AJennyPenny

Pong Level Revamp

2012-02-23T19:48:00.001-08:00

Well I should stop calling it the "Pong" level. It's more similar to Magnavox Odyssey. The previous version of the level was pretty confusing when people start playing it, It just makes your eyes glaze over O_O

Previous version:

New version:

The new one we decided to stick with the "color" theme. We have 4 colors throughout the game: Orange, Purple, Blue and Green. Since it's a fictional console, I had to make up an alternate type of history for video games as if the Japanese got involved from the start. They have a knack for making everything super "marketable", so they might have found a way to do color in the beginning? It's still very simple and adding the screen overlay (putting a sheet over the actual TV screen to add to the amazing graphics) for the grid much like in the Magnavox Odyssey.
Like this:

Did more research on how CRT tv's worked, and whatnot. Here's some cool videos that I watched:

And of course, Angry Video Game nerd.

Why lineart?

2012-02-22T21:36:00.001-08:00

More lineart. I guess I should say why I'm going back and doing lineart. It's been taking SO ridiculously long to just sketch something out then directly go into coloring. I spend the whole coloring stage trying to work out details and fix anatomy and worry about everything BUT painting. :\

So in the lineart stage, I have worked out anatomy and put all the finishing details (and get the face expressions right) that I don't have to worry about later. I figure them all now, so I can just focus on painting. Took me forever to figure this out, I thought that since I had to go fast, that I should just rush. Then I thought, rush but be good. No.... most of drawing is "planning" stages. I had just figured that out, and it's 100 times "easier"! I also use this brush so I don't focus on perfecting the line itself. Just getting the details.

------

Finishing up the part in the atari level where he gets his hidden Atari, hooks it up and plays Super Plexxus.

Put (parentheses on the missing shots)

(closeup to atari)

(closeup on hand putting in game)

(looks at telephone)

(picks up telephone)

(split screen to wife)

(shows birthday party)

(looking at calendar)

(closeup to "frankie's birthday")

More Lineartzz

2012-02-21T22:32:00.002-08:00

I can breathe out of my nose finally! The cold's getting better, but I think I gave it to Andy :[ It's finally hitting him.
Finished lineart for the Pong level. No backgrounds in these, just Oliver. You can kinda get what's going on, but kinda weird without any other shots xD

Also the color is there just for help later when I paint for reals, to separate him from the background.

Lineartz

2012-02-20T20:23:00.002-08:00

Still feeling crappy, but well enough to be at the computer. I did some finished lineart today. These help a lot, so I can figure out details here and no mess around later. When I try to fix things in the painting stage, it just looks so bad -___-

kinda finished

Sick

2012-02-19T19:58:00.000-08:00

Ugh. Spent most of the day in bed, I feel bad. My cold got more nasty- sinus headaches and I got an infection (bladder infection, if you don't mind me sharing)
I'll try to get some more work done while in bed, but here's what I got so far.

Started kinda laying down some color for the living room wide shot background. I wanted to finish, but this is around when I stopped and went to bed to lay down.

Revamped the couch pattern. Found a random 80's couch reference that reminded me more of how my grandparents' couches were.

-----

Here's some sketches that I drew while I was sick in bed.

A shot in the genesis era. I hated this shot, so I switched the "camera" to see if it would look better. I think it does..... argh.

Cria (PS1 level) sketch. Will clean up later maybe for website.

AND Some horsies to make me feel better!

Long wordy post

2012-02-18T11:42:00.000-08:00

Here's the art for today! Some finished lineart for the 1991 cutscene, I added some things. The first shot you see after the 1986 cutscene is the wedding ring, then you see Debbie excited. She's excited to be married and to move into their new house. (Oliver couldn't really afford it, but that's why he's going to work for forever!)

Also have a shot of the parents rolling up in the moving truck. And a shot of Oliver looking at the mortgage bill when he's at his old house. Other than that, it's pretty much the same as here: [link] (ignore the crappy art, I need to fix some drawings..)

