Hey, gang! I realized how many bytes I had in my MySpace account, and decided that posting some doodles there would be a pretty good scam. This first posting takes a kind of garage sale approach-- I just went through my folders, and pasted everything I'm not embarassed by into a couple of documents. I start VFS in something like three weeks, so everything I do after that's going to be based around class exercizes, so I might be posting sporadically.
Hope everything displays correctly...
First, some inked characters
Here's some more of the beautiful people. A mix of ink and pencils with boosted contrast
Most of these guys are from a project I'm writing with a couple of friends
And lastly, a couple of backgrounds in various stages, because everything else has been heads
cool stuff looks like it's alot of fun can we see more please?
cart:D
http://john-cartunemansdoodles.blogspot.com/
Thanks cart! I was beginning to wonder if anyone but me was ever going to post anything on this thread.
There's more on the Creepola site below, if you haven't been there. Beyond that, I'll probably post something or other before the 28th, when classes start at VFS. For one thing, I'm noticing a lack of dishy dames-- you know, something to put the 'gal' in gallery....
For the first few weeks of class, it's gonna be bouncing balls and flour sacks. Then we get into character design, so I'll probably post something or another.
hahahahaha Mr. DrSpecter,
Ya, sometimes it seems like it takes forever for anyone to reply. But take a look at the views. There are alot of people that just lurk and look at all the art. As for Gal's in Gallery, check out my gallery (if you never have and also look up Damages gallery now there are some fine gals there haha.
Actually spend some time looking around they are here.
So you are going to go to school? wow what an adventure. Keep us informed of your progress. Your going to find that your art will change a lil too. So keep posting sir. I'm going to go and check out your site now.
Have a great day. then it's off to work for me. ugh...............
cartuneman:D
http://john-cartunemansdoodles.blogspot.com/
Well, looking at the other Gallery threads, I notice that there tend to be more views than replys, so I'm not taking this personally or anything. It's hard to say some things tactfully in a public forum.
But the reason for the gallery thread were A: Lotsa free time on my hands, B: Looking at other people's portfolios on MySpace, and realizing that it was a great place to post stuff for free (and more stable than photobucket). And, most importantly, C: I'm about to start an intensive, fast-paced animation course, and I wanted to both hone my skills and toughen my hide when it comes to taking criticism.
Anyone who wants to PM me with comments or suggestions can feel free to do so without fear of me bursting into tears or yelling at them. Of course, I don't mind public criticism on the thread, but that doesn't seem to be happening.
I would like some constructive criticism, mentioning particulars. But as far as I'm concerned, there just isn't much room for ego in the world of professional animation and illustration.
hahahahahaha EGO?
I loved that last statement hahhaahaha Well, I tell you what the first thing I do when I see someones work is hold my judgment till I see more. Then look out hahaha No really I can give you my suggestions. I really like the sketchyness of your art but if you are taking these into animation you'l most deffinatley want to tighten up your style. Although there is alot of animation out there with your style too. But The comic book look is hard to transfer to animation. You seem to have alot of detail in your style. Now think about trying to draw that same detail 22 times to produce a second of film. I would also try to work with more and different shapes to sculpt your characters from. (at least all your characters seem to come from the same gene pool hahahaha )
Now I really liked your background or city scape start not much to say about that cept I'd like to see more. Post more I'd like to see some more of your rough sketches and take a look at how you build your characters.
Have you ever taken a look at Jabs gallery or mine or even Banditas or Damages galleries. we all post unretouched art so as to have people look at them and you can see how we create or structure our characters (You must have huh your a long time member here).
Ok I've said enough ....I'm off to another site.
cart:D
http://john-cartunemansdoodles.blogspot.com/
Nice work dude.
I really dig your human touch in some zombie'ish lookinf characters. Reminds me of some of the boom studios stuff, some of the Zombie tales. Great work. I'm checking out your site as we speak. I actually prefer your more scratchy, less refined pieces, it adds to the mood of your characters.
Yours Truely
Da' Phreak
Neville Howard.
WWW.Comicwrx.com
Thanks, guys! So, I'm to keep the sketchiness AND refine my line work for animation. Agreed. That's why I do pencils and then put another sheet over them and put it on a light box to ink. I like the sketchiness, but understand the need for precision for animation. The five expression/head turn guy at the top is a step in that direction. He's done withh all Rotring Rapidograph tech pen for consistant line weight.
