), generally dividing it into fore-, middle and background groups and then I pick colors and start to ink the sketch (with lots of Ctrl-Z and redrawing wobbly lines). Once the lines are done, I create layers underneath them to put in the color, so the lines stay nice and crisp, and you have some margin of error for 'coloring inside the lines'. Once the color is in, I may add in a couple of layers for any special effects I want, and then crop the picture and/or collapse everything down/save as a non-layered format.
That's pretty much the way I color. Besides the inking stage. I make a two or more layers, one for rough sketches and the other for finished line work/inking (granted, I'm generally am bad at the line work and cleaning it up). Then I make layers underneath it and color.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Hmm, this is actually an interesting point. Do people have issues with loading this thread? I have a pretty decent hardware/connection combo so it hasn't been an issue for me, but if others are experiencing problems I wouldn't object to switching to links; they're easy enough to include and it's only one click for either spoilers or links.
I'm in the same boat as you. I have good internet connection and have no problems. But I guess it would help if we stopped quoting pictures though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Ok, since I only sorta posted them here, I thought I'd round up the pictures I did for the latest ATG and actually put them up with my thoughts and self-critique. Further comments and suggestions are more than welcome!
Day 1: Draw a pony in armor
Spoiler
Show
*snip*
So this was my first picture, and if you read my post at the time, I actually didn't finish it in time for official ATG submission because I got my timezones crossed...
At any rate, I'm actually still pretty happy with how this one turned out. This was my second attempt at actually coloring something with my tablet, rather than just sketching and in the final analysis, it taught me the importance of using multiple layers to give myself some breathing room when doing things that overlap like hair or clothing (because I didn't use as many in this pic, and coloring it precisely took forever). Also, some of the lines aren't as smooth as I'd like, but it was pretty successful as a proof of concept.
Day 2: Draw a pony training
Spoiler
Show
*snip*
This is probably the image from the ATG I'm least happy with, although while I was drawing it, I liked it better than the Lyra one. There are some successes here - I found a line weight I liked better, and I figured out that I should use a smaller brush for the accent details on the face; also the lines are in general smoother overall I think.
On the downside, the head seems way too small, and the hair is pretty flat-looking (apparently RD needs to invest in conditioner). I also colored her mane and tail in the most labor-intensive way imaginable, which was dumb, but taught me more lessons about the value of layers...so a mixed bag, overall.
Day 3: Draw a pony dueling
Spoiler
Show
*snip*
This picture was the first where I started to get more ambitious with my posing - Lyra was fairly static and RD was drawn pretty closely according to a reference screenshot from S2E1. I think the cape and sword turned out fairly well, and I experimented with throwing in some shadows and highlights in various places which worked out more or less. Still, something seems off about the picture, or at least it seems a little plain. I also think the highlights on the eyes should me moved around some - they don't strike me as being entirely correct.
Day 4: Draw a pony on a rescue mission (warning: kinda big)
Spoiler
Show
*snip*
This is another entry I'm quite happy with for the most part. I'm particularly pleased with the posing, since I did it mostly from scratch but I think it worked out anyway. I made use of the lessons I learned about layers to get rope-covered Phoe right, and it payed off; if I'd drawn it like I would have starting out I would probably still be trying to get it right. I also experimented with a basic background in this picture, and decided that even simple ones add quite a bit to a piece and make them feel less like a disconnected sketch and more like a finished product.
Day 5: Draw a pony coming home (also big)
Spoiler
Show
*snip*
Definitely the most ambitious of my ATG entries. Once I started working on this one, I decided to turn up the importance of the background which meant a lot of mountain coloring... I also made use of a semi-transparent layer over the top of everything to give it a nighttime feel, which turned out fairly well, although I had to search around for the right shade of purple to make it work. So much purple in this :smalleek:
The biggest problem I have with it is that as a result of some combination of perspective and how I chose to shape the hills in the background, it seems like the picture has a bit of a tilt. If I were going to re-draw it, there are a few tweaks I would make, but overall I'm pretty happy with it.
These are all looking good! My favorite is female!caramel, you unknowingly combined two of my favorite things, dashing swords(wo)men and ponies. Can't give you a in depth critical as I can't see anything which you haven't commented on yourself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pokonic
Just thought of the greatest idea: Monsterponies. Half ect, half pony. Ursaponies. Dragonponies. Cocatraiceponies. Perfect apponents for the Pony Rangers.
You know what's funny? For the past week I couldn't get the idea of a Medusa pony out of my head.
Pony art,
Spoiler
Show
It's Medusa pony! My first internet worthy OC! Isn't she cute?!
I'm still working on coloring that Twist image. But I took a break to do another greyscale image. I think it came out better then my Applejack with pie, but I dunno.
I almost forgot how much I like drawing snakes, you just start with a line and then go wild. I need to draw snakes more often.
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...el-d4nyu9h.jpg
More serious colored pictures will follow, I promise.
http://i.imgur.com/KwcDX.png
-
Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pokonic
Just thought of the greatest idea: Monsterponies. Half ect, half pony. Ursaponies. Dragonponies. Cocatraiceponies. Perfect apponents for the Pony Rangers.
