my figures are too stiff
Okay, so, I am comfortable with my knowledge of anatomy, but I have this problem where a lot of my figure drawings look stiff. The anatomy is realistic and believable, but the figures/characters look too posed. I guess what I am looking for is advice on figure drawing that is more natural. So I was wondering if anybody had advice, links to tutorials, or book titles that I can check out, that deal with overcoming stiff illustrations, specifically.
Does anyone know if theres a difference working in photoshop in 8bit, 16bit or 32bit? I've been working in 8bit for all my images. Just wondering if theres any advantage/disadvantage of anything?
Hey everyone. I've been fiddling with digital for quite a while today and I appear to be running into some pitfalls. It was suggested to me that I ask some of the old pros here if they have a list of basics. Things to watch out for. Tricks of the trade. Whatever.
I'm using a small-sized bamboo fun tablet, if it matters.
This was a work in progress. I think I'm gonna call it. Here you can see some of the pitfalls I was talking about.
I'm perplexed with this one. My friend commissioned me to make a CD cover for him. Stander CD covers are like 4.5 by 4.5. He wants a shit load of stuff in the painting that it really wouldn't work IMO.
He wants a big ass mountain with a valley below filled with dead roman soldiers and a blizzard going on.
I dunno how to squeeze all that stuff in on a small canvas size. I mean, The soldiers would be uber tiny. As well as a blizzard.
I've been referencing mountain ranges and valleys and I dunno how to fit all those tiny soldiers into their. I dunno how to draw lot of tiny things. I tried a close up, but that means fewer soldiers and dunno if i squeeze a mountain into there it will look "off".
I even watched 300 for reference, and I don't really see it happening.
I've been looking at "Magic The Gathering" art for reference, seeing they make awesome art in cramped spaces, and I can't find anything thats remotely helpful. I can't think of a card that sounds similar. FYI I'm using this website to look at card art. I don't own MTG cards anymore. http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Default.aspx
(Side note, you guys just gotta check out all the awesome art. MTG art kicks so much ass)
Anyhoo. I'm pretty sure I'm going about this all wrong. This is also why I don't like doing commissions cause I generally get bad ideas from people, or they don't know my limitations and style.
You can find Facebook and YouTube there, but I couldnt see the Mashable logo. In any case, it doesnt seem that it will take more than 2 minutes to trace in Illustrator. The font is Myriad Bold.
Man I'd really like to do concept work for games, etc. But I don't even know what kind of background I'd need to get into that. Or if I even have the potential to be good at it in terms of making it a career. I'm assuming I'd need to be able to do a little of everything, to best communicate the ideas I'm trying to get accross. What would be some of the main things I need to practice? At least to get started?
Also, anyone have any tips on learning to do figure drawings? I can't afford, nor do I have time for, classess. I tried teaching myself out of a book, but the book I have (and others I flipped through) still rely on having models for reference. I have some friends willing to pose, but I'd feel bad getting them to do that and then producing garbage. I'd like to get some skill before subjecting my friends to that.
Has anyone here tried the Intuos 4 yet? I'm wondering if it's worth selling off my 3 and upgrading. If I'm going to go that route I would like to do it while the resale value is still so high.
Has anyone here tried the Intuos 4 yet? I'm wondering if it's worth selling off my 3 and upgrading. If I'm going to go that route I would like to do it while the resale value is still so high.
I have an Intuos4 (large). I really like it. I can't compare it to the Intuos3, as I haven't used those, but the light up buttons and the scroll wheel are both really helpful, especially when switching between programs. The pen to tablet friction is, I imagine, much better than an Intuos3. People complain about the pen sliding around and stuff and putting a piece of paper on it, but the friction on the Intuos4 is excellent. It's kind of like drawing with a Sharpie.
I just remembered I can get Photoshop CS4 for $300 from the intuos privileges thing. I think I'll save up for that since I'll still be $200 short of an intuos large if I sell my 3.
How long does Wacom support tablets? If I waited for Photoshop CS5 or 6, would that (based on history) likely be offered at a discount to Intuos3 owners through the privileges thing?
Man I'd really like to do concept work for games, etc. But I don't even know what kind of background I'd need to get into that. Or if I even have the potential to be good at it in terms of making it a career. I'm assuming I'd need to be able to do a little of everything, to best communicate the ideas I'm trying to get accross. What would be some of the main things I need to practice? At least to get started?
