razvanc-r's sketchbook dump

[razvanc-r]

Well... following John's advice from my introductions post I'd like to attach my images here but doesn't work?! How do you use this thing? I go to the bottom of the page where it says: "You are currently using N/A of your allocated attachment usage (Unlimited)", click on choose file, select something, click "Add Attachement", page refreshes, nothing shows... what gives? Or does it have a file size limit or something?! Also... I have about 300 pictures something, is there a way to upload multiple images at the same time?! It will grow old pretty fast if I have to upload one by one :D...

[Vicianus]

Hi Razvanc-r,
I never liked the built-in image attachment feature myself. Personally, I'll upload at imgur and insert each image with BBC code. I don't know about the bulk pictures in that case, but as a new poster, I would personally select my most recent and best works and upload those rather than going out of my way to post everything I had. That's just me, though! If you're here for feedback, work you're proud of and work you're struggling with is all you really need.

[razvanc-r]

Hi Razvanc-r,
I never liked the built-in image attachment feature myself. Personally, I'll upload at imgur [..]

Thanks for the info and advice! It's what I thought, I don't think there's a way to upload multiple images to the forum. I wanted to upload all my "homework" sketches/drawings for others to see the struggle and I haven't even dedicated myself fully to this (for a long time), but I'm ready for it now :D.

So it's been a year of on and off type of drawabox homework. If anyone is interested to see the full set of images I've done so far (~300, with latest 50 or so done in the past month - since I decided to take this more serious): http://imgur.com/a/xoKu7, unfortunately imagur uploaded the images all jumbled up so they are out of order, that's why the "latest 50" are not the latest one you see in imgur but I think you can distinguish them (they'are all for the human/simplified anatomy lesson 13 & some for composition - lesson 14). After all that, here are some latest ones I've done, some good some bad, but yeah, I'm just starting out really.

Yeah... let me know what you think about it :)

(the power of feedback - middle one is after I got it handed to me for the first one. I know it still has anatomy problems! :D)











These two here are made without references so you can see how bad they are! Yes, always use references is a very good advice, especially when beginning! :)

[razvanc-r]

Latest concoction :)

[razvanc-r]

quick guy from imagination as practice, after watching proko's videos on drawing the head. I'm somewhat pleased that it actually resembles a human being hahha

[Fedodika]

http://orig10.deviantart.net/274d/f/2016...aqfwmy.png

This one is really reall good, probably because the proportions and the way you drew the lips, nose without heavy lines, like it looks very soft.

Seems you're working from drawabox, and that is a very good site I wish i had known about starting out, but I'm not sure if it's that old hehe.

The critique I would give you is to focus on proportions, and how the features fit into the head, like the lips. In your latest dude, his nose looks right, but his lips look like a symbol placed on a three dimensional plane. Like, look at your own mouth in the mirror, then slightly part it and turn your head and watch how the lips fit into the face like a U shape, it's really fascinating.

[razvanc-r]

Thanks @Fedodika! Yes, I know my two major weaknesses are:

1. proportion - hence many problems including perspective, or more like especially...
2. sketchiness - still a very big issue for me, not confident enough :)

With that in mind... that's why I'm here! :D To learn, I've done all there is for drawabox (except for the last exercise/lesson) and I feel I can (finally!) move on to some more intermediary things :)

I completely agree about the lips, it is the result of trying to draw from imagination, I never expected it to be correct. I just wanted to give it a shot after I saw proko's videos (which I find a lot better for the human figure than drawabox as a side note :P). I would say I know these things at a theoretical level... but putting them in practice is the thing :D, always is.

Thanks for dropping by!

[razvanc-r]

I started working on this animation project, a short cartoon and this is the concept phase (don't want to say more just yet :D). Let me know what you think about these concepts! The setting is in post-apocalyptic. These are early early sketches and by no means really good looking, but if you find any anatomy issues/proportions (my biggest fear D:)/etc. mistakes please let me know!

Her name is Catherine, she's 16, has a smaller brother, she's good looking, smart and very caring towards her brother. She's half Italian, half ? (haven't decided yet :D). And yes I'm going for some anime-ish style. You like any of it?! :)

Thanks!

Update 01: new char, Brad, Catherine's brother, age 12, smart, nickname Little Einstein. A bit annoyed by Catherine's attitude towards him, she's a bit overprotective and he wants to be independent (like all of us :P)

[razvanc-r]

Alright, after my failed start at this, I think we might be actually making some progress :-D. This here is what we cooked up for Katherine so far. 

As you guys might know, I'm pretty new to all  this drawing business and what I realized with this project is that even though cartoons are simplified, they are by no means easier to sketch :-D, testimony to this is my previous hideous trials. 

So with that in mind I would really really like your help! If any of you guys know of manga references or how tos or anything helpful that would be awesome! Please help a fellow wannabe if your can! :-D thanks! 

A bit about the style: we're looking for something similar to avatar the animation, I think it strikes a perfect balance between realism & anime style. Well, that's all for now, have a great day!

[Fedodika]

Anime how to's aren't going to make your goal much easier, learning fundamentals like the inner workings of perspective, anatomy, and gesture will make everything seem intuitive and easy.

