Hi, sorry I wasn't able to respond sooner. Been super busy with Uni
Cubase wrote:Wow!
Sai! Checked out your gallery... nice work!
I wish I could draw that well. I love your figurine scenes too... very cute!
I love Manga/anime artwork, it's one of my favourites! And name one Manga artist that does noth ave FF7 as their fav game! haha!
-Cub. =o)
Thank you
FF7 is an awesome game
It was my first game on the Playstation so it was quite a new experience for me and what an experience that was!
mr_cyberpunk wrote:Sai's stuff looks very cool for Anime
I prefer Realism myself but I must say you've done excellent work Sai.
Thank you I really appreciate it
I've always steered more towards fiction and fantasy for some reason
Starting with Disney and Warner Bros (like Tiny Toons especially), during that time I never drew people (found it boring lol... animal lover). Then I discovered Japanese animation and I adored the various stylings for people (I've heard people say 'anime all looks the same' and is 'just a lot of hype' but once you get into it you notice the many nuances and variety
). I'm trying to practice more Western styles of animation/cartoons of people just to add another string to my bow though as I study broadly. But funnily enough my love of the Japanese style seems to peek through anyway haha.
Cubase wrote:Hey Sai!
I tried my first ever anime yesterday!
I have always LOVED the style, but never drew anime let alone never drawing at all period (I never thought I could, and everything I did was crap so I never bothered). So I just watched other anime artists, and studied their work becuase it was fascinating.
I decided out of the blue to bring my notepad and a pencil with me on my lunch break at work, and thinking "what the heck!" I sketched this (the one on the left):
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/54972280/
...Just off the top of my head, using the styles and tecniques I picked up studying the art. I then scanned it into the computer and shaded it in Photoshop (the one on the right)... although I did not have a graphics pad, so I had to use the mouse which was very hard and frustrating.
I really want to persue this and improve and be a good anime artist... What do you think?
Thanks!
-Cub. =o)
If this is your first time drawing in general it'd probably be best to gather an understanding of anatomy. As tedious as it may be as I know that feeling of just wanting to get stuck in, they do say that with any kind of abstract drawing (like animation/cartoons) 'learn the rules before you bend them'. This is something I'm still getting to grips with actually, I'm fine with heads but body anatomy and perspective in poses is pretty tricky. Any book on drawing anatomy will help, the drawing for anime books is 1 example but books on drawing for realism and so on aren't really different, it all relies on the same principles and foundations.
For example, with the head I start with the eyes usually. Starting with 1 eye I then measure the distance for the next eye which, as with realism is the width of 1 eye horizontally (unless the head is angled, might be different then). Then usually the nose, mouth, face outline, hair etc. Everything has measurements as a guide. You can measure stuff on your own face actually. Most things are measured with eye widths (if you start with eyes). End point of nose is usually 1 eye width vertically and of course lands at the halfway point between the two eyes (unless its an angled head). Then stemming from the end of the nose, the line of the mouth is about half of an eye width vertically. Ears are in line with the eyes. Animation etc. bends these rules slightly but its good to get to grips with the rules and have them as a starting point then experiment with moving the position of stuff slightly for different effects, like moving the position of the nose up slightly for a bit of a pert nose or whatever.
For the body its usually measured with in head heights.
For your first start in drawing I think your drawing is amazing, wow. I think as you practice and gain confidence you're going to be really talented at this. I think confidence has alot to do with drawing (although most artists will never be totally confident when it comes to their own work, there is always a level of confidence with their chosen method of drawing). I sense a bit of caution in the lines in your drawing that I think will get ironed out as soon as you've gained enough experience to not feel as cautious. I was the same when I first started drawing, rather straight and wary with my lines but gradually my confidence grew and so came a bit more flexibility in my lines that adds a flow to drawings. I think the tops of the eyes would benefit from more of a curve to them for example. And maybe the end points of the fringe (bangs/whatever) at either end could be lower to add a slight bit of curve.
You did a lovely job with shading. And I really like the way in which you shaded the eyes, for some reason it reminds me of the style of a certain anime artist, Noizi Ito who did Shakugan no Shana.
The kitty ears are nicely done and so adorable! Overall I really like this character, she looks very cute. And I think its a wonderful start. I look forward to seeing more.
Hope I helped. I still have alot to learn myself.
As for tablets, I have a small Graphire Wacom tablet (A5 or whatever it is) one myself. Cost about £100 or less about 5 years ago. Could probably get it for alot less now. Its done me fine. I'm rubbish at drawing straight into the computer however so I usually draw with pencil, outline with a fineliner pen (then rub the pencil out) and then scan that in. Then in Photoshop (after adjusting Levels to bring out the black outline and remove any leftover pencil lines. And going into the Channels and selecting that dashed circle thing to select all the white and remove it leaving just the black outline, may need to do Select > Invert and fill with black to pad the lines back out, might not be the ebst way but just the one I use since I'm lazy haha). I add a few Multiple layers for colour (or you can use Overlay or something for highlights). The dodge and burn tool are handy for shadow and highlights too. A tablet is fantastic for colouring.
I can't remember where the tutorial was that had the method I use for preparing linework but here's a good looking turorial with an alternative method:
http://www.blogzilla.com.au/2007/01/31/ ... op-part-1/
I would've shown you if I still had it since it was the only thing I did good at Uni for the whole year.. then I quit because I hated the culture that exists within the art schools and art industry. I just don't like it when they make art that no one can enjoy except the select few that studied art degrees. I'd rather make stuff that everyone can enjoy, much like what Cub has done. Its very simple, effective, everyone can understand and enjoy it.
