Hey guys.....thanks for the encouragement and support. I just got out of the hospital today. My arms are killing me from all the needles....they took like almost two ltrs of blood in total! Apparently I have some weird blood disease. Anywho....I totally appreciate your well wishes and kind support via my wife.
Mindbender ....I look forward to helping you with your portfolio...I'm not the best artist here online but if I can help you...perhaps in a small way....then you'll in turn help me too.
Radish...what you just said about me "meaning alot to some people here and having a point of view unlike anyone else's"....well...to be honest it almost made me ball my eyes out...feeling pretty low lately...so thank you....hmm..yeah....hmmm....really means alot to me Radish...especially coming from someone like you.
Thank you to the Staff of IFX for this site, may the hair on the little hobbit toes never grow too high.
Okay MB...I made this for you and I to discuss. It's a pic of Frazetta's work. As far as I'm concerned...he's unsurpassed for his brilliance and ability. Make no mistake...there are completely phenomal artists online....like Nick for instance...and a miriad of others I stand in awe of...but Frazetta....well he just holds a special place forever in my art AND heart. So I'm using him now and again most likely in the future. Just so you MB....I'm getting more than you know out of working with you...I have much to learn as we all do...helping you in what ever little way I can...as silly and cheesy as it sounds...it's well, just my way of giving back what others have given me and with whatever abilities God has granted me. We can both learn from each other.
So I found this example of wonderful line quality.....so let's study it together and see if we can draw from it the brilliance of Frazetta's ability and maybe improve ourselves with our own Fantasy Artwork....heck if nothing else...just be able to "wow" others when we play D&D with them....(that's all I ever used to do...was draw player characters during really boring games of Dungeons and Dragons since people took so long just to fight ONE silly monster...can you relate? lol)
Right ...so here we go...what can we learn from this?
Thank you to the Staff of IFX for this site, may the hair on the little hobbit toes never grow too high.
This sounds awesome. Could I get some help with an illustration I haven't had a lot of traditional training in art, but Iw as wondering if I could get some help with my third photoshop illustration. My last two were very introductory, and I think this one is where I should start getting a lot better, but I would appreciate the help. It's stilla WIP, so there's space to do things. Art has been a lifetime hobby for me.
Really sorry to hear about your disease and want you to know that I will not allow this turning into some sort of negative pressure thing, you should only do this when you really feel like it/have the time and energy for it. No deadlines, no pressure, no demands from my part. Just want to be clear about this.
On the other hand, it can be really great to focus on art when going through hard times. I have mentioned many times here that I'm going through a life crisis, currently being incapable of working. Haven't mentioned the reason though, but since we are now aware of your condition, I think it's fair that I let you know about mine. Especially since it may effect how much I'll be able to participate and how quick I will work (no stress allowed atm).
My wife was diagnosed with cancer - brain tumor - in May (atm it appears to be going in the right direction though, after her radiation treatment). However all the emotional pressure from this family crisis made me crash (get "burned out" - not sure what it's called in English) in November. I've been recovering since then and art has really been a great therapy. Actually my rediscovery of my passion for drawing and painting has been the most positive thing in a long time. That's why I keep talking about not being able to work under pressure, following deadlines, getting too disciplined etc - doctor's orders
Anyway - back to art. (saw that the first exercise was based on a Frazetta drawing - this IS a happy day! )
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso
Hey Pandaren..welcome! Great to have you here. Your piece I'm looking at that you posted is really quite wonderful indeed. I'm not really sure I'd call you a beginner however...yet I'd love to try to help in any way I can. Hmm...looking at your girl here...I can see you're not finished with it yet and really the most I can say is adjust your lighting yeah? I'd be more than happy to offer whatever feeble attempts I can offer and tweak it for you in photoshop from my own point of view. Just know though...Panderen...I like you....and everyone else here on this challenge I've started is just about me learning as much as you guys as well. We all can definitely learn from each other. Whether you're 8 or 80 we never stop learning. To get prideful and cocky and say "I've arrived" is not to have arrived at all. Both in terms of life, living and art. You have a very nice style about your work here. Like I said ...I'd adjust the lighting and think about what element in the picture do you want the viewer to focus on the most? yeah? hmm....think about how you want the "eye" of the viewer to follow when focussing on your piece...your composition and "feeling" quite honestly is pretty darn impressive to me. So jump in and participate by all means...I welcome your input with open arms :)
Thank you to the Staff of IFX for this site, may the hair on the little hobbit toes never grow too high.
