Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

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Mantis
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Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Mantis » Thu Feb 10, 2022 5:17 pm

We already have a hobbies thread but I figured why not create a bespoke art thread when there are a few of us on here learning how to draw and such.

Image

Not just limited to 2D art mind. Anyone into 3D modelling with things like Blender?

I started learning to draw in October 2020 and had a pretty strict routine that I stuck to for a good 7 or 8 months before other things started to get in the way and my discipline slipped. Still at it now, though I haven't managed to get back into the dedicated habit of drawing for two hours a day like I was in the beginning.

Some resources I used which were really invaluable.

https://drawabox.com/
The absolute basics to teach you good line discipline and how to construct objects out of primitive shapes. This was what I started with and I think it was very useful in helping me develop confident lines and understanding how to break things down into basic shapes. Not a thrilling exercise by any means, I think I have several hundred pages of just straight lines, cylinders and boxes in one of my folders; but it is very good at drilling the fundamentals.

Youtube
Tons you can learn on here for free. Lots of pros who have paid for courses online also put a ton of content up for free and you can learn so much just from those before ever spending a penny. People I subscribe to include Ahmed Aldoori, Alphonso Dunn, CTRL+Paint, David Finch, FZD School, Love Life Drawing, Marc Brunet, Marco Bucci, Noah Bradley, Proko, Scott Robertson, Sinix, Swatches and Trent Kaniuga.

https://quickposes.com/en
Great site for practicing your figure and gesture drawing. (Warning, includes nude poses)

https://www.artstation.com/learning
All the learning material was made free a year ago when Epic bought them out and is now going to be staying free following an announcement ahead of the new year. Some very good tutorials and workshops on here.

There are a few books I bought over the year too but they've mostly just been there for reference more than anything. You can learn so much just looking online without even spending a penny.

Are there any other enthusiasts on the forum who use other learning sources? Anyone daring enough to share their work?

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Solitaire » Thu Feb 10, 2022 5:52 pm

My next great plan is to buy an iPad and Procreate, and start finally doing some digital painting - like I've wanted to do for 30 years now, after seeing Craig Mullin's amazing concept art for Bungie's "Marathon" FPS. Look up his website, he's almost magical. Also there's a fella named Sparth out there, who does concept art for major gaming publishers. His sci-fi stuff is epic, indeed.
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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Raid » Thu Feb 10, 2022 5:56 pm

I've had plenty of aborted attempts to learn to draw over the years, but I made a concerted effort back in October last year and I've managed to stick with it since. I've been using Drawabox too, and it's been a pretty good course for the most part (I must admit flagging rather a bit during the 250 box exercise), I'm currently on Lesson 3 (plants). The course does start off saying that it's not designed to be entertaining, and a lot of the early stuff really is pretty dry, but the reasoning for everything you're learning to do is explained pretty well.

I'm very much in the early stages at the moment, but I'm hoping to get into character design and concept art. It's always been a bit of a passion of mine, to the point where I'll watch a show or play a game based on how well costumed the characters are. I even have a very vague plan to turn it into a career at some point, though that'll not be any time soon. Drawing's obviously a major part of that, but I'm planning on moving into digital painting too.

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Mantis » Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:25 pm

Likewise, I'm entertaining the possibility that if I keep at it over the next few years I might eventually actually start looking to make money from it. Maybe not full time, but there's always the dream.

Good sources for industry standard practices and general tips are Trent Kaniuga and Marc Brunet (to a lesser extent). Though their paid content tends to be where the specific industry advice is. Art Station courses are quite useful for this as well and are free.

FZD School on YouTube is amazing too. Literally hours and hours of top quality environment design advice. I've learnt so much from that channel.

Ahmed Aldoori's channel has a lot of fantastic painting advice on too and his paid for art course handles the topic of character design and putting together a portfolio. I've been considering paying for that one when I've worked through all the other content I have on the back-burner.

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Maturin » Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:33 pm

Loads of amateur gaming devs these days paying for artists to do the game artwork. I forget now, but there are some online portals for game artists to put themselves up for hire. Although it helps if you're a fast drawer, since I'm not sure the rates are always brilliant.

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Raid » Thu Feb 10, 2022 8:15 pm

Mantis wrote:
Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:25 pm
Maybe not full time, but there's always the dream.
Yup. It's one of the reasons I'm going part-time at my day job. What I'm basically aiming for is to replace that income with some freelance stuff. I'm not aiming at an industry in particular.

Also, I hadn't noticed before, but how did you manage to find a picture of Neil Buchannan looking incredibly disappointed in us? That's, like, the opposite of encouragement. He looks like I just did an art attack of a giant phallus.

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Medicine Man » Thu Feb 10, 2022 10:23 pm

Yay! Drawing stuff. I do that, well I try to. Not had any instruction beyond just drawing things, although I do like the look of drawabox. I may give that a go.

Loads of good stuff there to get started on Mantis, thanks!

I have deviantart page if that's even still a thing these days, judging by the interaction I get I'd say it probably isnt, but hey Winamp skins remember those? Happier times. :D

https://www.deviantart.com/the-big-ya

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Mantis » Thu Feb 10, 2022 11:06 pm

You've never looked at any tutorials or books to make this stuff? That's really impressive, dude! Even if you're just copying stuff that you see from reference you've got a great eye for it. The stuff on your Deviant Art page is really great!
Raid wrote:
Thu Feb 10, 2022 8:15 pm
Also, I hadn't noticed before, but how did you manage to find a picture of Neil Buchannan looking incredibly disappointed in us? That's, like, the opposite of encouragement. He looks like I just did an art attack of a giant phallus.
My thinking was that he looked super serious because art is serious business and we were all super dedicated to our craft and raring to go. :lol:

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Rusty » Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:39 am

Medicine Man wrote:
Thu Feb 10, 2022 10:23 pm
https://www.deviantart.com/the-big-ya
well, shitballs. That's some pro level skills right there.

Wait until you see my efforts :)
-- To be completed at some point --

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Snowy » Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:46 am

Damn MM you have some real talent there.

I am the son of a graphic artist and a professional musician, and have zero artistic ability, something I have always regretted.
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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Animalmother » Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:20 pm

That is some amazing stuff MM!

My sister is an artist and my mother paints. I used to make cocks out of bluetak for a giggle, I might be adopted..

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by ManBearSquid » Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:13 pm

Used to?

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Raid » Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:14 pm

Animalmother wrote:
Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:20 pm
I used to make cocks out of bluetak for a giggle
Oh, it's you Neil Buchannan is disappointed in. Now it makes sense.

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Animalmother » Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:21 pm

I got a kilo of Sculpey clay over the pandemic with the intention of teaching myself to sculpt, made a fell comical willies and gave up. Is this how Hitler started?

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Re: Arty Antics and Similar Stuff

Post by Raid » Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:26 pm

I'm pretty sure Mein Kampf translates to "My Lovely Clay Penis".

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