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NeoGAF: Draw better in 45 days challenge

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Davedough

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**NOTE: Daily assignments will be edited in the OP the DAY BEFORE the challenge somewhere around 8AM Pacific Standard Time** Current time in PST

Original OP was truncated for space. Original OP with rules

Scroll down to the Current Daily Tasks section to see the lesson for August 31-September 1.

Optional Weekend project will be updated on Friday!



PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE ON A 3 DAY per WEEK SCHEDULE TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE'S BUSY SCHEDULES.


Current Daily Task

SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERSYNTH FOR THESE LESSONS!

Please download the following PDF for a detailed explanation of the Day 12 challenge and lesson.
Permanent Link to ALL PDFs:
http://www.mediafire.com/?2ph216fcb31fs

Day 12 PDF:
http://www.mediafire.com/?w9fd6ppr1v70bus

gNwI2.jpg


Today we're going to talk about Forms. Basic forms of people and the way to correctly look at anatomy is paramount in drawing many different types of styles. Some comic book artists, even successful ones, have been lauded at their inability to recognize correct form and their art suffers because of it. Please join along with us as we take a look at this newest lesson. Please follow along the PDF to learn more.

Assignment:

P9slw.jpg


Optional Weekend Project will go here.




Thanks Yeef!

Yeef said:
I'll be keeping a full list of the PDFs (though there will be lag time since I'll have to upload them manually).

http://yeef.net/gaf/art_challenge-2011/
Click to expand...


Participants

All work is being tracked at our group Photobucket account here:

http://s1113.photobucket.com/albums/k502/GAFDraw/NeoGAF Drawing Summer 2011/
 
Not signing up, but Imma subscribe, since I'm interested in seeing how some of you develop over the course of 45 days. I'm rooting for all of you though!
 
Davedough said:
This is not a contest, so there isn't any penalty for not submitting, but I'm sure this process will assist you in becoming a better artist. The only one that loses out is you. =)
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Just a thought--if it's not too onerous, it'd probably be motivating for participants if you kept track of who had been submitting. I think this has really helped in NaNo threads the last few years.

Also, are total, complete newbs who've never drawn anything in their lives welcome? If so, then I may be in. ;)
 
I definitely want to participate. Still in the middle of moving and a busy schedule in general, but I'll try to participate as much as possible. Subscribed and sign me up.

Incredible newbie as far a drawing is concerned though, but I kinda take that is the point of this thread.
 
Cyan said:
Just a thought--if it's not too onerous, it'd probably be motivating for participants if you kept track of who had been submitting. I think this has really helped in NaNo threads the last few years.

Also, are total, complete newbs who've never drawn anything in their lives welcome? If so, then I may be in. ;)
Click to expand...

Thats a good thought. I believe I may institute that as a way to keep track of who's submitting what.

And yes, I'm also a complete noob. I couldn't draw myself a map to get out of my own house, so I'm really interested in what others might accomplish as well.
 
This sounds great! I had been drawing and painting my whole life until the end of college. Maybe I was just burnt out, but never have picked it up again. I work on a computer all day doing design/3D so I just dont want to do anything when i get home at night. maybe this will motivate me......
 
Danielsan said:
I definitely want to participate. Still in the middle of moving and a busy schedule in general, but I'll try to participate as much as possible. Subscribed and sign me up.

Incredible newbie as far a drawing is concerned though, but I kinda take that is the point of this thread.
Click to expand...

Thats the entire point of the thread =). I've signed you up, so no backing out now.
 
I'd love to do this.

I've barely done much this summer break but I need to step it up because I'm in the final stretch of finishing my BFA...This will be a good thing to remind myself of the basics.
 
should have linked to this site as well

Posemaniacs

It's just a huge collection of poses to reference and do quick sketches to.

Also, not sure why you're excluding digital since I'm a competent artist with pad and pen, but I'm shitty with my wacom and still learning. I'll still join up because I think I need to, but it would be nice to try and get some practice in on the digital from time to time.
 
wenis said:
should have linked to this site as well

Posemaniacs

It's just a huge collection of poses to reference and do quick sketches to.

Also, not sure why you're excluding digital since I'm a competent artist with pad and pen, but I'm shitty with my wacom and still learning. I'll still join up because I think I need to, but it would be nice to try and get some practice in on the digital from time to time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I'll include that in the OP.

