Thanqol Learns To Draw!

[Lix Lorn]

All things he did in the last session of my Rogue Trader tabletop. He convinced all his rivals to mutiny against the starship's captain. Then he had his puppets kick down the door and heroically murder the mutineers right after they'd publicly made their demands. He did this with the intention of setting up one of his puppets with the Captain thereby giving him proxy control over the entire starship.

Mr. Keynes: Extreme Wedding Planner.

...is he an Infernal?

Ah, so my sordid past catches up to me at last.

Sordid past? It's a banner advertisement in your signature!

You're not exactly hiding it, hon. xD

[Thanqol]

...is he an Infernal?

Far from it. Probably closer to an Eclipse Solar in terms of attitude. He's a Rogue Trader Seneschal; kind of a cross between Lex Luthor, James Moriaty and Megamind.

Day 325: Requisitioned

More IRC drawrequests! The highlight here is Mask in #2; I might wind up painting it.

P1
P2

Time: ~2 hours
Music: Paddy's Lament

[Lix Lorn]

Megamind is best pony.

And the arts is awesome!

[Thanqol]

Day 326: The Silver Ladder

Bunch of geniuses decided to build a ladder to heaven. Wondered what it might look like.

I'm in a bit of an art funk for some reason that I need to snap out of. Expectations of self crept up, going to need to calibrate and refocus. Going to do more practical and technical things.

Links

Time: ~2 hours various painting
Music: Wooden Overture

[Story Time]

Day 326: The Silver Ladder

After looking at this one for a while, the ladder does emerge. Except...without the rungs...

Good try, Thanqol. The trees added depth.

I'm in a bit of an art funk for some reason that I need to snap out of. Expectations of self crept up, going to need to calibrate and refocus. Going to do more practical and technical things.

"Set expectations to zero and practice, practice, practice!"

[Tectonic Robot]

Right, Thanqol, I'm back! I, um, just want to remind about my request. Don't feel rushed to draw it, though.

[Thanqol]

After looking at this one for a while, the ladder does emerge. Except...without the rungs...

Good try, Thanqol. The trees added depth.

Trees? Gosh I did mess that up

"Set expectations to zero and practice, practice, practice!"

Words to live by!

Right, Thanqol, I'm back! I, um, just want to remind about my request. Don't feel rushed to draw it, though.

Ack! Hopefully tomorrow!

Day 327: Whoop De Doo

Rubbish, but rushed and heavily distracted while I was doing it. Another half hour or so could have fixed it up a lot but eh. It's okay. Decent practise.

Links

Time: 45 mins
Music: Whoop De Doo

[Sean Mirrsen]

If he wasn't so obviously an outlaw-ish type, I'd have dubbed him "The Long Arm of the Law".

I seem to recall you using a tablet for drawing, but your drawings for some reason don't look like they're drawn with a tablet... am I missing something?

[Story Time]

Trees?

Well, it's dark! Your audience isn't clairvoyant, Thanqol. They take what they can see and draw what conclusions they can for it. If you want to explain something, either use more light, or multiple panels.

This...is a great idea in principle, but the problem is that eventually many visual artists hit a line...some-where...where they have to decide whether they want to work on only one piece each day, or focus on one piece each week, adding something to it once per day.

The multi-day, week-long, pieces tend to be more fantastic than the single day pieces. But Thanqol will find that line all by himself, where-ever or if-ever, he finds it.

Day 327: Whoop De Doo

This guy has some serious fist! I wonder what he punches like.

The gun is straight and mechanical. Flat from side-view ( which is perfectly fine, if not adhered to! ), but it does look like a fire-arm. The right arm is...a bendy-straw in a sleeve. I'm sure Thanqol knows that. No offense meant.

This one definitely fits under the, "Draw a thing once per day," rule that Thanqol has been using. So congratulations for keeping that rule!

The attitude of the character and the piece is conveyed will enough through the expression and the disheveled nature of the clothes.

There...appears to be a missing left pocket in the suit jacket...

[Thanqol]

If he wasn't so obviously an outlaw-ish type, I'd have dubbed him "The Long Arm of the Law".

I seem to recall you using a tablet for drawing, but your drawings for some reason don't look like they're drawn with a tablet... am I missing something?

Is that a good thing? I've been messing with settings constantly and I can keep messing if it wasn't.

Well, it's dark! Your audience isn't clairvoyant, Thanqol. They take what they can see and draw what conclusions they can for it. If you want to explain something, either use more light, or multiple panels.

