Avi sketch and WoW char WIP, thoughts?

[Dancer Mylitta]

A sketch of another Gaia's OC which I did a little while back. She was really fun to work on. So cute. 4laugh



UPDATE:



Here is my current WIP. This is my new fav WoW character named Keladree. She is a fury warrior. I'm tackling a few things that I'm bad at here. I wanted to work on adding movement as well as a back ground. Needless to say, it is not finished. She is obviously not running though the forest topless. XD

Thoughts so far? Things to fix? Thank you very much!

[infernoapplepie]

Im not even ganna hate because I like your art style kinda reminds me of those Bratz dolls lol

[Dancer Mylitta]

infernoapplepie

Im not even ganna hate because I like your art style kinda reminds me of those Bratz dolls lol

Thank you! I wish I could draw in a serious style, but so far this cutesy style is the only way I can get drawings to turn out right. rofl

[Itchy the Hatter]

If you want to draw in a more serious style, you should try to do some studies from photos or life.

But if you're satisfied with this, that's okay too. Just bear in mind that this sort of style has its limitations in how complex you can get. Also, even if you do want to stick with this style, there's no harm in doing some studies on the side of reality.

[lady shanta]

Itchy the Hatter

If you want to draw in a more serious style, you should try to do some studies from photos or life.

But if you're satisfied with this, that's okay too. Just bear in mind that this sort of style has its limitations in how complex you can get. Also, even if you do want to stick with this style, there's no harm in doing some studies on the side of reality.

Are you talking about anatomy? I think that you are talking about anatomy. When I see those pics, the arms are a bit short.

[Itchy the Hatter]

dominique squire

Are you talking about anatomy? I think that you are talking about anatomy. When I see those pics, the arms are a bit short.

Short arms is more of a proportional issue -- but yes, this style could use some improvement both anatomically and proportionately, which I think could be achieved at least by looking at photos or real people and observing how long things are compared to other things and so on and so forth. Observation is a very important skill to learn as an upcoming artist.

[lady shanta]

Itchy the Hatter

dominique squire

Are you talking about anatomy? I think that you are talking about anatomy. When I see those pics, the arms are a bit short.

Short arms is more of a proportional issue -- but yes, this style could use some improvement both anatomically and proportionately, which I think could be achieved at least by looking at photos or real people and observing how long things are compared to other things and so on and so forth. Observation is a very important skill to learn as an upcoming artist.

Thanks for the tip!

[Dancer Mylitta]

Itchy the Hatter

If you want to draw in a more serious style, you should try to do some studies from photos or life.

But if you're satisfied with this, that's okay too. Just bear in mind that this sort of style has its limitations in how complex you can get. Also, even if you do want to stick with this style, there's no harm in doing some studies on the side of reality.

Agreed! The goal is to find time to work on some real life studies... if I can ever find the time. Le sigh...

I am rather fond of this style though. It's not evident with these two pictures, but I've been working in different face types during practice and I'm digging the variety!

I was worried about her right arm being too short, but I was trying to have it go up and back. It really is a lot shorter though isn't it?

I was checking out lots of examples of similar styles on Deviantart, and for the chibi types the arms always seem to be just a tad bit shorter than more realistic styles. Perhaps that is just me looking for an excuse, as I was rather proud of this piece compared to my previous ones.

Alas, thank you very much for the kind critique! biggrin

[Dancer Mylitta]

dominique squire

Are you talking about anatomy? I think that you are talking about anatomy. When I see those pics, the arms are a bit short.

Thank you! Anatomy is something I am very much trying to improve in. Little by little...

[Itchy the Hatter]

Dancer Mylitta

Agreed! The goal is to find time to work on some real life studies... if I can ever find the time. Le sigh...

I am rather fond of this style though. It's not evident with these two pictures, but I've been working in different face types during practice and I'm digging the variety!

I was worried about her right arm being too short, but I was trying to have it go up and back. It really is a lot shorter though isn't it?

I was checking out lots of examples of similar styles on Deviantart, and for the chibi types the arms always seem to be just a tad bit shorter than more realistic styles. Perhaps that is just me looking for an excuse, as I was rather proud of this piece compared to my previous ones.

Alas, thank you very much for the kind critique! biggrin

Well, art is really one of those things that reciprocates the effort you put into it. If you devote a lot of time to it, you will improve more rapidly than you can imagine, but if you just kinda pitter along, so will your improvement. I recommend just finding time in the dead hours of the day to draw things. Carry a small sketchbook with you and when you find yourself not doing anything for, like, 5 minutes, just try to quickly sketch something or someone around you. Remember: not every drawing needs to be good, or even finished. Try to let yourself go from the notion that you need to bring everything to a fully rendered and finished state. Even just doodling is better than nothing.

Any style is fine, it's just necessary to practice realism alongside any style for it to improve. Style with no basics to back it up is hollow and static.

As for imitating other people's styles or looking to their style for validation -- don't. Especially not on DeviantArt. It's okay to get a ideas from other people's styles, but avoid imitating them. Your style should be your expression of reality -- your reinterpretation of it. If you're imitating someone else's style, then you're imitating their imitation of reality. The quality is once-removed.

