here we go

[grinnerVer2.0]

wow I'm finally posting here. Usually I'd be intimidated to do something like this but a classmate nudged me in this direction. Here we go!



I'm primarily showing you this just to have something to post but I genuinely am struggling with this. Btw this is somebody else's character but I did both pencils, inks and colors.


http://grinner.250free.com/forums/claireECAU.jpg
Struggling primarily emotionally, if you have any tips on how to arrive to a point where you can do your artwork with confidence please share. I was once told to trust in the faith a friend had in me but its sill hard, can't see anything but the worst in my drawings. This is a big big problem with me because there are so many things I want to do that these negative emotions and thoughts almost completely stop me from doing anything. I've got a side that desperately wants to do like 200 of these CG things!!! And then the negative depressive side that just drags me down, intimidates me so I never get any work doen and makes me not want to get out of bed. It is a genuine problem for me that _does_ get in the way of my work so I gladly will listen to any advice in that field.

Struggling secondarily with the colors in all of this. Having alot of trouble pulling out the dark darks. The cast shadows under the boobs help make it look like there's some weight there but I still kinda feel that it is flat.

Also I'm trying to make a light source be that flash around her collarbone. Its supposed to be a flash that transforms a costume on to her superhero like. The problem is I'm not achieving a sense that yes that is light, instead it seems like could be just a tattered piece of cloth or anything else.

I'm also trying to make a laser light come out of the scope, I know laser's don't emit from the scope but I suspending my belief for a while so it atleast makes alittle sense.

And just to show that I can do more than just this please take a look at this.

http://grinner.250free.com/forums/2.jpg
Its my cousin but she's only like 13 but I didn't have the skill to capture it so she looks years older. Then again I shouldn't be too hard on myself, drew it in like 15 minutes in a car ride.

Comments, crits and anything to boost my confidence greatly appreciated (have trouble with esteem so I could really use the last one). Okay! Let's rock!

[Jane Radstrom]

Hiya,

The drawing of your cousin shows alot of confidence in your linework, the lines are deliberately placed without alot of scribble - and you did it pretty quickly! The lines in your anime drawing are also very nicely varied in weight. You're good! In order to capture the yellow flash as light you might want to make all of your highlights yellowish. A pain to change, but you've done a beautiful job on the legs and abdomen, and practice is practice, it can't hurt! Also, you could get rid of the black outline around the yellow flare - that may help show it is light. Another suggestion I have is to pull it off her body some and make it more like a ring around her. When I fist saw this I thought something was slicing through her at the boobs. But that is more a preference thing.

As for confidence... I practice drawing or coloring every day, and when I look back at stuff from a few months ago I see such a clear improvement that I feel like in time and with more practice, I can continue to improve to any level. So my suggestion is to get a sketchbook, and go for it! Draw alot. Improvement comes with practice, so maybe start with doing 5 or 10 quick (15 minute) sketches a day which are not ment to ever be finished - so it doesn't matter if they are perfect or not. If you do one you really like, then go further with it.
Draw from imagination, from life, from reference... just make sure whatever it is you do ALOT consistantly. Then in a month, look back to the beginning of your sketch book and notice all the mistakes you were making that you've learned how to remedy. Notice the mistakes you're still making and spend some time figuring out (maybe by looking for references or other artist's solutions) how to fix them. Also, spend alot of time looking at other artists who impress you. Notice their techniques, the subtle elements of their line or color which speak to you and be inspired instead of discouraged. Keep your crappy stuff and your silly quick sketches so you can look back at them and inspire yourself with your own improvement.


Lol, that turned into a pretty long pep talk. :) Hope it helps.

[hoopa]

I like the setch of your cousin. Thats a good job in a car. Couldn't work out what the yellow flash was until I read ur descriotion. I agree, maybe take the line away from around it and maybe try and make the edges of it less sharp.

[grinnerVer2.0]

will do on the flash of light, thanks for the advice guys. Hoopa, you're in Tassie, I got a question for you. How's Dan Douglas doing, good old bannana-sama? I don't even know if he's still in Tasmania but anychance you can give him a nudge to update alittle more? Maybe just get Shoosh to update for him? I'd love to see more of Nomad/Avalon, and of course Dan's inks are something I don't wanna miss.