Ricardo´s Art Journey

[gregorkari]

Hey Rick, that's a really inspiring sketchbook! love all the illustrations mixed into the studies, keep it up!

[RickRichards]

 @ gregorkari- Thanks man! Hope my art struggles help and inspire others.

Two screencap studies from Blade Runner, trying to go back to colour.

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[RickRichards]

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[RickRichards]

Hey folks! Trying latelly to controll better the shapes and render piieces, any advice for bettering rendering skills and better control shapes or specific brushes you use (not endless sets of brushes, i´m trying to merge all into a small group).
Cheers!
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[ThereIsNoJustice]

any advice for bettering rendering skills and better control shapes or specific brushes you use

Using the pen tool and masking areas is the best way I've found for controlling shapes and getting hard edges. This is mainly necessary at the edges of objects.

For rendering the general problem is balancing out your hard edges and soft edges. That means you need a brush which can get you soft edges, a brush for hard edges, or the skill to get both with one brush. Look closely at the edges in your reference. It's really easy to tell when someone has painted without studying edges.

This image is a bit older, and might be a quick study, but it shows the effect. We mostly see softer edges here, and it looks odd.



Lastly, I get the impression you aren't simplifying things. It's certainly a valid choice to try to replicate what you see as closely as possible, but it also limits you. If you simplify a head drawing into a few values, it becomes much easier for the viewer to understand, quicker for you to draw/paint, and allows you to understand and replicate your own working process.

[RickRichards]

Thanks for the feedback ThereIsNoJustice. Yeah, reminds me of RossDraws (Ross Tran) technique and Jana Schimer, i´ll try to be more proficient with it.

There are three things that boggle me and i want to nail them; 1. More effective rendering when it´s necessary 2. More edge control ( i.e. brushes to use, correct flow of the brushwork to better  represent mass
3.  This technique that still i do not know how it´s called, it´s like a finishing touch that provides a very cool ending touch. (not talking about the matte painting)
It´s seen in those fantastic works by Ryan Lang;
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/A961z
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/aR9kz
Or these by Greg Rutkowski
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/g2Q4m
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/xJXAr
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/xJxPY
If anyone knows please tell me.

Been working on a concept piece for the new version of spiderman, Miles Morales and if it ends cool put on my Portfolio.
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[RickRichards]

Been a while since i last posted on my sketchbook.
Concluded the Miles Morales piece, did a few sketches and entered on the awesome Environment Design course by Nathan Fowkes through Schoolism, awesome experience.
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First week assignment: thumbnail studies
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Second week assignment: 3 value thumbnail studies
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Third week assignment: emotion thumbnail & emotion prop
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Fourth week assignment: selected emotion image developed & finished prop sketch
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Fifth week assignment: Colour finished sketch
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Sixth week assignment: Architectural design with specific emotion
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Seventh week assignment: ideas for a portfolio piece finish
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Eighth week assignment: colour thumbnail explorations
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Ninth week assignment: final portfolio piece
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After Nathan´s feedback re-working
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[darktiste]

I love the story telling in that last piece it make you really ask yourself the question what a squirrel is doing there.

[Fedodika]

Riiick my dood! your stuff is promising man!

Get some gesture in yo system my dude, get Force my Matessi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07fusT-dwVE

Do them exercises and you will fly my dude,

Also when it comes to lineweight, try not to use hard thick lines on everything, in fact see what you can get away with not putting down a line, imply stuff; also try using the side of the pencil to add a new dimension to sketching, it still counts as lines ;)

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/29/93/a0/...952876.jpg

Dont always use a hard line on the jaw either, it flattens it out ;)

Solid stuff tho my dude

[RickRichards]

Wow, it´s been a while since i´ve posted, lots of things happenin, sorry for the late reply guys, hope to start once again posting regularly.

Sorry for the late reply Fedodika, thank you very much for your answer. Yes, i sense that i need to push for more anatomically correct and full of movement bodies. Matessi is a awesome reference :) I´ve been studying Loomis, and he is fabulous but i perceive not the best in terms of movement.

I´ve been working on character designs for a portfolio project regarding a fighting game. No there´s no intent to advance with this fighting game but it was a very interesting exercise to study colour design, character design and also try to come with background stories for the characters, as well as studying and even applying fighting styles to understand how they work.

