Ponythread Learns to Draw II

[DigoDragon]

With the snowy forest, I can pretend I'm a bear!

Not a penguin? :3

I do like the blues of the first. Feels like pre-sunrise.

[goto124]

I just realized that yellow-eyed penguins make burrows and raise babies in forests!

Spoiler: Penguin Families

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Closer to a tropical forest than an arctic forest, but still!

[DigoDragon]

I just realized that yellow-eyed penguins make burrows and raise babies in forests!

Awww, that's adorable. :D
I did not know they could forest like that. Plains maybe, like off the southern coast of South America, but not forest.

[Madcrafter]

My table driver broke, and I had too many critical programs open to be able to restart my computer to fix it. Thus, we have a rarity here, pencil drawings. The last time I did one was day 365, and even that one was a one-off for the year milestone. Tried to keep the landsacapy theme going, but to be quite honest I found it really boring. There is only grey, and more grey. On the bright side, I didn't find my left hand reflexively twitching Ctrl+Alt+z as much as it used to, which maybe means I'm getting better at accepting my work. Or I was just too tired to care.

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Days 927, 945:

Started this the day before I broke the tablet driver. Couldn't remember where I was going with it after, so just kind of made it passable to move on.

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Days 928-44:

Pencil work. The earlier ones are better, before I got bored of the whole experience.

Spoiler: Tree

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Spoiler: Haven't done any isometric view since HS drafting

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Spoiler: Same building on hill

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Spoiler: Some strange cliff buildings

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Spoiler: Shore

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Spoiler: Yes, drew the graph of the project I was working on, because I didn't want to think of anything else

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Spoiler: Nightstand/dresser

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Spoiler: Some sort of secluded temple

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Spoiler: Another shoreline, a few of the pictures I had real trouble getting in focus

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Spoiler: Swamp

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Spoiler: Another blurry one, seems to be if they don't have enough dark values

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Spoiler: Or just my crappy phone camera

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Spoiler: Industy!

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Spoiler: City buildings

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[DigoDragon]

Do you use a ruler for the perspective drawings? (like the isometric one).

[Madcrafter]

Do you use a ruler for the perspective drawings? (like the isometric one).

Well, the edge of the case my pencils are in, since I don't have a ruler, but yes. I don't think I could get lines that straight freehand.

[DigoDragon]

Well, the edge of the case my pencils are in, since I don't have a ruler, but yes. I don't think I could get lines that straight freehand.

Cool, cool. That's a trick I sometimes do as well. They're good lines. Not too sure about the "vanishing point" on some of the pieces, but that isn't hard to correct on the next set.

[tyfkmr]

i'm following this subject thnx

[Madcrafter]

I think I figured out why landscapes are such a pain; I can't get over doing all the little details. Hence why things like the blue sunrise picture were fine, but ones like below just feel too time consuming to finish. Most of the concept artists I've seen can cut this time down by drawing a facsimile that gets interpreted as detail and then fill in only the parts that are needed, but I can't yet do that. People and other objects are a lot better, because there are very few details, comparatively, and I guess it's just more interesting. Anyways, landscape experiment over for the time being.

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Day 946-54:

Incomplete as mentioned above. Does sort of show the development of the picture though. The background mountains and island I think came out alright, but then getting to the rocks in the middle and right just killed it for me.

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[Madcrafter]

Day 955-78:

Wow, this one took a long time, three weeks. So probably about nine or ten hours of work considering how busy I've been. Not perfect by any means, but it's the first time I've managed to get actual colour into a picture without it looking really weird, so that's nice. Also remembered to turn off flux so it shouldn't be super colour shifted. I am a little concerned that I've been staring at it a little too long though and there are some blatant weird looking bits that I can't see anymore though.

Also full sized since any rescaling seemed to mess with it real bad. Hopefully the automatic sizing on the forum doesn't make it look terrible. EDIT: A little bit, but it doesn't seem to be toooo bad.

