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It's not like riding a bike

Sun Jul 12, 2009, 4:08 AM
  • Mood: Satisfied
  • Listening to: Stay by Safetysuit
  • Reading: codes to the dragon cave thingy
  • Playing: Mafia Wars, Vampire Wars and Virtual Families
  • Drinking: coffee
It seems if I don't draw for a while I lose what little bit of skill I had. Until that last Phoenix pic (which she was horribly dissatisfied with and demanded a re-draw) I don't think I had even picked up a pencil in months. I realized what used to be fairly easy for me turned out to be something rather difficult and tedious.

I've always been able to draw cartoons fairly well. It's easy to draw something that's already drawn. All you have to do it copy each line or shape. In school, I was taught the grid technique so I often visualize a grid over the image I'm copying and draw it "one square at a time" if that makes sense. But who wants to go around re-drawing things that someone else has already drawn?

Often times my ambition or vision outweighs my skill level and I end up being horribly frustrated with the work I've produced. I have a picture that for my skill level really isn't that bad; but, when I look at it, I see complete crap. I shouldn't be so hard on myself and that's probably why I go through periods of not drawing.

I decided to go back to the basics and walk before I run. I do faces well and I think thought I was ready to move forward from "portraits" but bit off more than I could chew. Oh well. If you don't like Seeker faces, avoid my work for a while because that's what I'll be focusing on. I'll perfect my portraits before I attempt to move on to body or action shots.

One thing I have found that works (which I didn't use on the last Phoenix face and likely why she turned out so horrible) is drawing the oval with the cross in the center so the face is symmetrical. In the past I've tried drawing the human figure and then drawing a Seeker over it. Seems easy enough, right? The only problem is I'm not that great of an artist and some things get lost in translation. When I used to draw people I never put helmets on them. The same thing goes for their bodies. They have parts we don't and it's hard for me to get the canopy, chest area and wings proportionate. Meh, it's a process and I haven't committed myself to it like I should have. I think I've short changed myself. I used to draw constantly and now I rarely do. Hopefully, that will change.

Evil Co-hort and color expert:
:iconsunstars:

Transformer nutjobs:
:iconarchanubis::iconautobot-windracer:
:icongodbird::icongoribus::iconnemesisprimex::iconredimusprime::iconrobotcandy::iconshadowshot::iconsilsolo::iconthe-devi-stator:

Other interesting Artists:
:iconamon-devilman::iconblackeri::iconcharger426::iconcidaq::iconconveyus-prime::iconcymrudragon::icongrim5queaker::iconlaserbot::iconsuper-metal-sonic::iconswitchpoint::icontransformersrevenge::icontunaferit::iconvaclon:

Clubs I watch:
:iconautobotcity: :icontransformers-mosaic:

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ShoutBoard

Mr. Sandman showing his beam, when he walks into the room the walls lean in to listen
Surf out blank waves, clicking back and forth like old headlights, sniffing bottled you again.
Head like a steel trap, wish I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I don't...
Just want to be a footnote in someone else's happiness.

Shoutbox

=Sunstars:iconSunstars:
mew
Sun Nov 30, 2008, 8:50 PM
~SilSolo:iconSilSolo:
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe!!!!!!!!!
Sun Jan 27, 2008, 9:02 PM
*TCStarwarp:iconTCStarwarp:
I should check this thing more often :p
Wed Sep 5, 2007, 8:56 AM
~Amon-Devilman:iconAmon-Devilman:
Hello
Fri Aug 10, 2007, 4:15 AM
*TCStarwarp:iconTCStarwarp:
I often forget about this thing :laughing:
Tue Apr 17, 2007, 2:31 PM
~SilSolo:iconSilSolo:
too few shouts. now I'll have to change that tehe
Tue Apr 17, 2007, 7:26 AM
=Sunstars:iconSunstars:
I was thinking the same thing... Shout shout let it all out!
Wed Mar 28, 2007, 5:50 PM
~SilSolo:iconSilSolo:
methinks it be time to shout again
Wed Mar 28, 2007, 2:54 PM
=Sunstars:iconSunstars:
argh, it took three tries to get a post in your journal just now
Thu Aug 10, 2006, 1:29 PM
*TCStarwarp:iconTCStarwarp:
I keep forgetting about this thing o.O
Fri May 12, 2006, 12:45 PM

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Shoutboard

Mr. Sandman showing his beam, when he walks into the room the walls lean in to listen
Surf out blank waves, clicking back and forth like old headlights, sniffing bottled you again.
Head like a steel trap, wish I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I don't...
Just want to be a footnote in someone else's happiness.

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