More like perfect opponents for Poninger Z. Although I've no idea how to make a Rocket Buck work with a mecha that uses all of its limbs to stand...
-
Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bakuel
It all looks wonderful! But you didn't need me to tell you that. Especially the skin, coloring and shading skin is something I struggle with.
It's always appreciated to get feedback (:
With skin, the biggest help I've found is porn...Or at least artistic nudes. Seeing skin in lots of different lighting conditions really, really helps your art. Photography is an awesome tool for learning art, mostly because it captures certain things just right for you to mimic.
Also practice...Lots of practice :P
-
Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bakuel
You know what's funny? For the past week I couldn't get the idea of a Medusa pony out of my head.
Pony art,
Spoiler
Show
It's Medusa pony! My first internet worthy OC! Isn't she cute?!
I'm still working on coloring that Twist image. But I took a break to do another greyscale image. I think it came out better then my Applejack with pie, but I dunno.
I almost forgot how much I like drawing snakes, you just start with a line and then go wild. I need to draw snakes more often.
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...el-d4nyu9h.jpg
More serious colored pictures will follow, I promise.
http://i.imgur.com/KwcDX.png
This is excellent, and my only regret is that I didn't think of it first!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dispozition
It's always appreciated to get feedback (:
With skin, the biggest help I've found is porn...Or at least artistic nudes. Seeing skin in lots of different lighting conditions really, really helps your art. Photography is an awesome tool for learning art, mostly because it captures certain things just right for you to mimic.
Also practice...Lots of practice :P
Huh, you're actually the second person to make that suggestion... *wheels turn*
-
Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
This is excellent, and my only regret is that I didn't think of it first!
Ooh, Thanqol does that to us all the time! Only it's more "bah! My only regret is I'm so lazy I thought of this months ago but no one will ever know!"
Quote:
Huh, you're actually the second person to make that suggestion... *wheels turn*
Yeah, it's a pretty big thing. And after having seen what Dis can do with skin (~!) I'm tempted to dive in to painting myself...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Thanqol
I actually disagree with this. Every time I experiment, even if it's a godawful failure, I've learned a lot of actual, usable things. And then, months later when I'm rummaging in my bag of tricks for a specific effect, I'll have a bunch of things to call on and an informed choice as to what works best. I did a whole bunch of experimentations with fire effects a while back, found one I liked, and I can just come back to it whenever I need to. It's a permanent upgrade to my visual arsenal.
And it's not like experimentation takes up my entire draw practise time. I typically do an entire picture 'standard' except for a few colouring and shading techniques that I take huge gambles on, even if it risks ruining the entire picture. I learned from Day 254, for instance, a lot about the limits and variance of the bristle brush, and I learned a three-point shading technique that I absolutely adore. In subsequent pictures I'll practise those lessons while experimenting with other things. In the same picture, I used lessons on solid black+transparency slider from previous experiments to get the shadow right. It all adds up, and flows together. Everything has use, like a big pile of Lego blocks.
Yes, attempting rote-drawing of standard humaniform heads until I can do it reflexively is an enormously appealing concept which often features prominently on my to-do list. But I don't have enough Lego to start building and refining the style I want yet. I don't have a good way to do hair. I haven't practised enough with skin tones. I can't draw figures in physical contact right. I want to experiment with these things until I've got understanding of each conceptual element, until my Lego box is full of pieces, before I work on refining a style.
I'm getting closer, but I'm also getting better at seeing which areas I'm completely clueless on.
Well, I thought about this and how to best condense the argument down to about quibbling over language. I found this;
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SiuiS
Hats are a a pain in the Mark. And quality paper is awesome! But don't be afraid to do roughs with bad materials. You lose masterpieces, but you gain skill always.
And as a repeat from last time; drawing is 90% perception. I[f] you see something wrong, good! Nothing sucks more than no having a way to improve. If something goes awry, focus on that! Bring it up here, go to a book store and browse. If you see a neat art style, try to duplicate what's so neat about it. So long as you come away able to see something you couldn't before, you come away understanding more.
That paragraph got away from me, so post and bed.
Which seems pretty much like he agrees with you, doesn't it? Keep moving, always keep moving, even if you have drag yourself forward by the fingertips, even if you rake yourself over coals.
But there's another way to look at it. "jog if you have to, run if you must; but at all other times, go at your own pace". What I'm advocating isn't that you're wrong, Thanqol, so much as saying occasionally practicing things you have not yet mastered will yield more than throwing in things you honestly have never tried before as well.
But... For me, the outcome is vital. SiuiS too. Whether for good or ill, we actually stop, right in the middle of a work, and come back when we have the improved skillset to handle it. Because practice is practice, and that's fine. But something intended to be a finished work...
Like you've said, Games live or die on char gen. For us, a work lives or dies in the foundation. And if that foundation is good enough, it must become a finished work, because this particular set of factors can need come together again. The lines are infused with the passions and mindset, the connotations and particulars of that moment, and each moment is utterly unique.
