#first time doing a redraw/study of a classic painting

[getosugurusbangs]

fallen angel.

[ligiawrites]

Why is your drawing so pretty 😍? And do you have any tips to draw as pretty as you do🥺?

aww, thank you, anon! ♥

All right lol. I don't know if you want just a short little tip or something else, but drawing/painting, like writing, is something I'm thoroughly passionate about, so I'm gonna be """a tad""" serious about it.

TLDR: I'm not an expert; I'm still learning. I suggest: brushing up on your knowledge of the basics, using references for specific stuff, taking notes, practicing, asking for feedback, and being patient/careful with yourself. Extra: image about how art is a cycle. xD

First, I still have a lot to learn and improve, so I don't think I'm a good target to aim for in terms of my ability to draw hahaha! Instead, please surpass me. :3 Also, please take what I'm saying with a grain of salt. My experience comes from being a self-taught artist who still struggles a lot.

This answer got *really* long, so I'll just have to split it here lol a.a

Sooo... I never had any formal education in arts except from 6 months of "The basics of classical drawing" at my Game Design course at uni, N years ago, so what I've been doing—and I'm seeing nice results—is to go back and learn everything from 0. I try to watch online classes on youtube as I work (you can find a lot of high quality, free content for artists there; I can suggest some if you want--I have a secret list of tutorials I saved over the years) or to listen to art critiques/redraws; I also read stuff about art, I try to understand how my favorite painters work/used to work, and I try to look for those really long videos of artists explaining their choices and their thought process as they paint. This last one is especially helpful if you already have a grasp of the basics.

Besides that, I also ask for feedback from the people whose brains I could passionately make out with (saying your trust people's judgment just doesn't have as much flair).

General tips:

- References are great. :) Even better is to first decide *what* you'll study with it. Is it the pose? The muscles? The expression? How the light interacts with the planes of the face? Focus on what you wanna practice and try not to overwhelm yourself by doing everything at once! ♥

- I'm a nerd, so when I'm watching something, I'll often jot down things I wanna try/I find interesting. It helps you build your own art cookbook! :P Good practice.

- Actually practice/try the things you write!

- I use sticky notes A LOT. For EVERYTHING. It's nice to have a visual reminder of the things I learned. Here are some of the notes I still have around after my last really long studying session:

(my post-it about studying anatomy is one of my favorite things ever, and so is my pink flamingo mug :3)

- Consume a lot of art! It's good to build your own visual library.

- I try to keep in mind that I'm still learning and improving and that I need to be patient with myself. :)

- Finally, self-confidence and balance between work/rest won't simply _happen_ as you improve. Pace your practices, stretch, eat/drink, and spend time with people you love. You have to work on yourself and your health too, not only on your skills. ♥

Extra: Steenz (link) ((she's amaziiing!!!)) posted this image here, and it's the truth™:

And if you're still here, thank you for reading my rambling, hahaha. I know I'm not great yet, but maybe I will be one day. I'll be cheering for you too, anon. :3

My brain might not be sexy enough to make out with, but if you ever need feedback on one of your pieces (and if you don't mind receiving it from a struggling, shy, cute thang like me), just send me an ask and I'll answer it privately if you want. :) ♥

Much love, from artist to artist.

[jzixuans]

rules: answer the questions and then tag 10+ other creators to answer the questions!

tagged by @whenstarsalign​ thank u queen love u bitch baby

first creation and most recent creation of 2020: first piece of 2020 was this one with patton and his little memory stars and my last piece of 2020 was this joenicky piece

one of your favourite creations from 2020: this photo study of the tog end scene

a creation you’re really proud of: this screencap redraw from jeeg because it’s the closest i’ve ever gotten to realism

a new style you tried this year and a gifset that uses it: sketchy painting!! i started it with this piece from july

your favourite colouring: i’m pretty sure this is meant for gifsets but oh well mine from 2020 that isn’t a piece i’ve already listed is probably this logan drawing from october because i liked the autumn vibes

a creation that took you forever: oh god i think this pride!roman one might’ve taken like,,, a month because i worked on it on and off throughout school and with my rsi

your creation from 2020 that received the most notes: probably the blinded by fear series

a creation you think deserved more notes: i can’t really complain about numbers lol because i’m pretty satisfied with all of them but i guess my tog art since it does get less notice than my tss art

a creation with a favorite scene/quote: is it repetitive if i keep saying that ^ photo study from the tog end scene

a new fandom you joined and a creation you made for it: joined the tog fandom! pinked up booker 😌

a creation you made that breaks your heart: oh man drawing andy visiting the ocean killed me dead 

a ‘simple’ creation that you really love: i made starry messenger logan my pfp on a lot of my socials bc i think he’s cute 

a creation that was inspired by another one: it’d be a crime if i didn’t acknowledge my laoft art dedicated to @tulipscomeinallsortsofcolors​‘s laoft verse

a favourite creation created by someone else: oh dear god there’s so many but sunflower nicky by @cursed-luca-art​ does take the cake

also this gifset of joe by @theoldkenzari

some of your favourite content creators from the year: so so so so many hmmmm  @nicolodigenovas @strangehighs @likedestiny @prose-n-scripts @theprinceyusuf @cursed-luca-art @lyrasbelacqua

and for good measure, another couple more creations of yours that you love: lmao i’ve always gotta throwback to pirate logan it’s such a classic favourite (and it’s also my only other piece that i don’t mind bringing up from the depths of time)

tagging the people everyone i already mentioned and anyone else who wants to do this!

