Post by Brownie on Nov 21, 2024 19:15:55 GMT -5
I've been trying to doodle something at least every other day, and I thought instead of scattering that around many threads, I'd make a central thread so I can look back and track some improvements!
Also, because I am in the "actively trying to improve" segment of my art journey, I'd love constructive criticism or to hear things that don't look quite right so I can work to fix them in later pieces! Especially anyone who is confident with anatomy. seriously, any tips/redlines would be SO appreciated. I'm still a novice working in perspective and its super tough for me because I got the aphantasia which makes it SUPER hard if I can't find a good reference at the angle I want </3
I'm also taking this month to work on shape language, faces, and expressions. So there will be quite a few headshots in simple perspective (either side or 3/4ths) so I can focus on those aspects of character ^^
(my own commentary is BELOW the art it describes ^^)
NOV 2024
Smokestar from PaintedClan for her ref. I like her expression, but the black of her face makes her face shape hard to read, and her head should be a little taller, I think. Her colors are a bit more complex than I usually allow my designs to be, but I think it works for her and it wasn't too hard to color her for her other drawings, so I don't think I need to simplify further. We'll see.
Spoiler for this Ichorblaze, because NEON COLORS, EYESTRAIN
I'm actually fairly happy with this Ichorblaze! I think the paws came out well, which I HELLA struggle with usually. Esp that closer back one--as soon as I sketched it, I felt I had nailed the weight of her and the angle of the claws. The face is a bit lazy and hard to read with the busy color pallet. I got a bit lazy after failing to have a good open-mouth pose work, so I just slapped something on to finish it and called it a day. Because I'm trying to only spend like, a max of 1-2 hours on posing/line (enough to put work in to get it right, but I don't want to sit and tinker the same failing pose over and over for these. I want to keep them moving)
Back to headshots. I diluted the colors somewhat to make them easier on the eyes. I dislike how I placed the horns so parallel to the line of the ears, they get a bit lost that way. If I opposed the lines and put them to different angles, they would have been far more striking. I liked the simplified eye from the first Ichorblaze, so I kept that and I'm a huge fan of that style for her. She doesn't look overtly feline in this image, more canine really, but I don't mind that so much for sparklecats. I think I did okay with keeping her looking "sharp"
Oh Leafydusk how I failed you. I don't mind this portrait too much, but man his face looks so squished. He's supposed to have a longer, angular muzzle and I missed that mark, and his head is far too small for those sideburns. I like the shape of them, and the size is honestly fine, but man I shouldn't have made them the bright color on top of that. Also I would completely redo the placement of his golden dapples. I just slapped them on and they really don't serve the purpose they should.
Sheerstar! I spent the most time on this lineart and it shows. I really should do this varied line weight more often it's pretty sick and gives a lot of depth. Still not a huge fan of her tail, but I figured out that it was easier to make the shape and take inward cuts rather than fluff outward and that REALLY helped. She's supposed to be like, in a C shape while turning, with her chest somewhat forward and her hips facing somewhat back with a curved spine, but I didn't kink the spine enough so I don't think that pose and the body depth really reads. Shadows could have been a good crutch, but I should have been able to give the same feeling with the spine line, I just. Couldn't figure it out lmao.
I like her expression, but her face still feels very flat. I tried to use the scar to help show the planes of her face but uh. I think it just made her feel flatter. Oop. I like her paws at this angle, esp the front ones. Tho her chest should be farther forward, her shoulder farther back, which would have also helped with the turning motion, but I couldn't figure out how to connect the neck when I made those changes so I chickened out oop.