I've had to learn how to communicate things more concisely without movement or dialogue. So gotta make sure it's clear so I kinda have to exaggerate movement, like in silent movies. Actually storyboard blogs and comic books have helped me out! Here's some cool blogs that have helped me out :D

http://sevencamels.blogspot.com/
http://theartcenter.blogspot.com/
-this blog is just awesome! http://bryoncaldwell.blogspot.com/

Also, I just bought Imaginative Realism by James Gurney at the book store yesterday. Holy crap.... This speaks to me more than "art school" techniques; where they force you to paint objects in front of you all day hoping that in your future when you are on your own you will look back and say "Gee, I'm sure glad I learned the fundamentals!" Where the most important thing is why you are drawing what you see. So later you can draw what you don't see with the same accuracy. (Unless you find greater satisfaction in studying form itself, and not so much ideas)

All the great paintings, Last Supper, The Sistine Chapel, School of Athens. None of these are real. They are images in their heads that became realistic looking. And during the renaissance, there were very concrete steps to creating an image in your head to something realistic on paper (I'll quote from the book):

"1:After deciding on his idea for a picture, Barocci made dozens of loose sketches to establish gestures and arrangment of the figures.

2: He then made studies in charcoal or pastel from live models.

3: Next he sculpted miniature figurines in wax or clay, each draped in tiny costumes to see how they would look under various lighting arrangements.

4 He proceeded with a compositional study in gouache or oil, considering the overall pattern of light and shade.

5: He then produced a full-size tonal study or "cartoon" in pastels or charcoal and powdered gesso.

6 He transferred this drawing to the canvas.

7:Before proceeding with the painting he made small oil studies to define the color relationships

8: Finally he went ahead with the completed painting."

Here's a process kinda like this: http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2012/02/neolithic-scene.html

This applies to any medium and anything you are drawing. I'll keep reading the book, so far it's been awesome! He really pushes for artists to find what they are most comfortable with. i.e. If you do not like sharpening your pencil with a knife, then use a pencil sharpener.

Flash Day

2012-02-17T12:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I spent pretty much all day in Flash working with our programmer. We figured out a big list of missing stuff for the levels. Mostly the "Genesis" level. Fuuu, so not much to show other than this:

I timed and converted animations into seconds and images as instructions to Jason- our programmer.

------

But here's some small sketches of the characters.

Figured out some outfit colors for the 1986 cutscene. Oliver is a senior in highschool, so he's trying to be all hip with the parachute pants and shoulder pad jacket. Debbie (girlfriend) on the left is working the off the shoulder sweater. I remember seeing my brother's old clothes and there was always purple and green. Like neon colors were such a cool thing. Mom is still stuck with her fashion, but has a nice patterned blouse. FFFFU Now I'm learning about fashion history. 8[

And here's some crappy sketches

90's Debbie excited about the new house.

Updates

2012-02-16T08:47:00.000-08:00

I thought I would try something different with my updates. Normally I just waited long enough for some good material to build up, then do an update whenever I feel. But because of that, I don't update my blog very often.

I think it would be better to have smaller updates, but more often. So I'll be posting (hopefully!) everyday, after I finished my work for that day. Kinda like a journal for what I did.

For example, yesterday I did this:

Some more finished art for the website. Going to color.

Frederick from this era.

Old school Plexx, from the "genesis" days

And experimenting with quicker ways to color.. D: This one was: sketch >pen tool color sections in different layers > greyscale layer > then softlight + Color + overlay directly on greyscale.

The pen tool saves me time in the end if I want it to look clean but work quickly- when I can just select each area and work on only one layer. I don't know if any of this makes sense, but if someone is familiar to photoshop, It might help!

-------------------------------------

I'll get back to work, but I'll be trying this out for a while, let me know if you like it better :D

Backgrounds and Sketches!

2012-02-04T00:58:00.000-08:00

Figured out lots of things for the Cutscenes, and updated some main expressions for Oliver. Also added some things to the house to make it more accurate. Decided to add the paneling. Gotta have the paneling XD And also found that dark woods were early 70's, and got lighter as the decade ends. Gave them a Betamax and more decorations to populate the house. Basically figured out more about architecture and how to draw things for houses. Also realized that in the end, it won't be perfect. (Big thing for me! Always trying to make things perfect, then trying to tell myself to simplify. Suddenly something clicked inside my brain, and I figured out how to streamline things.)

