mistformsquirrel

Very cool >_<! Thank you so much <^_^>

And yeah >,<

I had an art teacher... how do I explain this <;_;>...

About 3 and a half years ago - I was in art classes, (I took 6 in total)

The problem boiled down to this: I wanted to draw anime, my teacher *HATED* anime/cartoons with a passion. So rather than try to explain that I needed skills in realistic stuff to draw more cartoony things... she just kind of said "WHY DO YOU DRAW THESE HORRIBLE CARTOONS?!?!"

<;_;> With motivation like that...

Hardly all her fault though - I wish I'd listened at least insofar as the information. I just shut it all out and I'm really paying for it now <_ _>;

Hopefully >.< I shall improve greatly in the next few weeks. There are some very realistic anime styles out there (Take Jin Roh for instance) and those are some of my favorites. (Obviously, I do enjoy the huge eyes too! But some of my favorite artwork is the grittier more realistic stuff)

And there's of course like I said >.< stuff that just doesn't suit that style <_ _>

I just wish I'd gotten the basics down way back when.

Anyways >_< I shall stop bothering you all, I am off to the drawing table! <T_T> Thanks again!!

*giant group hugs*

Much appreciation all <~_~> Hopefully in the next month or two my experiments will pay off (we shall see!)

I've never before found it necessary to ask for help with the exception of getting started using Photoshop in the first place <~.~>;; (PMD helped me with that) - so this has been a wee bit humbling to have to do. But I think its going to be worth it. Hopefully I can advance.

I think my biggest annoyance - is that the type of anime I most enjoy (a type few people realize exists) has pretty realistic artwork; - there are some characterized bits... some hair might be oddly colored or kinda funky, or a person may be a bit distorted... but there's no mistaking the depth or effectiveness of the drawing >< and I've never ever come even remotely close!

And of course I will say, lately I've had the hankering to be more versatile... not every picture 'works' in an anime style <;_;> I already knew it, but at the time I didn't think it'd come up for me... but yah...

Sorry for the gibberish >.< Wish me luck, I shall be at my drawing desk <O.O>

(PS: <;_;> No I don't use a tablet - I do the old pen and paper route; main flaw seems to be that my scanner is so teensy; I have to draw on stupid 8x11 or sometimes on legal paper; some of my better drawings were done on posterboard which is obviously substantially larger <x_x>; But you can't even see everything in the drawings! There's a good inch and a half more to that Ayanei vs Duros piece, and a couple more in my Photobucket gallery are like that too <;_;> its also responsible for the weird shadow in some things, since it gets kinda bent-ish when scanned <-.->

Ok, really, seriously, I'm shutting up >< I've been up all night <;_;> forgive my confuzzled state! <T.T> *offers all tin of mixed nuts* My thanks!

Thanks all >.<;

<_ _> so annoyed at me!

>.< Must keep working and not think about things that are not good!

WIN!!! \<o_o>/

I do indeed have AIM <@.@> I am (surprise!) mistformsquirrel on there >.> (I don't log in much <;.;&gt

Any help at all is much appreciated <x.x> My frustration with myself is quite through the roof at this point.

Alrighty folks >.<;;; The squirrel has a dillema... a quandry... a difficulty if you will - a PROBLEM!

I have, for years, been attempting to figure out how to do 'depth' in my drawings... shading helps, but I'm *always* missing something >.<

http://www.canvasartists.com/pencilsketch.jpg

Things like that (most definitely not mine >.< I just grabbed it off the web to use as an example)

I have no effing clue how to achieve anything even remotely close <;_;> I love doing anime style work... but I don't think I can advance much further in it without learning more basic stuff. And try as I might I'm having little luck trying to re-invent the wheel on my own <_ _>; I'm usually pretty poor at handling tutorials as well - which has made this significantly harder.

Does anyone have any advice?

