PieXags' Sketch Thread - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

19 Mar 2006 at 03:50 - 1

Alright, for a while I've been debating as to whether or not I should post anything I do here. But now that I think about it, if I had a thread to actually update I'd be more obligated to actually get in practice thus improving the quality of the thread and hopefully my own not-so-1337 abilities.

PieXags is into concept art of sorts, and recently has needed some serious serious practice with his drawing tablet as not to blow major *** with photoshop's wonderful painting system. So I'm going to use this thread, and try to put up a quick photoshop painting each day because I get bored. Everything in this thread will be entirely from scratch photoshop brush work (as in...no filters) or pencil stuffs. (Stated so I don't have to say it each time.)

Edit: Also, nothing I post in this thread will be from any reference. I don't use references unless I'm doing an accuracy study, in which case I'll say it's from a reference in the post (but don't count on there being any of these). This is all done from a blank sheet of paper, or a blank canvas---no references. It feels like cheating when I do that.

Todays I did just a moment ago, half an hour spent.

If I don't update this every day, yell at me.

Sidra

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

CT

NITE

R/

19 Mar 2006 at 03:55 - 2

wonderful shading on the mountain. i think i definetely should have gotten myself an inuos instead of a graphire, even if it was exponentially less expensive >.< what kind of tablet do you use?

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

19 Mar 2006 at 03:58 - 3

I just got it a week or two ago and have only used it once or twice. It's pretty damn hard to get used to...I definately miss my pencil.

I was looking for a 9x12 Intuos2, but can't hardly find those anymore so I bought a 9x12 Intuos3 for about $340.

Sidra

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

CT

NITE

R/

19 Mar 2006 at 04:00 - 4

yeah. the separation between the actual sensor and the protective plate on the graphire is very odd and hard to overcome. most of my attempted drawings are crap because its a 4x5 so not many possibilities for longer strokes or more control there...

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

19 Mar 2006 at 04:04 - 5

Ha, I know what you mean. Sometimes I actually wish I'd gone with a smaller one, though. I didn't measure my keyboard slide and I can't fit the tablet in front of my monitor anywhere, so I have it right next to me on the desk, I have to turn the monitor about 40 degress to my right and then work with one arm up on the desk at the tablet, head turned to the monitor. If it were smaller I could've fit it in front of me. I am getting remarkably used to this setup though, so no worries I suppose.

Sidra

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

CT

NITE

R/

19 Mar 2006 at 05:04 - 6

yeah. my moniter is at an angle and i have to draw at a retarted sitting angle because of it. but hey, you do what you can.

Sidra

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

CT

NITE

R/

20 Mar 2006 at 02:27 - 7

*yells At Piexags*

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

20 Mar 2006 at 03:21 - 8

I didn't get to finish todays, because I've got shitloads of other work to do. Here's it's progress though, I'll finish it later tonight or tomorrow when I have time.

Here's the rough sketch:

And here's where I'm at on the painting:

And like...crits and comments and stuff, they'd be much appreciated.

I pwnd U

God of Spammers

Join Date: Oct 2005

in the middle of a burning cornfield...

Scars Meadows [SMS] (Officer)

20 Mar 2006 at 03:57 - 9

Omg that is amazing Pie! It looks really good, I have no critisim for ya, i think it looks wonderful!

Vermilion Okeanos

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2005

20 Mar 2006 at 04:19 - 10

Is that sketch contour drawing? (did i spell that right? o well)

If not, some basic line practice would be nice.

Other than that, it is too early to make any other comment... can't rush genius.

I assume all are done from photo reference.

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

20 Mar 2006 at 04:21 - 11

I used no reference (for any of it, I never use reference unless it's an anatomical study. I enjoy my art because, being that no references are used, it's a chance to pull off things people have never seen before) or anything, but yes in a sense that sketch is a contour drawing. It took about ten seconds. My line work is probably better than my painting, but I'm not practicing that which is why I'm not posting any of my line work.

