Russ and the Drawing Board (Third Work Up!! 04/28/07)

[Oblivious Mischief]

RUSS AND THE DRAWING BOARD

My Constant Battle with my Worktable

"Only one thing is impossible for God: To find any sense in any copyright law on the planet." -- Mark Twain.

Welcome! All! To my Mentee Thread. Here, I will be posting my works and hopefully someone will come and let out their thoughts on how to improve it. Casual chat is also welcome here! I love to talk! But I'm sure we all know what we are here for so let's keep it to a minimal, well, at least to the point where there is an important post per page.

This thread is created in my pursuit to improve myself in a hobby that I grew up with. There was a very long gap wherein I did not do any drawing at all and I regret that. So now, I feel blessed having given this opportunity to be taught again.

About Me:

Location:
Cebu, Philippines
Birthday:
June 6, 1981. I was one of the so-called "Evil Celebrants of 2006." 06/06/06. I did not feel any changes in me on that day though.
Age:
25. I am old. If that's not old, I feel old.
Occupation:
Web Designer. Uses mainly HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Flash. Learning PHP, Perl, and Adobe FlexBuilder. Outside Web, I'm studying Java, and reviewing C and C++.
Interests:
Cartooning, Web Design, Graphics Design, Badminton, Music, Humor, Story Concepts, Gaming, Gaming Concepts.

About This Thread:

I will post a finished work for people to critique. Why a finished work? Because for the moment, I'm doing traditional art because I don't have a tablet; and it's so hard to draw with a mouse.

Although it is too late for improvements, I need to hear your thoughts. Things that I can apply for the next art I will be making. Hopefully, there will be a change in how I draw through your input.

Soon enough, I will have a tablet. By then, I can go about the Mentee Thread the way I see the others do it; but for now, bare with me.

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CRITIQUE! Okay, I know you're not, but I just wanted to say that. I for one am not satisfied with the way I draw. I can still see that there is room for improvement; but I have no books about anything art for reference. I self thought myself how to draw; mimicking styles from comic strips in newspapers until I found my own style. Be rest assured that all inputs you provide will be absorbed.

In an event of different opinions, debate! It will be very educational for me as much as for you. Keep it to a level that what you say has sense; if not, take it outside.

Sharing your thoughts on the past works is still welcome!

Once again, All my thanks for this opportunity. Have fun!  

[Oblivious Mischief]

CURRENT SPOTLIGHT

003 First Tablet Project

Tools:

Paint, Tablet

Description:

This is my first attempt in using a tablet. Moving the stylus is still very hard. Seriuosly! hehehe.  

[Oblivious Mischief]

THUMBNAILS

Getting you to places in a car, when you could have just walked

001 Mara

002 FlipWarrior Cindy

003 First Tablet Project

RUSS AND THE DRAWING BOARD

My Constant Battle with the Worktable

 

[Oblivious Mischief]

COMIC STRIP

COMIC STRIP COMING SOON!

RUSS AND THE DRAWING BOARD

My Constant Battle with the Worktable

 

[Oblivious Mischief]

My friends are the complete opposites of who I prefer to be with. They do almost everything that I find taboo. But they greet me with smiles as warm as my mom's and acknowledge my existence in their lives. They are the other half that make me whole; thus, without them, I am nothing.

All my Love and Gratitude to you guys!

-- Ros

RUSS AND THE DRAWING BOARD

My Constant Battle with the Worktable

 

[Oblivious Mischief]

001 Mara

Tools:

Pencil, Ink, Colored Pencils

Description:

This is one of my recent work for Gaia. It is an RP character for a friend. I have a lot of insecurities with this work because, for one, it's female. I have difficulty drawing females. Another factor for insecurities is that this work, in a way, is an experiment for me. I am trying to achieve motion, I am trying to get the right way of shading, I'm drawing a woman, and I am experimenting with shadow. Worse yet, I did it with color. I have been friendly only to black, white, and grey for the longest time.  

[Oblivious Mischief]

Okay Guys.. I'm not expecting you guys to be gentle. Let's do it! whee  

[beddyteddy2]

First of all.. welcome to the fold *hugs*

Ok... I'm really glad to see you've been more dynamic than when I was still on the island. You've grown quite a bit for someone who says he didn't practice as much. I know you asked me about how to draw clothes on boobs... I think you did pretty good... I still owe you an eye tutorial.. sweatdrop guess my issues would be...her torso is just a little long in comparison to her legs. Her shoulders also seem to be real broad.. I try to keep my shoulders and hips on my girls the same/nearly the same. I guess a little detail on the left foot would've been nice too... but overall, I'd say you improved since I've known you for like... a WHILE. XD  

[Wispered]

First...my general advice to -all- folk...draw from life. Even if you just fill a page with life drawing a week, do it. It's the best habit any artist can pick up. ^_^

Your general shapes are doing really good, things are curving and moving fairly well. It's just the sizing that seems to be getting to you.
A few things to keep in mind for proportions. And this is all general guidelines so just keep that much in mind.
Elbows usually come to the waist if the arm is held straight down, fingertips to mid-thigh. Hands can usually cover a face, feet as well, at least length wise. Hands and feet can be drawn a bit too big and look better than if they're drawn a bit too small, so don't be afraid of making them larger.
My last suggestion is that you put some more texture into the main mass of her hair. The braids look -wicked- awesome, but the main mass of her hair, especially on the top of her head lacks that care. Defferentiate a part, even where the hair parts to make bangs, it'll add some life to it.

