Trying out different things

[Crombie 32]

Trying out some new things and sucking at doing so.

 

Anyway, let me just post my image, and let me state what I think I need to study and work on. (Just a self criticism, don't get mad at me or say I'm "fishing for compliments", because I always go over whatever I just got done drawing in a matter similar to this.)

 

 

 

 

 

First off, I wanted to draw this after seeing Pix3M's archer pixels. It looked cool so I wanted to try drawing a pony with a bow and arrow.

 

Now, I hate how I was lazy and didn't even bother looking up visual reference for the bow and arrow. (It would have really helped out if I had.) I just tried drawing from memory and failed. (Really want to kick myself over it.)

 

It's starting to bother me how much of the anatomy the image as well as the show breaks just to get a much more humanized feel. In this image for instance look at the "front legs". They don't work that way on a real pony!!! For some reason every time I'm drawing a pose like this I'm constantly fighting my mind to try and break the anatomy rules in a way for something like this to work. The only way this works in my mind is to go uber cartoonish and apply anthropomorphism. I'm sorry it's just something that's been bothering me lately because I did a small anatomy study on ponies the other day. (I did get to apply some of my learnings to the back legs though.)

 

The coloring is the most experimental thing on here. I've never used a coloring technique like this before. What I did was use the marker tool with a low opacity and a different brush than what I'm used to and it was fun to study it, but IDK. I'll try and keep up with it some more.

 

The wings annoy me because on birds the feathers completely to the body, but in this image I stopped them at one of the joints. Also the wing in the background doesn't look connected to the body at all. I tried to get its placement right but I just couldn't get anywhere to work I moved it around like 30 something times, nothing. I just gave up and went with it, which makes me feel lazy and stupid.

 

Parts of the hair (again I've never drawn with this shading technique before) seem to work with the shading and some don't. (Mostly on the head.)

 

I feel I didn't detail the feathers enough to where people can tell they're feathers.

 

The background is way too unreasonably rushed and boring. Like I feel I could've done something elaborate and decorative, but no I couldn't think of something, so you get boring, hardly any effort at all clouds.

 

^Anyway that's my self criticism. Got anything you can add or a good tutorial you can send me that would help me? Because I'm considering just doing some more realism studies, but on items like weapons and stuff. (They tend to show up quite a bit, so yeah.)

[Flaret 240]

I really like the colouring on this piece, especially her eyes! You're right about some things, like the wings. Maybe it would suit your style better if you would connect them to the body completely, that's what I do. They would then run until the part where her hind legs begin, more or less. Also, I think you made her hind legs a tiny bit too big, if you compare them to the front legs they are a good bit too long. I don't see a lot wrong with the anatomy of her 'arms' really. In the show they don't always stick to what's possible for a real horse, either. Just take a look at Pinkie pie! As for the shading, I think her right hind leg has a bit too much lighting that I think her body would normally block, but it isn't that big of a deal.

 

I'm trying to be constructive, I really like your piece and the style and it looks amazing already, but that's just some small things I noticed, just trying to get you some useful feedback ^^

[SweetJeans88 408]

i think the experimental style works here. it adds texture and hints at a furry/feathery coat and adds realism to the hair. i agree with most of flarets comments so i wont repeat them. the back wing? hmm maybe if you flipped it horizontal and brought it behind her head. youd see the back of the wing from this angle, not necessarily the underneath. unless maybe if you didnt flip it and just shifted/rotated it under her chin. the foreshortening would be difficult there tho to get it in perspective :/

 

hopefully i helped a little...

[Dusty Soul 2,614]

Those wings are just beautiful, plus the colors are really awesome! I also love her eyes, but the back legs look a little fat to me, oh well, it looks awesome.

[Modphase 1,273]

Wait, wait, you think that you're sucking at this? This is awesome! It really reminds me of Pitt from kid Icarus. Everything you drew here was very realistic, especially the shading and the eyes. You did a very good job at this!

Edited October 3, 2012 by Modphase

[Crombie 32]

Before I start let me state that I'm sorry for delays, I've been really busy working on physics and programming stuff lately and all my professors decided to put their tests, homework, and reports due this week. (Next week's fall break, so expect me to be posting some stuff.)

 

You're right about some things, like the wings. Maybe it would suit your style better if you would connect them to the body completely, that's what I do. They would then run until the part where her hind legs begin, more or less. Also, I think you made her hind legs a tiny bit too big, if you compare them to the front legs they are a good bit too long. I don't see a lot wrong with the anatomy of her 'arms' really. In the show they don't always stick to what's possible for a real horse, either. Just take a look at Pinkie pie! As for the shading, I think her right hind leg has a bit too much lighting that I think her body would normally block, but it isn't that big of a deal.

 

I'm trying to be constructive, I really like your piece and the style and it looks amazing already, but that's just some small things I noticed, just trying to get you some useful feedback ^^

 

I like the idea of attaching the wings to the body completely. I've recently been doing studies on birds and how their wings work. Learned a lot of cool stuff about them too. (Bird wings fully attach to their bodies as well.) So I'll probably be trying that out. Also, I see what you mean about the legs being bigger than normal, I was trying to get them to reference the structure of an actual pony's back legs a little better, but I got the proportions a little off and they ended up too big, it's not that hard of a problem to fix though, so I'll probably watch it a little better next time.

 

Thanks for the constructive criticism. I appreciate it.

 

i think the experimental style works here. it adds texture and hints at a furry/feathery coat and adds realism to the hair. i agree with most of flarets comments so i wont repeat them. the back wing? hmm maybe if you flipped it horizontal and brought it behind her head. youd see the back of the wing from this angle, not necessarily the underneath. unless maybe if you didnt flip it and just shifted/rotated it under her chin. the foreshortening would be difficult there tho to get it in perspective :/

First off, capitalization is important, as well as apostrophes. lul (This is a learning thread, no exceptions.)

 

Anyway, the "style" I tend to use is like a 24/7 Frankenstein's monster. Sometimes I want some aspects to be more cartoonish, sometimes I want them to be more realistic. I try to keep it inconsistent with something new almost every time, unless I'm working on a project or (in the ungodly circumstance) a person wants me to do something specific for them. Also, the main problem with the back wing is that it's really misplaced I know how to fix it now. As I said, I've been studying wings in my spare time, so hopefully that'll really help me find out in fixing those problems.

 

Those wings are just beautiful, plus the colors are really awesome! I also love her eyes, but the back legs look a little fat to me, oh well, it looks awesome.

 

What you talkin' bout?! The wings are the most messed up thing on here. lul (I think I already posted about the legs.)

 

 

Wait, wait, you think that you're sucking at this? This is awesome! It really reminds me of Pitt from kid Icarus. Everything you drew here was very realistic, especially the shading and the eyes. You did a very good job at this!

 

Pit, one "t", not two. (I had to, sorry.)

 

Thanks, but I think you need to work on your detection skills. In a more RPG-ish way of saying this, art requires two elements to be leveled up (they both have their sub elements under them that need to be worked on to get the total level up, but that's another discussion.) One is detection, this is your ability to see problems and know where they are forming in the image. The other is drawing skill, basically knowing what to do and how to fix the situations detected. Your detection skills will normally exceed your drawing skills,or at least if you're me, and this'll make you know where your mistakes are, but be fairly unsure on how to correct them. Leveling up the skills requires you to do studies and learn how to handle situations and detect problems earlier.

 

Anyway, I'll probably be posting my study on bird wings Saturday, and to keep it in the Fan-art category I'll draw some Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy in it, and apply the method I plan to use on tackling this problem. (I'd get to it earlier, but physics!)