Lightships Lightbox

[Star Eater]

10 pages? I'm impressed man. I'd be interested in seeing you
redo the pamphlet but this time using real toys for a reference.

You have kids don't you? You could always swipe some of their older stuff.
Would be a real great exercise in form, perspective and shadow play.

Sorry you never landed that gig, that's how those situations pan out
sometimes. Write it down to experience.

[Lightship69]

Hey here's my mate!! how are you bud? I hope you are still feeling stronger and as well as you can be.

As to the work, Yep that's all I could do mate, shelve it and move on, I don't mind really if I get something from it, like for example the satisfaction of producing something that I planned and carrying it out according to the plan. Odd thing to say I know but the amount of times I go off and plan an image and end up with something totally different is beyond belief also as it was fun and educational so I thought I would put it up in here.
The gig itself was from around two years ago and I stumbled across it whilst deleting stuff from my drives and backing up and as I hadn't posted in a while I thought ha! two birds with one stone as they say.

I like your Idea if nicking the kids toys and drawing them, weird but I never thought of that, I mean I'm forever tidying them away so taking five or ten mins to sketch one makes even more sense now I think about it! LOL

Stay well my mate, nice to hear from you.

[Mr. Corlan]

Hey there Lightship how are you? It seems I'm a sorry excuse for a friend when it comes to returning sketchbook comments. Eek. But meanwhile, life goes on. I like some of that stuff you were doing for the Three little pigs project. Heh, and I have always been scared away by speech animation, so you definitely have me beat with those! Nice! I like Star Eater's idea as well. By all means play with your kids' toys! That's what kids are for right? Instead of a bedtime story you can draw them bedtime toy battles. Haha. Never mind my rambling, take it easy comrade, and of course show us more stuff!

[LtPlissken]

The zoomed area of the movie screen can already detect the blissful
happy faces and chocolate sweet eyes of the young children that take
a glance on your creations. Generally all the kids saw too many things on
the tv lately, they expectations could be hardly surpassed. But you did
it somehow. You have definitely surprised our youngest audience with
your skill and magic, they are out of their minds and they feel cornered
after seeing your mayhem and indulgence. Something like when Tina
Turner dressed her very first black stockings. An old dresser is what you
are full of precious ideas and hidden treasures. After all you will make the
children's mind more clearer and sharper, they need this refreshment, even
at their age 23, they will remember you and they will whisper your name
secretly in their locker rooms and in the confession boxes. I think that
Mick Jagger got his eyes on your 3D stuff also, so be careful, cause
he can be nasty, he does not pay full prices all the time even he
promise something beyond his fulfillment abilities. It's just something
from his childhood. I hope that you will keep on shining and bringing
our future generation to the right track. I am always here to support
and to drink together with you. 4 beers for one night will be enough for me.

[MatthewHD]

Hey Lightship, I hope all is well. I saw that you did some charity work (awesome), but how is the website coming along? It's been exactly two months since anymore updates with your Little Pig's idea.

[Lightship69]

Many many thanks all of you that have posted on here, I love it when you call in and leave a comment and I value your opinions. I am rather cruel with my family and friends at home as they always say "oooh how lovely!" even when I know its garbage and they probably do to, Honesty means more to me than pats on the back.

I have been experimenting with the watercolours again to see what sort of results I could get with cartoon environments and characters mostly its a desperate failure with the characters but I do like the results with the tree.
I got hold of a set of water colour pencils to augment the tubes and tried to get details in there with them and it sort of worked.
anyhow you lot tell me what you think.









Lastly a sketch for the woodcutter bit where the piggy gets his bundle of sticks



and a costume experiment for the space kid.



more later, and onto some replies.

Thanks for calling in Mr Corlan I hope you are well and having fun where ever you are, I have just loved some of the stuff you have put up of late it makes me want to do something a little more serious.

Hi there Mr Plissken I must say I am shocked at you !! four beers is never enough mate, just never! that's a token drink at tea time that is mate please try harder

Mathew Hi matey I was starting to think you had left us for good, where have you been mate?

thanks for calling in all of you and all the very best to the lot of you.

[shiNIN]

Maybe your family and friends are bad at seeing the flaws. I always get compliments when people see my extremely weak and messy pencil sketches and they have no reason to be sweet with me... I get too many positiv crits here an CA, my own opinion about my """art""" is waaaaaaaaaaaay worse than anyone else. But I talk about myself again, sorry

I like the first version of the space suit versions. Red stripe on arms looks cool and it's visually quite apparent where the upper limbs are
Maybe I already said that, I do it often, but such stuff looks best when it's flowy. I don't know how much time you have and what are you doing when you don't draw the stuff you show us but some fun sketching with easy flowy strokes should do good.
I can't criticize your stuff very well, I see no easily fixable flaws, it's just they could have more impact if you get better at things that need a lot of time... Maybe you understand me.

