main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Artist Soits... art - updated 12/10/2010 - mainly non-SW art

Discussion in 'Fan Art' started by soitscometothis, Dec 19, 2004.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. soitscometothis

    soitscometothis Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2003
    [​IMG]

    This was my 5th or 6th attempt at this pic. I traced the face rather than doing it freehand, and even so, this was the only version that came close to resembling Padme.

    Things went wrong with the jewel-thingy on her forehead (its still wrong), and the whole head-dress kind of got away from me at one point, but its still the most succesfull version.
     
  2. Corrin_Wyndryder

    Corrin_Wyndryder Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 17, 2001
    I think that is an absolutely amazing rendering. I don't even see the errors you mention with that kind of stylization.
     
  3. FalconFan

    FalconFan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 25, 2004
    OMG! That's fantastic! I love the almost fresco feel to the colors, as though they were painted on wet plaster! What sort of media did you use? And I have to agree with Corrin--I don't see any of the "difficulties" you mentioned! It's beautiful. We'd love to see more of your work!

    FF
     
  4. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    I think you're being too hard on yourself - that really looks great. And like FalconFan said, the coloring is really interesting on it. Very cool.

    As for the tracing part - I'm not particularly fond of it. I'll admit that right off the bat, but how I see it, as long as it helps you learn, go for it. Just don't try to depend on it for everything. It really can hinder your drawing skills.
     
  5. soitscometothis

    soitscometothis Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2003
    Corrin_Wyndryder & FalconFan,
    It wasn't false modesty when I said there were problems with the jewel, but the reduction in size and the pixelisation are really helping disguise the problem areas. Sometimes scanned pictures look better than the real thing, and this is one of them.

    I used watercolour, acrylics, and colour pencils. I switched between using the paints transparently and applying them more thickly with a palette-knife. Sometimes I was dropping thin watery paint onto still drying thick wet paint, which is probably where the fresco look comes from. Basically, I panicked and threw everything I had at the picture. Sometimes I even used the palette-knife to scrape layers off. It was a bit of a struggle.


    HanSolo29, I knew you wouldn't like tracing! I actually agree with you about it hindering drawing skills; it does kill a lot of the individuality you would get from freehand. I prefer to draw out of my own head rather than copying, but I wanted to concentrate on the painting rather than observational skills. Also, I suck at capturing a likeness.

    I know that both you and THEFORCE16 love to render the characteristics of an individual face, and I think your work is marvelous, but it's not a skill I have. I made sure I stated I used tracing-paper so people didn't get the wrong idea. A sheet of tracing-paper is no substitute for obsevational drawing skills.

    And thanks to everyone for being so complimentary. I only found the Fan Art board a few weeks ago, and it's inspiring. There is always something interesting about seeing peoples' different styles, and the more of them you see, the more you learn to appreciate them.
     
  6. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    That is absolutely gorgeous! Seriously, I would frame it and hang it on a wall if I were you.
    It really has a very painterly look to it and the likeness turned out very well.

    As for tracing, it can help you learn the shape of a face/object. It can provide good practice, and with lots of practice you might find you don't need to do it anymore. :)

    Again, gorgeous portrait of Padmé.
     
  7. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    soitscometothis: I understand the use of tracing to accurately capture someone's likeness and get the right proportions. I actually used to do this myself. But have shunned away from it when I realized that this was not really my own work. And when I moved away from it and tried to capture a face freehand, I realized how much it had improved my skills. Obi-Dawn is correct about it helping you along with the placement of the face, shapes, etc. But like I said, I wouldn't depend on it for everything. Perhaps give it try without the tracing paper after a while to see how things turn out. :)

    And as for using the tracing for just the line drawing and then doing the coloring and the rest of the rendering by yourself - that sounds just like how one of my favorite artists goes about creating his work. Drew Struzan. ;) :)
     
  8. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Wow, I didn't know that about Struzan. Learn something new everyday. :)

    Sometimes, if I'm working from a photograph and having trouble getting my lines correct, I'll actually draw right on the photo to learn the basic curves of the face/body etc. (Like tracing the outline of the object right onto the photograph. If it's a photo I don't want to ruin, then I won't actually press down, just make the motion over the photo.) I'll repeat each line a few times to get a feel for them and then go to my paper and draw it freehand.
     
  9. soitscometothis

    soitscometothis Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2003
    [​IMG]

    I did this one before the Padme pic (in fact, the Padme pic gave me so many problems it was the last Star Wars picture I completed!). It's the first and only version of this picture, rare for me, and I like it. Again, I used tracing paper to get the likeness, but somehow it doesn't quite look like Ewan McGregor.

    [​IMG]

    The first of the Star Wars pics I did. I abandoned the first version of this one half-way through because it suffered from me being indecisive in the style I was using. This one turned out much better.

