Drawing Your Characters

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Gale Haut

waxing digital artistic
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I use picasa, and if I want to auto change the size of an image I can do it in the url itself.

Here's an example link of my zombified photo:

https ://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jG0hyBjYAjI/UIuk3e9fm-I/AAAAAAAAAr0/PNQYgraOsf4/w568-h567-p-k/ZElliot-web.jpg

The bolded section specifies width and height. So, if I change the values I can adjust it to w368-h367 or however small I want right in the html. I can even do a centered crop. :)

See...

ZElliot-web.jpg

w368-h367

ZElliot-web.jpg

w168-h167

ZElliot-web.jpg

w168-h367
 

Duppy

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For windows users, there is Paint Tool Sai. Smooth, simple, and straightforward-- good for quick digital sketches if you've got a tablet
- http://painttool-sai.en.softonic.com/.

There's also Artweaver, which has rotate/re-size/brightness/contrast functions. Good for touching up traditional art.
- http://www.artweaver.de/products-en/artweaver-free/

Both free. I use both of them. Be warned, though, Artweaver crashes easily, at least for me. Save often if you're going to use it.
 

Filigree

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'Dark Music', 9" x 12" embroidery on black linen, intentionally looking like scratchboard. Circa 1992, when I only knew who one of the characters was. Now that I know both of them, I hope to someday write and sell the fantasy novel based off them.

DarkMusictapestry.jpg
 

AKyber36

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I'm a very visual artist even though I'm a better writer, but the two go hand-in-hand when it comes to getting a story and characters written. Before I started tackling my current short story, I spent all of last year just drawing the characters and events beforehand. Got to know them really well.

Here's one such illustration of them:

Akira-and-Eiji---Assassins-_zps24cb1831.png


The rest is here:
http://rinoadestiny.deviantart.com/gallery/34856410
 

Elenma

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I always want to draw my characters, but thanks to a lack of skill, I'm never happy with the results. My drawings never come close enough to how I'm picturing the character in my head. ;)

Anyway, I'll keep practising. Maybe one day I'll be able to draw faces/figures I actually like. :tongue
 

Melanie Dawn

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Anyway, I'll keep practising. Maybe one day I'll be able to draw faces/figures I actually like. :tongue

As my drawing 2 instructor at SCAD always said as we left class...

"draw, draw, draw!"
 

Rachel Udin

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I always want to draw my characters, but thanks to a lack of skill, I'm never happy with the results. My drawings never come close enough to how I'm picturing the character in my head. ;)

Anyway, I'll keep practising. Maybe one day I'll be able to draw faces/figures I actually like. :tongue

Master these three types of drawing and you're more likely to be able to draw the character as you imagine them:

http://drawsketch.about.com/cs/drawinglessons/a/drawstructure_2.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGnMar2pAI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL3LiR_pvsU

I, personally, tend to use gesture to add or figure out movement, structure for volume and then contour for detail and highlights/shadows... I dislike contour, but it's a good skill to have.
 

Elenma

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As my drawing 2 instructor at SCAD always said as we left class...

"draw, draw, draw!"

So true. I actually used to think that I just couldn't draw. Period. It was only through writing that I realized you just have to do it a lot and be okay with sucking at it for a while and you'll get better. I've been drawing and painting semi-regularly for a year or two now, and I've improved a lot.

I try not to put any pressure on it, though. I do that enough with my writing. For me, drawing/painting needs to stay something creative that's always just for fun.

Master these three types of drawing and you're more likely to be able to draw the character as you imagine them:

http://drawsketch.about.com/cs/drawinglessons/a/drawstructure_2.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGnMar2pAI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL3LiR_pvsU

I, personally, tend to use gesture to add or figure out movement, structure for volume and then contour for detail and highlights/shadows... I dislike contour, but it's a good skill to have.

Thanks for the links! I'll definitely check them out. :)
 

Gale Haut

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Master these three types of drawing and you're more likely to be able to draw the character as you imagine them:

http://drawsketch.about.com/cs/drawinglessons/a/drawstructure_2.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGnMar2pAI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL3LiR_pvsU

I, personally, tend to use gesture to add or figure out movement, structure for volume and then contour for detail and highlights/shadows... I dislike contour, but it's a good skill to have.

I just realized from that second video that I've been publicly drawn before. I had the weirdest nonverbal interaction with an art student on the metro, and anyway I was very excited to get off the train at my stop. This explains a lot actually.

I would advise to anyone who live draws models in public, to consider the psychological effect of some random person's eyes scrolling all across your body while avoiding eye contact and being intently focused. Lol.
 

Rachel Udin

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I just realized from that second video that I've been publicly drawn before. I had the weirdest nonverbal interaction with an art student on the metro, and anyway I was very excited to get off the train at my stop. This explains a lot actually.

I would advise to anyone who live draws models in public, to consider the psychological effect of some random person's eyes scrolling all across your body while avoiding eye contact and being intently focused. Lol.

