Doodling something.

Mm... Paper's from a pile of way old print-outs. Might as well use it for something.
There is a definite weakness when using printer paper, when it comes to rendering with pencil, but it doesn't matter much for my purposes right now. I need to do a bunch of studies, to get some modicum of competence and confidence back.

...

Huh. Went through a lot of my old drawings, and I had the strangest thought:
"I can do better than this."

Doodling Takes Time

Okay, these drawings are... probably close to four, five hours of doodling. Two TV show episodes and one eighties movie passed. It's possible to figure out which one, from the hints in this sheet.

They -- the doodles -- don't have much going on with them. I started wanting to do some interesting silhouettes, and couldn't. It was just, impossible. My favourite is the armor/cyborg thing and the hat.
Still, it's something to post, at least. Something.

In other news, I'll try to participate in Ludum Dare 27. Wish me endurance. I've stocked up on pizza and energy drinks. Also, bananas and oranges.

Uh, I Have a Sketchbook.

I'm trying to stick to the funny title capitalization scheme.

So.... Sketchbooks!

I have one active sketchbook - not a showcase sketchbook, just the one with all sorts of strange scribbles. I haven't scanned anything from it before this, I think.

This is a character. I'm not sure what, but sort of a... post-apocalyptic steampunk thingy. Three-four sketches I've done over the years, this one I chose to scan, just because.

So... and such. On a whim, I purposefully left the spine in.

The blade is some sort of a monster/mecha slaying taser thingy. The character is eithe carrying some sort of a  generator/battery, or have a specialized organ producing the electricity.

Definitely in a drawing mood right now. So, I'll do at least some of that, then.

I want moar sketchbooks. A couple for different purposes.
I'm kinda feeling like wanting to do art for a living right now. I'm sure the feeling will pass.

---ing ---ing ---ing

Yeah, so I'm in a weird head-space right now.

I became fascinated with the Pen tool. in oC, and ended up just doodling in large part. I think the bottom right image has close to the correct arm fold I was looking for.

In upper left, I just wanted to draw thicker arms for some reason, and... when the drawing was otherwise done, I didn't like the background, so I drew a bunch of lines there.

I was somewhat interested in the top-right, bottom-left poses, although I don't think they're all that interesting, but... mm, yeah, poses. something interesting in the armor down-left.

Huh, I think both top characters could be something Burroughsy.

So, the pen thing - or possibly a chiaroscuro thing. I like the, um, strength in using strong black and white. It can, obviously, get rather tricky at spots, but when it works... well, I like it. Frank Miller was doing Sin City when I was at an impressionable age, I guess.

What's next? Maybe something more paint-y. Or maybe it's animation time.

Oh, and this video on youtube was, um, rather badass.

Studying my failures: Pose

So... I wanted to draw a boring pose on purpose, since besides the Uncanny Valley, pose is a large part of the problem in this image. I ended up having fun, though, and while there are failures, there are also fun lines in this picture. Plus, I haven't posted anything in a while, so...

Oh! I recently ran into some very interesting youtube videos, including pencil tests animated by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. Or this clip of Masakazu Katsura drawing Zetman. Also, these pencils from DieBuster.

All in all, way too many to link. Still, wonderfully inspiring.

I Fight On! // This is definitely something I don't even

Uh.

So, I was out and about all of today, so getting something drawn got... a mite challenging. So...
Okay, drawing this was easy enough, but the end result is too workmanlike for my taste. Still, it's something. I have no idea what's going on in there, though. Some sort of a crossing guide for tentacle insect things?

I still have today's writing to do. I didn't transcribe it today, either. I've averaged about one page per day, so that's... okay. Yes.

John Singer Sargent and OpenCanvas.

John Singer Sargent is one of my favourites. I'm also very out of touch with OpenCanvas. Tragically, I started painting with a resolution that was way too low, so this ended up being pretty much pixel painting later on.

I initially wanted to study Sargent's pencils, but this turned up, and since I did intend to do it with OpenCanvas, I though I'd try just painting it.

