Art Questions/Suggestions

[Lila]

K, so I'm doing this thing for my...special friend...and it's writing, but I don't know what exactly to write.

Poems?

Short story?

Long story?

Letter?

All of the above?

 

I kinda want to compile a small book with different things, like poems, stories, & photographs. But, I don't know how exactly to go about it. Suggestions?

[Stealthypugs]

Mmm, the problem is that it's not so much the pose (nor the colors, I already have those firmly in my mind), it's the details of exactly how to draw what I'm trying to picture. I have an idea for the body, but I cannot for the life of me properly picture the wings. I have no idea how they're shaped, if they're shaped like actual wings or are just dubbed wings because they magically allow flight...

 

They're basically "wings made from crystal shards that reflect a broken image". And I have no idea how to draw that. >_<

You could try drawing the whole rest of the dragon first, and just leave the wings off until the very end. Then you can look at the dragon and decide what kind of wings you think it should have.

[StarSea]

I do have two which I think are awesome: Bloodshine and Claw of Death.( I may use this again for the same purpose, b/c I will make a few charries. feel free to PM me on what is happening. Also I may put each story chapter on here(DCF) or Clans Entwined.I will have no humans in my story and you may make a charrie for me, if you like.)

My vote is for Bloodshine! You could also have Darkwing or Bloodscream... just a thought

 

I am writing a story too! If you have read warriors, mine is like it but with dragons, different naming catagories, and no humans. I will have mostly mythical creatures (dragons, phoenix, unicoer, etc.) in it. I have named the story Dragon Clans and I might make a website for it.

 

If you want, check out www.dragonclansbook.weebly.com about once a month to see if I've updated it any (I most likely will update it at least once a month). Please DO NOT copy the story and use it for yourself unless you have asked me and I replied yes and you should alter it a little if I do say yes. If you need or want, you can ask to use some of my names or recive names from me.

 

If you want to ask me about anything above or you want me to send you the drawings of my dragons, e-mail me at wings_of_ivy@ymail.com

 

Thanks!

Edited October 22, 2011 by StarSea

[lunadragonfly]

I love all the dragon artwork! Some very talented people here, and I am jealous.

I draw, but not dragons. Perhaps I should try.

 

[Hexephra]

I'm back! Just looking for a bit of crit/help for my fairy dragon concept. I sprite-shaded a dragon for the first time (besides my user icon), so I'd like to know where I can improve. Here's my shaded sprite, but it might be better to go to the thread itself as well considering I'm trying to get my shading the same as the other one, which was done by Gradient.

 

 

@Lila: It depends on what you want to convey, I guess. And what'll be the most fun for you. A compilation book sounds like fun. If you can organize your snippets in an interesting way, bonus for you, but I'm sure it'd be fine if you just put everything together.

 

@lunadragonfly: Yes! Do it do it draw all the dragons

[Nalyua]

I started colouring bought miniatures, are we allowed to make a topic about that? If so where?

[UsagiKenjo]

Hey take your time with this I am in no big hurry. I am writing a story and I am having a deal of trouble figuring out what a plant race\ species to be and or look like. There are six god that worked together to make this planet Fire, water, earth, Air, Light and darkness are one being, and plant which symbilizes life it made the world green and livable. Each god made creatures in their image but I got almost every thing down but a name for the water race and a name and appearance for the plant race. If you are able to can you help me a little.

[zorg]

K, so I'm doing this thing for my...special friend...and it's writing, but I don't know what exactly to write.

Poems?

Short story?

Long story?

Letter?

All of the above?

 

I kinda want to compile a small book with different things, like poems, stories, & photographs. But, I don't know how exactly to go about it. Suggestions?

Is your special friend a gf/bf? Just guessing, don't have to comfirm that.

 

Anyways, poems and short stories are a MAJOR MUST HAVE in my opinion. Short little nots would look nice instead of long letters.

For the notes, I'd write them on different bits of paper that you find, then rip off that little bit with the writing on and stick it in the scrap book. I think it would make it look warm and like a proper scrap book. Also, if your cutting out, don't cut in squares/rectangles! SOOOO boring! Cut them out in different shapes (triangles and circles) or cut them into little clouds.

 

Hope this helps!

zorg xxx

[zorg]

Hay guys!

I'm going on holiday in a week and wanted to do some art abroad.

So I was wondering if anyone wanted me to draw them anything; it doesn't have to be a dragon, it could be anything! I'm willing to stretch my abilities!

 

Don't be afraid, I'll even do your own personal characters, if you want...

 

My Art >> http://beingofnature.deviantart.com/

 

Thank You!