Anyway! Here's some drawings :D

Finished TV drawing! Going to be using this shot a lot, made this one more detailed than usual.

Hurray for Betamax! Too bad it didn't win the VCR war.

Going to use this one a lot too, the shot of when he's about to play the game. There's a pet rock in the back XD

Another (quick concept) drawing with the groovy rug. TV is from earlier in the decade when Oliver is little.

Remember how it looked before?

Holy perspective batman! Part of a sequence of drawings of Oliver getting his hidden Atari console

(My mom used to hide my Nintendo 64 ALL the time as a kid. I hated it, but I knew where all her hiding spots were. )

Used 3D to get the vanishing points right. Knew what I wanted, but not how to set up the vanishing points out of nothing. I think I'm getting the hang of 3 point perspective though.

Redone drawings. It's weird, I'm saving more time by doing the drawings slowly and getting them right. But that means I won't have to tweak them forever later.

Annnd... Some practice stuff:

Was looking at some skeletons in Skyrim and it drove me crazy that I couldn't figure out how the ribs/clavical/shoulder blade worked. UGhnn

Also drove me crazy that I couldn't draw a straight line or a circle. I'm the worst.

SKULLS.

Holiday Drawin'

2012-01-17T22:40:00.000-08:00

Long time no post! Me and Andy took a bit of a vacation this holiday season and went to visit his family in El Salvador. We're back in San Francisco and back to work! I also found my blog's layout got screwed up, so it was due time to get a new theme.

Here's some drawings I did for family over the holidays:

My Brother in Law

Andy's Grandparents

Both asked for portraits and both liked it! :D

-------------------------

Here's some practice drawings

Really want to learn the muscles of the horse

Wanted to draw hair and something with the least amount of brush strokes

And a 15 minute eye drawing

Also Revamped some key sketches from the Pong cutscene drawings.

And a color test of the PS1 Cutscene

AND:

And with everything that's been happening, Uncle Sam Troll sketch. I'm so glad to be part of the greatest country in the world!

Some reasons why the US is ~~a crumbling system~~ the BEST!

#1: Safe Regulations

#2 Freedom of Speech

#3 Standing up against Evil

#4 Best Economy in the world

#5 Care for the Human Race

-------------------------

Also, Me and Andy's site isn't quite presentable yet, but getting there :D Stay tuned!

Plexxus Good guys

2011-11-21T23:51:00.001-08:00

Yay finished the drawing the good guy characters for Plexxus to put on our website :D Now back to normal work. This is the first big group picture I've ever done, took ages. About 15 hours. Recorded half of it (Once I remembered I had a new screen recording program. Woot!)

Website

2011-11-16T22:32:00.001-08:00

Hey der! My schedule's been a bit off, my Tablet Pen broke and we had to order a new one. So this week I've been working on our website design. I've tried coding, and it's been a disaster, so hopefully we'll get someone who actually knows what they're doing to get it up and running. Should be up this week :D

We were thinking of having the background of the website be all the characters from the game together. So here's the lineart of the "Good guys" I'm coloring right now (Got my new tablet pen!):

On a side note, The New Division is freaking awesome and I got to make them into Pixel and 8bit.. I've been listening to their music all week.... oAo

Good way to test out the new pen.

Update

2011-10-26T04:12:00.000-07:00

We've been planning on coming out after the holidays, so many "real games" coming out. I'll have more time to do the 100+ drawings for the cutscenes in the meantime. So far so good, just have to keep going and checking off my todo list boxes!

Here's the 1979 Atari cutscene. 12 year old Oliver skipping school and getting his game :3

(Atari Level starts)

......

.........

(Ends)

"...........DING DONG........."

(Missing)

I've been looking at SO many old house photos...... Apparently "Avacado Green" was a popular appliance color. Also green carpet. Gotta love yellow linoleum. And dark brown wood was popular in the early 70's but got lighter towards the late 70's.....

