Hey!
Feels like I'm thinking about art and how I am approaching it differently all of a sudden. Not really sure how or why. Realizing what I can and maybe should do when studying or starting new pieces. This has lead to some anxiety but it's freeing up my mind too. I very much want to get better, not always sure if I'm doing the right thing.
Thought about something that could be fun to carry out. Basically just an idea about revisiting a concept. I want to call it "The mystical adventures of Malik" and that's what every piece would be about. This dude could find himself in whatever situation could be fun to paint. This idea would suit well if I get into an area of artists block and forget about illustration/ getting better.
So for this first one, I want to have a different perspective than what I usually use. Trying to make the character do something and have a little abstract story in there. But most of all I want to be excited to paint it!
Some gestures
Quickie value portrait. It's so weird that I have never figured out that highlights and higher values can be more restricted when it comes to face. I usually paint a larger plane with a highlight.
Want to join the Crimson Dagger CHOW! After looking at the first submission I'm not sure about these though haha
Dude, you being hella productive from what I see! That's ALL that matters, never forget. Study is complementary.
Liking the colors more, be careful about the edges though. I think this is a matter of controlling your brush and having some hard ones at hand. Liking the lines but try exercising precise lines, try to use lines as a way of studying without any bullshit and not faking details, that's one thing they are great for. (I've been trying that lately and I think it has been helping me a lot.)
In the illustration, since you are now planning it don't forget to actually plan ahead the value grouping so the image is more clear at first glance (I always forget this).
I'm enjoying the story telling and the character expressions. Some of those designs are really cool.
I'm also trying to join CHOW although I'm now going in vacations with my parents. Good luck with it!
Damn it man, what an awesome post!
You should totally go for the CHOW too, digging the first ones, kinda tribal daggers?
Are you bumping off Wei Wang huh??? I need me some of his juice too.
Love the coffee one, are you finishing it? And coffee never brings problems, just fuel to your heart. lol
Cool stuff going on in here dude. Tons of hard work, tons of variation, and very cool results.
I laughed so hard at the too much coffe one! It was pretty great, specially because it conveys "dat feeling" soooo well hahaha.
The still life is also really nice , and veyr brave too, I wouldn't have the gust to tackle tha wow thing on the floor of the image, so you did good. Also cool to see so many people cooking cool stuff for the chow, keep it up.
Only overall crit is edge control, specially on faces. I'm very weak on that myself, and I'm finding that a mix of studies from ref and experiments after that kinda helps with bringing better quality for the edges.
Hey guuys, I'm the process of moving to an apartment so time is pretty tight. Don't know if I'll make the ChoW, but I really want to. Moving tomorrow and then I'll have some days before school starts!
Bemota
Wooh I hope so man, might be too critical some times!
Ah thanks again dude, trying to figure our edges now. I find that I don't really prioritize them since I can lose focus on the whole picture. Do you think that the edges are too soft too often?
And yeah after I saw your awesome new line work I had to improve that too! I still scribble though!
Ah went back to planning values! Just shows you how my work flow is weird haha. Tried a different approach to the design, glad you think that!
I hope you can join man! Good luck to you too!
rafa zanchetin
Thaanks duude! I'm going for it, I wanted to do some mongolian spy thingie at first so that's the tribal thingie! He lends his juice to everyone with open juice minds!
Haha yeah it's finished now, not in moderation, but it sucks when it backfires! Fake anxiety attack! Next piece will be "the king of controlling coffe"!
Suira
Thanks a bunch man, trying my best to do what I can!
Haha that's great, went for that "I can't handle this no moe" feel. Ton of fun!
I didn't think I'd dare, but just did it. You have the guts man! Fun to do different kinds of layers like that, studying a painting in a still life. Stillception. Yeah I agree, so many cool entries cooked up!
You know I haven't really done many sketches of portraits with an actual portrait as reference, so maybe that's something to start doing.
Thanks for the comments dudes!
Focused on doing a larger foundation for the ChoW so that the goal was pretty clear. Switched from the first mongolian designs to a highwayman because of the one hit wonder, highwayman. Felt like it would challenge me since it's more grounded in reality than what I usually do. The only twist being that it would have some mayan artifact. I think I'm going to struggle the most with keeping the colors realistic and not go too saturated.