 

zorg xxx

[StarSea]

Okay, so I'm starting up this new adopts site and so far (as I haven't exactly released it to the public yet...), it's just me making the sprites. I've got the adult and 'S2' of one done so far, but I can't exactly say that they're perfect so I was hoping for some input...

And I'm not sure if I should add some more shading to the underside of the close wing, and if I should... at what angle/how?`

Edited December 6, 2012 by StarSea

[girlgamerjen]

I wanna know if there's a trick to making certain sprites shiny. Like, is it just in what colors get picked? Do you leave some of the sprite uncolored so it gets illuminated? Working on sprites and I dont get it. It also seems like some dragons get extra vivid and I was just wondering. It doesnt seem like just shading, it''s an extra light...

[RWyvern]

 

I am writing a story too! If you have read warriors, mine is like it but with dragons, different naming catagories, and no humans. I will have mostly mythical creatures (dragons, phoenix, unicoer, etc.) in it. I have named the story Dragon Clans and I might make a website for it.

 

If you want, check out www.dragonclansbook.weebly.com about once a month to see if I've updated it any (I most likely will update it at least once a month). Please DO NOT copy the story and use it for yourself unless you have asked me and I replied yes and you should alter it a little if I do say yes. If you need or want, you can ask to use some of my names or recive names from me.

 

If you want to ask me about anything above or you want me to send you the drawings of my dragons, e-mail me at wings_of_ivy@ymail.com

 

Thanks!

People are writing stories here? 83

 

I am not exactly working on a story, but some of you may know I'm working on a graphic novel. It's still much in the developing stages, so if you're interested in helping/throwing ideas out there/just wanting to hear about it, send over a PM. Cos I love talking about it. There are still several things which I need to work out but don't have the imagination to do it all myself, so I always appreciate it when other people come to help :3

 

Also!

 

Is it normal to feel really tired, fatigued, when drawing? I get this feeling with every work session (2 - 3 hours in the evenings most days, occasionally 5 hours in the afternoon and evening) and my current one (in siggy) has been worked on for nearly twenty hours. About half of that time has been spent just trying to keep my mind on the task instead of sleeping. Just wondering if this 'art fatigue' is normal :3

[Cecona]

So um, I've been trying to draw a picture of the dragon concept I recently had approved but I'm just... I'm just sooo bad at anatomy and trying to figure out how the head would look at certain angles, and I can't even attempt doing wings. I'm basically a complete amateur at drawing animals but I don't know where I can go to get something like a tutorial or guide that is easy to follow but isn't one of those step by step how to draw this specific image kind of ones. I could really use some help to get me started in the right direction. I just wish I didn't hate my own art so much.

[Xythus]

Does anyone know how to digitally draw lines, so that when you start and finish it comes out nicely tapered to a point? I have a tablet, but I always seem to draw lines that come out rounded.

[edwardelricfreak]

EDIT: I should really answer all the unanswered questions...

 

Okay, so I'm starting up this new adopts site and so far (as I haven't exactly released it to the public yet...), it's just me making the sprites. I've got the adult and 'S2' of one done so far, but I can't exactly say that they're perfect so I was hoping for some input...

And I'm not sure if I should add some more shading to the underside of the close wing, and if I should... at what angle/how?`

You seem to be blending the colors in the sprite. Sprites are usually made of distinct colors, done pixel by pixel. They are not blended like a digital painting.

 

You have rather lightly colored outlines, too. I would darken them to define them more.

 

I wanna know if there's a trick to making certain sprites shiny. Like, is it just in what colors get picked? Do you leave some of the sprite uncolored so it gets illuminated? Working on sprites and I dont get it. It also seems like some dragons get extra vivid and I was just wondering. It doesnt seem like just shading, it''s an extra light...

Look up pictures of things like metal or satin. Usually you use a very light color (not always white) for the highlight, in a place where it really stands out.

 

Some dragons ARE more vivid, in the same sense that some birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians can be more vivid. It doesn't mean there's more of a lightsource, it just means they have bright colors.

 

Is it normal to feel really tired, fatigued, when drawing? I get this feeling with every work session (2 - 3 hours in the evenings most days, occasionally 5 hours in the afternoon and evening) and my current one (in siggy) has been worked on for nearly twenty hours. About half of that time has been spent just trying to keep my mind on the task instead of sleeping. Just wondering if this 'art fatigue' is normal :3

It's normal. I feel it, too. I usually just stop drawing and only return when I'm in the mood to draw again. It's no good to draw when fatigued/artblock/bored of drawing. It often lowers the quality of your work.

