Wassy

I think Foo is propositioning me...

Too bad you can't enter though. I was going to carry your win into some sort of bonus for you for January =(

To the delight of some and chagrin of others, Wassy shall be your ring mistress for 2010's artsing battle royale! We've had testosterone in charge for a couple years, and its high time to get a woman's point of view on things! Even if that woman is probably more lecherous than most men here... *ahem*

We shan't start things until January, but I wanted to get the post out now so we can have a good turn-out. Tell your friends and neighbors and random people on the street and the cops that tell you to stop harassing them!

Even if you are reading this post without an account, or are pretty sure you won't have one later in the year, don't let that stop you from participating! I'll gladly take all submissions via email or any other means that are convenient for the artists. There will probably even be a page on my website reflecting the competition as well (Frost, if you're reading this, please make a page and thanks!). Doing this also means we can get a little friskier than the PG-13 rating from time to time >=D

We all have so much fun during the year with lots of FArting, so please do spread the word!

Any non-account-holding types that have further questions can email me at wassy@wassyart.com

Cool idea, Bayani-man! I'm in for sure =)

Some of those are a bit of a stretch for me. A couple of those (the flying poses in particular it seems) I think have come to be more of a "canon" comic book pose than a swipe. And the Michael Turner one.... come on. That sort of sexy topless pose has been repeated by sooooooo many models, its a cliche. The would be like calling any use of the "arched back, one had behind the head" a swipe of... well... whoever did that first. Who knows any more!

A few of them made me go "Holy trace, Batman!", but they were grasping at straws on others.

I've had the NEED for reference and RESEARCH as an illustrator drilled into my head from day 1 of beginning my degree. It has since been repeated by every single professor I've had. It doesn't matter what you're doing... everything has a basis in reality. Picasso was a master of the realistic human form, and because of that, his cubism was powerful. He knew what was, so then could effectively paint what wasn't.

But, yes, there is now a lot of flat out stealing out there, and its become especially easy with increased technology.

As I said in the other thread, I just hate to see learning artists completely do away with using reference and feel that not using reference ever is something to be proud of. Its not. If you want to paint a moonlit forest, go and find a way to see a moonlit forest, through photos or otherwise. Artists who do out of this world concept art for sci-fi movies still have to take the time and research aeronautics, or their designs will fall flat.

Since photography is also an art, if you do a study from a photo not specifically free for stock, credit/permission is key. Yes, there are free use laws, but such laws are failing hard in these new technological gray areas.

But should someone feel bad if they shoot their OWN reference and use that? HELL NO. That's what an artist is SUPPOSED to do. Its exactly why I have a photography requirement towards my degree. Its why I'm saving up for a DSLR. I often see a cloud formation, or light over a waterway that I know I could use in a piece someday, but no good way to capture it. Once I have a good camera, I'll be taking my own reference shots like crazy for future usage.

Its not just painters who do master copies. I had two separate drawing courses this semester where master copy work was required for each. Its an invaluable resource. The masters are gone, but their technique is in their work. Students still can learn from the masters' hands by doing master copies.

Having said that, I don't think anyone would be able to pass off The Virgin of the Rocks as their own unique work =P

Food for thought: Michelangelo could often be found sketching copies of Massachio's Branacci Chapel frescoes

I think the above sort of stuff is why some artists think its some badge of honor to use no references of any kind, which is just plain silly. Where will it end, exactly? If I'm doing a study of a model in Figure Drawing, is THAT swiping? If I've seen a candle in my years and then draw a candle, do I owe the candle a credit?

Are we going to get the point where an artist is so afraid of looking at anything, that they'll only do poses they can pull off in a mirror and then make damn sure to credit the mirror manufacturers??????

You can always send your stuff to me via dA and I'll post for ya. The more the merrier!

Yep, just about!

Actually, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for me to use my webspace for a FArt Championship nook to house all the pieces in one spot for voting if we want a NSFW challenge =D

Crap! Eddy is speaking Australian to me.... *tries hard not to melt*

For entering or are you challenging my offer to run it? Because I think I can take you in a beatdown, Australian or no!

*is very violent*

No, unfortunately. Have to finish 2 pieces for General Drawing and do some final stuff for Art History. Gonna be working all weekend again =(

As mentioned above, you can see a lot of use of guidelines/thumbnails in old master sketches (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Splinter... you know).

Also, dropping horizontal and vertical lines is IMMENSELY helpful when constructing any sort of drawing. Your eyes are so very good at playing tricks on you... if you drop some horizontal and vertical lines, it can REALLY show where things aren't coming together quite right in your drawing.

Shia, because I said so.

Not that I can direct link to her site, but my favorite living pin-up artist is DEFINITELY Olivia (De Berardinis).

She's the current pin-up artist for Playboy, and I think she quite spectacularly took up the mantle from the legendary Alberto Vargas.

I don't know if we were talking about just "comic" pin-up art or what, but Olivia wins. She wins big-time. She's done art of Dita Von Teese.... if that's not the most ultimate meeting of talents EVAR, I don't know what is.

Biiiiiig improvement! The variation makes such a difference!

And what's so scary about hatching??

Actually, he did a little for you in a couple areas, so you could also have followed his lines.

For shame! Any Firefly fan would pick up the "shiny" reference. And if they're a Firefly fan like me, subsequently burst into tears over the painful reminder of the greatest show EVAR (second only to MST3K) not getting a chance.

I'd never get anything done if I did that. Even though I've watched it several times....

*sniffles*

Starflier!

Working on Starflier right now (purely because I have a thing for Olivia Wilde). Liking her thus far....

Though I should be working on some essays for my History of Art final, my brain didn't feel like cooperating. So, I worked up one of these character portraits I was talking about.



It's Swanzy's Blind Matter, based on Claire Forlani. I think I could stand to stylize more, but this is why its practice!

Somehow, somewhere, it happened because someone got distracted by a nice pair of sweater melons.