Zobragas

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Learn to draw so darn well? I would lik to start so I can draw some ideas I have for some heroes. But I suck. I don't really want to go through an art class (complicated reason. Don't want to get into it). Were you all just self taught. Are there any books or websites you can go to?

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Hmmm. First: For me, like any kid, I scribbled and drew all the time. But then, in Jr. Highschool (7th grade) I first tried copying a comic book cover. (It might've been one of Jim Starlin's Captain Marvel covers, can't quite remember) That what really got me going. Lots of practice, sure. And yes, quite a few art classes! (from Jr. High, Highschool, and college) Thus, I am not self taught. But I do continue to learn every day, with or without instructors. But (and I'm using a lot of "buts") I must say, the classes and instructors (well, most of them) were all very helpful & I'd be waaay back without them.

Today, you are lucky, tho! There are indeed tons and tons of helpful art instructional resources that I didn't have back in those early days. There's plenty of internet websites and art forum/communities out there just waiting for you.

Threedy.com is a good one, and not just for 3d modeling either!

I always like to recommend the book "Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain" by Betty Edwards.

The Drawing On The Right Side website

Another recent book I got that I rather like is ""Action Cartooning" by Ben Caldwell.

I do think solid, basic foundation is a really key thing -- and add a heavy dollup of practice, practice, practice. But also: Desire. I had a friend who said he wanted to learn, but got bored and frustrated in days and never continued.

You don't have to go to school to learn, and not every "art teacher" is good. But a truely good art teacher is GOLDEN! But Gill Bates is self-taught, and he's fabulous!

There's another book I like on cartooning, its a red-cover paperback - but I can't remember the name right now.

and hey! there's people on this forum who'll gladly offer you help!

But first and formost! you gots to let go of this:
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But I suck.

[/ QUOTE ] cuz, like, dude! You don't. Everybody starts somewhere.

EDIT: also, just type "Learning to draw" in google and look at all the websites!

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All right all right all right, lol! This is the oldest piece of art I could find right now. I drew this sometime during or after highschool so I was.. maybe 18? *shrug*

Misc. Art

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and it STILL doesn't suck! Haha! Great stuff, Gill!

Hope I'm not too late for this party!

I managed to dig up some old work of mine, but the earliest I can reach is 1980's ~ around college time. There's more. I can see it, its only about three feet away. (ahem) under about 15 year's worth of jun -- er, very necessary, and sentimentally valuable stuff!

Anyway - some of it was kinda big and had to be scanned in pieces, then pasted together in photoshop. Its kinda all over the map, quality & stylistically.

My Vintage Image Gallery

I'm actually pretty pleased with 'em! (ah, memories!) As to everyone else's "vintage" work - Great stuff! - so many to see by now!

Gill - okay, when do we get to see those drawings from when you were 7 years old?

CuppaSquirrels - I love the "Ayanei - Death From Above" pic!

New Eden - I can only get the link to your Deviant Art page to work! wait, I can also see the "UnDeadTed" pic - which I really dig!

Starchasm - nice photo manip, can't wait to see the "huge cache" of other drawing!

DarkJedi - I dunno man, that one looks kinda familiar

Innovator - Wow, thats a pretty hot painting! and I, too, remember the days fo the Remorhaz and the Thri-keen (or was it Thri-Kreen?, maybe I don't remember so well )

Graver - Man! Even in the earliest stuff you can see the conceptual artist bursting through! All those characters! Wonderful stuff! I think my favs are "Mutants and their Space Ship: '89" and "More characters "

Serrate - for some reason the "Plasma Bot" just pops out to me - simple, but it pops!

CuppaRowr - yeah, big, sweeping strokes, from the shoulder! "no little scrathy lines" as my instructors used to say. Had one who said: "if I had things MY way, you'd all be drawing Life Size like I had to!"

_Lush_ - Hey, those're cool! Ya know, I just recently got ahold of some old sunday funnies pages with comic strips from way back - and your stuff reminds me of them!

Crimson_Jimson - wow, Elfwood! I haven't thought of that place in years! That first image - "Beryl" thats tight. Clean, and I dig the pose. and "Calmert" - Great, great armor plate! Good stuff!

DracoExMachina - I think "Amazon Mouse" is my favorite. And hey, ya gotta draw whuts ya like!

Nightchill - Hey - those're both great! Welcome back to drawing! (does that sound corney? )

_aZa_ - another Fight Club ref (I suppose I oughtta rent that some day)

Greymist - Champions! I remember that! I like the Atomic Knight in your Deviant Art gallery, too!

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And now presenting Cuppajo! Large and in charge and in full color! I think I shall call this "Breakfast of Champions!"

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Hey, thats really slick! Very, very nice, Innovator! (built-in coffee warmer!) The coloring is so clean! Bravo!

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I would draw you something but I can't draw really and don't have a scanner hooked up... Maybe some day though

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Hey -- "drawing" is just a skill, like anything. If its sumthin ya wanna do, then go for it. We all start some place, and work our way out from there. Heckfire, I've seen people who used nothing more than an old ball-style mouse and MS Paint and they created stuff that was amazing. But it does take time -- and there's always lots of different things screaming for a body's attention. But if'n ya wants ta draw, then I say: "draw!"

