> On May 11, 7:13 am, "E. Liddell"
> wrote:
>>>> On May 1, 11:46 pm, "m...@
winternet.com"
winternet.com> wrote:>>>>> E. Liddell wrote:
>>>>>
>
>
> Responding to both of you at once... sorry, I'm lazy...
>
>>>> Anthy looks evil! Well, she is. ^_^ (And I love her for it.) But she
>>>> looks evil in a different way than she usually looks evil. If that
>>>> makes sense.
>>> It does, and I'm glad. Again, it's the attitude for her that I'm aiming
>>> for in this story. Trying a characterization for Anthy that I've never
>>> quite seen before.
>
> Hmm. Personally I don't think Anthy's any fun if she's *obviously*
> evil. But you'll just have to finish and post it so you can convince
> me otherwise.
"Obviously" evil? Not sure that's the correct label, but not still sure
it would be to your taste. If it ever gets done enough to post, you'll
have to tell me.
>
>>>>> I'd started learning markers in combination with colored pencil. When I
>>>>> can tear myself away from the computer and go work on paper, I still
>>>>> like using that approach.
>>>> I am a huge fan of colored pencils (I should go dig up my old Berols
>>>> when I finish my Utena/Anthy pic). I was never good with markers
>>>> though. That could probably improve with practice.
>>> I know where my Berols are, on my drawing desk. And quite dusty, I dare
>>> say.
>> Mine don't get dusty . . . because I'm constantly fishing for
>> white pencils with which to correct my marker drawings. :P
>
> Mine are on the bottom shelf of my craft table, underneath my figurine
> painting implements of doom.
But if you're painting figurines, that's okay too.
>
>> If you want a decent free program specifically for vector graphics
>> work, I suggest Inkscape (
http://www.inkscape.org/). It isn't
>> yet as featureful as, say, Adobe Illustrator, but it does simple
>> things well.
>
> I've heard about that from a few folks. Another to keep in mind.
I do have CorelDraw, but curiosity says I should check out this one too.
>
>>>> A couple old efforts of
>>>> doing digital coloring and inking etc. is on my R.O.D page...
>>>>
http://www.deathquaker.org/rod/fanworks.html... I've gotten better
>>>> since then... but maybe you'll like the picture of Sunny Wong. ^^
>>> In the picture of Sunny, I think the coloring on the figure and the
>>> books is quite credible. Some interesting textures in the background,
>>> but I think they could use a touch of refinement. Like, the sharp
>>> demarcations are rather noticeable against the otherwise soft-edge strokes.
>
> Thanks--will keep that in mind. I'll see if I can dig up the layered
> version and try a new background... I think what I used was just an
> enormous feathery brush set on airbrush... something else might work
> better.
>
> And hey, while we're at it... here's a couple more recent ones that
> could be near completion and need some critiquing. These are "Hunter"
> and "Wu" from my R.O.D fic that Laurie beta'ed awhile back. (A fic
> which is still awaiting its re-write/revision -- but it is technically
> DONE.)
Yay! Done!
On the Hunter picture, I'm looking at the highlights on the coat. The
placement and thin shapes of the highlights say "shiny leather or
vinyl". Is that what you were trying to express? When I say
"placement", I mean how they are laid along the edges of the shapes.
That's an effect that you get more with shiny metal or fabric, so that's
how the coat "reads" to me.
In the overall approach of cel coloring, you aren't necessarily going to
want to soften the highlight edges. *All* of the color shapes are
hard-edged in this style. So instead you'll need to rely on placement,
shape and coloration of the highlights to express the effect you want.
>
> Though, may I pause to say, I am very, very proud of Wu's boots. I
> can't draw feet. If I look at a foot I can draw one, but I can't
> drawing without a model (well, dummy, says the voice of reason, then
> use a freaking model). I also can't do the whole "make a person out of
> lines and ovals and cylinders" thing -- it was counter-intuitive to
> me, and my art teachers always actively discouraged it, approaching
> the holistic, right-brained draw from life approach.
The two books that have helped me the most learn figure drawing would be
"Dynamic Figure Drawing" by Burne Hogarth and "Drawing the Head and
Figure" by Jack Hamm. These are no replacement for practice or drawing
from life, but are great for guiding you to know what to look for and
some key helps on how to start getting that down on paper. Hogarth is
especially good for creating imagined figures in imagined poses. Of
course then you need to go back and study life again to see how people
move and such.
> But this is the
> thing that seems to be the cool thing to do when trying to do comic
> art, you see, and I can't do it. And I is but a poor amateur, who is
> making up her way of digitally inking and coloring using the tried and
> true, "What does this button in the graphic editor do?" technique, so
> advice from trained experts such as the likes as yourselves would be
> most appreciated. But please, not the boots. I love Wu's boots.
> (Hunter's boots are fine for mocking. She looks like she's wearing
> clown shoes, and I need to fix that, and maybe even the whole
> positioning of the foot, etc.)
I think the toes of Hunter's boots got to be too bulbous. Evil Clown shoes?
>
>>>> Geez, is that the time? I should be working. Not that I ever get on
>>>> the Internet at work, either.
>>> Sometimes I even get on the Internet *for* work ^_^.
>> Work? What's that? I haven't been able to find any. :(
>
> It's a crap time to find a job. Keep on truckin' -- you'll get there.
> I'm rooting for ya.
>
I am too! Here's a whole load of Good Job Juju comin' your way.
Laurie