Spoiler: Ollerus Atroxheim

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[goto124]

Oh dear, I just noticed something's up with the shadow! It's hard to spot, but it's there...

You're great at details

[DigoDragon]

Oh dear, I just noticed something's up with the shadow! It's hard to spot, but it's there...

Not sure that I follow. What's up?

[Madcrafter]

Oh dear, I just noticed something's up with the shadow! It's hard to spot, but it's there...

You're great at details

Hah, thanks . It's probably obscured a bit from the re-sizing artifacting, but I was originally concerned it wasn't subtle enough, so good to know those concerns are unfounded.

Not sure that I follow. What's up?

Shadow right to the right of his head.

[DigoDragon]

Shadow right to the right of his head.

I might have to wait until I get home. On this monitor all I see is a flat black background (and the brightness is already maxed out).

[Thanqol]

Day 955-78:

Wow, this one took a long time, three weeks. So probably about nine or ten hours of work considering how busy I've been. Not perfect by any means, but it's the first time I've managed to get actual colour into a picture without it looking really weird, so that's nice. Also remembered to turn off flux so it shouldn't be super colour shifted. I am a little concerned that I've been staring at it a little too long though and there are some blatant weird looking bits that I can't see anymore though.

Also full sized since any rescaling seemed to mess with it real bad. Hopefully the automatic sizing on the forum doesn't make it look terrible. EDIT: A little bit, but it doesn't seem to be toooo bad.

Spoiler: Ollerus Atroxheim

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Bang up job on this one. Good work!

[DigoDragon]

Bang up job on this one. Good work!

Now that I can see the shadow, I agree.

[DigoDragon]

I'm taking a pony randomizer challenge. The link is here.

I made four so far~

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Crazy Pegasus


Pirate Unicorn


Energized Batpony


Derpy Earth Pony

[Artman77]

@madcrafter; yeah the mountains in the background look really good. The rocks in the middle look good to though. If you painted over the white in the foreground and cleaned it up a little bit, it would be a really good piece. Did you use a reference photo?

Werewolf guy looks good too, keep it up!!

[Madcrafter]

@madcrafter; yeah the mountains in the background look really good. The rocks in the middle look good to though. If you painted over the white in the foreground and cleaned it up a little bit, it would be a really good piece. Did you use a reference photo?

Werewolf guy looks good too, keep it up!!

Yeah, came from a reference, though I changed the aspect ratio to be more square, somewhat by accident.

I'm taking a pony randomizer challenge. The link is here.

I made four so far~

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Crazy Pegasus


Pirate Unicorn


Energized Batpony


Derpy Earth Pony

Nice; last one looks a bit like Doc I think.

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Day 979-89:

After such a long piece, just decided I would coast on in to 1k. This one is another that started as a random bad sketch that drew out into a long ordeal, hence why all the people look off.

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Day 990:

Yeah... probably not actually the worst thing I've done.

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Day 991-3:

A classic eye.

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Day 994-5:

This one turned out looking like an inflated glove.

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Day 996-7:

Just a little skyline.

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Days 998-9, 1001:

Spaaaaaace.

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Day 1000:

This is it. A thousand days. Doesn't really feel like it's been that long.

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Day 1002-13:

I don't like how my filenames have gotten so much longer thanks to the extra digit. Sterling Archer, from the TV show.

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[DigoDragon]

Nice; last one looks a bit like Doc I think.

Thanks... I think? ^^;
Not sure how to take that statement.

This one turned out looking like an inflated glove.

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Is the hand at rest? I think it needs the fingers to curve a little more. That might give it a less-stiff look.

I don't like how my filenames have gotten so much longer thanks to the extra digit. Sterling Archer, from the TV show.

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This one is nice. Got sone good lighting going on. The hair line might need more blending together so it looks natural. The facial stubble feels right.

