Hey what, a drawing?

Hey what, a drawing?

Drew a thing for a friend.

Drew a thing for a friend.

The sun made me think it was warm enough to not wear socks...

The sun made me think it was warm enough to not wear socks today.

I was wrong.

Facial rendering.

Facial rendering.

Grand canyon.

Grand canyon.

Birch forest.

Birch forest.

I sometimes tip my chair back like that too. Probably not the...

I sometimes tip my chair back like that too. Probably not the safest thing to do.

Review-ish: SketchBook Copic Edition

Testing out SketchBook Copic Edition

While I was surfing Tumblr, I saw that SketchBook released a Copic Edition. Since I've got a thing with trying out new painting software, this was totally up my alley. Best of it, the program was free for a limited time and available for download off the Copic website.

I actually found it to be difficult to use due to the interface. It required a lot of holding and dragging, as opposed to just straight out clicking. I suppose it makes sense for tablet users - SketchBook being an app - but not so much for the desktop versions. I just found out now how to move layers up and down.

SketchBook Copic Editon interface

That aside, how about the important stuff like the brushes? Did I find them similar to Copics? I suppose, but it simulated all the stuff I didn't like about markers. One of which is the streakiness especially apparent from using chisel nibs. I hear that it's suppose to imitate the seven layers Copics need to achieve a nice saturated colour (something I've never heard about or noticed considering I own these markers). I'm not too much of a fan of the blurriness the brush nib gives when you press down on the tablet.
Did I mention I also really really dislike the Multiliner brush they have? It's too light, and resembles the lightness you would get if you erased over fineliner ink - one of the things I hated about doing lineart.

The palette is also very limited to 72 Copic colours, most of which are greys and peaches. I persoanlly don't mind being limited because it challenges me to be creative with layering colours to achieve a look a desire, something I already do have to face when using Copics traditionally.

Overall, the program's not bad. Not great either, but I can see how people would think it looks like Copics. I'll try to play around with it some more.

The frustration of having to relearn a new interface and my now ranging desire to draw lead me to switch to more familiar territory to satisfy my craving.

Derping around with openCanvas' watercolour brush. I never remembered it to be this nice. I quite like the way I coloured the sketch. I'll probably use the technique more for future reference.

...ignore the fact that the girl has a conjoined twin growing out her chest.

Daybreak

Event File

I really did the picture so I can practice environments. I think the trees look alright, but everything else is pretty terrible, but I guess from far away, it's acceptable.
At least the colours are pretty. I forget the importance of a background too often. Maybe that's why my art has been so bland.

Guy lying on a girl

I’m usually never this neat with my sketches, or at least, I never bother to be. I realized that I didn't have enough pictures of couples - as in just two people - interacting with one another.
The girl’s supposed to be under a blanket by the way.

Made in openCanvas

Vocaloid: Oliver

Oliver

Event File.

Last Vocaloid I'll probably do for a while until I get all my homework sorted out.

Oliver is an English Vocaloid, voiced by an actual, unnamed British boy. I don't know why his design looks as if he was sailing art part of the navy, and his boat got attacked. Alas, regardless of how he looks, he still encounters the funky English problem as many English Vocaloids, but it's slightly better as would be expected from a Vocaloid3. You can judge for yourself.
Apparently he's super popular too.

Oh, and before I go, is it apparent that he's supposed to be lying down?
No? Okay.


Made in openCanvas.

Vocaloid: Utatane Piko

Utatane Piko

Event File.

Another one made within a year? Hell, within two days? Dat's right, just like back in the good ol' days.

Anyways, I've got a bit more to say about this guy as opposed to my last Vocaloid. I believe Utatane has some connection to Nico Nico Douga during its contraception, other than the fact that his voice bank is provided by Piko. You know, the guy who can sign like a boy and girl? Well now you know.

Random note: you know what I discouvered? The button where you can draw straight lines. Damn, is that ever useful.


Made in openCanvas.

Vocaloid: CUL

CUL

Event File.

When was the last time I posted one of these? SF-A2 miki I believe. That was almost a year ago.And holy crap did they release a bunch of new Vocaloids since then. I thought it gonna take a long time with the ones they already had when Vocaloid 3 was non-exsistant. All I have to say is that I better get my drawing on.

At least I've got some incentive to practice colouring. Obviously, I don't do that too often with my line sketches.

I usually do a short introduction to the Vocaloid I'm drawing, right? Yes, this is CUL. Her box art sucks, and her design is uninspiring.

You know what else I usually do with these pictures? Give it a background, or at least an honest attempt to. Woops.

inb4anatomy


Made in openCanvas.

Meme: Draw This Again

Look at that difference.

When some people do this meme, I don't really see too much of an improvement in the before and after picture. Maybe it's due to them just redrawing a picture a year or a couple of months old. So went all the way back into my picture archives and dug up this piece of crap from 7 years ago to ensure that wouldn't happen.

Check out my MS Paint and mouse skill, guys. Check out that anatomy, and my super original OCs (but you already knew that). I don't really remember what the whole context was, but guess she's watching something tragic... or something. Doesn't look like she's really sad. Maybe's she's actually too shocked to display an emotion? We will never know.
At least it's obvious that she's sad in the picture. I mean, look, there's tears. Nothing says despair better than throwing in a couple of tears. Cuts and bruises too. And muscles, because, realistically, you can't be stick and be fighting off evil demons at the same time.

