From 2D towards 3D...or Re-education

[ed_the_atom]

Understanding 2D to model 3D......


Aurick.... my apologises..... This tute is not finished.....I just read your note on the forum. If you wish me to take it down until finished that's fine. I will have the majority finished in 2 weeks though.

The story thus far...

I found some coloured pencils and paper.
I haven't drawn anything seriously for many years, let alone used colored pencils.

I drew something from memory that I had seen on the net a few weeks before.

Pencils..... don't draw your pic too small, as the lead becomes to wide after a little use. Witness the hands of the first pic here, they were too small to draw properly. Do use a hard smooth board under your pic when drawing...I didn't... if you don't small areas again become to hard to define. Don't try to use watercolor pencils over the classic colored pencil...you'll ruin your drawing. Warercolor pencils can be used to block in areas...just add some water to the tip. Don't press to hard, as the pencil color becomes glossy. Do mix your colors with pencil color on pencil color....... black blends well with dark colors to merge the color onto the paper.

Big deal I hear..... this is a 3D board. Yep it is, but alot of people here seem to not bother learning how to draw or paint. A shame. Here on this thread I am about to show you what I put myself through to get myself up to speed artwise.

I was once a cartoonist and graphic artist....... and haven't drawn properly for about 10 years.

The pic below so disgusted me I decided to regain my lost learning.

There are so many things wrong with it....
Perspective
Form
Boots
color
The hands
etc etc
.....Elephant droppings really.

If you follow this thread you may just learn something, as I intend to take you on a journey of self discovery.

Firstly there is this Picture done from memory.....
I have now found the actual picture on the net.
I shall copy it using no other tool but my eye.
Then I shall trace the original and overlay it over my "eye" copy to see how way off the mark I might be....... (I shall post the results shortly....I was about 10% off the mark with my copy). I shall then work my version to a finished 2d piece.......and finally in ZBrush 3 turn it into a 3d textured model. All things going well...

trial.jpg

This next image.........

The black line sketch is my "eye" only copy of the original net image.....I only did the basic form. The red line sketch is an overlay of the traced net image. As you can see I was a little off in my "eye" only copy.
A number of things annoy me...
1. My memory (here I refer to the first pic in this thread) is not as tuned as it ought to be.....(I maintain to be a good artist one must develop an excellent memory eye) my first pic is way off.
2. My eye is unpractised as I have only attained about 85 to 90% in my copy as compared to the original red trace. Nowhere near good enough...more art practice needed.
3. Normally I would pick up a pencil and have a good working line instantly, now however it may take 3 sketches to achieve what I used to attain with one.........out of practice.

Please Note....... my red image may not be quite the same size as my black drawing.....as it was a problem to get each the same size digitally.

Practicing artworks this way teaches a lot.

trace red mine black.jpg

Next I will post the outline of the image..... improving on the form and perspective.....

I shall post in new threads as I continue. Reason.... for slow connections too many images are annoying. More below this thread.....

[highlander_72]

This should be really interesting! You have my undevided attention. :D

[boozy floozie]

I intend to take you on a journey of self discovery.
I'm sure I heard reverb when I read that.

That's the thing about limited brain size and computers - your always learning something new, or re-learning something you used to know and forgot because of all the new stuff you had to learn.

And the stuff you think you'll never forget because it seems so obvious at the time is as sure as eggs is eggs precisely what you do forget.

Look forward to reading more.

[ed_the_atom]

Thanks Highlander. At least some of us may find this useful.
The Flooze........yup words of wisdom.

Okay... most of it is seeping back into my brain. However I shall continue.

Know what you are drawing.......... that is a good rule.

Live the drawing, feel the drawing, smell the drawing, be the drawing.

Every line should be alive. For every colour, tone, hue, kink etc there must be a valid reason for being.

Most of what I mentioned above I feel instinctively..... you should as well, but if you don't , well then follow this thread.

Okay......... I have this figure to draw. It contains a great deal of foreshortening, but is the foreshortening valid?

Study the following image.......

perspective 4shortening1.jpg

To me foreshortening of figures (most) is part science, part observation, part 'feeling', part falsehood, and part luck.

Here in this image all the above exist.

I chose two main vanishing points, and 6 'imaginary' vanishing points.

Firstly I established the vanishing point at the base of the figure.... this is where the weight as I see it is balanced..... down from the centre of the head. the point is on the 'ground' between the two feet... a point I judged to be correct by eye and feel. This vanishing point establishes all that is vertical, and to me promotes the weight of the figure.

The second is at a point in the centre above the figure, at a distance I felt this figure required for the foreshortening it owns. This vanishing points allows depth for the horizontal planes.

A B C each have their own imaginary vanishing points.... necessary for the distortion of foreshortening in this figure. Like wayward stairs the wander upward from the ground.

D was a ballsup..... yet it works.

T is basically a pyramid Upside down. VP is hidden in the figure.

Somehow it all works.... kind of........ I'm still at odds with the head placement, and the arms (length and things).

I now feel I have a good feeling for the perspective of the figure....and also I understand the figure more.

I won't bother showing the form of the figure...... I think you will see that in the final products (there will be 2 completed images).

Here is a quick look at the lighting. I do this in order to feel the figures mood. I understand the psyche of the character more once I have fiddled with shadows and things. I am building up a knowledge of the person I am drawing. Eventually I will be able to tell you her favorite food.......

My line on the figure is now improving as my confidence grows....

Ok here is the rough sketch of some rough lighting.....

litedr.jpg


More to come..............

[angelo]

This is very interesting!

I'm looking out to see how your illustration will evolve...

Thanks for sharing :tu:

Angelo

[billrobertson42]

I shall post in new threads as I continue. Reason.... for slow connections too many images are annoying.

Not if you upload the image, but don't embed it in the post. Then only the thumbnail will load.