My Animation and Drawings

[BrioCyrain]

DRAWINGS(Done like Seconds ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/220346.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/220351.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/220355.jpg

ANIMATIONS

4lQfOvxsT7Y

URqFAjfxxfc

[u_6dBkdgLdI

The last one isn't smooth since youtube doesn't like really short vids, and yes some of them are based on the Batman: The Animated Series Cartoon, but I DID draw the animation.

AND: Do those pictures look UUUUUUGLY!

[lavallelee]

really cant see anything, very blurry

all honesty you should stop using flash for the time being and just draw on paper, follow don's lessons in the tips and ragbag

the links are at the top of the page :)

[johncbeggs]

really cant see anything, very blurry

all honesty you should stop using flash for the time being and just draw on paper, follow don's lessons in the tips and ragbag

the links are at the top of the page :)

I agree with lavallelee , I think you should work on drawing skills rather than animations. This site is gold for a begginer like me and every bit of advice on here should be listened too :)

[lavallelee]

john speaks the truth :p

[Lifed]

I'd like to see something that was actually finished. Two of the three can't be more than 6 frames or so. But like said, I'd say doing some on paper is a good idea. Or at least basic drills (ball bounce!).

[Snapai]

really cant see anything, very blurry

all honesty you should stop using flash for the time being and just draw on paper, follow don's lessons in the tips and ragbag

the links are at the top of the page :)

Or if you insist on digital animation (like I tend to ;) ) PLEASE use something designed for traditional 2D! Flash is not! Icky, horrible, filthy programses </gollum>

ANYTHING is better:

Digicel (a traditional pencil-testing and coloring software, now with paperless animation capability, and they are posting on this forum!)
Toonboom (what I use, vector format so it exports to SWF easily, without sucking like Flash does - the 'consumer' version of one of the more widespread digital ink-and-paint systems)
TV Paint (haven't worked with it, but the results look BEAUTIFUL, and very natural-media)
PlasticAnimationPaper (Very nice traditionally-oriented workflow, free version available)


etc :)

[lavallelee]

come on you dont have to bash flash, i love using flash you can import your traditional images and such not nescisarily draw/animate in flash

u can use it mainly as a timeline and for music and sound effects

flash is a strong program, used for alot

[BrioCyrain]

Yeah, Flash can import drawings, you can use it to import backgrounds, characters, and music and sfx. You can probably use it traditional like LavalleLee(did I say that correctly?)

EDIT: And yes Flash is definitely not keen on exporting non-flash format...blur does happen

[lavallelee]

ya, it is lavalle lee

show us more of your work, i would love to see more and give critiques and help out the best that i can

[BrioCyrain]

StTErZZ6hTw

A mock-animation for a fake Zelda RPG, Link walking is frame by frame, but the Moblin coming forward into the battle scenario is of course motion-tweened after my frame-by-frame for the scene looked choppy.

[Snapai]

Yeah, Flash can import drawings, you can use it to import backgrounds, characters, and music and sfx. You can probably use it traditional like LavalleLee(did I say that correctly?)

EDIT: And yes Flash is definitely not keen on exporting non-flash format...blur does happen

Hay, sorry if I came off grumpy up there - I'm still new to getting my 'mood' across on forums - I'm used to IRC where I can back off immediately if someone takes me too seriously! ^^:

I just meant that for the traditional 2D workflow, Flash is still kinda' awkward, and if you haven't tried one of the others, they're worth toying with! :D

[BrioCyrain]

Hay, sorry if I came off grumpy up there - I'm still new to getting my 'mood' across on forums - I'm used to IRC where I can back off immediately if someone takes me too seriously! ^^:

I just meant that for the traditional 2D workflow, Flash is still kinda' awkward, and if you haven't tried one of the others, they're worth toying with! :D

Well, I tried Toon Boom once but I found the GUI so...funky

[BrioCyrain]

YHCjMcFsQO0

My first Animation

EVER!

NOTE how some of the body parts are detached and how some of the body proportions are SOOOOO off!

[BrioCyrain]

4wun1IIlKt8

Expirementing with Lip-Sync, it seems to fall off at the "goodies" part.

