Thanqol Learns To Draw!

[Humbug]

Silviya is right, line/contour based sketching helps you define the flow and shape of the form rather than the rigid structure of sphere and cilinder type sketches. Flow is very important at making a dynamic piece. Here's an example of how I do my sketches.

Spoiler

Show

Yes, this is a brilliant way to sketch, HOWEVER to do this right you gotta to understand how form works first, ie anatomy and structure and all that. If you don't have the basics, your sketch will still turn out wonky. This is a more advanced stage of sketching after all.

[Thanqol]

It also happens to be the single best black library series! Gaunt's Ghosts is up there too, and though I haven't read them, Ciaphas Cain.

I'm fond of Ben Counter too.

Give Eisenhorn a try, if you haven't already. The series is on my favourite books of all time.

flow. Assuming I didn't quote the wrong thing...
The continual hideous hatching which because a beautifully framed nest of space is for flow. Rather than struggle against nature and conform to hard, sharp lines, you remove the division. You do what feels nice, and a picture emerges comprised entirely of organic curves. You'll notice the examples all have an art noveau feel, where the figure, graceful, is surrounded by psychic ivy that enriches the depth.

Lawdy I hope that makes sense. I'm like ten minutes from Neptune...
Er, nap time. Swear that was naoto me.
...

I give up XD.

I appreciate your incoherent notes.

Silviya is right, line/contour based sketching helps you define the flow and shape of the form rather than the rigid structure of sphere and cilinder type sketches. Flow is very important at making a dynamic piece. Here's an example of how I do my sketches.

Spoiler

Show

Yes, this is a brilliant way to sketch, HOWEVER to do this right you gotta to understand how form works first, ie anatomy and structure and all that. If you don't have the basics, your sketch will still turn out wonky. This is a more advanced stage of sketching after all.

*Nod nod* I'll start exploring it even amidst my practise of the basics.

Day 343: Fee Fie Foe Fum

Applied this sketching methodology to a quick drawing of an NPC from my Changeling game, Robert Cludge, a maneating ogre with a shotgun.

And ohhhh, this is a technique that could take me places.

Didn't use a reference for this, entire original composition, and I can see how it works. I can see how I can start using it. No longer is this an incomprehensible method but now a very interesting sketching technique that I'll need to explore more of.

Links

Time: 30 mins
Music: Wings

[SiuiS]

Still very linear, but it has that something...
It looks like you fought yourself though. Standard drawing is one tool, these sketchy flow lines are another. But they seem mutually exclusive; using both (I'm guessing the sketching for the base layer and your usual for the line work) isn't as effective as one or the other alone.

Bear in mind I'm literally falling asleep as I type this. I've been hallucinating bejewels for the last twenty minutes.

Also y u never on AIM?

[Thanqol]

Still very linear, but it has that something...
It looks like you fought yourself though. Standard drawing is one tool, these sketchy flow lines are another. But they seem mutually exclusive; using both (I'm guessing the sketching for the base layer and your usual for the line work) isn't as effective as one or the other alone.

Good thought and good call, that is what it is. Hmm

Bear in mind I'm literally falling asleep as I type this. I've been hallucinating bejewels for the last twenty minutes.

Also y u never on AIM?

I'm on AIM right... *checks settings* ... huh. That explains... huh. Whoops.

[Lix Lorn]

Also y u never on AIM?

thanqol has AIM?
Wants it. Wants it, precious.

[Thanqol]

thanqol has AIM?
Wants it. Wants it, precious.

thanqol[atsign]gmail[dot]com

I am of erratic hours.

[SiuiS]

Good thought and good call, that is what it is. Hmm

Glad that made sense. I broke up with lucidity and have been rebounding with Substituted Reality. She's easy on the eyes but I get the feeling she is an enabler.

I'm on AIM right... *checks settings* ... huh. That explains... huh. Whoops.

I actually assumed you were just invisible, and spent a fifteen hour span trying and failing to send you messages. It was rather hilarious.

So yeah. Art. Woo! *faints*

[Thanqol]

Day 344: Adopt A Pony

This pony is up for adoption. I don't know her name, backstory, talent, or anything about her. To a good home, preferably one without too many OC ponies already. In order to claim, tell me a story about her.

Completely ultrafailed at the eyes twice over so I wound up closing them. Mane design was a total accident.

Links

Music: Nights In White Satin
Time: 2.5 hours

[Sean Mirrsen]

Not too bad overall, but I see some places desperately in need of shady work to define them. I.e. where the stage-left foreleg meets the body. The "shoulder" on the stage-right foreleg is either missing or poorly defined (I can almost see where it was supposed to be), making the position of the leg look a little odd. The stage left hind leg... can probably be positioned like that, but the curve of the fore side of the haunch seems wrong, as if the leg is attached to the underside of the body rather than the flank.