As far as wacom tablets and the like... While I can appreciate the skill that is involved with putting your creations through those steps, there is a certain mystique that is lost when allowing a digital pen to shade, colorize and posterize your creation for you. I'd prefer to see submissions that are shaded and colored directly by the artist from brain to pencil with little in between, if that makes sense.
 
I want to participate, because I need some motivation to keep drawing...
It will be hard mode, since I do everything digitally at the moment. Time to buy a pencil and a sketchbook made of real paper...
I can't guarantee that I'll be able to post every single day in august (summer holidays ahead), but let's do our best!
 
I want to join in, as I've always wanted to draw but often got discouraged with myself. One problem though, I don't have a scanner.
 
PBalfredo said:
I want to join in, as I've always wanted to draw but often got discouraged with myself. One problem though, I don't have a scanner.
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Thats fine. Neither do I. A cell phone with a camera?
 
I so should do this but man I'm not going to have access to a scanner and maybe even internet for a week and then there's school...but I really do want to get better so maybe I'll just get a look at the recommended books. This is a great idea though.
 
someone that has been drawing for a better part of 25yrs, i'd recommend you dont do the following:
Styles

Any style will be accepted. Whether you want to draw comic/manga, still life, landscape or portrait, it is all encouraged. The goal here is for us all to become better at drawing.

I've personally been inspired by the GafMAN thread and want to develop a comic style of drawing. Please find your own inspiration and work on your style from there. If you find halfway through that you want to change your approach at a style, that's fine. It's all up to you. I plan on following this book which I hear is excellent for that style.
Click to expand...

in 45 days, you'll barely scratch the surface of your drawing abilities.
forcing a style on your drawings will only hinder your learning curve.
in those 45 days, i highly advise you just focus on your observational skills.
drawing exactly what you see (IRL) and not from paper or monitor.
And over time, your own style will develop naturally.
 
Davedough said:
Thats a good thought. I believe I may institute that as a way to keep track of who's submitting what.

And yes, I'm also a complete noob. I couldn't draw myself a map to get out of my own house, so I'm really interested in what others might accomplish as well.
Click to expand...
All right, put me on the list. :)
 
I'm in. I'm a pretty good artist when it comes to realism, but I absolutely suck when it comes to making anything cartoony or stylized. This'll be a good way to practice some more illustrated styles.
 
Awww, I would have loved to join you, but I have no way of using a scanner at the moment. I'll just be cheering for you all then.
 
I recently dug up some old drawings I made when I was growing up. I used to draw all the time, but lost touch with my creative side when I became infatuated with computers.

Count me in - if not for the improved drawing abilities, at least to be accountable for doing something different for 45 days!
 
This sounds great! :D

I've been learning a bit from an artistic friend of mine, and this challenge sounds like the perfect thing to keep me motivated and busy as I learn. Count me in.
 
viakado said:
someone that has been drawing for a better part of 25yrs, i'd recommend you dont do the following:


in 45 days, you'll barely scratch the surface of your drawing abilities.
forcing a style on your drawings will only hinder your learning curve.
in those 45 days, i highly advise you just focus on your observational skills.
drawing exactly what you see (IRL) and not from paper or monitor.
And over time, your own style will develop naturally.
Click to expand...

This is great advice, thanks for that. I was trying to keep the focus on this as drawing what you want to draw to become better at it and not necessarily gleaning professional level skills out of a 45 day drill. I think I'll edit that part to include some of what you've said here too though as I do see merit in what you're saying.
 
Lissar said:
Awww, I would have loved to join you, but I have no way of using a scanner at the moment. I'll just be cheering for you all then.
Click to expand...


I've seen this twice now, I guess I have to be more clear in the really long OP. I'm not requiring the use of a scanner. If you cant scan, thats fine. You can take a picture with your cell phone, or other digital phone. How you get the photo onto GAF is up to you.
 
I have never been able to draw worth a shit, and I rarely try new things. This is tempting.
 
No Wacom? Weak. My Cintiq can do the same crap a pencil, ink, and eraser could do. No need to purchase pens or paper and no need for a scanner. And taking a photo of the picture loses the detail.
 
I've taken some drawing classes, so I'm not starting from scratch, but I definitely still feel like there's a lot of room for improvement. I'd love to participate and have a motivator to do something daily, and give and get comments.

Great thread idea. Consider me signed up!

Also, I agree that the occasional assigned subject might be helpful for us to compare how we each approached it.
 