[BrioCyrain]

Il7f4Y1omP0

The batmobile zooming out of the Batcave.

[BrioCyrain]

VW0-3E4zBXk

Using Don Bluth's Principles of the Bouncing Ball

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/222019.jpg

My latest drawing

[GullyStomper]

BrioCyrain,

I don't think you have to give up Flash, but I agree that your focus needs to be more on drawing. Take a figure drawing class. I promise you the more you learn to draw anatomy correctly, the better your drawings will become.

[BrioCyrain]

BrioCyrain,

I don't think you have to give up Flash, but I agree that your focus needs to be more on drawing. Take a figure drawing class. I promise you the more you learn to draw anatomy correctly, the better your drawings will become.

True, which I plan on taking some drawing classes during college, since I can't draw with squat at the moment.

[Penumbra]

Drawing classes can be helpful, but there's no need for you to wait. Draw what's around you! Draw your family, objects around the house and yard and town where you live, draw your pets, draw people at the mall. Draw yourself using a mirror! It's hard to stress enough how important it is to just keep your pencil/pen/stylus moving. And it's a never-ending process, too...

Drawing the human form is especially good practice. Which reminds me, I need to scan and share some of my life drawings for critique in the Gallery. ^^

Anyway, you obviously have a desire to animate because you've taken the initiative to do so on your own. That's great! It's more than I've done. XD Just keep practicing.

[BrioCyrain]

Thanks Penumbra. I will try to draw more during the summer, and I hope to use some of Don's videos, but I really need is to get better.

[Penumbra]

It comes with practice. ;) You have to work at it over time. I'm excited to see what you post in the future!

[BrioCyrain]

Thanks, I hope to get more stuff up ASAP.

[Snapai]

You might want to check out some of Glenn Vilppu's books too, if you're working on drawing and life drawing.

http://www.vilppustore.com/

His life drawing manual is excellent, and a wonderful way to get started thinking in volumes and drawing in rough guestures. But if you're going to be out sketching, he does have a sketching on location book too which is also great. :)

[BrioCyrain]

Never heard of him. I'll check it out

[BrioCyrain]

_fuQGzN670o

Experimenting with Effects

[Lifed]

I don't want to blam, and when I type this it may seem to come off with a mean tone, but the stuff I see here is barely animation. Tweens and two framed stuff just makes me feel like never coming back to your thread. On the up side, I'd like to see you work on phonemes. In your voice synced animation, all you did was open the mouth when he talked. Phonemes would be the way the mouth opens on certain letters. Let's see... try this:
http://animation.about.com/od/flashanimationtutorials/a/animationphonem.htm
It gives a good little page on them. After the mouth, try emotions while speaking, and movement! Your characters are just basic line tool creations. I'd like to see you using the pencil or brush and doing more traditional.

Remember the time and effort factor. The more you give, the more rewarding it is.

EDIT:
Also work on easing a bit. Like on the ball bounce animation, things wouldn't fall and bounce back at the exact same pace right? Start slow and build up speed as it falls. Bounce up fast, start over. It'd be a good loop.

[BrioCyrain]

I don't want to blam, and when I type this it may seem to come off with a mean tone, but the stuff I see here is barely animation. Tweens and two framed stuff just makes me feel like never coming back to your thread. On the up side, I'd like to see you work on phonemes. In your voice synced animation, all you did was open the mouth when he talked. Phonemes would be the way the mouth opens on certain letters. Let's see... try this:
http://animation.about.com/od/flashanimationtutorials/a/animationphonem.htm
It gives a good little page on them. After the mouth, try emotions while speaking, and movement! Your characters are just basic line tool creations. I'd like to see you using the pencil or brush and doing more traditional.

Remember the time and effort factor. The more you give, the more rewarding it is.

EDIT:
Also work on easing a bit. Like on the ball bounce animation, things wouldn't fall and bounce back at the exact same pace right? Start slow and build up speed as it falls. Bounce up fast, start over. It'd be a good loop.

Well, seeing how I've been in school everytime I do a flash animation, kind of hard to make one very long, also flash has been the only way I can do animation, since I can't draw anything well. Also traditional animation requires lots of tools that I don't have....you're asking a bit much for a newbie.