This...is a great idea in principle, but the problem is that eventually many visual artists hit a line...some-where...where they have to decide whether they want to work on only one piece each day, or focus on one piece each week, adding something to it once per day.

The multi-day, week-long, pieces tend to be more fantastic than the single day pieces. But Thanqol will find that line all by himself, where-ever or if-ever, he finds it.

Thanqol shall! There have been several multi-day pieces in the past. I tend to shy away from them because A) I want to make significant progress every day and doing a week long piece naturally lends itself towards slacking on certain days and agreeing to a slower timetable. B) I don't really know techniques on the high end of time consuming to make it worth the while!

It's something worth looking into more, though.

This one definitely fits under the, "Draw a thing once per day," rule that Thanqol has been using. So congratulations for keeping that rule!

Oh snap. Oh snap, that's cold man. I'll try harder. I need to learn some psychological tricks for doing linework including knowing when to stop.

[Story Time]

But I mean it in the nicest possible way!

( Anxious Politeness )

[Thanqol]

But I mean it in the nicest possible way!

( Anxious Politeness )

You're lucky you're so adorable.

[Sean Mirrsen]

By "not looking like it's made with a tablet" I mean that it looks rather, well, "uniform". It's as if you're not using pressure settings. It might not be a bad thing, strictly speaking, especially if you're making a sketch that will only be used as a base for a full-color drawing. But left as it is, it's... well, dull, for lack of a better word. I can't quite convey the essence of why and how, but... yeah.

Note, this is strictly subjective, coming from a guy whose primary form of art expression for the better part of the last decade were pencil and pencil-equivalent sketches. I've likely developed some subconscious standards on what looks "right" over this time, and to me this sort of uniform-line drawing looks... lifeless? Expressionless? I don't know. It's something specific to your style though, you shouldn't change it on my account. Besides, your color work is impressive, and your grasp of many fundamental concepts (like perspective and proportions) is generally better than mine. So keep doing what you do best.

[Thanqol]

By "not looking like it's made with a tablet" I mean that it looks rather, well, "uniform". It's as if you're not using pressure settings. It might not be a bad thing, strictly speaking, especially if you're making a sketch that will only be used as a base for a full-color drawing. But left as it is, it's... well, dull, for lack of a better word. I can't quite convey the essence of why and how, but... yeah.

Hmm, I am using the pressure settings but I switched to quite a small brush on quite a large canvas recently so variation might have become a lot less obvious.

Note, this is strictly subjective, coming from a guy whose primary form of art expression for the better part of the last decade were pencil and pencil-equivalent sketches. I've likely developed some subconscious standards on what looks "right" over this time, and to me this sort of uniform-line drawing looks... lifeless? Expressionless? I don't know. It's something specific to your style though, you shouldn't change it on my account. Besides, your color work is impressive, and your grasp of many fundamental concepts (like perspective and proportions) is generally better than mine. So keep doing what you do best.

It's something to figure out, for sure, thank you for pointing it out!

Day 328: Buttonwood

Concepting! Decided to start painting which I didn't have time for and scarcely got through the flats. Maybe will finish this tomorrow, but I really want to start designing a unique look for this character. Gonna take my sketchpad to tonight's game and work on costume design.

Links

Time: 30 mins
Music: Millennium

[Story Time]

Day 328: Buttonwood

Cute expression practice! There's...not a lot of shoulder / clothes area to judge, so I'm wondering if that was a scarf or just the top of a shirt. Sports shirt, maybe?

Very good face; very good expression; very good smile!

[Sean Mirrsen]

Hmm, I am using the pressure settings but I switched to quite a small brush on quite a large canvas recently so variation might have become a lot less obvious.

Different theory, what's your minimum brush size set to? If it's set to 1, that might explain why it looks that way, because you get a solid line regardless of how light your stroke is.

Day 328: Buttonwood

Concepting! Decided to start painting which I didn't have time for and scarcely got through the flats. Maybe will finish this tomorrow, but I really want to start designing a unique look for this character. Gonna take my sketchpad to tonight's game and work on costume design.

Links

Time: 30 mins
Music: Millennium

...why does he look a little like an anime Wesley to me? Some kind of Trekkish vibe...

Pretty nice, and I can see that you do use pressure settings in this one. The face and its expression look fine, but not much to comment on otherwise though.

[Thanqol]

Cute expression practice! There's...not a lot of shoulder / clothes area to judge, so I'm wondering if that was a scarf or just the top of a shirt. Sports shirt, maybe?

