93 replies to this topic

[taikara]

very nice

[michael_gry]

I actually prefer to draw waterfalls and landscapes and stuff.  I don't need a photograph for those.  I just start scribbling and they all come together somehow.  I did use a reference photo for the hippo, though.  I want to add some background and darken in a few things to make it pop out.  I scanned it a pretty low resolution I guess, because it seems so much smaller than the other picture even though they are about the same size in real life.  I did enjoy the challenge of making a custom work, though.  I never would have thought of a hippo.  They must have some "special" meaning for blood-pigggy

[taikara]

Well, you're much better than me. I don't like drawing from photos, and I can't draw men for some reason (they always look feminine). You make me want to practice, though.

[michael_gry]

@Taikara

you know, I went over to abandonia and looked in the forums for your stuff but couldn't navigate worth a hoot.  I googled you and found some interesting stuff on the deviant website.  Is it yours?  the elf with the broach looks somehow familiar.

[Tom Henrik]

*sees an oppurtunity to be a proud boyfried*

Tai's Aesthetic Contributions

There's a lot of amazing stuff in there from hand-drawn to digital work.

*proud*

[taikara]

uhh, this is the wrong topic for my art, but please excuse some of it, compared to what you've posted here, it's utter junk, and I'm embarrassed

[michael_gry]

you should not be embarrassed by your work.  Anybody who deals with art realizes that purely technical mastery is useless.  A true artist interprets what they see in their own way.  If people wanted a perfect drawing of something then they can take a photograph.  Art conveys a mood or an idea in ways that simple mechanical reproduction can never match.  Anyone who does art for art's sake has my respect and admiration.  I went over every single piece in your post and saw nothing that you should be ashamed of.  All artists are perfectionists.  It is normal for you to wish to strive for more mastery of your techniques.  Remember, professional artists do it for a living.  They have vast amounts more practice, doing it every day.  We, too can become as proficient as they are if we so choose to persue the field.

[Juni Ori]

Holy... I'm thinking that "N00b-a-R00b" is a little wrong title for Michael! May I suggest changing it to "Michelangelo"?

*takes handcuffs and locks Michael to AR-forums!!!*

[michael_gry]

well, something is stopping me from posting another pic on the site. I finished the hippo pic.  Oh, well.  interesting challenge, though BP, Thanx.

[Tom Henrik]

What do you mean? Do you get an error message?

[Doubler]

Sorry for butting in, but wow, I just noticed this thread.
You're brilliant (but you propably know that by now)

[michael_gry]

I get a blank screen when I "add attachment".   I am not doing anything different than I did before.  poot!

BTW, thanx doubler

 hippo.jpg   32.93K   154 downloads  my_hippo.gif   93.05K   168 downloads

OK.  I turned it into a much much smaller GIF.  I put the original photo with it, too.

[Tom Henrik]

That's so incredibly good

Yours look better than the original, I think. The eyes on your hippo seem more playful, and so does its smile.

The hippo in the photograph seems to go "yawn..." while the hippo in your drawing seems to have a huge grin and go "wheeee".

And the frame you made just puts the icing on the cake. It brings depth to the scene, and thus brings the hippo even more to life.

Masterful!

[Frodo]

Michael, that is amazing.  

Your hippos is so realistic.  It seems like he is having a good time.  

Excellent.  

[michael_gry]

gimme some ideas.  I have time until my family gets here, and it gets pretty boring at night.  I can only watch so much TV til my brain gets mushy.  I don't have a portfolio anyway so I might as well get moving on something a little challenging.  Just remember, I do my stuff with a pen.