Arts and CraftsThe place to talk about stick figure avatars, graphic design, fan art, or any application of the visual arts and creative writing--or just to show off your latest masterwork!
And Bakuel, I am consistently impressed by your ability to handle colors, shades, and textures. Whatever faults your linework does have, the combined effect with the coloring of the finished piece more than makes up for them.
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Bearer of the Psionic Flame
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Current occupation: Considering drawing a better Psionic Flame avatar.
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Skills: Competent Modder, Proficient Programmer, Accomplished RTD Game Master, Adequate Artist, Dabbling Writer
--------------------- Join Dropbox! It's free! And useful!
Last edited by Sean Mirrsen : 07-30-2012 at 04:38 AM.
I have returned from the grand wastes of ... From the suburban dystopia that is ... From the fine city that is London. Not much going on here in the thread right now though.
I really like the Lost in Manehattan, the colours and stuff are quite good. (I also saw it got featured in a drawfriend, now that I am sorting through the masses of delayed content from EQD that I missed in my absence).
Sean Mirrsen is excellent as always. My only criticism is that you are giving the ponies human-like muscles (really buff ones too). Unless you are intending to anthropomorphise them like that, than you might want to give them more horse-like muscles, if any at all (depending on how realistic you want them to look). (As a side note, I saw an exhibit at the Natural History Museum while I was there that had, among other things, plastinated horses. It was really quite interesting to see how the muscles differ).
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I continued my drawing while I was away, as well I should, and even picked up a shiny new sketchbook. So without further ado:
Day 30: A foot from Grey's Anatomy
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Day 31: Batman. I bet you can guess which movie I saw before drawing this one.
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Day 32 & 33: Ended up being pretty busy these two days, so I just tried some shading of rounded objects, and miscellaneous other things.
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Day 34: A skull. Besides the fact it turned out more like a child's head than a fully developed one, I quite like how this one turned out.
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Day 35: More randoms. Phantom mask didn't turn out as good as the skull did; it is really hard to draw with only shading.
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Day 36: Missed my return flight this morning so I had a long time in the terminal waiting (silly public transport not starting early enough). Drew part of the Heathrow departures lounge. Perspective is crazy, and a little inconsistent (when I started I didn't really think about doing any perspective, but that's how it turned out).
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__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
You seem to be getting the hang of shading, Madcrafter, even if shapes and lines still need some work.
As for pony muscles, that's really intended, for what would be the upper skeleton at least. There is no way for real equines to have the sort of movement range they have on the show, with the way their bones and muscles are set up. They need a hybrid humanlike structure for their upper forelegs and neck, in order to be able to turn their shoulders and lower legs around like they do, and to be able to look around as they do. So, yes, quite intended. :)
Something else I cooked up, somewhat in the spirit of Olympics:
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Link
The griffon's wings aren't bound, they're constrained - so they can be moved and pushed with, but not spread out to fly. They're also drawn a little wrong... >_> Neither the pony or the griffon are anyone in particular, just made up on the spot for the occasion.
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Bearer of the Psionic Flame
---------------------
Current occupation: Considering drawing a better Psionic Flame avatar.
---------------------
Skills: Competent Modder, Proficient Programmer, Accomplished RTD Game Master, Adequate Artist, Dabbling Writer
--------------------- Join Dropbox! It's free! And useful!
It would be interesting to see you try experimenting with less emphasis on the musculature, even though the style is entirely intentional.
It does have a slightly uncanny feel to it. Especially around the neck, I think.
It would be interesting to see you try experimenting with less emphasis on the musculature, even though the style is entirely intentional.
It does have a slightly uncanny feel to it. Especially around the neck, I think.
Heh, and it looks odd to me without the lines on the neck. I've... no idea why, it just does. I'll certainly try to do without them, as an experiment, but without some sort of definition it looks... bland. Cartoony. The neck is an incredibly convoluted place, muscle-wise, because essentially it's one giant joint that rotates the head. The muscles would only cease to be visible in a relaxed state, half-forward, in the center of the motion range. Which, now that I look at it, would be exactly the case for that last picture. Oops.