[Lightship69]

Hi there darlin

I do love my rowdy rabble of a family don't get me wrong mate, but I wish they would say what they think and not try to pep me up with ass pats that's not why I do this and not what I need from them.
Which is why I decided to post on here really,I get constructive help and pointers on how to improve which is what I want and need. I am a bit like you my mate I am my own worst critic and never really satisfied with the results I am getting, because I always feel I can do better, and always want to do better, LOL I think sometimes its that frustration that drives me!
Also Yes I agree with the choice the red stripes on the uniform help to reference his poses and stance especially in some of the distance shots of him in the ship where there is more action going on.
Do you think that the lesser detail on his face works through the coloured visor as I'm still not sure that is the way to go.

all the best to you my mate and thanks for stopping by.

[Rhubix]

heya mr. - With family- or any non-drawer - often times they think your stuff is good- that's their genuine opinion. Like Shinin said - I've had people pick up something I drew after a night at the pub- and they want to frame it. I would rather burn it and pretend it didn't happen lol.

In the mean time, we're always here to kick your ass .

I think sometimes its that frustration that drives me!

haha- I'm certain that's what drives me.

I love this little space- dude. He's very easy to pick apart and show you where you're having trouble- I posted some notes below, in typical doodle form.

Over all I think you need to chew on some perspective studies. On your little man down there, you can see you've got some issues with his belt, and his feet are uneven.
The cabin has very little in the way of structure. in image 2, you can see your vanishing points are all over the place. With a fun stick cabin like this- it's easiest to use a super light pencil to map out your perspective, then over your clean perspective, freehand the linework so you can make the sticks uneven and wiggly, while still retaining structure.

the tilted roof is a little trickier - hopefully my sketch makes sense.

with the wood cutter image #4 - it's clear that you're not using guide lines, and you're not keeping your pencil very sharp. If that's a B or a 2B I would switch to an HB pencil, if that's an HB look around for some better pencils in general- that is very dark and soft - and it's very hard to get nice details unless you have a feather hand.


for the colours, I like the blue- but I think Shinin has a point, that the red will stand out better - unless he's going to a red planet.... go with whatever stands out the best.

Hope that fills some of your void for criticism
happy sketching!

[Lightship69]

Rhubix you are an absolute star!! that's exactly what I want and need! and also why I come here as a matter of fact LOL.

The Little pigs cabin according to the story is made from sticks so they have to be rounded and a bit knobly or generally mis-shapen and I tried and failed with the water colours to get it down. That was one experiment that totally crashed and burned It would just be easier to go for wooden planking and although it would be a departure from the story I must admit its tempting as I can get a decent and sensible shingle roof in there and a chimney that makes sense, so we shall see what happens there.

I like the red in his uniform and the more I look the more I like it as it clashes with the backgrounds for the book which are basically a lightish blue. The blue will go darker if its printed.

The little space dude it must be noted is a kid and so needs the slightly short arms and legs of a very young child and the classic big head, so his dimensions are still a little fluid at the moment. But you are right the pose and gesture is vital to the story, its not so bad for this one as he is in his ship most of the time. The next one however is going to be harder as he is on the ground in his garden stalking around with a gun looking for a hostile alien (should be fun!).

all the very best matey and thanks for posting, and swinging by so fast I only posted on yours this morning.

[MatthewHD]

Hey Lightship, thanks for stopping by my sketchpad. Yeah I've been away for a bit, trying to find my way through this whole art deal.

But you posted up some things here and you mention you would like more honest critiques. It's a bit hard because you already know what you have to do. I suppose it really depends on your goals with how far you want to take your drawing ability. Regardless, I'm not at the level to offer you much, other than the generic "study the fundamentals", and that's no fun to hear.

However, if you wanted to go for more of an animated/gestural approach with your drawings I did know of a classic book - http://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-Animat...toon+animation

It might help to study to get that nice flow into your drawings (as of right now they are stiff).

