I love the creepy crawlies! It does seem like there are places where some cast shadows could add some depth - by the slug onto the spider, by the snake onto the rat, etc. - and the snake's heads look strangely flat compared to the rest of the drawing.
I love the palette, though. It's a really fun piece.
Maddie: "I named my feet. The left one is flip and the right one is flop. Oh, and also I named my flip-flops."
Thanks! Yeah I wanted to keep the thing overall flat, but didn't really decide how to tackle it either way. I probably wont go back into this one, it feels more like a doodle than something worth revisiting.
I think I made vectors for two of the logos, but never got around to doing more after I realised I had missed the window for making new business cards before the local print con. Still want to work through some branding ideas in general, before I put together another zine.
Next time im at my PC, I'll open up those files and see where I got.
Question: what is messed up about that drawing which prevents you from spending more time on it? What does it fundamentally lack that 'planning it out' would have given it? I I find myself noodling on drawings and paintings a lot, not knowing that there's some internal balance or symmetry I'm AIMING at, but can't quite define. Which is to say I always feel like I approach it, but never feel like I have it, and I'm wondering if it's to be found in some initial planning phase I ALWAYS SKIP.
A) Gather reference, take photos of poses, sketch till I feel like I understand whats going on, then start rendering
B) Fuck around in my sketchbook until I kinda like something, throw things at it in photoshop till I like the mood of it, gather reference if I can strengthen it, finish it.
C) Just studying from reference without an end goal in mind, I might never "finish" it or post it anywhere. Usually sketchbook stuff
I am much more naturally inclined to work in mode B, but the "Fuck around" and "throw things at it in PS" phases produce much more inconsistent results. Things that come out of mode B can be really hit or miss, I'm playing around more than I am concentrating. Also takes a lot longer. Things that come out of that process are things like the weird dog paintings, though, which I enjoy very much. Certain subjects, like dogs and skulls, come out better from this mode cause I've drawn them so much I have more of a foundation to work with.
Mode A is the process I follow for things like commissions where I need to communicate a bunch of things and have it approved at multiple steps. The results, at this point, are as predictable as I can muster.
The card commission and the PA work was done in that A mode. Because of that, I really worked out some of the problems I may have had if I just went right into winging it, but It also lacks some of the freedom of just erasing something and making it weirder for the fuck of it. I dont totally mind working this way, but without the motivation of an outside influence or deadline, its pretty rare that I sit down with that level of intent these days.
When you look at the colorful ladies, If I had gone through the whole shoot a bunch of reference process, I could probably have chosen more interesting poses. The blue lady in particular has no rhyme or reason to her actual body other than I needed to get it back there. There are cool shapes here and there, but overall I could probably take it as a sketch and try again, same basic designs, but with a stronger Idea of how they should be on the page together.
Outside of that, I cant really think of something I could to to it to make it stronger, so I abandoned it. I could render out but I wouldn't be able to actually do anything with the blue lady without redrawing her anyway. I could play around with some inking techniques on it, but I dont think I'd learn much as is. If the concept strikes me enough I could do some more sketching and try a more planned out final.
Thank you for the thought out response! I tend to the B process, and agree that I get bum results about as often as I get good results from it (sidenote your Dags always make me think of Darkhounds from the Wheel of Time books and I love them). It sounds like my 'gather reference' phase is too short, doesn't happen enough times in the process, and I don't take pose references myself and I'm thinking maybe I should. My reference game is weak. I'm also due for a period of time where I focus on specific practice from ref without trying to immediately use it in some project or other.
You do a great job of creating clean, balanced, and iconic art, and I guess I was just wondering if there was some abstract shape compositing phase you went through to help set up your compositions (or help decide whether an already set composition is up to snuff). I know some artists are big believers in circles and ratios and having shit line up EXACTLY 'behind the scenes' across the page.
That's high praise that I feel underqualified for, but I appreciate it.
I know the kind of processes you're referring to, and I probably have absorbed some of those ideas over the years, but the only one I really do myself is basic thumbnailing. Usually I'll just dive into a sketch in the sketchbook, fuck up the placement on the page, then I'll have to chop it up and finish it digitally.
I invested in a relatively cheap, but nice tripod and a cellphone mount. Combined with a little bluetooth selfie clicker, I have a pretty simple system for taking basic ref. They are the highest quality refs, but I can cycle through 20 poses in a few minutes instead of laboring in the sketchbook. Its helped with the character focused stuff.
Sketchbook dump! My sister made me a bunch of little sketchbooks since I got her a book binding kit. they are wonderful and lie flat and I have so many that they feel very casual to work in. I'm one of those people who get weird, sketchbook jitters.
hah, thanks! I thought about it briefly but I dont have any tattoos, or want any, and people don't really trust tattoo artists who don't have any themselves! That and apprenticeship is a bit of a racket.
I'm late to the party here, but I absolutely love that cosmic dog. Your work conveys such a great sense of 3d space and depth. I mean, just look at those toe pads!
