--- In SkunkworksAMA_at_yahoogroups.com, "inkwell_01" <inkwell_01@...>
wrote:
>
> A good piece of work. Attention to line detail and highlighting
> is good.
>
> I see the solid triangle noses are out. "T" nose's require more
> work but are worth it in the end.
Yeah, they've been out for a few years. I've changed the
dimensions of the nose pads from one folio to the next, but I like
the overall look of the newest version, so I think I'll stick with
it this time.
>
> Some observations, if Jim doesn't mind, on possible flaws; but
> may be due to scanning and are not in the original. [Jim did
> say the scan lost a lot of detail.]
Yeah, it did. And the copy I have is nowhere near as good as the
original (I scanned the copy since I no longer possess the original).
>
> Chains: Perspective problem due to highlights. Highlight not
> the same. Right one, (Onyx's Right, is darker.) Is employee sign
> suppose to be washing out left chain? Lighter chain pulls away from
> wall, closer to viewer; Darker chain pushes to wall going into
> background, but Onyx foot is forward of her body front. [Highlight
> both to same light level.]
One chain seems to be a little darker than the other on the copy.
Might be a flaw with the copy, further accentuated by a poor scan?
The left edge of the employee sign coincides with the edge of the
chain shadow.
>
> Shadows, Light Source, Sun Angle: Were the angles computer
calculated?
Of course not! I don't use computers for artwork. The shading,
lighting, etcetera was drawn from my head.
> Looks like around 30 degrees, give or take a few: 2 O'Clock. Light
> source is to the left and forward of Onyx. Onyx left; Dangling
rope
> to rug, touching rug? Shadow seems to be missing across rug to left
> arm. (Washed out by scan?) Right chain is missing it's shadow,
(left
> hand edge of drawing.) Red frame around drawing may be covering it
up?
The copy faintly shows a shadow beside the rope coil around her
forearm. I believe the shadow is partly concealed by the coil. The
shadow from the right chain does indeed fall right outside the frame
of the picture (I cursed when I went to shade that part and realized
the frame would block it).
>
> Shadow Balance Perspective problem: Onyx's left chain's shadow
pulls
> the drawings right side outward, giving a 3-D look, (which is
good);
> but the missing Right chain's shadow on the drawing's left side
> reduces to 2-D. [Place a shadow for Onyx's right chain.]
I'd thought about putting one in, but since it wouldn't be at the
same distance as the other chain's shadow, I thought it might look
messed up. (Note to self: calculate shadows before framing picture
next time!)
>
> Eye highlight: Good highlight brightness, but rotate iris highlight
> up, counterclockwise, just a tad, to match angle of chain-ring-
shadow
> and chain-ring. You placed in Onyx's pupil a point of light, (a
dot),
> in each eye; then placed the iris highlight too low, just a tad.
Iris
> highlight is at 3 O'Clock, Sun is at 2 O'Clock. Highlight should
be at
> 2 O'Clock as well.
Yeah, that was bugging me when I colored it in. I knew something
was slightly off, put couldn't figure out what it was. Thanks!
>
> (Right Leg shadow is fine.)
And it was a bitch to figure out, too.
>
> Horizon line: Nose level. Good position. (You are using them
right?)
Using what? Horizon lines? Uh, no, actually. I do on larger-
scale pictures, but not on ones like this. I'm really just drawing
what I see in my head (which is like a photo I can keep looking at
as I draw the picture. I already know what the finished picture
will look like before I even start inking the actual drawing. I
just don't always know how to get it to LOOK like the picture in my
head. That's where experimentation comes in!)
>
> Lower Drawing Content, and Vanishing Point problem: What is Onyx's
rug
> sitting on? A crate? A wooden bench? Sign indicates a parking lot.
The rug is kind of haphazardly thrown atop a couple of wooden
crates, which have numerous horizontal boards, one diagonal board on
each side, and a perimeter framework on the far left and right sides
(either off-camera or covered up)
>Not
> black asphalt? It looks like a flat wooden floor. Wooden planks
> perspective near wall is fine, but goes flat at bottom of drawing.
> (Perspective comes apart at bottom of page.) With a central
vanishing
> point the planks should be like those well known railroad ties
> disappearing into the background, but large in the foreground. The
> last 3 planks at the bottom of the page seem to be the problem.
Actually, the original showed a slight difference in the wood
colors, indicating top and front panels. The copy _barely_ picked
up any of those color variations, and the scan couldn't even see
them. :( Kinda makes me wish I had scanned the original before I
sent it out.
>Also,
> the wooden plank at the bottom left corner isn't angled well for a
> central vanishing point. (Where did you place the little rascal?)
The diagonal piece is a reenforcement board: if you look carefully
(if the scan even shows it), you'll see another such board on the
far right side of the picture, as well as another diagonal board
just under the upper left corner of the rug. I can barely see it in
the copy, so the scan might not even show it.
>
> All these possible flaws doesn't really hurt the overall artwork.
It's
> a bit of observational nitpicking. It's a good piece of work.
Jim's
> art ability is growing. Hope he doesn't mind about the
observations.
Obsolutely not! I like observations like this, because it helps
me fine-tune certain areas. I'll be the first to admit that shadows
are an absolute twat to have to place (especially when you do
everything the old-fashioned way (that means no computers), and
don't rely on models or magazines for your poses).
>
> Sell as a print?
I don't know if I can touch up the copy to get some of the detail
back that was lost from the original. If I can, then probably. I
was a little ticked the copier didn't pick up the real soft fur
lines in the white fur. It looks a bit stark in the copy and scan.
Thanks for your help, man! I'll be sure to watch for those
potential problem areas again in the next piece.
On a semi-related note, I only used one black pen, 6 Prismacolor
markers, and 10 or 11 colored pencils to create this picture.
That's actually a pretty low amount. I hate it when I've got a
piece that's using a shitload of pens and pencils, because it's
harder to remember which colors go where, and in what order!
--JMH
>
Received on Tue Mar 13 2007 - 02:12:19 CDT