Made some studies and sketches based on edge control, not all of them hits home at all. I wonder sometimes if it's my eyesight tricking me, because I have really shitty eyes :P (wow nice excuse)
All moved into my new home, feels great! There's some badass viking graves nearby that I'm totally gonna visit today, see if I can get some sketches done. Otherwise I'm just trying to install myself here and get some painting done /prep for school.
Did this before moving, stayed up too late before packing the computer, I don't recommend it.
Studypoop, kind of herpy eyes, derp everything. Painted diagonally, dont know why.
Dude, I don't know how I missed on your previous update! Awesome stuff you're bringing. The statue piece looks AWESOME. It needs some blending, but still, you did a really nice job on that one.
The new designs for the CHOW are looking neat too, you really have a good visual library man, some of those designs are beast, and combining that look with a mayan mask is a pretty original idea, diging the stuff, I hope you can make it with the final piece!
On the portrait study here's a suggestion: don't use crappy pictures as reference, I made that mistake countless times and it only makes it harder for you, because not only you're trying to copy/ understand, but you also have to improve it, and that's too much chainsaw juggling at the same time.
About the edge control, I have a very simple suggestion , I'm still struggling with the issue myself, but here's a method that really makes things easier:
a) do your construction
b) put your most prominent light with hard brush being mindfull on what you put in and what you leave out ( I'd recommend leaving out anything that's not super prioritary at this stage).
c) Once this main landmarks are established blend them with a soft brush to get your midtones.
d) after that , with a soft brush and low opacity try to add some very simple gradations in places where you feel they would improve it ( like the nose in a portrait or the forehed, whatever you feel needs it because it looks too simple) , it's not so important that you see it in the referece, you can make it up and get away with it.
e) once these simple and quick steps are taken care off proceed in the way you see fit / like to.
It really helped me so maybe you can give it a try man.
By the way, gratz on moving, hope you're happier there hehe. I dig a lot the one character you did before leaving. Again, you have a really good design language, just focus on values, edge control and after that hues and you're good to go man.
Oh! Another suggestion: I just discovered master studies, if you go loose and don't give a fuck about how it looks compared to who you're copiying and just focus on learning specifics it's a boon of information , only thing required, patience and carefull watching before painting and during the process too.
Overall, diging your stuff, keep up the good work man!
Oh hey there! Hope you guys haven't forgooot about mee!
Started school two weeks ago and the days have flown by. It's really intense and fun. Lots of new insights on everything and my brain is trying to take everything in. Never been around so many creative people at once in real life, glancing over your shoulder and being inspired by someone doodling around! We're soon starting our first game project which will be a text-adventure with environments. Meaning I'll have to giit guud.
Having a cool time learning Maya and getting macro-skills with the keyboard. Can't do anything awesome yet, just following a fat book filled with tutorials and getting ready for next years 3D-o-rama.
Feel a bit bad for not posting!
Suira
Maan, thanks a bunch again for liking my stuff! I probably haven't improved much in your suggested areas since I haven't had time to focus on that. But I followed your edge control advice a few weeks back on some studies, really helped out. But as usual, havent applied it to my pieces/sketches yet. :(
Will do some more masterstudies when I get the chance! Pretty cool to observe some old dudes brushstrokes from 500 years ago. Realized that I have to find artists that rock in the areas in which I suck. In the past I've studied masters that I like, but don't bring much to my visual library or skill.
When starting to study 3D the book gave some useful advice about picking objects apart and studying that too. Goes the same way for painting too I suppose. It's so easy to know what to do, but hard to do it :P
Starting with some 3D tutorial things. I just altered them a bit for fun. The Catapult didn't have shields, nor did the toyplane have guns.
A classmate painted my lineart and I painted his lineart. By lineart I mean 3 minute silly doodling.
This is how far I got with the CD ChoW. Had my girlfriend over the deadline weekend, so spent time with her instead. Went along pretty well, tried using phototextures but didn't get as far with integrating those. I should've gone with a more simple presentation that went to the point.
Sketchbook stuuff
Random stuff, the filenames are confusing so I don't know what they are haha
And the latest things, I want to do the 30 day RPG challenge on facebook. It sounds fun and I like having fun. Joiiin it! Doing Sci-fi-ish things because I want to get better at it.
Fuck! Lots of studies man, wow!
What classes are you taking btw? (Not sure if you said it earlier on, but I'm almost falling asleep and I'm lazy, lol)
A shame you couldn't finish up the last CHOW, it's looking great already, maybe try #2?
Hey you Immortal King-set axe swingy barbarian! Cool to see you enrolled at school and that it gives your creativity such a boost! Getting into 3d and making co-labs and all that.