Is this good? Probably not. We have exposed a point where we disregard our own advice and visibly suffer for it. But again, I don't want to sway you all so much as make sure you are rolling the concept around in your mind like a stone, learning it's weight and heft, before deciding that; no, this rock isn't the one you want.
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Diego, yes we are on a phone. But our laptop hardware isn't much better. Admittedly the home wireless (Ponyville, or Canterlot if we had the high end reciever) made things easier, but only marginally. But that was the point, silly! I can't participate. Spoiler boxes are my bane >>;
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
1.) There may be a very few folks that tough it out with a mouse and patience, but in my own view, a tablet is probably the way to go if you want to do much of any digital art. You can still sketch things up on paper and scan them in, of course, but even a relatively cheap tablet will make life tons easier when you pick up the digital brush.
Alright, I think about picking one up the next time I see a PC store. Or maybe I can steal the one we have at work that no one ever uses... :smallamused:
Quote:
I love the prawn cutie mark!
Regarding the mouth, I think the issue is that you've shown too much of the far side of it; the line that defines that part needs to curve closer to the front of the mouth, which will also shift the tongue placement. Other than that, it looks pretty neat!
EDIT: Oh, one other thing - I think her jawline curves too low, which gives the face a pudgy look. If you raised that a bit, I think you'd be in business.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bakuel
A squid girl pony!! I love that show! :smallbiggrin:
I must echo Druid Droid's comment on the mouth and jaw. I like how you made her tail tentacles. A very nice touch.
Thanks guys!
I decided to do some mouth practice today, to try and get the hang of things. Actually using references this time :P
Success? (Ignore that dinosaur looking one near the bottom right ¬_¬)
Quote:
You know what's funny? For the past week I couldn't get the idea of a Medusa pony out of my head.
Pony art,
Spoiler
Show
It's Medusa pony! My first internet worthy OC! Isn't she cute?!
I'm still working on coloring that Twist image. But I took a break to do another greyscale image. I think it came out better then my Applejack with pie, but I dunno.
I almost forgot how much I like drawing snakes, you just start with a line and then go wild. I need to draw snakes more often.
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...el-d4nyu9h.jpg
More serious colored pictures will follow, I promise.
http://i.imgur.com/KwcDX.png
That's seriously awesome.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Alright, I think about picking one up the next time I see a PC store. Or maybe I can steal the one we have at work that no one ever uses... :smallamused:
Do they sell them in PC stores? I've migrated to buying a lot of stuff off Amazon, so I can't say for sure about that. One thing is to do some research and know what you're buying; it seems that with tablets (and electronics generally) you get what you pay for. Of course, this is balanced by the fact that the really snazzy ones have pretty painful sticker shock going along with them, and there exist cheaper ones and off-brands that are exceptions to the rule.
Personally, I'd look at the lower end of some of the big tablet makers - the price is tolerable if you're serious about getting one, and you may have better luck with customer service and driver support/recognition if things go south, while the main sacrifice is workspace size and the upper end of the sensitivity or tilt spectrum (which is probably less important until you're fairly comfortable anyway). Also, you may want to see if you can at least borrow the one from work to get a feel for them (definitely different than pen and paper) and see if you want to go through with a purchase.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Thanks for the advice. I'm sure I'll be able to borrow the work tablet, or at least use it during lunch break. It was bought for graphic design work, but since I am the only one doing design work there right now and I don't know how to use it the thing is just gathering dust. I think it's a Bamboo tablet. I don't know if that make is any good, but it's very small. Probably less than A5, which is what I usually draw on.
There's a few large electronics stores nearby that may have tablets, and there's a PC World which I seem to remember having tablets, however I don't know how good their selection is likely to be.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Mirrsen
More like perfect opponents for Poninger Z. Although I've no idea how to make a Rocket Buck work with a mecha that uses all of its limbs to stand...
Even follows the basic plot of a power rangers episode:
Monster attackes town. Gets attacked by pony-rangers. Monster grows huge thanks to magic. Gets taken down by Poinger Z. Everyone heads down to Pony Joes for dinner. Da end.:smalltongue:
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Some pony expression sketches, inspired by similar ones on the dA ATG group:
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Noctemwolf
I missed this one the first time around,
The DJ table looks alright, but the perspective is off on the turntables, as it is now, they look lopsided. I can't help but get the feeling you didn't use a ruler for your lines.
Perspective is annoyingly simple. Yet hard to get right. I struggle with it myself.
It's hard to explain, so I tried doodling on your image. But then messed up myself. :smallredface:
Spoiler
Show
But here it is. I hope you don't mind, but it's just easier to show rather then explain these things through words alone.
http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/6...ectivetest.jpg
Basically, if the lines (A and B) representing the end of the table touch the first turntable, then the other turntable must touch those lines. In your original drawing, both turntables touched line A, but the second one did not touch line B. I missed up with the turntable in the red and the perspective is still off. But the largest problem was that the second turntable wasn't touching line B.