    The next two pics are from my stuggle with the Padme picture. One is a scan of the rough tonal sketch I did to sort out the face tones. I don't usually bother doing this, but the Padme pic needed a bit more thought. I worked that out after four or five versions bit the dust. I'm putting it up because I know that HanSolo29 will want to see at least one freehand sketch from me to make up for all the traced work. o_O I know I like to see rough sketches too, so here it is.
    [​IMG]

    The other picture is the penultimate Padme pic. Obviously I wasn't happy with this one for a lot of reasons, but it was the one that made me get creative with the rendering.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    Excellent work! Your style may be simple, but I love it! Your use of different tones is superb. You can really see this best in your AOTC Obi-Wan(which has a nice likeness to Ewan, btw ;) ). You should really work on more of these. :)

    And I see you're not gonna let me off the hook with the tracing thing. :p From looking at your Padme sketch, you have a fine understanding of facial proportions etc. I'm sure you could probably produce some fine drawings freehand. I have faith in you. But, I'm not gonna force you to do anything. If you still feel that you need the tracing paper to better your skills, go right on ahead. :)
     
  11. FalconFan

    FalconFan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 25, 2004
    Yes, yes! To HanSolo29 you listen! I totally agree with our moderator, Soitscometothis--the freehand Padme shows that you do know how to do faces and likenesses--it's a beautiful rendering! Give it a good go--as THEFORCE16 says, do lots and lots of drawings, and learn from them all. :D I have to say again how much I like this method of coloring--it's a beautiful effect, and does a lot to convey mood in your pieces. I think my favorite of the most recent ones is the ANH Obi-Wan. Very, very nice!

    FF
     
  12. THEFORCE16

    THEFORCE16 Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    Those are wonderful. I'd like to go into some critical analysis as to why I think so, but I'm just speechless from the power of them. Saying well done would be an absurd understatement.
     
  13. DarthSamSam

    DarthSamSam Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 24, 2004
    wow this is really cool! i am very very impressed. i am not an artist but i love looking at art.
     
  14. Cheveyo

    Cheveyo Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 29, 2001
    I concur with HS and THEFORCE16... these are incredible! ,Personally I don't think it matters that you traced the outlined to get the resemblence, because the rest of it is all you. These are very enjoyable to view, and have a unique, classically chaotic feel to the way they are painted.

    Very well done!
     
  15. soitscometothis

    soitscometothis Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2003
    I've been working on a stencil design for The Duel. I thought it would take me a few days, but that was before Christmas and it's still not quite right, so this is all work in progress stuff.

    [​IMG]
    (I know I've not given Obi-Wan a mouth!)

    Earlier version:
    [​IMG]

    Earlier design in pencil:[​IMG]

    Another version, wide-screen:
    [​IMG]

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/rnart/anihair7.jpg][/url] Designs for Anakin's hair

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/rnart/obdrw3.jpg][/url] Early Obi-Wan sketch

    Anakin test:
    [​IMG]

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/rnart/animolten6.jpg][/url] Molten Anakin (altered in PSP)

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/rnart/ansten4.jpg][/url] Anakin with background (again, some PSP work)
     
  16. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    Whoa, that is too cool. The figures are very stylized and they seem to flow perfectly with the lava and other activity going on around them. I especially like how you keep repeating specific shapes like the circle. It starts in Anakin's hair then moves from there to cover the rest of the image. Very clever.

    I also like how you inlcluded the sketches and tests you did along the way! :D
     
  17. odj_310388

    odj_310388 Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 30, 2002
    Wow, that amazingly cool.
     
  18. Ty_Ordell

    Ty_Ordell Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 7, 2002
    Wow! excellent. You can really see the time and effort put into this. It looks incredible! =D=
     
  19. LuvEwan

    LuvEwan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2002
    Some amazing work, soitscometothis. =D= I love your originality.
     
  20. Esira

    Esira Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 2, 2005
    :eek: OMG!

    Those padme pictures are truly beautiful, as are the obi-wan ones! I love the simplistic style you have and how you use the shadows and blocks of color, very inspiring!
    Wow, I'd love to see more of your art, its beautiful stuff! :)
     
  21. FalconFan

    FalconFan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 25, 2004
    This is fantastic, soits!!! I think this is one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time--and I love the different "versions" you've included, so we could see how it all comes together! Just...WOW! Great stuff! =D=

    FF
     
  22. corellian_chic242

    corellian_chic242 Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2003
    I love the Amidala and the Obi-Wans.... Are they oil paint or what?

    And the styling for The Duel is amazing! It's very cool. :)

    I'd love to see more! :D
     
  23. soitscometothis

    soitscometothis Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2003
    This is the roleplaying character I've drawn (but have yet to colour) for DarkSithDrew:
    [​IMG]

    It's pen on tracing-paper; I started out sketching basic figures on paper (and I had to do a lot because my figure drawing was kind of rusty), then when I got one I liked I put tracing-paper over it and added armour. I went through a lot of variations, and I kept altering the position of the saber-arm and the legs (I really find getting a balanced pose very difficult; does anyone have any good tips?) until I had a few that I thought were worth showing to Drew.

    This is one of the pages of poses for the character:
    [​IMG]

    The middle figure was the one I went for in the final design.

    I'll get around to putting up the rest of the roughs in a day or two.
     
  24. soitscometothis

    soitscometothis Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2003
  25. FalconFan

    FalconFan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 25, 2004
    Geez, soits, these are fabulous!! How I love to see the process (I'm actually too much of a coward to show my own WIP! :p ), the rough sketches and ideas flowing onto the page! I'm blown away by your figure drawing: so accurate and "easy" in the way they stand. Wonderful armor concepts, too--it fascinates me how many artists in the Forum have the ability to come up with all this great costuming/armor/weaponry! I'm sure your requester will be/is delighted with this, and I can't wait to see it colored! Fantastic work! =D=

    FF
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.