Week 5 - Progress 3: Just an Inch

I didn't make a lot of progress today, but I also spent my entire afternoon job-hunting... on foot. Suffice to say, I was wiped out by the time I collapsed into the chair at my desk. But I did accomplish some background work, including the tedious straight-line making. tomorrow I hope to at least get the lady on the couch done. Maybe work on the cityscape, but it'll be like the town in the background of Week 2; just building outlines.

Also, in response to Kessie's question, it's an office. A library, however, would be awesome. I'm tempted to draw a totally random scene in a library sometime now. Perhaps save that for a digital drawing, considering all those shelves and books I'd need to worry about.

Music: None, though I am watching "Red Cliff"

Week 5 - Progress 2: Embarking on Insanity

While I did start on this part last night, I ended up erasing the entire thing and trying again this morning, so I guess it didn't count too much. Either that or it helped me get all the mistakes out of my system. I'm hoping for the latter.

This one's going to be an even bigger pain than last week because I decided to go all the way to crazy-town and add furniture and a cityscape through the windows. What is wrong with me?

Week 5 - Progress 1: Begin Again

Even though I did start on the actual drawing today (working on it between typing, in fact), I decided that I rather like starting with the very beginning of my process. It shows how I think, I suppose, though that's not necessarily a healthy thing for everyone else to see.

This week is fan art, and traditional media again. Also it'll be containing a perspective-using background again. Because I'm a masochist in that way, I suppose. The two characters are from the obscure anime movie/manga I love called Spriggan. They're... wrestling. Or something. Some guy thing. They will be fully clothed, I just don't bother with those things while mapping out poses.

For those not familiar, yes, the guy who is "losing" is tugging on the ponytail of the guy who is "winning".

Music: None, just a quick couple of doodles

Week 4 - Progress 6: Done!

And finally done with this week's art, and on the last day, even! Having more work hours now and being home last weekend when the "Week" started probably had a lot to do with it. But here it is, in all its completed glory (if you can call it that).

I think I might have had a lot more to say in mind, but I certainly can't remember any of it right now. I'm a bit distracted thinking about the movies I'm going to watch to celebrate it being Friday night.

Note to self: These colors don't work for Duke's sword. Find something else next time.

Music: None, really. Was watching Sailor Moon episodes on YouTube.

Week 4 - Progress 5: Closing In

Thank you, Kessie, for pointing out the perspective error on the paintings (that's what they are)! I covered it with white out and fixed it, but since they'll now be impossible to color over with marker, I'm going to cut out paper shapes from another source and paste them over. Like Photoshop, but with scissors and glue!

I started coloring, and pretty much anything left blank are things that I didn't know what color to use on. Except the walls. They're staying white.

His sword sheath I'm considering brown for, but decided to hold off and see if I got a better idea. His gloves will either be white or brown like his boots. The rug he's on I'm currently debating between light purple or the same green as his eyes. His sword I'm considering dark green/turquoise and purple for, but am currently unsure. If it helps, the country he's from has dark blue and purple as their "theme" colors.

Music: "Action" play list

Week 4 - Progress 4: Lots of Inking

Something cool (and perhaps creepy) about today's progress is that it required me to go to my folder of 2010's Daily Sketches and find the design I settled on for Duke's sword. The file number? 026. January 26th 2010. See? Creepy-cool.

Thankfully I had a lot of time to kill after work today and used it to get caught up on this week's artwork since I felt that I was rather behind with it. Not only am I almost done inking, but I even got the design for the door figured out. I remembered today why I love my cork-backed drafting ruler so much besides as a whacking tool. Such pretty lines it helps me make.

I feel like something is off about the sheath, which is why I didn't ink it. I can look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow. I also held off on inking the pattern on the door because drawing it was tedious enough for one day, thanks.

Music: Action play list, mostly "Move" by Thousand Foot Krutch

Week 4 - Progress 3: Matter of Perspective

Was originally planning to just get the background mapped out, but decided that since I'm rather behind I could afford to start filling in some clothing and other details as well. Hopefully tomorrow I'll finish the sketch stage and at least start on inking it.

Music: Various. What? I'm tired.

Week 04 - Progress 02: Real Start

Okay, this is better, though I can already tell that this one will be a real doozey. I'm going to be using perspective, one of my arch nemesis, in the background. And I need to figure out what the palace hall he's in looks like. Oh boy.

But hey, it's actually started now! The model I'm working from in my reference book is female, but hopefully that didn't carry over into Duke's build too badly? His shoulder/neck area is frustrating already, but that's always been a weak area for me.

