Capt. Ido learns to steal thread ideas (and also draw)!

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Look I'm ALL about shameless suggestions! Anything that gives me ideas of what to draw is a good thing in my opinion

That being said, yall were TOO SLOW and Trixie got to me first, so tonight's drawing is...

Day 6 - Floofy

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the great and powerful alt version:

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Time spent: A bit more than hour, I forgot to use the timer today >_>
Music Listened: Mostly Vitamin String Quartet
References: These guys here.

...an Irbis! Which is Russian for snow leopard, which is what I am marking down as the thing I learned today. Hey, it actually turned out a LOT better than what I expected. Using a reference really helped 0_o I had a pose in mind when I started it, but in the end the reference really influenced the exact pose, which wasn't a bad thing? Animals be hard to draw, yo.

So! Thanq and Domo don't I'll be throwing your ideas into the queue and we'll see how badly I butcher your works!

[Thanqol]

So! Thanq and Domo don't I'll be throwing your ideas into the queue and we'll see how badly I butcher your works!

Yeah, I was about 6 hours late to the party. Overall this one's pretty cool. I like your pine tree design, pose has feel.

Also, this was Day 34 for me, so I'm not entirely afraid of you butcherin' my works worse than I already have

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[leakingpen]

Nice. I dig the background, the trees, ect. The front arms though... the shoulders look like human shoulders, not a cat.

[SiuiS]

You've got the grip I started drawing with! I was told to break it and the process of doing so was the weirdest thing. It's well and truly gone by this point, happily.

Ok, Ok. Fine. I will actually try and change up my grip for one that doesn't destroy my livelihood.

Cap'n, your work is commendable. I enjoy your cartoony style. Keep up the good work until you accidentally do something bad enough that I am qualified to comment on it

[Thanqol]

Ok, Ok. Fine. I will actually try and change up my grip for one that doesn't destroy my livelihood.

It'll be impossibly weird for about a week, but try not to regress because it's easier. Once you've adjusted it seems pretty permanent.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Day 7 - Blarrrgh

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Alright! Well I was out for most of today, so it was a bit of a scramble to get this one in. Sorry about the blank flank there, Thanq, thanks to the inherently small avi size, I couldn't make out what I was supposed to put there >_>

I've actually been working on this for the last hour and a half, however I'm also in the middle of trying my hand at some coloring! However, it's almost 3 in the morning, so I'm posting the lineart tonight (since that was fun doing!) and I'll do the colors as a later project. Actually probably tomorrow, depending on how things are going. I'm going to be out all of tomorrow evening, so we'll see when something ends up getting posted.

So here's the lineart, in any case?

[Thanqol]

Day 7 - Blarrrgh

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Alright! Well I was out for most of today, so it was a bit of a scramble to get this one in. Sorry about the blank flank there, Thanq, thanks to the inherently small avi size, I couldn't make out what I was supposed to put there >_>

I've actually been working on this for the last hour and a half, however I'm also in the middle of trying my hand at some coloring! However, it's almost 3 in the morning, so I'm posting the lineart tonight (since that was fun doing!) and I'll do the colors as a later project. Actually probably tomorrow, depending on how things are going. I'm going to be out all of tomorrow evening, so we'll see when something ends up getting posted.

So here's the lineart, in any case?

Shape of the mask isn't quite right, it looks kinda like a damp sock. Extend it out a bit and make it more angular and smoother. Remember, the line goes down the centre of the mask like so.

You can actually get a surprising amount of emotion and expression out of that mask through variating where the hood falls, how big the eyes are, how thick the lines around the eyes are and the angle. I'm doing today's piece on that so check my thread in an hour or two

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Funny story, I was about to post and say that circumstances wouldn't permit me to post regularly today, when literally as I was typing up this post, I got a text saying that circumstances have been moved back and hour and a half.

So nevermind, carry on! Nothing to see here. Actually, there will be something to see here, and this post is more or less extraneous. See yall in an hour or so!

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Shape of the mask isn't quite right, it looks kinda like a damp sock. Extend it out a bit and make it more angular and smoother. Remember, the line goes down the centre of the mask like so.

Yeah, "damp sock" really is the way to put it, isn't it? Haha, oh well! Thanks for the other references, a teeny avatar, as it turns out, isn't much to go on ^^;;

With those recommendations, and my dissatisfaction with yesterday, today we've got

Day 8 - Blarrrgh 2: Electric Boogaloo

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3/4 perspective is hard. It's disconcerting to make everything slightly different sizes...

