cigiwaters

[cigiwaters]

Weekly art and practice accountability post.

[cigiwaters]

Day 500

500 days of #learningtodraw and #drawingeverydaychallenge. I'm clearly not a savant :P

Still, this hobby is still fun. Slow and steady.

Time for self a review.

Ending at sketch phase. Was referencing Kikuri Hiroi in a panel of "Kikuri Hiroi's Heavy-Drinking-Diary"

Time lapse of day 500

Lots of dancing around and quality variability in the day to day stuff. Some even just a quick thing to count that day, admittedly. Here is some stuff from the last month or two.

But, looking at comparable effort? I do see improvement.

Day 111 - Ina Nanamis followed a draw along (Improvement)

Day 235 - Amelia Watson, I put more effort into it, and ehh...

Day 308/226 - Burn it

Day

Early 400s - Looks like I plateaued

So, affirming to see progress, but looks like I need to try harder for Day 600.

[cigiwaters]

After noticing the Knight cries when you first confront them, I like the idea they were really digging Tenna's show. They were just hiding in the audience hoping Tenna could keep the Fun Gang distracted without the Knight needing to do any work.

[cigiwaters]

"You said the world was bright! Didn't you say ruthlessness was mercy upon our..."

"You said the world was bright! Didn't you say ruthlessness was mercy upon our..."

Still have "The Epic Knight", Hollow Knight x Epic, bouncing around my head. HK -> Ody, Radiance -> Poseidon. Originally for "Six Hundred Strike" was more directly from the "True Ending" in THK. Shades being crew.

Draft. At some point my thinking switched towards the end of the song. With a sketchier sketch more from the side. Then I decided to push my comfort with the reflection POV.

This just felt too video gamey.

BTS/Self Analysis

I hit my motivation wall on this while trying to make Ody Knight work. I make no attempt to hide the cloak was even more minimalist than how I previously depicted it. Granted, at this point in "the story" it could be excused as just a blanket because his old uniform long ago was worn away.

Tried adding some details that probably don't matter. In these events the Radiance doesn't go full corruption on Ody Knight. So, I kept the eyes black/void. Instead I had Raseidon orange blood splattered around the eyes to show the metaphorical corruption. If I did more work and had more skill, I could have played around with the appearance of it.

Kept with the brush/medium conceit from the other two. Higher Beings, gods, using the paint brush. Using the pen tool for mortals. I believe I fudged this with Athornet.

Slight Raseidon blood splatter on OK's nail. I added some, probably not enough, on Raseidon's chest to mimic the top edge of Poseidon's trident and Radiance's crown. Also to suggest multiple stabs have already happened.

I do like how I was able to handle the edge of blending OK into Raseidon's giant "Sonic Eye".

Heck, I just realized I forgot to make slide changes to the left eye (from our perspective) to make it less obvious that I copied Raseidon's "right" eye instead of doing two complete unique eyes.

Anyways, here concludes Day 449.

[cigiwaters]

Reviewing Old Art

Noticed yesterday was "Day 400" of drawing something, even if quick and bad, a day. Now's a good time for self-review, right?

~ Day 100

Day 93 - Mobile Suit "Gyat"

Day 101 - Random sketches

Day 104 - Factory landscape

Day 106 - Metal Sonic in Lederhosen

This was from the period of time where I was doing this sort of thing monthly. Uhm, yay, I can read what I was thinking at the time.

Things were rough then, some of these may not be the best examples of where I was, but... maybe work as an average?

The island factory thing was something I intentionally moved away with. I feared I was starting to overuse it as a crutch over developing fundamentals. That I was getting into things I shouldn't before working on the fundamentals.

As the baseline, I don't know how much to say before progressing to the next.

~ Day 200

Day 197 - Trying to free hand copy Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou panels

Day 198 - Using FFXIV character as reference

Day 202 - Was trying to free hand imitate an art noir piece. Looking at my notes, specifically Alfons Mucha's Gismonda.

Day 206 - Gray value study of a film frame

Looks like I ended my monthly updates around 200.

On one hand, it feels like a step back, but I think part of that is due to me trying to push what I was doing a bit more.

