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  1. - Top - End - #481
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Day 14, I attempt to draw AortS Commander's alien quadrapeds, the Jaklyrkieon... or something. >_<
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    Yes, I know I forgot the far legs >_< This is what happens when you attempt to draw while simultaneously watching TV and chatting on MSN.
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    Quote Originally Posted by SiuiS View Post
    Diego Havoc, one of the hoopier froods I've met, up there with DeLancie.



  2. - Top - End - #482
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    Day 14, I attempt to draw AortS Commander's alien quadrapeds, the Jaklyrkieon... or something. >_<
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    Yes, I know I forgot the far legs >_< This is what happens when you attempt to draw while simultaneously watching TV and chatting on MSN.
    Looks interesting. Now, all we need is some sort of evil armor of a sort to fit this guy in and they could be smashing undead all day!
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    Pokonic look what you have done! You fool, you`ve doomed us all!
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    Oh Pokonic, never change. And never become my D.M.
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  3. - Top - End - #483
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    My take on the same thing:

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    Fancy armor (and "saddlebags" to hold the reloads) pending.

    Too much like a normal pony, I think. I'm not too keen on all those descriptive elements. (In retrospect, I should've probably kept the description open while drawing...)

    Merged post: I've started refining that Justice design, and suddenly realised something.

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    Finally found a justification for them freckles. Secondary heatsink vents! With how much power these mechs generate, it probably gets pretty hot inside. The other mechs probably have them concealed better, because the Justice, in following with the "strong and rough" theme, is built a little like a tractor.


    Badass country ranger with a hat and a mighty powerful kick. Ranger!Applejack is Chuck Norris?

    Merged post 2: Worked out details for everything but the hind legs (which is odd, considering that the bigger half of them is just the cannons), and for now trying to find a nice pose as a sort of distraction. Any suggestions? Maybe I should just have it stand, as if in the bay or standing guard? Not the most interesting pose, but better than a botched interesting one.

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  4. - Top - End - #484
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    Day 15, another "I can't be arsed" day. So I did a human face:
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    Bland and uninteresting, but I think I got the proportions okay.

    ...kinda looks like a younger version of me... huh.
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  5. - Top - End - #485
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    Hehehe!

    I think the weird thing is that Manga teaches simplfied anatomy, but to learn anatomy you should really be looking at the real thing first.
    I'm actually somewhat divided on whether one should learn anatomy from real life first or not. For purely technical purposes, of course it is the correct way to go about things! But is it the correct way to sustain someone's interest in drawing?
    I remeber when I first begun to take drawing a bit more serious during my early teen years, I was not at all interesting in drawing from real life. And if you told me to do it, I may have given up drawing all together. I wanted to draw manga style (with all it's many pitfalls) and I was going to do it, dang it! So I started drawing, but didn't get as good as I could have, but at least I was drawing. It's like horrible fan fiction filled with overpowered Mary Stues. On the one hand, it makes you want to strangle something, but on the other, at least the person is practicing the most rudimentary writing skills.


    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    That's a very cute Applejack! I must note that because of the apron, at first glance it looks like she has very short legs. I think because you left some of the underlines for the legs, but they only go up halfway ^^:
    I should have cleaned up those legs lines...


    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
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    I hate this one so much :/ There was no inspiration here, unlike the Flutterknight picture. I don't think it helps that I was in kind of a "meh" mood today. Before I knew it I had drawn a bland looking picture of a pony in a default stance. Way to challenge yourself, Diego.

    I also have no idea why it scanned so bright either.

    Ah well, they can't all be winners. I may well take another shot tomorrow, assuming there's time.
    It's late to comment and I know you already seem to have disowned this pic but for a unicorn shooting a bow you could have had the unicorn in a action pose with a look of concentration, either because of the aim or because of the magic. As it is now, she just looks bored.

    Quote Originally Posted by fizmat View Post
    The mane is gorgeous and the face is nice, but hind legs look off. Maybe they are too thin? I'm not sure. The tail is hard to recognize too. It's difficult to imagine a tail laying on the ground, so I wouldn't know how to fix that. The apron I liked, but the pie looks like it's about to fall, she's holding it by the corner of the crust and it already started tipping. Maybe I was just looking at it too hard...
    Your right on the tail and pie. I should have flattened out like it was hair, as it is now, it's like a lizard tail or something. And the pie pan was going to have a handle on the side opposite to AJ so that people could imagine it was a two handle pie pan and the other handle was in her mouth. But I forgot to put it there.
    The legs could be a bit thicker, but I think they could also have a stronger back leg pony shape too. As they are now they are just cylinders.
    I'm glad the mane came out ok, this AJ was made using no references so it's good I have something down.
    I'll probably do this exercise again.

    Quote Originally Posted by fizmat View Post

    My own (not yet submitted) submissions to the ATG:
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    I tried to be inspired by the structure of real horse armor. I still have trouble drawing... anything, really. Inked with a marker, Photoshopped for color and better contrast.

    This was fun, if too time-consuming. I have this habit of aiming too high. I shouldn't be trying to draw crossovers yet, I still have trouble with eyes and poses... Pencil sketch > phone camera > Paint Tool Sai linework layer > another layer for colors.
    Quote Originally Posted by Noctemwolf View Post
    How do you get involved in the training ground? Just wondering 0-0*
    Also, congrats to both of you for making it up there!
    You should always be over ambitious! It's when things go wrong that you start learning something.
    I like the concept on the first one, the horse armor looks nice. You should put the pony in a more interesting pose next time, I want to see it in action!

    The second image is a nice scene, but (as you already noted) the eyes look a bit off.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    My take on the same thing:

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    Fancy armor (and "saddlebags" to hold the reloads) pending.

    Too much like a normal pony, I think. I'm not too keen on all those descriptive elements. (In retrospect, I should've probably kept the description open while drawing...)

    Merged post: I've started refining that Justice design, and suddenly realised something.

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    Finally found a justification for them freckles. Secondary heatsink vents! With how much power these mechs generate, it probably gets pretty hot inside. The other mechs probably have them concealed better, because the Justice, in following with the "strong and rough" theme, is built a little like a tractor.


    Badass country ranger with a hat and a mighty powerful kick. Ranger!Applejack is Chuck Norris?

    Merged post 2: Worked out details for everything but the hind legs (which is odd, considering that the bigger half of them is just the cannons), and for now trying to find a nice pose as a sort of distraction. Any suggestions? Maybe I should just have it stand, as if in the bay or standing guard? Not the most interesting pose, but better than a botched interesting one.

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    Finally! A excuse for the freckles! So what's the excuse for the hat?

    A simple pose would probably be best. Or you could just have one of the front legs crossed over the other as that is a classical AJ pose as you seem to be considering in the drawing. But while ponies are made of goo and follow cartoon anatomy, your mechs are solid so the leg joints turned like that may look weird.

    Oh yes, and the alien Jagerpony looks good too!


    Quote Originally Posted by Noctemwolf View Post
    Some of my drawings:

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    finished line art for Sojourner:
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    full picture:
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    I missed this one when you originally posted it. Very nice linework! The eyes are still very unique and nice and the whole picture has a nice mystical feel.. Where you going for a Celestia or Luna body design?
    My only real critic is that the foreleg furtherest from the viewer (would that be the right one?) looks a bit too skinny when compared to the other. Just a bit though. Also, this is just a suggestion, but you did a very unique thing with the mane with the "groups" of strands and all. But the tail is just one complete shape. I think if you did the tail the same way you did the mane the design may be a bit stronger.