 

So um, I've been trying to draw a picture of the dragon concept I recently had approved but I'm just... I'm just sooo bad at anatomy and trying to figure out how the head would look at certain angles, and I can't even attempt doing wings. I'm basically a complete amateur at drawing animals but I don't know where I can go to get something like a tutorial or guide that is easy to follow but isn't one of those step by step how to draw this specific image kind of ones. I could really use some help to get me started in the right direction. I just wish I didn't hate my own art so much.

The best way is to just...observe what's around you. Don't draw what you THINK something looks like, draw what you see (is the head really that big? Does the nose really bulge in that spot? Is the leg really that straight? Are the eyes really spaced like that? Or are you simply drawing what you think they look like?). Google is pretty amazing at offering a bunch of good image results if you look up poses, and deviantART has some fantastic tutorials.

 

Does anyone know how to digitally draw lines, so that when you start and finish it comes out nicely tapered to a point? I have a tablet, but I always seem to draw lines that come out rounded.

You have to download the drivers for the tablet. That's what I had to do with mine. Otherwise the computer just interprets your tablet as a regular mouse.

Edited December 4, 2013 by edwardelricfreak

[Draconiusultamius]

I know I can't draw, but I can't specify my descriptions of what a dragon looks like. I literally trace off a random image and it looks like I spent 2 mins doodling it, even if I spent half an hour. i also don't want to trouble any spriters, but have 0 knowledge on shading, gradients, texture, ect (even when using pencil crayons and I've tried every technique). And I've already read the entire spriting guide and gotten confused. So far, the only thing I've sprited is an egg, which I modified from an existing egg because I can't count pixels. How can I not suck cuz I really want to contribute to this site, but at the moment, I feel like I'm just wasting everyone's time. Sorry for making you read this post.

[blockEdragon]

are you allowed to make sprites i'm MS paint?

because I have this little egg i made but i made it in paint

here it is if that helps

 

i might make a dragon concept out of it but they seem so daunting and spriteing looks even more terrifying and i don't wanna have someone else sprite it because its my idea and i have this perfect idea of what they should look like and i just plain want to sprite my own works

 

Edited October 18, 2015 by blockEdragon

[Obscure_Trash]

Plenty of our spriters use paint. It's a perfectly fine program to use.

 

Your egg is a good start but it needs a clear outline. Take a look at in cave eggs. The outline is always a little darker than the inside colors it is around. As well, you don't seem to have tried any shading on the egg yet. Hard, I know! But there are lots of great examples in the cave for how to tackle egg shading. Perhaps also just take an egg out of your fridge and take some time to move it around the light and watch how the shadows change and cling to the egg. =)

[blockEdragon]

Plenty of our spriters use paint. It's a perfectly fine program to use.

 

Your egg is a good start but it needs a clear outline. Take a look at in cave eggs. The outline is always a little darker than the inside colors it is around. As well, you don't seem to have tried any shading on the egg yet. Hard, I know! But there are lots of great examples in the cave for how to tackle egg shading. Perhaps also just take an egg out of your fridge and take some time to move it around the light and watch how the shadows change and cling to the egg. =)

is this better?

and how would i go about shading since the middle part is supposed to be glow-ish looking

 

i was considering making them translucent but maybe thats too much for a first time sprite attempt (plus i have no clue how i would do that)

[Obscure_Trash]

It's a little better. I would make the outline a little darker still - so that you get rid of the fuzzy quality.

 

Does the middle actually glow? Perhaps use that as your light source, then.

[blockEdragon]

It's a little better. I would make the outline a little darker still - so that you get rid of the fuzzy quality.

 

Does the middle actually glow? Perhaps use that as your light source, then.

ok i re-did the coloring so it starts out lighter then gets darker as you get closer to the shell

how this?

 

and it was originally supposed to be fuzzy looking because they where made of fog

Edited May 22, 2016 by blockEdragon

[Stellaluna22]

*pokes thread*

 

I got a few Copic Sketch markers a few days ago, and I'm learning how to use them. The current paper I have makes my marker ink go outside the lines even though I colour inside them ;n; Does anyone have any recommendations for a good paper? I've looked over Instagram and Google, and a popular paper for alcohol based markers is Canson XL Mix Media sketchbook.

[TehUltimateMage]

Some papers bleed like crazy with markers. I need to go check, but smooth papers meant for ink usually work well. I use a specific type of bristol, let me just dig it up....

[Stellaluna22]

Some papers bleed like crazy with markers. I need to go check, but smooth papers meant for ink usually work well. I use a specific type of bristol, let me just dig it up....

I heard that Bristol sucks up a lot of ink...? But then theyre also apparently really good for blending the copic colors together and they go on smoothly?

[blockEdragon]

how this?

I have been practicing a while and I think this is better then my old ones