The Yokohama piece demonstrates a need for "anatomy" work. The value study is a bit of a hot mess, but something I think I still need to work on.

~ Day 300

Day 299 - Nous fanart

Day 300 - Divine Box OC?

Day 309 - Boxes and Boxbot

Day 311 - Fanart/referencing a character I forget

I think 300 and 309 were made at a point where I had been trying box practice and started trying using boxes to make up for the anatomy issues I noted in the 200 range. Only, you can see I'm starting to get six of boxes.

The Nous fanart was one I just stopped. Here is the timelapse so you don't have to click the link.

The Nous fanart was one I just stopped. I don't like how it ended, but I think it does show progress and improvement in understanding the process of trying to do more complicated pieces.

Of the whole bunch, 311 is probably the first one of all the things in this post I still feel a rough since of "pride" in. I ain't saying it is "good", but when I look at it I can see progress. It has more details than my Frieren and a vast improvement over Toga here. It also demonstrates something I started to do, a "note layer" to include comments on some of my daily practices/art.

~ Day 400

This seemed to be a good cross ection. Started shifting to using the water color brush for landscapey stuff. The building being a value study of something in Iron Forge on "WoW". The other being an incomplete piece inspired by "Hades"

The other two are more trying to free hand copy things. Not necessarily 1:1, but to get a feel for it. To have something somewhat objective I can judge what I drew against.

The manga stuff admittedly has some "Learn to Draw Manga" energy that had be imaging Caliborn from Homestuck. That isn't bothering me too much, though. I wasn't trying to intentionally ignore face and body shapes, but more eye and hair shape practice.

At some point between 300 and 400 I began drawing rough frame boxes to help get a better understanding of where to place things. It failed miserably in the one "panel" in 400's. Or, I failed.

I believe the references in these were "Whisper Me a Love Song", "Villains' Day Off", and "The Far Side".

*Record screech*

Wait, I'm wrapping up day 300 when I was looking back to see when I started adding note layers.

Trying to stay close to the 100 intervals meant I almost missed and forgot about "Bedman?". I remember hating it at the time, but with some more consistency practice this would kind of bop. Reminds me of a gel pet drawing.

This might have been a good addition at wherever relevant.

If I continue this, I might alter this from being strictly around 100 and more nebulous.

[cigiwaters]

The Epic Knight

About a week ago the seed was planted in my head. "Epic the Musical" meets "The Hollow Knight". Didn't look super hard, but I didn't see anything yet. I'm sure it is out there, but I mostly found "Hollow Knight music, but EPIC!" from a few years ago. So, the best way to get an idea out of your head is to make it. With shitty art skills.

"The Vessel and the Infant"

Song Inspiration: https://youtu.be/bWIgy-Ls-SU

The basic idea that started it all. The Hollow Knight filling the role of Odysseus. "The Hollow Odysseus" starting out as "The Pure Vessel" but gradually degrading into the broken "The Hollow Knight" before assuming a Shade Lord like form as he becomes a monster.

Also, the part of me that grew up on edgy humor couldn't ignore the idea of Hollow Odysseus dropping Infected Prince Hector onto one of the "Path of Pain" saw blades.

Adjacent, I started imaging Odysseus 600 crew and friends as various basic vessels. Polites specifically the Greenpath Vessel and Eury as Broken Vessel/Lost Kin.

"Fight Little Ghost"

Song Inspiration: "Fight Little Wolf"

Athena = Hornet

Telemachus = Little Ghost / The Knight

Zote = Antinus

It annoys me how much I thought I put into this thing for how simple my art skills are.

The blue outline around Athornet is meant to invoke the blue force ghost a lot of animatics use for Athena.

The golden background color is meant to somewhat invoke Godhome. I considered, maybe might still if I ever redo this, had Godseeker looking over Zote's shoulder. The Godhome ending (flashing lights warning) just fits to me with similar energy to Odysseus returning home. Finding men believing his home empty with him gone, Ody reclaiming his home by putting out all the torches as he takes them all on. Like the Godseekers believing Hallownest being essentially forsaken.

I tried my best to invoke The Knight's challenge post while being unarmed.

Closing

Not sure if I'll do more. I can imagine scenes that I almost certainly lack the skill to create.