    Well here we go again,

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    Here is another rough of scene the I'm picking away at,

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    With perspective lines going all crazy.

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    Prespective is slightly wonky and still lazy as not all figures have it. But by this point it's going to have do. I'm not so sure about the weight of the picture, now there's a lot of action to the viewer's left in the foreground, with male Lickity Split being shown off by a random background pony I got from the wiki (I think they called her Storm?). But I plan to put this part in shadow and Lickity Split and Background's colors are dull, and hopefully the viewer will be focus on Twist and Applebloom's red manes. At least that's the plan, all this color stuff is rather crazy.
    I'm uncertain how many more background ponies to add, as you can see there are some basic shape floating around Twist and Scoot. Not sure if I will add these.

    Here's some random doodles! Because I was drawing, even when I wasn't posting... Some pony and some not pony. Mostly practice and horrible anatomy. Pay no attention to the hands. For goodness's sake.
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    Blue collar worker Ambrosia is one of the most awesome background ponies introduced this season! There should be more fan art of this.

  6. - Top - End - #486
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bakuel View Post
    It's late to comment and I know you already seem to have disowned this pic but for a unicorn shooting a bow you could have had the unicorn in a action pose with a look of concentration, either because of the aim or because of the magic. As it is now, she just looks bored.
    To be fair, in the pic the arrow's already in the target. So to me it looks like she's just disappointed at her feeble shooting skills.

    Finally! A excuse for the freckles! So what's the excuse for the hat?
    No excuse, really. I've come up with a backstory that sort of justifies many of the aspects of the machines, so perhaps further justification isn't really necessary. Kinda like the Anxiety's poofy hair or the Mercy being utterly weaponless despite being the same basic design as the Tenacity. It's just the mechs being representations of the characters, and the hat is very much a signature feature of Applejack's. The hat is very much decorative, the closest a giant robot can have to a piece of apparel. It is collapsible, and isn't visible when the Justice transforms.

    A simple pose would probably be best. Or you could just have one of the front legs crossed over the other as that is a classical AJ pose as you seem to be considering in the drawing. But while ponies are made of goo and follow cartoon anatomy, your mechs are solid so the leg joints turned like that may look weird.
    I actually consider that a design flaw. The mechs' limbs should have at least as much range of motion as that of an average pony. I make sure to design the foreleg knees as ball joints or composite cylinder joints, and try to leave sufficient gaps or obviously moving pieces in joint armor to ensure the needed flexibility.

    Well here we go again,

    Spoiler
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    Here is another rough of scene the I'm picking away at,

    Spoiler
    Show



    With perspective lines going all crazy.

    Spoiler
    Show



    Prespective is slightly wonky and still lazy as not all figures have it. But by this point it's going to have do. I'm not so sure about the weight of the picture, now there's a lot of action to the viewer's left in the foreground, with male Lickity Split being shown off by a random background pony I got from the wiki (I think they called her Storm?). But I plan to put this part in shadow and Lickity Split and Background's colors are dull, and hopefully the viewer will be focus on Twist and Applebloom's red manes. At least that's the plan, all this color stuff is rather crazy.
    I'm uncertain how many more background ponies to add, as you can see there are some basic shape floating around Twist and Scoot. Not sure if I will add these.

    Here's some random doodles! Because I was drawing, even when I wasn't posting... Some pony and some not pony. Mostly practice and horrible anatomy. Pay no attention to the hands. For goodness's sake.
    Spoiler
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    Blue collar worker Ambrosia is one of the most awesome background ponies introduced this season! There should be more fan art of this.
    I keep marveling at how natural your designs look. Mine are too influenced by all the robots I'm designing. I gotta stop thinking of my characters' bodies simply as machines built from organic parts. And your hands are much less terrible than what I usually manage to come up with (although thinking of them as machine components certainly helps get them somewhat right).

    Also, who are the animal people? Any story/universe behind them?

    In the meantime, sketchity sketch. I'm almost happy with the hind leg design (needs something better around the knee, and maybe just cover most of the flank with an armor plate), but something feels indescribably wrong about the pose.
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    Merged post:
    Trying to keep myself disciplined enough to draw something new every day rather than keep tweaking unfinished works, have some more scene sketching (and some more failing at poses):
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    Why does Nightmare Moon look so much like Celestia here? I'll be adding some fancy armor pieces and other decor (in keeping with the Power Ranger villains' usual over-the-topness), so that might not be much of an issue, but still.

    It's missing about four more Rangers, and a whole lot of sense. I really need to rethink what I want to be going on in this scene. Everyone doing a DYNAMIC ENTRYYY from stage left isn't going to look very good, so I'll need something going on on the stage right. Pink Ranger popping up from within the billowing darkness/mane, hefting a cake? Cyan Ranger, flying past, already having delivered her hit? ...I might want to widen the scene a bit.
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  7. - Top - End - #487
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    I actually consider that a design flaw. The mechs' limbs should have at least as much range of motion as that of an average pony. I make sure to design the foreleg knees as ball joints or composite cylinder joints, and try to leave sufficient gaps or obviously moving pieces in joint armor to ensure the needed flexibility.

    In the meantime, sketchity sketch. I'm almost happy with the hind leg design (needs something better around the knee, and maybe just cover most of the flank with an armor plate), but something feels indescribably wrong about the pose.
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    I noticed that the front legs of the AJ mech lack the "shoulder" joint. The topmost one is the elbow. The shoulder is not noticeable in ponies because they are made of marshmallow, in horses it's slightly visible but still hidden by skin. Its (apparent, because of no skin) lack on the mech makes it seem unstable and rigid. It can walk, but the body would shake more than if it had another joint.

    The problem with the pose, as I see it, is in how left and right legs are shifted by perspective. The front pair is shifted a lot, as if the mech is viewed a bit diagonally. The hind pair is not shifted, as if it's viewed from the side directly. While the torso does not bend to reflect the apparent turn of the girdles. I hope I'm describing it clearly enough, I don't know English well enough to discuss the anatomy of equine giant robots... What I would try to do is move the left-hind leg forward in a separate layer and see if it fixes the feeling of wrongness.

  8. - Top - End - #488
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by fizmat View Post
    I noticed that the front legs of the AJ mech lack the "shoulder" joint. The topmost one is the elbow. The shoulder is not noticeable in ponies because they are made of marshmallow, in horses it's slightly visible but still hidden by skin. Its (apparent, because of no skin) lack on the mech makes it seem unstable and rigid. It can walk, but the body would shake more than if it had another joint.
    A very good observation, and indeed a very correct one, with just two exceptions.

    Firstly, the Justice is not the only Ranger machine I've designed with a lack of a visible shoulder joint. If you look back at my other designs, you'll notice that they all share this perceived flaw.

    Second, the key word in the above paragraph is "perceived".