At least that's the way I see it.
Someone else can probably explain it better then me, or poke holes in my reasoning. But this is something that I'm working on myself, so any comment on perspective would be welcome.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dispozition
It's always appreciated to get feedback (:
With skin, the biggest help I've found is porn...Or at least artistic nudes. Seeing skin in lots of different lighting conditions really, really helps your art. Photography is an awesome tool for learning art, mostly because it captures certain things just right for you to mimic.
Also practice...Lots of practice :P
So your basically telling me to watch porn for practice?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
This is excellent, and my only regret is that I didn't think of it first!
Thanks!
This fandom moves fast, sometimes I get a good idea for a concept but then someone else has already done it, but better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SiuiS
But... For me, the outcome is vital. SiuiS too. Whether for good or ill, we actually stop, right in the middle of a work, and come back when we have the improved skillset to handle it. Because practice is practice, and that's fine. But something intended to be a finished work...
I do this all the time. It's always good to know that I'm not insane or odd!
I have some lineart of a Twilight and Spike scene that had multiple light sources which I put away as I wasn't too sure how to do the shading. I may go back to it if I ever figure it out.
And I agree with the distinction between practice and a finished work that you want to really make shine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Success? (Ignore that dinosaur looking one near the bottom right ¬_¬)
These mouths and jaws look better! My only comment is that it looks like you can see the other side of the mouth in the profile view, at least I think, the line is faint so that may be just a guide line.
If it is, ignore this comment and keep up the good work!
Hmmm... My Little T-Rex....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
That's seriously awesome.
Thank you!:smallbiggrin:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Some pony expression sketches, inspired by similar ones on the dA ATG group:
These are awesome! More expressive ponies are something I need to work on myself.
Also, Spike's expression is priceless.
Well here be works in progress,
Spoiler
Show
The ponies lack shading as it is and ignore the window I haven't got to it, and the lines on that cottage still need to be fixed. But here is the scene as it stands.
I was inspired by
The Windmill at Wijk, and wanted to do a similar cloudy lightening scene. In the back, storm clouds are gathering. Thanks to perspective, they are also gathering around Twists head. A bit heavy handed, but I'm a heavy-handed guy. The clouds, are some of the best non-night clouds I have ever done!! Which means they still need a lot of work. I'm somewhat pleased with them, but they aren't done in the same the same still as the rest of the picture. Some thoughts on this may be needed.
I still don't know about those two background ponies. I may move them off to the side after all. Or just destroy the male and have the female looking off the other way. Any memory she had of her lifelong friend erased as if he never existed.
I have a good feeling about this picture, though. Even if I'm unsure on the scene make up. I hope I don't ruin it.
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8...ogresscolo.jpg
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bakuel
These are awesome! More expressive ponies are something I need to work on myself.
Also, Spike's expression is priceless.
Thankee! I really love conspiratorial!Spike myself. I pulled all the shots in this one from Green Isn't Your Color, and I'll probably try it again later with a different episode. It's actually a lot of fun, and I highly recommend it!
Quote:
Well here be works in progress,
Spoiler
Show
The ponies lack shading as it is and ignore the window I haven't got to it, and the lines on that cottage still need to be fixed. But here is the scene as it stands.
I was inspired by
The Windmill at Wijk, and wanted to do a similar cloudy lightening scene. In the back, storm clouds are gathering. Thanks to perspective, they are also gathering around Twists head. A bit heavy handed, but I'm a heavy-handed guy. The clouds, are some of the best non-night clouds I have ever done!! Which means they still need a lot of work. I'm somewhat pleased with them, but they aren't done in the same the same still as the rest of the picture. Some thoughts on this may be needed.
I still don't know about those two background ponies. I may move them off to the side after all. Or just destroy the male and have the female looking off the other way. Any memory she had of her lifelong friend erased as if he never existed.
I have a good feeling about this picture, though. Even if I'm unsure on the scene make up. I hope I don't ruin it.
*snip*
Looks like it's shaping up! Re: clouds - I think they're looking good, but they seem a little striped(?); somehow there's a linear effect going on, and they might fit better if it was smoothed out, though I'm not sure...
I actually think the ponies in the background work, or at least I have no issues with them, just looking casually. I'd keep them around until it shapes up a bit more, just to see how the full effect works.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Drawing with a tablet for the first time is like skateboarding for the first time: wobbly and uncertain.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Drawing with a tablet for the first time is like skateboarding for the first time: wobbly and uncertain.
I agree full heartedly.
I'm still trying to learn the ins and outs of how this thing works.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
The following image is the first time I used my new tablet a tablet at all.
It is also what I plan on making my new avatar.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Drawing with a tablet for the first time is like skateboarding for the first time: wobbly and uncertain.
Yup! I know that feel for sure!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Geno9999
The following image is the first time I used
my new tablet a tablet at all.
It is also what I plan on making my new avatar.
Ooh! I like the Geno-pony!