What I am saying is, why try to do animation traditionally when I can't even draw a person who like...looks like a person?

[Snapai]

Well, seeing how I've been in school everytime I do a flash animation, kind of hard to make one very long, also flash has been the only way I can do animation, since I can't draw anything well. Also traditional animation requires lots of tools that I don't have....you're asking a bit much for a newbie.

What I am saying is, why try to do animation traditionally when I can't even draw a person who like...looks like a person?

OK, last question first - why try to do animation traditionally when you can't draw anything well? In my experience, animation is one of the best ways to practice drawing, to get to know how to get what's in your head out on the paper. It's probably the sheer amount of practice. ;) I certainly started seeing things more dimensionally after my first few 2D animations.

Secondly, traditional 2D doesn't require THAT much equipment. A stack of paper that you can peg in place on one side, a pencil, and if you really want to make it easy on yourself, a light table so you can see through the drawings rather than having to roll or flip them to see the motion. :D

It's only when you get into a production where you're working with others that you'll absolutely need fancier stuff. ;)

Also, Lifed's post is mostly a critique - it's a list of things to work on or improve. Lemme try to simplify:

phonemes for lipsync [link] (http://animation.about.com/od/flashanimationtutorials/a/animationphonem.htm)
Emotions while speaking
Movement of the characters
Using the pencil or brush to draw / working more traditionally (extremes and inbetweens)
Care enough about your results to spend time on them
Varying the timing during a movement (easing)


That's six things to get you started.

Hope that helps! :D

[johncbeggs]

Well, seeing how I've been in school everytime I do a flash animation, kind of hard to make one very long, also flash has been the only way I can do animation, since I can't draw anything well. Also traditional animation requires lots of tools that I don't have....you're asking a bit much for a newbie.

What I am saying is, why try to do animation traditionally when I can't even draw a person who like...looks like a person?

Im not trying to be rude but, why do animation at all if you cant draw you say that as if its a luxury to be able to draw- the fact is its hard work.:D
:)

[lavallelee]

my opinion is not to animate, just use a pencil to draw

its cheap and you can learn while drawing

you should stop trying to make animations for the time being

just draw draw draw! on paper with pencil (not expensive at all)

[Snapai]

One of the most well-known and oft-paraphrased quotes in the art and animation world is by Kimon Nicolaides, who wrote the book on how to learn to draw, (until that book was largely replaced by Betty Edwards's "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain").

The quote runs something along the lines of "Every artist is born with 10,000 bad drawings inside them, now get busy getting them out!"

If you do those in 2D animation, you'll manage to get through all of them in the span of a 7 minute short. :D

So not being able to draw yet isn't an excuse not to draw 2D animation. It's an excellent reason TO do so ;)

[BrioCyrain]

OK, last question first - why try to do animation traditionally when you can't draw anything well? In my experience, animation is one of the best ways to practice drawing, to get to know how to get what's in your head out on the paper. It's probably the sheer amount of practice. ;) I certainly started seeing things more dimensionally after my first few 2D animations.

Secondly, traditional 2D doesn't require THAT much equipment. A stack of paper that you can peg in place on one side, a pencil, and if you really want to make it easy on yourself, a light table so you can see through the drawings rather than having to roll or flip them to see the motion. :D

It's only when you get into a production where you're working with others that you'll absolutely need fancier stuff. ;)

Also, Lifed's post is mostly a critique - it's a list of things to work on or improve. Lemme try to simplify:

phonemes for lipsync [link] (http://animation.about.com/od/flashanimationtutorials/a/animationphonem.htm)
Emotions while speaking
Movement of the characters
Using the pencil or brush to draw / working more traditionally (extremes and inbetweens)
Care enough about your results to spend time on them
Varying the timing during a movement (easing)




That's six things to get you started.

Hope that helps! :D

Thanks for the tips, at least that actually gave me some directions. Commenting on my work to me is meaningless unless you can actually give some guidance out of it...opinions are just opinions to me.

[BrioCyrain]

Im not trying to be rude but, why do animation at all if you cant draw you say that as if its a luxury to be able to draw- the fact is its hard work.:D
:)

Drawing is hard work, but I recently have been too busy to draw. It seems like you guys just expect me to dump studying for finals week and just go on a drawing tangent. Like I said you can probably see more of my drawings later.

