Thanqol Learns To Draw Five: Polymath

[Thanqol]

Day 1602: cuddlebugs

If you don't support Zerg you're probably some sort of communist lizard.

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[DigoDragon]

If you don't support Zerg you're probably some sort of communist lizard.

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"Dragon! Not lizard. I don't do that tongue thing."

These are cute. I like the commonality of big, over-simplified circles. Gonna forward them to my brother, he tends to be a fan of Starcraft stuff.

[Deadly]

Fishing stuff is so weird and alien isn't it? A fishing shop is like a gift shop on an alien planet. Were you interested in sailing ships or modern ones?

Fly fishing is weird and alien.

The boat(s) my dad owned, and which he took us out fishing with, were old motor boat(s), so that was where my experience as a kid was. I think he always wanted a sailing ship, but he never got one. I was just happy as long as I got to go out on the open sea and fish, or spend time on the docks. Motor or sail, didn't much matter, but perhaps I would have felt more strongly about it if I had tried sails.

I worked briefly on a sailing ship, for half a year or so, in my late teens, and I have to say, it's a fantastic experience. It was a fairly large ship, and we were a handful of people who had a pretty great time together. I would take a sailing ship over a motor boat any day now, if I got the choice. I always loved the sea, I know of nothing more calming, refreshing than the open sea, but it's been so many years since I last sailed anywhere. One day I would love to buy a ship, just a small one perhaps, and head out to sea again.

[Anarion]

you're probably some sort of communist lizard.

Only in my heart and my dreams.

[Thanqol]

So I get the new PC on Monday, and internet access on Thursday maybe. Hopefully I can get it set up pretty soon and start working on digital pieces again!

[Thanqol]

Day 1607: Heatzone

Computer tomorrow, internet thursday, desk friday. after that i dunno. maybe rainbows.

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[Thanqol]

Day 1612: Idgedypitches

Getting the house - I've opted to name it Samsara - sorted has been a lot of stress. But it's progressing well! Desk's arrived, couch is arrived, computer is arrived (albeit with a broken monitor so that sh*t has to be replaced). I'm contemplating taking the opportunity of the new machine to get a new tablet - mine is 1600 days old and showing its age - but the Australian Wacom site is out of stock of everything. Jerks.

So I'm stuck with pen and paper for a while longer!

Everything's coming together though. I reckon in a month I'll be up and running. And oh, how sweet that day will be.

[Thanqol]

Day 1613: The Cutest Couple

Oh wow, that session worked out great!

I decided to run a Batman game using Urban Shadows. It worked out to a really weird and fascinating alternate timeline and was one of the best sessions I've run with that group. A bunch of characters were genderflipped which resulted in some weird dynamics. Seriously, the session was amazing, and if you've ever wanted to run Urban Shadows do it this way.

Batgirl The Hunter: After her parents were murdered, Kay Wayne joined Doctors Without Borders and travelled to Africa in an attempt to make a difference in the world. The experience changed her and she returned to Gotham as a dedicated badass. Her target of choice is arms dealers and Wayne Enterprises in particular - too many times she saw the Wayne logo on guns and other weapons so she's returned to seize control of her birthright.

Alfred The Spectre: Alfred has been with the Wayne family for generations. Well, haunting the Wayne family for generations. The Wayne bloodline is his tether to the mortal world and he's dedicated to using his ghostly powers to helping his young Ward - and also creepily encouraging her to hook up with a nice young man and continue the bloodline.

Mangolia The Fay: Alternate universe Poison Ivy, Mangolia was an eco-protestor who stood against Wayne Enterprise's chronic pollution of Gotham. One day it got so bad that the city itself called her to Central Park where the last living flower in all of Gotham merged with her and empowered her to bring nature back to the city.

Hilariously she's never been outside the city and her entire idea of nature comes from David Attenborough documentaries.

Klaus Kaiser The Vamp: Klaus is an old school crime lord who's disgusted with the barbaric and uncivilised behaviour of modern criminals. He's entered the ring of organised crime in order to bring down the disorganised rabble and impose discipline and order on the mad streets of Gotham. Jessica Crane - AKA Scarecrow - works for him as an interrogator and loyal left hand.


The plot to the session was rather straightforwards: Bad guys attacked a charity ball! As Batman as it gets. One force was a supervillain called The Weatherman, a man who could transform into electricity and destroy technology. He was unleashed by Wayne Enterprises to destroy all non-Wayne electronics in his path, thus letting Wayne Enterprises bid to upgrade the Gotham City Surveillance System. The other force was the Elias Mafia family who wanted to whack one of the guests and dispatched Victoria Zsasz to see it done.

While Batgirl successfully confronted The Weatherman, Klaus and Scarecrow captured Zsasz and locked her in his creepy basement. Klaus ordered Scarecrow to mind control Zsasz, which was a bit of a head-scratcher because both of those guys specialise in capturing people and then doing mindbending sh*t to them. After thinking for a bit I figured that the only way that scene ends is with them hooking up. I think they make an adorable couple!

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[Thanqol]

Day 1616: Alien Crowns

I like the Crown of Organs here. It looks grotesque and just a little derpy.

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[DigoDragon]

I like the Crown of Organs here. It looks grotesque and just a little derpy.
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But can they play music?

(It does have a grotesque charm)

[Thanqol]

Day 1620: Make It Work!

