Trying something new

[cwgabe]

This is my first post here. My name is Mike and I draw the gaming cartoon Penny Arcade. Lately I have felt like I was in kind of a rut. Each new pic I did looked exactly like the last one to me. My new year’s resolution was to try some new stuff artistically. I was told about this site and I absolutely love it. I think I can really learn a lot here.

The pic below is my first attempt at trying some new stuff. I did the sketch in Alias Sketchbook on my Tablet PC and then colored it in Photoshop. It’s pretty simple I know but it’s a big departure for me. Most of my work looks like it was done in illustrator. Any comments would be much appreciated.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/chip2.jpg

[steve kim]

that looks like a pretty good start, but it's still very stylistic. if you are really looking for a big departure, what about foregoing stylism altogether? it'd prolly drive you nuts, given your background, but maybe it'd help in the long run?

-steve

[curtin]

I'm a fan of your other work, and I think this is a good direction to take. You're obviously going for a looser style, but at this point it still looks like a looser version of your regular work. Do you want to focus more on changing your line work, or do you want to use more value, and stray away from line-and-fill in work?
Using the tablet's a great idea; you can quickly take it in either direction.
curtin
www.students.uiuc.edu/~mcurtin

[Octave13]

Gabe! It's great to see you here, man. I'm a big fan of penny-arcade. Love your comic. It's nice to see something different, by you. I'd like to see how the drawing looks tightened up. Post more, I need something else you've done to compare this to (other than the comic you do, obviously). You should check out the self portait threads, here. Great source of inspiration, if you're looking to develop and grow, artistically. Welcome to the forums!

[TJ Verhagen]

Wh00t! its Gabe!
Welcome to ConceptArt.org man. love the style as usual:D

[Blind]

Hey Gabe... nice to see you here. You'll certainly be in your element here. There's some real pros in here who can help with just about anything.

You've obviously got your own style down pat. But I'd be curious to see you try other styles. Have you ever tried procreate Painter (http://www.procreate.com/go/painter7/) ?? It lets you fool with natural style media digitally. I wonder if they make a Tablet edition?

Nice pic, btw... that Tablet is obviously working well for you.

[Scotty]

Welcome Gabe....Penny Arcade has made me laugh so many times when I needed it...thanks.:)

This drawing of yours is sweet, but it does seem to be similiar to what you usually do. I agree with Chumps.....forego man...FOREGO.:cool:

Now I will go to P.A. and see what the latest comic is.

[John P.]

Welcome to the boards. :)

Love Penny Arcade, good stuff. I've drawn a cartoon strip or two myself, although I can't say I can compete with you! :D

Maybe you should try something VERY different, like drawing something from life; something not 'cartoony'? It's good to be able to do both things.
I have no idea what you're capable of in that department already though, it's just a general advice. For all I know, you're a master at drawing animals and people from life, but since you said you wanted to do something different...

This drawing here is nice, but....I dunno...It doesn't 'do it' for me...It's just there. It doesn't tell me anything. But it is a bit different fom PA, I'll give you that. Maybe not enough though, if you want to do something different.

Have a look at what all the other artists on these boards are doing, and be inspired by them. In the end, it's you who decide what kind of drawings you want to make. But drawing something realistic from life would be my advice.






I think. :D

[ElVeN]

If you're looking to steer away from the comic style then why not experiment with painting without underdrawing. I've just started on the computer, but have been painting for years with oils without any underdrawing whatsoever. simply a sketch for reference instead.

just a thought. it's not for everyone, but certainly different.

good luck

e

[sin]

its great to see guilty gear x get some appreciation and recognition. chip is cool

[cwgabe]

Thanks for the comments, they are all very much appreciated. I tried this same style in today’s comic strip and I think it worked out pretty well. I am not sure it is right for all the PA comic strips but I will be testing it out on our long form comic book Over Easy.

I am going to take some of this advice and start trying to draw from life more. I will be picking up a sketchbook today. Thanks for the help.

[Yaseck]

First of all: I would clean the picture. You must chose: is it a sketch or a coloured piece. For me it doesn't fit together. Maybe I'm wrong, but I like when the style is clean (I mean unambiguous).
And I agree with Jens: somthin' is worng with the hair. Too much erect?

I like the gesture he makes.

[necron99]

that is a funny word! (cool stuff BTW!)

I am still trying to find my stylism...

[Landmate]

the hugeness of the arms throws it a bit off.. maybe thin em down a bit

welcome aboard.

btw i think the style worked really well in "Minus The Pope And A Rabbi" strip.. so i think it has its place?

[davi]

There you are mike! (i'm the dork that messaged you).
Great piece :)

There are a few anatomy issues in the arm muscles, i suggest buying the bridgman complete guide to life drawing book, and checking out loomis` books( Http://www.fineart.sk ).

[Tedsuo]

Hey Mike! Great to see you here. We actually met at ComicCon last year, though you probably don't remember (blue haired laddie, you signed a poster for my brother's birthday (which he was thrilled about btw)).

As for advice, along the lines of what others have said: switch mediums for a while. It really helped for me. I switched from pencil to a brush pen and tried drawing fast sketches from life (on the train, etc). The fact that the new medium was so unforgiving meant my sketches looked like pure ass at first, but as I've gone I've gotten more confident which in turn has effected my pencil work. I don't use nearly as many construction lines any more and the confident lines give my drawing more "spontaneous life" than they used to have. Learning to paint has also helped a lot.

Good luck, I always look forward to more Penny Arcade goodness.

[RipperMcGuirl]

Ok, first, I'll get out the obligitory "I love penny arcade", because it simply has to be said, you guys rock, I remember when I had cancer one of the only reason I ever wanted to know what day it was was so that I could check the update. =]

Now on to critique: I can't quite tell if he's holding something in that right hand of his, or if it's something attached to his bracer... looks a little like you had him with his pose, then wanted something in his hand so you added whatever that is he's holding, but it doesn't look like his hand is in the kind of position where it could be holding something, the fist looks closed, not like the fingers are wrapped around somehting. The hair would be fine if the point followed the centerline of the head.
Now just for my personal view on martial arts images, I don't like it when the pose doesn't make alot of sense, what exactly is he doing?
Sorry to bang on you a bit...I do love the new direction you are taking and I can't wait to see more...especially the tube samurai, that strip came out perfect, if you ask me. My friend and I constantly imitate it. =]