    I have indeed noticed that ponies have a fairly nonconventional joint setup. There are, however, limits to what is possible to do with a machine in regards to emulating nature. Doubly so when the machine in question is supposed to transform without being an alien cyborg thing. However, being a machine has certain perks.
    Now, if you'll look carefully at the Ranger mechs, starting with Rarity's where it's first noticeable (Tenacity and Mercy are in such poses that completely conceal the system, and Anxiety's aux joint plating does a good job of it too), you'll see that the inside of the upper leg has an oddly shaped opening at the top, and the torso armor immediately around the topmost foreleg joint has an uncharacteristically large gap around it. This is my way of implying a greater range of motion than a fixed joint would be able to have. The actual "shoulder" is hidden within the torso, just as an actual shoulder would have to be, except it is at a more perpendicular angle to the rest of the leg than it can afford to be in a real equine, and it is also much shorter. The joint at the end of it can be called an elbow, but its range of motion is a combination of the elbow and shoulder joints. Unlike an elbow joint, it can rotate in any way it pleases, and can also move in any direction within the constraints of the armor gap. This simultaneously solves the problem of having to armor an extra external joint, and improves the overall motion range of the forelegs due to not being limited by the elbow's constrained rotation arcs.

    In other words, I got it covered.

    The problem with the pose, as I see it, is in how left and right legs are shifted by perspective. The front pair is shifted a lot, as if the mech is viewed a bit diagonally. The hind pair is not shifted, as if it's viewed from the side directly. While the torso does not bend to reflect the apparent turn of the girdles. I hope I'm describing it clearly enough, I don't know English well enough to discuss the anatomy of equine giant robots... What I would try to do is move the left-hind leg forward in a separate layer and see if it fixes the feeling of wrongness.
    Okay, I'll try that. And I also don't know English well enough to discuss certain matters, so I can understand you perfectly fine.
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  9. - Top - End - #489
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bakuel View Post
    I'm actually somewhat divided on whether one should learn anatomy from real life first or not. For purely technical purposes, of course it is the correct way to go about things! But is it the correct way to sustain someone's interest in drawing?
    I remeber when I first begun to take drawing a bit more serious during my early teen years, I was not at all interesting in drawing from real life. And if you told me to do it, I may have given up drawing all together. I wanted to draw manga style (with all it's many pitfalls) and I was going to do it, dang it! So I started drawing, but didn't get as good as I could have, but at least I was drawing. It's like horrible fan fiction filled with overpowered Mary Stues. On the one hand, it makes you want to strangle something, but on the other, at least the person is practicing the most rudimentary writing skills.
    I see your point. I certainly seem to draw much better when I'm drawing something I want to draw, rather than things I ought to draw. And when I draw well, I enjoy it. If I don't, drawing becomes a horrible, tedious chore, and I stop doing it. I can't stand drawing from real life either.

    That said, there have been moments when I wanted to draw something more realistically, only to stop and go "Actually, I don't know how to do this". It can be quite frustrating.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bakuel View Post
    Here's some random doodles! Because I was drawing, even when I wasn't posting... Some pony and some not pony. Mostly practice and horrible anatomy. Pay no attention to the hands. For goodness's sake.
    But now that you've pointed them out, I can't help but look at them! And they're actually pretty good!

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    To be fair, in the pic the arrow's already in the target. So to me it looks like she's just disappointed at her feeble shooting skills.
    That was what I was going for, yes.

    Speaking of which, I decided to do a new pic for the training day, and oh boy did I ever get into this one! It started out pretty awkward, with bad anatomy and weird poses, but in the end I got to the point where I was actually getting somewhere, and kinda enjoying it. I love it when that happens!

    Camera phone picture again, because I can't use the scanner right now.
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    I still don't really think of Twi and Trixie as rivals, but it sure is fun drawing Twilight putting in almost no effort and still matching Trixie!

    I am almost positive that there is some proportion mismatch here. Maybe Twilight's head is not quite the same size as Trixie's? Are the legs slightly off? The bodies? Something imperceptable to me is here, and it's kinda bugging me. Thoughts?

    Also, any advice on how to make the swords more, umm, action-y, for lack of a better word? Speedlines aren't really doing it.

    In case you're wondering, the book is called "The big book of magical fighting".


    P.S. God I hate Photobucket.
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    Quote Originally Posted by SiuiS View Post
    Diego Havoc, one of the hoopier froods I've met, up there with DeLancie.



  10. - Top - End - #490
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    Speaking of which, I decided to do a new pic for the training day, and oh boy did I ever get into this one! It started out pretty awkward, with bad anatomy and weird poses, but in the end I got to the point where I was actually getting somewhere, and kinda enjoying it. I love it when that happens!

    Camera phone picture again, because I can't use the scanner right now.
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    I still don't really think of Twi and Trixie as rivals, but it sure is fun drawing Twilight putting in almost no effort and still matching Trixie!

    I am almost positive that there is some proportion mismatch here. Maybe Twilight's head is not quite the same size as Trixie's? Are the legs slightly off? The bodies? Something imperceptable to me is here, and it's kinda bugging me. Thoughts?

    Also, any advice on how to make the swords more, umm, action-y, for lack of a better word? Speedlines aren't really doing it.

    In case you're wondering, the book is called "The big book of magical fighting".


    P.S. God I hate Photobucket.
    No, the proportions seem pretty close to good. But Twilight seems to have gained a few pounds. Or is pregnant. If you correct the body line and fill in the parts of the legs now obscured, I think it'll look great.
    (edit: oh, also you're showing Twi a little from the side, but her legs stick out equally from left and right of her torso. Also, the position of the lowered foreleg confuses the mind, as to where the body ends and the leg begins. Put it a little to the side or something.)

    For swords to be more actiony, they could use interaction effects, like sparks or some kind of other effect where they come together.

    In the meantime, I really should be sleeping, but instead I keep on drawing ponies. I just focus better when the only things that can disturb me are our cats.

    I'm rather happy with RD's pose here, AJ's dynamic entry seems to pale a little in comparison.
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    So, I still need to put Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity into this pic. Pinkie I'm pretty sure will be hefting a pie (alternatively, aiming party cannon) on the left side of the pic, inexplicably appearing from behind NMM's billowing darkness. Fluttershy won't jump in to fight, so I'm not sure where to put her. Hovering on the top right? Rarity will likely have her weapon out, but there doesn't seem to be enough space on the pic to put her up close to the viewer. Ideas, suggestions, things I should consider improving or changing?
    Last edited by Sean Mirrsen; 2012-01-16 at 06:22 PM.
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    No excuse, really. I've come up with a backstory that sort of justifies many of the aspects of the machines, so perhaps further justification isn't really necessary. Kinda like the Anxiety's poofy hair or the Mercy being utterly weaponless despite being the same basic design as the Tenacity. It's just the mechs being representations of the characters, and the hat is very much a signature feature of Applejack's. The hat is very much decorative, the closest a giant robot can have to a piece of apparel. It is collapsible, and isn't visible when the Justice transforms.
    Well, no complaints here, the hat looks nice and I like the star it adds class.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    I actually consider that a design flaw. The mechs' limbs should have at least as much range of motion as that of an average pony. I make sure to design the foreleg knees as ball joints or composite cylinder joints, and try to leave sufficient gaps or obviously moving pieces in joint armor to ensure the needed flexibility.
    It's considerations like this which keep me away from designing any spaceships or mechs. Are you a engineering design guy in real life?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    I keep marveling at how natural your designs look. Mine are too influenced by all the robots I'm designing. I gotta stop thinking of my characters' bodies simply as machines built from organic parts. And your hands are much less terrible than what I usually manage to come up with (although thinking of them as machine components certainly helps get them somewhat right).

