Just a re-blog of Media Militia's giveaway for today, Drips and Spray Paint brushes for Photoshop.
Ok so I've had plenty of references to artists I like over the years. Of course they all have great influences over my own art, just like every artist. But I thought I'd take a moment today to write about some specific influences that have gotten my creative juices flowing lately (past few months) Its only fair to give these guys/gals recognition for their wonderful art! :D
One artist that I like for obvious reasons, is from Switzerland. I found his site via Media Militia's periodical "get inspired" posts. His name is Patrik but goes by the name of 2much as an artist. You can find his work following the post in the links.
An online comic book I ended up reading in its entirety in about a week, is called Megatokyo and is by artist and writer Fred Gallagher. It is a manga-style comic book and I say "manga-style" as it is written and drawn by someone other than an Asian writer and I know that for some that might make it an "impure" manga, but if you ask me, its ever bit as good as a Japanese, Korean or other manga you might find. The art is very well drawn but although it has the Asian "look", Fred has gone to great lengths apparently in creating his own flair to his art and I admire him very much for it.
Creaturebox is a site by artists Dave Guertin and Greg Baldwin. Well-established character designers and artists with Insomniac games. (Insomniac Games is responsible for such huge titles as Ratchet and Clank and Resistance for the Sony Playstation systems.)
Enjoy!
Not only did single Day tickets for Comic Con 2010 go on sale, (Make sure you go there soon. Saturday is already 70% sold out!)
Matty Collector released three Masters of the Universe Classic figures. I only got Skeletor because I need to buy SDCC tickets but I'm glad I did. He's already sold out. King Randor & The Goddess are still there.
BUT
Rubber Soul was released for full download on The Beatles: Rockband. XBOX 360 and PS3 can either download the complete album or one song at a time. Us WII owners, get the "one song at a time" option.
Ah Comic Con! I've been attending your show since 2006. I had to Volunteer that year because it was a last minute choice to go. Getting to volunteer, the registering, assignments, were all a piece of cake.
I came back in 2007 with Jaime. We also volunteered that year because we couldn't find cheap flights and were only there for 3 days. Volunteering was a little tough with having registration take a while but it go done.
We decided that in 2008, we will register. We were actually able to get our hotel first and then get our tickets.
In 2009. tickets were selling out before reg opened for Hotels. We had to get our tickets before we got our hotel. Luckily, we are able to score a hotel and not have to worry about getting refunds.
While at the con, we heard that they were capping preview night and tickets for 4 days were now 100 bucks. We were so broke from shopping, we opted to wait till we got home.
Start of Nov. and they were already sold out of 4 days passes with preview night. Non preview night were still on sale. I was waiting for payday.
2 days for payday, they sold out too. 4 day passes sold out in NOVEMEBER.
We had to settle for 1 day passes for each day.
They went on sale today. The system makes you buy each day as it's own transaction. 4 days times 2 people, that 8 of them. My credit card is going to be thinking WTF?
I managed to buy 2 Friday and 2 Saturday passes for Jaime and I. The system got way to slow and I'm out of money. I'll have to wait till payday for Thursday day pass.
Every year, its gets more and more crazy. They should of figured out how to get the system to allow us to get each day pass in one shot. They should of figured those of us that missed the 4 days passes would be buying single passes.
Granted, it's my fault for not paying attention and thinking pass would sell out early next year. Now I know better.
Now to wait for March for Comic Con Hotels. Ticket reg is nothing compared to getting a hotel room.
=O
Of course, imagine my surprise when I found out it was part of a bundle pack only....
A Hannah Montana bundle pack.
Say what?!?!?
I get it, girls play games now. They are out there and aren't as rare but why did Sony think that only 8 years old girls play? Again, I love purple but couldn't they have packaged it something else? Or released it on its own for those of us that aren't 8?
I have an original PSP that an ex gave me. I only used it to watch UMDs. When we broke up and I started dating Jaime, he claimed ownership of it. Whatever, I didn't mind. As long as I could take it and play Katamri, I'm good. (which in the end I never did because I have my lovely Navy Blue DS lite.)
Lately, PSP has been getting some good titles. Then this beauty came into the market but gah, Hannah Montana?? Anyways, the bundle pack came with a game, a UMD, a GB memory stick, and stickers. The good thing about it, it turned out to be no HM branding anywhere on the actual system. I believe it came with vinyl HM stickers if you did want to brand it. When I found out it wasn't branded, my plan was to buy it, sell the game/umd and pick up Little Big Planet.
Welp, I'm late in the game in talking about and apparently is was a big hit. It's sold out at a few of the online places I shop. Wal Mart had it for 139.00. I did find it at QVC but for $250. I'll poke on ebay.
But really Sony, if you're going to make cute/girly, can you aim it for every age?
How to Shade Pencil Drawings
Understanding Light
In your drawings, you will generally have one light source, which determines the location of highlights and the direction of shadows. The spot where the light hits your subject directly is called the highlight, and is usually pure white. The side facing away from the light source will be in shadow. The midtones refer to the gradation of tones between the shadow and the highlight. Most objects will also have an area of reflected light. This reflection happens when light hits the surface next to your object and bounces back. You will notice that these values blend into each other smoothly, which communicates to us the shape of the object. The only time you will see a hard edge is when there is a cast shadow, otherwise the tones change gradually. The closer the cast shadow is to the object, the darker it will be, fading as it moves farther away.
Control Your Pencil
The key to smooth shading is learning how to control your pencil. You need to be aware of how you hold the pencil, how you apply your strokes, and how hard you press. For darker shadows, press slightly harder and slowly lessen the pressure as you work away. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t have to press very hard; if you want darker shadows, build them with layers of graphite. Your pencil strokes should be even and regular. You don’t want to be able to see the paper between your lines. Try to make your pencil strokes in the same direction to get smoother results. This is easier if you hold your pencil closer to the end and at an angle, using the side of the lead to shade...
Read the rest of this Lesson on Pencil Shading Techniques
Ok I'll admit I've been out of it for awhile when it comes to the toy scene and I've had a bit of a sour taste in my mouth about the whole deal. Because of the over-saturation of artists and the many of the companies becoming so close to mainstream (IMO)... I just have been bored with it for the most part.
