08-16-2025, 07:19 PM
@darktiste héhé
Critique for last week page:
Inking is inconsistant and messy. Lack of rendering/middle values to give a sense of atmosphere.
Two issues with the frame/the way the page is structured (not sure how to express this in English) that causes problems for understanding and reading.
- sequence panels 6-7 the 180° rule seems broken. I wanted to show the magician /not taking the card/ which explains it still is there at the end. I should have chosen a larger frame to show his body movement looking away from the girl but still facing the crowd.
- sequence panels 8-9 the panel is hard to read. I thought I'd draw the anticipation and result but because this is something extraordinary, 2 more pictures were necessary. One throwing the coat, and one with the coat covering the view. At least the first one (else we might think there is a trick which wasn't the meaning I went for)
- the magician looks shady, because of how his face and eyes are always hidden. While I chose to do this, the effect and "mood" it gives as a result isn't what I wanted.
Overall, too many panels and it's still not enough for what I wanted to tell. Trying to do a one page story is difficult.
On the positive side:
- A finished page in three busy days, great effort to get back to work with something rather personal
- Pretty nice to get to give life to an idea from start to finish, even if the delivery isn't good yet
- Variety of panels sizes and framings/scales
This week:
I've formalized my planning with a fixed daily time (3h30) for a set number of activities. It includes 1h35 for the current comic page project, 50 minutes for study and 50 minutes for play/exploration.
I did the Drawabox L1 Lines from the shoulder 2 pages, I'm taking my time rewiewing lesson materials. The physiotherapy helps with "drawing with confidence" and I'm also keeping at it most days. My wrist still feels stiff and painful but I generally can draw without pain for those relatively short periods I do, and I'm regaining some finer control of motor skills with my hand. I don't know if I'll eventually heal but at least my arm is stronger than ever (which isn't difficult) and I have ways to keep it under control.
So yup, I'm going back to Drawabox again. Spatial reasonning and the mind/eye/hand/page process are what isn't instinctive at all for me, so the course was a life-saver when I found it after art school left me with a disappointing level of drawing despite the thousands of hours spent learning back then. I like the slow pace approach and focusing on one thing at a time. I feel it's precisely the set of skills that I lack so I'm eager to go through it. It feels reassuring to find those good old exercices of lesson 1.
I have been consistent, drawing everyday and following my planning. It's really helpful now that everything I must do is clear and constant. All I have to do is make it my priority. It gets easier to focus and be productive right away too with short period of time assigned. It's nice to separate productivity mode (comics) and then have time set to study and draw in a more relaxed manner.
I can feel my mind switching back to becoming more creative again and the art blocks giving way.
Critique for last week page:
Inking is inconsistant and messy. Lack of rendering/middle values to give a sense of atmosphere.
Two issues with the frame/the way the page is structured (not sure how to express this in English) that causes problems for understanding and reading.
- sequence panels 6-7 the 180° rule seems broken. I wanted to show the magician /not taking the card/ which explains it still is there at the end. I should have chosen a larger frame to show his body movement looking away from the girl but still facing the crowd.
- sequence panels 8-9 the panel is hard to read. I thought I'd draw the anticipation and result but because this is something extraordinary, 2 more pictures were necessary. One throwing the coat, and one with the coat covering the view. At least the first one (else we might think there is a trick which wasn't the meaning I went for)
- the magician looks shady, because of how his face and eyes are always hidden. While I chose to do this, the effect and "mood" it gives as a result isn't what I wanted.
Overall, too many panels and it's still not enough for what I wanted to tell. Trying to do a one page story is difficult.
On the positive side:
- A finished page in three busy days, great effort to get back to work with something rather personal
- Pretty nice to get to give life to an idea from start to finish, even if the delivery isn't good yet
- Variety of panels sizes and framings/scales
This week:
I've formalized my planning with a fixed daily time (3h30) for a set number of activities. It includes 1h35 for the current comic page project, 50 minutes for study and 50 minutes for play/exploration.
I did the Drawabox L1 Lines from the shoulder 2 pages, I'm taking my time rewiewing lesson materials. The physiotherapy helps with "drawing with confidence" and I'm also keeping at it most days. My wrist still feels stiff and painful but I generally can draw without pain for those relatively short periods I do, and I'm regaining some finer control of motor skills with my hand. I don't know if I'll eventually heal but at least my arm is stronger than ever (which isn't difficult) and I have ways to keep it under control.
So yup, I'm going back to Drawabox again. Spatial reasonning and the mind/eye/hand/page process are what isn't instinctive at all for me, so the course was a life-saver when I found it after art school left me with a disappointing level of drawing despite the thousands of hours spent learning back then. I like the slow pace approach and focusing on one thing at a time. I feel it's precisely the set of skills that I lack so I'm eager to go through it. It feels reassuring to find those good old exercices of lesson 1.
I have been consistent, drawing everyday and following my planning. It's really helpful now that everything I must do is clear and constant. All I have to do is make it my priority. It gets easier to focus and be productive right away too with short period of time assigned. It's nice to separate productivity mode (comics) and then have time set to study and draw in a more relaxed manner.
I can feel my mind switching back to becoming more creative again and the art blocks giving way.