Wassy

I don't think its getting good at the traditional media ITSELF that makes someone have an easier time doing digital work... I think its learning the theories behind it. A number of my non-illustration-specific courses overlap with the graphic design students, and they do have to take the general drawing courses. A good number can just barely squeak into being competent with the traditional media, but the reason they have to take the drawing courses is more for the THEORIES behind it. That's where you learn about composition, light, color, etc. Its those elements of ALL art mediums that are making them stronger at graphics, not necessarily the feel of a pencil or brush.

Its much like how a painter will also learn these foundations of good artwork, but some will be great with oils and only competent with watercolor and vice versa. Digital is just another media to pick from, and it will be some peoples' specialty and not for others.

And speaking to the unforgiving nature of traditional being a good thing to learn before going digital, I don't really think that's completely true. There are plenty of very forgiving traditional media. Pencil erases, scratchboard can be re-inked, you have forever to tweak oils, etc.

Oh! I can't remember the artist name, but when I went through a unit on scratchboard (which I personally freaking hate, but its entirely a tactile issue), we touched on a current illustrator who specialized in scratchboard. For a lot of his commercial stuff, he made his scratchboard into digital files where color could be applied under his work. So there are areas in illustration outside of the comic industry where you apply colors to inks separately.

Another thing you see lining for outside of comics is accent lines. As was previously mentioned, this was a hallmark of Mucha. Drew Struzan also has a quasi-comic style, but he puts in the accent lines last after rendering.

I've done mostly digital inking for so long just because my scanner was such a piece of garbage that I couldn't do any digital colors with scanned inks. But now that I have a LOT better scanner, I ink traditionally whenever feasible because I find it easier. My Wacom Tablet is getting kind of worn and the surface is too smooth to give me the proper hand control.

I really like doing ink-only pieces when I can. My fave was a class project from one of my illustration courses Sarah Bernhardt

I've worked my way up to Vegas Strip as of right now. These are all just small sketches that I'm going to ink with simple lines. But I'll post them up before cobbling them together into the background crowd so you guys can see all your characters separate

I really think grabbing actual characters for the crowd is going to give this piece a lot of extra personality. This makes a few more D.R.A.T. winners than expected!

Looks like I can include just about everyone submitted (or at least one for the multiple choices). But I could use just a feeeeeeew more male characters, looking ready for some clubbing at Pocket D!

Oh! And I know this is a shocking request coming from me, but some male characters would be great!

Yeah, I was definitely doing more of a clubbing type scene, so those in formal-wear probably won't mesh in right with the crowd ^.^

Feel free to use your regular hero duds if they're fairly simple and/or skin-tight, too!

EDIT: Though with Memphis Bill's selection, I can pick which ones will look right for the piece, so that works too.

I have an unhealthy amount of Graver-envy....

Hello, duckies. I'm working up the background pencils for Gray Huntress' D.R.A.T. piece, and there's going to be a bit of a crowd around the ladies. I was doing up some generic people but... then I realized it might be more fun to stick some of the forum characters in there.

These characters will NOT be the focus, they will be monochromatic and are a BACKGROUND ELEMENT.

Your chances of getting included are greatly increased if you character is dressed for a night dancing at Pocket D

Just post screenies here, and I'll let you know who is chosen, thanks!

Here's another Copic piece... I do enjoy these markers...

Dangerous When Wet

This piece is based entirely off how this character looked in the costume creator, but its one of those that might look a bit shocking if you're walking by and glancing, so possibly NSFW. Dunno.

I'd just like to chime in and say as a person who has done a fair amount of commissions, unless the piece is one of my mini-portraits, I always have sketch/pencil/ink/color approval stages. I'd rather have tweaks/changes requested at stages where I can actually change it without a big hassle to me than at the end!!

Does it cause a big slow-down? Not really. While waiting on an approval, I work on another piece. It helps me to jump around a bit so I'm always looking at my pieces with fresh eyes, so to speak.

Dispari, your commission method is pretty much 100% how I've always run my commissions (except I only require a half deposit after pencils and full payment to receive the piece). So LJ... maybe YOU'RE the total freak, neh?! And I think I have the video surveillance tapes to prove it, too

Awwwww, that's adorable!

We all knew you couldn't stay away.

My husband MIGHT take issue with that ^.^

Thanks all! I want to keep experimenting with the hand inking and doing darker pieces... it was fun.

I just have a couple more pieces left in my queue, and then I'll be taking at least July off to do some free pieces and other things I've been wanting to work on for myself. This means I'll actually make some USE out of that character thread I started, and a number of people will get some little pieces.

I'm also squeezing in a bit of time in July down in the wine country in a little inn up in the mountains that has a private hot tub >=D

Here's a commission I did as a give-away in honor of my site becoming one year old. It was done for Dark Kerse, and I have to say that this character was really a gift to me to work on!

Grim Rayvyn

I was Stumbling around and came across this site and thought it might help get the inspiration going!

Man, a lot of people around here were conceived in September-ish, neh?

Well, you would share my interpretation because we seem to be sharing the same brain sometimes. But I figured it could also look like they were... uh... about to do long division?

OK, so maybe there's not many ways to interpret it... ^.^;;

Do YOU get naked women bursting out of cakes? That's really the only reason I visit the birthday threads. I'm a very self-centered lecher.

OK, I was a day off in my finishing estimation.

Frisky Frosts

In related news, I got a new scanner a week or so ago. This actually looks mostly like it does in person!!!

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, three children on halloween night dressed up as Juggies

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*bawls*

I use a MacBook and I always re-bind the screenshot key to another button. Its just easier that way.

*drags thread back up again* Here's a commish I finished today. Might have another piece done tomorrow, and then hopefully a third done next weekend.

Attaining Destiny

In other news, I'm whipping Frost into re-designing my website for me, and I think I'm going to do a hold on commissions during July because I really want to do some freebies and experimentations for all you lovely little duckies.

My arts office is still a work in progress.... even through we moved in a couple months ago ^.^;;

Mostly its just lacking in personality, but I've got plans for it.

I actually don't have a computer set-up because I have a MacBook and I like to move around.