Sign me up, although I might miss a day or two, but I'm committed to getting it done. I draw regularly as is. I draw pretty decently having taken several art classes. Plus I'm an Studio Art major (I'm taking major related classes next semester) so this thread will help immensely.

I already have a conceptart account; I've just never used it or made a thread. The sketch pad that I'm using is a Utrecht 9x12 although the pages are curling up at the corners and the cover page is wearing out. I'm gonna see if I get a Moleskine sketch pad as it's highly recommended by Jordan Mechner whom I'm inspired by. So I would recommend people check out his website to get motivated to draw.

EDIT: I posted a couple of drawings that I previously did in the Arts and Farts thread.Here's my post.
 
In January 2009 I set out to do this. I lasted about a week, but was pleased with some of the material I produced and I did notice some improvement in that short time.

I used to draw a lot when I was younger but haven't for probably 10+ years.

I feel like I should get in on this, but it seems like quite a commitment (my schedule is pretty packed). I also want to learn to draw in Photoshop digitally and am not sure whether I should brush up on my practical drawing skills before venturing into that or not.

What to do...
 
I'm in, I haven't done any art since high school, and my wife and I always say that we need to get back in to it. I can't guarantee that I could submit something every day, since I have a crazy work schedule, but I will do my best! Can't wait to see how everyone does :D
 
@OP: You´re saying that we´re free to make use of whatever style of drawing we want. I´ve read the Op, but how exactly is that all going to work? Are you giving us daily subjects (like "draw a car", "draw a cat eating pizza", etc)?

Anyway, sign me up, because this will give me the motivation to continue drawing. I actually had a daily routine like this a couple of weeks ago, but lost motivation.
 
Davedough said:
I've seen this twice now, I guess I have to be more clear in the really long OP. I'm not requiring the use of a scanner. If you cant scan, thats fine. You can take a picture with your cell phone, or other digital phone. How you get the photo onto GAF is up to you.
Click to expand...

I can't do that either, sadly. Camera broke and I'm not in my usual country so no phone-cam either. But I'll watch and give advice.
 
Sennorin said:
@OP: You´re saying that we´re free to make use of whatever style of drawing we want. I´ve read the Op, but how exactly is that all going to work? Are you giving us daily subjects (like "draw a car", "draw a cat eating pizza", etc)?

Anyway, sign me up, because this will give me the motivation to continue drawing. I actually had a daily routine like this a couple of weeks ago, but lost motivation.
Click to expand...

I hadn't thought about that. I was kind of figuring that your daily subject would be of your own choosing. I was only going to be suggesting an assignment on the optional weekend project. If there's more interest in me suggesting a subject per day, then I can definitely see about working that into the challenge. I'm pretty fluid.
 
I think a daily subject would be cool, gives it more focus. There may be others out there like myself who are incredibly indecisive and wouldn't end up drawing anything :P
 
Davedough said:
I hadn't thought about that. I was kind of figuring that your daily subject would be of your own choosing. I was only going to be suggesting an assignment on the optional weekend project. If there's more interest in me suggesting a subject per day, then I can definitely see about working that into the challenge. I'm pretty fluid.
Click to expand...

Ah, ok. No, sorry, I don´t want to ruin this whole thing, so do whatever you had planned for it. So this really is more or less a motivational project, eh? Will still participate :)
 
I would love to join this. Might miss the first few weeks due to workload but will definitely try to squeeze in as much as I can. Though I am a bit at a loss to the digital ban. Its just much easier for me to get digital art up since I don't have a scanner at the moment and gave a pretty lousy camera phone.
 
I rarely take the time to draw, and while im not bad at drawing what I see, im awful at drawing from my imagination, im in, lets see how it goes.
 
Davedough said:
I hadn't thought about that. I was kind of figuring that your daily subject would be of your own choosing. I was only going to be suggesting an assignment on the optional weekend project. If there's more interest in me suggesting a subject per day, then I can definitely see about working that into the challenge. I'm pretty fluid.
Click to expand...
daily 15-25min drawings on still-life for the first 15 days.
scenery for the following 15 days.
and people on the final 15 days.
 
Sennorin said:
Ah, ok. No, sorry, I don´t want to ruin this whole thing, so do whatever you had planned for it. So this really is more or less a motivational project, eh? Will still participate :)
Click to expand...

I dont see anything in jeopardy of being ruined. Tomat above you clued in onto the same kind of thing with you. Maybe a daily subject, even abstract such as "Draw something related to your favorite sport" or something to that agree will help with focus.

Thoughts from others?
 
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