Any of the times Odysseus is confronted with his lost allies. Tell me "Get in the Water" followed by "600 Strike" doesn't have the same energy as the Radiance fight.

Radiance fits best as Poseidon.

Grimm as Circe

I'm torn on whether the Nosks should be Scylla, the sirens, or both.

Quirrel as Hermes? But... as I write this I realize the Grey Mourner would also work if she wasn't so depressed. For reasons.

[cigiwaters]

Since it has been around a year since I started trying to do drawing as a hobby, but not a year to drawing every day. About a year ago it seems I drew a waifu version of Zote, so, I drew Zoteko again.

Here is last year's for comparison.

Timelapse

Here are both timelapses combined in one video.

Things that stand out to me from last year's. I attempted the over the shoulder, but backed out of it relatively quickly. Tried to do Zote's cloak, but in a weave for some reason. When I didn't know how to end the cloak it got those really droopy pleat things.

This year I felt confident enough to do the over the shoulder look. For the cloak, I went big to avoid having to draw the arms. Attempt one was inspired by Zote the Mighty. When that seemed too plain I toyed with borrowing from Hornet. Only to end up using Pure Knight for inspiration instead.

I even gave Zoteko a little weapon. If Zote's weapon looks like someone tried making a nail out of a 2x4 and a jigsaw what would be the Hornet version? I gave Zoteko a long square piece of wood with an eye bolt stuck into the end.

Conclusion

I see improvement. Not as much as I'd hope, but it is there. It Zoteko ends up becoming my yearly "test" then for next year I better have shading and arms.

[cigiwaters]

Queuing is a thing?

Ignore this post, just noticed something while looking around at settings while looking for a feature that may or may not exist.

[cigiwaters]

"Living Primer"

Premise of This

I'm writing this, at least this edition, before checking to see if I can post/save this somewhere prominent. I want this to be a self-study guide of sorts as I find things and people while exploring making art.

My plan is to either in this post edit in info directly or to edit links to other posts as they are made.

People/Guides

Ones I Found Personally Helpful and/or Useful

In no specific order.

Pikat: https://www.pikat.io/

Ronilust: https://www.youtube.com/@ronillust

Oridays: https://www.youtube.com/@oridays

Suggestions I Plan on Checking Out

Suspected Ronilust List

I saved this list months ago, as I'm writing this, and I am no longer certain where I got it. I think Rronilust had it pinned to one of his stream chats.

Mark Brunet

Pikat

DrawLikeASir

Proko

Winged Canvas

Telepurte

Linesensei

The copy and pasted message.

Marc Brunet, Pikat, DrawLikeaSir, Proko, Winged Canvas, TelePurte and LineSensei for any art related and or motivational ideas or getting started in general in it, heres a list on YT of artists

Concepts to Explore

These are things I learn about, but are putting in my "read about later" section.

glazing

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_Z0-1O-_AXM

Software

Software I Use

Clip Studio Paint

Software I Used to Use

Photoshop: Was getting too icky

Procreate: Was running into personal "workflow" issues having one software on iOS and then switching to my laptop (MacOS) or my desktop (Windows)

Software I Discourage

GIMP: Powerful if you know how to use it. So, I hear. In practice, it feels like trying to use software created by a bunch of engineers to be 100% objectively better Photoshop without consulting with actual Photoshop users on why Photoshop was so often used back in the day. Then they blame the users for "not understanding superior software".

Hardware

Drawing tablet: iPad Air (M2)

Apple Pencil

Hardware I Want to Check Out One Day

XP-Pen Tablet: https://www.xp-pen.com/

[cigiwaters]

299 WIP

This is in a weird place where I hit "the wall", but I want to try to finish it. I need to put this on the back burner for a bit. It's starting to feel like I'm just throwing random idea in. Somehow went from beach chair scene to punkish mermaidish?

Timelapse. At one point I was aiming for an Uetnaish style. Skirt became pants became a skirt. You can see the blip of me toying with the idea of fishnets.

[cigiwaters]

Days 286

Referenced the record from Arcane to do my latest art nouveau practice attempt. It isn't "done", wasn't trying to get 100% accurate. Still, even something this simple in this style would have been beyond me a while back.