I understood how fantastic the design of characters from Street Fighter II truly is, the colour dynamics and the shape language. Tekken 3, for me is THE BEST FIGHTING GAME EVAH, go take a look at the colour design of the characters, it´s so fluid, the colours easily readable.
As you can see, i´ve made studies from an artist i love, Bengus in Street Fighter Alpha 3, the colouring is flat but the linework and colour are put in an expert level.

So, hope you enjoy the designs, the studies and feel free to share feedback. Hope to post again very soon. Time to return to digital studies.

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Early sketches

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SF Alpha 3 studies

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Regular Sketchbook pages

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[Fedodika]

well rick I always admire your ability to follow through with a project, and have a vision for things. That being said, i'm gonna be as real with you as i can in this critique of your work you've just posted. In sum total, think the characters you have are headed in the right direction, but are not very cool, for a number of reasons. They are lacking stylization, shape language, designed anatomy, and that little edge of fantasy and sex appeal that fighting games tend to run with:

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(1).jpg
So this guy looks like the local barista at my coffee shop; if he's supposed to be this homeless drunk, really push that you know, don't make him look slightly middle class and hipstery. Make him look scraggly and like, oh its obvious hes a drunk.

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(2).jpg
This dude is apparently a teacher, and yes he does look like a teacher, from like your local childrens karate dojo down the street. I mean, if i were making a fighting game, that wouldnt strike me as the coolest design visually for that character type. If i were thinking a teacher, maybe he'd be more white haired, more wise looking. Give him an edge, maybe he's possessed, there's something wrong with him, show it visually, make it cool and memorable. vaguely reminds me of akuma, but why is akuma cool? He's a fucking demon with fucking beads and hes fucking evil with savage musculature. This guy seems soft in comparison.

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(7).jpg
This guys almost cool, but he could use some design love and care to bump the shapes of his hands and clothes. Why is he wearing a fitted shirt thats baggy? Give him a tight shirt that shows his musculature, amplify the solidness of the biceps. His boots are generic and the cloth spilling over is not attractive looking. his vest looks tight but casts a long shadow, how does that work? His hands could use some shape attention, look at how streetfighter or someone like Joe Mad draws fist, and make them stylized and cool like that :)

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...20(12).jpg
This chick is another coffee shop hippy person only she has a hood and a stick. Her face is plain Jane, not sexy, and she could benefit from a character type face. Make her "look mysterious" in the eyes, maybe look up gypsy woman and empasize that type of jewelry, patterning on the clothes etc. find the most "mysterious" face you can and make that her face, not some average brunettes face. But yea some excessive jewelry would enchance her design, as well as making the flowiness of her clothes much more dramatic and  beautiful designs.

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...20(11).jpg
This chick is like one of those dumpy bodied cosplayers who are trying to look sexy but dont have the body type for the character they're going after, here's some examples

http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/pi...515122.jpg
https://pre00.deviantart.net/a67d/th/pre...bjc7fc.jpg

Maybe that will impress upon you the significance of the anatomy and face of the character itself. imagine if that cammy cosplayer was the original body/face type for cammy. Prolly wouldnt fly would it? Your girl here looks like a school teacher, she has no muscle definition or curves and her outfit in theory could work, but just on a sexier body type.

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(8).jpg
This chick has an attractive face but her body again is just like this girl who eats at a chicken restaurant 6 days a week and goes to a youth group. like sure, she has a thigh gap, but i'd imagine much more than her boobs jiggling if she was running. She'd probably work up a sweat running a few feet, and her shape is just remarkable average, not very sexy or tough imo.

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(9).jpg
This dudes outfit is cool, but his face type is generic and doesnt fit a fighting character type. His hairline appears to be receeding, which doesnt help and im not sure about the chops, the just look ugly. Maybe if you made his afro tighter and more a sophisticated shape, and made the chops stylized that could help a great deal. also find a tough face type like Samuel L jackson or something, give him some personality you know.

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(6).jpg
This one is probably your most succesful design, maybe add a few details to make him not look like a rich italian tourist lol.