I love the motion in this and the costume is pretty spiffy. Can't wait to see more. ^_^  

[beddyteddy2]

Wasn't sure if you're going for cartoony or realistic on this but I do agree that it is much better to learn the rules before you bend them. I would like you to keep your style though, Russ. pirate  

[Oblivious Mischief]

Haliya

guess my issues would be...her torso is just a little long in comparison to her legs. Her shoulders also seem to be real broad.. I try to keep my shoulders and hips on my girls the same/nearly the same.

I did notice the length of her torso... when I was Inking. The shoulders however is very true; that i don't know how to make the shoulder area more female. I will try to keep in mind the shoulders next time.

Same Person

I guess a little detail on the left foot would've been nice too...

The foot! Now that's a funny story right there. I can't draw female feet and can barely make female hands. I will try again on the next one. I have a female to draw again. Somebody up there wants to make me work on it. hehehe.

Eejbeej

First...my general advice to -all- folk...draw from life. Even if you just fill a page with life drawing a week, do it. It's the best habit any artist can pick up. ^_^

I can draw from life... but I can't seem to apply it when I'm drawing from my imagination. Maybe more practice.

Same Person

It's just the sizing that seems to be getting to you.

Yes, true. There were many tendencies when I was drawing this that i found the this too big, and that too small. I try to size it that it will look female... though deformed. I suppose I was more bent on trying to make her look female that I neglected the right sizing.

Same Person

don't be afraid of making them larger.

I AM! hehe. I will try not to on the next one. i guess I just need someone to remind me of that aside from myself.

Same Person

My last suggestion is that you put some more texture into the main mass of her hair. The braids look -wicked- awesome, but the main mass of her hair, especially on the top of her head lacks that care. Defferentiate a part, even where the hair parts to make bangs, it'll add some life to it.

Hair is hard! I have yet to study that. Maybe this time that I have so many references to look at, (this guild mainly) I will see changes on how I draw hair. I really can't afford a book here.

To end, Eejbeej

I love the motion in this and the costume is pretty spiffy. Can't wait to see more. ^_^

Thanks! Let's hope there will be improvements next time... wait... There WILL be improvements next time!

To end, Haliya

Wasn't sure if you're going for cartoony or realistic on this but I do agree that it is much better to learn the rules before you bend them. I would like you to keep your style though, Russ. pirate

I was going for cartoony, but I want some essense of realism in it, too; mainly the anatomy. That pretty much contradicts everything but i think everyone gets what I'm trying to say after seeing my work. "Learning the rules before you bend them" is something I hear from you guys when you were still around. I had a little problem with that since I started with cartooning. I grew up knowing only the bended version so it's kinda hard. I'll try though. And I don't think my style will disappear at all. There will just be some bits added with everyone's help, of course.  

[Oblivious Mischief]

Any comments on the colors?  

[beddyteddy2]

Russ Kwehmoore

Learning the rules before you bend them" is something I hear from you guys when you were still around. I had a little problem with that since I started with cartooning. I grew up knowing only the bended version so it's kinda hard.

Don't fret dude... I started out pretty much the same way you did.. Garfield, Snoopy, Ninja Turtles, Loony Toons... Looked almost frickin Neopet ish. I didn't start drawing people til like late high school. XD Probably the only sense of human ish anatomy I had was Bebop and Rocksteady. You can do it! You just have to want it bad enough that you will break out of your shell. pirate

As for the colors.. can't really be sure... they don't look as solid but since your inks sort of look gray, I'm assuming it's just the scan job that makes it look that way. Though I do remember your style from way back on the island so... I can imagine. XD  

[Oblivious Mischief]

Yeah, I don't know how to work the scanner really. Hehehe.  

[Oblivious Mischief]

002 FlipWarrior Cindy

Tools:

Pencil, Ink, Colored Pencils

Description:

This is my friend's dream avatar. I applied some of the things that I learned. This is an experiment though. I usually take days to finish one work. In this one, I tried not hesitating. I drew like i was not making any mistakes; keeping in mind the things advised to me. I think I missed some of it though. hehe. This took a few hours only.