    Also, who are the animal people? Any story/universe behind them?
    Thanks! Being a history and anthropology major, my designs are often somewhat based off of actual dress. I often worry that my character designs are a bit too boring, as I have been told that my designs could be a bit more fantastical. But I never could really could do high fantasy designs like in D&D, World of Warcraft, or Final Fantasy. If I can't imagine someone getting up every day and putting this on, then I just can't let my characters wear it.

    An explanation on the animal people,

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    Animal people are on of my "things", just like dark age chainmail fantasy, and historical cues, so you'll see a lot of that.

    The one on the top left is Sabine/Sabi from a old setting of a fantasy earth with low magic (by D&D standards) but high fantasy (animal races, supernatural beings .etc). On this world there where humans, dog people, cat people, and rat people. There may or may not have been mustelid people I think I was undecided on that one. The lackadaisical no-questions asked version of animal races was somewhat inspired by Breath of Fire IV. It wasn't a setting which took itself too seriously. The setting had three main stories set in what would be Europe, a medieval tale following a dog knight during the middle of the Reconquista, the second a story was about a cursed cat landsknecht, and finally a story about a human ronin during the Renaissance. All the stories' featured ACTION, HIGH ADVENTURE and things like that.
    Sabi came from the latter story in the Renaissance. She was a... Cat burglar *ducks shoe*. In my defense the character is probably 6-8 years old now and was hatched during a odd game I played with my siblings were we tried to think up the most trite or inane character concepts and flush them out and use them in a story. The goal being to run with them for as long as possible. I kept running with this one.
    I like to think she's evolved past her horrible birth. But I doubt it. I drew her again because I drew her a year or so ago and wanted to see if I had improved any.
    Here's the old pic,
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    The second one with the antennae in the robe in the middle of the picture is a stock character of mine. A fox spirit/demon, the guy with the beard besides is a serpent spirit/demon he just hides his animal side better. Following the tradition of Daji and the animal spirits of Journey West, I always imagined these two infiltrating the government of some empire or kingdom and gained a high position in a court. What their actual diabolical scheme is, however, no one knows. They could just be free loaders.



    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    I see your point. I certainly seem to draw much better when I'm drawing something I want to draw, rather than things I ought to draw. And when I draw well, I enjoy it. If I don't, drawing becomes a horrible, tedious chore, and I stop doing it. I can't stand drawing from real life either.

    That said, there have been moments when I wanted to draw something more realistically, only to stop and go "Actually, I don't know how to do this". It can be quite frustrating.
    Well, I used to feel that way about coloring, shading, and digital painting. Still do, but the frustration is what finally made me to start making attempts. Instead of going for completely realism, I've been trying to wean myself slowly into a more realistic style. Adding more detail here and there. Filling in the blank anime face you could say. I just started this recently, so I dunno if it's turning out good.

    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    But now that you've pointed them out, I can't help but look at them! And they're actually pretty good!
    Thanks!

    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    That was what I was going for, yes.
    If that's what you were going for, then ignore that last moronic comment.
    I shouldn't post comments during all nighters...

    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    Speaking of which, I decided to do a new pic for the training day, and oh boy did I ever get into this one! It started out pretty awkward, with bad anatomy and weird poses, but in the end I got to the point where I was actually getting somewhere, and kinda enjoying it. I love it when that happens!

    Camera phone picture again, because I can't use the scanner right now.
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    I still don't really think of Twi and Trixie as rivals, but it sure is fun drawing Twilight putting in almost no effort and still matching Trixie!

    I am almost positive that there is some proportion mismatch here. Maybe Twilight's head is not quite the same size as Trixie's? Are the legs slightly off? The bodies? Something imperceptable to me is here, and it's kinda bugging me. Thoughts?

    Also, any advice on how to make the swords more, umm, action-y, for lack of a better word? Speedlines aren't really doing it.

    In case you're wondering, the book is called "The big book of magical fighting".


    P.S. God I hate Photobucket.
    I'll just parrot what Sean has already said about the stomache. I think that's what your main problem is in that picture.

    On the swords, that's a hard one. Making sword fighting through telekinesis look intense. You could try to make the swords clashing against each other in a push of strength. I dunno what to call it as I don't practice any sword fighting, but it's the common pose like this, when two fighters are pushing against each other in a match of strength. Even if their just floating swords, if you put them like this it may look better. On the flip side you could have Trixie's sword swinging and Twilight's blocking. You could also add sparks like Sean Mirrsen suggested, like they were lightsabers too. I dunno, honestly I'm just throwing out suggestions and ideas.
    I shouldn't comment before bed.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post

    In the meantime, I really should be sleeping, but instead I keep on drawing ponies. I just focus better when the only things that can disturb me are our cats.

    I'm rather happy with RD's pose here, AJ's dynamic entry seems to pale a little in comparison.
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    So, I still need to put Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity into this pic. Pinkie I'm pretty sure will be hefting a pie (alternatively, aiming party cannon) on the left side of the pic, inexplicably appearing from behind NMM's billowing darkness. Fluttershy won't jump in to fight, so I'm not sure where to put her. Hovering on the top right? Rarity will likely have her weapon out, but there doesn't seem to be enough space on the pic to put her up close to the viewer. Ideas, suggestions, things I should consider improving or changing?
    This scene is great! I don't have any suggestions off the top of my head, but I like how it's coming together.

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    I've been meaning to post here for a while, I just... haven't. Until now. My roommate talks in his sleep and is yelling something about squirrels, so I figure I should stay up a little later just in case he's on to some sort of massive squirrel invasion plan. Or something. I don't know.
    Anyways, I don't draw. I never have. Even when I was a kid, I never doodled on paper or anything like that. Every once in a while, I would sketch floorplans but those were really just glorified squares. Squares on squares on squares. The only thing I've drawn in at least the last 5 years is this:
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    It took me far longer than I want to admit to paint that in MS Paint.

    But recently I decided I wanted to start drawing ponies. I don't have any desire to draw anything outside MLP, so that limitation is really helping me here. So here are the drawings I've made in the last 18 days. This is actually day 19 of the whole "draw something everyday" but I don't want to use the scanner and wake my roommate up. So. Here they are. They're arranged more or less in chronological order, the first pictures are the earliest, the last are the most recent.
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    My scanner really messed up on this one. There's a lot more on that page, I'll post that tomorrow when I can try again.
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    Medicshy! No one's ever done that before, right?
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    This one was supposed to be the river in the middle of the Everfree Forest. I wanted it to be rushing. Instead, it ended up looking like clouds. I'm okay with that. It still works as the higher altitudes of the Everfree Forest, steep and misty valleys and all that. However, I still don't know how to draw water.
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    I love criticism. Really, I do. Please tell me what parts are wrong, and if you could point out how to improve anything? I would love you.
    Points that are really sore with me:
    Twilight's head. I can't draw it for beans.
    Back legs, particularly the very back one.
    Pony legs in general. How do they bend?
    Shading. In general, shading.
    Drawing objects from different perspectives. I don't know if the ones where I tried to do this are up there, but I have a hard time with it.
    Water.
    I'm not even going to try touching colour yet, but I'll need help with that in the future.
    Pony proportions. I've gotten it down in some drawings, and I have a mental image of how the body is supposed to be proportioned, but I wouldn't mind hearing from other people.