[Dancer Mylitta]

Itchy the Hatter

Well, art is really one of those things that reciprocates the effort you put into it. If you devote a lot of time to it, you will improve more rapidly than you can imagine, but if you just kinda pitter along, so will your improvement. I recommend just finding time in the dead hours of the day to draw things. Carry a small sketchbook with you and when you find yourself not doing anything for, like, 5 minutes, just try to quickly sketch something or someone around you. Remember: not every drawing needs to be good, or even finished. Try to let yourself go from the notion that you need to bring everything to a fully rendered and finished state. Even just doodling is better than nothing.

Any style is fine, it's just necessary to practice realism alongside any style for it to improve. Style with no basics to back it up is hollow and static.

As for imitating other people's styles or looking to their style for validation -- don't. Especially not on DeviantArt. It's okay to get a ideas from other people's styles, but avoid imitating them. Your style should be your expression of reality -- your reinterpretation of it. If you're imitating someone else's style, then you're imitating their imitation of reality. The quality is once-removed.

Ah I by no means meant that I was copying anyone imparticular's style. I just meant in the quest to understand anatomy vs style and style vs anatomy, I've been trying to understand other people's styles so that I can understand and develop my own. I don't want to imitate. I just want to understand.

Anatomy is supposed to be a rule, but I see the rules of anatomy twisted or broken constantly in the name of a stylistic choice and the pieces do often turn out very good! I just want to know in those instances whhyy it worked (or didn't) so I can try something similar with my own works or know to avoid it.

Please don't take the conversation as arguing, all of your advice is very sound and I can't wait to follow it! I am just not around very many artistic people to have these conversations with so I love to hear more thoughts from people. Sometimes people can be cruel on the internet, even though people are trying to improve... so it makes it hard to find positive constructive criticism like this.

When school starts I tend to have more time to doodle, which is when I have more time to practice the little bits that I need work on. (hands, feet, etc, etc) When I have chunks of free time now, I definitely fall into 'I want to bring every picture to completion' mode, which isn't possible nor helpful... 34 more days....

[Itchy the Hatter]

Dancer Mylitta

Ah I by no means meant that I was copying anyone imparticular's style. I just meant in the quest to understand anatomy vs style and style vs anatomy, I've been trying to understand other people's styles so that I can understand and develop my own. I don't want to imitate. I just want to understand.

Anatomy is supposed to be a rule, but I see the rules of anatomy twisted or broken constantly in the name of a stylistic choice and the pieces do often turn out very good! I just want to know in those instances whhyy it worked (or didn't) so I can try something similar with my own works or know to avoid it.

Please don't take the conversation as arguing, all of your advice is very sound and I can't wait to follow it! I am just not around very many artistic people to have these conversations with so I love to hear more thoughts from people. Sometimes people can be cruel on the internet, even though people are trying to improve... so it makes it hard to find positive constructive criticism like this.

When school starts I tend to have more time to doodle, which is when I have more time to practice the little bits that I need work on. (hands, feet, etc, etc) When I have chunks of free time now, I definitely fall into 'I want to bring every picture to completion' mode, which isn't possible nor helpful... 34 more days....

I'm not arguing, just giving you advice and pointers.

[Dancer Mylitta]

Itchy the Hatter

Dancer Mylitta

Ah I by no means meant that I was copying anyone imparticular's style. I just meant in the quest to understand anatomy vs style and style vs anatomy, I've been trying to understand other people's styles so that I can understand and develop my own. I don't want to imitate. I just want to understand.

Anatomy is supposed to be a rule, but I see the rules of anatomy twisted or broken constantly in the name of a stylistic choice and the pieces do often turn out very good! I just want to know in those instances whhyy it worked (or didn't) so I can try something similar with my own works or know to avoid it.

Please don't take the conversation as arguing, all of your advice is very sound and I can't wait to follow it! I am just not around very many artistic people to have these conversations with so I love to hear more thoughts from people. Sometimes people can be cruel on the internet, even though people are trying to improve... so it makes it hard to find positive constructive criticism like this.

When school starts I tend to have more time to doodle, which is when I have more time to practice the little bits that I need work on. (hands, feet, etc, etc) When I have chunks of free time now, I definitely fall into 'I want to bring every picture to completion' mode, which isn't possible nor helpful... 34 more days....

I'm not arguing, just giving you advice and pointers.

Ok, great I wasn't either! Glad we were on the same page! biggrin

I've had some really bad experiences with people taking a conversation as arguing or not wanting to take their advice. So I'm a little paranoid. crying

[Rishnea]

Your WoW toon looks like she is about to fall over, her center of balance is off

might i strongly recommend you read this tutorial, its a bit long but so worth it. Really read it all too, dont just skim. It will teach you basic skills to avoid things like the almost falling over poses

http://fav.me/d38veai

personally as far as your style goes, i would recommend studying up on full sized human anatomy, then pushing this style further, i would make the arms more delicate and really emphasize those hips by having the legs slim down more so as you reach the feet, also the head is far too large in the skull, even for the super deformed look