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Awesome website Zobragas!, Forgot to mention the Cuppa piece rocks!

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Thank you! Glad you liked it! I hope to be putting more "finished" work up on the site as I go.

Ya know, there was point, just after I posted the "Coffee Time" pic, that I was -- shall we say, less than pleased with it. Thankfully, that was just a jittery stage and after sleeping and coming back for a look, I'm much more pleased with how it came out!

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Oooh that looks really awesome !!

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Thank you kindly, Rowr!

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Okay here she is fixed, going with this one I guess... btw that other link won't work now. Disregard the 3rd sketch, just brain farting...

LJ

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(picture my eyes poppin outta my head -- in a good way, tho!) Wow, LadyJudgement, I think thats one of yer best pieces to date! Utter fabness!

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Great job Z! Very cool!

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Thanks, Innovator!

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Lol! That's really cute. Silly villains interupting coffee time, they shoulda known better!

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and thanks to you, too, MistressVine!

Hey Lazz, I wanted to post the pic in current state of progress, so here tis:

Lazzaruss - updated Work In Progress

(I'm trying this way - linking to the display page on my website, rather than to photobucket just cuz it'll be easier -- IF it works, that is)

I'm realizing that I need to re-work the left side (sholderpad, arm, maybe chest) so thats why there's erasing there.

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Man I love her cape! Good job there Z!

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and thank you, NewEden! Glad you liked it!

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That's great Zobragas! <,< lol "Coffee Time - My Time!"

>.> lol

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Thank you, CuppaSquirrels!

I just bought the latest issue of ImagineFX magazine, and noticed yet another new digital painting application called "Pixel"

Link to Pixel website

Supposed to be small and fast, but with nice features. While its not free, right now its only like $32 -- but, its "still in a development state" so its liable to have some issues, with changes before its done. On the plus side, it appears to be available on not just Windows, but Mac, and Linux, and several other platforms.

No, I haven't tried it yet (I use photoshop, beast tho it can be) -- but thought I'd mention it.

I've heard good things about Dogwaffle, and Gimp, tho

Hope I made it in in time! (and I hope this works my links a bit finickey). Here's my contribution for CuppaJo:
Its Coffee Time

Thanks for all you've done for all of us heroes and villains, Cuppa!

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Thanks for the comment. I am almost finished with you drawing. This what I have so Far.

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Ah! Now, thassa vera, vera niiiiice! Verily, tis cool!

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So what do you guys think?

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Hey Lazz, 'sneat!

One thing I'd suggest is to avoid the "straight on" view like you've got with the character's left hand. Its just too easy for it to look squashed and 2-dimensional. Rather, always try to tilt it away from dead-straight-on a little so you can get nicer perspective on it.

Hey, it appears to have worked - I've got an avatar!

Now, if only I knew what I actually did to make that happen? ("Ah sweah! It done toll me it wuz still broke!" )

ah. Thanks. guess I better go strengthen my clicky-finger, I gotta lot more attempts to go!

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I need someone to draw I am bored.

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I guess you missed my post a few pages back, then?

#6273382 - 08/22/06 01:09 AM

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Is it the right size? Looks a bit large to me, but I can't really tell from eyeballing it. The profile section does say the dimensions you need. You *should* be able to simply fill in the blank in the profile change area, with that url. But if it's too large it'll look funny and/or not work.

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Yeah - I double-checked that - its 80 pixels by 80 pixels

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Edit: It also might be an error with the forums. Sometimes the forums database gets sticky and they have to spray it down. Maybe try again later.

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Ah, so it might not be me.

Hello, I am newly signed up for these boards (tho I've been playing COH for a while, and thus reading the boards for a while)

I seem to be having trouble implementing my forum Avatar which is over on photobucket. I've tried both a JPG and a GIF. When I put the URL to the image in the "use URL to avatar image" spot in the forum settings - it just takes a long time and either I get "cannot proceed" and it tells me the format is incorrect, or it goes to those ugly white "your page is not found" error pages.

I've seen others who use photobucket for thier avatars - is there some secret voodoo I must do to get mine to work?
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...as/Zavatar.gif

And I did search on "photobucket avatar" but got billions of hits that didn't seem to focus on my problem.

Thank you sincerely for any help you can provide.

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Here's my rough. But I'm not doing one more thing with it till I get to see a good clear screenshot of the head. Asked for one before but i think it got lost in the thread... My PM read but unanswered... Oh well.

web page



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Thats a darn nice drawing!

Hmm, lemme see if I can get this to work.

Edit: arg! Okay, that wasn't it! How about this

Lazzarras, here's just a quick pencil sketch ('bout 15 minutes worth) http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...uickpencil.jpg

Offered for an "Art Trade" with you, if you will draw for me, my character "Shatrice" http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/Shatrice.jpg

And hey, though this is my first post on these boards, I've been watching, and there's lots of cool people, both artists and non. Be nice, and they'll be nice back.