-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Hey, stygg—
You’re doing exceptional work and I really like the soft focus you put in the interior in this version.
Yes, taking the time to finesse what your instincts tell you to do is a bother, but you got your payoff, didn’t you? One of the things I’ve discovered after 1,000 years drawing and designing is that almost nothing comes to an artist without “sweating the details”.
It’s important to realize where passion ends and obsession begins, but I’ve also come to realize that the only things that give pleasure without any effort are illegal, immoral, or fattening.
g-
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stygg2003
since you pointed out there was 12 shapes in the sphere mold and seven in the box floor its been driving me mad :D
Sorry for that, yesterday I just wanted to mention a simple solution - deleting the first 7 shapes line in the room, bring the sphere closer to the viewer so there should not be any line front of the sphere, after the reflection can contain any number of shapes even 12, because who will say that on the second part of the room there are no 12 per line? :D Automatically it could be 'real'. Then even a dalmatian could be in the reflection :) (please don't draw a dalmatian for this :D)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stygg2003
I've not got round to doing the pie chart yet so think I'll attempt that next and then back to a black sphere and shadow Gary posted a while back, it's really good so will attempt that. Your never stuck for work in the Xone :D
..and exactly that is why Stygg you are the most diligent :)
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
I want you all to know that's it's been a very rewarding month for me, too.
I received personal email telling me that a member sees the difference between imitating an example and learning from it.
This is all good stuff, all ways around, thanks people!
My Best,
Gary
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Hey, I'd mentioned something earlier that a good photorealistic element would be the photographer him or herself showing in the highly reflective sphere. Try do do stygg's scene in real life and try to stay out of the reflection!
Here's a real quick sketch, and I'm sure you can do better, but let the imagination flow, eh?
Attachment 100576
My Best,
Gary
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Thanks for the kind remarks Csehz, I know you were mentioning a solution, but I'm glad you spotted it because when I took a closer look I realized I had missed out the blur on the two top rows, so did a complete redraw of the mold to 7 and soft blur on top two. Felt more relaxed then. :D
Cheers Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Thank you also Gary for your kind remarks in #31, it's all due to your encouragement and nudges in the right direction, infinite patience, photo diagrams and explanations :D Really don't know how you do it.
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stygg2003
nudges in the right direction, infinite patience, photo diagrams and explanations :D Really don't know how you do it.
Stygg
I do not have infinite patience, I promise you, and as far as the explanations go, my motivation is a very simple one. I have a shipload of ideas—many of them unfinished ones—trivial facts, important facts, just a vast unshared collection of neat stuff in my head, and we have no children to force into my shoes.
So you're it. You all are. You might not be torch-bearers for Bouton, but when I see a little glimmer or glow, I'm encouraged to continue because I'll bet my bottom dollar a creative fire is going to start somewhere.
What should any of us do when we're done collecting?
My Best,
Gary
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
So you're it. You all are.
Gare that is very beautifully said, I think even touching. Really thanks that you see the community like that and unselfishly sharing your ideas and techniques.
Anyway the computer graphics especially seems that kind of art which definitely needs time, so ideas probably will be always more than which can be done by a person. And that is why so good that in the life endless number of candles can be lit from a single flame. If my English is not crashed in that expression somewhere
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Your reply also is well said Csehz and I second it completely.
"Gare that is very beautifully said, I think even touching. Really thanks that you see the community like that and unselfishly sharing your ideas and techniques"
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Your English is still far better than my Polish, csehz! You're perfect 99% of the time, and the other 1%, you're so close I give you that point!
There's payback for me, guys.
I get all emotional when I see one of my fellow members do something as a result of my lessons, and they do it much better than I would.
That's part of the beauty of humanity: no two people are alike, no two people think completely alike.
And that's the beauty of comradeship: We can help fill in each other's weak spots.
It's all good!
-g
-
2 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Hope I'm not going off topic here but it is a chrome sphere from a drawing done by Gary when showing how to apply a professional shadow, which I've forgot how to as you will see. The point is we were not asked to try and draw the sphere, just the shadows, so I thought I'd try and recreate it, not copy it, redraw it just to see if I could. Had a little bit of trouble trying to draw the black shape but came up with the idea of using the clover mold shape and it worked fine, just a few adjustments. I've posted a picture of both the finished image and an image of the original, also an image showing the shape I used as against the original. Sorry to be so long winded guys but thought it best to explain. It was good practice recreating this sphere and pleasing to see a black shiny sphere I had recreated :D Please excuse the tentacles :D
Stygg
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
As long as you have some sort of basic understand as to why the upper part of the room reflection does what it does...you have a magnificent recreation there, stygg.