Also, anyone have any tips on learning to do figure drawings? I can't afford, nor do I have time for, classess. I tried teaching myself out of a book, but the book I have (and others I flipped through) still rely on having models for reference. I have some friends willing to pose, but I'd feel bad getting them to do that and then producing garbage. I'd like to get some skill before subjecting my friends to that.
If I was just learning how to draw the body - would you guys recommend one of the Hogarth books over the other anatomy books in the OP? I am new to drawing, but not new to drawing in photoshop. I've taken underdrawings people have done and used the pen tool to do up some stuff (learned a bit from beavo's youtube tutorial).
I can't do anything original though - I want to be able to manipulate body shapes to create stylized drawings, and don't want an arm to be abnormally long because I don't know what I'm doing.
I got a used copy of CS1 for free, and installed it. PS works fine, but Illustrator's dialogs are blank except for some very tiny buttons. For example, in the New File dialog, it's as tall as the screen and very thin, and has two tiny buttons with no text visible. The top one behaves like an ok button, and the bottom like a cancel button.
Is this a thing that can be fixed, or should I reinstall illustrator?
does anyone know of asny good links to FREE hi res fashion photography? Im developing a graphic design portfolio, and want to do a bit of design aimed at fashion.
does anyone know of asny good links to FREE hi res fashion photography? Im developing a graphic design portfolio, and want to do a bit of design aimed at fashion.
Well, I'm pretty sure this site isn't FREE, but there is TONS of fashion photos in the editorial section of Getty Images. If you just need them for reference, you can get them from there. Have you tried Stock.XCHNG?
What about making myself marketable? Once I have the skills?
These kinds of things need to be in the tutorials thread.
Break it down.
An AOB style speech on the usefulness of fundamental study
A section detailing the finer points of fundamental study, complete with books, ideas for studies (AOB's 30+ hour accuracy study), things to watch for (core shadows, draw using shapes), gestures, tools of the trade, etc etc.
A short essay on color. Color theory books, design and form books, ideas for studies, techniques and methods (like the one you recently posted), and so forth.
Composition
the other stuff.
Followed by marketing, tips from the working professionals here on the AC, how to formulate contracts, etc.
all of that stuff can be found on the graphic artists' guild site
once you get to the point that you feel you can start selling your work, you can take a few steps
start applying for positions in studios
or or if you want to do freelance, join the gaphic artist guild, or an illustration house so you have access to their resources, contracts and legal information
you can get an agent to rep you
or you can self rep
when you self rep, to start finding clients you can buy lists of potential clients who hire freelancers
my choice is Artist's and Graphic Designer's Market. Comes out once a year (november) and is full of lists of people who hire designers illustrators and animators. The lists are organized by type of work: magazine, book, stationery etc. and list what each potential client is looking for in submissions
you generally send them samples of your work in the form of a postcard or sample sheets and hope for the best.
Hey guys, I thought it would be best to come here for advice, as I am looking to buy a scanner to scan images from A4 paper into my computer, which I will then digitally alter. Is there a good quality scanner or will pretty much any do? I will be editing in photoshop or illustrator, and using a mac to start with.
I think pretty much anything that scans to at least 300dpi is fine for lineart, but I'm no scannerologist.
Would that require a degree in scannerology? or scannerotics?
Thanks, I was looking at 300dpi flatbed scanners for A4 work, but whenever I go on a review site they tell me about the new Epson "could scan the sun" 9001 assbanger scanner costing around £200 a pop.
Quick question: When practicing drawing, would you start on paper first and then move to the wacom or can you practice drawing with both at the same time? I'm starting from the ground up (got "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain") again and I want to be able to draw on open canvas eventually.
So stick to pencil and paper for awhile or can I mix and match?
Quick question: When practicing drawing, would you start on paper first and then move to the wacom or can you practice drawing with both at the same time? I'm starting from the ground up (got "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain") again and I want to be able to draw on open canvas eventually.
So stick to pencil and paper for awhile or can I mix and match?
It's generally recommended that you stick with traditional media to start. It makes the transition the digital much easier, as well. I mean, it's not going to completely screw you up if you do a bit of mix-and-match...but I think that bad digital habits are probably easier to avoid if you understand the traditional equivalent that you're imitating (paint/ink line/etc/whathaveyou).
Posts
thanks! That looks like exactly what I need
the first chapter made me entirely rethink my approach to drawing the figure in an awesome way.
Edit: This these, but for print:
edit: The paints I found are here. I don't know if the brands they have are any good.
e.g.
I'm using a small-sized bamboo fun tablet, if it matters.