This site was a life saver for 60's and 70's homes: http://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/
Reminds me of my grandma's house.

I love that TV!

Characters!

2011-10-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Finally getting some characters in!

This is in the middle of the story. The game goes through the eras of gaming, and the character is in the 90's right now. Got his first house, and has to start being an 'adult'

........

(Genesis Level Starts)

........

(Ends)

Don't forget the things you love after you grow up :[

--------------------------

Here's me trying to figure out a style, All I knew is I wanted it with a painterly saturated style, I had no idea what it would look like though. Also needed to be done fast but not look too sloppy.

I finally settled on more realistic starting out with a greyscale drawing. Makes things much quicker and easier to control colors when I lay them on later :D Also get to focus on the values more.

I have a WIP on my Deviantart with this process, actually! http://eponagirl.deviantart.com/art/Photoshop-Process-Elf-120778448

Updated Playstation level video

2011-09-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

Man it's felt like we've been making an old (low budget crappy) console game. I never thought I would get to make a fake Nintendo 64 / Playstation game as a kid. There's only 1 thing left on my PS1 Todo list! (animation for when you let enemies come into the base) I'll tackle that tomorrow.

What you don't see are the particles, which is put in code. I hope to make a real video of the gameplay after Jason (programmer) is done putting everything together.

And here's Plexx when he does the Plexx Power up. xD

Amazing Music

2011-09-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

I shifted to filling in gaps again with the gameplay, all the missing art. It's amazing how much it takes to finish a game. Gotta be amazingly organized because the game is full of so many tiny holes that need patching. So I'm starting to fill my notebook with little todo lists.

It's nice to be sent some great inspiration. Charly Jouglet is doing the music for the cutscenes.

It's been amazing being surrounded by such talented people!

I'll keep on truckin', lots more to do!

Cutscene 4- final by Charly Jouglet

For this cutscene (part 1 , part 2)

More Backgrounds

2011-09-11T23:30:00.000-07:00

Wide shot of the house.

I made some custom brushes for the house, like the bricks and shingles. I can share those if anyone would like them. I knew I had a hard time looking for house brushes,

(my old house![link])

Backgrounds

2011-09-11T00:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the Giant Bomb's Big Live Live show LIVE. We were the only non-friend/family guest there. Got to talk to some awesome people though!

Here's my 4 drawings for today:

There's always the sketches to see what the characters are up to in this cutscene: [link]

2011-09-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

Been working on filling in some gaps in the levels this past week.

Drew more cutscenes today!

Fun fact: That's based off my old house I grew up in the 90's.

Oliver Growing up

2011-09-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

I made this to help me keep Oliver consistent.
Oh man, D; Poor Oliver, Time just kinda passed him by :[ :[

2011-09-02T05:27:00.001-07:00

Starting to paint the cutscenes!!! WOOT. Finally!

Starting off with the first one. (1972)

People missing, Think I better get some sleep though -o-

2011-09-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

Finished yesterday, I wish there was a quick way to combine these drawings, it's makin' the page longgg :[

(1979)

Wow actually this cutscene is quite topical today. Don't let girls know what nerdy passtimes you have.

Cutscene 1972

2011-08-31T00:32:00.000-07:00

Okay! Going back. Here's the outlines/sketches for very first cutscene. Oliver is 5 years old, The year is 1972. :O

(time machine music)

(Pong Level starts)

(Ends)

(nintendo 64 kid was my ref for the opening present shot )
House also built in 3D to give me some great perspective references

2011-08-27T01:34:00.000-07:00

PHEW. Finished the sketches today. At least the main ideas.

(Press shift when doing straight lines in photoshop...)

((Genesis Level Starts))

((Ends))

Out with the old, in with the new. ;__;

Story Cutscenes

2011-08-26T12:57:00.001-07:00

I hate to start half way, but here's where I left off with the Oliver story. Still getting through the sketches, hopefully will finish this one by today! D:

Ohhh the 90's... <3 Finally.