[BrioCyrain]

my opinion is not to animate, just use a pencil to draw

its cheap and you can learn while drawing

you should stop trying to make animations for the time being

just draw draw draw! on paper with pencil (not expensive at all)

Someone who has a straightforward opinion, finally! I plan to give you guys more drawings after I am done with this semester(finals are next week...X(

[BrioCyrain]

One of the most well-known and oft-paraphrased quotes in the art and animation world is by Kimon Nicolaides, who wrote the book on how to learn to draw, (until that book was largely replaced by Betty Edwards's "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain").

The quote runs something along the lines of "Every artist is born with 10,000 bad drawings inside them, now get busy getting them out!"

If you do those in 2D animation, you'll manage to get through all of them in the span of a 7 minute short. :D

So not being able to draw yet isn't an excuse not to draw 2D animation. It's an excellent reason TO do so ;)

Another good advice! Straightforward is all I need guys!

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/203302.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/203256.jpg

More drawings, tried to put some more effort on the facial one

[Snapai]

More drawings, tried to put some more effort on the facial one

See if you can't get a better camera or a really cheap scanner. I can barely see these drawings, they're so blurry. :o

[johncbeggs]

Drawing is hard work, but I recently have been too busy to draw. It seems like you guys just expect me to dump studying for finals week and just go on a drawing tangent. Like I said you can probably see more of my drawings later.

Im gradauting highschool and trying to pass all my classes:laughing: thats why I end up with 4hrs of sleep a night.:D

[IzzyS]

Drawing is hard work, but I recently have been too busy to draw. It seems like you guys just expect me to dump studying for finals week and just go on a drawing tangent. Like I said you can probably see more of my drawings later.
I don't think anybody said to drop your studies and just draw :)! just take your time, really, you can do both. but you don't have to sacrifice one for the other.

[Hana]

I have a pretty busy scedule myself but times I find I can draw are when I'm waiting like on the train or between classes.

[BrioCyrain]

I think there was a better camera around but my sister took it I think when she went to Syria, and seeing how I have no money(spent most of it on becoming a member here), I don't think getting my own is in the question.

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/112109.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/112102.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/112035.jpg

Tried to make them less blurry

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/121619.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/121626.jpg

Ones a pokemon, one is trying to draw myself

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/151509.jpg

My Pigmy Owl submission...might as well try

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/181728.jpg

Another Pokemon


Are these pictures actually Seeable this time?

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/214328.jpg

Experimenting with hair

[BlazingCoral]

I see a Psyduck!

Unfortunately your pictures are quite blurry and it's hard to see the details... You're definitely going to want a better camera or scanner.

By the way, if you want to draw on the computer better, get a graphics tablet. It's certainly possible to draw well with a mouse, but with a tablet it's much much easier. Granted, they're not cheap, but they're definitely worth the price you have to pay, in my opinion.

[BrioCyrain]

I see a Psyduck!

Unfortunately your pictures are quite blurry and it's hard to see the details... You're definitely going to want a better camera or scanner.

By the way, if you want to draw on the computer better, get a graphics tablet. It's certainly possible to draw well with a mouse, but with a tablet it's much much easier. Granted, they're not cheap, but they're definitely worth the price you have to pay, in my opinion.

A tablet is like way out of my budget,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing004.jpg

Better now?

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing007.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing008.jpg

Here's some more

[johncbeggs]

A tablet is like way out of my budget,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing004.jpg

Better now?

Your sketchs are really bulky and stiff not really proportionate and giant eyes,that chin can poke an eye out :D

I would suggest that you buy a copy of preston blairs book and practice building the base of a character before adding detail.

[BlazingCoral]

Much clearer! :D

I'm far from an expert at drawing humans, but something seems a little off about your sketches. I think the chins are a bit too big, maybe?

[BrioCyrain]

That is so true, because I can't draw worth nothing at the moment.

[BrioCyrain]

Much clearer! :D

I'm far from an expert at drawing humans, but something seems a little off about your sketches. I think the chins are a bit too big, maybe?

