Drawing / Sketching / Digital Painting

Haven't posted here in a while, but I'm still drawing away!

Here's a drawing I just finished as a thank you for someone my wife works with:

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/5Vj9Sbt.jpg)

I wanted to show what my Valheim Viking looks like in my head.

I did a little creative license with his face paint, since we don't have the ability to customize our characters too much.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/FWhVvDz.jpg?1)

Big big news Blender 2.92 released:

For those Sketchup fans (and for many other reasons) Blender has released version 2.92 which has tons of new features and improvements. The main one for Sketchup fans is Draw Primitive which lets you drag out cubes, cylinders, cones and spheres on existing planes or surfaces.
https://www.blender.org/wp-content/u...

Also this drawing class is on sale for $9 on goldstar.
https://www.goldstar.com/events/onli...

Goldstar typically is a regional site for discounted entertainment tickets (plays, comedy shows, concerts). But since everything is now online, they sell discounted virtual events and have begun to sell discounted online classes and informational talks from sites like Skill Success.

I have already plopped down $9 for a novel writing class that is about 6-8 hours long. I am enjoying it and it regularly lists for $199.

I found this on youtube and it looked pretty cool. I am actually pretty good at drawing hands but I knew there were others who struggle with them:

So I woke up with a bee in my bonnet about an old cg model I worked on that was concepted for the GWJer game project. When I initially fleshed it out it was ~8000 polys (tris) which was too much for anything other than a major boss back then (somewhere around 2009). I specialize in poly reduction but I never touched it till now.

And go figure, today I have reduced it to 5800 polys (tris), 8000 polys (tris) is nothing for a minor enemy by current poly budget standards. Still, I am really happy with the results and really happy to stretch muscles I haven't stretched in a LONG time
IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/XvAOxiV.jpg)

I am putting this in the drawing thread because I know a few of you make comics or are interested in visual novels. Humble Bundle is having a 75% off Visual Novel Maker so it is like $17 currently. I have to be honest in that I am tempted to pick it up for that. Even if I just put it through its paces and never release anything.
https://www.humblebundle.com/store/v...

I am now on the tattoo track. I started managing a tattoo shop a couple months ago, being friendly with the owner and artists. The owner wants me to start tattooing so I've been sketching non-stop. I will be doing my first piece on my left thigh. It's a crow skull with mushrooms against a black silhouette of foliage, probably ferns. I've got the first couple drafts done of the skull and mushroom. I've posted a previous draft here:

My Instagram

It's really, really, really nice to be able to look at myself a year ago at this time, and absolutely know that I've made major improvements.

I realised i've not really posted any map updates of late so here's a couple of my more recent ones

The first is one of four (five, actually counting a zoomed in map of part of a city) that i'm commissioned to make for a 5e sourcebook that was kickstarted a while back I think.

IMAGE(https://smackfolio.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/amberton-web-sample.jpg)

The second is a battle map from the Incredible Creatures monster book (Also kickstarted) which should be getting printed soon - which is exciting because I THINK it'll be the first physical book that actually has a map of mine in it!

IMAGE(https://smackfolio.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/merrow-trench-web.jpg)

And lastly, this one is for a personal project, for a "dungeon crawl" project written for the QUEST ttrpg which I am EXTREMELY behind on making progress on but, paid work comes first, so...

IMAGE(https://smackfolio.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/stage-0-map.jpg)

Prederick wrote:

It's really, really, really nice to be able to look at myself a year ago at this time, and absolutely know that I've made major improvements.

Dude! That’s seriously dope! Great job!

Edit

Pyx,
Yours are super dope too! I’m not pandering. Those images took a long time to load up and display.

The one with the squids and the underwater river of lava is fantastic!
It is a great color palette and the glow effects are so subtle and accentuate without drawing too much focus.
The silhouette is an incredible touch too!

