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Meet the Andrew.

ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
edited October 2010 in Artist's Corner
Hi, my name is Andrew, i'm 19, and am still not entirely sure what to do with my creativity. :)
I've always liked concept art and character design from games, and would like to someday persue that route. Though recently I have been getting some ideas from another forum i go to, I've been doing some comics, and hope to start a small webcomic soon.

Right now, i'm trying to set on a style. I don't want it to become obsessively realistic or cartoonish, but something in-between, so that i can play with proportions a bit without looking too freakish. Although I started out with manga (still like the whole lot of styles in every artist, and new things they bring over to the art scene.) i really don't want to stick with it.

Recently, with the comics, I've been trying a more simple style. Although the main thing I think I hould get down to is color theory and learning to paint properly in Photoshop.

So, without further ado, I'd like to show you (some) of my work, and would be grateful and honored by your critique and feedback on my stuff.

Also, 1 more thing, I really need help with lettering and a good way to make more dynamic speech balloons for the comics. I've been loking at how Gabe does his speech balloons and can't really figure out how he does it.

-Cheers,
Zeldrak.

Massive dump Incoming.

PS: I have setup my website for my comics, it can be found @ http://www.zeldrak.net/ along with a live feed for my broadcast and others, and a forum. Feel free to join if you like my work :)
1000_Years_Old_by_zeldrak.jpg
Mad_Rage_by_zeldrak.jpg
Justin_Beaver_by_zeldrak.jpg
Sea_Creature_of_sorts_by_zeldrak.jpg
35b27060cb46c6d5d46e1a0ea88cb1ea.jpg
db23eb13b45132bba730264e3bd18fab.jpg
Collossus_by_zeldrak.jpg
Proportional_Zeldrak_by_zeldrak.jpg
Shoop_da_Whoop__ANIMATION__by_zeldrak.gif

Zeldrak on

Posts

  • DTtheLEGENDDTtheLEGEND Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Maybe its just me, i dont get the comics.

    I love the wow and shadow of the colossus drawings tho.

    DTtheLEGEND on
  • MustangMustang Arbiter of Unpopular Opinions Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Yeah the wow drawings are nice, the comics are rushed and don't make a ton of sense.

    Mustang on
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    The comics are inside jokes on the forum. they came up with the ideas. Sorry if they feel rushed :)

    Zeldrak on
  • MustangMustang Arbiter of Unpopular Opinions Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Nothing to be sorry for, it's just a critique. :)

    Mustang on
  • NappuccinoNappuccino Surveyor of Things and Stuff Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Colossus appeals to my love of colossi

    Nappuccino on
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  • YoungPrometheusYoungPrometheus Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Out of all the drawings I see I like the Colossus one the best. I like the starkness of it, the way you drew the fur, and the weird little mechanical additions. Welcome to the forum.

    YoungPrometheus on
  • JohnTWMJohnTWM Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    It looks like you've got decent rendering skills but the underlying structure in everything seems off. I would say practice anatomy. The last one (not including gif) seems to have some decent anatomy, but the proportions are wonky and the pose is awkward which makes me think that there is a lack of understanding of the more than skin deep structure. Someone who knows more than me can probably point you in the right direction as far as where to look for study materials.

    JohnTWM on
  • ThinkjunkThinkjunk Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    I enjoy your horrible Metroidbeast the best of the bunch.

    Thinkjunk on
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    JohnTWM wrote: »
    It looks like you've got decent rendering skills but the underlying structure in everything seems off. I would say practice anatomy. The last one (not including gif) seems to have some decent anatomy, but the proportions are wonky and the pose is awkward which makes me think that there is a lack of understanding of the more than skin deep structure. Someone who knows more than me can probably point you in the right direction as far as where to look for study materials.

    thank you. even though it's a 2 year old drawing, i haven't really improved with anatomy recently, probably due to my lack of practice and time to do so. With luck, I can start off this month with more intensive pratice so i can get back on my feet. :)

    Zeldrak on
  • AridholAridhol Daddliest Catch Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Really like the first drawing, no idea what it is but I saved it and put it as a laptop background :)

    Aridhol on
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Aridhol wrote: »
    Really like the first drawing, no idea what it is but I saved it and put it as a laptop background :)

    The sea creature was part of omething i was doing a while ago for conceptart.org forums, they had a weekly challenge and the theme was to make up a sea creature. I ended up not finishing this, but might gve it another go soon, I need to make some more creature designs for my portfolio.

    Zeldrak on
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    bbbabf6a70dae872076fe3fc2cceec63.jpg

    new comic done, i really need a new way to draw my balloons...