[edelwary]

when you were first getting into art, what and how did you draw? (like did you just doodle ur masterpieces on pieces of paper and posted-notes or did you have a proper sketchbook) how did you find motivation? bc ive been trying to draw but I always get unmotivated and stop while still wanting to get better just by doing nothing.

REALLY LONG, LOTS OF ADVICES FOR ARTISTS : 

TL;DR ; skip to the HOW TO ACTUALLY FUCKING DRAW part bc i have a megaton of shit to say lol + The MOTIVATION part 

mmh… I’ll get into details with this one tbh bc it’s a long ass process ahah : 

I live by the sea ; when i was youung i used to draw TONS of boat, but like, dollhouse boats, you could see the insides and stuff ; i loved to add tiny details and stuff, and imbricate everything together !

around 8 or 9 yo, i went to the public library with school and discovered the wonderful world of mangas ! I basically… Copy pasted an entire Mermaid Melody tome x) 

For about 2 years i alternated between reading mangas and trying to copy them ! Then i just kept drawing in the margins of my schoolwork for about… 5 years ! I have a Fuck Ton of sketchbooks of that time, it was… The start. Lol. Never say it’s bad because it’s never bad, just not there yet !!

Around my 13 yo, i went every saturday, for two years, under a bookstore ; there was a cave, and drawing classes ; that teacher was mean and harsh and stuff, but like… Not really. He would take away my eraser for the class, force me to use pencil, to draw something else (bulky boys instead of magical girls). 

I’ve learned a lot, more in terms of How To LEARN to draw than to draw itself, but i still progressed a LOT !! 

Then i kept drawing by myself for a year and i really worked hard on it ; about hours a day, trying watercolors and stuff ; i have a real problem with colors in traditionnal art, but i’m much better with lines (i should scan some RAD stuff i made in the weekend, yall ive never done anything this good i stg i dont know why i always forget im so much better on paper) 

This gets us to my sweet 16 ; i have to year of advance, bc i got ‘’’promoted’’’ idk how to say it ; anyways, i entered my (current) animation school for the first year at 16; vERY IMPRESSIVE AND TERRIFYING. 

And i learned. A fuckmegaton. Of shit there. 

Now i’m going for my third year there and i can make photorealistic marmora blades and cyberkpunk decors if i want to and that’s rad, but here is

 HOW TO ACTUALLY FUCKING DRAW : 

I have one HYPER important advice, and i’m keeping it to heart since i’m like, 11 : Have. Sketchbooks. Please !!! It’s very important. Here’s why : 

You keep everything with you in one place. You have 1 sketchbook, it’s basically easy to take every where (a A5, or A4 are pretty easy to carry, i have like, 12 of those, and around 8 of A3) 

You keep track of what you’ve done. It’s super important, bc first you can cry of laughter at your old stuff bc its cute but not so good, and second, you can just be like ‘holy mama’ and see how much you’ve improved

It’s very important to be organized. I WORK in art, and trust me, if there’s something that i’ve learned this year through tears and missing files and bugs : Be. Impeccable. Now if it’s for fun, go a little loose, and just have a folder for art on your computer, and a sketchbook, no need to stress, but the better you try to keep a record of where is what, the better you’ll see whats wrong

Notebooks are friends !! You can draw, write, glue stuff, make notes, lists, everything !!! I have my life in those. It’s more important to me than any of my phones. 

Be proud of it. Like, not everything, duh ! But try to tell yourself than it’s like a RPG ; even if it’s only 2 xp here and there, one day you’ll beat level 40, and that’s super important : art is. Fuckin. Long.

I cant stress it enough. It’s soooo long !!! SO LONG !! it’s years. It’s like karate and fishing and ANYTHING. To be good at it, it takes time, but it WILL COME if you keep trying. There’s no secret passage. 

You’re gonna me it, believe in me who believes in you. 

Use. References. 

Coming from a little shit who’s got a really good visual memory, that can sound like bs, but i stg everything is always AT LEAST twice as good if you’ve used a visual support. 

I’m not saying COPY EVRYTHING (even though thats a good training) I’m saying, if you really want to do that asian tiger, please have at least two or three pictures of it nearby. Take photos of your hands, and stuff ! 

Make it harder. 

No eraser. 

Paint. 

I draw all my backgrounds on my sketchbook with INDIAN INK; no returns, no refunds. 

Ink, Ink, INK !! Don’t allow mistakes.