Spirefang. I'm not happy with his ears, the grey of his stripes, or the pattern. But I didn't have time to iterate much so this is a good representation of just slapping things on the page. This took like... maybe an hour? less? which is good, because it's already much better than something I would spend a whole day+ on a few months ago lmao I do want to work on speed a tiny bit, just so I can maybe do some actual comic pages without it taking literally months ya know
Oceanfate! Decided to try smooth lines, though uh. it doesn't really work for him, because he doesn't have much pattern to show that off. Oh well.I don't like his lineart color (lighter looks worse...), might make a version with black lines and dark grey fur like you're supposed to do. heh Redid that while cropping
Talonfleck sketchy boi
Also, because I am in the "actively trying to improve" segment of my art journey, I'd love constructive criticism or to hear things that don't look quite right so I can work to fix them in later pieces! Especially anyone who is confident with anatomy. seriously, any tips/redlines would be SO appreciated. I'm still a novice working in perspective and its super tough for me because I got the aphantasia which makes it SUPER hard if I can't find a good reference at the angle I want </3
I'm also taking this month to work on shape language, faces, and expressions. So there will be quite a few headshots in simple perspective (either side or 3/4ths) so I can focus on those aspects of character ^^
(my own commentary is BELOW the art it describes ^^)
NOV 2024
Smokestar from PaintedClan for her ref. I like her expression, but the black of her face makes her face shape hard to read, and her head should be a little taller, I think. Her colors are a bit more complex than I usually allow my designs to be, but I think it works for her and it wasn't too hard to color her for her other drawings, so I don't think I need to simplify further. We'll see.
Spoiler for this Ichorblaze, because NEON COLORS, EYESTRAIN
I'm actually fairly happy with this Ichorblaze! I think the paws came out well, which I HELLA struggle with usually. Esp that closer back one--as soon as I sketched it, I felt I had nailed the weight of her and the angle of the claws. The face is a bit lazy and hard to read with the busy color pallet. I got a bit lazy after failing to have a good open-mouth pose work, so I just slapped something on to finish it and called it a day. Because I'm trying to only spend like, a max of 1-2 hours on posing/line (enough to put work in to get it right, but I don't want to sit and tinker the same failing pose over and over for these. I want to keep them moving)
Back to headshots. I diluted the colors somewhat to make them easier on the eyes. I dislike how I placed the horns so parallel to the line of the ears, they get a bit lost that way. If I opposed the lines and put them to different angles, they would have been far more striking. I liked the simplified eye from the first Ichorblaze, so I kept that and I'm a huge fan of that style for her. She doesn't look overtly feline in this image, more canine really, but I don't mind that so much for sparklecats. I think I did okay with keeping her looking "sharp"
Oh Leafydusk how I failed you. I don't mind this portrait too much, but man his face looks so squished. He's supposed to have a longer, angular muzzle and I missed that mark, and his head is far too small for those sideburns. I like the shape of them, and the size is honestly fine, but man I shouldn't have made them the bright color on top of that. Also I would completely redo the placement of his golden dapples. I just slapped them on and they really don't serve the purpose they should.
Sheerstar! I spent the most time on this lineart and it shows. I really should do this varied line weight more often it's pretty sick and gives a lot of depth. Still not a huge fan of her tail, but I figured out that it was easier to make the shape and take inward cuts rather than fluff outward and that REALLY helped. She's supposed to be like, in a C shape while turning, with her chest somewhat forward and her hips facing somewhat back with a curved spine, but I didn't kink the spine enough so I don't think that pose and the body depth really reads. Shadows could have been a good crutch, but I should have been able to give the same feeling with the spine line, I just. Couldn't figure it out lmao.
I like her expression, but her face still feels very flat. I tried to use the scar to help show the planes of her face but uh. I think it just made her feel flatter. Oop. I like her paws at this angle, esp the front ones. Tho her chest should be farther forward, her shoulder farther back, which would have also helped with the turning motion, but I couldn't figure out how to connect the neck when I made those changes so I chickened out oop.
Spirefang. I'm not happy with his ears, the grey of his stripes, or the pattern. But I didn't have time to iterate much so this is a good representation of just slapping things on the page. This took like... maybe an hour? less? which is good, because it's already much better than something I would spend a whole day+ on a few months ago lmao I do want to work on speed a tiny bit, just so I can maybe do some actual comic pages without it taking literally months ya know
Oceanfate! Decided to try smooth lines, though uh. it doesn't really work for him, because he doesn't have much pattern to show that off. Oh well.
Talonfleck sketchy boi
