Art Archive TroubledAnakin (New art: 21/08/05) UPDATED Dooku/Qui-Gon

Thankyou! It's good to be back. My art muse comes and goes like the wind, I've been doodling again recently, so I thought it was the perfect time to get back into the art forums, and such. I'll most probably be finishing one of those pictures I talk about above this post.

Hopefully.

Anyway, Xokom Isar...

We RP them together - the original story was mine, with the character of Leonard Black - a Terran teenager with extraordinary Force strength - who gets sucked into the Sith/Jedi battle for the Universe. It had a pretty good premise, even if I didn't pull it off so well. I wrote it for National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org) last year, making a total of 51, 257 words, or something along those lines.

I was planning to write a sequel, and so we expanded the characters in RP form. Xokom is just another facet to that - he makes friends with Leo, while his father Eroth is intent on making the fresh young Jedi Rogue his Apprentice. And Leo - well he's about as unJedi as you get, while still having the long term ideals. He fights for his mother, and for his life - none of this tranquility stuff, but he does know the difference between right or wrong. It makes it so that neither the Jedi, nor the Sith can really accept him, so he ends up getting hunted by both of them, even as he's just trying to get his mother to safety.

It's er, complicated - but nice...and it definitely came out better in RP than in words.

As for whether or not I'll be colouring it - well, I don't think so. If I have time, perhaps...but I've got other, better things I'd like to colour, and they're on my priority - particularly a few like the Ani/Obi battle from the top of this page, which I'm looking forward to getting finished. I -like- colouring like that - it gives me something that I'm eventually proud of.

Oh looky, another babbling rant of a post

 

TADA! [image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Liikuma/betrayal3.jpg]
Betrayal

Here it is, for everyone who's been waiting far too long for it. My first ever picture of Luke Skywalker! He's here with Mara Jade, but don't get too comfortable, after all the picture is called Betrayal.

Here's a short story of how it came to be conceptualised - and thus eventually finished, when I realised I was quite pleased with how it was going along.

I have a Luke RP character. I'm pretty good at him, I think - at times. In fact, I have -two- Luke characters - this is where things get complicated...

One of my Lukes is Dark_Jedi_Master_Luke_Skywalker. As in, evil. As in AU. No kissy kissy, sweet, Jedis here. Just a mean kid with a big lightsword.

Now...no matter how many times I have Luke in chat - I always seem to get mauled by Mara Jades. And...well, to be honest, I don't like her character much. She's a condoned Mary Sue, as far as my brain is concerned. And I -know- that she had her good points...but...well, I can't change my way of thinking.

Anyway, my evil Luke, therefore, has absolutely no tolerance for Mara Jades. He slashes and stabs them, and believes wholeheartedly that they deserve it.

This particular death ended up being quite poignant, which is why I rather think that it must be set -after- they get married, and so therefore, Luke turns even against the person he loves when he turns to the Darkside. But then, so does Anakin, doesn't he? Like father like son. Ahem.

Yes, so that's the story. Now you've got what you've been waiting for, I'd love to see what you think of it.

Note: There WAS a background before, but I thought it looked waaaay too cluttered like that, and got rid of it before I posted.

 

Even MORE new art!

This one is a sketch that I did in a traffic jam yesterday - and finished in a Chinese restaurant last night. God yesterday was awful! There was a call out for a drug runner with a car similar to ours, we think. We got stopped TWICE in twelve hours! Urgh.

Anyway, I'll be doing more sketching today, and I'll see what I have by tonight. I want to try something along the lines of Qui-Gon Jinn teaching Obi-Wan his Katas...but it's not going to be easy. Athletic poses are not my strongpoint - which is exactly why I want to do this one.

Do you know that I'm better at drawing motion of people upside down than I am of drawing nomal people? And that I draw feet better than hands? No...you probably didn't -want- to know that either.

So here's the art, before I forget!

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Liikuma/ankainsulk.jpg]
Sulky Anakin

 

Luke skewering Mara?!?! Horrors!!
I do like the almost peaceful expression on Luke's face, tho, even in the midst of killing--a perfect depiction of a "Dark Side Luke." **sniffs--poor Mara!!**

And I really like the Anakin study, too--very nice positioning, good emotion in this one--it really feels like we can just see the Dark Side seeping into him here.

lol, the "upside-down" trick is one I use when doing likenesses (along with the "compare in the mirror" trick...)--it really seems to help me with spotting problems there, but I can see where it would also be a good tool for figure drawing (which I suck at, mostly...). Thanks for sharing, TroubledAnakin! We all appreciate learning new tricks and tools and techniques! And can't wait to see more!