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(5).jpg
Im not loving this pose, and i think his body type is the same mistake you made on the other bulky ones, it just doesnt feel dangerous. I mean its believable you know, he seems like a metalhead who drinks lots of beer. Ultimately you're gonna need to find more appealing shapes for his stomach, shoulders, arms, back since he's shirtless, thats where the core of his design is. Maybe go overboard with the tattoos, make his face meaner, push it like some Diablo character. 

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(4).jpg
She looks like a slightly exotic King of the Hill character. Kinda reminds me of like a waitress as a rodeo style bar or a southern US grill. Just not very cool, if you wanted to help it maybe tie her shirt way higher, show some abs and cleavage. Her skirt is way to modest maybe lower the boots and wear some higher socks that are sexy and appealing. Tattoos would be cool too

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...%20(3).jpg
Did you forget his other arm? This guy is very generic, not really sure what to say

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...20(14).jpg
This girl again, believable face, stomach and proportions, are they cool? nope, skinny that waist up, big thighs, big boobs, stylize the face make it exotic. She looks like a sorority girl wearing those clothes, make her look out of this world!

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...20(13).jpg
Her outfit like a mix of things and im not sure what it's going for, but idk why she has a vizor on. her clothes are so casual, it looks like shes going out to dinner but forgot the top two buttons on her shirt.

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...20(10).jpg
This guy has the most fighting game vibe to him; I'd say look at some of Fenghua Zhong's work and get in some design elements he'd use for patterning or make the face more sinister and fantasy like. Again, stylize the crap out of the anatomy shapes, its EVERYTHING in a character design.

I guess my main point here is that just grabbing random people off the street doesnt make a cool fighting game. You gotta idealize everything, and if you dont it just looks bland. I'd try to take one character, draw him in 10 different styles, like 10 wildly different artists you know of. See the things you'd do differently. Study exaggerated artists like steven silver or Joe Mad, or J. Scott Campbell for sexy and appealing shapes. try to replicate their styles until you get it under your thumb then do your own thing. Best wishes my dude, i hope anything i said helps

[darktiste]

I think what fedo mean is the overall cast look more like a sidekick character than actual playing character and it something that need to be adjusted.You want to give them unique feature than push there design so that they don't blend with a crowd but would be easy to spot in a crowd identify as the hero even if we didn't knew there were the hero.For me the issue is more on the style i think it a perfectly fine style if you aim to do a animation or a side scroller fightining game but it not enought to follow a style guideline you have to iterate on the design until you get interesting combination.My advice look for reference and don't go for the first design that seem to be just good enought also i think it would be good to over exaggerate the muscle and stylize them and also show less of the character costume and show more there physic unless they have a cool costume design.Also think about shape design you want to design with the idea of strenght and flexibility.I think one of the problem is how soft your shape look.

[RickRichards]

Thank you very much for the feedback Fedodika.
After what you and Darktiste said i´m considering throwing the designs back do the drawing board haha. It totally makes sense. Yes, despite the fact that the intent was to avoid "common people" and research by culture, the fact is that the style became too realistic and a bit boring. I´ve sense that i´ve lost some strenght from the sketches to the final.
I´ll do what you´re saying, push the muscle and shape, refine the shape, re-work some designs.

The intent with the italian guy was to provide a "cool vibe" ( like Brad in DOA) taking a fashionable clothing and avoiding at all costs the stereotypical pizza etc stuff. The homeless part was part of his background, not that he´s homeless now. As you´ve said well, pushing his fighting vein would be a good call.

With the japanese guy the intent was preciselly that, make him a low profile yet very proficient user of the kyokushin style, lethal even, blending his traditional style and clothing as he has incorporated his son´s moves as a way to honour him. ( definetely not going on the demon route :P) But what you´ve said is very interesting, bringing a kind of edge to his design. ( he´s like a lethal weapon in disguise)

Regarding the egyptian girl, it was very very difficult to find good reference for an egyptian face that has nothing to do with antiquity. Totally see what you mean, the face seems a bit generic. To be honest my approach was to make a sexier costume but to avoid "offending" avoided it, but i´ll try to go a bit more by heart if i remake the character. ;)
As for jewelry, as the idea was to be a 2d fighting game (sprites), i was trying to be a bit pragmatic. Maybe a clever was to convey jewelry without having to animate a few chains etc.