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
So this is a learn to draw thread...
anyone know if there is a Ponythread learns to Write thread? =3
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Yes, I'm ignoring my own advice. Mostly because I want to publicly clear this with a certain robotic nature priest.
Of Clockwork Ponies, part one
Having recently had the chance to examine a unique pony specimen of mechanical nature, I took to not only studying but also illustrating what of the systems I could. The subject, Second Hand, is eager to learn about his own nature and make-up, and so these notes are to help him as much as myself.
1. The Pelvis
I decided to start with the parts of the pony most accessible with minimum damage; seeing as the pelvis has almost-visible bolts, I began there. Featured in this illustration is Dat Plot;
the outer metals are contoured so as to more seamlessly blend in with nonmechanical ponyfolk. Further study shows They also serve a mechanical purpose; the interior thigh mechanisms sit on floating plates, so as to allow the legs to rotate along their central axis. The rounding provides the necessary room for the mechanisms, and for additional pieces.
The tail, held firmly by a tube of concentric metal rings of different composition (possibly as heat sink?) is some sort of synthetic musculature, akin to fiber optic cables. Biopsy showed small nodes evenly spaced throughout each fiber and fiber cluster in varying patterns, which immediately clenched when exposed to light. Alternate illumination sources show they react subtly to heat and light, allowing the internal components of the pony to power them much like some of the more dexterous Earth race can use their tails.
There was also a hard case and tubing at the bottom I left alone out of prudence. It seems to contain a hydraulics system, as does the neck, central trunk and forelegs - all systems beyond my current level of "vivisection".
Here we see the actual, open pelvis;
The central turn wheel powers most of the pony's locomotion. A side peg offset from center creates the piston effect of the rear legs used during bucking motions, while an adjustable sliding gear panel on the side plate (the 'flank') works to turn the rotation of he main gear into forward/backward motion through a bow-shaped slot cut into the thigh plate. In my notes I refer to this as the "rear smile" as the shape occurs a lot throughout the pony.
Not pictured are the complicated gear mechanisms which occupy the sacrum of the pony, with the fiber optics descending around the mechanism proper and between it's driving arms as they connect to the actual leg; Second Hand is capable of shifting gear ratios to alter his output.
The mechanisms were too small and complex for me to actually examine or detail, however. I accidentally popped out a single sprocket and the whole collapsed. It took three hours to reverse the damage; a finer touch is needed to examine (note to self: enquire as to Tinker's availability for examination during subsequent sessions)
2. Rear Legs
Pictured below are the thigh plate (note the rear smile below the fortified Femoral insert) and the 'cannon';
My illustration does poor justice to the highly calibrated system; the rear cop protects from dirt and weather getting Ito the mechanism, and the straightened lower end of the thigh plate ends in another bow which connects to a dongle-style bearing system. The center of the cannon contains a motor box, which receives electric impulses through the thigh plate itself (I discovered too late to pursue that most of the pony contained "impurities" in the exterior material to act as scondary and tertiary circuitry!) and is held stable by a series of calibrated springs on either side which fasten to the pegs on the bottoms of the thigh plate. The dongle itself (the only part of the motor box I could open without risking damage) contains a rubber bow below a pivot, held on either side by stiff rubber grooves and a strange emulsion I was unable to identify. Second Hand informed me this fluid was important for full functionality, but that he had spare cartridges and could operate without for several hours if needed - contaminants would cause complex chemical reactions, but I'd kept pure it operated as an insulator and shock absorber. What of the fluid I could salvage from my clumsy mishap will be studied at a later date.
Connected to the motor box is a pulley system which pulls the cannon up and down for locomotion, and a secondary hydraulic system operates his hoof, which can move with roughly 85% the mobility of a living pony. The seemingly large difference is because the 1-2 degree difference adds up when he can only move the hoof in one direction at once (a nimble enough pony can use composite movements to push, turn and extend the hoof simultaneously).
One thing to note is that Second Hand does not seem to have any knees. The knee motion actually takes place as part of a larger movement within the hip itself. A poorly laid out "walking animation" follows, demonstrating why I am a magician and not an engineer.
3. The Head
Second Hand's head was a marvel. The surface "skin" contains plates of a strangely mobile, ductile material which is seamless with a small current going through it. I was disturbed in fact to find that when put under sedation, the subject's face broke into a series of thin protective plates!
Immediately noticeable is the large bolt at the jaw, which is invisible before sedation. The snout, side mouth plates, and zygomatic plates all serve to produce life-like facial expressions - a term I hesitate to use, as everything I have seen points to Second Hand being very much alive.
At the top of his head is the mane field, a series of large pores. When the release clamps were disengaged and his head was removed, the actual mane retreated into the anterior neck tubes (I suspect due to a similar reaction as the tail fibers). This is good, as it gives a mess-free way of getting to the entire cranium.