I'll show you a pic I'm working on so you have an idea of what I'm working with >.<;;

The reason I'm so frustrated is that in working on my holiday pieces, and my Tarot bit too... I can see I'm getting better... but I'm still not seeing the sort of improvement I want. I feel like I'm barely above 'average webcomic' level of skill - and after 7 years+ of serious drawing I'm really really getting upset at being so slow to progress. I know I'm not very talented... I'm going to have to work my tail off to get any better, as it has always been >.< but for the life of me I can't *not* draw, and so I have to find improvement somehow.

I just hate that when I look at my work, it feels to me like something a decent twelve year old could do. And I'm 23. And I've been at this forever! GAHHHHH <T.T>

sorry <;_;>

Some examples of my pencil work (where I'm having the most trouble):

Yumii - Prolly the best of all of em.

Remn - Very new (just yesterday)

Ayanei

Another Ayanei

Yet another - '03/'04

Ayanei vs Duros - 2004ish I think... very old - the original is bigger (its done on posterboard). I think I draw better when I can draw bigger. But I can't scan anything bigge than 8x13 (I think that's the dimensions - close to that anyway)

Rei Ayanami fanart (This is from 2003 - I didn't draw the original, I copied it (not traced - just copied)) - This one is amazingly frustrating - I didn't draw it outright as I mentioned... I just copied it visually. Which frustrates me now because it looks really good in comparison to... everything else <-.->; Obviously its not really 'my' work anyway - but it shows that my hands can at least achieve it if my eye can percieve it (I rhymed!) - but why not out of my head? GHARRGH ><

Also from '03, an angel - I'd just come out of highschool a year and a half earlier (highschool nearly killed me hehe <X_X&gt so uhm... >.< that's why there's alot of depressing stuff in my older work, if anyone is wondering >.&lt I just realized how much there was hehe <x.x>

Anyways >.<;; I'll shuttup.

I just don't know what's wrong <;_;> I'm frustrated as all heck - I'd like to be able to do both realistic and better anime style things... and right now I'm feeling like my work is crapola.

Sorry for the ramble >.<; I am an annoyed rodent.

Awww... this had to come out while my sound is totally screwed up <;_;> (as in I have none)

Its nothing without the voices! <T.T>

<;_;> You wants me to maul em for ya? That blows <~.~>

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Hiyas thought Id post my Work in Progress for the Fool card

I decided to use my SG mate , Gravers Character Absinthium or Abbers as I like to call her

Who much like a lot of tireless art forumers dosn't get a whole lot of gift art

Im Doing The Fool Card and Graver seemed a perfect fit errr in a good way

Anyhoo this is my little bit of progress so far im going for a nursery rhyme book feel

My version of the Fool , WIP rough pencils

As always your feedback is always apreciated but realize that this is a unfinished rough sketch

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<^.^> I like!! It is lighthearted and fun! <^_^>

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it's all photoshop.

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Wow <o.O> I must learn how to do that >.< it looks *much* different than my own work <;-;> I suspect my own inaddequacy! <T.T>

Or I haven't figured out how to do that yet <,<

That's pretty cool <^O^> LIGHTNIN' <O_O>

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You have a cool mom, TA. @.@

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Agreed completely <o.O>

Ironically - my mom does art as well; however she does hers with flowers on paper <@_@> so its a LEETLE different from my drawings <,<;

VERY cool TA <^_^> thanks for sharing!

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Super super rough, but I think it's coming out nicely!

Spade vs Ghost Widow, kinda

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VERY cool Alex! <O.O.

Can I ask you - what medium is this in? I don't know that I recognize it <o.@> But then I know very little so... >_<;; I like the look, its not like anything I've seen that I can think of <@.@>~

Awww >_< that's cute!!

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Sorry, busy lately. Mostly sick though.

Here's some good news: I plan on getting an electric piano for Xmas, so expect to hear some songs using that soon.

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Ack <;_;> Gett better soon man!

And that's cool about the piano <@.@>b

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I do think this is your best piece! Great job!

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*nod*

Derek you're *REALLY* comming along man <^_^> keep it up!