I guess I should just stop using lines for them, and define them with shading at most.
__________________
Bearer of the Psionic Flame
---------------------
Current occupation: Considering drawing a better Psionic Flame avatar.
---------------------
Skills: Competent Modder, Proficient Programmer, Accomplished RTD Game Master, Adequate Artist, Dabbling Writer
--------------------- Join Dropbox! It's free! And useful!
Well, the source media is a cartoon, and that's where the visual disconnect comes in probably. The fact that the necks you draw look a little on the human side just exaggerates that existing unexpectedness.
They also tend to end up more intricately detailed than the rest of the pony in a few of those pictures, which draws the eyes to it too. Compare the level of detail/visual information between the stomach/back leg of Olympic Wrestling Pony and the neck and front shoulders, for example.
There's no wrong way to do this, I'd just be intruiged to see you try a few different twists on your style, because you draw so very well.
Realized I had been dating my drawings January instead of July for the last five days. I must be tired. Not much today though, a toblerone, some ponies, an octavia.
Spoiler
Time: 45 minutes (really not a fast day today)
Music: None.
EDIT: Looks like the artist training grounds are returning. Maybe I'll have to try that out.
Day 38:
Artist training grounds are here. Today's theme was "Draw an idle pony, or draw a pony idling." I call it Manehattan Traffic:
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Time: An hour and a half.
Music: Pony
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
I like it too, though Braeburn's nose looks a little large compared to the others.
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Day 39:
Artist training grounds day two. "Draw a pony in motion/on the go"
Spoiler
Time: Maybe 45 minutes
Music: None
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
Black smoke rather than white misty smoke?
I'm going to assume it's plotstoryline related, though it might be interesting to see a white-version.
Otherwise, I like.
Glad you like it!
Hmm, I dunno, I guess I just saw black smoke in my mind's eye. I gave it a try with white smoke. See what you think.
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Also, here are links to the large versions with black and white smoke. You'll noticed I blurred the smoke a little. Does it look right? At the time it seemed weird to have smoke with sharp edges, but now I'm wondering if I went too far.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
I like it too, though Braeburn's nose looks a little large compared to the others.
I can live with that. Glad you like it though.
Quote:
Day 39:
Artist training grounds day two. "Draw a pony in motion/on the go"
Spoiler
Time: Maybe 45 minutes
Music: None
Hehe, what a wonderful expression
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Just call me Diego. Mr. Havoc was my father.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SiuiS
Diego Havoc, one of the hoopier froods I've met, up there with DeLancie.
I think that personally, I prefer the white one. But then, it was me who suggested it, so it's hard to be sure I'm objective about it.
If you're not sure which one you prefer yourself, perhaps run it past the Raz? (Raz was the author, right?)
The fluffy effect is subtle and works fine, I think. Straight would probably have worked too, but probably not quite so much. Not without abstracting the clouds much more in a Windwaker style, at least.
Again, just my take on the matter, though.
I like the white smoke better, but I think it makes the scene to bright overall. Since it looks (to me) to be a dusk/dawn scene, I might darken the sky and floor a bit more, or maybe make the smoke a little more gray. This is of course, my opinion only; asking the author is a good idea.
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Day 40:
NATG theme was "Draw a pony with a prop; Draw a material pony." I of course took it literally.
Spoiler
Time: 45 minutes
Music: None
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
I think that personally, I prefer the white one. But then, it was me who suggested it, so it's hard to be sure I'm objective about it.
If you're not sure which one you prefer yourself, perhaps run it past the Raz? (Raz was the author, right?)
The fluffy effect is subtle and works fine, I think. Straight would probably have worked too, but probably not quite so much. Not without abstracting the clouds much more in a Windwaker style, at least.
Again, just my take on the matter, though.
Yeah it was Raz. I've shown him both, just waiting for feedback.
Edit:
Found this image about shading, might be useful for some of you (it certainly is for me).