Hopefully that helps. /shrug

[Lightship69]

Hi there Matthew

I am smiling right now mate and that's because I bought that book about 4 years ago and it forms the basis of most of my cartoon work, I have been trying to move away from it and get my own slant on it or get my style in my cartoons.
But I just love Disney cartoons and its a joy that started when I was about 7 yrs old when I tried to draw a snow white and the seven dwarves poster, it infuriated me that I couldn't reproduce what I saw.
Anyway the "Cartoon Animation" book by Preston Blair is vital to anyone who wants to bet into cartooning, but you also need some good anatomy under your belt and some good enviroment work too, cartooning is not as easy as you would think.
I bought another good book lately too if anyone is interested Its from the Walt Disney Animation Studios "Archive series" and its on Layout and background, the only words in the thing are by John Lassiter of Pixar doing the intro, the rest is just artwork for you to stare at and admire and more importantly in my case study.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ripbooks%2C250

Thanks for calling in mate and thanks for the book suggestion that was kind of you, all the very best with your art matey and I will carry on calling in to see you in your SB to offer support suggestions and ass pats when you deserve them ha ha ha ha ha!

all the best mate.

[Candra H]

Sorry I havent been here in a while. Looks like you've been busy with book covers and other stuff.

Cant really comment on your 3d work because I have no experience with that at all and most of it looks weirdly clinical and goes over my head. But I love those piggy expression studies on the last page and also the pencil sketch of the clearing in the woods above. Your watercolouring is good - you're getting strong colour in there which isnt easy with that medium - but I think you could get away with playing around more with layers of different colours over each other to get different light and tonal effects. Maybe slap a purple layer over the brown tree trunks to get some shadows going, or a deep blue over the green grass etc.

Overall, great stuff, and much better minds than mine are giving lots of good advice so I'll leave you alone. Keep working and posting and good luck!

[Black Spot]

I am begging your indulgence for a while longer I know I haven't posted in ages and I am a drunken, useless, weak kneed slacker! But in my defense I have been terribly busy of late with kids at the school, Holiday bookings to sort and a last minute panic book illustration. All that nonsense and my own book illustrations to do I tell you its been bedlam, if it wasn't for the beer and whiskey I would have gone mad!

My tipple is red wine and I so know where you're coming from.

Rhubix gave you a great post. You need to bring your stuff to life and gestures are the way forward instead of nitpicking helmets and how much of a face they show. At the moment it's all very static. Play with him, a stance can show a lot more than any detail.

[Lightship69]

Cheers my matey

Hee hee I think you guys missed what I said about the little dude, He spends most of this story sat down in his little space ship in this particular story so the gesture is harder to sell but still possible.
This pose sheet is simply there for the uniform and setting the look of the character, that's its only purpose. This pose is never used! it does not appear in the story at all. Sorry if I miss-lead or confused you guys it wasn't intentional.

I just find it easier to compare if I have several on the go on the one sheet.

all the best you lot and thanks for posting so fast.

[MatthewHD]

Ah, I should've known. :/ Sorry about that

But since the character is going to be sitting, have you tried Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Sitting and Reclining edition at all. (Little joke there)

But in all honesty, even sitting poses should start as a gesture. You might be surprised to see things have that much more energy, rather than just blocking them in right away. Maybe he could be flying with one hand, and waving and looking at the audience with the other? Not sure, just throwing out ideas.

[Lightship69]

cheers my mate

I appreciate any ideas you can trow at me, anything that comes into your head. I think! if I remember my management training courses properly its called brain storming. The principle is that you throw all the ideas onto the table and kick them all to see what comes out of it and its surprising how the more left field ideas tend to be the most useful.

thanks again mate and all the best.

[Voodoo_Mama]

hey! nice updates! I like the space kids designs, yes I would like to see them in different poses too
I saw your 3d render on the previous page, I think it would be good if you were to add some bump maps, since all textures look a bit flat, If you were to model the letters too instead of just applying the texture it would look good as well, since it would give a more 3dimensional look.
Keep up the hard work! I'm looking forward for more updates~

[LtPlissken]

I tend to turn so excited when I see such an interesting conversations, similar
to the ones that are going on in here. I got myself hypnotized with the visual cognition
in your space suit and pig face portrayals. One should definitely understand the
meaning of these powerful pieces that you creating, and I can see that you
already got some very precious advice and tips from our good friends, so
there will be no mistakes anymore in your future. Fine fresh beer ahead of us,
lots of magical trees and woods, with an apartment close to the beach.
I was dreaming so much about prostitutes lately, and doing all the nasty stuff
to me in the beach apartment, but those were just dreams, I woke up in
agonizing pain in my stinky pajamas, and I realized that I have to go to work
once more, for no money. But do not worry, we will get a smart way to
get rich fast, and we will show them all our middle fingers multiple times,
through the crematory window. Just as they said above, you have to play
with your studies and with your drawings. And you have to talk to them,
you have to say literally "I am playing with you" while you are drawing them,
and you repeat that many many times. I know people will think that you
are sadistically sick in the head, and that you need immediate help, but
you do not worry about that. Just say those playing with you words as
many times as you can while you are drawing out loud. I am doing it and it helps
tremendously, fantastic results are visible almost instantly. No Mexican
Pizza delivery guy can stand in our way anymore. Let's go swimming to
the nearest lake and drink something cold, we will talk then later, you
take care.

