Ponythread Learns to Draw II

[the_druid_droid]

Welcome!

Hello and welcome, one and all, to the SECOND incarnation of Ponythread Learns to Draw. The purpose of this thread is fairly simple - it's a collaborative effort to improve our art skills by posting sketches, line drawings, digital artwork, paintings, etc. and providing advice, constructive criticism and encouragement to one another.

Who Can Post?

Anyone! Although I'll be plugging this thread hardest in the My Little Pony threads in the Media Discussions section of the forum, if anyone wants to post their art here for comments and review, they're more than welcome!

The one suggested rule I have is that if at all possible, along with your post of your own art, please try and provide helpful or encouraging comments to at least one other poster. You don't have to deconstruct their entire technique and write a book about things, but please try and find something you really like, or something you notice that you've struggled with in the past and point it out to them.

What Can We Draw?

Draw anything that inspires you! Although my own work will probably focus on ponies and other cartoon art, the purpose of this thread is to draw, and it's easiest to draw things you like. Thus, feel free to post pictures of people, stick figures, dragons, landscapes, ponies, still life pieces, or anything that makes you want to draw.

But I'm Not a Good Artist

Coincidentally, neither am I! I haven't drawn in years, but I was challenged to do so recently, and I found out that I can make things I'm actually pleased with using only patience, a good eraser, and a model that doesn't move too much.

Also, since the goal of this thread is to LEARN, there's nothing too insignificant to post! Even if you only have 15 minutes to sketch up some stick figures or rough out a character at the end of the day, go ahead and post it. Practice makes perfect, and you learn something every day. There's nowhere to go but up in your abilities!

So try and practice every day, and post your results here! We'll be waiting with open arms and (hopefully) helpful tips.

Helpful Links

General Art

Spoiler

Show

Ctrl+Paint
PSG Art Tutorial
Zoe Piel's Youtube Channel
Conceptart.org Tutorial Forum
Dimensions of Color
Composition
Perspective
Perspective Tutorial
About.com Painting Info
SA's Self-Taught Art Thread
Manga to Realistic Style Transition
Andrew Loomis e-books
Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo: How to Draw

Ponies

Spoiler

Show

SiuiS' Pony Tips
HappyTurtle's Ponies
Rai's Ponies
Assorted Pony Topics

References

Spoiler

Show

Posemaniacs
Pixelovely
SenshiStock's Gallery
Cinema Squid
Color Scheme Designer

Assorted Subjects

Spoiler

Show

Trazoi's OotS Inkscape Guide
Dragon Heads
Trees
Rain Effects in PS
Clouds
Cross Hatching
SAI Tips
Juusan13's Head Tutorial
Ear Tutorial
Wheel of Emotions
Clothing Folds
Running Horse
Common Digital Painting Mistakes
Sample Color Palette
Sample Palette 2
Cel Shading Palette

Inspiration and Challenges

Spoiler

Show

Artist's Toolbox
Doodle Alley
Flyingchicken's mini-ATG
Random Pokemon Drawing Generator
30 Day Monster Girl (or Boy) Challenge
Ponies from MLP Animators
MLP Animator Ponies 2
MLP Storyboard

[Madcrafter]

You were quick on the draw there.
Pun absolutely intended.

[the_druid_droid]

I can't really take much credit; fc gave me a heads up on IRC that the thread had sounded its death knell.

Still a little amazed this baby made it to its second incarnation.

[Thanqol]

Congratulations guys, of all the copycat drawthreads you are the only ones that haven't died out.

Here's to another year of improvement!

[Madcrafter]

Ah the mysterious IRC. That explains it.

Congratulations guys, of all the copycat drawthreads you are the only ones that haven't died out.

Here's to another year of improvement!

Same in spirit perhaps, but execution is quite different. I suspect its success is based mainly on the fact that we have reserves if people disappear, and no one is obliged to post every day, except me.

[SiuiS]

Congratulations guys, of all the copycat drawthreads you are the only ones that haven't died out.

Here's to another year of improvement!

He's right. It is special. it may be easy to brush off, "oh we just doodle", "oh, we have eight cycling contributors", "Nah, we have our slumps".

Everyone doodles. Everyone slumps.

Art isn't about breakthroughs and level ups. It's putting one foot – one post – in front of the other. It's the slog, where you pay attention along the way. the Kung Fu master secret to EVERYTHING... Is practice.

