Pukio's Sketchbook [Updated: 5/02]

[Pukio]

...............About Me.
My name is Abby. I'm an 18 year old home schooled student and will soon be graduating
high school - how exciting! I've been drawing for a while, though I really didn't start to
look into anatomy until about a year ago. I'm an animation and comic book enthusiast
(both American and foreign), and my favorites include Batman, Preacher and a number of
Japanese manga. I also spend a lot of my time riding horses.

In terms of drawing, I have a soft spot for black and whites, though I do color both digitally
and traditionally (particularly watercolor). I tend to skew a little more toward realism in my
style of drawing - that's what I like to tell myself at least.

Sketchblog: X || DeviantArt (outdated): X


...............My Tools.
* OpenCanvas 1.1
* OpenCanvas 4.0 (I actually prefer 1.1, haha)
* Wacom 4x5 Tablet
* Watercolors
* Acrylics
* Shoe Polish (and whatever else I can find)


...............Critiquing.
Don't hesitate to be as harsh as you want. I'd much rather get the honest truth than some
flowery hints at what I'm doing wrong. I learn by being told what I'm doing wrong and what I'm
doing wrong, so if you spot ten things or two things wrong, feel free to mention all of them.  

[Pukio]

...............Short Term.
* Learn how to ink better digitally
* More 'dynamic' light and shadow
* Overall anatomical correctness
* Better character interaction
* Etc., etc.,.

...............Long Term.
* More dynamic composition
* Appealing design elements (such as layout, composition, color, yadda yadda)  

[Pukio]

Current WIP:
Tools Used: OpenCanvas 4.0, Wacom Tablet

...............Art Log.
Apr. 15 '07 - Original character reference sheet - Tools used: OpenCanvas 4.0, Wacom Tablet - Color || Sketch
Apr. 19, '07 - Random sketching - Tools used: OpenCanvas 4.0, Wacom Tablet - Colored || Sketch
May 02, '07 - Cirque contest entry - Tools used: OpenCanvas4.0, Wacom Tablet - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (FINISHED)

...............Current Assignments.
None  

[Pukio]

*clips ribbon*  

[Yukiko Gemini]

Hmm.~
I like the way you've stylized the face, exaggerating the proportions a bit but still leaving it realistic and reasonable.
Her right eye bothers me, however--the catch light is in such a place that it is distracting to the shadows around it, and seems a bit off. Perhaps move it up-right a little bit, or make it smaller?
Her nose also seems to lack the shadows and depth that you've placed on the other features of the face, which confuses the eye [and me] a bit--to put it better, at the nostrils, you have no curved shadow or whatnot to signify that it is not flat--and yet, the shadow beside the right nostril obviously shows that it stands away from the face.
Also, nostrils aren't connected black holes [though that might just be your stylizing there], they are sort of..apostrophe shaped, most commonly.

Aside from critique, though, the sweeping way you've drawn the hair is very nice, and balances out the harsh expression on her face. I'd only say that a few lines are a bit bolder than neccesary, but otherwise look wonderful.

Sorry if I was a bit harsh, I suspect I got carried away.
Looking forward to seeing more of your art in here. ^^

And on a side note, did you draw that in 4.0 or 1.1? If it's the latter, what brush did you use?

 

[Pukio]

Thanks so much, very helpful indeed. I was trying to figure out what the heck felt wrong about that eye and I think you're right - it's the light catch in there is placed all funky. I think I've been staring at it for too long or something. Harhar. In general though, thanks so much for the crit. Really, harsh is good and way more helpful than cotton candy fluff.

(And, I want to say it was drawn in 4.0.)  

[Pukio]

Colored:

 

[Pukio]

NEW WIP:
About half an hour in, just laying down some general tones and getting a feel or whatnot. Don't really have an over all plan beyond the fact that I want to do a portrait, blahblahblahWIPcakes. This is actually a revamp of an old WIP that I went ahead and scrapped and am re-doing now. I like the bone structure and general shadow and tone to this one a whole lot more. Contest entry for the Cirque contest, this is Puchiko's character there.

Obviously, not a whole lot to comment on right now but... (beyond the wonky shoulders anyway, harhar - and yeah I realize this is like the same exact facial angle as the last thing I posted here *facepalm*)

 

[Pukio]

WIP Progress. Approximately an hour (ish) in. Going to lay in some darker shadows on his face eventually (like in the corners of his mouth, etc.,), but for now just want to finish laying down all the base and so forth:

 

[Pukio]

Any suggestions on how to make his shirt look like, I don't know, an actual shirt would be AWESOME. I can't seem to get the folds to look right and I have no idea why it's. not. working. *muttergrumble*  

[Pukio]

Finally finished this. Uh, tools used: OpenCanvas, Wacom Tablet. Approximately 7-ish hours of work?