PS--love the "TADA!" I feel that way when finishing something, too!

FF

 

FalconFan: Thank you so much for your lovely comments ^-^ Much appreciated.

Now - for some of my old old style of artwork - but something that I am just insanely proud of. This started off as a doodle - but I turned it into an actual piece of art today - and it came out far better than I expected. I even dun dun dun - lighted it!

So here it is - Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi in training under Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn. He's learning a kata - which is why Qui-Gon is standing there looking thoroughly...I don't know - unimpressed - and why Obi-Wan isn't wearing his boots, or his belt. The scene of Coruscant in the background was taken from a picture, which I fiddled with to make it look like frosted bathroom window glass since the quality was poor...and I think I really like it now - gives it some depth.

Before you go insane, I'll post it and stop babbling
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Liikuma/jedimedi4.jpg]
En Kata

 

Thats really awesome artwork, I use pastels, but I never get quite a nice affect as you do. ~Darth_Arsnl

 

Very nice--a very good feeling of depth in this piece, like we're actually looking into a real room. This effect is enhanced by the great perspective on the carpeting, which is also wonderfully colored (as is the entire piece). Good shadows, nice fluidity to the figures--all in all, a wonderful piece! And forgive my ignorance, but what is kata? I gather from your painting that it's a type of Jedi training exercise, but I'm unfamiliar with it (never read the EU for prior to the PT...).

FF

 

It's a term taken straight out of martial arts, and now I think about it, I'm not even sure it's -in- the EU. I think it might be fanon, which would explain why I'm so unsure on the term. I've -definitely- read it in about seven Pre-Prequel based fanfics about Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon - certainly by different authors - but I don't know if I can offer a reference in the books - and if I -did- have a reference, it'd most likely be in the Jedi Apprentice series. So, unfortunately, I think it's fanon that I've somehow got permeated with - but I like the idea. Here's the dictionary reference:

ka·ta ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kätä)
n. pl. kata or ka·tas

A system of basic body positioning and movement excercises, as in karate or judo.

Which is what it is in fanon too - only, because they're Jedi, it's far more difficult and complicated.

 

Still awesome stuff every time i visit ur thread

 

Such interesting poses and expressions! Your art has life in it ^^

 

The colouring and the framing of your art reminds me of tarot cards for some reason. Especially the one with Luke and Mara. I like it; it's different than the stuff you usually see.

Great expressions on your characters, too.

 

Thank you everyone. Your feedback is kind and maybe too gentle *grin* I'll have some more art for you soon. I've got a request to do, and a few bits and pieces that are playing around in my mind. I particularly want to do a Clone-Warsish piece, if only for my own entertainment. I want to dabble with the style, since I don't usually draw that way. I also want to see if I can draw the Star Wars characters in DragonBall Z style. Hum...ideas buzzing around. I hope to be able to show everyone some more art soon!

 

And some ink work that I did at the garage whilst the car was being serviced (admittedly, I did the sketchwork at home - whilst role playing Qui-Gon Jinn)

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Liikuma/motf2.jpg]

 

That's right! New art! It's looking lonely round here, and I was relegated to the fifth page! Five whole pages!

Okay...but here's that piece I promised you. I went solely for the movement in this picture - it was rescued from one of my recent sketches, which was hovering in my 'workinprogress' folder.

But I've saved it, and here it is for your perusal.

Dooku's Demise/Look! No Hands!

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Liikuma/dookuanakin3.jpg]

 

No hands *sniker* Very nice!

 

There's good "movement" here, TroubledAnakin, in both figures--with Dooku stepping backward (obvious from his legs and the way he's balanced), and Anakin advancing (pushing forward, reaching toward Dooku with the 'sabers). Again--I really like the way you color--the highlights and the shading--very distinctive and lovely. If this is from the "work-in-progress" file, then we'll be seeing more...?

FF

 

From my workinprogress folder, FalconFan? Not unless you want a mermaid, a kitty, or a very derobed (literally) angel...

Though I'm sure I'll fill it up with more doodle soon!

As for my next aim, I find myself incredibly inspired by a comment earlier in this thread! That my fanart looks a lot like tarot cards. So I thought...well, why not draw some tarot cards -meaning- them to be tarot cards, and see what I can come up with.

I just have to find a decent set to base the deck on! The only tarot card set I have at home is the Goddess deck, and it's all thoroughly different, with the cards renamed to suit various Goddesses. Very pretty, mind...

Anyway - that's what's next, unless I get distracted by another doodle!