Very good face; very good expression; very good smile!

Huzza! And yes, that's the start of a sports shirt.

Different theory, what's your minimum brush size set to? If it's set to 1, that might explain why it looks that way, because you get a solid line regardless of how light your stroke is.

Recent ones were 7px 50% min size. My sketch layers tend to show more variance, I've got a pretty steady hand when inking?

...why does he look a little like an anime Wesley to me? Some kind of Trekkish vibe...

Pretty nice, and I can see that you do use pressure settings in this one. The face and its expression look fine, but not much to comment on otherwise though.

Cool, hopefully I'll do something decent with it tomorrows.

Day 328a: Disciple of Ice

You thought I forgot? Well I NEVER FORGET

Except that I forgot my sketchbook at my GM's house. Derp.

Request for Tec!

[Sean Mirrsen]

Recent ones were 7px 50% min size. My sketch layers tend to show more variance, I've got a pretty steady hand when inking?

Yeah, that's probably it. You never really have a "minimum" size when using a pencil, you only have a "maximum" that you bump into, so that's what I always use with a tablet as well. Even for solid outlines, I find that it's far easier to control the line width if you restrain its maximum to what you need for most of the thing, and then either outline and fill in the thick parts, or do another pass with a thicker brush. My usual two brushes for outlines are solid smoothed 0-3px and 0-5px. A pen is different of course, which is what people usually use for inking, but I'm too much of a sketch person, and my hands are much too shaky to work with continuous solid lines.

[Tectonic Robot]

Oh, that's pretty cool, Thanqol!

I have a question, though: I asked for a fiendish humanized Candles. Is he some sort of subset of fiend in this picture, or something different or somethin'?

Again, I really like it. Just wondering for clarity.

[Thanqol]

Oh, that's pretty cool, Thanqol!

I have a question, though: I asked for a fiendish humanized Candles. Is he some sort of subset of fiend in this picture, or something different or somethin'?

Again, I really like it. Just wondering for clarity.

Based loosely off the design of the Champion of Mephistopheles, Gort, from Darken. Except the big M is the Lord of Ice as well as fire, sooooo~

[Tectonic Robot]

Oh, alright. Yeah, I've read that comic. Thanks again, Thanqol!

[Lix Lorn]

Day 328a: Disciple of Ice

You thought I forgot? Well I NEVER FORGET

Except that I forgot my sketchbook at my GM's house. Derp.

Request for Tec!

Spoiler

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Dem muscles
(swoon)

[Thanqol]

Yeah, that's probably it. You never really have a "minimum" size when using a pencil, you only have a "maximum" that you bump into, so that's what I always use with a tablet as well. Even for solid outlines, I find that it's far easier to control the line width if you restrain its maximum to what you need for most of the thing, and then either outline and fill in the thick parts, or do another pass with a thicker brush. My usual two brushes for outlines are solid smoothed 0-3px and 0-5px. A pen is different of course, which is what people usually use for inking, but I'm too much of a sketch person, and my hands are much too shaky to work with continuous solid lines.

Gave this a try during today's practise. Unsure what I think.

Day 329: Stephanie

Meet Stephanie! I'll hopefully be playing her in a Changeling game that'll hopefully be happening! Today was just meandering scrawl and design, trying to get a feel for basic abilities and shapes.

I am nowhere near close to a complete mental image of her, but I'm making progress. I would absolutely love input and suggestions if anyone has them, and if any of the other artists who lurk this thread feel like chipping in bits of design or throwing a sketch or two my way I will owe you kisses.

Sketches Link

I feel like I got a fair bit of personality across in these, but I'm trying to communicate a variety of things.

DESIGN NOTES (Disjointed and rambly)

Spoiler

Show

Basic inspirations: Batgirl, Indiana Jones, Daring Do
Personality: Cute, upbeat, curious, adventurous, courageous, naive, impulsive

Pose: Stephanie is incredibly, unnaturally flexible, capable of taking positions that would make a cirq de soleil actor flinch. In addition, she can walk on walls and ceilings, and when she's thinking she gets into some bizarre position to help herself focus. When she's got two feet on the ground she tends to slouch forwards. Occasionally she'll do something sickening like bend over backwards to check her shoes. Quite likes her shoes.

Face: Kind of mousy. Perpetually smiling, often whistling. When she's sad it tends to be more an "Aw, shucks" expression than anything else. Have no consistent ideas on the hair. Cute.

Colours: Black/orange for the clothes. Blonde hair? Not sure if dark skin or not.