And thank you for sharing the process you invented, too! =D>
Now here's another one for you, and I'm using a free icon from LUK 3V (and the zip file had no readme, so I can't pass an URL along here!):
Attachment 100599
What I see in the upper half of what is clearly a reflective surface (probably plastic) that is also clearly bulging and distorting toward the viewer is:
A few reflector cards and perhaps a softbox, as though the icon is reflecting illuminated objects in a studio, while the floor and upper background are not illuminated. It's quite a nice look if you study this, and it's not all that hard to reproduce as a metallic or plastic sphere.
-g
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Gary my understanding of why the upper part of the room reflections does what it does is basic but from what I see, I would say apart from bulging it to sphere like, it lengthens an object out again to meet the shape of the sphere vertically, the bulge being horizontal, it's as if the sphere is trying to wrap the reflection around itself . Probably got it all wrong but in layman's terms, that's how I see it.
Thanks for the new image Gary, will attempt that after I finish the pie chart, which I keep starting and stopping which I'm afraid goes against my ordered things to do which were, chrome sphere, Pinball, Pie chart, boring I know but that's the way I work. I always feel If I complete something I'm doing, there will be something I've learned from it to use in the next learning challenge.:D
Stygg
-
2 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Hey, that is terrific news, stygg, if you're integrating what you've learned into what you're going to learn.
All I'd want to know is that you understand enough of what's goping on in the reflection that you do no depend on clipart in the future if someone wants you to draw, for example, a 6' honking large pinball in a white room. :)
Here's another example in Xara with vectors, attached.
Attachment 100601
My Best,
Gary
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Thanks for the bronze sphere Gary, will have closer look later. Here's my final rendition of the Pinball, I've put your shape back in as it looks far better than the "tentacles" I came up with. I think anyone interested in all the spheres work should have a go at recreating this Pinball as it makes a really good tips and tricks as there's a couple of things you'll learn when you open up the file. It's simple to do but gives a great finish, as well as the satisfaction that you did it! :D
Stygg
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
I have a screen saver called Webshots that sends me new pictures each day. This one turned up and I thought it was appropriate for this thread.
-
2 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Water is another reflective phenomenon, thanks for contributing, Grace. I think this thread is just up to getting our collective heads around how a reflective metallic shape looks.
My Best,
Gary
P.S. Here's another drawing. See, it helps to save every one of my 16, 557 Xara files since 1995, even when I thought something was not useful!
Attachment 100628
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Just a slight update on #55 I decided I liked it better in just black and white with a couple of alterations to the reflections , they may not be technically the right thing to have applied but I rather like them all the same. I also skewed the four base shapes. :D Sorry to be a pain guys with this sphere but if I don't like something I don't like it until I like it! :rolleyes: Now to get on with the pie chart.
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
I'd say, stygg, to blur the diffuse shadow—because the shadow's reflection into the sphere is blurry— and call it a finished piece of artwork.
Well done!
-
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
I'd say, stygg, to blur the diffuse shadow—because the shadow's reflection into the sphere is blurry— and call it a finished piece of artwork.
Well done!
-
Cheers for that Gary, did what you suggested and also blurred the white base ellipse while turning off the mold beneath it, nice effect. It's finished now I promise ;))
Cheers Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
=D>=D>=D>DONE! =D>=D>=D>
Sorry I drove you mad with that pinball Gary but just had to get it right, so with that here's my final plastic spheres and that's it - for now >:) only kidding :D
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
I think you're the one who thought I have infinite patience, stygg, so no, I'm quite the opposite of angry or frustrated today. Besides, it's Valentine's day. Your approach, one of diligence and stick-to-it-tiveness, always pays off and this work is no exception.
I think the green sphere is worthy of your gallery, stygg. There's nothing wrong with the chrome; it's just my personal taste that the green sphere might not be photorealistically perfect, but it's a very handsome piece, very.
A keeper, put it on a white background, buy an expensive frame, hang it!
-g
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
No spheres today Gary :D I have made an attempt at the vase you posted, studies in plastic, my attempt not very good but pleased I managed to get close as I could, no excuses here but it would have been an asset if I had
upgraded to PG&D9, the shape and eraser tool would have saved a lot of work :D Must upgrade soon.
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Absolutely nothing to apologize for, Stygg!
That is a wonderful rendition and you should post it on your gallery!
You had me fooled at first, because I know that scene, and understand what went into the reflections. And evidently, you do now, too!
I thought you'd posted my work!
Salut, man, salut!
-g
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Thank you for the very kind comments Gary, will attempt one of the other shapes in the Studies in Plastic just as soon as I finish the Pie Chart which I never get to finish, to busy looking at the great reflections in the rest of the images in Plastic, they are beautiful and if I could accomplish doing the Apple and the Chess piece, I'd be well pleased :D
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Keep in mind that these visualizations in the zip file are:
1.) Intended to be studies, not traced over or anything because then the artist doesn't learn anything.