The ears are marvels of acoustics, using not only different contours but different materials to alternately reflect or absorb certain sounds. I am positive that certain ear positions on the subject's part would serve to 'tune out' certain sounds in much the same way a pony can ignore those it doesn't want to focus on. Sadly, I snapped a cable when removing the subject's left ear, and had difficulties getting the fuse to snap back in as well. He reported no difference after awakening, but I expect to hear back from him at some point.
Also of interest is the eye system of the pony itself - the cranium is mostly hollow, allowing only for the complex eye circuitry. Each eye is a marvel of engineering, being a highly clear crystal sphere with a central imperfection, set into a six-petal flower-like device. The pupil is actually a very small dilating gate that leads into the ocular stem, and is magnified by the crystal to appear the proper size.
The petals themselves seem to be made of a good alloy, and lined with Circuits of orichalc, shakudō, and Even griferrous hydroxide! I left them well enough alone, and proceeded to examine the sphere itself.
The crystal was unidentifiable, but scrutiny revealed it somehow had what I can only describe as a hypercube overlaid with a Coltic knot as an imperfection carved in it's very center. I obviously questioned how such a feat could be achieved, but had to cease as even my naturally delicate telekinetic handling of the sphere was enough to begin scuffing it's polish. Luckily, I had material to take care of it. I wasn't careful enough during reassembly and achieved a thankfully short/lived migraine while reinserting the eye.
The subject had at this time begun to show signs of reawakening. Seeing that being in such a state of disassembly would be bad for the subject's mental Health, I quickly reassembled him and saw to his comfort via positioning.
4. Overview
One of the key discoveries was that Second Hand's head does not hold his "brain". Not as such, anyway, or not as a single discrete organ. However, the entire system seems to be criss-crossed with redundant circuitry, and the torso showed signs of housing organ-like systems. Energy signatures also point to technology which touches on adjoining planar states; if some of Second Hand's circuitry an extend into the spiritual planes, he may very well have a soul in a way that would be easier to account for than with a regular organic pony!
Most of this information has been shared with the subject, and now that one procedure has been accomplished with no deleterious effects (as yet), we are considering broaching the topic of examining his deeper systems. The hydraulic workings, specifically, and his "organs", provided such can be done without causing harm.
All our data will be collated and combed over in excruciating detail over the next few weeks while we wait to hear back from the subject about any symptoms or signs of poor procedure. If we hear nothing in a month, we will evaluate the possible health concerns of deeper study. In the mean-time, Second Hand has been compensated for his help, and was thankful for the polishing of the interiors, as the hips now work as good as at manufacture, he claims.
Truly, a fascinating individual and fascinating specimen.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Has anyone ever been inspired by another work in an entirely different art form and created their own thing based off of it? Or, more specifically, based off the name of the other work? The mind is a very strange and wonderful thing. :smalltongue: I used this as a chance to work on legs and a new angle for the face, too.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Oh my sweet Pony Princesses, SiuiS!
That is like the coolest thing ever! All of my approval; all of it!
...I should really contemplate Sek's innards more fully myself...
Dang straight.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Most impressive SiuiS. How long did it take you to do all that?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Derjuin
Has anyone ever been inspired by another work in an entirely different art form and created their own thing based off of it? Or, more specifically, based off the
name of the
other work? The mind is a very strange and wonderful thing. :smalltongue: I used this as a chance to work on legs and a new angle for the face, too.
Very nice. One point that I notice is that the legs seem a bit small. Not only short, but narrow too. But other than that she looks pretty cool!
Day 31, and 2nd day of drawing with a tablet.
I find that I have to switch between pen and mouse frequently to get anything done. Brush strokes with the pen, erase with the mouse, vector tool with pen, switch tools with mouse etc.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Day 31, and 2nd day of drawing with a tablet.
I find that I have to switch between pen and mouse frequently to get anything done. Brush strokes with the pen, erase with the mouse, vector tool with pen, switch tools with mouse etc.
Why so much switching? Is it that you don't feel comfortable enough with the pen yet, or is something preventing you from controlling the mouse with the pen input? If it's the latter, there should definitely be a way to do so; usually it's simply hovering farther from the tablet surface while moving around.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Why so much switching? Is it that you don't feel comfortable enough with the pen yet, or is something preventing you from controlling the mouse with the pen input? If it's the latter, there should definitely be a way to do so; usually it's simply hovering farther from the tablet surface while moving around.
Just not quite comfortable with it yet. It's simply much easier for me to click icons or do precision work with the mouse than it is with the pen right now.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Just not quite comfortable with it yet. It's simply much easier for me to click icons or do precision work with the mouse than it is with the pen right now.
Just use the tablet. Do a browsing session with it. You get used to it pretty quickly. Also if there are shortcut keys on the tablet, abuse them like nothing else. The more you use a tool in PS or something similar, the more reason it has to be a on a macro key.
And a general tip for drawing with tablets, long, broad, confident strokes. Don't do many small ones, do fewer large ones. You're working in digital, so you can undo mistakes you make. When I do lineart, each line will take anywhere from 5-30 tries to get right.