You're practicing.

Don't ever let anyone, not even yourselves, tell you that greatness has ever come from anything more than human determination. The next time your mind tells you you're not good enough, the only answer you can honestly give it is "bitch, please."
You're in an imaginary race. Your opponent is you, from seven days ago. So long as you're ahead of that guy, you're winning.

[flyingchicken]

Congratulations guys, of all the copycat drawthreads you are the only ones that haven't died out.

aside from the purpose of stroking your own ego (not a bad thing to do, mind), I don't see how you can call this a copycat thread

---

for the useful links section in the OP, here are some of the links on my "art" bookmark folder and some I easily find in my history:

Zoe Piel's channel I particularly recommend this video which helped me understand value and chroma
The Dimensions of Color a lot of difficult stuff about color (or maybe I'm just dense)
PSG Art tutorial one-page wonder, I highly recommend it
Ctrl+Paint a lot of videos, not really in-depth but should set you on the right track
Posemaniacs I don't use it a lot myself (googling instead usually) but I don't think it's bad to have around
Color Scheme Designer very neat tool, I suggest using it for limited-color arts for starters
About.com Painting has a lot of fundamentals about color on top of painting-specific things
Save Loomis! a bit dated, and not entirely correct, but still

a lot of these I pried from the SA self-taught thread and ConceptArt.org, the rest from googling or blog-diving

as for more pony-specific things, with regards to near-official art, I think that the storyboard artists' works are better to emulate than the show's art itself, because ironically a lot of the animation disappears when run through the filter of underpaid and/or outsourced animation studios:

Friendship is Certainly Magic by MutatingRaven
Pony doodles by Sibsy
MLP board sample by Sibsy even the actual cleaned up storyboards have a lot of liveliness to them

[Thanqol]

aside from the purpose of stroking your own ego (not a bad thing to do, mind), I don't see how this is a copycat thread at all.

This was the most toned down version of that post possible.

It took force of will not to post, 'BWUAHAHA! Well done, brief mortals! Your combined efforts have matched an achievement of my own! BUT GROW PROUD NOT, FOR I AM STILL WATCHING, AND MY DAY OF RECKONING IS FAST APPROACHING'.

But over-the-top villain monologues aside, like SiuiS said, good work. Doing stuff is incredibly hard and quitting is incredibly easy. Each piece is it's own achievement and now you've got a thread full of achievements

[SiuiS]

aside from the purpose of stroking your own ego (not a bad thing to do, mind), I don't see how you can call this a copycat thread

This thread literally exists because me doodling and Thanqol Thanqoling inspired a bunch of ponies to band together since they didn't feel they each deserved/warranted/could manage a thread.

Copycat isn't quite accurate because the idea formed at the same time, and Thanqol just acted sooner, but it is pretty durn close.

[Elemental]

There's a new one of these. Finally, a chance to participate that doesn't make me feel morally obligated to read through a kajillion pages.

[Madcrafter]

Day 214:

Been doing some stuff in the background but if it's going anywhere it'll be a while. So just some unimpressive doodles today done during a movie, acclimatizing to my tablet.

Spoiler

Show

Time: ?
Music: None obviously.

----

Day 215:

Today I learned I can't draw straight, accurate lines on a tablet, or at least in every direction save one. I should have used a larger canvas to make it not apparent, but PS auto-sized it to my clipboard instead of my usual dimensions, which I didn't notice until it was too late. Anyways, since someone mentioned it in the main thread, have a filly scout Scootaloo (no time to do the other two).

Spoiler

Show

Time: 2-3 hours
Music: Pony

[SiuiS]

There's a new one of these. Finally, a chance to participate that doesn't make me feel morally obligated to read through a kajillion pages.

Spoiler

Show

"Welcome! Stay a while, and listen!"

It goes without saying that I did not draw that.

[Thanqol]

Day 215:

Today I learned I can't draw straight, accurate lines on a tablet, or at least in every direction save one. I should have used a larger canvas to make it not apparent, but PS auto-sized it to my clipboard instead of my usual dimensions, which I didn't notice until it was too late. Anyways, since someone mentioned it in the main thread, have a filly scout Scootaloo (no time to do the other two).