[Ichneumon]

Occasionally, I look at this thread and find the drawing you guys post to be very inspiring! I decided to start drawing again. For the first time since ever, using a computer pen tablet again. I'm not dissatisfied with the result.

Spoiler: Jurassic Park

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[Madcrafter]

Occasionally, I look at this thread and find the drawing you guys post to be very inspiring! I decided to start drawing again. For the first time since ever, using a computer pen tablet again. I'm not dissatisfied with the result.

Spoiler: Jurassic Park

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Ooh, nice. Tablet probably doesn't take too much getting used to I'd think, seems like something that would keep. Do you still have old stuff around from before you stopped?

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Day 1014-20:

Houses, inspired by a painting my friend really liked at the art gallery. Not having any reference handy though, so pretty far from anything really. Also trying a different technique, which was a little too time consuming.

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Day 1021-6:

Two of three players in my Shadowrun inspired game decided they would have weaponized robot arms. I honestly can't wait to detonate an EMP near them, but I know its something I can only do once so have to wait for the right moment.

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Day 1027-8:

Different hair stuff.

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Day 1029-38:

Ehhhh, ehhhhh. Wasn't going great. I do like how the brush came out, and the wood grains, but everything else is lacklustre at best. I don't know how that back tin ended up so off either.

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I am however, going to pick up some real art supplies for my birthday tomorrow (or I guess today already at time of writing), and we'll try and shake something out in acrylic. GET HYPE!

[DigoDragon]

I am however, going to pick up some real art supplies for my birthday tomorrow (or I guess today already at time of writing), and we'll try and shake something out in acrylic. GET HYPE!

Happy birthday!

I agree on the brush and wood grains for the last image. Those came out nice.

[Madcrafter]

Happy birthday!

I agree on the brush and wood grains for the last image. Those came out nice.

Thanks!

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Day 1039-42:

So, first picture I've painted since... hmm, maybe my copy of Puss In Boots as an art project in second grade (which actually came out pretty well for a seven year-old; I still have it at home in Vancouver). It actually worked out pretty well. One thing that became immediately obvious is that I have absolutely no clue how to mix colours, since I am used to picking them off a wheel. Things came out a little saturated as a result, as well as bright since I didn't have black, and the pure colours could only be toned down so much by adding the compliment before muddying out to brown. Small details were kind of difficult as well, especially for the cliff face.

I struggled a bit to get a good photo that actually looks like the thing does in real life. This one looks a little blurry (though I don't think it is) and the contrast may be a bit high, but it's the best one I managed. The actual painting looks better from a distance, but I can't really photograph it like that since it is so small.

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Acrylic on canvas, 7'' x 9''. Colours I have: Crimson, Deep Yellow, Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White, Black. Also have some gel media that I used for thinning/glazing, which makes it all shiny and impossible to see/photograph from particular angles.

[goto124]

Despite your difficulties, you managed to recreate a convincing cliff! The colors appear just right to me and if you didn't tell me details were hard, I wouldn't notice!

[Sean Mirrsen]

So many neat things happening in this thread. 1000+ day progress reports, great traditional pencil and even paint works. And here I am, haven't drawn a thing since... sometime in October.

I seem to have lost all possible inspiration sources, for one reason or another. I only picked the Intuos up now through sheer, unyielding force of boredom, that feels like it actually threatens my sanity at this point. ._.

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That there is the/an Artee, you may potentially remember last seeing a specimen that looks like this. My vision of the design drifted a lot since I last used it, and I had to draw something, so I guess you could say I arteeficially kickstarted my inspiration with this. (I'm sorry)

[Derjuin]

Hey all!

So, I finally made more money than I usually do and managed to get a tablet for drawing! Only... I'm not sure which programs to use. I most definitely don't think Inkscape would be a good one to use, since it's Vector and I have a hard enough time getting the vectors to cooperate with just a mouse.

It's just a small Wacom, nothing special or expensive like a Cintiq. Mostly to help me ease into more ...organic-feeling digital art, I guess I'll call it.