And if you make mistakes :

New page, restart

It’s okay

It’s for you

I once started back again a whole EXAM bc it was bad, i got one of my best grades 

You’ll improve and be more assured if you know you just have to DO IT. Trust me. It’s VISIBLE; if you can erase, you fidget and hesitate and ‘’kbeujebez hahhaaa idkkidsd’’ ; stop ; do it, and if you don’t like it ? Try again, there’s no time limit

Draw as large as you can 

There’s no interesting story here, it just helps. Bigger movement of the hand, more place for details, breathing lines

Thin lineart helps

Thinner. Make it even thinner

Break the rules, but not the ones that structure your art 

Big lineart ? Why not

Unfinished lines, vaporeous colors ? Pretty

Cubism is actually based on extensive and intense practice of classical art, it’s not wibbly wooblly ; the anatomy is more correct than you think 

Structure and composition are important, but so is movement and life ; choose your fighter ; mine is fluidity and fun, i’m like, a rogue/archer in drawing. Some people are dwarf fighter. That’s amazing and great. 

Don’t be afraid to do nothing

Pages and pages of my sketchbooks are actually just lance facing right and smiling, you know… 

Sometimes it just doesnt work : two ways :

Take a break, Kiki’s delivery service style

Keep trying, break your art until it obeys and comes back

Take breaks. Breath. 

Don’t compare. I do it, it doesn’t help at all. You’ll make it ; and if you compare, keep in mind that everyone’s different

I’m not gonna lie, it’s NOT easy, it’s even hard 

But I really, really think it’s worth it 

MOTIVATION :

My main bitch 

I’m always pumped for art because i can LITTERALLY NOT do anything else ; i love reading and writing and stuff but at the end of the day i just want !!! to draw !!!! aaaaaa-

Fall in love with it, and with the possibilities ; i have stories to tell, tell me yours ! Do your best, one day it WILL work

Actual advices : 

I have an inspiration blog where i just reblogs stuff i like to draw them later

Find a picture, copy it. Do it again. Change the characters (i have 2 ocs and Lance and Keith as default characters) in the pic. 

Like an artstyle ? Break it to its very core, analyse it, copy it, redo it, trace it and ABSORB it. Don’t copy/past, LEARN from your heroes.

Do what you like. I have 86578 pieces of voltron, this is not a coincidence. I have ENDLESS ideas for this show, wtf. 

Try new things. Buy indian ink im begging you. It’s so cool. 

Have a game with yourself, or a challenge. STICK TO IT. 

Study. When you’re bored, usually it’s because you’re stagnating. Make it harder or do hands until you cry. 

Love your backgrounds; make backgrounds, study trees, and tokyo streets, and venice’s bridges. Decor is just as cool as characters, if not more

Mess a little with everything. My roomate more than one found me stained from head to toes trying to DO STUFF 

Draw outfits. Draw what you want but can’t afford 

MAKE YOUR LIFE A COMIC. Remember those sketchbooks ? Make a comic a week/month/every full moon, whatever, and draw your life (mine’s the roomates au lol) 

Prompts blogs are cool too 

Make fanart of a fic you liked ; you have the characters and the pose already, you just have to illustrate ; double bonus, you probably will make a writer’s day, if not year !

That little movie that plays when you listen to your favorite song ? DRAW IT

Your favorite scene in your favorite movie ? Redraw each shot. On post it. Plus it looks awesome afterwards to have the infamous TREX scene of Jurassic Parks in post it

Get bored. That’s inevitable. Dance, scream, get back to it. Walk, draw everything you see. 

Make a paper google map street view : Take a walk : every 50 meters, draw what is in front of you. 

Snapchats your friends. Draw their snapchats when they answer 

Draw maps. Invent places. Invent bikes, and hovercrafts, and monsters. Make your everyday inventory. Make your life a video game, and do the concept arts of it. 

FETCH your inspiration. I have approx. 20 artbooks, full of drawings and concept arts of my fave movies/games ; take what you like and add it to the story you have since you’re 8. We all have one. 

Ask for it ; your sis, your mom, me even ! If you dont have ideas, someone will have them. 

WELL i’m gonna stop there, even though i got like, 9864567 more to say, but with this you should be fine ! Anon, i’m rooting for you ! we all start somewhere, just hold on!!!! 

[houseofvans]

SKETCHY BEHAVIORS | MARINA MIKA (CROATIA)

Inspired by childhood storytellings of fairy tales and folklore, artist and illustrator Marina Mika creates beautifully detailed pen drawn works that are not only skillfully executed, but also a “real reflection” of the artist herself–her emotions, experiences, and impressions from life. A self proclaimed “perfectionist,” Mika’s elaborate drawings can take days to weeks to form, and only will be completed if the artist feels 100% about it.  And, we’re 100% stoked to chat with this talented artist who shares with us her process, her influences and provides some great advice for any emerging artist in this month’s Sketchy  Behaviors. 

Photographs courtesy of the artist. 

Introduce yourself?  Hey, my name is Marina Bitunjac but known as Marina Mika over social media. I just got my MA degree at at School of Design university (visual communication – graphic design) in Croatia, Europe. But my expertise was always illustration and illustrative graphics. 