The picture on its own.

Anaria looking sad for some reason.

At first I was gonna render the background a bit more, to really make it obvious of the difference of skill level, but I left it half-assed. I am okay with that.



Blank meme.
Made in openCanvas.

Wolf Girl

Wolf Girl

I pretty much recycled the style I used for Pumpkin Girl a couple of years ago, because it's easy and I'm short on time and motivation - but mostly time.

I used a bit more colours than I did, but that's okay because it compensates for the lack of detail and a good drawing in general. The two were supposed to go together nicely, but because of the simplicity of this one, it doesn't really work that well anymore.

Yawn. Boring picture is boring. I just wanted to do something for Halloween, so this is what you get.

You're welcome. :)


Made in openCanvas.

Another year, another entry into a con mascot contest

AR... kun?!

Event File

I derno why I keep entering into art contests because I never win, orz.
Maybe it's just because art is the only thing I can do? I derno.

Anyways, another year, another con, which means another mascot contest. I usually don't enter into them because I'm intimidated by the fact that this is contest is, possibly, province-wide, and I'm pretty sure there's a really good artist lurking somewhere.

We were given the choice to do either (and I quote):

1.) Cute Pink hair girl
2.) Cute Pink hair boy
3.) Cute Pink hair furry thingy.

And I'm pretty sure I'm gonna win by default at this rate because - unless one got submitted since the last batch of mascots were posted - I have yet to see any male entries. Which is probably why I opted to go with the male mascot because I knew there'd be too many people drawing girls.

Sketch

I'll save you nice people from hearing me go on and on about, for example, how much I hate how the scarf came out and how I half-assed most of it, to talk about the con. Notice how I tentatively named him AR-kun and not AE-kun? Well, if you remember or care from last year, instead of Anime Evolution we had Cos & Effect. I'm still assuming that AE isn't going to happen in 2012 neither, thus comes this new con.

Get ready for Anime Revolution.
I see absolutely no relation to Anime Evolution. Nope, not even one.

When it was first announced, it was met with suspicion, but I think that's now subsided and it's welcomed as our new con for 2012. At least their planning abilities look more sound, as they've already booked a venue at the prestigious Vancouver Convention Center.

Of course, I already sent an application to be in Artist Alley.

On another note, I saw on Facebook that new staff has already been hired for AE so maybe we'll be having double cons this year?

And I know this has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween, but in the case that I never make anything for it, Happy Halloween evvrybody!


Made in openCanvas
Edited in Photoshop

I can feel the wrinkles coming

Yukiko

Event File.

As well as a bunch of messages on my Facebook. I'm gonna have fun going through that.

But with going with tradition, I drew another picture of good ol' Yukiko for my birthday. This time, it wasn't half-assed and last minute. I spent a good three days or so working on it, though I still think I could've spent more time on the skin and refining the details and such. However, overall, I think it looks the most realistic and colourful skin I've painted thus far.

After all, I do these yearly paintings I guess to keep track of my improvement. I suppose that's why I didn't draw her all animu, as I have been practicing something similar to realism.

Sketch

But that's not all. Since I found out that the above picture doesn't look so great once shrunk, I did something more stylized for things like icons and such, because only my art can grace the face of my online profiles.

I love filters and layer styles. How about you?

Anyways, I gotta go find my cane so I can wash my dentures.


Made in openCanvas.

Teal, I like it

Kenshin

I use too much turquoise/teal as of late, but when I start playing around with filters, it's always the blues which catch my eyes.

His hair is usually tied back, but I thought this time I'd allow him to be a little lazier with his appearance.


Made in openCanvas.

Two-toned

Kanaria

I'm not a big fan of pop art, but the more recent stuff certainly have a certain pop art feel about them. Must be due to the bright, unconventional, limited colour palette, but as mention before, these quick sketches are my excuse to play around with things.

Originally, the colours were going to be purple and yellow, except after playing around with the hue and saturation filter, I thought this was more suitable for the type of character she is.


Made in openCanvas.

Insomnia

Anaria

Man, I love doing these quick sketches. It's an excuse to play with things and like filters, colour combos, styles, and all that other stuff I usually never try out when I'm painting something serious (like the picture I'm working on now). Plus, I love like how my messy sketching lineart style looks.

But, I suppose the term "quick" is relative. It was quick compared to my more formal, portfolio worthy pieces, but it still took two-three hours of my time... time I could've been spending sleeping as it was like 3 AM when I decided to go through with it.

So in the end of the day (or really, morning), I went to bed at 6 on a school night. I was okay with it, though, because at least I went to class, as opposed to skipping it like I did last week.


Made in openCanvas.

Five colour fairy

A fairy

A friend challenged me to do a speed paint only using a colour palette chosen on Kuler. I've used the site before, but only for web designing purposes. I've never used it as a colour scheme, so it should be interesting.

I picked Lemon Meringue Pie in the Sky, because I thought the teals were befitting for a fairy. Why a fairy? Because that was also suggested to me.

Since the colours were limited, I did something new and made a new layer for each colour. Then I assembled all of them on top of one another. Wished I used more of the purple though, because that's what really gave the colour scheme its pop.


Made in openCanvas.