My chin-drawing is horrible, I have yet to find a good technique to make them better...I use an old method of making chins.

[BlazingCoral]

Try looking up drawing guides online, or perhaps purchasing some from an art store like Michael's or Joann's. I've used guides like that when drawing humans and they're always a big help.

[johncbeggs]

Draw what pleases you, I have no idea what your talking about technique.

[Snapai]

OK, cool, scanned drawings! Much easier to read.

OK, looks like you're at least trying to use understructure, (loops and circles etc to make up the characters) that's good.

It looks to me like you're still thinking of your characters as flat shapes, though. The point of using those preliminary loops is to build your drawings out of relatively-easy-to-draw 3D forms, drawn on the paper.

Since you have a Don's Club membership, go look at the tips - you have 11 additional videos of Don drawing characters from his various productions, and you can see how he starts each of them. Circles and forms, with lines drawn around them, and sticking out of them, (not just floating inside them, or between them) in visualized 3D space.

I already recommended Glenn Vilppu's Drawing Manual to you, which will get you drawing from life in that way. Preston Blair's "Animation" is excellent to get ahold of, and most bookstores carry it - I've seen a copy of it in Michaels, even.

You can also look at the pages hosted on ASIFA's Animation Archive (http://www.animationarchive.org/2006/05/meta-100000-animation-drawing-course.html), they're the original version of the book, before Blair had to redo it without all the WB and Disney characters in it. :D

[Snapai]

A tablet is like way out of my budget,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing001.jpg


On this picture, I see a few things that need fixing with the drawing under the body.

You have loops to build up the body, but they don't seem to have much relation to the actual anatomy or form of the character.

For example, at the top of the torso, you have an ellipse that takes up about half of the rib cage, and some of the mass of the shoulders. It'd probably be better to actually approximate the mass of the ribcage, and the placement of the pelvis with your understructure.

Here's a paintover I did with my own attempt at a more useful base drawing:
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4907/drawing001.th.jpg (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=drawing001.jpg)

I'm using an ellipsoid sphere for the ribcage, an approximation of the shape of an actual pelvis for the pelvis, Loomis's "Sphere and vase" for the head. I've sketched in a loop for the hands, but these are better thought of as a slab of clay with a thickness, than as a round form. I've wrapped the shoulders around the ribcage, indicating the yoke of the clavicles+shoulderblades. Interestingly, the topmost joint on your arms is not your shoulders, it's those two little bumps just below the pit of your throat, that's where the clavicles attach to the ribcage.

Also, note that the back of the neck actually attaches to the back of the ribcage - so it tends to be flush in the back, and overlap in the front. Your drawing here: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing007.jpg seems to have a much better neck than the others, because of how the fabric wraps around it. Also, there's a huge diamond-shaped muscle (http://images.google.com/images?complete=1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=trapezius&sa=N&tab=wi&um=1) on the back that connects to the back of the ribcage, shoulders, and neck, so you'll rarely see perfect 90-degree angles between the shoulders and neck, even from a straight-on front view.

Here's Walt Stanchfield's handout on heads: [link] (http://www.animationmeat.com/pdf/misc/waltstanchfield/38ws_moreon_heads.pdf)
And here's an article by Chris Hart on how shoulders work: [link] (http://mag.awn.com/index.php?article_no=1549&ltype=acrmag)

Sorry for the long post, hope all that's useful! :D

[BrioCyrain]

Wow, that's the longest critique I've ever seen. Good stuff though.

[Penumbra]

Brio- Graphics tablets, scanners, and other expensive art supplies make -great- birthday and Christmas presents. ;D My first set of just about everything I own now was initially a gift from my family.

[BrioCyrain]

Brio- Graphics tablets, scanners, and other expensive art supplies make -great- birthday and Christmas presents. ;D My first set of just about everything I own now was initially a gift from my family.

True, True

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing010.jpg

Used some of the stuff you guys linked me

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing013.jpg

My Pigmy Owl Submission under a scanner

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing012.jpg

A character I had created a long time ago

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Drawing011.jpg

A Psyduck

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Hippo1.jpg

First Attempt at Hippo guy

[lavallelee]

wow, lots of improvement, keep at it :)

do more of don's tips and ragbag lessons

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Hippo3.jpg

Hippo Attempt 3

Tried to make some things better, not sure about this one.