This is actually based on the house I grew up in <333 So you can say, this is what my mom and dad were doing.

Oliver is totally looking like Chandler in this cutscene.

(more of a Seinfeld person myself.)

Gradients, Strokes and Bevels!

2011-08-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

‎"iPhone" Level! SHINY. For the first time it feels like an iPhone game. XD

Funny enough this took only one day to make. While the "old" game levels took a couple weeks each. What does that say about modern casual games? Or about me? xD

I found it it was so much simpler to put on layer styles on Photoshop than to frame by frame animate pixel sprites in the Genesis Level.

In every single era, everyone was ripping off each other and following the fad of the day to make a buck. (More 'tude! More animations!) Today it might just be easier to do so.

Anyway, That Orange crystal look familiar?

2011-08-22T22:05:00.001-07:00

Since the Playstation level is nearly complete, I've been checking off some stuff from the big Todo list. Went back to the other levels.

Start up screens!

Falco with a bad haircut

2011-08-22T01:27:00.000-07:00

Oops, Guess it was nothing 8[ Stupid mole eyes.. *cue Anime sweat drop*

fern.

Looks like Cria is on to something :O :O

( Hans is going to do the voices, it's going to be hilarious.....)

------

Background finished! Added more to the Level Animation [link]

Some stuff for when the player gets a good combo! Which ever character you are pops up and says "Wicked!" Or something 90's-ish

Anyway, There's some things I worked on today.

We'll just call it "Funstation"

2011-08-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

MOAR ANIME! what's this? Atlas found something?

Never ever thought I would get to paint Anime backgrounds *o*

Plexx ANIME

2011-08-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

YESS. The Cutscene for the "Playstation" level is a Fake anime sequence.

(i.e. Tomba, Crono Trigger)

(Lol WIP)

Playstation Level!

2011-08-18T01:06:00.001-07:00

Compiling the Playstation stuff, and finally made a test animation! YAY.

Click Picture to See movie :D

Oh snap website and Facebook!

2011-08-17T12:40:00.001-07:00

Wow, it's exciting to see the website coming along! And we're being all social media face by connecting to Facebook and Twitter, too. Help us by liking us :D That'd be cool.

Gotta still work hard on finishing the game, but I'll be checking in! Nearly done with putting together the PS1 level.

Rigging was a bih.

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Plexx 3.0!

2011-08-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Genesis and Playstation 1 Plexx together. Got a bit more serious and anime xD

Rough Playstation Level

2011-08-13T21:13:00.001-07:00

Reallly Rough. But at least exported all the big things

Plexx's Crappy Friends

2011-08-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hurray for unwrapping UV's. Gah texturing was hard to grasp, but they're finally done :D

Holy crap Dreadlocks are hard

2011-08-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Oh muh gah.

This is Zion the Komondor. Those dreadlock dogs, xD

The woman of the team. A badger of course

Lustre the Badger

Atlas the Star Nose Mole!

Flying enemy!

Another Playstation Character

2011-08-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

The main guy has a whole bunch of crappy friends, a la Sonic style.

This is Cria the Alpaca, haha. Looks like a Starfox character

Plexx 3D 2.0

2011-08-07T12:18:00.001-07:00

Getting more Playstation-ish? Maybe

Playstation stuff!

2011-08-07T03:14:00.000-07:00

Holy 3D batman!!

I made a crappy model! Could maybe pull it off as 80's 3D but not 90's. Still hilarious though. It's like a horrible Crash Bandicoot beta.

I've been having a blast with Maya :D

Here's also some really rough sketches I did of his crappy new friends. Lots of anime goodness on Playstation.

(*cough* N64 is so much cooler than PSX. *cough*)

PLAX

2011-08-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

Lol I like how he looks here. It's for the power up animation.

Been doing lots of things to finish up the Genesis stuff, I think it's nearly there! I'm going to move on to the Playstation level ;D

Genesis Start Screen

2011-08-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

Finished it :D Yay. It's all animated and whatnot, so should be pretty fun. I'll put it together in a movie (So the programmer will see how to put it together, it's all in little parts/sprites.)