Really sorry to hear about your disease and want you to know that I will not allow this turning into some sort of negative pressure thing, you should only do this when you really feel like it/have the time and energy for it. No deadlines, no pressure, no demands from my part. Just want to be clear about this.
On the other hand, it can be really great to focus on art when going through hard times. I have mentioned many times here that I'm going through a life crisis, currently being incapable of working. Haven't mentioned the reason though, but since we are now aware of your condition, I think it's fair that I let you know about mine. Especially since it may effect how much I'll be able to participate and how quick I will work (no stress allowed atm).
My wife was diagnosed with cancer - brain tumor - in May (atm it appears to be going in the right direction though, after her radiation treatment). However all the emotional pressure from this family crisis made me crash (get "burned out" - not sure what it's called in English) in November. I've been recovering since then and art has really been a great therapy. Actually my rediscovery of my passion for drawing and painting has been the most positive thing in a long time. That's why I keep talking about not being able to work under pressure, following deadlines, getting too disciplined etc - doctor's orders
Anyway - back to art. (saw that the first exercise was based on a Frazetta drawing - this IS a happy day! )
I actually thought I might have had a brain tumor too...alot of the symptoms were presenting that way. Suffice to say it's not...although I am truly sorry and offer my heartfelt condolences to you and your wife. My wife has a "Pituitary Adenoma" but that's no where near what your wife has. If there is anything I can do...please let me know...I reckon there may not be alot though...at least I can provide sincere human support. I'm truly and honestly serious when I say this...that I am committed to your success as an artist....but not only this but also as a person who walks the same human road I do...I say this to you and all who come here as well. I sincerely believe we can never have too much encouragement and support in this often painful thing we call life. Ten years ago I would have said something different....but much has changed since then...and "life is alot more different going in...then 'coming' out" ..as it were. But as I often say...Knowledge is the "what and why" ...Wisdom is "where and how"....the stuff in between the lines ya know? It's nice to help with things like art...but it's much better to help with things that transcend art and dungeons and dragons...and even playing drums and guitar....like life issues...dealing with cancer and just being an ear to offer . Okay don't want to get all mushy so I'll stop now. It's just that....I've had one hell of a painful past two weeks and I guess it just opens your eyes to what's really important and to what's not so much. You might even say I've had a "paradigm shift" as it were.
Right...on with art.
Thank you to the Staff of IFX for this site, may the hair on the little hobbit toes never grow too high.
Welcome Pandaren. Great to see the number of eager participants growing. I notice that image of yours from some WiP postings of yours, I think.
Is there anything in particular that you find troublesome about your image? I think it's coming along nicely. The only thing I think about looking at it is that the character doesn't appear to be really "standing" on the ground, since you haven't painted any shadows showing that the shoes are connected to the ground. But since it's a WiP that may be something that you haven't gotten to yet. I'd recommend you to keep working on it and actually finish your first version of it - I've discovered that completing a work is what I have most trouble with . Remember that you can always crop a little if you feel you have too much "space to fill" - a trick that may come in handy sometimes .
Once you've finished it you can either ask for advice for improving it further or be so fed up with it/consider it a documentation of your current artistic level and start with the next. The latter is what I've done with my latest finished work "Homecoming". I'm aware of many things that could be improved now, but I'll leave it be for now, content with having learned LOADS about painting landscape, using "blur" and textures etc.
Sometimes I think that we who are new to this are to worried about getting our image "perfect" that we stay fiddling with it too long - when we actually would learn and improve as artists much more if we did three "less perfected" images spending the same amount of time we spend "polishing" that last one (that we will probably look back at in another year and think - HOW could I think that one was good). Since we're so new the progress will no doubt be more apparent now in the beginning. That's why I think maybe or no 1 priority should probably be to just get image after image all the way to the "finish line", considering them the lessons they are. Easy to say, hard to live by. I'll stop chattering now and plunge into the Frazetta challenge.
Hope it made some sense though - don't hesitate to ask otherwise. And good luck with the continued work on your image - you've come a long way already.