    And a general question about art. I hope to move into digital artwork in the future. I have Inkscape, and I really want to use it because I downloaded an adorable Princess Luna icon for it. How viable is it to draw digital images with a mouse? Should I start saving up for a tablet? If so, are there any good & cheap suggestions? And are there any particularly good tutorials for using art programs like Inkscape? There's a lot of buttons in the user interface, and I don't understand any of them.
    Last edited by Gaelbert; 2012-01-17 at 02:55 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gaelbert View Post
    <very large amount of large stuff>
    A lot of these look great. Love the 5th one (the one in the fifth spoiler that is)!

    I don't do much pony drawing by hand, but I think some of the guidelines listed in this amazingly helpful post apply to paper drawing as well as digital.<edited out useless info>

    Quote Originally Posted by Gaelbert View Post
    And a general question about art. I hope to move into digital artwork in the future. I have Inkscape, and I really want to use it because I downloaded an adorable Princess Luna icon for it. How viable is it to draw digital images with a mouse? Should I start saving up for a tablet? If so, are there any good & cheap suggestions? And are there any particularly good tutorials for using art programs like Inkscape? There's a lot of buttons in the user interface, and I don't understand any of them.
    Well, if it's any consolation, everything I do is by mouse, and I like to think I'm kinda good at it. I haven't even considered buying a tablet to do this because I'm so used to using the mouse. I wouldn't be able to give you the other side of the story though, as my experience with a tablet at all is pretty much nil.

    As far as inkscape tutorials go, I don't know of any general tutorials, but Trazoi has an awesome OotS avatar tutorial that guides you through using Inkscape to make an OotS avatar, learning what (some of) the buttons do as you go through the process. For other programs, there are most likely tutorials available somewhere, either free or as part of a class.

    @Tips on pony proportions: Thanqol's stuff below is probably a lot better and more inclusive than mine.
    Last edited by Derjuin; 2012-01-29 at 05:44 PM.
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    The broadest problem with your work, Gael, is you need to work on pony head shape. Their heads are almost perfect spheres with the nose attached. Here's the most basic pony tutorial:

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    Aw heck, I'll just give you my collected tutorials; they'll say it better than my wordlings. (And I should be revising with these anyway)

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    Can't top Thanqol's tutorial assemblage, so I'll just point out that if you're going to draw vectors, you don't really need a tablet, as they can be altered after drawing, or even constructed point-by-point.

    Trying to fill the latest scene out further:
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    Not what I originally wanted Pinkie to be doing, but I couldn't for the life of me get her to look right just popping out of nowhere. Fluttershy is a placeholder, just to see what space she'd be occupying.

    I find myself lacking a place to put Rarity in. The only thing that seems possible at the moment is using this, in a downward direction from the top right, relocating Fluttershy to bottom right.
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    Suggestions welcome.

    Merged post:
    Oh hey, this actually isn't half bad.
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    I sketch these zoomed out, so sorry for horrible sketchiness in full view.

    Now just need a better pose for Fluttershy, maybe some scenery, and a good look or two with a critical eye to spot oddities before going into detail.

    edit: quick consideration, maybe I should make my own drawthread? I tend to post a lot of little progress updates, and I feel like I'm hijacking the ponydrawthread with them.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    Can't top Thanqol's tutorial assemblage, so I'll just point out that if you're going to draw vectors, you don't really need a tablet, as they can be altered after drawing, or even constructed point-by-point.
    That said, tablets are still great. Just in general.

    Now just need a better pose for Fluttershy, maybe some scenery, and a good look or two with a critical eye to spot oddities before going into detail.
    This is looking fantastic; I particularly like Rainbow's pose. Lots of energy.

    However, NMM herself isn't looking quite right. She's standing at an angle that makes it look like she's been kicked, and is off balance, like she's in the middle of falling - but the hits she's actually taken don't seem to match up with that, she's open-eyed and focused rather than in pain.

    Here's a brief look at the thing

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    If she's just been smacked in the face by Rainbow Dash her head's going in the wrong direction. If she's just been kicked in the raised front leg by Applejack her front leg is going to skew in that direction. This, with the angle of her other front leg means that she's in the process of falling down, there's no way to recover from that right now. But when your body is twisting in that direction, your neck goes the same way; her head should be lowering rather than pulling away. When you're punched, the natural reaction is to curl your head towards the impact.

    *Just got on all fours and took that position to feel it out*

    Did I make any sense here? The picture still works, but I'm just trying to work out the directions everyone's moving in.

    edit: quick consideration, maybe I should make my own drawthread? I tend to post a lot of little progress updates, and I feel like I'm hijacking the ponydrawthread with them.
    It might be a good idea; with this thread I feel like I'm addressing a crowd with each post and I tend to get a bit less specific when commenting on your stuff.

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    Expressionwork + sortofnonprofileangle ho!

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    So sad


    The hardest part of this one was finding high enough quality depictions of the original character (Freya from Final Fantasy 9) to get the details right.
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Thanqol View Post
    That said, tablets are still great. Just in general.



    This is looking fantastic; I particularly like Rainbow's pose. Lots of energy.

    However, NMM herself isn't looking quite right. She's standing at an angle that makes it look like she's been kicked, and is off balance, like she's in the middle of falling - but the hits she's actually taken don't seem to match up with that, she's open-eyed and focused rather than in pain.

    Here's a brief look at the thing

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    If she's just been smacked in the face by Rainbow Dash her head's going in the wrong direction. If she's just been kicked in the raised front leg by Applejack her front leg is going to skew in that direction. This, with the angle of her other front leg means that she's in the process of falling down, there's no way to recover from that right now. But when your body is twisting in that direction, your neck goes the same way; her head should be lowering rather than pulling away. When you're punched, the natural reaction is to curl your head towards the impact.

    *Just got on all fours and took that position to feel it out*

    Did I make any sense here? The picture still works, but I'm just trying to work out the directions everyone's moving in.



    It might be a good idea; with this thread I feel like I'm addressing a crowd with each post and I tend to get a bit less specific when commenting on your stuff.
    Wow, great advice (for once). I've actually tried that method I saw mentioned a while back, drawing the reaction first and drawing actions to match. In this case, I think NMM is dodging as well as reacting to blows. She's defending from AJ and Rarity, and has just evaded RD's flyby (or her helmet would've been flying). The foreleg on the ground is odd, but it could be slipping, at least I think I intended it that way.. The thing I'm most having trouble picturing is the wings, however. How would they move in this case?

    I have a feeling I'll have to do a secondary pass over NMM as well.

    (also, I approve of your method of testing poses. I do it all the time too )

    Oh, and updated with Fluttershy and some faces, simply because I couldn't see what FS was doing otherwise.
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    edit:
    Quote Originally Posted by Derjuin View Post
    Expressionwork + sortofnonprofileangle ho!