Atila The Hunny

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2006

Delaware, USA

Sacred Forge Knights [sfk]

W/Mo

20 Mar 2006 at 04:24 - 12

wow pie u are really good!!! =)

Ultimate Warrior

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Dec 2005

Canada

LS

W/Mo

20 Mar 2006 at 04:31 - 13

Wow the painting on that looks very good so far. You are an excellent drawer

Sir Skullcrasher

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

California

15 over 50 [Rare]

W/Mo

20 Mar 2006 at 04:55 - 14

Pie, use Microsoft paint and draw for us

zoozoc

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Beaverton/OR

Disciples of Birkler [BIR]

20 Mar 2006 at 05:32 - 15

sweet art, i didnt even knew you did that kind of stuff.

labsenpai

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Mo/E

20 Mar 2006 at 05:45 - 16

last pen+sensor device I used was a Koala Pad back in 1986.

Something comforting about a real fiber brush...

Vermilion Okeanos

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2005

20 Mar 2006 at 06:35 - 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by PieXags

I used no reference (for any of it, I never use reference unless it's an anatomical study. I enjoy my art because, being that no references are used, it's a chance to pull off things people have never seen before) or anything, but yes in a sense that sketch is a contour drawing. It took about ten seconds. My line work is probably better than my painting, but I'm not practicing that which is why I'm not posting any of my line work.

Haha, same idea as me. I don't like using reference unless it is learning how things really look like (it bother me to see people drawing horrible fingers and hands even thou they still have another hand or finger not doing anything while they draw). Still life drop me to sleep, unless it is a twisted mirror or something.

Also, I never trust myself or anyone's (the person who done the drawing) time estimation of of how long it took to finish something... it is almost always wrong. Unless it go to hours, or you put a stop watch heh. I don't know how many time I draw something, and thought it was 20 minutes until I look at the clock telling me nearly 1 hour passed.

EDIT:
Oh yea, btw... who is joining the emblem contest? =P

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

20 Mar 2006 at 06:51 - 18

Peoples: Thanks.

labsenpai: I know what you mean, I miss my beloved pencil. I never really got into actual material painting, because it was too damn messy for my tastes. I don't want to have to wait for a layer to dry before adding another if I don't want blended color, I don't want to use water for opacity changes, I don't want to have to clean off my damn brushes, or spend money on paints and brushes over and over again, etc. It definately takes some getting used to with the tablet, hence the reason for this thread.

Vermilion: I know how that is, my first few paintings (which are...pretty bad) took me like three hours where I thought I'd spent only one. That's why I bought an extra clock (it's even one of those two bell & mallet alarm clocks like in the cartoons) so that I get the time accurate.

I won't be joining the emblem contest, I was seriously considering painting a wallpaper for this guildwarsguru contest, but I don't feel right doing it for the contest and I don't know if I'd be able to finish such a large project in a week with all I've got going, so I'll probably do a guru wallpaper, just not for the contest.

Symeon

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2005

20 Mar 2006 at 07:13 - 19

Wonderful stuff man. It's weird how you wouldn't expect people who haven't posted here yet to be good at art (me, for example), but this is amazing. I particularly like the shading on the mountain, and the expression on that man's face

Lampshade

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2005

USA

Xen of Onslaught

20 Mar 2006 at 07:40 - 20

Looks amazing! Just touch up the priest guy so you can distinguish the body parts and add a lil shading.

and a backround if you so desire, but I think the black/white contrast is supurb.

kais

Academy Page

Join Date: Nov 2005

China

The Hatebreeders [Evil]

20 Mar 2006 at 10:27 - 21

did you just say you had not-so-leet abilities??

this this guys face looks amazing *looks at his own photoshop paintings and sighs*
nice job

Vermilion Okeanos

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2005

20 Mar 2006 at 11:16 - 22

About tablet, currently it is impossible to do asian caligraphy with computer. You can spend a long time editing it to look like caligraphy, but it won't have the feel, nor is it fun.