2.) A lot easier for me to model and render than it is to just sit down in front of Xara and do this stuff. I have physically-based photometrics doing work for me when I render. To learn to pull this sort of inspired guesswork is a real talent, and one I'm encouraging all to develop, because reflections can be simple to draw, and they can also look like a cartoon!
I have unflagging admiration for Ron Duke's work, and Javier Vila's marvelous transparency works, because these people are creating effects mostly straight out of their imagination, fortified with years of studying real life scenes and why we see what they do.
I recommend that we all drink in this stuff, so it becomes part of our talent set that we can draw upon (pun intended) in the future!
My Best,
Gary
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Stygg several times looking back to your image that is really superb. As I understand nothing bitmap in that, the background looks your fractal style and the base also some vector metal? That vase also looking somehow very real, it took me thinking for a while, having the impression that it is not perfect symmetrical, but that can be just from the playing of the lights and even that adds something to its reality
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Thanks for comments Csehz, using just the shape tool and line tool took a while to get the reflections, as I said to Gary, if I had had the new shape/eraser tool, I might have done it better. The whole point though was to see if I could create these reflections like the original and hopefully learn how to achieve them and draw on the experience for future reflection visualizations of my own, if, with a big if, I have the imagination!:D You are also right that it is not symmetrical, I realized that looking at it myself but as I kept putting the reflections in the more it looked right! The background is fractal and one I was going to use, scaled down, as fungi on a pond :D
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stygg2003
if, with a big if, I have the imagination!:D
Do not worry I neither have imagination :D
But seriously, that symmetrical or not question is really interesting, for me it takes the first impression that something is not okay with that vase, after just looking and looking and still looking that where :) So it makes the picture magical finally, I think you should not touch it anymore, that is maybe ready as it is
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
No intentions to touch it anymore Csehz, I'm quite happy with it, symmetrical or unsymmetrical, I like it :D
Stygg
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
It's a really good piece, stygg, and you were quite resourceful to use the fractal fill as a natural background. The right foreground emphasis, and here's the Big Point I'd like to make on a Friday (TGIF!):
When I used to teach art at a vocational school, I had some "rules" concerning art because these folks were entry level and rules from the teacher seemed like the quickest way from Point A to Point B, you know? Machiavellian fer shure, but I'm goal-oriented:
Rule #17 (or whatever): Asymmetrical is better than symmetrical.
The Mona Lisa, Robert Indiana's sculpture of the word "LOVE", just about any statue you'd see in a park...not one of them display a symmetry.
Why? Because Art is supposed to involve the viewer at some sort of level, and that involvement needs to be sustained or it will fail to become emotional, deep, profound, whatever.
Asymmetrical compositions lead the eye from an area of importance to the next area, sort of like a tour guide in a museum.
Here's a real simple example, with emphasis on "simple". Which "painting" sustains your attention more?
Attachment 100802
Remember, as this Xara Xone area on tg is now an accredited Xara Academy extension, there will be grades for the answer to my question here, and anyone who answers, "the left, symmetric painting is better, it's Great Art" will receive an "F".
Have a Great Weekend!
:)
Always the Kidder,
Gary
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
not one of them display a symmetry.
Why? Because Art is supposed to involve the viewer at some sort of level, and that involvement needs to be sustained or it will fail to become emotional, deep, profound, whatever.
Gare thanks, I like these explanations very much. In my understanding so an assymetrical composition can more express emotions, because the emotions anyway are moved away states from a neuter balance, from a kind of center. So the drawing better to not be in balance and the viewer will look at it forever :D (Stygg I again opened that vase :D)
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
I agree with csehz Gary, I also like the detailed explanations and also the right image in your post does sustain your attention more. I'm not sure how I came to get the vase, for want of better words, out of plonk but it appears it looks better for it! So of my understanding of what your explanation is saying Gary is that an image will sustain more interest to a viewer if there is to some degree some asymmetrical content in an image or the entire image is asymmetrical ?
Since csehz first pointed this out about the vase I had drawn, I have looked at it several times and believe it does look more interesting for being asymmetrical even though it was suppose to be balanced, centered. So does this mean we should draw all images asymmetrical, sort of flawed if you like, kind a like saying stop using text in centered alignment, looks more interesting left aligned.
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
@stygg: In a word, "no." Not every drawing you draw absolutely needs to have what we might call "imperfections", but asymmetry is just another "color in your palette", another ingredient for a recipe you haven't thought up yet.
• There is contrast: you can use it to highlight and separate elements in a composition, such as contrasting colours or contrasting brightness. Look at what Van Gogh did with contrasting tones in his work.
• There is balance without symmetry. How about a lot of little circles on one side of a composition and one large circel on the other side? Asymmetrical, but balanced.
Symmetry has its place. For example, if an automobile was extremely asymmetrical, it might be hard to drive just before you crash into something. And this is why car manufacturers always advertise their cars photographed or modeled at a 3/4 angle...which makes the symmetrical object look asymmetrical.