It... didn't end up being that good a practice, due to the too low resolution.

The source was a painting called "Louise Burckhardt aka Lady With a Rose". Is it just me, or does she totally look like someone who could be the Doctor's companion?

I was happy with today's writing; I will need to start transcribing  the initial drafts to computer. The writing itself is completely horrible, but that's what editing is for, right.

Today failed, scheduling-wise, really.

Shikkari, Shikkari. Also, a Punch Line, of Sorts.

I was looking at "On Writing" and this popped up from the early parts:

     But there is a simple rule of thumb to help you decide that. Viewpoints belong to the characters who are the most deeply, emotionally involved in whatever is at stake in the scene. When you're wondering which character should have the viewpoint in any given scene, all you have to do is to pick the character who has the most to lose. THAT person is the one who is going to have the strongest goal, and his pursuit of the goal will be fertile ground for the best conflic

I ended up playing Diablo III during the afternoon, and then I went to the gym, so that took a lot of my time and energy for today - that is,
yesterday. 

I really need to get a grip here. Meaning, get my commitment for drawing & writing done daily, as well as physical exercise. Apparently my cholesterol is wildly high. Thus, gym.

So, let's talk about today's drawing.

It's clearly some sort of a fighting.... person, wearing a clothy type vest and fistguards. The hair shine is too glaring, I do like the picture-right side shoulder, though. Body is too messy, needs flattening.

I also need some reference for drawing toned bodies. Something of a issue, as right now I'm choosing to draw in a location away from my computer. Well, except when working with OpenCanvas, naturally... but I don't really have anything to show for that, yet.

The head was interesting - the current version is HUGE compared to what I initially pencilled down, but it's looking much better than what I had there initially. I'm not sure if the angle reads properly, though.
...
Maybe I should draw some still situations from some sort of a fighting match, if I want to put some more work into this specific theme.

My all around goal right now is improving and regaining my skills.

No inspiration today.

well, not exactly true. This drawing was basically random lines, which I followed to make forms and trying to end up with something not nonsensical.
Also, I sometimes draw really skinny bodies for characters.

This is pretty much junk, but there IS something I like about this drawing, otherwise I wouldn't have posted it. It has... some  energy and a bit of three-dimensionality which I find somewhat compelling. The silhouette isn't all that strong,though.

I played a bit of Diablo III and then ended up chatting afterwards, so I didn't have much time to draw or write today. I did give OpenCanvas a spin, but that produced nothing I could approve of. I did consider posting some of my old Oekakis, but the point isn't in posting something - It's in working my skills.

So, um. I guess I'm trying to write 'sufficiently' here, too. However, blogging or chatting is very different from storycrafting.

I have this whole big thing about the Silver Millennium I've -- I've actually written, but into a notebook, with a pencil. I do intend to post it at some point. Well, probably.

I may have to rely on drawing some fan arts. In the off chance that I get more than one image done per day, I'll create a backlog so that the images come out in sequential days. I'm trying to use the Seinfield method here. In this blog. Now.

Hair Today. Also, Eyes.

Elder Venus, Incognita and, uh, some random character.

My post titles are annoyingly apropos.
I'm getting some of my skill back, but I've found that I want to learn some specific techniques, when it comes to depicting materials, textures and such. I may do some studies next, perhaps.

One interesting thing I've noticed - especially with pencil - is to use somewhat cartoony level of realism, but to draw details such as reflections and texures very realistically, albeit with rough enough style that you can see the pencil strokes.

So, on my drawing craft queue:

• Fan arts
• Animating a bit
• Learning new techniques.

I'm also looking for a RPG gaming group locally. It's been a year since the last time I had a chance to play, more or less.

I'm, uh, also trying my hand at writing fiction. I'm not completely awful, but I am pretty bad. It's another thing I just kind of want to take a stab at, at this point. There are strong parallels between designing roleplaying adventurers and writing - the storytelling is very similar, but writing has the actual writecraft aspect to it, as well as the fact that in roleplaying games, other peoples are playing the part of characters, while the GM just has to prepare the setting, play the supporting characters, design plots.... Come to think of it, that's already quite a lot of work. Still, it's essentially similar to the prep-work one might do for a longer story - making notes of appearing characters, preparing locations, making sure things are kept consistent. That sort of a thing.