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    So sad


    The hardest part of this one was finding high enough quality depictions of the original character (Freya from Final Fantasy 9) to get the details right.
    Very nice, although I haven't played enough FFIX to know if you've got the details right. I'd imagine walking on three legs while having to hold a spear like that isn't very comfortable either. Or is she doing something else with that foreleg?
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    Wow, great advice (for once). I've actually tried that method I saw mentioned a while back, drawing the reaction first and drawing actions to match. In this case, I think NMM is dodging as well as reacting to blows. She's defending from AJ and Rarity, and has just evaded RD's flyby (or her helmet would've been flying). The foreleg on the ground is odd, but it could be slipping, at least I think I intended it that way.. The thing I'm most having trouble picturing is the wings, however. How would they move in this case?
    Her left wing is a tricky one, one I didn't consider before, especially with relation to Rarity's kick. I'm assuming the position she was in before the beatdown started was hoof raised, standing over Twilight, wings flared ready to stomp her down. If she swept them around with her in her fall, they'd hit Rarity mid-kick and sweep her down along with her. Once she's on the ground, wings splayed out, she'll probably try to fold them as she's standing up.

    EDIT: This is all assuming Rarity is aiming at the neck.

    Because she's falling sideways and her torso will be moving, I think she's going to land on her face with her plot up; the twist of that position will then probably cause her to fall entirely to her side.

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    Oh, and I think Fluttershy should at least be looking determined in this situation, a la:

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    (also, I approve of your method of testing poses. I do it all the time too )
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    Last edited by Thanqol; 2012-01-17 at 07:13 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Thanqol View Post
    Her left wing is a tricky one, one I didn't consider before, especially with relation to Rarity's kick. I'm assuming the position she was in before the beatdown started was hoof raised, standing over Twilight, wings flared ready to stomp her down. If she swept them around with her in her fall, they'd hit Rarity mid-kick and sweep her down along with her. Once she's on the ground, wings splayed out, she'll probably try to fold them as she's standing up.

    EDIT: This is all assuming Rarity is aiming at the neck.

    Because she's falling sideways and her torso will be moving, I think she's going to land on her face with her plot up; the twist of that position will then probably cause her to fall entirely to her side.

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    Nice analysis. I should probably consider some more options for NMM's pose to see if I can improve the overall feel of "surprise beatdown".

    I think NMM will actually fall a bit further than that, since (although it's hardly apparent, I guess) AJ is doing a sideways equivalent of a rising bicycle kick, several single kicks in quick succession rather than the traditional DYNAMIC ENTRY two-hoof dropkick.

    Rarity will end up on the floor in either case, since flying kicks are nigh impossible to pull off without falling flat in the end. Well, having forehooves to land onto will probably help, with some agility.

    Oh, and I think Fluttershy should at least be looking determined in this situation, a la:

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    Er, yes, that's probably what I intended. Faces really ought to be drawn zoomed in rather than out. The faces probably won't be in the final piece anyway, since Ranger faceplates are opaque.

    Also, great lil' picture in general. Why indeed?

    "Let's face it, you've caught me doing worse."
    Iron Man quote? If so, I remember it better.

    "Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    Nice analysis. I should probably consider some more options for NMM's pose to see if I can improve the overall feel of "surprise beatdown".

    I think NMM will actually fall a bit further than that, since (although it's hardly apparent, I guess) AJ is doing a sideways equivalent of a rising bicycle kick, several single kicks in quick succession rather than the traditional DYNAMIC ENTRY two-hoof dropkick.

    Rarity will end up on the floor in either case, since flying kicks are nigh impossible to pull off without falling flat in the end. Well, having forehooves to land onto will probably help, with some agility.
    Pinkie's attack will be the most effective as NMM is going to be falling into it, and if Rainbow charges forwards to headbutt her right in the windpipe as she's kind of winding up to do that'll be the finisher; she'll be on the ground with a crushed windpipe, a broken leg and a face full of pie (not counting allowances for pony superpowers and/or NMM falling on Pinkie/Rainbow accidentally headbutting her armour-necklace thing)

    Rarity's attack would have been far more effective if she aimed it at the rear left knee; that limb would be hyperextended and snap like a twig if she hit it like that from that angle. She got greedy and went for the neck and is going to pay for it, though.

    Iron Man quote? If so, I remember it better.

    "Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
    Well played; Iron Man is my favourite superhero movie.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    Very nice, although I haven't played enough FFIX to know if you've got the details right. I'd imagine walking on three legs while having to hold a spear like that isn't very comfortable either. Or is she doing something else with that foreleg?
    She's more just holding it and standing there; I was trying to capture her after a certain event* happens at the city of Cleyra.

    *
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    I realize it's an old game, but I don't like to spoil without tags regardless. It's from when she finds Sir Fratley (her husband/love) again, and discovers he doesn't remember her at all. Shortly after, Alexandria invades and destroys Cleyra.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thanqol View Post
    Pinkie's attack will be the most effective as NMM is going to be falling into it, and if Rainbow charges forwards to headbutt her right in the windpipe as she's kind of winding up to do that'll be the finisher; she'll be on the ground with a crushed windpipe, a broken leg and a face full of pie (not counting allowances for pony superpowers and/or NMM falling on Pinkie/Rainbow accidentally headbutting her armour-necklace thing)

    Rarity's attack would have been far more effective if she aimed it at the rear left knee; that limb would be hyperextended and snap like a twig if she hit it like that from that angle. She got greedy and went for the neck and is going to pay for it, though.
    The Rangers are a bit overconfident at this point, having defeated a small army of mooks by themselves (and later, giant robot mooks), and they assume that a series of quick attacks is going to put NMM out of the fight as easily as the lesser minions. Well, NMM does know better than to face off against all six of them personally, even if Twilight is a little beaten, so in a way they're not really wrong - but her true power in Dark Titan mode is going to be a rude awakening for them.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    In other words, I got it covered.
    Ok, nice. The movement range probably does not match nature, but having anything non-rigid and controllable sounds quite good.

    Quote Originally Posted by Diego Havoc View Post
    I am almost positive that there is some proportion mismatch here. Maybe Twilight's head is not quite the same size as Trixie's? Are the legs slightly off? The bodies? Something imperceptable to me is here, and it's kinda bugging me. Thoughts?

    Also, any advice on how to make the swords more, umm, action-y, for lack of a better word? Speedlines aren't really doing it.
    Twilight's body, as already mentioned by others, looks off. She's like a totem pole sticking out of the ground with hind legs attached to the sides.

    To me, the swords seem short. But more importantly, they can't look action-y if they aren't performing any useful action. The ponies aren't trying to hit each other, or even push away the other's sword to have a clear shot at the opponent. Trixie's sword is swinging up into nothingness, Twilight's is swinging down into the ground. If one of them is blocking, then at least the other's sword should be moving in a threatening direction.

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    Okay, let's try something different for NMM here. Revision attempt 1, so to speak. A little more armor this time, too.
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    A bit too static this time, no? And the wings are still odd. Not having wings makes trying to estimate their motion more difficult than necessary.

    *contemplates constructing cybernetic wings for the purpose*

    Merged post:
    Yeah, I really should start my own thread. About a fifth of this thread is my posts, and I'm pretty sure there isn't just five of us posting here. At least these mergeposts help cut down on it.