3300x2550px with brushes ranging from 10-25 is a good digital art size. Good rule of thumb is at least double the resolution you intend for your finished canvas.

You can change resolutions mid-way through drawing, by the way, at least with most programs.

Straight, accurate lines with a tablet will come to you gradually. The most important tip is move your elbow!! Make a sweeping motion using your entire arm. It feels strange but it's critical to learn.

[Beacon of Chaos]

Day 11. "True monster" or something.

Today I learned I can't draw straight, accurate lines on a tablet, or at least in every direction save one.

Are you rotating your canvas as you draw? I find that helps a lot.

[Madcrafter]

3300x2550px with brushes ranging from 10-25 is a good digital art size. Good rule of thumb is at least double the resolution you intend for your finished canvas.

You can change resolutions mid-way through drawing, by the way, at least with most programs.

Straight, accurate lines with a tablet will come to you gradually. The most important tip is move your elbow!! Make a sweeping motion using your entire arm. It feels strange but it's critical to learn.

5000x5000 with 40px lines is my typical size for a pony drawing. I think yesterday's was less than 500. I never thought to change the resolution after starting though, good idea.

Lines with my elbow was little challenging, mostly because I kept catching the tablet by contacting it a little to hard with my hand. That is probably easily fixable.

Are you rotating your canvas as you draw? I find that helps a lot.

I tried doing that a few times today, with ok results. I think I just need some more practice in general though.

----

Day 216:

Angel bunny, might add some more on to it tomorrow. Also using a method that is painfully slow, and produces shoddy results, so we'll see about switching that up a bit.

Spoiler

Show

Time: Two-ish hours?
Music: Pony

[Thanqol]

Lines with my elbow was little challenging, mostly because I kept catching the tablet by contacting it a little to hard with my hand. That is probably easily fixable.

Drawing glove helps with that.

[Madcrafter]

Drawing glove helps with that.

Yeah. My main way to fix it was going to be actually using a table/desk, instead of my lap as I am currently doing. I have a feeling it might work better.

[the_druid_droid]

Ok, I have trawled through the entirety of the last thread, and posted my findings in the OP, re: Art References, Tutorials, Inspiration and Odds and Ends.

If anyone wants to add something, post it here (or PM me if I'm being scarce) and I'll edit it in.

[Dispozition]

To all saying that you should use an enormous canvas and then downsize and whatnot. While this does work at first, you're better off learning how to control lines on smaller scale size.

I get straight, unwavering lines by abusing fast motion, good motor skills, and the undo button. I do most of my art with a 1000x widest/highest side and my brushes will range from 2px to 10px for lining. You just need to learn to control your tablet properly rather than trying to over compensate. You should also adjust your pressure settings to what suits you best. Mine is very insensitive (it hurts me feelings!) because I prefer to put a lot of pressure on the tablet.

[flyingchicken]

To all saying that you should use an enormous canvas and then downsize and whatnot. While this does work at first, you're better off learning how to control lines on smaller scale size.

I get straight, unwavering lines by abusing fast motion, good motor skills, and the undo button. I do most of my art with a 1000x widest/highest side and my brushes will range from 2px to 10px for lining. You just need to learn to control your tablet properly rather than trying to over compensate. You should also adjust your pressure settings to what suits you best. Mine is very insensitive (it hurts me feelings!) because I prefer to put a lot of pressure on the tablet.

I'll have to completely disagree because I think it's good practice to work digitally at least 300 ppi, not only for the benefit of hypothetical printers but also allows you to create sketches zoomed out at screen size (or smaller than screen size) before zooming in for detailed work that working at 72 or 96 ppi will simply not give you room for. The only good reason to work at such a low resolution is if your computer or software are terrible.

Mind you I'm only using ppi measures as an orderly shorthand since I don't think a lot of us are planning to work with printing in mind (at least not yet, though I do think it's good to think along those lines anyway), but working zoomed out at a high resolution is better than what you're describing. You're not "better off learning how to control lines on smaller scale size," at least not in the way you seem to mean.

[Madcrafter]

The straighter looking lines is really a side effect. I am of the same opinion as flyingchicken; working at such resolutions is in order to have room to add details that could not be done with smaller canvases. I can always shrink it later, as I do when I upload them.

----

Day 217:

Continuation from yesterday. Every time Spike said "Angel." I got this in my head. Sound effects not included.

