right time to finally write the skeleton to this
Introduction
Artist Approval
Composition
Lineart
Colors
Shading/lighting
Backgrounds
Get out there
Will illustrate each stage with examples to drive home the point. Will also need to consult other major artists during the process as I'm merely an amateur artist and therefore don't have the greatest understanding of the theory behind the creative process. Gonna ping Zracknel and Birkal too, but yeah, hopefully I'll both ellaborate why Artist Approval is a good thing while also teaching some good basics to any new artists or anyone curious to begin.
Introduction
o Praise the artists who take of their free time and resources to contribute to articles and community projects
o Some artists are already talented while they arrive, others pick up the interest after joining
o The community can help the latter group to improve and progress
o Recent decision to have all art that goes on-site to be made by approved or badged artists
o Some artists are already talented while they arrive, others pick up the interest after joining
o The community can help the latter group to improve and progress
o Recent decision to have all art that goes on-site to be made by approved or badged artists
Artist Approval
o Exactly what it sounds like, approved to contribute art for various site projects
o Initiated by Birkal first (to my knowledge) for artwork pertaining to The Smog, due to workshop secrecy
o Reasons why it's now implemented for all on-site purposes, such as avoiding to reject contributions due to lack of quality, to properly represent the community etc
o Why we can demand quality despite people making images for free, artist rights and so forth
o Nothing fancy, just need to cover the basics to gain approval, which will be brought up below
o Initiated by Birkal first (to my knowledge) for artwork pertaining to The Smog, due to workshop secrecy
o Reasons why it's now implemented for all on-site purposes, such as avoiding to reject contributions due to lack of quality, to properly represent the community etc
o Why we can demand quality despite people making images for free, artist rights and so forth
o Nothing fancy, just need to cover the basics to gain approval, which will be brought up below
Composition
o Basically sketching and planning ahead
o Avoid temptation to start drawing right away, and instead loosely sketch what you're planning to make
o Stale and boring positions/stances, while not forbidden, won't make for an interesting image
o Issues with perspective and anatomy can be avoided at this stage
o Be creative, no need to commit to something you're brainstorming about
o Good composition can compensate for other flaws, decides the overall tone for the image
o Avoid temptation to start drawing right away, and instead loosely sketch what you're planning to make
o Stale and boring positions/stances, while not forbidden, won't make for an interesting image
o Issues with perspective and anatomy can be avoided at this stage
o Be creative, no need to commit to something you're brainstorming about
o Good composition can compensate for other flaws, decides the overall tone for the image
Lineart
o Difficult topic to talk about
o Sloppy lineart/brushstrokes the most common issue
o Avoid gaps as well as not having the width vary too much within the same strokes
o Huge variety in how lineart can be done, either simple strokes with little variety in width, or drawings made of hundreds of strokes of various width and intensity
o Once again emphasize how preparation can prevent flaws in the final lineart
o Eraser can be just as important as the brush (mostly relevant to digital artists)
o Sloppy lineart/brushstrokes the most common issue
o Avoid gaps as well as not having the width vary too much within the same strokes
o Huge variety in how lineart can be done, either simple strokes with little variety in width, or drawings made of hundreds of strokes of various width and intensity
o Once again emphasize how preparation can prevent flaws in the final lineart
o Eraser can be just as important as the brush (mostly relevant to digital artists)
Colors
o Good choice of colors can make the image fit whatever mood you like
o Basic stuff, not to have the colors bleed outside the lineart
o Borrowing colors from official art is fine, although be wary that they may have low saturation and therefore be dull
o Don't mix colors that obviously clash, try to find some harmony and flow
o Lineart colors
o Basic stuff, not to have the colors bleed outside the lineart
o Borrowing colors from official art is fine, although be wary that they may have low saturation and therefore be dull
o Don't mix colors that obviously clash, try to find some harmony and flow
o Lineart colors
Shading/lighting
o Pick the location of light source and work from there
o Try to avoid shading with black and white (ie just darker and brighter), makes for a very stale image
o Generally, red/yellow for lighting and blue for shades work well, also depends on the light source
o Multiple light sources can exist in the same image (advanced, not required)
o Shading isn't always mandatory or be done extensively, but can greatly benefit any given image
o Try to avoid shading with black and white (ie just darker and brighter), makes for a very stale image
o Generally, red/yellow for lighting and blue for shades work well, also depends on the light source
o Multiple light sources can exist in the same image (advanced, not required)
o Shading isn't always mandatory or be done extensively, but can greatly benefit any given image
Backgrounds
o Not a requirement for most illustrations
o If you make one, make sure not to have it steal attention from the focus of the image
o Can range from a simple colored background to full environments
o Perspective n shit
o If you make one, make sure not to have it steal attention from the focus of the image
o Can range from a simple colored background to full environments
o Perspective n shit
Get out there
o Events and stuff non-approved artists can participate in
o #smeargle and tut thread (Professor Smeargle) to help new users
o Explore the work of other artists and try to deduce what styles and methods you like and why
o Practise practise parctsie psmdgbnmrsggbrystuyibdtu
o #smeargle and tut thread (Professor Smeargle) to help new users
o Explore the work of other artists and try to deduce what styles and methods you like and why
o Practise practise parctsie psmdgbnmrsggbrystuyibdtu
Will illustrate each stage with examples to drive home the point. Will also need to consult other major artists during the process as I'm merely an amateur artist and therefore don't have the greatest understanding of the theory behind the creative process. Gonna ping Zracknel and Birkal too, but yeah, hopefully I'll both ellaborate why Artist Approval is a good thing while also teaching some good basics to any new artists or anyone curious to begin.