    In any case, some more on that scene and that's all for today.
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    Now let's see if I can still draw something new in what remains of the day.

    Edit (because I'm too lazy to mergepost):
    Upon further consideration... yes, the revised NMM pose is too static. Gotta make myself a posable pony or something. Maybe in Lightwave...

    Anyway, got myself to draw something new before going to sleep:
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    A short detour into the Crapsackverse, which is what I ended up calling the universe where our doomed little fanfic takes place (and where Rainbow Slash is from).
    Afterthoughts: I probably should do a few practice sessions drawing pony anatomy, poses, and perhaps some of the canon ponies (can you tell that's supposed to be Twilight?) And above all I should stop drawing when my brain is asleep.
    Last edited by Sean Mirrsen; 2012-01-17 at 05:34 PM.
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  26. - Top - End - #506
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    Okay, let's try something different for NMM here. Revision attempt 1, so to speak. A little more armor this time, too.
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    A bit too static this time, no? And the wings are still odd. Not having wings makes trying to estimate their motion more difficult than necessary.

    *contemplates constructing cybernetic wings for the purpose*

    Merged post:
    Yeah, I really should start my own thread. About a fifth of this thread is my posts, and I'm pretty sure there isn't just five of us posting here. At least these mergeposts help cut down on it.

    In any case, some more on that scene and that's all for today.
    Spoiler
    Show


    Now let's see if I can still draw something new in what remains of the day.

    Edit (because I'm too lazy to mergepost):
    Upon further consideration... yes, the revised NMM pose is too static. Gotta make myself a posable pony or something. Maybe in Lightwave...

    Anyway, got myself to draw something new before going to sleep:
    Spoiler
    Show

    A short detour into the Crapsackverse, which is what I ended up calling the universe where our doomed little fanfic takes place (and where Rainbow Slash is from).
    Afterthoughts: I probably should do a few practice sessions drawing pony anatomy, poses, and perhaps some of the canon ponies (can you tell that's supposed to be Twilight?) And above all I should stop drawing when my brain is asleep.
    I must say, I really like the first two pictures.
    Too static? It looks like there's a lot of movement, but I see what your getting at. It Doesn't FEEL like there's movement, almost as if the characters are simply posing. I'm not sure how one would go around fixing that. Most shows I think exaggerate a characters pose to show movement, but even then I never feel that's quite enough.
    Also, NMM looks a little off balance. The Two kicking her from her left are definitely about to knock her over. 0-0* Intentional, though, I presume?

    As for the third picture,

    Interesting... premise? (I do like it though).
    What Is this based on, if I might ask? ( I see you said 'our doomed little fanfic...' I don't remember whether or not you said you and others were working on something together. Have you ever linked to this fic)?

    The only thing I can say here, so far, is that (I'm assuming Twilight)? Twilight's front left leg looks wonky, but I'm guessing that's because of the angle. also, her back left leg looks a little thick. Other than that, It's coming along well. Your really getting me into the spirit of this thing! =D

    Also, Rain Slash. Gotta love that name. I don't WHY you have to, but you have to. It's a requirement!

    I'm currently working on coloring my Line art... When I finish with it, I will definitely set a link up here for you all to look at.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bakuel
    I missed this one when you originally posted it. Very nice linework! The eyes are still very unique and nice and the whole picture has a nice mystical feel.. Where you going for a Celestia or Luna body design?
    My only real critic is that the foreleg furtherest from the viewer (would that be the right one?) looks a bit too skinny when compared to the other. Just a bit though. Also, this is just a suggestion, but you did a very unique thing with the mane with the "groups" of strands and all. But the tail is just one complete shape. I think if you did the tail the same way you did the mane the design may be a bit stronger.
    A Celestia or Luna Design? Not really, though his legs and body are kind of longer than the normal design... I always imagined him a little bit taller and thinner than other ponies.

    The eyes I was going for something similar to Zecora... I should probably go look up some pictures to make sure I did it right! It certainly has something to do with his background. But, either way...

    Ya, his leg does look a little thin... I could probably thicken that out a bit...


    Thank you about the comment on the Mane. I wanted it to seem like a series of ponytails (Pun not intended); not quite a Mohawk, but along similar lines.
    And someone else commented on the tail as well. I forget who, but that definitely points out that perhaps it could be changed. Problem being, I have absolutely no idea what I should do different. 0-0* Perhaps it could be braided? What do you think?

  27. - Top - End - #507
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Noctemwolf View Post
    A Celestia or Luna Design? Not really, though his legs and body are kind of longer than the normal design... I always imagined him a little bit taller and thinner than other ponies.

    The eyes I was going for something similar to Zecora... I should probably go look up some pictures to make sure I did it right! It certainly has something to do with his background. But, either way...

    Ya, his leg does look a little thin... I could probably thicken that out a bit...


    Thank you about the comment on the Mane. I wanted it to seem like a series of ponytails (Pun not intended); not quite a Mohawk, but along similar lines.
    And someone else commented on the tail as well. I forget who, but that definitely points out that perhaps it could be changed. Problem being, I have absolutely no idea what I should do different. 0-0* Perhaps it could be braided? What do you think?
    A braid could look great. I'm trying to brainstorm what type of tails would look good with multiple ponytails/mohawk pony mane set up... Since pony/horsetails are just hair attached to a short tail, it *could* be possible to try a multiple ponytail or braided look on the tail, but that might be a bit too fancy. Not too sure. But I think a single braid could work great. You have a yin yang symbol so it could also be longer and thin like a queue. Or it could also be braided a bit thicker, like a more traditional braided horsetail. By this point I'm just rambling.


    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    Okay, let's try something different for NMM here. Revision attempt 1, so to speak. A little more armor this time, too.
    Spoiler
    Show

    A bit too static this time, no? And the wings are still odd. Not having wings makes trying to estimate their motion more difficult than necessary.

    *contemplates constructing cybernetic wings for the purpose*

    Merged post:
    Yeah, I really should start my own thread. About a fifth of this thread is my posts, and I'm pretty sure there isn't just five of us posting here. At least these mergeposts help cut down on it.

    In any case, some more on that scene and that's all for today.
    Spoiler
    Show


    Now let's see if I can still draw something new in what remains of the day.

    Edit (because I'm too lazy to mergepost):
    Upon further consideration... yes, the revised NMM pose is too static. Gotta make myself a posable pony or something. Maybe in Lightwave...
    I think that Nightmare Moon is static too, I think it is partly do to her back legs are both stable and on the ground. If she was being hit with any force from her left and falling over, her left back leg would rise up a bit off the ground like her left front and her back right leg would be more under her like the front right like she was starting to become unbalanced. Maybe the back left leg wouldn't be raised as high as the front, but it would be raised a bit. At least I think.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Mirrsen View Post
    Anyway, got myself to draw something new before going to sleep:
    Spoiler
    Show

    A short detour into the Crapsackverse, which is what I ended up calling the universe where our doomed little fanfic takes place (and where Rainbow Slash is from).
    Afterthoughts: I probably should do a few practice sessions drawing pony anatomy, poses, and perhaps some of the canon ponies (can you tell that's supposed to be Twilight?) And above all I should stop drawing when my brain is asleep.
    The more you decry that fanfic, the more I want to read it!
    But seriously, you post all these interesting images but then you say the fanfic is no good, I'm conflicted. First Rain Slash was interesting. But now you have Twilight with nightmare limbs, I really need to read it.
    I'll just echo Noctemwolf and say that the front leg on the viewer's right looks a little weird. And is she missing her horn, or is this apart of the story?