Spoiler

Show

Time: ~an hour
Music: None

Because of how the colours are, it looks like spike is smiling, which works I guess.

[Beacon of Chaos]

Day 12 - Zombie girl. I'm actually quite happy with this one. Took me a while though. I really shouldn't be chatting on Skype while I draw.

For the record: 3000x4000 canvas, 300dpi. I forget what size brush I used.

[flyingchicken]

Madcrafter, I very much like your tablet pony-work (the color choices, for one, are not horrendous), but it's apparent that that roughness in linework you suffer from on paper translates over to digital (albeit a bit less obvious).

Now, I still feel like you're drawing without volume in that first set of sketches, and volume isn't strictly necessary depending on what you want to draw--however, understanding fundamentals will give you insight into the thinking behind certain simplifications done in cartoons for example, and honing that understanding would improve your simpler drawings rather than distract from them. At least, that's what I think, and I'm often wrong.

Diego Havoc, while my previous comments still stand, I'd like to add that I feel like your monster girls are bland in their details--I think the monster girl challenge is a great vehicle to practice trying to create interesting and appealing designs. I feel like you're drawing the mannequins but not their dresses and accessories, the bare minimum to be called that specific sort of monster girl, without trying to add the littlest bit of flair and personality.

---

Of course, I haven't progressed much in the monster girl department... been distracted by other things, both art and non-art... some stuff I've drawn:

dead line doodles

Spoiler

Show

cave dwellers quick d&d-esque race concept sketches

Spoiler

Show

cartoon girl

Spoiler

Show

[Madcrafter]

Madcrafter, I very much like your tablet pony-work (the color choices, for one, are not horrendous), but it's apparent that that roughness in linework you suffer from on paper translates over to digital (albeit a bit less obvious).

Now, I still feel like you're drawing without volume in that first set of sketches, and volume isn't strictly necessary depending on what you want to draw--however, understanding fundamentals will give you insight into the thinking behind certain simplifications done in cartoons for example, and honing that understanding would improve your simpler drawings rather than distract from them. At least, that's what I think, and I'm often wrong.

Well for the colours, they are just show colours so I can't really take credit for them. I get what you're saying about the volume thing. Having to really understand before you can simplify came up once before, though I don't believe it was addressed to me at the time. I agree with you though.

----

Day 218-219:

A two day work this time. Didn't come out as nice as I would like, but what does; that's what the practice is for. Kinda rushed the background, since I didn't really think about having one until the very end. Should've given her an actual nose too; at least I remembered the cutie mark.

Spoiler

Show

Time: a couple and 1:30 respectively
Music: None

----

Day 221:

Yesterday I started, but didn't manage to finish, and today I don't have the time, so I just did something simple to fill the gap. I'll complete yesterday's tomorrow or Sunday. Was thinking of maybe making this to an avatar, but the background sort of has to be white, and I hate the giant white square style. Lines are still wavy, but I feel like I am getting better at them slowly.

Spoiler

Show

Time: Maybe 30 min
Music: None

----

Day 220, 222:

The one I didn't finish on Thursday. Now that it's uploaded (always once it's uploaded) I think it should be a fair bit darker. And a bunch of other stuff. For next time I guess. Bah that's and easy enough adjustment. Let there be contrast and not brightness!

Spoiler

Show

Time: ~1 and 3 hours
Music: Pony

----

Day 223:

A Boba Fett helmet. Didn't do anything new in this one.

Spoiler

Show

Time: 2:30
Music: None

[Maxtronaut]

Grrrrr.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET USED TO THIS FRIGGIN' TABLET ;_;

[the_druid_droid]

Grrrrr.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET USED TO THIS FRIGGIN' TABLET ;_;

A while. But keep on truckin' - you can make some really neat stuff with them, and for me at least, it really helps with uploading things to share since you skip the scanning step.

[Madcrafter]

Grrrrr.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET USED TO THIS FRIGGIN' TABLET ;_;

You also might want to try just using it as your normal mouse for a while too. I found that helped getting used to using it.

[Thanqol]

Grrrrr.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET USED TO THIS FRIGGIN' TABLET ;_;

This long.

[Maxtronaut]

We're only allowed to post tablet-made drawing here, right?

[Thanqol]

We're only allowed to post tablet-made drawing here, right?

Post what you like, dude.