Spoiler
__________________
Just call me Diego. Mr. Havoc was my father.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SiuiS
Diego Havoc, one of the hoopier froods I've met, up there with DeLancie.
Shading gif is interesting, though it might be better if it was a series of still images instead. Still useful though.
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Day 41:
NATG prompt: "Draw a pony on a hilltop/Draw a pony at their peak." Interst piqued, Fluttershy decides to take a peek inside the cave at the peak of the mountain.
Spoiler
Time: An hour maybe
Music: None.
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
NATG prompt: "Draw a pony as a filly or colt/Draw a tiny pony." The obvious response:
Spoiler
Time: 45 minutes maybe
Music: Pony
As a side note, I finished the first game (of those that don't go on forever) I have ever finished on my steam account yesterday. I feel disheartened at how much time will be required to play the rest.
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
Indeed that is where they are from. The only thing I can say about flyinchicken's drawing in that the guy's lips look like they are going in instead of out to me. I assume his head is supposed to be misformed like that.
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Day 43:
NATG prompt: "Draw a pony smiling or beaming/Draw a pony having a ball"
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Time: An hour
Music: Pony
Getting Spock looking right was hard. I tried to make him not look so angry, but when all one has to work with are the shape of the eyes, I'm not surprised it didn't really work. They also don't have tails, but that can be chalked up to the viewing angle. (I also noticed I forgot a wing on Fluttershy two days ago. Little late to change that now).
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
This looks like the best thread ever.
I don't know how to get pics from my iPod, which I post from, to the forum, so I'll use pics I tweeted.
Here's Fluttershy.
EDIT: Here's the link, since the pic didn't show up in the preview. http://t.co/1uPDbSDI
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I do avatars. Feel free to PM me!
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Water_Bear
Tarquin is even less middle-class than Nale. He literally sips fine wine while watching slaves killed for his personal amusement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kish
...I should be less surprised that someone just posted that none of the descendents of a black dragon can ever be good than I am.
Old avatar by KillItWithFire. Current avatar by me.
Simple and fast, 'cause I got home from work late and wanted to actually have time to do things. NATG prompt "Draw a pony facing conflict/Draw a pony locked in "grizzly" combat." Didn't go with any puns today, seeing as my idea would have taken forever.
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Time: 30 min
Music: Some Pony.
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
I made a Photobucket account today for easier picture sharing.
Today's prompt: a pony facing conflict. I decided to draw what I thought Chancellor Puddinghead, Commander Hurricane, and Princess Platinum really looked like.
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__________________
I do avatars. Feel free to PM me!
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Water_Bear
Tarquin is even less middle-class than Nale. He literally sips fine wine while watching slaves killed for his personal amusement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kish
...I should be less surprised that someone just posted that none of the descendents of a black dragon can ever be good than I am.
Old avatar by KillItWithFire. Current avatar by me.
Platinum and Hurricane look decent (Platinum's tail could maybe do with a bit of a touch up). But Puddinghead's face... that face...
Also, you drew Hurricane as a stallion, which is interesting considering his/her gender is never specified.
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Day 45:
NATG prompt: "Draw a Pony Trying Something New."
Spoiler
Time: An hour and a bit.
Music: None
Drawing Fluttershy from that angle was difficult, I couldn't figure out what to do with her mane/ears. Ended up alright in the end though, I think.
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Day 46:
NATG: "Draw a pony dressed as or from your favorite video game, movie, or book/Draw a media pony." Had a hard time trying to find something to draw (characters from books would make for pretty ordinary ponies). Settled on Gangplank from LoL.
Spoiler
Time: An hour roughly.
Music: Pony.
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Day 47:
My first time trying to take one of my drawings and recopy it with the computer. Turned out ok, but it might have been faster just to draw it in PS in the first place. NATG: "Draw a pony making a decision/Draw a pony waffling." Didn't go with any waffle references.
Spoiler
Time: Roughly four hours.