This was a work in progress. I think I'm gonna call it. Here you can see some of the pitfalls I was talking about.
He wants a big ass mountain with a valley below filled with dead roman soldiers and a blizzard going on.
I dunno how to squeeze all that stuff in on a small canvas size. I mean, The soldiers would be uber tiny. As well as a blizzard.
I've been referencing mountain ranges and valleys and I dunno how to fit all those tiny soldiers into their. I dunno how to draw lot of tiny things. I tried a close up, but that means fewer soldiers and dunno if i squeeze a mountain into there it will look "off".
I even watched 300 for reference, and I don't really see it happening.
I've been looking at "Magic The Gathering" art for reference, seeing they make awesome art in cramped spaces, and I can't find anything thats remotely helpful. I can't think of a card that sounds similar. FYI I'm using this website to look at card art. I don't own MTG cards anymore.
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Default.aspx
(Side note, you guys just gotta check out all the awesome art. MTG art kicks so much ass)
Anyhoo. I'm pretty sure I'm going about this all wrong. This is also why I don't like doing commissions cause I generally get bad ideas from people, or they don't know my limitations and style.
Just so happens through a series of seemingly unrelated incidents this came up and I saw this post.
http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2010/01/reflections-of-masts-in-rippled-water.html
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http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/
You can find Facebook and YouTube there, but I couldnt see the Mashable logo. In any case, it doesnt seem that it will take more than 2 minutes to trace in Illustrator. The font is Myriad Bold.
Also, anyone have any tips on learning to do figure drawings? I can't afford, nor do I have time for, classess. I tried teaching myself out of a book, but the book I have (and others I flipped through) still rely on having models for reference. I have some friends willing to pose, but I'd feel bad getting them to do that and then producing garbage. I'd like to get some skill before subjecting my friends to that.
I have an Intuos4 (large). I really like it. I can't compare it to the Intuos3, as I haven't used those, but the light up buttons and the scroll wheel are both really helpful, especially when switching between programs. The pen to tablet friction is, I imagine, much better than an Intuos3. People complain about the pen sliding around and stuff and putting a piece of paper on it, but the friction on the Intuos4 is excellent. It's kind of like drawing with a Sharpie.
Are you kinda new to drawing in general?
I can't do anything original though - I want to be able to manipulate body shapes to create stylized drawings, and don't want an arm to be abnormally long because I don't know what I'm doing.
Is this a thing that can be fixed, or should I reinstall illustrator?
edit: Rebooting fixed it
where can I find some links to those sites?
OpenCanvas if you want to host it, iScribble if you don't mind lots of bad anthro and fanart.
Thank you sir!
Well, I'm pretty sure this site isn't FREE, but there is TONS of fashion photos in the editorial section of Getty Images. If you just need them for reference, you can get them from there. Have you tried Stock.XCHNG?
all of that stuff can be found on the graphic artists' guild site
once you get to the point that you feel you can start selling your work, you can take a few steps
start applying for positions in studios
or or if you want to do freelance, join the gaphic artist guild, or an illustration house so you have access to their resources, contracts and legal information
you can get an agent to rep you
or you can self rep
when you self rep, to start finding clients you can buy lists of potential clients who hire freelancers
my choice is Artist's and Graphic Designer's Market. Comes out once a year (november) and is full of lists of people who hire designers illustrators and animators. The lists are organized by type of work: magazine, book, stationery etc. and list what each potential client is looking for in submissions
you generally send them samples of your work in the form of a postcard or sample sheets and hope for the best.
that's... it in a nutshell.
http://www.amazon.com/Being-Starving-Artist-Sucks-Jeremy/dp/0981622003/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263195173&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Verbal-Kung-Fu-Freelancers-Difficult/dp/0981622046/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b
i got them as a gift but they are very useful & universal
Hiking Essentials
Does anyone have any advice please?
Would that require a degree in scannerology? or scannerotics?
Thanks, I was looking at 300dpi flatbed scanners for A4 work, but whenever I go on a review site they tell me about the new Epson "could scan the sun" 9001 assbanger scanner costing around £200 a pop.
So stick to pencil and paper for awhile or can I mix and match?
It's generally recommended that you stick with traditional media to start. It makes the transition the digital much easier, as well. I mean, it's not going to completely screw you up if you do a bit of mix-and-match...but I think that bad digital habits are probably easier to avoid if you understand the traditional equivalent that you're imitating (paint/ink line/etc/whathaveyou).