When did you first get into drawing?  I was drawing for as long as I can remember actually.. but the scene that will always be stuck in my head as the most vivid memory that got me into drawing is when I asked my mom to draw my favorite toy for me. (My mom had a natural talent for drawing but she lacked true creativity and ideas.) But, yeah, I had this  beautiful  white  fairy tale  horse toy with long  gold hair and a cape full of beautiful pattern and gold details. I really loved that one ,and was very proud of  owning it, so I asked mom to draw it. I remember her drawing  being (in my eyes then) the best thing ever! It was gorgeous and I fell in love with the skill of drawing, the beauty of it and the so-called magic around the whole process of creating. It is  interesting how peaceful and quiet it is to create but how powerful and ‘loud’ the result can be. 

What were some of your early influences? My early infulences were also the fairy tales that I was told before going to bed. They  had a huge impact on my ideas  since they were so  strange, yet so captivating and  ‘alive’. Also, for some reason I always had  japanese pierrot illustrations (artist: Mira  Fujita) around my room. I don’t even know  how I got them but I still have them with me wherever I go. That is why I tend to like drawing pierrot-like  characters. 

What’s your art background – were you self taught or did you go to art school? In primary school and high school I was drawing for myself, learning and studying art was a hobby. I was always known as ‘the girl who can draw’ but it was never serious. I knew I was not at my best and that I need to learn A LOT more, to find my own illustrative voice. And so, I got accepted to School  of Design after finishing high school. I spent my early uni years discovering myself,  experimenting (with life and drawing) and I really kicked off in my later uni years, after realizing who I was, what I want, and how I want to express myself. I finally figured out how to control drawing with what feels natural to my thoughts  and emotions of highlighted life experiences and memories or impressions. Of course, design school helped  me a lot to figure out ‘how to think’ and how to sort out ideas (what to keep and what to give up on, and more).

Do you keep a sketchbook or work your ideas as you go along? I don’t keep a sketchbook. I never got used to drawing in a sketchbook, so I gave up on it. I sketch when working on and developing  ideas for graphic design, but for illustration I just wait for an impression, emotion or taught to grow really ‘loud and clear’ in my mind and then I just get to work. My illustrations are really just an extension of my mind, they are basically a visual diary.

Your work is beautifully detailed, meticulous and rich in pattern and textures. What is your process like? How long does it take from your idea to a finished piece? Hmm.. well, my process is strangely so similar yet so different for each piece. I really like them to be ‘true’. Meaning, a real reflection of myself, not structured to be ‘just pretty’ because then, they would be somewhat fake and shallow, and people always sense if something is true or not. So, there is really no point in ‘faking it’. Sometimes it takes days or weeks for an idea to form, and sometimes it just hits me with ‘That’s it. Do it.’ I have to feel it is 100% the right one before even starting. And then, sometimes  it is difficult to translate the idea that is so clear in your mind to paper, but I redraw it and redraw until I get it. So some drawings are done really quick and some take time. Also, it depends on how much fine detailing it takes. I care about details in real life too. Details are very important to me, as they define the whole picture (in life and in art), so I spend a lot of time perfecting it. Basically, I am a plain perfectionist. 

In terms of mediums, you work mostly with pen and paper, correct? What are your favorite mediums and are there other mediums you hope to one day utilize more? Yeah, I work with pen and paper. Since I am a perfectionist I like the clean and controled lines I am able to make with pens. But, before I seriously started working with pens I worked with them because I could afford them in any paper shop. As a high school student and in uni I didn’t have time, space and money to buy fancy art supplies just for practice, so I worked with what was affordable and what felt right to work with. I ended up somewhat ‘mastering’ it and created my illustrative style with these mediums, and I am pretty happy with working with them. I would like to try to go digital eventually. All my works are hand drawn and I will continue in creating that way but I love learning and pushing limits. There is no point in being stuck to one thing, change is good, and it is important to discover and re:discover yourself and your abilities.

Folklore plays a part in your works, what about these early stories do you find yourself drawn to illustrating? Do you have a favorite tale you’d like to share? As mentioned before, traditional fairy tales were always told before bed time when I was a kid. We had a lot of fairy books and fairy tale movies at home. So it is natural that I developed a strong bond with them. Also, the place where I grew up is quite like a fairy tale place itself: by the sea side  with lots of nature and woods. You can easily imagine these tales to be true when you are a child in such an environment. I don’t have a favorite tale, or at least I can’t think of any at this moment. Depending on my mood and on what I feel at a certain period of time I bond with a specific tale.