It ain't much, but I feel like improvement has occurred.

I might try to finish it eventually. Just thinking about trying to do the fine details the style requires… Honestly, it I'm too afraid of even attempting that for fear of ruining what I do have.

... awe. I forgot I did this on the same file as the cat doogle.

[cigiwaters]

277

277. Stopped when I hit "the wall".

#fanart (loosely, near just a reference at this point) #draweveryday #learningtodraw

Timelapse and noted up version. There are many things that feel off besides just being unfinished. Like, the hair I didn't note too much because it feels more like I hit my wall while it was still solidly in the blocked out stage.

The neck I'm torn on. In the red notes I show how thick the neck looks like it should be according to the reference. It just looked "wrong" to me that thick though.

Is it a style difference thing, the result of me tweaking the head turn, or needing to study more anatomy?

Eye lashes, man/woman/captain, eyelashes. I need to practice those more.

[cigiwaters]

Day 254: "Echoes of Bedylon"

Saw a speedrun explainer video of "Echoes of Wisdom" and this stupid idea popped into my head.

[cigiwaters]

Popola

Nier: Automata style Popola

[cigiwaters]

Takod-rakul

Decided to try pushing my current skill limits again. Usually I dedicate some time a day to draw one thing, move on to the next in my draw every day challenge, and rarely look back. This made up days 228, 227, and 211.

Here is where 211 left off.

Back on day 211 Takodrakul was more directly Emrakul inspired. Returning to the idea it went in a different direction. The moon is heavily inspired by Ina's, not that I expect anyone to notice without prompting. The dark clouds above the "moon" was inspired by an eyebrow. The whitish clouds around the moon symbolic of the whites of her eyes.

For the "stars", they are a mix of white, gold, and purple feathers representing her wings.

Felt good to "finish" something.

There is much room for improvement. I still wonder if I resort to the painterlyish stuff because I actually prefer how it looks or because I find it easier to hide some (clearly not all) the issues.

As I write this, the last place I'm posting it because I'm going into a lengthly self evaluation, I'm realizing how much the halo does look off. I really should have remembered to adjust its perspective.

Maybe I should start putting "finished" works in a time out. Where I wait a day or two before posting them. Make any last adjustments.

[cigiwaters]

202

Day 202 practice. Tried combining grayscale practice with referencing/copying part of Alfons Mucha's Gismonda piece.

[cigiwaters]

July to August-ish update.  Was almost two months behind with this and didn’t see a clear breaking point in practice styles.  This month I divided the sections by what was going on.  I didn’t make sure things were in chronological order or any sort of order besides the grouping.

Due to the file naming scheme I used, they are roughly in newest to oldest.

Grayscale

I intended to do more of this in Julugust.  Following, not closely, advice from Pikat’s video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWTcTUNXcOg), I wanted to try doing more grayscale practice.

These are in reverse chronological order demonstrating the personal road blocks I ran into.  When I used Film Grab I wanted to document the source, include both the original and work side by side, etc.  The first one, “You Won’t Be Alone”, had the new passion behind it.  The second, “Inside the Yello Cocoon Shell”, saw me racing to get the daily art done.  Finally ending with me just going off of my Win 11 computer’s lock screen image. 

This is something I do want to do more of. 

Sketches with References

I probably should note them.

201: I was trying to sketch Halbernacht from Twitch while he was streaming.  I only got this far when the stream ended.

198 and 180 are my Final Fantasy 14 character-ish. 

197 was using various pages from “Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Deluxe Edition Vol. 4”

190 and 191 were my Jada Mega Man figures.  In the box and lighting it looked like Mega Man was a really old man.

160 was from an anatomy book I currently can’t find to give the title of. 

Middle bottom is “Wuk Lamat” form FFXIV in the one Emet-selch scene. 

The rest I can’t recall, but I know my art tendencies at this point.  There is a certain “reference used” vibe to them.

No References

Stuff mostly from memory, imagination, or generic exercises.  There are a few I wonder about.  Looking at 191 and 188 I see some reference vibes there.

Scenes

Drawn while in FFXIV looking down the central path in the first capital city in Dawn Trail.  The second is the landscape from “Meteor Golem”.