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So you're a quarter of a way there. What Did you learn, Won?
14 years ago
So I managed to slug through 28 inks in Iron Artist. Yes, 28 inks. Let me recap what I am trying to do with this Iron Artist....
I am generally using this Iron Artist here to actually improve myself and my efficiency and quality with my inking. Now I could easily have drawn 100 Wontoons, but that would mean that I probably would be able to draw Wontoon efficiently. So, the challenge is to try to ink 100 different things, in hopes that I can easily spot these things and level up (or at least gain experience) them. Let me put it this way: I am not happy until the bugs are stamped.
Now, I fought through 28 images. You saw it all, my ups and downs. What did I learn from this adventure? What flaws are there that need to be ironed?
Drafting
I have to thank
rawr for this one. Quite often I tend to make really detailed sketches before inks. Okay, I ALWAYS make detailed sketches before inks, which causes me to draw the same picture twice. There is a much simpler method, the draft, which requires me to do much less work. However, I find that I am much much, MUCH more prone to structural errors when doing these since absolute perfection is an afterthought and instead a base model is needed to work off of (instead of the sketch, where everything is completely laid out, perfected, and ready to ink over). If I can control myself as well as my sketches, it would mean that this would be done much better.
The Absurdly Powerful Laser Sighted Sniper's Critical Eye
This is where things get really fucked. When I do an image, ANY image, this eye looks for anything that seems to be off. Anything, even a minute single pixel in a field of a million pixels that everyone else seems to miss. I try to do my best and ensure that everything is nice and perfect, but it comes with the price of being one nitpicky son of a bitch toward my own art. Such nitpicking is a real double-edge sword; for one it can ensure that I can create something that I am proud of, but at the same time it can lead to absurd amounts of frustration. Wait, hold that thought--
Frustration and Breakdowns from Catching Myself Making Too Many Mistakes
And this is where things get a little shaky and can really slow me down, or even hit a dead end. I can't tell you how many times I just wanted to stop a stream because I was so close to throwing my tablet through a wall after catching myself making too many mistakes, reminded of how much of an amateur I am compared to those artists* I aspire to and those I watched. This is a side effect of the nitpicking at critical mass, and could possibly vanish...
*Compared To Other Artists?
Before you read this the wrong way, I am not trying to/caring to/aiming to be the next OMG Popufur Artist! In fact I will completely deny it if someone says I am "popufur". What I mean is that I see something that I never was able to do: nail the placement of lines when inking with accuracy. Well, that's in my mind anyway; I always seem to hiccup in areas whereas others do not. I would simply love to be able to get my ideas done, and not fall into frustration that others don't seem to have. I also fear and worry that I take too long.
Well, that's on my mind. If I even want to improve efficiency, I really have to beat those mental roadblocks (or find a workaround). I don't care if you are a a pro that is skilled with the paintbrush that is imbued with the spirit Michelangelo himself or a newbie who is starting out; I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I am generally using this Iron Artist here to actually improve myself and my efficiency and quality with my inking. Now I could easily have drawn 100 Wontoons, but that would mean that I probably would be able to draw Wontoon efficiently. So, the challenge is to try to ink 100 different things, in hopes that I can easily spot these things and level up (or at least gain experience) them. Let me put it this way: I am not happy until the bugs are stamped.
Now, I fought through 28 images. You saw it all, my ups and downs. What did I learn from this adventure? What flaws are there that need to be ironed?
Drafting
I have to thank
rawr for this one. Quite often I tend to make really detailed sketches before inks. Okay, I ALWAYS make detailed sketches before inks, which causes me to draw the same picture twice. There is a much simpler method, the draft, which requires me to do much less work. However, I find that I am much much, MUCH more prone to structural errors when doing these since absolute perfection is an afterthought and instead a base model is needed to work off of (instead of the sketch, where everything is completely laid out, perfected, and ready to ink over). If I can control myself as well as my sketches, it would mean that this would be done much better.The Absurdly Powerful Laser Sighted Sniper's Critical Eye
This is where things get really fucked. When I do an image, ANY image, this eye looks for anything that seems to be off. Anything, even a minute single pixel in a field of a million pixels that everyone else seems to miss. I try to do my best and ensure that everything is nice and perfect, but it comes with the price of being one nitpicky son of a bitch toward my own art. Such nitpicking is a real double-edge sword; for one it can ensure that I can create something that I am proud of, but at the same time it can lead to absurd amounts of frustration. Wait, hold that thought--
Frustration and Breakdowns from Catching Myself Making Too Many Mistakes
And this is where things get a little shaky and can really slow me down, or even hit a dead end. I can't tell you how many times I just wanted to stop a stream because I was so close to throwing my tablet through a wall after catching myself making too many mistakes, reminded of how much of an amateur I am compared to those artists* I aspire to and those I watched. This is a side effect of the nitpicking at critical mass, and could possibly vanish...
*Compared To Other Artists?
Before you read this the wrong way, I am not trying to/caring to/aiming to be the next OMG Popufur Artist! In fact I will completely deny it if someone says I am "popufur". What I mean is that I see something that I never was able to do: nail the placement of lines when inking with accuracy. Well, that's in my mind anyway; I always seem to hiccup in areas whereas others do not. I would simply love to be able to get my ideas done, and not fall into frustration that others don't seem to have. I also fear and worry that I take too long.
Well, that's on my mind. If I even want to improve efficiency, I really have to beat those mental roadblocks (or find a workaround). I don't care if you are a a pro that is skilled with the paintbrush that is imbued with the spirit Michelangelo himself or a newbie who is starting out; I'd love to hear your thoughts.
But when you look on the large scale of art quality, you'd realise that you're actually somewhere. The most efficient but least easy thing you can do is to avoid excessively worrying about detail and being uptight about any flaws. You're drawing to express yourself, and to learn how to draw properly as a secondary objective. Don't get caught in the mistake of making quality your only objective in drawing art! ^^ Drawings which are just showing a character says a certain amount, but creating a story from it says much more, as you have done with many of your drawings.
You're doing well in this challenge, xD I really like what you're coming up with every drawing. X3
I'd fave something if I was able to browse fA for more than 2 minutes every day. XD Dang exams!
Or maybe worse; the couple of things I ever drew and uploaded here took a ridiculous amount of time to make, and they're hardly that great. And in terms of commissions...many artists don't like me much.
Perfection is what I always strive for, but getting there with each work of art feels like a long and treacherous journey each time, and we both need to lay off on doing that.