What artists past and present are you really into at the moment? I grew up with Mira Fujita’s work hanging in my childhood room, so she is the first one that had a huge influence on me. Later I discovered Kay Nielsen’s beautiful works and was completely in love. After that, I got hooked on Yoshitaka Amano’s and Erte’s work. They are the 4 artists that influenced me the most. But, I admire so many different atists it is impossible to name them all.  I also love children illustrators, since their work is so creative and imaginative, as well as contemporary chinese art.   What has been a highlight for you as an artist? A certain show, a project or collaboration? The best thing ever, so far, was when I recieved an e-mail from SHOWstudio with an offer to illustrate Paris Haute Couture. I love fashion, I always have. I love the art of designing clothes and I love how beautiful the models are, but I never had the true desire to be a fashion designer. But, also, I always wanted to be a part of that world, and by getting the chance to illustrate it - I was ecstatic.   What would be your ultimate collaboration be like? What’s your experience been like collaborating with companies or other artists, if at all? I don’t have a clear idea what the ultimate one would be.. I approach every collab as the ultimate one. Every single one is different and therefore a new experience. I tend to seek new and fresh experiences trough illustration as it helps me to develop as an individual, what is directly reflected on my work.   What’s a common misconception about artists? And what has been your biggest challenge? From my point, I think the common misconception is that every artist can draw anything and with anything. Personally, I work with pens and I spent so much time perfecting this type of work that I don’t know how to control working with brushes for instance (and it just does not feel ‘natural’). Artists have a certain expertise in what they draw and what tools they use. They spent a lot of time, emotions and personality in perfecting it and making something new and original to offer to the world. 

Also, in my opinion, the common misconception is that anyone can be an artist or an illustrator. I think that artistry is a work field just like any other. I do illustration, since I worked and studied long and hard for it, my mindset is ‘programmed’ to work in an illustrative way, therefore I am not able to make a groundbreaking painting as someone who works as a painter can.  My biggest challenge was discovering myself and reflecting it to a certain style for sure. After I discovered the ‘true me’ and my own way of illustrating I was able to be confident in what I do and what my abilities are. That is when my work started gaining popularity with others.    What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t an artist? If I was not an artist I would work with animals  100%. I have always loved animals and if I was not watching cartoons  as  a child it would be a documentary movie about animals. Also, my family has always had foster pets. All our pets are from the street, so it is natural for me to help and care for them.   What are your favorite Vans? Since I personally mostly wear timeless and classic pieces, I have to say the original ones. But I LOVE all the new and contemporary prints and design you do.

How are you not just ONE thing? What other creative things or hobbies do you find yourself also doing when not drawing? What do you do to unwind in your down time? This is a difficult question.. I do many things, depending on my interest at a specific time. For the past year I am interested in working out and the gym (in my free time), and I found myself discovering the beauty of classic cinema (b/w movies) these past weeks. But, that will change for sure. I tend to spend some time learning and discovering about a specific theme and after gaining enough knowledge I seek for something new.

What are your thoughts on social media? How do you find a balance between work and keeping up with all of it?

Ah I love social media haha, I am hooked on it for sure. Especially instagram. I made an account there quite late actually, and did not use it seriously, but after I got somewhat used to it I started posting my work and it grew. It is not hard to balance work with social media, since it is an extension of what I do. I love the interaction that I am able to get with different people through social media, and the fact that I can discover so many talented and inspirational people with the use of it.

What advice would you give someone thinking about art as a career? I would say: be 100% yourself. Think of what you do and don’t do something just because you saw somebody else do it. When you are true to who you are, it shows, and people recognize it. Also, study hard and practice harder. Learn about your field and interests, get to know the past behind it and after building a strong base: launch something new to the world.

Things are not made over night and it is always quality over quantity. 

What’s on the horizon for 2017? Who knows.. As my mom always likes to tell me when I feel overwhelmed: ‘Marina, always one step at a time.’ So, I guess it is the best to focus on delivering the best of what I can do now;  while growing and discovering new things in life. Anything can happen ‘tomorrow’, let’s be the best of ourselves now.

Follow Marian Mika Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/MarinaMikaArt Instagram | @marina.mika

[unicagem]

hello i really like your art, especially your emerald and strawberry quartz! i have a question: when you are going to draw, do you draw poses free from your imagination or do you reference from other pictures,bases? and do you still struggle with your art? i saw that you use a photo as a base for your outfit meme jasper (the cute one in cat lingerie) and she looks stunning! another question i have is does using a base make the art less creative? sorry for the questions :0 sorry if it isconfusing

Hello, thank you very much first of all! :D

Don’t worry, I got what you mean! I do use reference sometimes and I always credit the stock images. However I don’t think “base” is the correct word for this because it’s usually related to tracing or completing a preexistent picture. I actually would like to point out the difference (under readmore because it came out longer than I expected)

When you reference you use an image as starting point for your picture, and it can be a pose, a certain perspective, colours, objects; it’s almost impossible not to reference even indirectly because artists reproduce what they see in real life, observation -> getting/decomposing figures in your mind, understanding how they work -> drawing. I recall a classic example which is the bicycle - everyone knows what it is but not everyone can draw one from memory.I’ve used countless screenshot of SU to understand how their background work, the lines, the colours, the techniques especially (and I like the art style in general, which also influenced mine, but this is another matter), and now I can draw basic SU-inspired bg without reference. Over time, the things you tend to draw more often and paying more attention to get assimilated to the point you don’t even need reference anymore, because you learnt how they work.