[animation]

Genesis Start Screen- Sketch

2011-08-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

Will be a lot more... Pixel.
That's PLEXX the Otter in the middle, Harvey the Hippo, and Borneo the Proboscis Monkey (of course, the wise mentor).
The text was super fun! I love doing this hand done font stuff!! I've never done anything like it. I learned a bunch about perspective, which I never do. (the blue and red stuff is the line tool)

HRRrrnnnn

2011-08-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

I was drawing how I was feeling and this came out.

...he's so beautiful <3

Music I was listening to --> [link]

Genesis Panels

2011-08-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

Phew. -Just- Finished up painting the Genesis controller panels. Still gotta export them, but it's 7am, I think It's time to get to sleep.

Finishing up Genesis level

2011-07-31T03:04:00.000-07:00

It's coming along, right now I'm making some fonts, so no score or how many lives you have. But nearly there!

Here's an animation Test. Enemies will be coming out of the panels.

Plexxus NES Cutscenes part 1

2011-07-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

Also, Here's a gameplay screenshot from this era:

Random Head Sketches

2011-06-15T19:01:00.001-07:00

I couldn't sleep last night and I really wanted to practice more art. But the internet wasn't working, so couldn't check references or do figure drawing..

You can see the progression from me trying to draw sorta realistic heads, then me just drawing heads in my style. I think it's helped thinking in the way where I learn anatomy and art fundamentals to help my style be more realistic. Because that way, I'm really learning and applying it to what I'm comfortable drawing.

Also drew John Marston xD Wahah.

And the grandpa from the Sigur Ros music video. <3

Portrait Practice

2011-06-13T23:29:00.000-07:00

Drawing - Self Homework

2011-06-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

Argh, Andrew Loomis' books are so good. Exactly what I needed right now. I'm seeing drawing skills in two ways, the way you learned as a child to draw clouds, and then you learn some clouds have flat bottoms, and you get better in that way, in your "style". There's also the technical skill of knowing anatomy and how light reacts and perspective and values and etc, etc.

What I have been trying to do is to mix that. Use the frame of mind you have when you're figuring out new things about your style. And apply the things you learn with fundamental theories of art and design.
The last thing that brings everything together is: PRACTICE.

That's pretty much why I've been giving myself homework. I've been drawing everyday and reading everyday.
Today I was reading some Loomis: Figure Drawing for All It's Worth. GAH he's so amazing. (DOWNLOAD HIS BOOKS) I was previously reading his Heads and Hands books, and he just sums up things incredibly. I wrote down some quotes and ideas I had about the book:

~Draw everyday no matter what
~Look at the big picture first - "In all drawing no part can be as important as the whole" "We can always subdivide the whole into its parts, instead of guessing at the parts" -Loomis
~Think in 3d, and get that info down first - "A Head is not drawn until you can feel the unseen side" -Loomis "be able to draw the unseen ear"
~"Impatience has probably been a bigger stumbling block in the way of real ability than anything else" -Loomis
~"Skill is a result of trying again and again, applying our ability and proving our knowledge as we gain it." -Loomis (same with anything)
~Remember how it was as a kid drawing. You learned how to draw something. (sleeves, hair tufts, cat noses) Don't stop. You stop when people start telling you you're a good artist and that's bad. Keep being curious.

And since nobody reads blogs, I think I'll make an "Art Tips" tutorial. I really feel strong about nothing has changed since you were a child drawing. You are always learning. And it's awesome to be in that frame of mind. Everyone is a work in progress.
Right now I'm pushing myself to learn things that are important to me. I need to work on Heads, Hands, Bodies and Perspective right now. The last couple weeks I focused on Horses and my workflow. You don't have to be in art school to learn and give yourself goals.

Pixelovely has an awesome "Take a Class" option, which takes you from 30 second to 10 minute figure drawing pictures. I'm learning the body right now.

Me after reading Loomis.

Even MORE Horses

2011-06-08T11:59:00.001-07:00

WOOT Videos!

Horses Galore!