Also, it's an old and overused phrase, but I really like her mane. :P

Can't give a name or a story though. The only OC idea (other than Delta-Pi) I have is Southern Sky, and she's a pegasus.

[Thanqol]

Not too bad overall, but I see some places desperately in need of shady work to define them. I.e. where the stage-left foreleg meets the body. The "shoulder" on the stage-right foreleg is either missing or poorly defined (I can almost see where it was supposed to be), making the position of the leg look a little odd.

It was there, I must have painted over it.

The stage left hind leg... can probably be positioned like that, but the curve of the fore side of the haunch seems wrong, as if the leg is attached to the underside of the body rather than the flank.

Ah, I see what you mean.

Also, it's an old and overused phrase, but I really like her mane. :P

Lesson for the day: Even if the dividing line looks pixelley that's no reason to spend 30 minutes meddling with it if you're going to resize it to 1/3 of the resolution whereupon it becomes invisible.


This picture could have been better in general but I spent too much time sweating the small stuff.

[Thanqol]

Day 345: Kill-kill!

Drew a Skaven. This wasn't intended to be a serious picture, just an experiment with some random things to see what would happen. Not too plussed with the results but what the hay.

My new short term objective is to find a way of doing hair that I like. I've got a few tutorials on the topic stashed away but I could use more if anyone's got them.

Links

Time: 45 mins
Music: Winterglade

[Tectonic Robot]

He looks so... brave.

Let me guess: He's fighting a housecat.

[Lix Lorn]

Day 345: Kill-kill!

Drew a Skaven. This wasn't intended to be a serious picture, just an experiment with some random things to see what would happen. Not too plussed with the results but what the hay.

My new short term objective is to find a way of doing hair that I like. I've got a few tutorials on the topic stashed away but I could use more if anyone's got them.

Links

Time: 45 mins
Music: Winterglade

thanqooool <3

[Thanqol]

He looks so... brave.

Let me guess: He's fighting a housecat.

And he's got two minions between him and it. Leadership from the rear!

Day 346: What's It Worth?

Another random experimenty piece, this time using the airbrush for shading. Interesting notes, nice grungy texturedy feel, will keep that noted.

WHY DID I SPEND SO MUCH TIME ON THOSE HANDS IF I WAS JUST GOING TO COVER THEM UP

Otherwise, mediocre, but experimental. Decent fire effect on one of the hands.

Oh yes, and I learned that I can't draw while shivering.

Links

Time: ~1 hour?
Music: For What It's Worth

[Thanqol]

Day 346a: Grandest of Things

Work in progress, trying to polish off a few requests at the same time.

Links

Time: 2 hours
Music: Running Up That Hill

[Thanqol]

Day 346a: The Full Ass

I feel

Pretty good

about this

Links

Total Time: 3 hours.

[Lix Lorn]

Day 346: What's It Worth?

Links

Time: ~1 hour?
Music: For What It's Worth

Lovely pic and you have the best music taste.

[Thanqol]

Lovely pic and you have the best music taste.

Thank you ^^

Day 347: The Hero

I got called Superman today.

I like Superman. I feel like the reason people don't like him is because it's hard to understand him. But he's mythic; he's a modern legend. I think the world would be a much, much darker place if there never had been a Superman.

Sometimes I feel like Superman. Sometimes I feel like I'm maintaining a level of output and wisdom and advice and perspective that is outright unsustainable and I'm going to crash under the weight of my own bullcrap any day now. But it hasn't happened in the past 347 days.

Anyway, quick B&W sketch because I did a billion hours of stuff yesterday. Surprised with how fast and effective it was, and how much I like this style. I might do more like this.

Links

Time: 20 minutes
Music: Yangchen

[Story Time]

Day 347: The Hero

...not bad; especially for twenty minutes' time...

[SiuiS]

And he's got two minions between him and it. Leadership from the rear!

Day 346: What's It Worth?

Another random experimenty piece, this time using the airbrush for shading. Interesting notes, nice grungy texturedy feel, will keep that noted.

WHY DID I SPEND SO MUCH TIME ON THOSE HANDS IF I WAS JUST GOING TO COVER THEM UP

Otherwise, mediocre, but experimental. Decent fire effect on one of the hands.

Oh yes, and I learned that I can't draw while shivering.

Links

Time: ~1 hour?
Music: For What It's Worth

My god her right sleeve
It's full of meat
How did you uncanny valley md with an arm?!?
(everything else is cool but the arm spirits whyyyyy)

Also glad you like sketching. It's fun.

[Thanqol]

...not bad; especially for twenty minutes' time...

Good-o.