[syrella]

Hiya! Thanks for dropping by my sketchbook again.

I think your stuff is fun. It always seems to harken back to childhood. I'm sure you'd make a great children's story illustrator or something.

As for actual critique, I second the notion of trying a few more perspective studies. It'll really help when it comes time to draw from imagination (which is what you seem to enjoy the most). It'll help you build any kind of scenery that you like, be it a cabin in the woods or a space ship!

Also, I'd really really recommend the Force books as well. Reading (and also watching some videos by the author) has really helped me in understanding how to capture life on paper. It presents an entire philosophy that has been super helpful to me. I always got lost when people would say "learn anatomy". It always seemed like the wrong advice. Instead, learning about the purpose of lines or how to capture form and force has been way more helpful.

Sorry if I'm rambling... best of luck with your sketchbook!

[Lightship69]

Hi folks and many many thanks to all that have been to call and left a comment or two I really appreciate it. As I have said on previous occasions I have a tendency to mess with a low range 3D package to get a handle on how my perspective is and how the light works or rather would work in some of my stranger creations! lol

I am still working on the school project (helping with reading and such like) so my artistic efforts have slowed to a crawl with that and kids to feed and entertain etc etc.

So just to prove that I'm not totally slacking off I thought I would post some experiments and sketches for you to think about and comment on if you feel that way inclined.
I think the main reason for continuing to experiment and kick so many ideas around is the need to do something that is new and yet is easily recognized as the original story. As yet I have nothing concrete in my head that I can look at and say "yes that works" or "that's what I want" its got to be relevant and its got to be a fresh way of telling the original story.

any way here are the pics.


























Thanks for taking the time to look and like I said if you want to crit something or post an idea, then go right ahead.

[syrella]

Hey again, I noticed you'd posted again so I thought I'd reply...

I think it's great that you are using 3D software to "map out" your drawings. It can provide a unique way to try out new view angles and compositions. I've been meaning to do the same thing as well, at some point.

That said, as for actually practicing perspective and the theory behind it, I'd caution you against relying on it too heavily. You should ideally just use the 3D software as a supplement, not be reliant on it. (I don't know if you are doing the latter, just sayin'. ) It concerns me a little that cabin is in such perfect perspective, but then the rest of the scenery is not (like the trees or the little seed markers). I'd suggest starting from the basics and transferring your knowledge of 3D software onto 2D. Make sure you really understand what you're doing and not make the same mistake that I made-- mainly, that since I can construct a nice image in 3D, therefore I understand how to draw it on paper. For awhile, I couldn't. Don't be like me. Haha.

One point I'd like to also mention, in regard to your cabin... remember that level of detail is important. Adding lots of details to part of an image is a beacon that says "look at me! I'm important!". It also says "I'm in the foreground!". Objects that are closer to you will be clearer, whereas ones that are farther away will be less detailed and will tend to fade into the atmospheric haze. It is that same point that can indicate how shaded in an area should be. Higher contrast indicates something that is close-by, whereas something that is very murky/misty will appear more distant.

It's a point to consider when doing thumbnails and trying out different compositions. Ask yourself... what is the most important part of the image? Where do I want the viewer to look? Once you can answer those questions, it's simply a matter of arranging the scenery and objects so that those questions get answered automatically. That's all part of good storytelling...

Anyhow, enough babbling for now. Looking forward to more sketches!

[Lightship69]

HI there matey thanks for calling in again so fast! I didn't expect any feedback for a couple of days so thank you very much for commenting so fast.

If you look at page 9 of the SB you will see that the sketches drive the process and not the 3D so don't worry I wont get dominated by it. The concept sketches were thrown together in a quick brainstorm over a coffee and then I worked up the ones I liked on paper in a way that I thought would be eye level for the pig that built it. Also I originally wanted the thing to be made from rounded sticks but I am leaning more to just off-cut planks and sticks as he bought it off a guy with a cart on a road and not a builders merchant. Plus the house was flimsy enough to be blown away by a big Dog so it needs that scratch built look.

All I am using the 3D stuff for is to get the lighting and shadows together in my mind, I was having trouble with how it would all work and go together as a proper structure.
I am somewhat hampered by a very logical programmers brain and I like to understand something and get it right before i can get it down on paper in a way that will satisfy me.
If I don't like it how can I defend it or get it to stand on its own?