Music: Pony
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
MeanMrsMustard, I think the eyes on Puddinghead are a little too close together, and the head just a little too wide, which makes her look a bit odd. The other two are okay though. Glad to have you in the thread and look forward to seeing more work from you.
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I drew my alchemist character as a pony, then realised I wasn't sure what colour scheme to give him. So I tried some different schemes out. I knew I wanted the green hair, to match his human hair, but I tried some colours out for the coat. I'm liking the yellow, brown and white, though I think the blue and yellow-green suit him too. What do you think?
(10 images)
Spoiler
__________________
Just call me Diego. Mr. Havoc was my father.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SiuiS
Diego Havoc, one of the hoopier froods I've met, up there with DeLancie.
Hmmm, I think that the beige (1st), brown (last), and white (2nd) all look ok, as well as the light green (6th). As previous experience shows though, I'm no expert on colour.
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Day 48:
NATG prompt: "Draw a pony fixing something/Draw a pony on the mend!" This one came out pretty good IMO.
Spoiler
Time: An hour.
Music: Pony.
EDIT: I realize now that I forgot Fluttershy's other wing again... Too late to fix it now I guess.
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
NATG prompt: "Draw a pony fixing something/Draw a pony on the mend!" This one came out pretty good IMO.
Spoiler
Time: An hour.
Music: Pony.
EDIT: I realize now that I forgot Fluttershy's other wing again... Too late to fix it now I guess.
Flutters' head is rounder, hair is higher. Nose has a little bit more of an upwards bump kinda thing? Body is also a little long; pony bodies are really short, only about as big as their head. I think you also missed the hoof holding the medigun.
Mac is better, generally. Few wobbles on the minigun but that's kinda the breaks when you're working on p&p. Should also work on hoof shape.
Remember eye highlights! Grab an eraser and make tiny little white patches on dem eyeballs. Pony eyes look weird without 'em.
Random advice dispensing complete, Thanqol away!
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"Take precaution, heed what's said
Learn the lessons of the dead"
Why thank you Thanqol. I did indeed forget the eye highlights and one of the front hooves, although she is carrying the medigun in her mouth (though as it is it is kind of hard to see). I guess I need to look over things more carefully, but it's always hard to see the errors when you've been working on something for a while.
__________________
Devoted artificer of the church of Scorching Ray.
THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. FASCINATING.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madcrafter
...in case Whuragen has to keep trying to bandage him:
Why thank you Thanqol. I did indeed forget the eye highlights and one of the front hooves, although she is carrying the medigun in her mouth (though as it is it is kind of hard to see). I guess I need to look over things more carefully, but it's always hard to see the errors when you've been working on something for a while.
Know that feel. You step back and stare at something and feel pride and then someone says something like "why does she have no hair" and you wonder how you didn't see that.
Happens to me a lot. I edit 3-4 times every night after I 'finish' a piece.
__________________
"Take precaution, heed what's said
Learn the lessons of the dead"
Madcrafter, have you tried taking less time drawing individual pieces? Honestly, I think you should, especially with simple figures; get a feel for them by making more of them, not taking long on any single one.
If I were a bit more open about what I think of a lot of the drawings on here, you guys will hate me or something, and I don't want that! So I only open my mouth if I feel like I can say something useful and conducive to learning. I think nitpicking is cool though, if only to catch errors you can't believe you've missed.
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A few quick things I made over the past two days:
Meine kleines Nazis (don't open if you're easily offended or if it's illegal where you live or whatever):
Spoiler
and a few things for Draw Your Friends which I'll post in public after the reveal
Last edited by flyingchicken : 08-12-2012 at 10:25 AM.
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Re: Ponythread Learns to Draw! Together!
I've... no idea why, it just does. I'll certainly try to do without them, as an experiment, but without some sort of definition it looks... bland. Cartoony. The neck is an incredibly convoluted place, muscle-wise, because essentially it's one giant joint that rotates the head. The muscles would only cease to be visible in a relaxed state, half-forward, in the center of the motion range. Which, now that I look at it, would be exactly the case for that last picture. Oops. 