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso
I actually thought I might have had a brain tumor too...alot of the symptoms were presenting that way. Suffice to say it's not...although I am truly sorry and offer my heartfelt condolences to you and your wife. My wife has a "Pituitary Adenoma" but that's no where near what your wife has. If there is anything I can do...please let me know...I reckon there may not be alot though...at least I can provide sincere human support. I'm truly and honestly serious when I say this...that I am committed to your success as an artist....but not only this but also as a person who walks the same human road I do...I say this to you and all who come here as well. I sincerely believe we can never have too much encouragement and support in this often painful thing we call life. Ten years ago I would have said something different....but much has changed since then...and "life is alot more different going in...then 'coming' out" ..as it were. But as I often say...Knowledge is the "what and why" ...Wisdom is "where and how"....the stuff in between the lines ya know? It's nice to help with things like art...but it's much better to help with things that transcend art and dungeons and dragons...and even playing drums and guitar....like life issues...dealing with cancer and just being an ear to offer . Okay don't want to get all mushy so I'll stop now. It's just that....I've had one hell of a painful past two weeks and I guess it just opens your eyes to what's really important and to what's not so much. You might even say I've had a "paradigm shift" as it were.
Right...on with art.
Thanks a lot Carly. What you say is really true, I have also changed a lot during the last year.
Still,
there may be much more to those "dungeons and dragons" than mere
escapism. Actually I'm more and more beginning to read LOTR as a story
about going through a hard time - if you want to the Ring can very well
be seen as bearing the burden of being diagnosed with cancer - and I
think often the fantasy art we create are outlets of our inner turmoil,
dreams and longings. Therefore I think what you do - sharing your
knowledge of art - may be as important as being a fire fighter, doctor
or good listener. Ok, I feel I'm drifting off topic now - or maybe I'm
not since I feel art and life with its ups and downs are so intimately
connected - just want to say that I am grateful for you being here,
doing what you do. I guess we could all support and learn from each
other on this trip through Mordor we'll all have to take sooner or
later. And by sharing the burden - sometimes as a Frodo, struggling on
though we really don't dare to, and sometimes as Sam, carrying Frodo
when he himself has no energy left - we can help make that long journey
a little less frightening, a little brighter and more joyful.
Ok,
enough of this emotional stuff now - time for some hack and slash!
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso
Since I haven't done any drawing yet today I've decided to do my own simple drawing of the picture (at least gestures) will be todays first drawing exercise - before I move on to the deeper analysis of. That's one powerful image (Frazetta IS a classic and one of the masters!). Brb... "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso
Man MB....I couldn't have put it better myself. In fact Tolkien and his friends...among which was C.S. Lewis all sat together at their local pub and shared their creative insights and talents over a few pints and smoking pipes. If you ever get a chance...please see a movie called "ShadowLands". Addressing the very issues you and I have discussed so far. Amazing movie and great acting by Sir Anthony himself. Not just an "allegory" but the Chronicles of Narnia AND Lord of the Rings (my favorite series of all time ...space and deminsion. And Peter Jackson did a marvelous job in directing and maintaining artistic integrity to the book series. So yes...I completely agree with you that art...dungeons and dragons....fantasy story telling...all of this holds a very special place in our society. Shadowlands addresses some very poignant and keen observations about life and art and how they both mirror one another...in reference to art and story telling. Love it ...love it..love it :) what is art after all..if not story telling?
So getting back to my Frazetta piece...what can we learn from it?
And my first official challenge to you MB and to everyone else....come up with your own black and white line art piece...using the same principles Frazetta has employed in his work. Let's say...oh.....hmmm...a week deadline yes? is that long enough? I'll of course participate too and enter my own entry. So to all who wish to participate...Use the Frazetta example to come up with your own unique piece and in one week's time...we'll have show and tell. Just one thing too...the example I used is quite complicated and indepth....a simple word of advice...keep it clean and simple...and just take on however much you think you can handle for one weeks' time ...let the fun commence everyone!
Thank you to the Staff of IFX for this site, may the hair on the little hobbit toes never grow too high.
Yes, I will try to see "Shadowlands" asap - have heard about it but never actually seen it
Sounds great. I have begun sketching on an entry for the April challenge - is it ok if I use a b/w of that one? (It's not as much action as it features an orc sitting on a throne with a jester on its shoulder). Or should it be a separate piece? (then I'll go for this instead of the challenge - won't take on two challenges at the same time atm ).
Ok, here is my own quick gesture version of the piece:
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso
A suggestion, if I may?
If the intended task is for beginners to come up something "using the same principles Frazetta has employed", it might be an idea to explain those principles first?
So the assignment is first about learning the principles and then making our own drawing.
I have decided to draw a new piece for this one (not use the static "throne room" one), trying to convey something of the energy and motion in Frazetta's work. I can really recommend anyone to draw a quick gesture drawing of it - an instructive and exciting experience.
Well then, time to analyze...
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso
)
Mindbender:
. Remember that you can always crop a little if you feel you have too much "space to fill" - a trick that may come in handy sometimes 