Hmm. Parallel between Elder Gods and Elder Senshi.... 

Draw! Draw like the WIND!

Okay, so... It's a bit past midnight here, but I still wanted to do something for yesterday. I spent the last hours of yesterday trying to play QWOP. You can Google it, if you're interested.

So... folds suck. Still, practice good.

My initial gesture of the face was good, but I ruined it, A left-side distortion too, but there's some stuff that I very nearly like. No idea who the character is. Maybe she'll grow into someone.

I read some Empowered today. Adam Warren's pencil skills are completely mindblowing. The story is also kind of interesting, although it progresses at a nice, very very slow pace.

I want to draw Skitter, I have an idea, even if I'm not entirely sure how I'll pull it off, yet.

I thought up a fantasy race today.

Basically, imagine a hirsute, rugged race who are curious and inquisitive, who build very rough yet perfectly functional items and buildings.
This race grows to full adulthood in two years, and an individual rarely lives older than twelve. They're a bit clumsy, but strong. Typical birth is twins or triplets.

Basically, I began imagining a race, that would be to humans as humans typically compare to elves. They breed terrifyingly fast, and they don't really build to last, from a human's perspective - after all, something that lasts 5-6 years is half of an individual's lifetime.

I just wanted to get that out of my brain, so there you have it.

I started out with an idea....

...but it got away from me .

I'm not very good at drawing buildings

I can't even pretend I am. 

Still, not like I'll get any better if I don't draw, so there. 

Characters, creatures, objects and buildings. That's the stuff that needs drawing.

Maybe. Something.

I need to draw Something // Funny consciousness thingy

Practice. Based on a Sargent sketch. I need to draw lots, lots, lots more

I still have no strong desire or drive towards anything, but I think I can pretend I do, which may be enough to get my body moving, which is the important part. So, I'm trying to see if I can act (do stuff) by acting (pretending I'm someone motivated).

Now, it's very clear to me, that the part of me thinking in words, the one who tells me a story about who I am, is not actually the part of me that controls my actions. I _think_ it's the part that listens to the story, so it's somewhat possible for me to convince myself sometimes. However, it seems to be horribly unreliable -- basically, I don't listen to myself, I guess.

Something nicer

Mm... Not completely horrible. Pretty bad, still.

I promised Ben something

It's not much of anything, though. I have some other doodles, too, but nothing relevant.

Something Pathfinder

Rogue, Shadowdancer, failed attempt at playing someone who doesn't talk all the time :/
The rather static posing may be because I've been thinking in side scrollers lately.

I'm liking the boots.

Something

Took more than five minutes, yes.

*edit* I hacked my paint app I've named 'JOOPaint' sufficiently that I can now haz colors.

TBD:

1. adjust image size/create new image - currently, when you start, it creates a 320x240 image.
2. Scrollbars. It zooms to upper-left and that's it... 
3. Also viewport
4. Dropper
5. Flood fill, also adjusting lineweight. Current 1px gets tiresome really fast....
6. Layers

Copying.... //Something

4e Warlock's 'default' appereance.

I bought a new HD today as my machine didn't seem to boot. In retrospect, it may have been a case of loose wiring, but I've been having issues with my XP install for a while now, so I had enough excuses to get a new HD.

So, lots of space. I'm transferring and reorganizing files, and currently there's still ~200GB to copy from the drive that gets retired --- my HD300LJ has started resonating in a really nasty manner, so it's the one that goes. This may be because my MP3s were on it, so it got a decent amount of access. Hm.

This leaves my current HD setup as 1000 / 500 / 250, which is plenty for my purposes.

not quite as something

Brought to you by the art of procrastination. *sigh*

I'll get back to my regularly scheduled essay writing now.