The chinese, yeahhh i see what you mean haha Failed conveying wide wips to the chinese girl as Chun Li. Treid to make her less "girly" as it is the norm nowadays, too much girly girls in fighting games. It´s not real to see a 2 meter beast being defeated by a fragile girl lol. To be honest i´m not seeing right now a solution for the chinese girl design. A traditional fighter, feminine but not too fragile. Any suggestions?

Haha, did not forget the arm, the dude fights as a normal Taekwondo fighter but has just one arm. I need to shake his dull design though. :P

Precious help man, when we are focused on the project, sometimes we just don´t see issues that need to be tackled. Hopefully i have the time to re work the characters, if so, i´ll post here the result :) Kudos for the time you invested on the critique!

Darktiste- Thanks man! To be honest i´ve made quite a few designs, found proper references for the cultures/ people represented but it became a bit dull. Totally agree, want to convey defined shape and movement, as well as an equilibrium between realistic and style ( not over the top)
Cheers!!

[Fedodika]

i mean dont worry about being politically correct with your designs or "is this practical for a game" or, "is this believable." Personally, I'd just do what i truly wanna see, and work with that for a while and then once you get that down, then you can concern yourself with the "realistic or politically progressive" designs.

I mean i know i like big tits, thighs on girls in fighting games, im a huge soul calibur player, its just fun to look at. When you're smashing someone in mid air with colorful lights and sound effects, the last thing going through your head is how realistic it is. Realistic fighting is like MMA, its the opposite of fighting games, theres grappling, sweating, blood, struggling etc. Fighting games have just impossible ficticious stuff going on every second, you know take advantage of that.

And if you dont want to make girly girls, thats cool too, you can still push the shapes to be appealing. For instance, like Stephen Silvers cartoons are not sexualized but they still have cool attractive shapes and fit character types. Study stuff thats just totally out of your comfort zone like cartoons and try to sketch in that style, it'll expose you to a brand new way of exploration and you dont have to show anyone that stuff if you dont want to :)

PS browse this site and see some of the cool stuff, i just ordered this book and it looks fantastic :)
http://mastersofanatomy.com/robinhood

Also see if you can take Silvers character design class on schoolism, its only like 15$ a month!

[RickRichards]

Hahaha, i could care less about the "politically progressive" lingo, to be honest, i´m a bit tired of that nonsense, i just want to see good art and awesome work. Just a bit worried that someone would say that i dared to make a sexy egyptian costume lol.
Haha, love Soul Calibur too, Tekken ( old ones), SF, some designs from Bloody Roar, the fantastic Garou Mark of Wolves. You know, i want to use that kind of art influence.
What i mean by "girly girls" is Luckly Chloes from Tekken or Mary Rose from Doa, not a very well designed Sophitia for instance. haha
I´ll follow your advice; design what you want to see. Cheers man!!

[RickRichards]

Hey there!
Been doing a couple of exploratory sketches to redesign the fighters, any feedback is welcome. Some of them still need refinement and a sexier shape.
Also, a couple of blocky BW studies.
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[darktiste]

Those redesign looking good.

[Fedodika]

the designs are better a little bit, its ultimately mileage that's gonna get you better really. I recently got this masters of anatomy book its got a lot of really nice stylized characters that im eating up. I'd reccomend checking out their site and see if anything resonates with you, dont be shy from copying other artists for their styles.

The proportions in your studies are nice, i think its time to dip your feet into idealization and seeing how far you can push things into what is beautiful, stylish, and better looking than reality :)

[RickRichards]

@Darktiste - Thanks man!

@Fedodika - Thanks for the feedback man, really helpful. The style i´m gonna tackle, will be probably influenced by the capcom sf character design, also the models from sfv i really love ( curves, detailed muscle and big hands/feet to emphasize the punch and the kick) and . I will also try to go beyond the 5/6 head for body proportion to maybe a 7/8.

Anyway,during vacation did some luce doodles and sketches for redesigns/ new chars, almost without using ref, which was a help to push my imagination muscle.
Last one, studying the awesome work of late comic book artist Philippe Delaby.
Any feedback, always important.

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[darktiste]

Why not mix mortal combat and street fighter.