    A nitpicky comment,
    Spoiler
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    I'm not total sold on her limb cutting his tail. I think you should make the limb thrust more to the right and closer and even beyond where the actual pony would be in the background as he was running/jumping forward and over. The limb seems more then long enough as it seems slack now. As it is now, it seems like she was aiming for his tail or was aiming for a minor flesh wound, but I think you should make it seem like she wanted to really gut him. It would make it more intense.
    I hope this makes sense.


    No drawings today, I shun myself and my lack of drawing ponies.
    Last edited by Bakuel; 2012-01-17 at 10:24 PM.

  28. - Top - End - #508
    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Noctemwolf View Post
    I must say, I really like the first two pictures.
    Too static? It looks like there's a lot of movement, but I see what your getting at. It Doesn't FEEL like there's movement, almost as if the characters are simply posing. I'm not sure how one would go around fixing that. Most shows I think exaggerate a characters pose to show movement, but even then I never feel that's quite enough.
    Also, NMM looks a little off balance. The Two kicking her from her left are definitely about to knock her over. 0-0* Intentional, though, I presume?
    Yes, the intent is to try and knock her over, but if in the previous version it seemed like she was already falling, this one seems to have a lack of sufficient reaction. It seems a little like AJ is kicking a statue.

    As for the third picture,

    Interesting... premise? (I do like it though).
    What Is this based on, if I might ask? ( I see you said 'our doomed little fanfic...' I don't remember whether or not you said you and others were working on something together. Have you ever linked to this fic)?

    The only thing I can say here, so far, is that (I'm assuming Twilight)? Twilight's front left leg looks wonky, but I'm guessing that's because of the angle. also, her back left leg looks a little thick. Other than that, It's coming along well. Your really getting me into the spirit of this thing! =D

    Also, Rain Slash. Gotta love that name. I don't WHY you have to, but you have to. It's a requirement!
    Well, a doomed little fanfic is a doomed little fanfic. It's just something a few writers over in our forum community decided to make. Imagine, if you will, a story created with a goal to top Cupcakes for sheer shock value. A story where everybody dies. If this story were a transpacific airbus, it'd take a nosedive over Hawaii and crash into the thickest populated area, spraying burning kerosene all over the beaches. Our doomed fanfic is not that story, not anymore at least. Our story, continuing the airbus metaphor, pulled up at the last second, shaved off two palm trees, five traffic signs and a lamppost, picked up hitchhikers and arrived, five minutes ahead of schedule, into the Tokyo docks. Pulled by sharks. It is, if you will, a typical season start story-arc, complete with a villain (an old one at that) and lessons learned, but starting off with a Cupcakes-esque gorefest, with most of the M6 as the guests of honor. Still interested in it?

    And I'm not decrying it per se, I know for a fact that there's stuff a lot worse out there. The chief problem here is that it's never going to be completed (or heck, even started properly) without some sort of divine intervention. Right now all that exists of it is the shambles of the first chapter (being written by six different people without a good editor at the head tends to do that to stories), and one segment out of seven for the second chapter, with four chapters in total. More than anything, I feel like the whole thing is a vain effort to tell a story that shouldn't be told in the first place. The sole reason why I'm still even contemplating it is that this fic creates a very odd sort of AU, with characters who are technically the same, and yet completely different. I just like odd universes for some reason.
    Last edited by Sean Mirrsen; 2012-01-17 at 10:55 PM.
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  29. - Top - End - #509
    Ogre in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Derjuin View Post
    Well, if it's any consolation, everything I do is by mouse, and I like to think I'm kinda good at it. I haven't even considered buying a tablet to do this because I'm so used to using the mouse. I wouldn't be able to give you the other side of the story though, as my experience with a tablet at all is pretty much nil.

    As far as inkscape tutorials go, I don't know of any general tutorials, but Trazoi has an awesome OotS avatar tutorial that guides you through using Inkscape to make an OotS avatar, learning what (some of) the buttons do as you go through the process. For other programs, there are most likely tutorials available somewhere, either free or as part of a class.

    @Tips on pony proportions: Thanqol's stuff below is probably a lot better and more inclusive than mine.
    That's reassuring about the tablet. I'll probably look into one in the future anyways, but the ability to get a start on digital art before then is excellent. And thanks for linking the Inkscape tutorial. I can't wait to go through there in greater detail.

    Quote Originally Posted by Thanqol View Post
    The broadest problem with your work, Gael, is you need to work on pony head shape. Their heads are almost perfect spheres with the nose attached. Here's the most basic pony tutorial:
    Yeah, I've noticed that. It was worse on my earlier ones, but I'm getting better. I'm having a hard time actually drawing circles though. But that's just something that needs practice, and I'm getting better.

    Anyways, I have a few more drawings to post. I think:
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    I hate my scanner. For some reason it refuses to scan the entire page. I have a few more drawings, but I won't be able to upload them until I slap my scanner into line.
    Also oh Dear Celestia that Big MacIntosh looks terrible! That was just a rough sketch, but I still hate it!

  30. - Top - End - #510
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    Default Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!

    Quote Originally Posted by Gaelbert View Post
    That's reassuring about the tablet. I'll probably look into one in the future anyways, but the ability to get a start on digital art before then is excellent. And thanks for linking the Inkscape tutorial. I can't wait to go through there in greater detail.



    Yeah, I've noticed that. It was worse on my earlier ones, but I'm getting better. I'm having a hard time actually drawing circles though. But that's just something that needs practice, and I'm getting better.

    Anyways, I have a few more drawings to post. I think:
    Spoiler
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    Spoiler
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    Spoiler
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    Spoiler
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    I hate my scanner. For some reason it refuses to scan the entire page. I have a few more drawings, but I won't be able to upload them until I slap my scanner into line.
    Also oh Dear Celestia that Big MacIntosh looks terrible! That was just a rough sketch, but I still hate it!
    Okay, I can actually recognize most of those buildings, so that's a success. The town hall looks like a space station though.

    I can't understand why people keep contracting "Macintosh" to "McIntosh" or "MacIntosh". I highly doubt his name has anything to do with "Son of Intosh", it's just apples.

    Speaking of which, I just now realised how the Apple clan can be seen as a sort of metaphor for a certain company started by a certain S.Jobs. Their first signature product was a rainbow-colored apple, for instance, much like that company's logo.

    Anyway, back to business. I decided I've had enough of letting this one sit on my hard drive gathering dust, so I quickly threw in a few finishing touches and here you go. The fic ain't getting done anyway, might as well stop holding these back.
    Spoiler
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    Same crapsackverse, somewhere in the Great Hospital of Canterlot Castle, some time after Rainbow Slash came to be what she is.
    I've since improved my understanding of pony anatomy (or so I'd like to think), and moved away from trying to do things too realistically, but I might revisit this style later on, who knows? It just takes too much effort to do all the details, and coloring and shading are far from being my good points even now. Plus, perspective. If you can point out any glaring flaws in this, I'll happily take them into account for if/when I try to draw something like this again.
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