Yes I am new... but can I get some insite?

[brooke2008]

Hello everyone ... I love this site and have been a silent lurker but I have some question. I know I am new and ohhhhh there is so much left to learn but I posted my first Adovbe Illustrator creation on a blog and I knew whaw comming comments or critizum. Not sure if I can show you what that was but I will include a link to see where the question lies.

I will post my work and I am still learning Illustrator but think this may be a better place to put this for advice or comments!

Here is the picture I drew it from: Warning NSFW
http://s328.photobucket.com/albums/l344/brooke11_2000/?action=view&current=scarlett_johansson.jpg

http://s328.photobucket.com/albums/l344/brooke11_2000/?action=view&current=drawing08.jpg

[Kool]

Hi Brooke,

I moved this to the showcase and deleted all the weird html stuff you had in there. I also added the NSFW tag which means Not Safe For viewing at Work.

[Randomhero]

She is hot and has giant bosoms but It doesn't seem like you did anything to the image. Am I missing something?

[Optimusdinkus]

this post and thread minds me of a Robot Chicken episode.

Anyways, its off by allot, face isn't recognizable as scarlet, just doesn't look like her.

Allot of "finding the line" going on the drawing too like you cannot commit or you are drawing what you think is there, and are thinking of what it is in the process causing you not to draw it accurately. On the vector, its ok, but having her face all spiny from the lines giving some appearance to her hair overlapping is not convincing.

Best to trace really =) but good attempt none the less.

[brooke2008]

Okay first of all Optimusdinkus........ I sketched this from looking at it on my computer screen. Second I am very new and didn't post it in the correct place so as I see it now my sketch isn't even here. I do have a hand drawn picture that I used with Illustrator but really still learning this site so since it has been moved from the spot I put it I will wait to see if I can post it.

I am new and was very proud of my work....... I looked at a picture, drew it by hand, then scanned it in Illustrator and then took each section (hair,face,body,cloths.. ect) and tried to bring it to life.

No I am not a professional or have even stated to that so thanks for the welcome!

[brooke2008]

okay I give up........ I posted a response and its not there. I really loved this site but I guess its not for new people.

[Optimusdinkus]

We are your friends my good person. Critiques in design is the number one thing you will face, regardless of skill/talent/vision. Keep trying for crying out loud. the best feeling is seeing another piece of work next to the first try, and saying, wow the improvement.

That is forever the point of being an artist in my opinion

[Chicomoralessxm]

I'm lost that looks like a photo???

[Kool]

Brook, chill out a bit. All new peoples first two posts need to be approved by a moderator before they show up. Sometime especially on a weekend it may take a few moments. The reason I moved it was because you asked for comments, what we call critique and the showcase is where you post work for critique. When you ask for critique from professionals you may not always like what you hear but they are just offering advice on how you can make it better. You need to have a pretty thick skin.

[Kool]

I'm lost that looks like a photo???

OK I fixed it. The first link is the original and the second link is the drawing.

[brooke2008]

Sorry but thought an artist was just that..... Don't you dare try to cry for me or even relate to me. I know where I am going and yes I DO have a lot to learn but do you think what you are telling me is something that will change my goals?

I just know this site is not what I am looking for and you know the sad part I was so very private but since being in school been told networking is the key. Well thanks but no thanks you can have it

[Kool]

Sorry but thought an artist was just that..... Don't you dare try to cry for me or even relate to me. I know where I am going and yes I DO have a lot to learn but do you think what you are telling me is something that will change my goals?

I just know this site is not what I am looking for and you know the sad part I was so very private but since being in school been told networking is the key. Well thanks but no thanks you can have it

I have no idea what the first part of that post means :confused:

[Kool]

Brooke, Please read this http://www.elfwood.com/farp/guides/takecriticism.html

[brooke2008]

That previous post was to Optimusdinkus..... I really don't want to intrude or put something in the wrong places.

Thank you Kool for doing what ever you do. I really tried and I do have thick skin I would have never opened myself up if I didn't.

