Raven's gallery of PROGRESS! #Tzeentch Approved

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

Hello and welcome to the thread that, hopefully, will document my venture into the realm of traditional art. The purpose of this topic is quite simple, really - to post one's attempts at drawing, explain what was supposed to be done, and, if anyone stumbles on it, recieve constructive critique, maybe tips even.

 

Now, Before I present the examples of my, ahem, "current skill level", I'd like to pause for a moment to talk about where I wish to go with all that. Otherwise my presentations would be in a void of sorts.

 

So, I first tackled just a single medium, pencil sketches. My workshop consists of a set of KOH-I-NOOR pencils (12 piece set ranging from F to 8B), assorted erasers and blending stumps, drawn on A4 paper. Just so you know. I try to draw everything freehand, without rulers and such. My "end goal" in this medium could be summed up by this example:

Spoiler

Notice the gritty appearance, but with enough detail to see things clearly. Also a wide range of shades used and clear marks. it's not a photo realistic style, but I like it.

 

Once I become proficient with shapes, I intend to expand into inked sketches, line and shaded, then gradually add color. My weapon of choice would be the dip pen with a lot of nibs and inks (I already write with a fountain pen exclusively, so nib care is nothing new for me). Again, a presentation on what I'd love to achieve one day (I know they're digital but can be as well done with dip pens)

Spoiler

Again, gritty and not photo realistic. The black marks are the only shading there is, aside from using darker tones of the base color in certain areas. Also, Darkest Dungeon is awesome.

 

Daydreaming section done, so it's time to get back on the cold hard ground. I don't have a scanner in this apartment, so I made pics instead. Each piece will have it's individual spoiler.

 

Spoiler

https://postimg.org/image/sjjlfewhb/

A very early attempt, it's a sketch of the wagon owned by my OC, Natural Order. As you can probably see, I didnt really finish it. unshaded line sketch, no perspective whatsoever. More like a lazy blueprint really.

Spoiler

https://postimg.org/image/wredo5xwv/

First use of the blending stump, some clueless attempts to make the hair more detailed. Very simple shading. It's my OC, Natural Order, so the pony is supposed to be skinny. Still, she looks unproportional to me. The sun thingy shows where the light comes from.

Spoiler

https://postimg.org/image/lqj8j55nz/

My first drawing of the lamia pony OC I made for fun. More detailed hair, shading is still very basic and achieved with a blending stump. The coiling tail is an attempt to create some measure of perspective, the eye level is pretty much the same as the toon's. 3/4 face view attempt, not very succesful.

Spoiler

https://postimg.org/image/vzbpoytpr/

Duet of both already showcased OC's, since they're supposed to know each other. Added the zigzag on the lamia tail, hair looks lore okay'ish than in previous sketches. Shading is still very basic and achieved with the blending stump, same with coloring hair. Eye level in the middle of the lamia head, no floor to place the scene on other than the generic dark shade. At least te pony looks slightly better.

Spoiler

https://postimg.org/image/ekrhgowkv/

A sketch of one of the still unnamed griffon sisters I'm working on. Side full body and 3/4 face. Simple shading and darker marks where the feathers are darker (she has the color scheme of a harpy eagle). I'm satisfied with lines of the full body, could be used as base for ink. 3/4 is not my strong point yet. 

 

As you can probably tell, I've got a looong way to the examples showed earlier. I welcome critique and advice, and meanwhile, I will focus on getting consistently good side views, front view portraits and those pesky 3/4's. Later I intend to move into custom poses, and if I won't break the pencils from frustration, expand into actual scenes, with backgrounds and stuff. Hopefully.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Raven Rawne

[SomeCoffee 119]

Hey! Always love seeing more traditional art on here, it makes me feel less alone 

Also seeing the supplies you use...did you go to an art class? Seeing as you seem to use all those ranging pencils and the stumps. I ask because for the love of me, cannot get comfortable with anything outside your average HB pencil 

On your art, to start, I actually see nothing wrong with the two 3/4th's you show. The griffin is splendid and there's nothing off about the liama(which as a whole looks great.) For the ponies...the thing that's off putting is the legs. I suggest making them a lot thicker, which'll be a simple process. How your duo is interacting together is seems both cute and natural, plus your girffin looks pretty stellar, although looks a tiiiny bit too long to me.

Mind you this is only my perspective, don't let my or anyones' words change your preferred art style. And regardless, your start is fine, and I feel you'll easily get better with practice.

Happy drawing!

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

Yeah, traditional seems like a dying breed these days. Well, it's much harder to get super pro for once but, frankly, there's something great in having the ability to create with just a pencil and a piece of paper. But I digress...