Music: Action play list, mostly "Life is Beautiful" by Sixx AM and "Schwarze Sohnne"* by E Nomine

*Black Sun

Week 4 - Progress 1; Belated Update

I really wish I had the energy for going into something resembling explanation as to why this is late (I did do it on Saturday), what it's going to be, etc., but I don't. So here's the beginning workings of this week's drawing.

Week 2 - Progress 5; Completion!

Alright, there we go! All done, and I must say, I'm once again pleased with it. I'll admit that some of the contrast with the shadows and highlights was added with a photo program, but that aside it's all marker and colored pencils (Prismacolors and Copics for those who want to know).

You know, I love plaid as a pattern but I remembered how much I hate putting it on paper in the midst of this. What was Hidakez thinking when he/she designed those things? Clearly not how big a pain it is to draw them with the stripes actually following the folds and contours (all the official art I see ignores that).

But whatever. I finished something traditional that actually has a background for the first time in forever. I don't know how it'll do in the contest, but to be honest I'm not all that concerned with how I place. I like it and that's the important part.

Music: "Tangled" soundtrack; "I See the Light", various songs from my "Mush" playlist.

Week 1, Progress 4: Completion!

Yes! It's finally done! I didn't finish last night in fact. Decided my sanity was more important. But it's done now! I'm pretty happy with it at the moment. Give it a month or so and I won't be, but such is life.

And yes, Kessie, that is a cigarette she has as you can see now. I think I've drawn her without one maybe a total of three times. That's just the way Bit rolls.

To see it larger and more defined (if you dare), go see the DeviantArt version:
http://katwarrior.deviantart.com/#/d36ffm6

I spent a while this morning finding other blogs to follow. It was... oddly entertaining.

Music: Metallica; Black album, Nickelback; All The Right Reasons album

Week 1 - Progress 3; Home Stretch

There's a pretty good chance that I'll finish this today, but all the same I wanted to show how much I've done since finishing the tool cabinet yesterday. I think it can be attributed to the fact that I like drawing figures a lot more than I do backgrounds.

Yes, Bit is purple. Yes, her dreadlocks are BRIGHT red. She's half alien, you know. Something I've noticed however is that her um... chest area... is lop-sided and too large even for her. Will be fixing that.

By the way, my water pipes froze last night. Whoops.

Music: Evanescence; "Fallen" Album*

*Note: Almost none of Evanescence's songs suit Bit's personality. It is, however, something that might be playing on the radio at her work. Also, since her setting is futuristic, Evanescence is considered "Oldies".

Week 1, Progress 2: I Hate Furniture

Let me first give a congratulations to two of my closest friends who had their first child today! An adorable baby boy!

As for the artwork itself, I am SO glad to be done with that stupid probably-a-tool-chest. It was a bigger pain than the car engine and more redundant. Splatting grease and oil stains all over it was vengeful fun. I was considering starting on the character herself today, but as slow as Photoshop was running, I decided to save it for tomorrow. That's going to be the fun part!

Also, after working on this yesterday I finished a drawing that I've had sitting around since mid-December. Traditional media, and fan art: http://katwarrior.deviantart.com/art/Hetalia-Red-Scarf-191831284

By the way, don't get spoiled on these frequent updates. Once school (and for me, work) starts back up, I'll have less time for art. A week should still be enough to finish a drawing, however.

Music: Metallica; The Black Album, Shrek Soundtrack, burned CD with various artists

Week 1 - Progress 1; Das Auto

So here it is, my first real art blog. I confess to being a bit nervous about it, but there's no real reason. After all, I post stuff on DeviantArt which is just as accessible to the public as this website, perhaps even more so. I also have to keep reminding myself that it is not imperative that I finish this entire drawing in one. To keep myself from doing that and rushing through the rest, here's my first progress shot.

This first one, being done in Photoshop Elements 5.0, is of one of my own characters, Bit. I decided last year that she was a mechanic. Unfortunately, this means attempting to draw my bane - mechanical details. I was sorely tempted to go out to my car, stand at the appropriate angle, snap a photo, import it into the file, and trace over it. In the end I'm glad I didn't. It probably doesn't look like any car engine in existence, but that's okay. It was a healthy exercise. And yes, I blurred it on purpose. I'll be doing that with the background, too.

Music: Kitaro; "Best of Kitaro", Aerosmith; "Janie's Got a Gun", Rhianna; "Disturbia"