2011-06-04T03:34:00.000-07:00

Just recapping this week :D It was allllll horses. I missed drawing horses! It was refreshing.

I started out the week with horse gestures.

Color sketch. (Commission)

Sketch. Did a lot of these for fun.

Then turned the sketch into a commission. I liked the pose..

Finished the week with pen drawings.

PENS ARE FUN? I used to HATE using a pen. But now they're wayyy fun for some reason.

It forces you to plan out and be mindful when you're drawing. So fun :D

Teal Lipstick

2011-05-30T04:36:00.001-07:00

I wish I saved more steps like usual D: I was using the same document for lots of sketches so I couldn't go back, but here's at least 2 steps.

30 minute sketch. Sloppily put the colors and features to where I liked it.

Then finished it. Spent another 20 or so minutes refining it. Zoomed in a worked with an airbrush and hard brush for details.

2011-05-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

Images are working again! Hurray! But everything is backwards.

Practicing horses again!

Cherries <33 Quick 15 minute study from life. I kept eating them.

New Drawing! -Link-

2011-05-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

Argh! I'm running into blog issues. D: The images aren't posting, so what I'll do is link to my Tumblr blog. That has a neato slideshow anyway. :D

I drew Link in a modern concept art style, I've always wanted to see what it would be like if he was in a Xbox360 game :D

Here's the WIP: Link WIP Slideshow!

Drawings!

2011-05-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

Spent a lot of time figuring out things on the body. Huge help :D I'm going to do more figure drawing after this.

But oh man, Today was Andy's last day of class! So we'll probably be sleeping all week and playing L.A. NOIRE <3

So dang excited. My friend says it's amazing so far o_o

This blog post has been delayed for a couple days now, I apologize, I was running into scanner issues. Curse you HP.

Practicing the body. The guy in the loincloth is the first I drew, I hate how he looks. Looking at those angles really is helpful. Especially for the torso, and later the legs.

Some more random body practice. Some of them ref'd from Vanderpoel's figure drawing book

THIS Helped me so much. Drawing the feet and leg over and over. Huge help already O__O

Feet are always an obstacle *dies*

THIS ALSO Helped like crazy! No refs, but I figured out in my sketching stage, I used to always draw the nostril very low. But you draw it where the "triangle" line is! See the drawing, I drew an arrow pointing at where to draw the nostril.

This was before I figured out noses..It drives me crazy now. But just practicing colors.

This was a "Daily sketch" challenge on CGSociety. It was my first, but basically you have an hour to finish a speedpainting of whatever the title describes. This one said, "Midnight Runner"

This is what I imagined. Running away from THE MAN or whatnot

This is a drawing I just started. LINK <3 Figuring out the face.

Drawing some things I see!

2011-05-11T00:44:00.000-07:00

I moved my computer to my bed, and it's a lot more comfy ($40 memory foam mattress pad from goodwill? YES?) And there's a giant mirror and more interesting things to draw.

So I did a 15-20 minute self portrait, I'm trying to draw things faster. :\
I was wearing Andy's hat for no reason. (well I was cleaning the apartment and my hands were full, so I just put it on my head. Then I thought it looked cool)
The light from the lamp is a really yellow one. So tried to also practice skin by looking at my arm. it's meh..

Now a still life, 30-40 minutes? A candle that smells amazing, and my journal. On my bed.

I did this one yesterday. Was trying to shade my cartoons kinda realistically without making them look freaky. :\ I don't know what to think of it.

2011-05-08T22:54:00.000-07:00

Quick figure study with no refs. Self portrait from life. I discovered that I can't draw myself.
Arghh. Must practice more, I'll keep trying to do self portraits to practice faces.

My hands, quick drawings from life.

Then I shaded one, trying to figure out some forms.. Still suck at hands.

And a photo study. :\ yikes.

But in other news, an AMAZING Person has a blog now: [link]
Chamba is pretty much the coolest human being ever.

Mortal Kombat Animation

2011-05-06T22:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the animation!

