cartoon thinger

[Qued]

I don't expect much of anything from you guys but some tips would be sweet, I made this like a few minutes ago.

http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs30/f/2008/045/0/e/Baldy_by_mike_db.jpg

[sticmann]

I think he'd look better as a pirate.
http://sticmann.com/images/pirate.jpg
-Joshua

[Templarian]

Agreed pirate fits him nicely.

[sticmann]

I had a couple of minutes, so I thought I'd give you a quick run through of how I sketch out a comic style drawing.

First, I do a rough sketch of the general layout of the piece.
http://sticmann.com/kirupa/step1.jpg

Lower the opacity of the rough sketch and create a new layer to tighten up the drawing. I still like a slightly rough feel, so I don't refine it a bunch.
http://sticmann.com/kirupa/step2.jpg

Color the background and foreground on separate layers under the drawing layer.
http://sticmann.com/kirupa/step3.jpg

Add the shading on a separate layer. I color the shading at 50% grey and then multiply it over the other layers. You can change the opacity to fit the scene.
http://sticmann.com/kirupa/step4.jpg

If you don't have a graphics tablet, you should really do steps 1 & 2 on paper and scan in the finished drawing.
On your picture, it looks like you went from step 1 to step 3. Also, the super thin, hard, non-variable lines make this look like it is done in MSPaint. It makes it look like a kid's drawing. What are you going for? This is up to you. Look at other cartoonists' work. Look at pictures and paintings. Watch people. Look in the mirror. Think about where the light is coming from and see how it plays on the different facial features. Look at things around you as form and color and shade. Practice practice practice.

-Joshua

[Qued]

thatsa a deffinate on the pirate :P thanks for the little walk through.

[Pasquale]

I had a couple of minutes, so I thought I'd give you a quick run through of how I sketch out a comic style drawing.

First, I do a rough sketch of the general layout of the piece.
http://sticmann.com/kirupa/step1.jpg

Lower the opacity of the rough sketch and create a new layer to tighten up the drawing. I still like a slightly rough feel, so I don't refine it a bunch.
http://sticmann.com/kirupa/step2.jpg

Color the background and foreground on separate layers under the drawing layer.
http://sticmann.com/kirupa/step3.jpg

Add the shading on a separate layer. I color the shading at 50% grey and then multiply it over the other layers. You can change the opacity to fit the scene.
http://sticmann.com/kirupa/step4.jpg

If you don't have a graphics tablet, you should really do steps 1 & 2 on paper and scan in the finished drawing.
On your picture, it looks like you went from step 1 to step 3. Also, the super thin, hard, non-variable lines make this look like it is done in MSPaint. It makes it look like a kid's drawing. What are you going for? This is up to you. Look at other cartoonists' work. Look at pictures and paintings. Watch people. Look in the mirror. Think about where the light is coming from and see how it plays on the different facial features. Look at things around you as form and color and shade. Practice practice practice.

-Joshua

Dude whack in some gestural thrust lines to make the pose more solid :)

[sticmann]

That certainly could be an enhancement for a comic/cartoon style and it has been used by many cartoonists. On this one the guy is pretty much stationary and given the whole comic it probably would not fit with the style.

-Joshua

[ajcates]

For your portfolio I think it would be cool, if the little gum drops and bear were holding arrow signs that navigated thur your content.

[Pasquale]

That certainly could be an enhancement for a comic/cartoon style and it has been used by many cartoonists. On this one the guy is pretty much stationary and given the whole comic it probably would not fit with the style.

-Joshua
Even non dynamic forms that are stationary have thrusts! It's a fundamental of life drawing, and helps change the way you nearly draw anything! By lining up vectors in relationship to other thrust lines and reference points , it'll help everything sit together in space more accurately :):book:

It's something they drill into us in our advanced drawing courses at university, and I think it's great to be able to apply it to as much as possible :)

[leisuresuitlissy]

xxx

[sticmann]

dark- I think I misunderstood you the first time. Are you talking about the rough sketch? This picture doesn't quite capture how I do my roughs. I do usually start with a couple lines to get the flow of the pose, then draw a skeleton over that. Then I fill in the body. On the sample picture, I had erased all the previous stuff. I probably should have mentioned that, but I guess I was going for a very general overview. Your post has given me a moment pause, though. I do need to look at how I approach my characters. They do come off as somewhat stiff. I really need to work on pushing these characters to emphasize the action in the scene. Thanks.

aj- interesting. I would have to think about how that would work with the other galleries.

-Joshua

[ajcates]

For the shroom area, just draw the same style wooden sign kinda thing.
For the painted area paint on some arrows and I think it would be great.

[Pasquale]

dark- I think I misunderstood you the first time. Are you talking about the rough sketch? This picture doesn't quite capture how I do my roughs. I do usually start with a couple lines to get the flow of the pose, then draw a skeleton over that. Then I fill in the body. On the sample picture, I had erased all the previous stuff. I probably should have mentioned that, but I guess I was going for a very general overview. Your post has given me a moment pause, though. I do need to look at how I approach my characters. They do come off as somewhat stiff. I really need to work on pushing these characters to emphasize the action in the scene. Thanks.


-Joshua

Yeah :hugegrin: that's exactly what I meant!

Btw I agree he looks better as a pirate!

[TwinDragon]

Would you mind elaborating on the gestural thrust lines a little? I can't seem to find anything about them online, which is strange since you're saying they're so fundamental in life drawing. If you could, I'd be really grateful :D

[sticmann]

Yes. Darkmotion, I was thinking the same thing. I would like to see some of your sketches. I love looking at other people's methods. I always learn something new. Maybe you could demonstrate a step by step rough sketch for us. I've never taken a drawing class, so I'd like to see how you go about it.

-Joshua

[Pasquale]

Yes. Darkmotion, I was thinking the same thing. I would like to see some of your sketches. I love looking at other people's methods. I always learn something new. Maybe you could demonstrate a step by step rough sketch for us. I've never taken a drawing class, so I'd like to see how you go about it.

-Joshua

I wouldn't mind throwing something together soon hehe :)

I have a lot of doodles on flickr, with mostly volume construction:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkmotion/sets/72157600091461557/

just stuff whacked out at the pub :D

[sticmann]

funny stuff. You've got some really good characters in there. I like the slugs and the boy with the hole the most.

-Joshua