Current thoughts: I want to get the implication of wings into her design somehow even though I'm pretty wedded to that hoodie and can't find room for a cape. Backpack? I'd also like to find a place for a grappling hook, but I'm not actually sure she'd be able to afford one.

- Often in trouble with authority.
- Spies on people regularly because she's really, really curious. Will break into places just to look around. Not a thief, just inquisitive.
- At home in high-rise cities.
- Dirt poor.
- From the 21st century and can't really afford anachronisms or anything particularly stylish.
- Likes maps.
- Tends towards high places; has perfect balance and is resistant to falling damage.

Time: 1.5 hours
Music: To The Beginning

[Lix Lorn]

She is /adorable./

[Story Time]

Day 329: Stephanie

...I...I don't feel comfortable commenting on concept sketches!


Suggestions:

Spoiler

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...and only because Thanqol specifically wanted in-put...

( not really sad, just cautious )


Eyes:
Should match the clothing colors in some way? Some variation of black, orange, or red?

Hair:
Short. Either very short, or long enough to bind tightly to the head. This suggestion comes from lots of experience in martial arts, dance, and commentary from gymnasts. "If it's not forced out of the way, it will get in the way."

Wings:
Embroider or paint wings on the side of the hoodie's hood?

There's a way to add pauldrons ( shoulder armor ) to a back-pack to create the impression of wings. This can be done with a combination of materials including leather, cloth, metal, or fiber-glass. It's not that hard to do, either, but it might not look the most professional if made by an amateur.

Scarves. Scarves can give a wing ( or tail ) effect, but that would interfere with the hoodie unless it was anchored in some way. The scarf could become a hood too, if thick enough.

Head-phones! Head-phones with wing art on them might be interesting, or they could have possibly come from the factory shaped like wings around the lobes.

Shoes:
Velcro closures. They're quick and stylish and give the character a possible Achilles Heel for you to exploit if you want.

Gloves:
Fingerless cloth gloves or mittens? ...not hard to make and not hard to maintain like leather.

Bubble Gum:
...do...do I really have to explain this one? Cuteness Value?

General Clothing Theory:
Jeans and pants really aren't designed for gymnastics. Spandex or some-thing else would be a lot better. Long shorts over spandex, maybe? Not sure...

Wearing a back-pack is going to get in the way for a girl who wants to just bend-back-and-check-her-shoes. If that's going to be an issue I'd advise some kind of military web-belt where packs can be added to it. That kind of belt anchored to cargo shorts could add some carry capacity without compromising a gymnast's flexibility too much.

A hoodie...doesn't offer the greatest range of vision and is susceptible to moisture like rain ( when made of cloth ). They were generally invented for runners who wanted to keep their ears and torsos warm when running in mildly cold weather. I say that because I want to...kind of...prepare you for weather conditions which might be some-thing other than favorably clear / cold.

Spoiler

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But I thought that those were some really neat design notes that you had, Thanqol! All these thoughts are just a kind of a support for you.

[Thanqol]

She is /adorable./

Yay!

...I...I don't feel comfortable commenting on concept sketches!

Nevertheless, this was all really helpful, I applied some of it in today's! The scarf was a great idea.

Day 330: Almost There

Redesign with flats for colour reference. I'm actually reasonably happy with how this design is working out, and Stephanie will give me a lot of chance to practise more complex poses, like this one.

Links

Time: 1 hour
Music: APM

[Story Time]

Day 330: Almost There

Great use of color! They definitely don't teach that pose in repelling school.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Great use of color! They definitely don't teach that pose in repelling school.

I suddenly wonder what sort of things would be taught in a repelling school. Because you probably meant a rappelling school.

And yes, quite an interesting design, although I can't help but notice she's nearly two thirds leg by height. Which is... well, probably fine. It's probably not as bad as it looks to me, but something's odd with the proportions there.

[Story Time]

Ack! Internal Spell-Check Fail!

...that's twice this week. The first time was with dinosaurs.

---

1

[...]but something's odd with the proportions there.

It's the differing proportions between the rope at the top of the page, her right hand, her left hand, her right thigh / rump, and her left foot.

...sorry...

[Thanqol]

Entirely right on the dodgy proportions but getting a good reference image for a pose like that is hard. My brain just looks at a lot of these pictures of twisty acrobatic people and goes 'wat am i looking at', and I don't have easy reference touchstones when I adjust the position slightly. I'll scale up the complexity and care taken in my sketch layers, hopefully that'll help in the future