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/scan0026.jpg

Hippo Fourth Attempt.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/scan0027.jpg

Hippo Fifth Attempt

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/scan0028.jpg

Pirate King First Attempt

[CanAur]

The 1st hippo was much better. ))))

[BrioCyrain]

The 1st hippo was much better. ))))

Everybody seems to think so, and I can't figure out why besides the eyes are better aligned.

[Snapai]

For extra stretching of your mind:
Once you've drawn a rag-bag character the way it's drawn on the video, so you understand how it's put together, try drawing it in a different pose. or angle.

Draw the action that came before or after the one you drew.

Or draw it with the camera rotated 90 degrees around the character. (ie, from a front view to a side view, or a side to a back, or whatever.)

Figuring out how to do that will also help you draw the original pose better, too!

[BrioCyrain]

For extra stretching of your mind:
Once you've drawn a rag-bag character the way it's drawn on the video, so you understand how it's put together, try drawing it in a different pose. or angle.

Draw the action that came before or after the one you drew.

Or draw it with the camera rotated 90 degrees around the character. (ie, from a front view to a side view, or a side to a back, or whatever.)

Figuring out how to do that will also help you draw the original pose better, too!

Sounds complex, since I can't even draw the original pose correctly.

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/scan0029.jpg

Pirate King Attempt 2

[Regan]

Nice progress! That's your best drawing yet.

[BrioCyrain]

Nice progress! That's your best drawing yet.

Yeah, I tried to make it so when photobucket imported it, it would preserve most of the detail. It actually looks pretty clean, also I think I did better with the peg leg.

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Pirate003.jpg

Pirate Attempt 3

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/scan0030.jpg

Some Video Game Characters from "Super Smash Brothers: Brawl".

[Mithmeoi]

I see improvement ze improvement! It's all looking good yes. :D Keep it up.

[BrioCyrain]

I see improvement ze improvement! It's all looking good yes. :D Keep it up.

Thanks, sometimes I can't tell if I am going forward or backwards. So thanks for the heads up!

EDIT: Also my finals start tomorrow so don't expect for me to post as much drawings. Study, Study, Study, ha ha!

[johncbeggs]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Pirate003.jpg

Pirate Attempt 3

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/scan0030.jpg

Some Video Game Characters from "Super Smash Brothers: Brawl".

I must say their looking alot better :D
great job man!

[BlazingCoral]

Looking good!

Why don't you try cleaning up your sketches though?

[BrioCyrain]

I must say their looking alot nicer :D
great job man!

Thanks, I have to say they do look better.

[BrioCyrain]

Looking good!

Why don't you try cleaning up your sketches though?

I don't like erasing all that much, and I don't usually like spending too much time on one drawing. Maybe after finals I can spend more time, but I am a bit busy.

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Pirate004.jpg

Tried cleaning this one up, and spent more time on it.

Pirate King Attempt 4

[jeremyhopkins]

Hi BrioCyrain, I have a couple suggestions that might help you improve your workflow. First try watching the new videos posted this week. They're really great for helping someone establish a way to approach drawing. Two, maybe take this one with a grain of salt. This is a way I've used in the past to help me draw a character when it's not coming together. If you find a version of the character you want to draw, sketch it and then import it back into photoshop, gimp or any software you like, then lower the opacity of the drawing on the second layer, you can easily tell the mistake. Another way to do this is to print out the model sheet and flip to it to see what mistakes are made (http://www.xsheet.net/pictures/portfolio2/misc/zelda_2005_link_help.jpg). Study, take notes and try drawing again until you match the model as closely as possible. John K's blog and the asifa website have more information about solid, structural drawing. It's helpful if you use this time to breakdown the model into simple shapes as I've noted on the side. Granted they aren't great drawings but hopefully they can help give you an idea.
Also watch out for how you draw eyes. They aren't flat against the face, they have volume like this:
http://www.infovisual.info/03/img_en/045%20Eyeball.jpg
http://www.infovisual.info/03/045_en.html
Keep in mind large volumes first of the head, then the cheeks, eye sockets, mouth line, and work smaller to the eye, eyeball, iris.