 

FalconFan got it right on the nose when he mentioned the posing with Anakin advancing and Dooku retreating. It works well here. And nice work on the lightsabers; they've got a very cool glow.

I'm excited to hear you're making tarot cards! I can't wait to see how they turn out.

 

Thankyou wicktone! Well it was your idea, after all *grins* The worst thing about it is there'll have to be backgrounds, hahah!

 

Okay...so this post is my How To Colour Like TA, and also showing off my most recent, and oldest Star Wars picture.

This is my step by step image:

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Liikuma/howto.jpg]

This Amidala has been sitting around in my work in progress file forever. And when it was suggested I have another look, well I did; and I found her. I was unhappy with her because her eyes was in the wrong place, and because the layers were confusing me way too much - I couldn't remember where I'd put what. So I deleted it all the way down to the lineart again, and then I thought - well, while I'm here, why don't I make it into a quick -this is how- for you guys... So I did, and this is where my story begins

The first thing I did was move her eye.

I masked the picture then, which makes it transparent ( and makes the line art slightly transparent too ), and then I shoved a nice white background underneath. On a new layer, I coloured everything in, and then using the last colour, which was for the fur ( which I hadn't coloured ) I just changed the colour of the background. This let me highlight the fur straight away with splodges of black, which I then blurred in.

I put in a new layer, and then did the highlights on that, blurring them to make them look right, and adding the layer on top of Amidala's face, and then another layer for her eyes, to keep it all tidy, and such.

My last bit was her hair and the fur, which I managed by going back to the colour layer, and using the darken to tool and the lighten to tool to bring out the shadows and highlights; then smudging it all on top very finely, to make it look a little furry.

And then finally, I went back to the very first layer, and meddled with the contrast to make the black lines stand out just a little bit.

To clear up my lines in the final piece, I softened the image, resized it, and then sharpened it. It works reasonably. Normally I'd have just softened the layer with the lines on it, but I was feeling lazy by that time, and I couldn't be bothered to figure out which layer my lines were on any more (besides...I should have just renamed them in the first place!)

And the finished piece:

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Liikuma/am7.jpg]

 

I like that you were able to make the fur details on her costume really look like fur. Nicely done.

 

Ah, great job on the Amidala. It looks like you spent a good amount of time getting the drawing correct and the subdued colour palette suits the image. I'm sure a lot of people will appreciate your colouring tutorial, as well.

Although it wasn't my favorite of the movies, I've always liked the visual 'look' of everything in the Phantom Menace more than any of the other films. The elaborate costumes, the locatations on Naboo and Tatooine... great stuff.

 

First of all wonderful work all round! I've enjoyed looking at every image you've given us the chance to see here.

I particular love your portrayal of the Queen's red dress costume. It so wonderful, especially the fur lining and headress. Well done!

Hope to see more work from you soon.

Oh and I got a lot of giggles from the Luke skewering Mara pic. Wonderfully drawn of course but I'd always imagined it would be the other way around.

 

Would you be surprised to know that the original drawing was done in the car in half an hour, since my brother was really into episode one (he's five - and obsessed with Anakin Skywalker) and he wanted me to draw 'The Queen'; so I blithely obliged.

I totally agree with you. Episode One was a beautiful movie. Every scene could be drawn seperately, and look like a fantastic piece of art all on it's own. Except possibly the Gungans - although I suppose they were beautiful in their own way. And Otoh Gunga was just breathtaking. There were certainly more beautiful scenes in the first one than there were in the following two...although I admit that probably has to do with it getting darker - and just to proove that war really isn't beautiful. Dark times.

Thank you so much! I'm glad you took the time to have a look around!

Well, that is true. I don't like her very much though... >.> It's funnier if you think it's before any children have been born to them - and simply a manifestation of Luke's fear of fatherhood. JK

The secret is lots of layers, and a lot of patience to try and get the edges to match up; since it's all done under the lines. I'm glad it came out so well though.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone for visiting my thread, and having a look through my pictures. When I have an inch of time, I have an R2D2 and another Amidala (I was feeling brave) to upload. I was planning to draw another picture earlier, but the idea has escaped me...

 

It's funnier if you think it's before any children have been born to them - and simply a manifestation of Luke's fear of fatherhood

ROTFLOL!! Maybe that's what made Anakin turn in Episode III, the thought of all those nappies. Hmm...choices choices.... 3 am feeds or helping to establish a dictatorship and destroying all the jedi? I think I know which one I'd prefer.

*succumbs to another fit of insane laughter*