Your faces are getting better and better, especially visible in that warrior with the helmet in his hand in the previous post, the tones and lighting all fit together really well.
Continue pushing out that art, and if you come up with a design and a composition that you really dig, do render that to the best of your ability, make it all sweet and finished like. Trying to do the same but usually end up not liking the stuff so much xD
Bulvar, how much studies I missed!! Its so good to see you again and your studies! Definitely you improved a lot!! Got to say, 29 pages, its a LOT of studies!!! And I loved the design of the CD CHOW, you could finish up! It would be so nice to see it finished. btw just an idea ^^
keep up with the good work!!
See you
Man i've been keeping track of some of your stuff on tumblr and deviantart but i have missed a lot.
Your character design has improved a lot in this time i've been away haha
Now i really want to see a new fully finished illustration of yours :)
Killer stuff mate, keep it coming!
Oh hi guys! I really appreciate your replies here, draws me back into the Crimson spirit <3
When I started going to The Game Assembly I really thought there would be more time to post and do other stuff. But I've been totally soaked with working and learning that there just wasn't enough energy. Now when 2015 is here it should improve, I want it to improve!
This is the year of the Iron Gauntlet, where determination and the will to strive forward is at it's peak.
Rafa
My man! I've kept up with your work on Facebook and it's amazing! Kicking so much ass.
I'm taking Game Art at a school called The Game Assembly. It's mainly focused on 3D, but there's a hell of a lot of 2D aswell, bunch of concepting and stuff.
It was a shame, got into the mood and all! But moving is one of the greatest things that have happened to me :P
Adzerak
Helll yeah my mace-knocking fiend-compadre, it feels great all the time! Except for normal maps, that's killing me!
Thanks and I hope that they've gotten better since that post, having a reference photo helps a bunch I suppose :P
You too man, push that art! Gotta get back into doing illustrations again on my free time. Atleast you've been pushing some out :D
Rosolino
Thaank you Rosolino :D Now when you say it, haven't done many studies lately! But they have to count now, don't want to do mindless stuff any longer :P
Maybe I'll return to it, I liked the designs too! It was fun. Really liked your entry for the HEarthstone challenge man, great job!
wreck
Thanks a bunch man, working hard on it! :D
EduardoGaray
That's awesome man, happy to have you following me. I'm stalking you too so don't worry haha!
Ah damn yeah I have to finish something. Hard finding an idea that I like enough to spend time on.
Thank you for the kindness man!
Just gonig to post a bunch of different works from the past couple of months, no order.
This year I want to challenge myself to do one character each day of 2015 to improve my sense of design and maybe get some more dynamic feel to them. I often find that I repeat the same old concepts and poses. So the goal is to break free from it. I don't expect it to be easy.
Here's some of them so far!
We're making a point and click game at school, that's means we'll have to make 3d models and render sprite cheats and such. Made some concepts of the main character and I'm moving onto modelling, scared as shit.
Random environment sketches, never got around to apply my old material studies and wanted to do that here.
here's the materials
Had an assignment before christmas to design and model a carried item, which could be a weapon. We only had a week, but I totally overscoped the project so I'm still working on it. Jesus christ normal maps can be a pain in the ass.
I had a clear vision of lighting and shadows being painted in like they do in warcraft. But that didn't work out at all. It's hard setting up lights for it I suppose, too inexperienced atleast.
Here's the concept, a render of the 3d model I made and the diffuse map for fun.
Loving all of this bjulvavaaarrararara yesss! So much work it makes me tingly and shit haha
My only concern is Bryhildur's centre of gravity in his side vide rough character design. Other than that, effing bosssss updateeeee-!!
Go go go!
sketchbook | pg 52
"Not a single thing in this world isn't in the process of becoming something else." I'll be back - it's an odyssey, after all
Awesome sketchbook you got there! Full of ideas and really interesting personal pieces, but i dunno if its been bring up before, scrolling through the last three pages i noticed that there is no a single finished looking work. It seems like you get bored on a middle of doing a piece, and move to something else. Don't you think that you should spend a little more time to achieve even a better result? Keep posting!
Fuuuu... When I get stuck noodling about on some piece it's so nice to visit your sketchbook. You manage to get so many ideas out there, knowing when to call a character sketch finished for what it is without having to spend lots of time rendering it. Seems like a great idea to improve drawing and imagination. Will 'ave to follow yer lead a little, laddie!
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