I kept saving as I go, so I have some old files. I was afraid the file I was working on would get all corrupt (happened before Dx)I am missing just the 1st sketch stage but you can kinda see the light grey sketch stuff.

I'll post it for kicks, never know if it will help anyone.
Man it's been forever since I've animated! <3 I lost my pen for part of it, so some is with a mouse.
I ended up finding the stylus in my purse for some freaking reason.

I used a V-cam, someone showed me it. It's kinda really awesome :D It's like a camera on flash.

Derp

2011-05-04T03:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, one more sketch before I go to sleep.

No refs, just practicing stuff

Lol Blog

2011-05-03T22:59:00.000-07:00

Messing around with blog layouts, this is actually pretty fun :D What do you think, Any suggestions? My last one was retardedly girly.

I'm off to go make some dinner for me and Andy, then watch a movie.

Insurance gargh

2011-05-03T20:40:00.001-07:00

Man these last couple days, I've been crazy busy so I wasn't able to draw.

I had to send some documents by today or else I will not get insurance.. :\ And I depend on insurance like crazy, because I have psoriasis. It's where your skin explodes like leprosy, it's freaking horrible. I depend on this new medicine I got called Humira, it gets rid of it completely.

I give myself a shot in the leg every 2 weeks ( major needle phobia!) It feels like I'm sticking a long safety pin into my thigh, then injecting this weird stinging medicine inside. Anyway, bleh I don't like it. But not more than this.

Anyway, I'm soooo relieved now. Finally going to get health insurance and I'll keep being healthy!

-------------------

By the way. Thanks so much for all the freaking amazing comments on my Portal picture. Some comments really touched me, like the one on the bottom of this page

After that picture though, I realized I needed to practice hands more.. I drew some bammes studies, trying to figure out the bones under the hand. They're tricky :\

Andy was drawing with me in my sketchbook, here's his sketches! :D! Cutie pah <3

We were making fun our old teacher's dumb sense of humor

And here's some digital gesture drawings.

60 second.

30 second

and 15 second drawings

Portal 2 WIP

2011-05-01T15:30:00.001-07:00

I saved different files, just in case I had to go back, so I'll post some of the process.

2011-04-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

Drew these while watching Mortal Kombat being played.

Quick digital drawings.
I really really like drawing quickly I've discovered.. This was nice to see what I recognized and drew quickest. Super helpful! I know that I need to understand hips better. How that all connects.. But I think I'm starting to get necks.

I like drawing quick, but it does look yucky :\ hm. not sure what to do.

2011-04-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

Working on the game. Andy's been super sick, so I've mostly just been with him.

But here's some studies. Also painted a faux Atari 2600 cover, which was tricky. They used to love space, ships and highlights. :O.

we were playing lots of Mortal Kombat, so a Kitana sketch

2011-04-23T00:23:00.000-07:00

Ahah.. Avert your eyes if you're sensitive, but man such a good skintone exercise. I saw an artist that had this idea. I searched nude girl, and course got lots of porn images, but they all have such good lighting? :D And so much skin to paint. Good study, I learned a lot.

1 hour exactly! sketch
And some mouth studies

Shtuff

2011-04-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

I learned a lot on the next picture, about color. I was reading Marta Dalhig's tutorial on noses, so I drew pretty much the same picture.

I learned about contrasts, dark grey looks white next to dark colors. It sounds obvious, but now it clicked. It looks so nice making subtle contrasts.

Also on how to pick colors, instead of mixing them on the document, like I see a lot of people do, I up the amount of... Red or something in the Color picker. I'm just used to Flash so this works for me.

40 minute drawing

I realized I needed to study eyes and noses more. But lips especially, but my hand started to cramp up, so I'll do that tomorrow.

Hello!

2011-04-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

Here's me just posting some stuff from earlier this week :3

I've been testing out lots of different blogging/website things? And posting things on photobucket, trying to see what works best for me to get into the "groove" of updating a bunch. I like this one a lot :D But I'll keep exploring Tumblr, and all that.

15 minute head

40 minute speedpaint from photo

Wow!

2008-09-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

I have a blog?!
Let's have some fun! :D