Using bases or tracing, on the contrary, doesn’t teach you anything because all you do is drawing over something without paying actual effort, you don’t observe/reproduce, but you just use someone’s else photo/image/base adding details. That’s why it’s called cheating and, in the end, it’s pretty pointless, as you’re not only cheating people who look at your art but especially yourself, because you don’t learn from it. Plus you may get in trouble with copyright if you sell traced images.

About creativity, maybe an idea can be original, but I don’t think there are criteria for art creativity; like, there are a lot of basic poses artists use, standing, walking, drinking, and none of them can be called creative because they’ve been used for thousands years and there’s not much you can do to make them look original, anyway, why shouldn’t I like a picture like that if it’s well drawn, has good colours, is expressive? Just because walking is not original? (Also think of all the redraw screenshot meme or draw the squad meme, artists start from the same image, but the results are always different and I can’t help to consider them a form of creativity!)

This comes from someone who has never studied art so surely an art student will give you a better reply, but it’s definitely in art schools that references are largely used, and think about models that pose for paintings? People who draw landscapes while observing it? Using reference is very important, especially for beginners, and it helps you a lot. I still struggle with my art (regardless of reference) but I dare you find someone who doesn’t :P hope this helped!!

[enyalinlove]

The content audit

1.0 Home

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1.1 Illustration

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1.2 Graphic Design 

1.2.1 The Design for help rural education

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1.2.1.1 Let children published their own picture book.

The organization let the children from Mudan township draw the story about their home town in the course. Our   job is redraw their picture and allow it to be published.

Process image

Complete image

/* 1.2.1.1 Let children make their own magazine.Since the elementary school in Sudan Township indicatred that the children in small villege lack of confidence and passionate to study, the idea is about to allow children from countrysides find their special and give them a stage,What we do?We build the Magazine Model.There are some   easy assignments for children to complete the content which associate with language, culture, and nature.We   build the websites prototype.The magazine medel can be download on the websites allow teacher to use.*/

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1.2.2 School 107 Anniversary KV Poster

Process

I started with colourful and enthusiastic element such as ribbon, cake, party since it is for the Anniversary of school. In addition, Green building is the most special feature of our college and there are many trees and plants in the campus, so I also add those elements in the Poster.

My customer is the ambassador of the school, they prefer vivid and strong color, so I try to increase the saturation but keep the image harmony.

Every two weeks, I discussed with my customer and there would be some modify. Most of them was about the title. Originally, the typography looks softer and cute with the round corner, but my customer prefers more solemn style,

It was a great experience that I try to find the balance between the customer required and my own style.

Color image

Complete work image

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1.2.3 Ｃommencement  Ceremony Stage Curtain

In Taiwan, there is a phrase:  "When the phoenix flower falling, it is the date of graduation"

The season of Phoenix flower fall is close to the date of graduation, and there often full of red flower on the street. That's why Phoenix flower become a common symbol of graduation, and I use it for the main elements of the design,

In the end of the Ceremony, students would sing the school song. I made a flower falling animation for this part. Like flower, we blossom in our youth, then it is time to start the next stage of life.

Process image

Complete work image

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1.2.3 Exhibition KV

The poster KV is for the freshman final exhibition of interaction design department.

Process image

The title of the exhibition is " The Eggs in the Universe ". We made a story about a egg escape from the earth, then the spaceman got the misson to find it. I use comics style in the post to discribe this story.

Complete work image

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1.3 Interaction Project

In most of the project, I was the one who charge for art

1.3.1 The Little Match Girl<!--haven't complete-->

Introduction

Behind the project

Video and picture

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1.3.2 Literature Board Game

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Introduction

The project aim to allow people understand Chinese classical literature with fun game. The story cards with illustration and summary can be collected in the game.

We are glad to have a chance to collaborate with Sanmin bookstore and published the board game!

Behind the project

What I do

In this project, I participate the whole process, including art, rule design, and summarizing literature.

How

First, we read the literature "Romance of the Three Kingdom". We collect the most classical story and summarize it.

Next, we went to board game store to do the market research. We played a myriad of games and found the most matched one for the literature. We create the new rule based on the other game and test it again and again to make sure the rule work.

Finally, discuss with the editor and complete the art design!

Character Style 

I drew the characters again and again in order to make them vivid. In additionm, we hope to make the characters more handsome because we want to target female market. Since there are fewer female enjoy Romance of the Three Kindoms than male, We hope to let girls see the intresting side of the story.

About the project

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1.3.3  Along the river during Quing Ming Festival--- Exibition Device AR and 2DAnimation<!--haven't complete-->

Introduction

Along the River During the Qingming Festival is the most renowned Chinese paintings, while it is hard to understanding the meaning by just watching. As result, our team set the triggers on the original paintings, allowing user scan them by phone and get the short AR introduction viedo.

Behind the project

About the project

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1.4 3D work1.4.1 Model

Image

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1.4.2 9:00 short animation

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Video

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1.4.3 Music Video

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Video

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2.0 About

Enya Lin

Hi, I'm Enya Lin. a Graphic and Interation designers.