 

While I haven't taken art classes,  I do have a habit of doing extensive research on things that pick my interest. That's how I learned about the supplies and some techniques. And don't worry,  it's important to hear different opinions on one's work, since the creator is inherently biased. The thicker leg tip is surely a keeper in my case, for example.

 

Also,  tried something different and more... ambitious. Things went well until I had everything done and started the eyes. Then everything went to Hell. 

 

The drawing, again a pic. Gotta buy that scanner...

 

Update: another drawing.  Mu OC Crystal Clear in a custom pose, ranting about power gaming roleplayers. Again, legs turned out too thin, I guess. But the new iris drawing method looks good, if you can even see it in the pic that is.

Image

Edited April 9, 2017 by Raven Rawne

[Kenshiro 13,493]

Your skill level is high. I am sure you can create good ideas

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

Heh, I don't really believe what you said but, thanks nonetheless.Maybe one day my skill level will e described as such. Hopefully.

 

#1 *dip*

#2 *scratch scratch scratch*

#3 ???

#4 $$$!

 

Or so I thought. Switching from a fountain pen to a dip pen should be easy enough, amirite? For writing, sure. For drawing... I'll let you see for yourselves. So I inked 3 drawings, one headshot of my OC, Crystal Clear, and 2 Teen Titans headshots. Because I felt like it doing something else than ponies. So here are the results, pencils sketches inked over with a dip pen dipped in black India ink.

 

Spoiler

https://s19.postimg.org/mt9yf5m9f/20170415_101544-1-1.jpg

My first ink. Lines are wobbly and all, gotta learn to do the long strokes rather than multiple short ones like with a pencil. Some ocational instances of pressing the nib harder and the ink letting out more than I wanted. Rudimentaty mane texturing and iris detail.

Spoiler

https://s19.postimg.org/3pgmyt9f7/20170416_220428-1.jpg

Number One on my "fictional character s**t list", Slade. or his mask to be exact. The overall shape is awkay, the contour lines could be thicker, I guess. Tried hatching as shading on the right (his right) ear cup thing. And then I learned a valuable leson on crosshatching... it's perfect for small spaces, like the eye contour, but when faced with large areas, better take a painbrush. As you can see, the black side of the mask have been croshatched, albeit in a messy way, but still - the dip pen can't keep the shade consistent, and all we see is a lot of squares instead of black all over. I'll experiment with stipping next (putting dots, like a printer). All in all, wasted ink, but at least I learned something.

Spoiler

https://s19.postimg.org/onmsww99v/20170416_231952-1.jpg

You thought I learned not to try and draw those silently judging eyes by now, huh? Turned out... marginally better than last time, if I may say so. Also, anime noses, how do they work?! No matter how I contour it, it looks off. I'll never do EqG stuff if I won't learn how to do those noses...

Hopefully next time I'll have something pony related. Although I feel like trying Darkest Dungeon next. A fitting setting, I should play the Narrator's lines when I draw.

"In time, you'll kow the tragic extent of my failings..."

(BTW, I'm being sarcastic. I know it will take years to get good.)

 

 

 

 

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Looks very good :), keep up the good work!

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

Thanks. So I was busy this week and did a thing:

 

https://s19.postimg.org/90xfck3qr/20170421_192805-1.jpg

Bust portrait ofmy bat pony OC, Gold Rush. Also, progress at last! It doesn't look too bad, even if the selection o hues may nave been wider...

Also, just ordered a scanner so the next image should look better than those pictures I've been taking so far.

[TwilightPomegranate 324]

These look cool! I honestly love the vibe of video games to it. That reminds me, are you good at making video game art? 030

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

"Vibe of video games"? Not sure I'm followin on what you mean, honestly. The cool stuff in the opening post was "where I want to be some day" section, to show where I am going with all this. And that's all video game stuff I have here really. Best I can do so far is that batpony portrait, maybe with ink on the lines.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

This just in! Raven got a scanner, and something new to put inside of it to boot!

https://s19.postimg.org/ic9vm6x2r/IMG_20170425_0005.jpg

Pencil sketch, then black India Ink applied with a dip pen.

Now, I am very plased with the headshot. It looks positively vintage. Fitting for a crystal pony OC, I daresay. The overall composition is... not exactly what I pictured in my mind. I started with the idea of Crystal Clear and her relations with certain type of brandy, how she drowns in it everything she doesn't want to think about at a given moment. Hence the drops and the non-opaque crystal glass that collects them below. The roses hail to her Cutie Mark, which symbolises, in part, her tendency to be overly self ctitical. So, yeah, gotta work on my compositions more, but the lines look better. Except the abruptly ensing shading on the glass, need to fidure out how to smootly come from shadow to light with crosshatching.