Mari [Level 0]

[Mariquo]

Credit to BadWoolf for this gamification idea. I've tweaked it to suit my goals.

     My name is Maria, or Mari, if you prefer, and I while I have been drawing as a hobby since I was a child, I never took it seriously, and for the most part, it was just something I did when bored or for fun. With that being said, I always had a dream of turning it into something more, getting better, and I'm finally wanting to put in the time and dedication to making my dreams come true. I might not ever be a professional, but I've always wanted to be able to come up with a concept in my head, and have my finished product actually represent my vision. If I could really express myself in my art, I would be happy. So, without further ado...

     Aims:
     • Create a portfolio with at least 15 finished pieces.
     • Improve art quality through consistent study, trial and error.
     • To complete a physical sketchbook.
     • To stop negatively comparing myself to others.
     • Embrace failure.

     Rules:
     • Any action that results in progress towards your portfolio gains XP.
     • You must gain XP to level up.
     • Each level must be started at 0 XP, unless you have XP that rolled over from the previous level (e.g. you needed 50 XP to progress from the last level, but gained 100 XP for an action, giving you a 50 XP head start on the next level).
     • Each level XP amount must be fully earned before moving on to the boss fights.
     • Boss fights do not earn you XP.
     • You will gain extra XP for paintings which include a subject matter which is not yet represented in your portfolio (See list)     
     • Going out of your comfort zone is encouraged will be rewarded with extra XP (See list).
     • To level up, post a breakdown of your XP gains for that level and a jpg of your boss fight in the thread.
     • To "finish" a challenge, you must either start from scratch or complete a WIP.
     • If an action or boss fight requires you to study/paint for [x] hours, it doesn’t have to be completed in one session.  

     Ways to Earn
     • Study for one hour. - 100 XP
     • Finish an illustration. - 100 XP
     • Complete a master study. - 100 XP
     • Complete a self-portrait. - 100 XP
     • Complete a still life. - 100 XP
     • Fill a page in your sketchbook (Digital or otherwise). - 50 XP
     • Post work online for feedback. - 10 XP

     Bonus XP Challenge
     Earn an extra 100 XP for finished work that contains any of these unfamiliar subject matters, or 50 XP for simply studying them:     
     • Reflective surfaces (metal, glass, mirrors, water, etc).
     • Machinery/Cars
     • Sheer clothing.
     • Varying facial expression/emotion.

     Not Yet in Portfolio
     • Life Drawings
     • To be written.

     ‘Storytelling Elements’ Bonus XP:
     The storytelling bonuses only apply to illustrations. 
     • 50 XP for implied interaction between two characters (e.g. looking at each other)
     • 100 XP for actual character interaction (e.g. fighting, kissing, chasing), each extra character, clear character motive (the viewer can tell exactly what the character wants), clear character history (the past, profession or class of the character are obvious), and each prop which supports the story (magical artifact, weapon).
    • 500 XP if your illustration has a dual narrative – ie, characters in the foreground are interacting in one way, and characters in the background are showing something else happening in the scene.

     Levels:
     Level One: 1,000 XP           Boss Fight: Finish any painting
     Level Two: 2,000 XP           Boss Fight: Study for 5 hours
     Level Three: 3,000 XP         Boss Fight: Study 25 thumbs, then create 25 of your own.
     Level Four: 4,000 XP           Boss Fight: Finish any painting
     Level Five: 5,000 XP            Boss Fight: Finish an illustration
     Level Six: 6,000 XP              Boss Fight: Study for 10 hours
     Level Seven: 7,000 XP         Boss Fight: Finish any two paintings
     Level Eight: 8,000 XP           Boss Fight: Study 50 thumbs, then create 50 of your own.
     Level Nine: 9,000 XP            Boss Fight: Finish an illustration
     Level Ten: 10,000 XP           Boss Fight: Finish two illustrations

[xelfereht]

Good stuff, i sometimes try to treat study like game leveling too, i think it does help :)

[chubbycat]

Nice layout, Mariquo. You have a good plan in place.

To offer a small idea. In games you are normally rewarded after boss fights; armor, magic items, weapons, etc. so why not translate it into the real world and reward yourself? It could be as small as buying yourself a treat in the beginning, and then build up as you level up. I know seeing your art improve is a good reward, but it's also nice to have something to mark the end of a boss fight :)

[Mariquo]

@xelferet - I hope this works. I think somewhere along the lines I forgot what it was to have "fun" with my art, which is why I started drawing in the first place, and I get disheartened when I don't see physical results in my work. As we all know, you reach plateaus in art you have to push through before you get better, and I've been stuck. So, I just stopped! My aim is that this gamification will at let me see my progress, even if my art progress slows down. I need a LOT of improvement, especially compared to everyone here, but I want to enjoy the process along the way.

@chubbycat- Thank you, but I can't take all the credit, of course. But you're 100% right. I just spent a bit of money on my drawing tablet (so I can start playing around with digital art), so I might not spend any money for awhile. But I'm sure there are other ways to reward myself. 

Alright guys, so thanks for stopping in. I am a big newb, and I know everyone says that (but then they post some great stuff), but I really am. So please be gentle! I've never done digital art before, and I still need to keep working on traditional if you ask me. But practice makes perfect!

Right now I'm using a Huion GT 220-V2 8192 Monitor Tablet and the digital art program Krita. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I wanted to attempt some fundamental stuff like form and light. This was also an exercise in color and blending. I probably should have found a way to work with more layers, but I was nervous and only stuck to about two brushes and one layer. lol

     Training Completed:
     • Practiced for 1 Hour
     • Post Work Online for Feedback

Current Progress: 110/1000XP

[Mariquo]

I didn't do much yesterday, but I decided to pick up Scott Robertson's, How to Draw, and have been giving it a go. I tried a few of the exercises and I find them a lot harder to practice digitally but very useful in terms of trying my hand at line control. I would say the ellipses were a bit easier (despite their mistakes) than I thought they would be, although when actually putting them in a drawing, I can never seem to get them right. Hoping this practice will help. Perspective seems so advanced and foreign that I wanted to tackle it head on.

Tasks Completed:
      • Fill a page in sketchbook (digital 1500x1500 resized)
      • Practice for 1 Hour
      • Post work online for feedback.

+160XP! 

Current Progress: 270/1000 XP