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I'd disagree a bit to go the other extreme. Personally, I don't see enough going on. Or, rather too much of one side getting the 'thread trim' while other things just get ignored. Using your example, calling someone a 'butthead' gets a thread locked or trimmed. That really doesn't bother me too much, as it is NCSoft's message forum, and thus their rules. However, on the other side of the coin, there are some users who just spam threads with the same stupid, mindless, drivel, and they're pretty much left alone. They treat decent threads as 'Forum Games' and are allowed to degenerate threads into nothingness.

Personally, I'd like to see the patented Lighthouse Thread Weedwacker get taken to more of the latter.

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Hey <;_;> I RESEMBLE THAT!

One thing I'ma say though; I rather like how Lighthouse doesn't just delete or lock threads without *saying* something first.

I know some people might not understand >< but for me - Knowing *why* a thread was shutdown is invaluable. It feels... well more respectful. I know technically we as posters aren't entitled to a whole lot of that if we break the rules - but it feels better to not just have your post vanish into the void. A locked thread is still dead - and it lets you see what you need to avoid.

Then again, I may just be a fansquirrel <,< (<@_@> and just because it rhymes with 'fangirl' doesn't make me a girl in RL! I have nuts! BIG ONES. Anyone want a walnut? <. .> Almond perhaps? Pistachios are nice too!)

<^_^> As a squirrel, I may be able to help with your problem. You see - being a squirrel I'm an expert at cracking nuts... I'm sure you can see where this is headed...

GREAT job Juggy! <^.^> that one is *awesome* ... then again most of your work is, but I honestly think the last 3 I've seen have been among your best!

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Each card has been a delight to view, I love how yours is turning out Lily and Rob's looks great too!

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Agreement! <^_^>

This is so cool >_< I <3 Art.

Oh and you people too <^.~> seriously!

Ooooo <@.@>

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I messed up a bit on the drawing itself, but..

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Yikes!

Just realized using that smiley has more than one meaning on this post

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No it doesn't. Not supposed to, anyway...

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/comfort >.< I understood what you meant man - it was just *really* funny how it looked <X_X> not your fault at all <;_;> /appologies

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You guys are all awesome and I know you won't smack me down if I vent a little about some of the crap going on lately.

I know a lot of you are aware I got my tablet for my b-day which was basically a replacement for the one my dog chewed up as a puppy. I have been without one for about 6 years now and I was really excited to get it. But alas, it was DOA. I have been dealing with the manufacturer and retailer and because I'm in Canada, a seperate distributer to get a replacement. Finally after a month, they told me to send it back to them under the RMA number they gave me and they would test it to make sure it is defective and then send me another one.

Ok so that's taken care of now and I'm in the process of waiting which is extremely aggrivating.

Some of you know that I hurt my arm at work a while back. Well apparently I injured it a lot worse then originally thought and I still have limited use of it. The time off I had to take to go in for doc appointments and theropy and all that led to my dismissle from my job. Nice right? The base injury occured at work and they let me go because of abscences. Unfortunately I couldn't really say much about it because I was under the 90 probationary period where they can let you go without reason. So now, I'm jobless right before the holidays and I won't be able to find a job until after Christmas because everyone hired holiday help a week before I was let go. What a way to screw someone over.

So basically it comes down to being broke, unhappy and in pain. I can't draw because it aggrivates my arm too much and sends surges of pain all the way to my shoulder. If I get my tablet back before my arm is actually better, I won't likely be able to use it. Even typing hurts after a while.

Case in point, Hexy is PO'd!

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That's really awful Hex... you've got every right to be pissed off.

I can't really think of alot to say that's very comforting - but well - you know you've got friends here. Take care of yourself alright? I just wish I could say something more useful than "feel better soon" <_ _> But I hope you do.

Derek uhm... Don't take this wrong <'x'> but my more aged brain thinks "That looks bad" - and I don't mean poorly drawn >.>