[DigoDragon]

That there is the/an Artee, you may potentially remember last seeing a specimen that looks like this. My vision of the design drifted a lot since I last used it, and I had to draw something, so I guess you could say I arteeficially kickstarted my inspiration with this. (I'm sorry)

Don't be sorry. Was good pun. :3
I love the muscle definition on Artee. Very well done.

Hey all!

Hi Doctor Nick! Derjuin!

So, I finally made more money than I usually do and managed to get a tablet for drawing! Only... I'm not sure which programs to use. I most definitely don't think Inkscape would be a good one to use, since it's Vector and I have a hard enough time getting the vectors to cooperate with just a mouse.

I'm... not sure. All my art programs are outdated. I don't upgrade only because I'm simply used to the outdated stuff (and my lappy is being a bit lazy lately). The most recent recommend I was given was Krita (cause it's free), and although I haven't tried it, I've watched some videos and it seems okay.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Hey all!

Greetings!

So, I finally made more money than I usually do and managed to get a tablet for drawing! Only... I'm not sure which programs to use. I most definitely don't think Inkscape would be a good one to use, since it's Vector and I have a hard enough time getting the vectors to cooperate with just a mouse.

I'll just repeat my usual two. Well, one, because Digo already mentioned Krita, which is basically a free, lightweight, easy-to-use Photoshop as far as the kind of things you can achieve with it goes. As of the latest 3.0 version it even allows making animations.

The other program is MyPaint (also free), and I absolutely recommend it above everything else, even Krita, but that's due to my preferred drawing style (see above post). The program is the ultimate in sketching and layout drawing, due to having two things: an Infinite canvas that it opens to without prompting you to create a new document, and the most natural-feeling set of pencil and eraser brushes this side of everything. It has more than that, but its capabilities in most respects are somewhat basic, as was definitely the intent behind it.

If you start out already knowing what you want to draw, Krita is going to fulfill every need you have and then some. If you're like me and need to doodle around before you can settle on a drawing, MyPaint is perfect for you, and as an added bonus both programs use the same document format - so you can create a sketch in MyPaint, save it, then load it in Krita and do all the finishing work.

It's just a small Wacom, nothing special or expensive like a Cintiq. Mostly to help me ease into more ...organic-feeling digital art, I guess I'll call it.

Good call on getting a Wacom, even a small one - it will serve you better and longer than any alternative would have. Though I must point out that a Cintiq is also a Wacom, so I guess you mean a small Intuos. :)

[Derjuin]

I'll just repeat my usual two. Well, one, because Digo already mentioned Krita, which is basically a free, lightweight, easy-to-use Photoshop as far as the kind of things you can achieve with it goes. As of the latest 3.0 version it even allows making animations.

The other program is MyPaint (also free), and I absolutely recommend it above everything else, even Krita, but that's due to my preferred drawing style (see above post). The program is the ultimate in sketching and layout drawing, due to having two things: an Infinite canvas that it opens to without prompting you to create a new document, and the most natural-feeling set of pencil and eraser brushes this side of everything. It has more than that, but its capabilities in most respects are somewhat basic, as was definitely the intent behind it.

If you start out already knowing what you want to draw, Krita is going to fulfill every need you have and then some. If you're like me and need to doodle around before you can settle on a drawing, MyPaint is perfect for you, and as an added bonus both programs use the same document format - so you can create a sketch in MyPaint, save it, then load it in Krita and do all the finishing work.

Thanks for the tips! I'll give them a try, see if I like them. Currently I only have Paint.net and Inkscape, so any recommendations are great.

Good call on getting a Wacom, even a small one - it will serve you better and longer than any alternative would have. Though I must point out that a Cintiq is also a Wacom, so I guess you mean a small Intuos. :)

Oh, right, haha. Yeah, it's a small Intuos, the kind with the black tracking surface as opposed to the display the more expensive models have (I presume that's what Cintiqs have).