Saw a guy do this on a screen and was like WOAH I CAN DO THAT TOO

Home is pretty much done! I'm excited! Are you excited?

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[Artman77]

Links to video/inspiration?

Awesome piece. The guy looks a little hunchback, but composition and colors are good. The sharp outline of the face and white glasses lens provide a good focal point.

[Thanqol]

Links to video/inspiration?

The TV series Empire, the artist/photographer in season 2. Excellent series.

Awesome piece. The guy looks a little hunchback, but composition and colors are good. The sharp outline of the face and white glasses lens provide a good focal point.

Thanks! The hunchback look was because he was old and had a really big coat with a hood on. I loved working with a very extreme colour palette and I really can't wait to do stuff like this with actual paints.

[Thanqol]

In the process of transferring my entire life 10 klicks down the road and coping with snail speed internet while I'm at it. Art is taking a bit of a back seat for the time being.

However, I did get a lead on some cheap canvasses for when I start painting which is a big plus! It's going to be a little while before I can afford an easel - and I'm also looking at a new table when I can spare the cash - but I am psyched for it!

[Thanqol]

Day 1627: Noglows

Finished another sketchbook.

So given that I'm moving to a brand new machine I'm suddenly faced with the question, what art software do I use? I've quite liked SAI but I've gotten into a bunch of familiar habits with it so I think I'll want to try something else to break me out a bit.

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[Madcrafter]

How about Krita? Give it a try, see if you like it.

[Colonel Fedora]

If you want to inconvenience yourself as much as possible, I would recommend GIMP. I did art with it for quite a while, and it worked reasonably well. With some tweaking, of course.

[Thanqol]

How about Krita? Give it a try, see if you like it.

Sure!

If you want to inconvenience yourself as much as possible, I would recommend GIMP. I did art with it for quite a while, and it worked reasonably well. With some tweaking, of course.

I don't recall liking GIMP but that was like 10 years ago and I wasn't drawing then.

So I went and ordered a brand new spangly tablet! With wireless kit so I can draw from across the room as my desire has always been - which is gonna get really cool when I eventually get a projector screen up and running. I'm going to give the old tablet to the dreaded Primary Demographic since she enjoys it so much.

House is almost done - things are ready or in the mail and it's all coming together and it's so cool holy crap. It's everything I ever wanted.

When it's all together I'll get pictures together.

[Deadly]

I always hated Gimp with a passion. Worst program ever. But to be fair, the last time I used it for anything other than converting images to obscure formats was many years ago. Who knows, it might actually have become a half-decent program since then. I doubt it, though.

[Thanqol]

Day 1634: It's Been A Bad Month

Oh man, my head's all over the place right now. I spent the day alternating between headache and exhaustion and my problem solving mental section is running amok.

I also really miss digital art. Urgh. Soon, though. New tablet is in the mail. Mattress is on the way. I'm set for everything else I need to move in. Soon.

I really need a vacation. Haven't had anything at all this year.

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[Thanqol]

Day 1635: Acidic

two uploads in a row that's unpossible

oh wait they're both out of practice rubbish carry on

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[TheAmishPirate]

I really need a vacation. Haven't had anything at all this year.

Speaking from personal experience, blargh.

Hope you can schedule some time off soon. It's good and important for the brain, heart, soul, toes, and everything in-between.

[DigoDragon]

Yeah, vacation is important. Don't end up like me putting it off and then getting caught up where you really can't take vacation because of a housing crisis. Get thee some time off when you can.

[Thanqol]

Day 1641: Prime Time Of Your Life

New tablet. New computer. New desk. New art software. Peace and quiet.

Aw yeah. I've missed this.

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[Thanqol]

Day 1642: what are all these brushes

Oh man, Corel is hard. I forgot how hard it was. I can't figure out how to hair.

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[DigoDragon]

Oh man, Corel is hard. I forgot how hard it was. I can't figure out how to hair.

Try smaller brushes and spaghetti movements?

[Thanqol]

Day 1647: Horse Famous

Starting to get the hang of all these brushes. It's not done yet but this is part of a way overdue request for Elanorin's Starstruck.

It's annoying that my new stylus doesn't have an eraser on reverse!

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[Thanqol]

Day 1652: Genre Limitations

Now I remember this about Corel: It has crap tools for sketching. Great array of paints and stuff but I hate all the sketch and inking options.

Opened up ArtRage that I got on steam ages ago for this, not impressed with it either. Nice interface but it has a weird time delay on rapid brush strokes which just throws me off.

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[Cuthalion]

Thanqol. I dare you to make a realistic drawing of a cockatiel.

EDIT:To clarify, it seems to me you're in a little bit of a rut again, so to speak. Try new things.

[Thanqol]

Thanqol. I dare you to make a realistic drawing of a cockatiel.

EDIT:To clarify, it seems to me you're in a little bit of a rut again, so to speak. Try new things.

The rut is not actually the problem right now, two weeks ago I would have agreed with you but right now I'm pretty sure I'm in new territory. What's current is that I just switched up my art program and tablet and that's huge, nothing works like I'm used to. Right now my question isn't 'what do I draw' but 'what are the brush settings I need to do a basic drawing'.

But while I'm in this flux I'm keen to try out new programs and see if there's anything that clicks with me faster, so advice on programs and the specifics of brush settings would be really helpful right now.