You are right about the levels of detail too, and the other thing is that I have to leave a minimal detail section in the image to place the text for the story.

all in all though syrella that was a well thought out crit and I thank you, all the best my mate and i shall call in on your SB again in a week or so and see whats new ok!? stay well.

[Rhubix]

heya mr. Just thought I'd drop by with the ol' perspective bat.
the 2nd cabin from the bottom is quite solidly built, it has good perspective, and relates to the background perspective.
The ground grid in the image 4th from the bottom is an awesome tool. But only if you use it properly. You've used the top of your grid to determine the perspective of the shed- but it's where the grid converges that you get your horizon line.
I've scribbled an example below.

The 3D stuff is great reference, though I would look at some images of real cabins to help light the 3D one.
I think you need more ambient light, or reflected light on your 3D stuff- to make the shadows a bit lighter.
especially with an overcast sky- you wouldn't get very strong shadows at all.

Keep on keepin on ^_^

[untier]

Hi guys

sorry I havnt posted for a while, but Easter got in the way and the kids needed entertaining, so nothing was done for two weeks. Which as you all know is a long time, when I did pick up a pencil and paper again I had quite forgotten what I was doing and where I was up to etc. etc.

Anyway I have done some colour samples and experiments with facial expressions on my piggies, please comment on what you like and what you dont. Some of these expressions you will never see in the story and some you will but it was important to figure out what moved and what didnt when they make a face.

Hope you like them:-

Attachment 1466065

Attachment 1466067

Attachment 1466068

Attachment 1466069

Attachment 1466070

The last set has the reference in for the colours and shape of the ears etc.

Really, really good are they! * heated applauding* Suddenly you made me found that pigs have souls! Hi, your recent works are good and you're humorous. So I advise you to make semi-realistic things focus on comedy.

[Lightship69]

Hi there

Rhubix!! thank you my matey spot on as usual, that grid is a rough guide that I throw down from time to time to see how everything relates to the ground plane, and I know that you are correct and those are bummed out and out of place. Funnily enough that's how I noticed how far off it was !! by throwing the grid down LOL.
I do have a lot of references for these things and Like I said earlier I need a new slant on the story to make it leap out and grab you and the good thing is with this is that there is no deadline looming on it, so I can take all the time I need or want.

untier
Thanks for calling in matey that was really good of you, and for leaving a comment too you get a free extra "Thank you" ha ha ha.
As you have probably gathered I have a great deal of trouble taking things seriously which is reflected in the most of the imagery you see here. Most of my work is aimed at kids and kids stories but you must remember when doing this stuff that its all referenced from real life. If you don't get it realistically then you sure wont be able to stylise it and get it right in a cartoon. So that's why I have looked at and studied faces and landscapes etc etc. you have to know how they work and what makes them look right, you just have too.

all the best guys and good fortune to you in your work.

[Rhubix]

Rhubix!! thank you my matey spot on as usual, that grid is a rough guide that I throw down from time to time to see how everything relates to the ground plane, and I know that you are correct and those are bummed out and out of place. Funnily enough that's how I noticed how far off it was !! by throwing the grid down LOL.
I do have a lot of references for these things and Like I said earlier I need a new slant on the story to make it leap out and grab you and the good thing is with this is that there is no deadline looming on it, so I can take all the time I need or want.

If this is the case- simply nudge your grid until the horizon line is lined up with your current one- and you will have a much better reference.
As for the new slant- I recommend more pirates. Everybody loves pirates

[Black Sun S.]

Hello mate!
Great making of you have here! I love this stuff! You´ve been improving!
Congrats!!!
You should try more watercolor, I bet you gonna like!
I post some new stuff, dropping by if you want!!
Keep it up!

[Star Eater]

It's great to see that you improving and becoming more daring
with your drawings.

[untier]

Hi there


untier
Thanks for calling in matey that was really good of you, and for leaving a comment too you get a free extra "Thank you" ha ha ha.
As you have probably gathered I have a great deal of trouble taking things seriously which is reflected in the most of the imagery you see here. Most of my work is aimed at kids and kids stories but you must remember when doing this stuff that its all referenced from real life. If you don't get it realistically then you sure wont be able to stylise it and get it right in a cartoon. So that's why I have looked at and studied faces and landscapes etc etc. you have to know how they work and what makes them look right, you just have too.

all the best guys and good fortune to you in your work.

You're too modest. And I quite agree with you on the art of kids stories. It's the refining of the realistic art. I've worked in this aspect too. I even failed in a few ones, on which They said the lines lacked some implication... You should have special sensations to express well with simple lines.