    Zeldrak on
  • BelruelBelruel NARUTO FUCKS Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    I have this tutorial bookmarked for whenever I get around to doodling a comic strip or two, maybe it'll be of use.

    Belruel on
    vmn6rftb232b.png
  • NakedZerglingNakedZergling A more apocalyptic post apocalypse Portland OregonRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    What don't you get about how Gabe does the speech balloons? He puts the text in, then physically draws the balloon, and fills it white.
    Also i think your priorities are a little messed up. I would learn on how to draw the human form first. Like before anything. Deal with volume and mass, shading. Also there's no "right" way to paint in photoshop. I would recommend maybe playing with actual paints so you don't have to rely on eyedropper, and other PS crutches.
    Just remember there's no shortcuts to being a good artist, it's just practice practice practice. And the more you practice on stuff like Anatomy, perspective, proportion, and actually understanding the way things are constructed...the easier time you will have finding your voice or"style".
    Just keep at it, have fun, practice, and learn.

    NakedZergling on
  • Automatic JackAutomatic Jack Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    andrew-doover.png

    Hmm, I'm still not happy with his pose, but at least he's a little more firmly grounded. Design is nice, anatomy and structure are a little off. Look at the arrows I put next to his limbs. The pose looks like a stiff starfish. Try standing like that and see where it gets you. Line weight also an issue. In general though, lots of potential.

    And the Colossus pic rocks.

    Automatic Jack on
    PAsig.png
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Belruel wrote: »
    I have this tutorial bookmarked for whenever I get around to doodling a comic strip or two, maybe it'll be of use.

    That's a very helpful link, thank you.

    What don't you get about how Gabe does the speech balloons? He puts the text in, then physically draws the balloon, and fills it white.
    Also i think your priorities are a little messed up. I would learn on how to draw the human form first. Like before anything. Deal with volume and mass, shading. Also there's no "right" way to paint in photoshop. I would recommend maybe playing with actual paints so you don't have to rely on eyedropper, and other PS crutches.
    Just remember there's no shortcuts to being a good artist, it's just practice practice practice. And the more you practice on stuff like Anatomy, perspective, proportion, and actually understanding the way things are constructed...the easier time you will have finding your voice or"style".
    Just keep at it, have fun, practice, and learn.

    I am aware there's no "right way" to paint in Photoshop, and i know i need to work on anatomry and flow, I know there's no shortcuts to anything, I ws just curious about the balloon structure Gabe uses because it's simple and effective, rather than unsing the elipse tool, which looks awful when the piece is finished.
    andrew-doover.png

    Hmm, I'm still not happy with his pose, but at least he's a little more firmly grounded. Design is nice, anatomy and structure are a little off. Look at the arrows I put next to his limbs. The pose looks like a stiff starfish. Try standing like that and see where it gets you. Line weight also an issue. In general though, lots of potential.

    And the Colossus pic rocks.

    Thanks for the tips on the flow of the character. Even though it was just a reference to show the design itself, I didn't mean to give it a suitable pose, but I guess it would be better than not having one.

    Thanks for the tips though, I appreciate every single one of them :)

    Zeldrak on
  • Automatic JackAutomatic Jack Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Even reference poses don't look quite that awkward. If you can't show everything on one pose, turnarounds are probably better. Having a weird ref pose is like putting your painting in an oversized frame covered in psychadelic stickers; maybe we're not supposed to be looking at it, but we can't help but be distracted. Presentation!

    It begs the question as to why you need a "reference" pose though. Are you planning to draw more of this character? Where is the context? If these are going to be one-off drawings, try loosening up and having more fun with the poses. I have a few friends working as concept artists in game studios right now, and presentation and story context are two very important elements. Just drawing neat things from your mind is insufficient for that kind of job.

    Just keep practicing, though. You'll figure out all this eventually on your own if you try hard enough.

    Automatic Jack on
    PAsig.png
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Even reference poses don't look quite that awkward. If you can't show everything on one pose, turnarounds are probably better. Having a weird ref pose is like putting your painting in an oversized frame covered in psychadelic stickers; maybe we're not supposed to be looking at it, but we can't help but be distracted. Presentation!

    It begs the question as to why you need a "reference" pose though. Are you planning to draw more of this character? Where is the context? If these are going to be one-off drawings, try loosening up and having more fun with the poses. I have a few friends working as concept artists in game studios right now, and presentation and story context are two very important elements. Just drawing neat things from your mind is insufficient for that kind of job.

    Just keep practicing, though. You'll figure out all this eventually on your own if you try hard enough.