You seem to have some understanding of that, and you're applying it to your cartoons that you're drawing. Basically just find art that is what you're trying to emulate and compare it to your own drawings, get inspiration from them as you do it, and don't worry about it being derivative of something else.

Basically, the quicker you can invent a realistic face from your mind, the quicker you can invent faces that are stylized, since style is based on realism. The more information you acquire in that regard, informs better choices for stylization. Like stanley lau (Artgerm) he really understands fundamentals, so when he stylizes, it becomes extremely charming and believable.

[John]

Hey Raz.

As you guys might know, I'm pretty new to all  this drawing business and what I realized with this project is that even though cartoons are simplified, they are by no means easier to sketch :-D, testimony to this is my previous hideous trials.

You're putting the time in. And that's the most important thing you can do about it. You're doing alright.

So with that in mind I would really really like your help! If any of you guys know of manga references or how tos or anything helpful that would be awesome

I don't have any good manga reference book that I can recommend. I've been given some, but it never helped me at all.. But, if you're open to alternatives, maybe I can point you to Andrew Loomis' Fun with a Pencil book (www.alexhays.com/loomis/). It shows you that drawing characters are essentially just spheres, cylinders and boxes. This is the underlying principle to almost all drawing styles.. 

The problem I have with "How to Draw like *insert awesome artist*" books, you will have the tendency to be a second rate version of said artist. This will be very narcissistic for me to say, but wouldn't it be nicer for everyone to point out that that style is distinctively yours rather than you're doing a pretty good version of your idols?

Not to say it's horrible to copy a certain style. It's not and it'll be hypocritical for me to say so. I spun out from copying "Wizard How to Draw" books. Sometimes people have to try on different voices before they find their own. 

That said, hope that Loomis book points you to the right direction. If I stumble upon a better one, I'll let you know. Good luck with making your stuff!

[dodeqaa]

Think the challenge here is "How to give a convincing suggestion of volume in space, using lines?"

In your drawing there are lines that disrupt the suggestion of a volume in space. Here are some cheat sheets you might find useful :








Happy arting!

[razvanc-r]

Thanks guys, this is helpful :). Just to make a few things clear. I completely agree with understanding the basics and anatomy first even if you're looking for making cartoons, especially the analytical way, that's why I'm studying Figure Drawing by Hampton at the moment which comes highly recommended I've seen. So far is great.

The problem I'm having with poses especially, because up to now I pretty much copied poses from references, for learning the simplified drawabox way :) which is helpful, it really works, cause it makes you think of all the bits and pieces you wouldn't normally, like skin actually having thickness and that this can be seen around the eyes etc. On the other hand coming up with own characters and posing them is a whole new level so I'm hoping that these references like what @dodeqaa uploaded (thanks!) will somewhat help :D.

I'm not actually looking for books/resources that are specific to a style, what I mean by references for manga etc. are exactly these poses in different perspectives etc. and even anatomical structure?! if that's even a thing :) because they definitely have some particularities and I'm not familiar with them so much. Like the head proportions, placement of the eyes etc. to make it look all nice and attractive :).

A specific example to get to the point: for the likes of me I cannot figure out how the freaking tiny neck is connected to the oversized cranium of these manga/cartoon characters so it still looks good. Haven't had much luck finding bald characters :D so this is one area I pretty much stuck at for the time :).

Anyway, thanks to all! Every little bit helps :)

[John]

what I mean by references for manga etc. are exactly these poses in different perspectives etc. and even anatomical structure?! if that's even a thing

I hear you.

You'd probably want one of these:

I believe one's Figma. The other one's Figuarts. Try google searching "Figma model" or "drawing mannequin". Not sure which other brands have these body types that would suit your needs. Check the articulation. Lower articulation means there are less working parts ergo less poseable.

Another way is to load 3D models. Software like Manga Studio (or Clip Art studio?) has a feature that has built in 3D models in it. I think Manga Studio 4 had that big head anime model. Good idea to check it out yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKgLlCRBDAs

[razvanc-r]

Ah! @john, thanks! You just gave me the idea to look for mannequins on blendswap and sure enough I found a posable "wooden" mannequin :). That will be very useful, thanks!

[razvanc-r]

Some gesture studies based off of Proko's videos & Figure Drawing by Michael Hampton. Most if not all references are from http://artistreferences.deviantart.com/

[razvanc-r]

A bit of anatomy learning from 'figure drawing' yep

[razvanc-r]

give me more! :)

yeah... am trying to adjust to new monitor too, I mean when I bought the thing it didn't cross my mind that the feeling on the small intuous wacom I have would be different :D... cause larger screen => need better precision (at which I suck anyway :D), mouse move faster, yep, that's my current desk setup :)

well, I better practice those lines now :)

[Abnormal]

Hi razvanc-r, I also like the anime and more draw it ^^, but when I started this journey I removed any book that had any relationship with the anime (now I do not find them XD), it is frustrating but long time ago, I read in a book about disney animation and he author said that before drawing cartoons he was recommended to study for 2 years real anatomy.

That was very inspiring for me, I have a lot to learn but i dont give up, also study some of the history of the anime and how to draw the classic anime helps to understand the new trends and more stuff. ^^

[Fedodika]

nice workspace, draw moar