I may borrow your city map technique for a 3d project of mine. I have no problem orchestrating a city or town on the street level but run out of creativity on the macro scale. I may also google maps of real places and hodgepodge interesting bits of them together as reference. (like take a map of the bay area and scramble or invert it until it is unrecognizable)

On a side note, the creator of magicavoxel has created an amazing tool I have yet to test out. (I am a little intimidated since I fear it is one of those things where I will absolutely lose half a dozen hours toying with it)
It should be a simple to learn 3D modeler that allows you to seamlessly combine and subtract primitives into complex shapes.
https://ephtracy.github.io/index.htm...
IMAGE(https://ephtracy.github.io/image/snap2021-03-27-08-33-20.png)

Prederick wrote:

It's really, really, really nice to be able to look at myself a year ago at this time, and absolutely know that I've made major improvements.

And here we see the difference between working from reference and just freehanding it.

(Also, my art mentor helped a LOT with the other one.)

It is absolutely critical to work from source. It is the biggest mistake new or inexperienced artists make. You will improve so much faster. Drawing is about training your eyes. When you draw from memory, you aren't training your eyes so your progress only comes from stroke confidence.

Alright fellow drawers, Q for ya'll.

I signed up for this art class (I won't name it, because I'm going to say some unkind things) back in... February I think. But we are roughly four months in and it's been....

...basically, I'm trying to figure out if I'm just being pissy and not sticking with it, or if this class just sucks. Because I can think of perhaps 1 or 2 things it's helped me understand in that time, but broadly I've found it to be drudgery, with poorly-explained concepts, a lack of structure, and a "mentor" I would grade as one of the worst teachers I've ever had.

But! I keep on wondering if this is just all me being, as mentioned, a pissy quitter and I just need to stick with it, or if there's no reason, as an adult, to be taking a class in any subject that you're not enjoying. I dunno.

Should I bail? Or stick with it?

Are you improving?
Have you connected with others taking the course? Can you learn or knowledge
share with/from them?
Can you describe what you're struggling with?
Also describe what you think you are learning or partially getting.
What sort of feedback is the mentor and instructor giving you?
Are they teaching you what you want to learn? Or if not is it a path or stepping stone to where you want to be?
How much longer does the course go on?
Do you get a certificate for completion?
Is this a prerequisite for something else you want to learn?
There are lots of artists on here that can help you or give you more solid footing to power through the class...

Prederick wrote:

Alright fellow drawers, Q for ya'll.
...
Should I bail? Or stick with it?

If it's not a mandatory class required for something else, why stick with it? It's your money and you are not getting what you want for that money, then take that money elsewhere.

Maybe bring your concerns up with the instructor. That will be an uncomfortable conversation, but it could be good practice for other tough conversations that matter more.

Is it an online class?

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/kz5Rymf.png)

Here is a tattoo I am working on. A few more changes and it will be ready for my client.

That is dope!

Cool!

Wish i could post the city map I just finished because it's probably my favourite (and most complex) creation to date...but it's technically under an NDA for now.

It shall be revealed...at some point in the future not of my choosing! (sorry!)

Ooohh! Under NDA? Is this a paid gig?

I would hope so if there's an NDA involved.

I mean all my maps are technically paid gigs, but this is technically the most substantial I think i've done so far. That and the maps for Anne Gregerson's kickstarter campaign setting too. (Anne was one of the freelance writers working on Rime of the Frostmaiden). Those i *can* share as I finish them.

e.g.

IMAGE(https://smackfolio.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/underforge-web.jpg)

IMAGE(https://smackfolio.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/dihn-web.jpg)

IMAGE(https://smackfolio.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/lightport-web.jpg)

The map i'm referring to in the previous post though is for the "Caverns of the Wise Minister" kickstarter by Ex Stasis games (a 5e sourcebook and bonus adventure path) I'm doing the maps and a few illustrations for it.

Very pretty maps! The details (compass roses etc) really set a high standard.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I have enjoyed watching your progression on your mapwork, Pyxistyx!

As mentioned above, the compass work is exceptional. I really love the star pattern design and colors in the lower right of the second map.

And it may seem like a simple element (its not) but you really nail the water and liquid effects in each.

I like the overall design of the top one the most but the street layout of the bottom one is incredibly clean to an almost mesmerizing effect.

thanks all!

The last map in this set is the one i'm currently working on which is a zoomed in view of that circular temple plaza in the last map.