[yoshi]

i tried sketching with broader marker tip (Chiang's tip). Anyone knows about Mead's tactics ?

[Skeezer]

What are Mead's tactics?

That looks really cool, what is it? :-)

I think you should define a light source so that you can bring more 3dimensialty to the design. Other than that, I can't critique your design without knowing what it is or what its for.

It does look really cool though, I like your paneling.

later

-Skeez

[spooge demon]

Check your left vanishing point, the ship is curved toward us. If the lines were parallel, it would look like an engineering perspective or isometric, but they are beyond parallel. Make sure that your ship is symmetrical in design, and if it is not, make that clear as well. Right now there are some parts symmetrical, some almost and some you clearly intended to be asymmetrical. The old rule is make a vertical either absolutely vertical, or quite a bit off, but not off by a little bit. It then looks intentional.

I would suggest �drawing through� your forms at first, like they were a wireframe. This will help you be accurate when drawing the far side of the ship.

Syd always works standing up. He says he likes to swing the pen from the arm to get energy in his line work. But other than that, I think he works as you might suspect. I know Doug likes to fog in his shape with a light gray marker and then go in with a dark fine pen to finish things out.

[Sumaleth]

Mead has one a few occations (books and online interviews) shown that he likes to start with swirls, curves and lines. Lots and lots of them in what can really only be described as a mess. But to him he's thinking about composition initially, and from these masses of lines he starts to form ideas.
Subsequent revisions slowly start to extract out the image that he sees.

I've tried this approach a few times and I actually really enjoy it!

--

The approach you've tried here is much closer to the way Doug Chiang works. He draws a foundation in marker pen, based more on composition and an idea of where the light source is, and then draws pen over the top based on the shapes and forms that he sees amoung the marker lines.

Row.

[Vortx]

Hey Yoshi, you're on the right track. The marker first techique is what i use as well.

As for now, try to keep your shapes simple and get the perspective right first. Add organic curves and stuff later....once you have it down.

Here's my really quick sample of what Spooge is talking about. Draw your center line, and draw your design out from it. Mirroring everything from the center line...(drawing through).

I did this on the wacom..so my lines suck! but you get the idea...

hope this helps..



-feng



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artbyfeng.com

[yoshi]

Skeezer: thanks, yes i'm going to make a copy and render it with a light source.

Spooge Demon: Thanks for going over the mistakes. I was aware of some the errors you pointed out. The problem is I don't see what I;m doing yet. I can pick up the errors on monitor but not during the process of drawing. I guess i need to do this more often.

Suma: I have to try that. I thought that he starts from basic geometric figures. Concepts from Mead i've seen so far have a lot of basic geometry. I think they are both after randomness, it works like a stimulus to the imagination.

Vortex: Thanks, it helps a lot. Btw how would you go about correcting this, getting a clean sheet of paper and tracing it over ? I was thinking of tracing it with 10 or 20% prisma, correcting everything and redoing some parts on a new sheet.

[MonsterX]

Why not start over? Whole new sheet of paper and do the marker thing again. But this time you have a rough idea. You may find new and interesting designs that you like more. And at worst you have a corrected replica of the original.

[yoshi]

yeah, i'll do that. With this one too..

[yoshi]

this is pretty rapid method.

[yoshi]

thanks, i agree about drawing the guide lines stronger. They are symmetrical, i'm just too lazy to mirror the other side, it's difficult too

Does anyone know if this would work: gluing clean pieces of paper in areas that need some work, painting over marker with white acrylics, copy the whole thing to a new piece of paper with copying machine ?
Since Spooge and Vortex took their time to point out the mistakes, i'd like to correct that drawing somehow.

[MonsterX]

It may just be the way your vehicle is designed but this last one seems to be rounded also. Maybe if you draw the vanishing point lines and the axis a bit stronger. It could also be that your drawing is asymmetrical, so these complex devices are not seen on the other side and that could cause some oddity when the drawing is first observed. But as design sketches these are great. It is always good to flesh out your ideas with loads o' sketches and you seem to be doing just that. Good job.

[MonsterX]

White paint and pasting new paper over the top of the drawing are definitly two ways to edit your sketch. Mostly it looks as though white paint is used for highlights on dark surfaces. If you redraw a portion of the ship on another paper you could cut it out with an exacto knife and glue it over the top of the afflicted area. My questions are, how long did you spend on the sketch? How long will it take you to "fix" the old one? How long would it take to make a completely new one?

[yoshi]

it will take longer to fix old drawing than do a new one. Although the new drawing will have similar problems. In these sketches I like some parts here and there but not the whole thing. I think it would be a good idea to sit back, think everything through and take what i already have to a point where i would be satified with the whole drawing not just some elements. I doubt this is going to happen with the first try, i'm not experienced enough.

[MonsterX]

It rarely "happens" on the first try, even with the experienced fellows. These spontaneous ideas often take form quickly but require a bit of working and reworking to become fully realized. The most important thing is to not get hung up on one particular drawing or aspect. If there is something you don't like, change it. If there is something you do like, work on it until it rocks the house. And if there is something you absolutely love right off the bat, consider yourself lucky but be ready for criticism.

[opticillusion]

Yoshi, nice concepts! I agree with monster about just forgetting the things you don't like and just keep trying and reworking. I think your ideas are great, and your vehicles are well thought through, besides the minor flaws that have already been mentioned.

I look forward to seeing more of your work.

[yoshi]

thanks, last one, i'll get a light box tomorrow and i'll start working on this mess.
I like this fogging in