Also make sure pressure sensitivity is turned on, or there's not any real point in using a tablet over the mouse. And when it is, try to choose an oversized brush and apply less pressure. You eventually get to the point where you can use a single brush for an entire picture just because you can control the pressure well enough.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
So what do you get when you cross SiuiS' excellent robo-anatomy study with a PbP god game that didn't quite get off the ground?
Sketches apparently...
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dispozition
Just use the tablet. Do a browsing session with it. You get used to it pretty quickly. Also if there are shortcut keys on the tablet, abuse them like nothing else. The more you use a tool in PS or something similar, the more reason it has to be a on a macro key.
Did some browsing. AWKWARD.
I have 4 shortcut keys. One is already set to undo. What else should I have? There's also a scroll/zoom wheel built in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dispozition
When I do lineart, each line will take anywhere from 5-30 tries to get right.
You're not really selling it here, yknow? :smalltongue:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dispozition
Also make sure pressure sensitivity is turned on, or there's not any real point in using a tablet over the mouse. And when it is, try to choose an oversized brush and apply less pressure. You eventually get to the point where you can use a single brush for an entire picture just because you can control the pressure well enough.
Alright, so, here's this practice stuff:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
So what do you get when you cross SiuiS' excellent robo-anatomy study with a PbP god game that didn't quite get off the ground?
Sketches apparently...
I'm seeing some sort of angel-type figure... nothing really robotic. Sorry, but I don't know what I'm looking at here. ^^:
SEAN! YOU LIED TO ME!
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Oy. *is ashamed*
Seriously though, that kind of bulge doesn't actually make much sense... although these are marshmallow ponies, and this is Pinkie Pie, so all bets on realism are off. (And do agree, it looks nothing like the rectangular pillar you've had even after the first correction.)
On closer analysis, I suppose the pose itself threw me off. Pinkie isn't actually sitting down in that shot, you can see that due to how even the blob shadow ends within the space between the legs and the ground. It's... not a position one would read a book in, unless in a very specific kind of place.
*retreats back into his fortress of quasi-realism, makes another note on silly anatomy of silly marshmallow ponies*
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
I'm seeing some sort of angel-type figure... nothing really robotic. Sorry, but I don't know what I'm looking at here. ^^:
Hmm, some of that may be that I was initially uncertain if he would be human, cyborg or robot... at the very least, he's an angel of a construct (demi-)god and so the symbols would be mechanical.
I have a somewhat cleaned version I'm playing with, where it's clearer that the wings are mechanical, but I'm not sure how to progress...
EDIT: Have a colored angel! (Warning - large)
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...roid/Angel.png
After sketching the outline, I decided I liked the roughness and thick lines, as they gave it a feel I couldn't think how to emulate any other way. So, rather than smooth things out, I used an intentionally kinda-sloppy coloring to try and stick with the style. Personally, I'm pretty happy with how it came out!
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
Hmm, some of that may be that I was initially uncertain if he would be human, cyborg or robot... at the very least, he's an angel of a construct (demi-)god and so the symbols would be mechanical.
I have a somewhat cleaned version I'm playing with, where it's clearer that the wings are mechanical, but I'm not sure how to progress...
EDIT: Have a colored angel! (Warning - large)
Spoiler
Show
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...roid/Angel.png
After sketching the outline, I decided I liked the roughness and thick lines, as they gave it a feel I couldn't think how to emulate any other way. So, rather than smooth things out, I used an intentionally kinda-sloppy coloring to try and stick with the style. Personally, I'm pretty happy with how it came out!
Okay, yeah that is pretty damn cool looking! I agree, the sketchy look really works for this pic.
Day 33
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Okay, yeah that is pretty damn cool looking! I agree, the sketchy look really works for this pic.
Thanks! It's currently my desktop background.
Hmm, my suggestions would be to lower the point where the forehooves meet the body (the shoulder, I guess) just a bit, as well as lengthening the ears and making the tail a bit fuller. Otherwise, it looks like you're getting the hang of the tablet!
Also, posting this here as a reminder to myself in the future: once I get a little more comfortable drawing the human figure and working with color, I want to do some exploration of various druid (and yes, also droid at some point afterward) conceptions. Off the top of my head:
- Hippy D&D druid trope
- Wilderness guru
- Poacher's peril
- Sinister druid (think old British idea of human sacrifice, etc)
- Nature monk
- More to be added as I think up visuals for them
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Today, I took a pony and added the Pseudonatural Template to it.
Inspired by this.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the_druid_droid
So what do you get when you cross SiuiS' excellent robo-anatomy study with a PbP god game that didn't quite get off the ground?
Sketches apparently...
Neat!
Also, god game?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Did some browsing. AWKWARD.
I have 4 shortcut keys. One is already set to undo. What else should I have? There's also a scroll/zoom wheel built in.
You're not really selling it here, yknow? :smalltongue:
I'm with you. You have to entirely UNLEARN HOW TO DRAW and then give it a go. Thanqol had it easy; he didn't have a firmly entrenched skill before migrating to a tablet. For you and I, though...