[Capt. Ido Nos]

So I feel pretty bad about not replying to anyone the last few days but FOR REALSIES I promise that I'll find the time tomorrow and get those taken care of, even with the intent to actually go and post in the rest of your draw threads as well that I'm seeing start to pop up :)

Man, tell you what though, the threat of what might happen if I don't post have definitely been getting me to do these instead of bum off a sorry excuse or a sorrier doodle drawing

Today's drawing is request number two from Trixie, which was to draw the Sniper from TF2

Day 9 - comma+8

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Time spent: 50 minutes, give or take. I should get a timer proper...
Music: This album twice through. (Courtesy AmishPirate for the link)
References: This and that

... Okay wow, this turned out WORLDS better than I thought it would. Like, I finished it, and my face was the sniper's in the first ref picture. So it's crazy sketchy and messy, but the fact that this actually sort of resembles what I set out to do is rather astounding. I don't know what happened people, but I'm pretty sure I'm never drawing without a reference of some sort again.

Here's the actual sketch layer, for kicks and giggles. The temptation to just post this and call it a day was pretty big, not going to lie:

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That's definitely a problem for me, finishing a piece. I get to a point where I can see what I see in my mind if I squint, and I call it good enough. Thing is it's not

[Domochevsky]

Good sniper, if kinda blank.

(Also, no GenGame related art? Shame on you!)

[Thanqol]

Day 9 - comma+8

Ha! Cool! Though, thing is, that expression of shock would be vastly more potent if his body language reflected it somehow. Usually you freeze with shock when you see something unexpected, which means that a lot of the time you're just glancing a little off to the side or are doing something regular with your hands and then just sort of freeze up in the process of it.

And yes, you've got a point that it's easy to not finish drawings. I frequently get the idea that 'no, the lineart's good enough, you shouldn't go on to colour and thereby wreck it'. Problem is, without that I ain't gonna learn colour.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Good sniper, if kinda blank.

(Also, no GenGame related art? Shame on you!)

Whoa hey, gimme a break! I'm not forgetting you yet. In fact... if you wait a little bit....

Ha! Cool! Though, thing is, that expression of shock would be vastly more potent if his body language reflected it somehow. Usually you freeze with shock when you see something unexpected, which means that a lot of the time you're just glancing a little off to the side or are doing something regular with your hands and then just sort of freeze up in the process of it.

And yes, you've got a point that it's easy to not finish drawings. I frequently get the idea that 'no, the lineart's good enough, you shouldn't go on to colour and thereby wreck it'. Problem is, without that I ain't gonna learn colour.

Haha, any resemblance to a shocked expression is entirely coincidental. I didn't have it in me to give him an expression proper, so I just left it more or less blank. Actually, his sketch looks almost remorseful. Weird You know what though, this would be a fun face to try out expressions with, so you might just see a shocked one eventually! *scheming...*

Day 10 - Sketchy Excuses
Okay! So! As it turns out, today is the first day of a new campaign for me, and we scheduled it SUPER CRAZY EARLY and has the potential to run late. Not going to let that stop me, so I took the only amount of time I did know that I have and pumped this out. I really would like to finish this, but this is all I had time for. If I get back before 11 I'll see if I can make that happen. If not, more time tomorrow!

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Time spent: 30 minutes
Music: (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To, Weezer

[Thanqol]

I approve of chicks wearing ties. Nice design on chickenbot.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Thanks! I'd take credit, but that belongs to the GenGame crew :p

That being said, the Rogue (chickenbot) is fun to fiddle with. I'm going to clean this up tonight when I get off work :)

[Domochevsky]

Thanks! I'd take credit, but that belongs to the GenGame crew :p

That being said, the Rogue (chickenbot) is fun to fiddle with. I'm going to clean this up tonight when I get off work :)

I continue to look forward to it. (Kinda reminds me of my own early drawings of these characters. >_> )

[Fri]

From your current drawings, I only have one advice for you, an advice I gave to thanqol back then too.

When you draw/sketch, don't use multiple short lines. It's one of the worst thing you could do while drawing. Basically it will make your drawings looks 'furry.'