Keep going, you're doing great!

[Amourwolf]

Or if you insist on digital animation (like I tend to ;) ) PLEASE use something designed for traditional 2D! Flash is not! Icky, horrible, filthy programses </gollum>

ANYTHING is better:

Digicel (a traditional pencil-testing and coloring software, now with paperless animation capability, and they are posting on this forum!)
Toonboom (what I use, vector format so it exports to SWF easily, without sucking like Flash does - the 'consumer' version of one of the more widespread digital ink-and-paint systems)
TV Paint (haven't worked with it, but the results look BEAUTIFUL, and very natural-media)
PlasticAnimationPaper (Very nice traditionally-oriented workflow, free version available)


etc :)

I've found PlasticAnimationPaper to be a wonderful program.Its simple and easy to use. And best of all, its free and you can save your final products without the company's watermark stamped over it.

I've heard of Toonboom before, but I'll definitely research the rest.

[BrioCyrain]

Keep in mind large volumes first of the head, then the cheeks, eye sockets, mouth line, and work smaller to the eye, eyeball, iris.

Keep going, you're doing great!
____________________________________

Not sure if that picture helped seeing how it was a side view of the inner eye.

[Don Bluth]

Tried cleaning this one up, and spent more time on it.

Pirate King Attempt 4

On the positive side, I can say that your drawing has a certain, loose, free feeling to it. Where I think you are missing a beat is in the construction of your character. Think of your animation paper as not being flat but a cube instead, and you are sculpting an image that lies inside the cube. Your challenge is to make three dimensional drawings using two dimensional designs. Think on that principal before you make your next drawing.

[BrioCyrain]

On the positive side, I can say that your drawing has a certain, loose, free feeling to it. Where I think you are missing a beat is in the construction of your character. Think of your animation paper as not being flat but a cube instead, and you are sculpting an image that lies inside the cube. Your challenge is to make three dimensional drawings using two dimensional designs. Think on that principal before you make your next drawing.

Don Bluth replying to my thread?!

(bows in thanks)

I'll keep that in mind Mr. Bluth, I see it is a large predicament since I've had multiple comments of this nature. Thanks for the advice!

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/Pirate005.jpg

Thanks to Mr. Bluth I used his "cube" method and tried to make this Pirate King Attempt(#5) more 3D-ish. I think the hat turned out rather well and I tried to use his method of not overlapping parts of the face and beard and I think that did well also.

[GullyStomper]

Nice job. I like this character design. It still looks a little stiff. How are you drawing it? If you haven't attempted it already, try using less wrist and more of your elbow and shoulder to draw. It forces you to loosen up. I noticed a few other things that could use a bit of retouching. I illustrated it below:

http://www.thiscloud.net/temp/for_brio.jpg

Your pirate's left arm looks a little flat. Maybe try throwing some curves in there to add some volume. It's really coming together. You're showing a lot of improvement. Keep it up!

j.

[BrioCyrain]

Nice job. I like this character design. It still looks a little stiff. How are you drawing it? If you haven't attempted it already, try using less wrist and more of your elbow and shoulder to draw. It forces you to loosen up. I noticed a few other things that could use a bit of retouching. I illustrated it below:

http://www.thiscloud.net/temp/for_brio.jpg

Your pirate's left arm looks a little flat. Maybe try throwing some curves in there to add some volume. It's really coming together. You're showing a lot of improvement. Keep it up!

j.

Well I don't want to change the foot position since that's how Don Bluth did it. Though I will keep that in mind nonetheless, thanks for the feedback.

[GullyStomper]

Ah... I see, it's from the Ragbag! No wonder I like the character design. I see what you're trying to achieve now. Your foot still looks wrong. Check out Don's example again. Your pirate's foot looks like it's twisted behind him. Try changing the folds in his boot. It'll make a world of difference.

Edit: Here's an example of what I mean:

http://www.thiscloud.net/temp/foot.jpg

j.

[BrioCyrain]

Ah, I see, very helpful indeed.