If you're doing a gesture drawing of a figure, the person shouldn't even notice. =P

I should note that in the case of drawing someone, I tend to like to have several angles of the person before I draw them because it helps me determine differences in shadow and reflections. I might be a bit odd in this respect, but often seeing light move on the face helps me more than if the figure is stationary. I get a better sense of volume that way. I've drawn people on the sly without them noticing because I like it when the people move. I'm like that with photographs too.

If I can get that down, picturing my characters from different angles becomes easier so I know the front view most likely matches also the side view. Also helps with 3D work when you're tweaking things like noses...
 
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Filigree

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Cranetapestry-Stardancer_zpse029fe70.jpg


Not a drawing, but an embroidery piece I did around 20 years ago, the companion to the 'Dark Music' piece I posted above. The characters were rather vague when I made these embroideries. They've changed over the years, and now the artwork fits them better.
 

Melanie Dawn

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Cranetapestry-Stardancer_zpse029fe70.jpg


Not a drawing, but an embroidery piece I did around 20 years ago, the companion to the 'Dark Music' piece I posted above. The characters were rather vague when I made these embroideries. They've changed over the years, and now the artwork fits them better.

That's really fricken cool!
 

Melanie Dawn

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Daphne (again)
e4e706e6-08ff-492a-b6aa-077b8e3f7eaf_zps833f9bbb.jpg


Alex (male lead in my novel)
0fcbf290-29b7-4e5c-a97d-27f8db698921_zpsf58181ad.jpg
 

Rhubix

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I just realized from that second video that I've been publicly drawn before. I had the weirdest nonverbal interaction with an art student on the metro, and anyway I was very excited to get off the train at my stop. This explains a lot actually.

I would advise to anyone who live draws models in public, to consider the psychological effect of some random person's eyes scrolling all across your body while avoiding eye contact and being intently focused. Lol.

I do this almost daily- whenever I'm on the subway or streetcar. For anyone who wants to do it, or doesn't want to be subject to it- look into the actual laws in your area.
Where I'm from, at least, law is on the side of the artist.
In a public venue there is no 'expectation of privacy'. So unless you're drawing someone on their property or private property drawing is fair game.
Just like reporters can set up cameras and record pretty much anywhere -- I recently saw a camera crew spring out of the shadows when my friend was hit by a car.

Master these three types of drawing and you're more likely to be able to draw the character as you imagine them:

http://drawsketch.about.com/cs/drawinglessons/a/drawstructure_2.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGnMar2pAI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL3LiR_pvsU

I, personally, tend to use gesture to add or figure out movement, structure for volume and then contour for detail and highlights/shadows... I dislike contour, but it's a good skill to have.

While I agree that gesture, structure, and contour are important - I wouldn't rely on these three videos as source.

The structural blurb doesn't mention anything about perspective- which is the foundation of structural drawing.

The gesture study says nothing about direction of form, proportion, or ignoring detail- - he waists time fluffing around with her hair and dress frills- and doesn't include head direction- shoulder or hip angles. weight - balance - or pretty much anything about gesture.
No rules? .... my heart hurts.
From his other work I can tell this guy knows his stuff- but this video feels like he forgot how much of the fundamentals actually go into what he's drawing, and gestures in general.
Drawing aimless gestures is akin to writing random words on the page. Maybe you'll learn a bit about spelling, but not much else.

continuous line contour drawing is one of several different contour exercises and is quite fun. I would have liked her to talk more about overlapping forms, but I think her tutorial is the most informative.

/ end rant :)
 

Tepelus

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Here's the latest drawing I did of two of my characters, Vlad and Miklos. Click on the pic to see a larger version on DA.



I haven't worked with ink for years, so this is my first drawing in a long time that I did in ink.
 

cryaegm

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I drew what I think my character looks like, or what she presents herself as in my head. I also drew her hands and feet because they're pretty significant in my WIP.

I don't have a pics right now though. I haven't drawn in years, so my drawings are kind of sucky. :D
 

Duppy

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Here's the latest drawing I did of two of my characters, Vlad and Miklos. Click on the pic to see a larger version on DA.



I haven't worked with ink for years, so this is my first drawing in a long time that I did in ink.

This. Nice style.
 

bySD

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I prefer to draw my characters, usually right when I first come up with an idea. Although, there have been some characters I haven't really drawn. (One is a shapeshifter who lacks a "base" form, so I'd have to come up with at least twelve looks for her.)
 

njmagas

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I draw my characters all the time, albeit less now than I used to. Drawing used to actually fulfill the note taking function for 90% of my creative writing when I was younger.

Unfortunately I left all my digital tools in Canada when I moved so I have no new samples to show and my deviant art page is unimpressive and outdated.
 

jsselch

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Yup, sure do. I change my desktop pic so it's related to whatever story I'm working on.

I do the wallpaper thing too. If I drew my characters though, they'd look like this:
character-stickfigure.jpg


(In fact, I just drew that. :thankyou:) If I had any actual talent in this, however, I'd draw my characters too. Kudos to those of you who do.
 

Tezzirax

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As a promotion for my books I am drawing a demon a day all during the month of May and posting it on my blog and facebook page. Most of them will be pulled from the pages of my Gifts of Vorallon trilogy

Here's one of them now:
May_demon02.jpg
 
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