I've seen lovely kaleidoscopic images, and Peter Max used to do a lot of symmetrical drawings, and it's fine, because the mature approach to art is to be inclusive and not exclusive. Many professional artists agree that asymmetry is an appropriate device to use to explain a visual idea IF the subject, the concept, warrants it. Sometimes you get a gig to design wallpaper or wrapping paper that demands a regular repeating element, and this sort of need for symmetry is absolutely appropriate.
There's more, but I need to stagger these "teaching" sessions or I'll run out of stuff to cover for monthly tutorials.
But I've very chuffed to see there's an audience on tg who want to Learn Art through Xara. I don't really "teach" Xara: what is there to teach? Key commands? What a tool does? The online Help covers that!
I want you all to learn...for yourselves, not for anyone else...what Xara is good for, not that we simply blindly accept it as a good program.
Stygg, and this is advice for all: loosen up. I'm beginning to look a lot like Obi Wan Kanobi, especially around the hairline, so let me say, "Stygg, trust your Instincts. Let go, and let the force of Art and Observation flow into you."
What a crock, right?
:)
Seriously,
Gary
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Well Gary from Star Wars came the saying "inspiration will you not find, it will find you" so not waiting for it to find me I had a look around the web and found this great image from the Chesterfield Broadcasts. It's got everything including one of Ron's cars, now if inspiration came to me like this, I'd be a happy Xone Academien.:D
Stygg
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Yeah, well Yoda would have gotten an "F" by my editors and Lit teachers in school for his use of grammar as a blunt tool.
:)
You're on the right course, but change your attitude a little, stygg. Don't envy, just appreciate wonderful work. I had this same problem about 20 years ago with Charles White III and Maxfield Parish's work. I loved it still do, and was beating up on myself for not having the imagination to follow their course in art approach.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. I then started examining WHY I loved their work, what elements they and I have in common conceptually, and then didn't try at all to create this image back in 2001. It does have the "feeling" of Parish, but I used the tools that I was familiar with.
Attachment 100824
The character is obnoxious and cartoonish in the same breath. He exudes an attitude that is causing the cartoon buildings to yield way to him as he struts toward camera. There's something on contemporary approach but also a history cartoon playfulness going on at the same time.
Is it my best piece? hardly, not in my estimation. My best piece will always be my next one.
Soak the stuff you see in, process it, see what elements apply to your vision of a specific piece of artwork.
And be at peace with yourself like Yoda, but don't live in a bog.
-g
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Thanks once again for great feed back Gary, they always put you on the right track and clear your mind of, as you say, a little envy and even frustration but as you say again, use your own what you know to a piece or new piece. The Westside Attitude, I love it, cocky little guy but at the same time fun, cartoonish with the buildings, great piece.
Stygg
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Thank you, Stygg. The 3D cartoon used just about all my system resources and programs I owned to "realize" my graphical idea.
Perspective is very important with artists, because we are living human beings with worldly concerns, who if we're lucky, have the discipline to immerse ourselves in the realms of imagination, inspiration, and fantasy for a few hours a day.
I could point you to a virtual stockpile of unfinished business, that when I'm in the right frame of mind, I'm happy that they're unfinished. It will give me something to complete someday, or not, but there's a reason why the files are segmented from my real, published, paid for artwork: Life Is Short and I was cutting my losses by putting aside something that was refusing to work for me after an hour of patience, then frustration, then hatred for the idea that wouldn't hatch!
I want the process to be an enjoyable one for me and for the members here. The destination (the finished piece) is going to be what it is and in a cosmic sense, you don't have absolute control over a finished product because you're finite and mortal and a lot of times our pursuit of art requires a connection we can channel through from the Divine to the personal Inspiration. Go rent "The Agony and the Ecstasy" if I'm not making sense here. What we DO have control over is the process, the journey to our destination of a finished piece.
The more relaxed you can be as a person, the easier it is to channel and make that connection that no one can explain, from THE IDEA to the canvas, you know?
Was this a Sunday Sermon? Sorry if it seemed that way. I'm more of a Ralph Waldo Emerson kinda guy when it comes to things we mortals can't explain rather than a Jonathan Edwards sort of believer. Nature and God are sort of the same thing to me.
-g
-
Re: January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?
Class it as a Sermon if you like Gary, it's the kind of Sermon I could listen to or read all day, there's always something to be gained from theses sort of replies, insight, new way of thinking about art, the list is endless, I'll take as many Sermons as you can offer. One of the reasons why I love them is because when I was at University doing my Electrical Engineering Degree, I had a chance to do an extra curriculum course on Textile prints, colours and design but being a hard nose young idiot, you know nambi pambi arts is not for us Engineers! pillock! Now I wished I had done it, would have been great to have for what I love doing now.
Stygg