My god her right sleeve
It's full of meat
How did you uncanny valley md with an arm?!?
(everything else is cool but the arm spirits whyyyyy)

Also glad you like sketching. It's fun.

Call it a gift.

Day 348: Didn't I?

I love Iron Man!

I think his choice of mask design is imbecilic.

Expect to see a redesign of it sometime this week when I have time. Also going to read up on Project Rooftop, it looks really interesting from what I've seen. Right now, tired.

Links

Time: 20 mins
Music: Let The Monster Rise

[Hawkflight]

My god her right sleeve
It's full of meat
How did you uncanny valley md with an arm?!?
(everything else is cool but the arm spirits whyyyyy)

Also glad you like sketching. It's fun.

No no no, see, clearly she has the same curse as that guy from Ninja Gaiden 3.

[Thanqol]

No no no, see, clearly she has the same curse as that guy from Ninja Gaiden 3.

Day 349: Did Someone Say Ninjas?

Dr. McNinja is totally a superhero, shut up.

Not a remotely original composition but I'm updating on a day when I've had surgery, what do you want from me?

Links

Time: 35 mins
Music: Seeds of Kindness Album

[Sean Mirrsen]

Day 349: Did Someone Say Ninjas?

Dr. McNinja is totally a superhero, shut up.

Not a remotely original composition but I'm updating on a day when I've had surgery, what do you want from me?

Links

Time: 35 mins
Music: Seeds of Kindness Album

Nice. As far as I can remember AoDMN, also pretty accurate. Slightly affected by the Spontaneous Arm Explosion Syndrome, but good overall.

[Story Time]

Day 349: Did Someone Say Ninjas?

One of Thanqol's more dynamic pieces. This is nice, though pointing out the lack of cohesive proportions in the different anatomical points...would be kind of redundant.

It's good. It's just not super, like usual. The artist is allowed a prerogative.


Surgery? Are you okay?

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Day 349: Did Someone Say Ninjas?

Dr. McNinja is totally a superhero, shut up.

Not a remotely original composition but I'm updating on a day when I've had surgery, what do you want from me?

Links

Time: 35 mins
Music: Seeds of Kindness Album

Looks great Thanq! I am really loving all the folds in his clothes you've got going on there

[smuchmuch]

Holly labcoat batman wanabes ! Except for the slightly messed up torso/arm length ratio, that one is very good ! The pose is dynamic (and quite fitting) and it looks definitively awesome.

[Thanqol]

Nice. As far as I can remember AoDMN, also pretty accurate. Slightly affected by the Spontaneous Arm Explosion Syndrome, but good overall.

One of these days I'll get that right.

One of Thanqol's more dynamic pieces. This is nice, though pointing out the lack of cohesive proportions in the different anatomical points...would be kind of redundant.

It's good. It's just not super, like usual. The artist is allowed a prerogative.


Surgery? Are you okay?

Doing fine. Information here if you're morbidly curious.

Looks great Thanq! I am really loving all the folds in his clothes you've got going on there

Thanks

Holly labcoat batman wanabes ! Except for the slightly messed up torso/arm length ratio, that one is very good ! The pose is dynamic (and quite fitting) and it looks definitively awesome.

Thanks muchly

Day 350: Iron Mage

First off, a completely dud design that changed what it wanted to be three times but was scrap in the sketch layer. Went ahead to partially paint it out of a kind of unfocused boredom. Minor skill gain, nothing particularly notable. Links

Second was a few random sketches of a redesign for Iron Man - rather than having him as a genius in a superpowered suit, my idea was to make him a wizard with a superpowered cloak. I think this idea could be extremely cool with some more experimentation.

Links

Time: 1 hour
Music: Suicidal Bird
AND ALSO
Rewind by iamnotacleverpony

[Story Time]

Day 350: Iron Mage

The first one is very...flat. With reverse-shadows? ??????

The second is concept sketches...and I still don't feel comfortable speaking critically of those.


Um...about the surgery... I'm glad you're okay.


I also suppose that some of me wonders if we will ever see more of Stephanie again.

[Thanqol]

The first one is very...flat. With reverse-shadows? ??????

The first one is incomplete, didn't get past the flats part of it. I almost didn't upload it because it was basically random meandering without any real plan to it. It's less than 15% complete as far as paints pictures go.

The second is concept sketches...and I still don't feel comfortable speaking critically of those.


Um...about the surgery... I'm glad you're okay.

Thank you.

I also suppose that some of me wonders if we will ever see more of Stephanie again.

Oh, absolutely. I just made a challenge to the Prince for a week of superheroes. Given how I'm almost certainly going to be playing Stephanie in a play-by-post, she's going to get a lot more pictures just by virtue of being on my roster of active characters!

EDIT: I've got a character sheet/array of background/personality/design notes I could share if anyone was interested?