Draw longer lines instead. Don't feel defeated when the lines aren't straight or go to where you want them to, just draw another line on top of them. Take a note on good sketches example, you might notice that they indeed draw multiple lines over and over to make shapes, but the lines are long and 'shape-making'.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

From your current drawings, I only have one advice for you, an advice I gave to thanqol back then too.

When you draw/sketch, don't use multiple short lines. It's one of the worst thing you could do while drawing. Basically it will make your drawings looks 'furry.'

Draw longer lines instead. Don't feel defeated when the lines aren't straight or go to where you want them to, just draw another line on top of them. Take a note on good sketches example, you might notice that they indeed draw multiple lines over and over to make shapes, but the lines are long and 'shape-making'.

Thanks for the tip! Yeah... my art is pretty furry when I'm not paying attention isn't it? The snow leopard doesn't count though, I was trying for that though

With that in mind, here's

Day 11 - Cutting out the fluff (+1 action)

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It's the finished GenGame picture from yesterday! Now with 100% finished! I did try for the longer strokes. Also there is ever so slightly some perspective practice, so this isn't as flat as it felt yesterday, with some luck.

Incidentally, I've been playing a lot of Spy in TF2 lately.

[Domochevsky]

Pretty solid, but i can't help but notice that the ROGUE doesn't have a gun. (Must be a scout or something.)

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Pretty solid, but i can't help but notice that the ROGUE doesn't have a gun. (Must be a scout or something.)

Yeah... a scout... I uh er YES! It is a scout model! Definitely

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Day 12 - Sketchpage

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Today's is simply me filling as much of an A4 sheet as I could with warmup style sketches (and no erasing!) until my eyes hurt too much from looking at the screen to continue. Not really anything coherent for a single piece tonight, but tomorrow I'm going to try and spend 2 hours on a single piece if I can wrestle that time for myself.

Stream of conscious drawing sure is random... feel free to use this to try and psychoanalyze me.

[Thanqol]

Stream of conscious drawing sure is random... feel free to use this to try and psychoanalyze me.

You owe me, like, your car for not making a yo momma joke here.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

You owe me, like, your car for not making a yo momma joke here.

That's fair I suppose, here I'll send it right over.

Awe jyeah, doing a drawing before midnight oh snaaaaaaap!
Day 13 - Ido Doesn't Actually Own a Car

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Time spent: 40 minutes.
Music listened: Pony Swag
Reference: link

Inaccurate descriptions aside, last night's doodlefest has gotten me itching to get my anatomy down right. This week I have decided is anatomy week SO SHALL IT BE WRITTEN SO SHALL IT BE DONE!

I'm not too happy about not spending a full hour on this, but I got to this point (clean lineart after a few layers of sketch buildup to get the shape) I just couldn't put the pencil to paper anymore. I've figured in the past that sometimes the fun just ends early. That said, it feels a bit off, only I can't place what exactly is off =S That's what this is all about though! Practice practice practice. See yall tomorrow. Taking requests on limbs! Wait is he joking LETS FIND OUT.

[SiuiS]

The fingers are too small in this one. In anatomical position, the middle finger should also extend past the fore- and ring-fingers. The hand and thumb look boss; I suspect you just ran out of room on the canvas or on the tablet, like how writing gets smaller the closer you get to the margins .

Actually, looking at it you've got two different sizes here. The arm (bicep, forearm) and fingers are both the same size, while the torso, palm and thumb are a different, bigger size.
I'm not sure, but I think it stems from using the scribe's grip while drawing. You develop a habit of drawing things all in the same scale (or a least I did) and if you try to draw out of that scale, you need crazy focus to not slip back into it and do whatever you're working on now in your usual size. In this case I'd guess the torso, thumb and palm were what you worked on while the arm and base finger design you did easily, aye?

[Capt. Ido Nos]

The fingers are too small in this one. In anatomical position, the middle finger should also extend past the fore- and ring-fingers. The hand and thumb look boss; I suspect you just ran out of room on the canvas or on the tablet, like how writing gets smaller the closer you get to the margins .

Actually, looking at it you've got two different sizes here. The arm (bicep, forearm) and fingers are both the same size, while the torso, palm and thumb are a different, bigger size.
I'm not sure, but I think it stems from using the scribe's grip while drawing. You develop a habit of drawing things all in the same scale (or a least I did) and if you try to draw out of that scale, you need crazy focus to not slip back into it and do whatever you're working on now in your usual size. In this case I'd guess the torso, thumb and palm were what you worked on while the arm and base finger design you did easily, aye?

