A Silent Sketch on Page 15 (Updated 03/13/2012)

[em...]

Great job on the Tenth Doctor's final moment.

I have to confess to having a little tear in my eye while watching.

[IMForeman]

I have to admit to bawling like a damned baby. When he said "I don't want to go" I responded "Then don't!"

I'll also admit that, despite that reaction, I like Matt Smith's initial minute on screen.

[Sarryn]

You've really captured the scene well. Great job

[IMForeman]

Just playing around with some poses, worked one up a bit. My character Enigmanaut without his helmet looking a little perturbed. No background, but it's really just a pinup.

[Sarryn]

Interesting character, I like the little glow light effect, you've struck a nice balance, it's not very distracting to the eye.

[IMForeman]

I get alot of flack about those lights, honestly. Everytime I post somewhere new, the first comment is usually about "Get rid of those lights!" I've toned them down a bunch in the last couple years, and if I ever get to the point where I feel my art is strong enough to actually make this story, you'd see why they're there... but that ever so elusive day is still very far off. I still need to get better at the coloring, I feel.

[IMForeman]

This is a race for an Enigmanaut story called the Toulovenai. They are an older race, and I based their look on Cassowaries.

[IMForeman]

This was done as part of DeviantArt's Design A Character Shape Challenge. If you're not familiar, the group mod posts some shapes, and work them up into some character designs. I went with a creatures theme.



Here's the link to the challenge.

http://design-a-character.deviantart.com/

[Sarryn]

What a great, yet simple idea!

You've handled these really, really well. I think the 3rd and last ones are my favourites.

[IMForeman]

The Master in his lightning shooty mode from The End of Time.

[Jarhead1]

Very cool. Great expression.

[IMForeman]

Yay! The Drawing Board is back. I was getting all worried.

I have some new stuff. I have been working on character reference sheets for Enigmanaut, which I am so close to being ready to start with.

Here's my main character Jason Calder (the Eponymous Enigmanaut), and his immediate predecessor, who shall remain unnamed for now.



And here's the girls. Lindsey Holloway is the blonde on the left, and Rose-Ellen Cannen is the redhead on the right.



I have closeups of the named characters as well.


Jason.


Lindsey.


Rose-Ellen.

I'm already finding myself doing redesigns though. Jason's predecessor needs a rework of the hands and feet. I want a more "all-thumbs" look to the hands, and more elephantine pads for feet.

And I need to redesign Lindsey because she and Rose-Ellen weren't distinct enough, and I felt I nailed the look of Rose-Ellen, while Lindsey was off. Quick sketch of the direction I'm trying to push her features.

[HAMILTOONS]

The Master in his lightning shooty mode from The End of Time.

I have to admit that most of your work on Enigmanautin this thread made me think that the drapery of the clothing is a bit bulbous and the faces kind of cartoony and thick.

But this one panel is amazing. You've got varying line weights, minimalistic lines and 3000% more expression and emotion. And the drapery here is top notch. That sweatshirt looks like a sweatshirt and the way the cloth moves and lays looks fantastic.

I've seen your Enigmanaut art over the years and personally would like to see your character designs, clothing work and facial work lean toward the piece you did here.

I just love this.

[IMForeman]

Thanks very much, Scott. I had a lot of fun drawing that Master shot, and there are two reasons I think that it's so different from my other work.

1.) I had a really good reference shot for it. While I didn't follow the picture exactly (and forgot his stubble) I still had a good reference for the expression, motion and most importantly the clothes.

2.) I've been really taking my time more. The biggest problem I have in my life is a lack of patience. It makes me drive my car too fast, spend my money poorly by just wanting to get the shopping done with, and it makes me rush through the penciling to get to the inking, then rushing through the inking to get to the colors, and it's stymied me from producing work to be happy with for utterly years.

But lately I'm forcing myself to take my time. I take my time with the pencils, forming the shapes of the frame, then forming the features, then adding in the linework. And I'll keep working them for as long as they take until I get a work I'm actually happy with. Then I hit the inking and work them as long as needed, but this time with a much better guide than I'd had before. Then I hit the colors, which I still feel I'm rushing because I start getting impatient when it's so close to done.

I still want a cartoony look for Enigmanaut, always have, but I've found taking my time, like I did with the character sheets have made a real difference. If you compare the Rose-Ellen picture on page 4 with the current one, taking my time has paid off dividends in how happy I am with it.

That said, I do still need to work on clothing. I've never been good at working with how clothing works, and I'd love to get a better feel for how they work. And I bought a webcam so I can take snapshots of my facial expressions so I can get more expressive looks to the faces.

Again thanks for the kind words. Do you know of any reference for clothing folds I could use?

[HAMILTOONS]

Catalogs for clothing stores, or just take photos of folks.