    Yeah, i was planning to use this a reference to draw it more, since it's my protagonist (sort of), but i'll try doing some turnarounds.

    Zeldrak on
  • MangoesMangoes Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    The semi-clenched fist in your drawover isn't very appealing either, Jack. Too, it looks like his arm is broken at the elbow. It's important to have flow, but equally important to have a natural pose.

    Mangoes on
  • Automatic JackAutomatic Jack Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    I won't argue about the hand. Not quite sure about the elbow comment, though. Maybe you could do a draw-over of my draw-over?

    Automatic Jack on
    PAsig.png
  • MangoesMangoes Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    I'm no good with drawovers, but it looks like his forearm is set slightly closer to the viewer than his upper arm.

    An exaggerated example: drawoveradrawover.png

    Mangoes on
  • Automatic JackAutomatic Jack Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    You know, I KNEW having the hand overlapping the leg was a bad idea. Let's just pretend he's holding a ninja dagger and forget this ever happened...

    Anyway, thanks for the tip. I think do-overs are 90% more helpful than word-based advice, even though I love words, because, well, we're mostly visual learners here...

    Automatic Jack on
    PAsig.png
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Something i did today, i liked the result, although the fur might be too thick and random :P

    I wanted to make him with small legs, so he uses his arms like a gorilla does when moving.

    Colossus_2_by_zeldrak.png

    Zeldrak on
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    2010-08-08-Dat-Grenade....jpg

    New comic done yesterday night.

    Zeldrak on
  • desperaterobotsdesperaterobots perth, ausRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I dont...

    I don't get it.

    desperaterobots on
  • melting_dollmelting_doll Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Inside jokes aren't going to appeal or make any sense to us if we don't know the story..so far none of these really make sense to me. This also means there's no way I could give feedback on whether or not I think it's funny..

    If you're going to make a webcomic and want people you don't know to start reading it, inside jokes are a big no-no.

    melting_doll on
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Well, my website got screwed yestrday with a stupid Wordpress bug, courrently looking for an alternative CMS to use for the website.

    I find it amazing how nobody commented on the colossus picture. I really waned to know what you guys think of it.

    Also, I am only doing the inside jokes, because it probably the first ones to come to mind when i start looking for ideas for a new strip. I'll try and be more universal on that subject.

    Zeldrak on
  • AumniAumni Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The second collossus needs some solid lines defining his armor and stuff. The soft edges are just not appropriate for outlines in this picture, especially when compared next to the brush you're using for the fur.

    There are some structure issues in the arms/shoulders as well. The arm propped on the ground has no shoulder - the whitespace in the armpit suggests it's all arm. And rather skinny at that.

    Keep doing these things, because you can get really creative with silhouette and form. And that first colossus is just badass. I think there is a lot of success with line weight and use of black, especially in the fur. Your second colossus lacks these things.

    Aumni on
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/aumni/ Battlenet: Aumni#1978 GW2: Aumni.1425 PSN: Aumnius
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Second one i just messed around with some new custom brushes i got for photoshop, but thanks for the tip.

    I am still getting used to having to look at the screen and not what i'm doing with my hands while drawing, and since i'm getting a job soon, i might save up for a Cintiq :) the smaller model of course, those are expensive :/

    Zeldrak on
  • ZeldrakZeldrak Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Been a while since i posted. I got my website back up once again, and running better and more stable than before :)

    I also made a couple of other comics. I think the latest one is understandable, with no inside jokes, at least to anyone who has played Metal gear :)

    2010-09-13-FOXHOUND-NEWS.jpg

    Zeldrak on
  • The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Zeldrak wrote: »
    Been a while since i posted. I got my website back up once again, and running better and more stable than before :)

    I also made a couple of other comics. I think the latest one is understandable, with no inside jokes, at least to anyone who has played Metal gear :)

    see the italicized part?

    that is a big no-no

    if I can't laugh at it without any previous knowledge, you are not doing comedy right

    and I have played metal gear

    and I am still not getting where the joke part is

    The Lovely Bastard on
    7656367.jpg
  • MagicToasterMagicToaster JapanRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I got it, I still don't think it's funny.

    MagicToaster on
  • The_Glad_HatterThe_Glad_Hatter One Sly Fox Underneath a Groovy HatRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    i actually liked teh 2nd panel. "live from inside a box".
    The third maney did nothing for me, altough maybe it's from the game. i dunno.

    anyhoo, the font is nearly illegible.

    The_Glad_Hatter on
  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Is that first colossus carrying a Gundam? That's great thing if it is.

    MegaMan001 on
    I am in the business of saving lives.
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