I always hope my design can help people and make more happiness.

PROFILE

Grauduated form Advertising Design department in vocational school.

Currently studing Interaction design in  Ulster University.

I studied diverse skills and keep looking for what is the favorite for me.

SKILLS

Watercolour

Graphic Design

Layout

Computer Art

Film editing

SOFTWARE

Ps, Ai, Id, Ae, 3Dmax, html, css

EXPERIENCE

1.Published a Board Game

2.Key Vision for college Anniversary

3.Key Vision for college Ceremony

ACHIEVEMENT

25th Times Young Creative Awards

4th 高中職國際幕展

2019 Ｈackathon in College

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[silviascorcella]

Fashion Conversation: LEE WOOD - L72

Contemplare le sue creazioni, e intanto scoprire dalle sue parole garbate quel che racchiudono, regala la soffusa sensazione di trovarsi come di fronte ad un’opera di pittura intimista, dove le composizioni quiete di luce morbida e colori nitidi sono invero un loquacissimo sguardo sulla realtà. 

Lui è Lee Wood e il suo brand L72 rappresenta un’avventura stilistica molto recente, ma che ha già conquistato il vasto plauso del pubblico e trionfato, tra le altre, sulla pregiata passerella di Who is On Next? 

La sua moda racchiude percorsi compositi che per buona parte si sono svolti al fianco di Donatella Versace. Una moda che oggi si racconta attraverso la più nobile e sovversiva forma di lusso: la libertà.

[ENGL.]

Going through his creations, and in the meantime discovering from his nice words what they encompass, makes you feel like being in front of a piece of intimist art painting, where the quiet combinations of tender light and vivid colors are indeed a very eloquent glaze on reality. He is Lee Wood and his brand L72 represents a very recent stylistic adventure, but that has already won the ample plaudit of the public and triumphed on the prestigious stage of Who Is On Next? contest. His fashion universe embraces multi-faceted paths, that to a great extent took place alongside Donatella Versace. A fashion universe that today reveals itself through the noblest and most subversive kind of luxury: freedom.

Tell us about yourself and your background: when did the very first encounter with fashion happen and how did it become your professional way? I’m English, born and raised in the countryside near Reading, in the Berkshire county, along the famous River Thames. After the compulsory education I decided to start following my artistic path by entering The Berkshire College of Art & Design, where I studied art, fashion and design. So, when I was 19, I decided to move to London in search of a job and new horizons. I remember two incisive moments concerning my approach in fashion: the first one, when I was a child and my mum, coming back from a ski holiday, was wearing a custom-made dove gray mink coat. That was the first time I ever saw anything like that closely, and that, especially, I could even touch it. So my mum, all proud, showed me the lining with her initials jacquard-woven … I couldn’t believe it, it seemed like a miracle! The second moment was when I went with my mother (it’s always her fault!) to the hairdresser: while waiting for her turn, she was reading some fashion magazines and I gazed at those pictures so glossy, so impeccable, so far from my world, and my mind ran formulating a thousand ideas and as many thoughts. My career began in London, when I started to be the assistant of the stylist David Thomas: it’s thanks to him that one night I had the chance to meet Kinder Aggugini that, in his turn, introduced me to Donatella Versace.

How, why and with what style vision was your label L72 born? My brand comes from my urge to give voice to my personal aesthetic. I’m a reserved person, rather quiet and loner, but inside me my imagination continuously creates, wherever I am and all hours of the day. I’m like a Marcello Piacentini’s building: rigorous, symmetrical, neat, but with the interiors designed by Lorenzo Castillo. After 16 years at Versace, I felt the need for trying new creative ways. I had decided to open my own design consulting studio in 2013 when, while I was making some samples for promoting my activity, I realized that I was subconsciously laying the foundation of my own line. I spoke with different people and friends within the sector and the feedback was more than positive, everybody said I was crazy! I was happily surrounded by products speaking a common language, that could be a total look, without even thinking of it, it was pure instinct. Thus, the things that had been existing in my fantasy for years became concrete and my vision became real. At that point I could not come back anymore !

Your own creative world is instinctual, beauty is a personal point of view, materials are the issue of experimentations and entrepreneurship is essential: what do these elements entail and how does their harmony happen in your fashion? For me everything is connected, I’m always present in my job and in every planning phase of the creative path. I don’t like staying at the desk, I prefer staying around instead, with the suppliers, at the studios, with the printer, at the photography studio to work together and “get my hands dirty” with the people helping me to realize my dream. And it’s thanks to them too, their energy, experience and diligence, if today I am here: every day I learn something new, and this is my nourishment. Today being creative is not enough, unfortunately: our world has become too much complicated and contradictory. You can’t create if you don’t have a support structure; you can’t have a support structure if you don’t have the resources and if you don’t have the resources you can’t make a production that would allow you to produce the next season … as they say in Italy “a dog chasing its own tail”! The expectations have become so much high and strict, accompanied by a very frantic pace of life, that there is a strong risk of implosion. Today a fashion designer must be also a manager, director, sales representative, and self-assistant: that’s crazy! I pay attention to the business and numbers: I’ve been working for 22 years as a salesman and creative director, I would be fool if I wasn’t concerned with the business aspect too, I have a lot of experience and I’d like to improve more and more, but doing things right takes a lot of time and energy and I often find myself leaving the creative part aside for the nights or weekends, when the rest of my world rests and grants me the silence and peace I need to think clearly. My instinct is strong, when I draw my first thought is always the right one for me: if I linger on too much developing  and redrawing, I always end up going back to the beginning. I love neat and graphic fashion, the proportions and the blending of male and female: a sort of “uniform for the future”, a combination of history and street.