My construction varies. Boxes for manmade objects. Swirls for characters. Everything gets center lines, and sometimes axis of motion. Actually, some of the above ARE the pencils with contrast boosted. I use an HB tech pencil, and a kneaded eraser with a point on it. I like to get the pencils pretty tight before I ink, though I try not to trace them outright because it just doesn't seem to work out that way.
Now that I have something to show for myself, I'll be looking at a lot more galleries. Just didn't feel right about prattling on with a lot of "advice" when I didn't have anything posted before.
Working on a kind of complex piece right now, but should have it posted within a few days. Thanks again, guys.
Here's one more pulpy illustration before I get into the cartoons... (Whew, that missing left hand was bugging me. And the sky was a little loud. I've called this one done, and am on to cartoons!)
Hey man, i checked out your site (Got your email address too :D ) and the piece you posted here is a direct colored translations of what I saw from your work.
I really dig how you use the background to make your characters jump out more (And now see what you meant when you commented on my sketchbook thread) I like your fine line work and again the scratchy'ness, it suits yours style and 'pulp' feel, the only crit I have is that the lady's upperbody looks too static compared to her lower body, it's almost like two different people. I like the guys head swinging away from impact point, and the gun flying out of his hand, and even something small like his tie flapping from the motion, really cool!
Yours Truely
Da' Phreak
Neville Howard.
WWW.Comicwrx.com
Hey Phreak-- thanks for the crit, and you're right. It wouldn't be physically possible for her to be that casual from the waste up while applying the old boot to the head technique. It's a kind of a humorous piece to me, but I don't think it's extreme enough to read properly. In addition to adding her left hand, I'm giving the guy a goofier expression, and generally exploring getting a painterly technique with the Wacom.
I've been looking at a book called Sin-A-Rama, which has some pretty stunning pulp novel covers. The contrast between the lowbrow subject matter and the brilliance of their execution is pretty amazing. But, to be blunt, I'm not that good. I mean, as both illustrators and oil painters, those guys were pretty great.
So, other than reworking this piece, I'm developing a simplified style for cartoons. Pretty damn fun, though just as challenging in a different way.
great stuff, I like your style, it really reminds me of R. Crumb.
I've been moving towards something more animatable, lately.
Hi DrSpectre,
You have some neat concepts there and a fine cartoon sensibilty.
Much of it looks as though you start with a line, though. In animation you'll start with the line of action and structure; something you can retro-fit to your cartoon sensibilty as soon as you learn.
The second picture you posted, with the guys on the top, have structure and is kept loose. This is the type of thing you should stick with for animation.
The structure is there, but you're right about line of action. I'll try to make that more of a habit than an occasional experiment. I'm also going to get more narrative in there. It's hard to do line of action unless you know what the character's doing before you start to draw. A common vice among lazy doodlers like myself.
The characters above started with the same type of pencils in the second image. My difficulty is in the inking-- at least that's what I feel I most need to work on right now. And I guess I was kind of anxious to try some color combinations in the last batch.
Thanks for the insights, though. Very constructive.
Yup, that can tend to happen in inking or clean-up.
I got commissioned to do four illustrations for a horror short story in a local pulp magazine. The instant the guy asked me to do it I thought, damn, I was just talking to you about doing that type of work. I haven't started with it yet (I've been busy with a four page comic now on my sketch thread) up to today. So I'll start with the illustrations tonite, keep you updated!
PS. I like the flat colors with your more animated faces
Yours Truely
Da' Phreak
Neville Howard.
WWW.Comicwrx.com
You know, Graphiteman, I've been sitting here and beating myself up over nothing. I just put the above inkings on top of their original pencils-- which all still have construction lines and vanishing points clearly visible. And I've been being overly sensitive.
What I'm unhappy with is the quality of line itself, and not where the lines are placed at all. Now when you say, "It looks like you started out with the line" that's an attempt at a factual statement. And, on thinking about it and looking at the evidence, I'm just going to have to disagree. Regardless of how "good" you think they are, the above very clearly show a solid knowledge of symetry and construction-- as well as motion archs and foreshortening.