I will be honest. My level of skill is about as far as you'll get without getting comfortable with digital media. You will hit a point where more realism or more light play or more foundational blocks dont matter, and you will stagnate. It's better to lead this stuff now. Trust me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
oh man
Wow
Ok
I'm sorry
But your tail?
It looks like the pony is vomiting from his bum
And I can't stop laughing
Talking like Shatner
Memories of pseudo natural template
So hard to draw
Nicely done though. If this is your third tablet picture you're making leaps, and also bounds. I'm jealous.
Quote:
Most impressive SiuiS. How long did it take you to do all that?
Missed this.
Approximately two hours, probably less. A lot of it was spent either looking at Sek so I could get it right, or pondering. I had some trouble mentally articulating things. Like the legs. A better design would be to have a hole, not a slot, that interacts with a second, free spinning wheel on the flank compartment. But spilt milk and all that.
A lot of the time was also sunk into exactly how to make it work together; to leave room for actual computery bits. But it all stemmed from seeing him draw Sek. I saw the rear legs and the articulation screamed and jumped out at me, clawing for birth through pencil. Imago.
... Huh.
I wonder if there's a way to make a Mage feel something so vividly, they cannot help but manifest it? I'll look into that...
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SiuiS
Neat!
Also, god game?
Yeah, actually something else that was a consequence of ponythread (for me at least). My first one I found linked in Raz's sig. This was another, started up by one of the players of that game. I didn't quite make it through the opening because of stuff and things, but it was right after I came up with the idea for Sek, and I wanted to explore the whole 'robot seeking to understand himself' in another venue that was more grimdark. My character was going to be a construct (demi-)god, etc. This is a bit of a holdover from that.
Quote:
oh man
Wow
Ok
I'm sorry
But your tail?
It looks like the pony is vomiting from his bum
And I can't stop laughing
Talking like Shatner
Memories of pseudo natural template
So hard to draw
It's like a long-form haiku!
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SiuiS
oh man
Wow
Ok
I'm sorry
But your tail?
It looks like the pony is vomiting from his bum
And I can't stop laughing
Talking like Shatner
Memories of pseudo natural template
So hard to draw
Nicely done though. If this is your third tablet picture you're making leaps, and also bounds. I'm jealous.
XD Dammit! I was thinking as was about to post it "Y'know, if you look at it the wrong way... that tail... hmm. Will they notice? Nah... but maybe I should change it?... But I've already uploaded it and Photobucket is being a pain right now... I'm sure it will be fine." :smallsigh:
Strangely, I didn't even think of it as I was drawing it. I just thought "How can I make it look weirder? How about his tail is liquid?" Maybe if I'd coloured it, it would have looked more... uh, not gross?
Still, thanks for the complement. XD I'll change the tail later maybe.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Day 34: I REGRET NOTHING!
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Hello all!*
I am writing this to inform you all that I will be departing temporarily. *This upcoming Tuesday, February the seventh, I will be on a plane to Texas to enter basic military training.
Of course, this means no Internet. So I bid a fond farewell to you all. Being here has meant a lot to me; it's. Even a place to lose stress, *but also one of much stress; reminding me of many of the flaws I have inbuilt that I need to deal with. Hopefully, my imminent demise at the hands of the training instructors can help alleviate this somewhat *(if you consider death a good Cure for... Well, anything really). *
(add to posts at giantitp)
I've enjoyed reading and following everything you guys do in here, the creativity and imagination is astounding to watch; it flows so naturally throughout here that it seems daunting, even! I hope to return to this great place at some point in the near future!*
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
Day 34: I REGRET NOTHING!
I now demand eely spike. For comparision.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Diego Havoc
I have 4 shortcut keys. One is already set to undo. What else should I have? There's also a scroll/zoom wheel built in.
I have eight, although 4 of them are more for photo editing. Anyway...My main 4 are set to Undo many (so alt+ctrl+z in photoshop, since undo only does one step), B (for brush) E (for eraser) and Alt (for colour picker). Anything else and I sort of just mash the keyboard until I get the right button. But that's because I only work in shortcuts, I'll barely touch the toolbar unless I'm doing obscure tool changing like colour changer brush and different lassos and stuff.
Quote:
You're not really selling it here, yknow? :smalltongue:
I'm not trying to. I'm saying that good lineart takes time and dedication. You can't just draw 10 lines and have it be a full done lineart. Plus you want it looking good, rather than good enough.
Quote:
Alright, so, here's this practice stuff:
Looks like your sensitivity is too high. Your drop off rate is really, really fast. Although that could also be that your brush size is far too small. Use a brush that's too big, I normally use 13 in photoshop, but it depends on the size of the document, and use less pressure. The more pressure you use, the less smooth the line will get if you're not being very fast and precise (which is how you should be doing it anyway).
Also, if you're using Photoshop, turn on the graphics setting thingy in one of the menus...I'll give proper directions later if you want, so you can rotate the canvas freely like in SAI. Don't try and do it all at the normal angle, since your hand just isn't built to draw certain lines.