Describe your last collection: what kind of inspiration does it originate from and how does this imagery take tangibly form within the creations? The spring/summer collection is called “Primary”: the concept of starting from zero. Last February (2015) I launched my brand with an exclusive press presentation, the project was called “Collection Zero: Non Conditioned”, so I was really starting from zero for the summer production. It’s a journey inside my childhood, moments where I became aware of the world I was in, a pure and instinctive approach, when colors enthralled me and at the same time taught me the chromatic circle, that the primary colors, red, yellow and blue were the main base for all the color blocks, like when I was a kid and I played with Legos, or rather I had fun organizing them by color. I thought to juxtapose this idea of nostalgia with a reflection on the expression of the time we’re living in, so it’s not only a mere memory of my naïf world. I added an embroidery made of real mini-disks: a while ago we used to think that CDs and mini-disks were so futuristic, but today almost no one touches music anymore, CDs have already turned old and young people think they’re something outdated. Our world changes so quickly and the primary colors of that time, my RGB, today are different because our reality is enclosed in a 2.0 world that broadcasts images and colors through the light. Today the main colors are red, green and blue. Ultimately, between a picture you hold in your hand or the same picture that you can see by Internet apparently nothing changes, but I know that the base is truly different.

One name inside and one outside the fashion world you would love to work with? Inside the fashion world I would really love to collaborate with Melanie Ward. I already had the chance to meet her and work with her when she was working with Versace: I really love her style, she’s English like me, and I think that her sensibility marries beautifully with my aesthetic. Whereas, outside the fashion world I’d say Olafur Eliasson, the Danish artist, I think he’s absolutely brilliant. His works begin with a different perspective on our world through lights, colors and science. They’re studies involving the environment to emphasize “hyper reality” concepts: his art captivates me, moves me, amazes me and destabilizes me at the same time, but gladly. I get a powerful and harmonious vibe from it, but with strong social messages.

Beauty will save the world, a renowned quote holding some truth for those who create fashion: what is your ideal about beauty? Will beauty really save the world? How can we categorize beauty in order to realize, then, if that kind of “beauty” could be our salvation? It’s so compelling, personal, it doesn’t mean we want to rely on beauty as if it was a religion, hell no! As for me, the idea of beauty must be dissected and employed depending on the subject. The proportions of a dress, the finishing of a table, a woman walking on the street, the sound of an instrument, things that people may even not like, meanwhile. But we all have our point of view, luckily! Perfection doesn’t exist, thank goodness; here’s what I think is good, the fact that imperfections exist and when we’ll be aware and at peace with this thought, we’ll finally get free from the so called “classic standards” that only bother me. I think nature gets close to perfection, it has its own balance that makes it unapproachable and mystical; but then the human being arrives and thinks he can enhance it, but he only makes disasters, as he often does for himself trying to reach “beauty”. Last summer I worked with MEG for her tour where she featured the album “Imperfezione”: we hit it off, we have several things in common. In an interview she states “I suddenly realized that the possible takes place within the imperfection and not within perfection, that is an abstract world, strict, an archetype, always the same as itself” and this is what we must convey to the world, the diversity, and teach the young people to accept themselves and their neighbor. This is my idea of beauty. A nice, respectful, natural creature.

If I say “imitation of life” (the theme of this Hachi Mag issue n.d.r.): what comes into your mind? I believe that what we’re living is an “imitation of life”. There’s something so insane in our today’s world that I can not think otherwise. I don’t think that this can be considered life, but that we’re literally surviving. We’re conditioned, directed, fed, driven by people and mechanisms that don’t want our prosperity. The world has turned into a game of powers and abuses and our lives are put on the line to bolster a media spectacle that can make us believe the unbelievable, and keep us quiet. As for me, life is something else.

Among the accolades received and the exquisitely personal dreams: what are your projects for the future? My first thought is to continue working, learning and living the best life I can: maybe this is a little fanciful vision, but it’s true. For my brand, I would be able to develop a well-established business that can create the L72 lifestyle by extending the product categories in order to include various licences. Then, if I could dream, think freely without any limits … I would love to buy a plot of land in the countryside and build a brand new home where I could live in complete peace with a lot of animals, where I could finally resume my love of horseback riding and keep on creating from a studio overlooking the hills.

Silvia Scorcella

[Published on Hachi Magazine issue n°4]