[Amourwolf]

Like everyone else, I strongly encourage you to get out there and start sketching! :) Anything and everything. Trees, cars, animals, people, bulidings,etc.
Practice, practice, practice! And don't worry/stress out if it didn't turn out the way you envisioned it thei first time.
One last thing, be sure to date your work. That way, you'll get to see how far you've come along over time.

[BrioCyrain]

Like everyone else, I strongly encourage you to get out there and start sketching! :) Anything and everything. Trees, cars, animals, people, bulidings,etc.
Practice, practice, practice! And don't worry/stress out if it didn't turn out the way you envisioned it thei first time.
One last thing, be sure to date your work. That way, you'll get to see how far you've come along over time.

I will keep that in mind!

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/TheRabbit001.jpg

A total and utter failure at "The Rabbit", my first attempt on this was WAY discouraging and frustrating since my eraser wore out and a piece of my pencil broke off, but I ensued in finishing it nonetheless.

Notice some of the faint eraser marks on his face...horrible.

[lavallelee]

Its not that much of a failure, the body i think you did pretty good. If you had an eraser im sure you would of fixed it all. :)

[BrioCyrain]

Its not that much of a failure, the body i think you did pretty good. If you had an eraser im sure you would of fixed it all. :)

For sure. I hope my next one is A LOT better.

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/TheRabbit002.jpg

Used a new pencil, with a fresh eraser and sharpening. I think the head turned out rather well.

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/TheRabbit003.jpg

My Third Attempt at The Rabbit. I think I am improved the ears and head but the tunic and legs still seem a bit off.

[BrioCyrain]

Could use some critiques on the three Rabbits. Thanks!

[Moneyguns]

One thing that would help you with that right foot is if you look at your hand, a paw, or foot of most animals, you'll see that the bottum of the hand or foot looks like it has shorter fingers or toes than from the view of the top.

[BrioCyrain]

Thanks for the advice!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/TheCantankerousToad001.jpg

My first attempt of "The Cantankerous Toad".

[WillW]

Thanks for the advice!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/TheCantankerousToad001.jpg

My first attempt of "The Cantankerous Toad".

thats pretty good for a first attempt : D nice job

[BrioCyrain]

thats pretty good for a first attempt : D nice job

Yeah, he seemed to maintain more of his original form than the rabbit did, but I am trying to figure out what didn't work.

[johncbeggs]

your toad attempt looks good, check out my almost completed attemp of the lizard thing :laughing:

[BrioCyrain]

Looked at it, it was really good.

Should have mr. toad 2nd drawn tomorrow had a filling done today(:( )

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/TheCantankerousToad002.jpg

Uploaded today as promised, spent more time trying to fix errors after my first run. I think the eyes seem more alive but still not on sport, and tried to make sure the "humps" were more there.

[johncbeggs]

heres some crit if you will take it :)

I think you elongated him to much , slant his neck abit more and curve it all the way to his butt! I think that would make him look better.

his neck sort of looks broken because of the sudden dropoff:D

[BrioCyrain]

I'll think of that the next attempt.

[BrioCyrain]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/scan0039.jpg

Took a break from doing the third Toad attempt and decided to look around my house and found Lara Croft on one of her game covers.

I actually was pleased with this drawing since the cover basically had the face and everything at a good proportion.

:)

[johncbeggs]

oh mannnn you cut off the best of her :laughing: :D

nothings was better than watching lara croft on the psx when I was young playing games with my older cousins :)

[BrioCyrain]

oh mannnn you cut off the best of her :laughing: :D

nothings was better than watching lara croft on the psx when I was young playing games with my older cousins :)

Seeing how the picture didn't even have the "best of her" I doubt I could make a decent substitute.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BrioCyrain/TheCantankerousToad003.jpg

Third Attempt, tried to fix and experiment with some things. Tried to make it less broken and tried to fix his face more.

[johncbeggs]

#3 is the best sofar, youve captured the emotion and feeling!. I see alot of small changes that might be hard to spot for some, his right hind is grapping the twig the wron way and your toads scarf has larger folds than then Dons toad.

hopefully I helped you spot some of the errors!

[BrioCyrain]

Thanks, I'll see what I can "cook up" tomorrow lol.