Thanks

[urstwile]

http://i25.tinypic.com/2cdv4nk.jpg

[NTLemon]

Well, Brooke. If you are looking for some genuine improvement it will take practice in illustrator but just as well you will want to work with the drawing itself. From the drawing to the illustrator lines you pretty accurately recreated it, however you could still stand to remember the smaller details. What you will want to focus on the most here is likely going to be your drawing skills themselves. You need to learn to recreate what it is you see and not what you think you are seeing. Often we get used to seeing things, faces, in symbols and it looks like you are drawing close to what you see but not what is really there.

For a first start this is good but you are going to want to either refine your process in regards to drawing the image first in its accuracy or recreating it in illustrator directly from the image itself.

The one thing about internet criticism you will need to understand however is that in a large way it is very anonymous and thus your intentions and theirs can be easily misread or misinterpreted and you are less likely to be given soft comments. The forums can be a great resource if your willing to utilize them but try not to take comments personally generally they are direct only at the art and can will only help you as much as you let them help you.

[brooke2008]

Thank you for your wonderful advice I beleive it was absolutly correct. I agree with what you said about drawing what I really see and working on that I know it takes practice. I look at my first drawing and think about where I can change or needs more to look like the picture. So drawing again from scratch since I have the first one done I am sure it will look better (not perfect) but more of the details of the picture will come out.

As for comments by others if it was on the work as you did good or bad is completly welcome but it was a more personal attack with the confusion of where to place my thread to how to display the work. I felt before I even got that worked out or even all that was to be showing the comments were not warrented.

Once again thank you for advice a definate help!:)

[Broacher]

That's 'insight' -- not 'insite'.

Though, given Ms. Scarlet's devastating (if only temporary) deflationary effect on the male IQ, I guess that's excuzabuh... buh... buh... zoom!

[CamarotaDesign]

I clicked on the first link for the original photo you used... what were we talking about again?

[Typically]

her boobs are a off. being a guy that was the first thing i noticed :D the face is also lacking in personality. it doesn't really look like her all the much. if you were to just show me the illustration i would just think it was some random chick. pick out characteristics about her that you feel really make you notice her and try to define those. the eyes are nice looking but don't look like hers, same with the mouth. keep at it and you'll get there

[seamas]

It is good that you tried starting with a pencil drawing.

I would suggest you practice with still life and friends and family who can sit for you.


You need to pay attention to form, proportion and negative space.
Start out with numerous contour drawings -blind contours can be extremely useful practice.

There seems to be quite a bit of replacing what you actually see with a "symbol" of what you percieve.
In other words, I would guess that the eyes you created in this piece look a LOT like the eyes you create for any other figure -this is a case of making a "symbol" of the eye rather than drawing the form of the eye and it's dementionality.


This also is the case of the rendering of the hair. The perception of hair as being individual strands has superceded the way Scarlett's hair actually looks.
More often than not, a person's hair takes on a singular, sculptural/drapery form. The individual strands are far less apparent than the play of light and shadow on the form. The lines you created do nothing to describe the apparent mass of hair.

You must make study of relative distances between features, the shape of shadows. and the forms between features.

I would suggest reading and studying Betty Edwards' excellent book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.
Follow the exercises, (and repeat each one numerous times) and your drawing skill will improve.

[YNOT]

First off...welcome to the forum Brooke! You yourself recognize you have a lot to learn and that's a good thing. Many people come into these forums rather cocky and then can't handle any bit of criticism. We were all 'beginners' once and we all have to climb the same mountain to get to the top (I'm still climbing myself). I've got 17+ years of experience and I'm still learning new things every day.

For a newbie, I'd say you're off to a good start. It looks like you have a good handle on how to utilize the tools pretty well in Illy. I think you just need to spend a bit more time making the drawing a bit more 'defined'. Some of the face and body need a bit more contrast...maybe more shadows and such.

The jacket isn't bad either, although it could use a bit of contrast as well. The eyes look really good as do the lips.

Keep practicing, that's the only way to truly improve. Also, keep an eye out for other artists' work and while you don't want to 'copy' their style, look for things you like about their work and try to implement those things into your work as you develop your own style.

It'll come...it just takes time. Keep practicing and enjoy yourself...that's the key. Take what critiques people give you with a grain of salt...some may be useless, but many will be very helpful. There are a lot of talented designers and artists here. I hope you enjoy your stay and post more work so we can watch you grow!

Best of luck!