Sorry I don't have much to offer in way of meaningful critique (I'm way too much of a beginner for that), but I find your pieces inspiring and motivating. Thank you for sharing them!
Thanks @Didgeridoo! Nice comments always remind me that people are here and looking at the forum, even when times are slow. I'm glad you enjoy looking, but thanks for taking the time to say so, it means the world to me!
Your art is stunning @Iruka
Looking at the 4tg picture in your last post (the yin yang) gave me the chills
More please? : )
This lockdown has been very boring for me, but the upside is I discovered some wonderful things I would not have experienced otherwise.
Like your awe-inspiring art
Thank you!
Posts
This week though, I've been messing around with the creeps:
I love the palette, though. It's a really fun piece.
I make tweet.
I make tweet.
A still unfinished cat
@Doodmann
I think I made vectors for two of the logos, but never got around to doing more after I realised I had missed the window for making new business cards before the local print con. Still want to work through some branding ideas in general, before I put together another zine.
Next time im at my PC, I'll open up those files and see where I got.
Work I did for penny arcade, for their court of cups podcast:
Did an album cover for a friend:
https://death-adder.bandcamp.com/album/flesh-devourer?fbclid=IwAR0_LlQPurNmL6aO2nmqYhrCwHvlCZujtFxcL9Mhz-GOI6cVsKdmojhtieg
Did a commission for a card game:
https://twitter.com/silent7seven
Played around with this concept for a bit:
Studies that built up to that
More the usual shit:
just fucking around on the ipad, but I didnt actually plan out the drawing so its a little too messed up spend more time on
more trash
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGGGGG
<gets to another melty eye>
WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY must you do thiiiiiiiissss
Twitter
I basically have three modes of painting:
A) Gather reference, take photos of poses, sketch till I feel like I understand whats going on, then start rendering
B) Fuck around in my sketchbook until I kinda like something, throw things at it in photoshop till I like the mood of it, gather reference if I can strengthen it, finish it.
C) Just studying from reference without an end goal in mind, I might never "finish" it or post it anywhere. Usually sketchbook stuff
I am much more naturally inclined to work in mode B, but the "Fuck around" and "throw things at it in PS" phases produce much more inconsistent results. Things that come out of mode B can be really hit or miss, I'm playing around more than I am concentrating. Also takes a lot longer. Things that come out of that process are things like the weird dog paintings, though, which I enjoy very much. Certain subjects, like dogs and skulls, come out better from this mode cause I've drawn them so much I have more of a foundation to work with.
Mode A is the process I follow for things like commissions where I need to communicate a bunch of things and have it approved at multiple steps. The results, at this point, are as predictable as I can muster.
The card commission and the PA work was done in that A mode. Because of that, I really worked out some of the problems I may have had if I just went right into winging it, but It also lacks some of the freedom of just erasing something and making it weirder for the fuck of it. I dont totally mind working this way, but without the motivation of an outside influence or deadline, its pretty rare that I sit down with that level of intent these days.
When you look at the colorful ladies, If I had gone through the whole shoot a bunch of reference process, I could probably have chosen more interesting poses. The blue lady in particular has no rhyme or reason to her actual body other than I needed to get it back there. There are cool shapes here and there, but overall I could probably take it as a sketch and try again, same basic designs, but with a stronger Idea of how they should be on the page together.
Outside of that, I cant really think of something I could to to it to make it stronger, so I abandoned it. I could render out but I wouldn't be able to actually do anything with the blue lady without redrawing her anyway. I could play around with some inking techniques on it, but I dont think I'd learn much as is. If the concept strikes me enough I could do some more sketching and try a more planned out final.
You do a great job of creating clean, balanced, and iconic art, and I guess I was just wondering if there was some abstract shape compositing phase you went through to help set up your compositions (or help decide whether an already set composition is up to snuff). I know some artists are big believers in circles and ratios and having shit line up EXACTLY 'behind the scenes' across the page.
I know the kind of processes you're referring to, and I probably have absorbed some of those ideas over the years, but the only one I really do myself is basic thumbnailing. Usually I'll just dive into a sketch in the sketchbook, fuck up the placement on the page, then I'll have to chop it up and finish it digitally.
I invested in a relatively cheap, but nice tripod and a cellphone mount. Combined with a little bluetooth selfie clicker, I have a pretty simple system for taking basic ref. They are the highest quality refs, but I can cycle through 20 poses in a few minutes instead of laboring in the sketchbook. Its helped with the character focused stuff.
Also, I forgot this one.
I have and will continue to get more so that part isn't the problem, it's the whole "starting your career over" thing.
Worked on the cat
Fooling around:
The usual
Sorry I don't have much to offer in way of meaningful critique (I'm way too much of a beginner for that), but I find your pieces inspiring and motivating. Thank you for sharing them!
Looking at the 4tg picture in your last post (the yin yang) gave me the chills
More please? : )
This lockdown has been very boring for me, but the upside is I discovered some wonderful things I would not have experienced otherwise.
Like your awe-inspiring art
Thank you!