There are still things PC can't do =P Oh well.

Anyone ever try drawing with trackball mouse on PC before? It is horror.

LightningHell

(????????????)???

Join Date: Aug 2005

Hong Kong

Guildless

Mo/

20 Mar 2006 at 12:50 - 23

I get to write Chinese on my compy, and it looks like Chinese calligraphy, if you have the right font.

B R A G G I N G B R A G G I N G
\|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/
But my calligraphy is waaaay better.

Sidra

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

CT

NITE

R/

20 Mar 2006 at 12:53 - 24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lampshade

Looks amazing! Just touch up the priest guy so you can distinguish the body parts and add a lil shading.

and a backround if you so desire, but I think the black/white contrast is supurb. He said "Here's where I am on the painting SO FAR." That means he isn't finished yet, Lampshade. If you couldn't tell, the reason the head looks so huge is because its actually a hand on top of the head, and the body is that of a curled up old man, just not completely defined yet. Hehe.

Old Dood

Middle-Age-Man

Join Date: May 2005

Lansing, Mi

W/Mo

20 Mar 2006 at 14:05 - 25

Very good PieXags....how did you capture me so well with back pain like that? We haven't even met before...

Seriously....nicely done!

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

R/

20 Mar 2006 at 15:05 - 26

I love how the progress on the painting is coming, PieXags. I feel like I'm at pretty much the same state of learning as you are when it comes to my digital painting, so there isn't much I can offer as advice, although I feel some of the same things about the painting that bother me in my own work (and what artist would be complete without hating their own work to some degree or another?).

I think all I can say critique-wise is this: People tend to have a yellowish tint to the skin on their forehead, a more reddish tint to their nose/cheeks, and a blue or green tint to their lower jaw (green on women, 'cause blue tends to make 'em look like they're growing a beard

). How exactly you get those subtle tints in there, I'm still working on myself. I just thought it was worth mentioning though, since it seems like the base color of your skin is pretty even throughout the face.

Have fun with your painting! I look forward to see further progress on it.

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

21 Mar 2006 at 03:22 - 27

*sigh* Unfortunately I haven't hardly been able to do a damn thing on the priest as of today, I did his forehead and that was about it. I'm bogged down with other sorts of work, if I finish all the other crap I'll try to throw a seperate thing together maybe later tonight (technically would probably be early this morning).

Peoples: Thanks.

Jenosavel: Yes, I've seen many facial sketches that depict pretty much what you just described, but I was never fond of it myself primarily because everyone is different, and sticking to the same "Santa" sort of red nose/cheeks and such gets old after a while (and isn't even hardly noticable unless you're looking at someone who's been standing outside in the snow for an hour or two). I still have absolutely no idea how I'm going to paint the black vest/suit/reverend-priest outfit thing that makes up his body, shading something that's already black is VERY difficult and will apparently involve the use of blues and purples on top of the dark gray I have, along with some subtle grays to make it look decent, as was suggested to me by a friend...but I still've never tried it before. We'll see how it turns out when I get the time.

actionjack

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Kali

W/E

21 Mar 2006 at 03:43 - 28

Pie is so so so GREAT!!!

(don't bane me....)

Xenrath

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

W/Me

21 Mar 2006 at 17:08 - 29

Hey he missed a day! Yelling time!