Haha, I absolutely ran out of space on the canvas ^^;; I could always have just made it larger, but I decided to stick to the strict confines of the A4 size so that I'll learn to work better within the space I *do* have. Infinite canvas is nice, but I do need to work on framing my space as well.

Trying to make heads of the second paragraph though. I think you're saying that I've got two different sets of proportions going on? Like the arm and fingers exist in one proportional scale, and the palm, thumb, and torso are in a second? Pardon me for not getting you right away, it's pretty late on my end and I think I used up all my Comprehend English allotments for the day...

Speaking of which guys, there will be NO post tonight. I know, I know, I bring shame to family. BUT! I feel like I have a pretty top tier excuse for today, and that is I unintentionally spent the afternoon and evening exploring my OTHER much neglected ability, and that is writing. As some of you know from elsewhere, I'm starting a new D&D campaign this week, and I've got a specific backstory in mind for my character, however it's going to require some shenanigans to make work with a DM who said he's like to stick to 3.5e core if at all possible. I sat down to write him up a sample backstory, and when I snapped to it was six hours later and I'm exhausted Seriously, it was five pages and over 2200 wordcount. How did this happen?

I'm actually pretty pleased with how it turned out. If you like you can check it out, though warning: pony exposure.

So that's my sad tale. It's now too late for me to put the proper effort into drawing and also get anything resembling sleep for work tomorrow. I feel pretty bad about that, even though I feel good about what wrote. I promise I'll spend some extra time and love on my sketch tomorrow, if that's okay with everyone!

[Thanqol]

No art? Boo!

Better be something tomorrow or I'll have to get the fire ants.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Put the fire ants away, it's time for the arts!

Day 15 - Minus One

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Time spent: 1 hour 15 minutes

So I bunkered down and found SIX different anatomy models to draw off of some parts that have historically been problem areas that annoy me. The dimensions of the canvas are a bit different looking, I cranked up the resolution on an A4 and then cropped the whitespace. Anywho, here we go, fix different parts with six different focus areas. Hope this somewhat makes up for missing yesterday

(Also, here's the one where I forgot to hide my sketch layers before saving to png, because I hosted it I may as well posted it:)

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[Capt. Ido Nos]

Hoorayyy, a post before midnight! I get to sleep tonight /)^3^(\ All the same, I have a feeling that tonight's is going to be... instructive. Tonight marks my first real shot at drawing... a face that actually belongs to someone

Day 16 - Rolled a Six

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Time: 40 minutes
Music: Equestria Radio (again)
Reference: This guy's mug.

Well... I dunno, I think it turned out alright? He looks about fifty years older though. I tried my durndest on putting everything in the right place with proportions. Also tried to avoid my furrylines, the lines SHOULD be longer. Dat hair...Did I end up drawing Ronald Regan instead? >_>;;

Sketch layer for comparison:

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[Zorg]

Part of the age increase is due to lack of shading maybe? The pic he's doing that laught thing where you push your head back and straighten the neck up. That shortens the neck giving the visual cue that he's wrinkling his face due to that more than just having wrinkles.

Adding shading would give more texture to teh whole pic and reduce the obviousness of teh lines.

With lineart sometimes less is more - wrinkles around the eyes show age, so often better to leave them off or thin them out even when they should be there. See my drawing thread where I've done quite a few faces similar - one or two lines can change a picture dramatically.


Re Minus 1 - the hand in a fist is a bit off. The line from inside knuckle is too long. The palm should be visible, especially at the base of the thumb.

Somewhat incoherent post as I am really sick - hope it makes sense

[Capt. Ido Nos]

A brief pause from anatomy week for a day to allow me to take a little step back, get a little

Day 17 - Perspective

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Time: 20 minutes
Music: Just what's stuck in my head.

Bookfort in 2 point perspective. Nothing too fancy, but still some good solid practice in here. Straight lines are tricky when I'm tired and hold the stylus wrong.

Tomorrow resumes me talking back to people's wonderful suggestions that honestly are helping out, I just need to get back my time to draw earlier in the day. mutter mutter video games...

Actually today's reason I'm up late is strictly D&D reasons, so I count that as acceptable. Other days not so much though.

Hey now that I'm thinking about it, how's my line thickness? I know that tends to be a style thing, but do folks thing I'm making them *too* thick? What seems to be a happy medium?