Sketching Session 3

So today I was magically inspired by Lancha, one of my favorite artists ever, who had a live stream of herself working on her latest project. Of course, it looks amazing as always. After watching it, I was really inspired to try to shade on my Adobe Photoshop, and I ended up with something intersting and pretty (in my opinion), as well as a sketching topic.

The first thing that I want to note is that I started with the lineart, and there are a few programs to separate the lines from the background. So I will talk about some of the steps that I took to get the image from the black and white lines to the finished image at the bottom.

• After I duplicated the layer, I used some programs that I installed from an online source (if you type eliminate white into a web browser you will be able to find tools similar to the ones I have), and then I adjusted the brightness/contrast to make the black of the lines stand out more against the white background. 

• Next I added another layer each for the base tones of the hair, eyes, and skin. It is easier if you are working with a tablet to get all of the edges worked out than if you are using a mouse. The layer with just the lines is going to remain on top of the other layers, so it is best to create a new layer while clicking on one of the layers below this (it helps to stop a lot of clicking and dragging. Also, rather than using swatches like some people do, I use the tool to duplicate the color that is clicked and then either make it lighter or darker depending on if it is a highlight or shading.

• After this, I shaded the skin tones. The big thing to remember is the point of light for the source of the object, and how it can affect the way that all objects in the image are shaded or highlighted.

• The final thing that I did was to work on the hair. I was not satisfied with the original color so I decided to tweak it a bit before adding in the shading and the highlights. Looking at it now, I have decided that I am probably going to come back to it over the weekend, because some of the edges are bothering me, and I really want to change how some of the shading turned out.

The biggest thing that I want to stress here is that I have not divulged specifics for how to shade or how to draw highlights because everyone has their own way of doing things. You should find a style or way of doing all of this that works for you. I am still trying to work on my style, so what you see here is a shading experiment more than anything else. Good luck with any such endeavors that you have in the field (if you so choose to delve into the world of Photoshop or other such programs). I look forward to writing about something pertaining to stories and characters next week rather than focusing on art, as I have been in a very big art binge of late, and I need to get back into my writing.

Sketching Session 2

I really feel like being creative today, so I am going to attempt to make a relatively coherent and helpful sketching session, especially since I just bombarded deviantart with a massive sketch dump. I guess that the main thing that I want to focus on now is perspective, that is, making art look more three-dimensional. It is one of the hardest things to do as an artist, and even the people who are very good at drawing may not have fully mastered it.

The main thing that I find helpful is something to look at how the body looks in different positions. They can be pictures of yourself so that you can see how your arm looks when stretched in front of you, or how you look when sitting in a chair. Or, like what I use when I am at home, you can use a mannequin as a reference. They are three-dimensional objects as they are, and when they are positioned in the pose of your choice, they not only show you what each part of the body should look like, but they also indicate how the figure would be shaded.

 Of course, nothing beats practice, but the hardest part is that when it is wrong, it looks wrong. You will be able to tell before all of the main lines are drawn if the person or object is in the wrong position (which is why I always draw the outlines lightly first), so it might be fixable before you darken the final outline. The worst thing that I find is that I get frustrated when it keeps turning out badly, so I tend to give up on that specific piece for a while. Even though I tend to come back to it by the next day, it is very uncomfortable to know that no matter how you draw it, the figure will not turn out right. Be persistent and don't give up. It will take a while, but eventually the perspective will fall into place-- so long as you practice!

Speaking of Horror...

Inazuma

I just realized that I forgot to post some sort of image this week, and I feel bad about that. Because of this, I would like to add this post. I promise that I will try not to forget again!

Also, for the sake of rehashing this... all of the images that I post on this blog are my creations. Many of them can be found here:

http://schoononover.deviantart.com/

~Schoon

Oh the horror!

While I was trying to think of something witty and helpful for my blog earlier, I realized that I hit something yesterday in my story. It is my worst enemy and a major hitch in the momentum that my story had been building for the past few weeks. The worst part is that it comes without warning (though I usually get it when I am transitioning between scenes or chapters) and it can delay any progress for some time.

It's the dreaded writer's block, and I am currently in its grasp.

My current problem is that I just finished the opening chapter of my story (of which I felt accomplished and excited) and until then it had been building momentum. I felt like the words were literally leaping onto the computer, and the sentences poured from me with extreme ease. And then it hit. Right as I closed chapter one, I thought, "Well now what?" Until then, I had a variety of ideas floating in my head that would match seamlessly with what I had on the page. When it came time to write them, they flew the coop.

Now, I am in combat mode with my own mind, if that makes any sense. Trying to think about my next topic gave me a headache last night, and left me frustrated with my lack of results. While I understand that writer's block is something that just needs to run its course, I also want to be able to expand upon my storyline. For the sake of my sanity, I will probably have to resort to writing something completely unrelated, let my mind detox from the plot, and then think of something after I feel like I have worked out all of the kinks. I know that if I go on with the story as I am now, I wold probably end up getting rid of everything that I wrote anyway, because during writer's block my thoughts are not as solid and end up sounding like garbage (not to mention that they take forever to spring forth from my mind). Oh well, I guess it has to be done, right? I hope that I can find something to work on to make next week more exciting. Until then, my friends.

Magic Example

As I did for the action/ fight scenes, I am going to add a selection from my work in progress. However, I am going to add a couple of shorter selections to show different ways to go about portraying magic (and so that you do not have to read something as long as what I posted last time). I hope you enjoy them!

Poof

• The gem in her hands, she closed her eyes and fell into the dance of the magic. Once she was certain that there would be no traps or backlashes, she opened her eyes to watch the movements of the component spells. Small black-purple threads connected each star-like point, and she looked around to find a marker that would give the power of the caster. After fifteen minutes with no success, she let herself back out of the spell and unraveled it, watching it fall from the gem and disappear like the morning mist.
   
• Standing up, she held her left hand out so that the palm was facing upward. The spell that she pooled there was golden in the realm of time, and she tipped her hand so that it trickled like water to the ground, cascading in ripples along the fabric of time.

Magic

It was hard for me to think of something useful to say for this week, but I think that I have found something that is very near and dear to my heart. As a reader and as a writer, I absolutely adore magic. It is part of my writing that I do not want to be without, and it is something with which I can express the very essence of my feelings. Normally when I write about people using their magic, there are a few things that I make sure of.

Swirling Wings

• The type of magic involved: when my protagonist finds dark magic, it sends either a shiver or a feeling of discomfort through her (or worse, depending on the severity of the magic). However, the feeling of her magic or magic that is not warped in some way but rests in its natural states brings a peaceful or tranquil feeling (for the most part). However, the magic can be jolting or it can make your character feel a variety of different ways, so play around with it and see which one fits your character's personality the best. 

• Does your character need to say anything to activate a spell? Are there certain symbols that he or she needs to draw upon (a very good reference for this sort of magic lies in the Abhorsen series by Garth Nix)? Can the magic just spontaneously take the shape that your character sets in his or her mind? There are a lot of things to consider, especially because magic is so tricky in the first place.

The best thing to do with such an ambiguous topic as magic is to find your comfort level and play around with it. Remember, magic is always changing, and your character may be able to advance how much or what kind of magic he or she can accomplish. With this topic, there is no limit, especially if there is no limit to your imagination as the writer. Enjoy yourself and let yourself become immersed in this with your character- it may lead you to something that you have never found before.