If only he let us throw pie at him for every day he didn't post a pic

Cymboric Treewalker

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Imperial Palace - Cantha

[SFK] Sacred Forge Knights (founder)

Me/Mo

21 Mar 2006 at 17:51 - 30

Ifn' it were me, and it ain't, I would be buying a tablet PC with a 14" screen... then you could draw and SEE what you were drawing while you were doing it... cause you write on the screen.

actionjack

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Kali

W/E

21 Mar 2006 at 19:18 - 31

Work directly on screen
Wacom's Cintiq 21UX interactive pen display combines the advantages of an LCD monitor with the control, comfort, and productivity of Wacom's most sophisticated patented cordless, battery-free tablet technology. By using a pen directly on the screen, you work much more quickly and naturally. For even more productivity, the Cintiq 21UX features ExpressKeys™ and Touch Strips right at your fingertips for convenient keyboard shortcuts, scrolling, zooming, brush size control, and more. Use the Cintiq Payback Calculator to see just how quickly your Cintiq 21UX will pay for itself.

Cintiq
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PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

21 Mar 2006 at 20:38 - 32

You know I was considering it, but after realizing that it costs much much much much more money, and will not yield better results when one gets used to a normal tablet, it's not worth it.

actionjack

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Kali

W/E

21 Mar 2006 at 20:44 - 33

Quote:

Originally Posted by PieXags

You know I was considering it, but after realizing that it costs much much much much more money, and will not yield better results when one gets used to a normal tablet, it's not worth it. oh.. I mean to get it for me.... silly

Sidra

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

CT

NITE

R/

21 Mar 2006 at 21:00 - 34

I would definetely like to get that... drawing off-screen makes me feel so detatched. Ah well. Not worth the money for me.

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

21 Mar 2006 at 22:52 - 35

Well today I've been working on a lightbulb for about an hour...lots and lots and lots and lots of trial and error...mostly error. It looks like ass right now, trust me on that. And it'll probably look like crap when I'm finished as well (at least not on par with the first two) but...uh...yeah I'll edit this post when I finish it up...(anyone know how the hell to paint a lightbulb...?

)

Ok...actually, I'll just post my progress on the lightbulb right now...and then post ANOTHER one later once I finish it, and stuff. That way, if anyone has any idea how ot paint a lightbulb, they can see where I'm at and...help and stuff, so I can fix it before I finish it. Smart 'eh?

Here's where my cruddy lightbulb is at now:

...obviously, I haven't done the base yet, that should be relatively easy. What I KNOW I'm going to do is smooth the edges that I haven't, and add a base, other than that...uh...yeah. This is one of those things I probably SHOULD use reference for, but didn't...help?

Xenrath

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

W/Me

21 Mar 2006 at 23:12 - 36

Since you're using the computer as well, can you not use some filter or other for a glass effect? Alienskin comes to mind, you could also look up "glass buttons" that's a quite popular form of "buttons" for websites (and expand the techniques for a lightbulb) - http://www.n-sane.net/tutorials/glowing_glass_button/ there's one I found a while back and personally like and use in websites.

That would be my suggestion anyway, mix the "hand" painting/pad stuff with filter/special effects plugins

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

21 Mar 2006 at 23:14 - 37

Never will I touch a painting with a filter because I'm having trouble doing it all by hand. I do these to LEARN how to do them, not take the easy way out. The last thing you should touch in photoshop, is filters.

Xenrath

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

W/Me

21 Mar 2006 at 23:18 - 38

Ah fair enough really, my main graphics work has been web/image related so I don't have the luxury of painting by hand (am not so great at it either lol)

Cymboric Treewalker

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Imperial Palace - Cantha

[SFK] Sacred Forge Knights (founder)

Me/Mo

21 Mar 2006 at 23:53 - 39

I just wish Photoshop was reasonably priced... Corel Draw (the entire suite) is $99 upgrade and $199 base... compared to Adobe CS + Illustrator +++ and the cost is easily over $1200... so um...

Eugaet

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2005

US

Righteous Apathy [RA]

22 Mar 2006 at 00:11 - 40

Damn, nice work. Even the "cruddy" lightbulb.

*Sigh* I need to get back into art...still considering getting a Graphire4 4x5...because it'd be the only one I could afford...and I don't want to spend too much on something that I won't be using every day...

Definitely got skills, Pie...had no idea.