Curse

Tommy's · Apr 26, 2011, 08:04 AM // 08:04

I've totaly missed those photographs, but WOW. That bearded dragon is one of the prettiest shots I've seen in a long time, the color, the blur, the focus, everything looks just fantastic!

And about the accident.. Perhabs I'm making judgements too quickly, but what a jerks, it was an accident, you are terribly sorry, and they don't want to talk to you? Bleh. I'd paint them a middlefinger with 'forgive me' written underneath it

If not that then perhabs a Pinguin or a kitty kitty? This person has a lot of cute animals too, perhabs you can find some inspiration in them

InfestedHydralisk · Apr 26, 2011, 05:21 PM // 17:21

Well, I would get pretty mad aswell if I have to go to the hospital ad my car is damaged just because someone wasn't paying attention.

Death By An Arrow · Apr 26, 2011, 09:10 PM // 21:10

^^^
yeah, thats exactly why I want to do something for him. He was actually probably one of the nicest people you could get into an accident with. I literally have never felt this horrible in my whole life, considering it was all because of something so stupid and easily avoidable on my end. It all comes down to the fact that I was momentarily absentminded at possibly the most dangerous intersection, during rushhour in the rain, in our town.

And its not necessarily that they dont want to talk to me, but I can only assume they dont. Look from the shoes of a 70 (yeah that just makes this better doesnt it ._.) year old man:
-careless teenager
-Came out of no where
-what the hell was he thinking
-Now i have to make a hospital visit even though I really don't feel like I need to (his words, not mine)
Its essentially exactly what IH said, and I would have honestly been a lot more angry than he was if someone had come out of nowhere infront of me.

So yeah, really doesnt make me look good. At all. I can only imagine what his family thinks, and considering its a complete stranger I have to assume the worst outcome possible and proceed from there.

ANYWAYS. Back to the art. Ive actually seen that artist's dA page before and depending on where I go with this I may have to take some of that puppy-dog eye effect ._.
Looking through some of the links (and other works from the same artists) I think I've rooted it down to three primary ideas:
-The flowers with the bee, and the farmhouse in the background
-Two kittens playing on a curb
-Something Panda related. Because Pandas are sort of seen internationally as a symbol of peace and serenity :x Which is kind of what I want to portray. However, I'm not too sure how well this would turn out pencil/grey scale, or watercoloured.

Ill do some thumbnail sketches asap and post them up here, then go with the best one.

Edit:
Ok, here are my ideas.
Option 1: Field of flowers w/ bee upclose, barn in background.

Option 2: Kittens

Option 3: Panda

InfestedHydralisk · Apr 27, 2011, 12:23 AM // 00:23

I vote for 1!

Morag D · Apr 27, 2011, 07:55 AM // 07:55

I like option 1, I can see it in nice, happy, warm summery colours - perhaps like in one of my favourite Van Goghs?

it'll be lovely!

Death By An Arrow · Apr 27, 2011, 08:23 PM // 20:23

Alright, well after asking some people I know as well, it seems option one is the way to go. Tomorrow I wont have any time to work on it, so I'm going to get as much as I can done tonight along with my essay (due friday >.>).

Ill put up pictures of my sketch and potential first coat tonight if I get the time.

Death By An Arrow · May 02, 2011, 02:50 AM // 02:50

The sketch has been finished, I added a pathway leading up the the barn. Played around with some perspective stuff but I think I've got the composition nailed down. I'd put up a picture, but 2H doesn't show up that well in pictures

Im also thinking of doing something a little different with this one; I want to try to get it finished as quickly as possible, so as motivation I was thinking I might film the whole process (thanks to a tripod we found in my house I can use to setup my camera) then turn it into a timelapse?

It would mean Id have 2-3 hours (likely have to dump the card once or twice, but the battery would likely die out quicker) to try and get it finished, and I think it'd be good motivation. I might do it some day this week once I finish some of my projects (three due thursday, though 2 should not take very much time) but if not, it will be done on the weekend

Thistle Xandra · May 02, 2011, 11:13 PM // 23:13

ooh, a time lapse WiP would be so cool to see! Looking forward to seeing it!

Death By An Arrow · May 28, 2011, 02:48 AM // 02:48

Don't worry, I'm not dead!

Still 3 weeks of school to go before exams, and ive got around 8 assignments due before then. So i still don't have a whole lot of time for art right now; once exams come and summer starts, I think I'll finally start the anatomy work I wanted to do... a month or two ago >.<

In the meantime, however, I got a new lens for my camera. So heres some things I took when I tested it out

I really like this lens; I'm finally able to take pictures of bigger animals that I can't get within half a foot with as if I was just as close as some of the snakes in the terrariums ^^ <another red panda day celebration is occuring june 12th at the zoo, so I hope to get several shots while I'm there :3>

Now that painting I planned to make for the guy in the accident literally could not get started until this week; I've had so many projects and essays for my (stupid) anthropology/psychology/sociology class that I am now accustomed to a 6 hour sleep cycle (i actually had a semi-free night last night, and felt guilty going to be at 12:30). My parents kind of agree that it seems a little... innapropriate (not the best word for it) to send it now that it's taken so long. So I may end up keeping it in the end.

BUT ANYWAYS, heres a quick progress shot for where it's at:

I half-started the bee, and then had to leave. So thats what the thing on the flower is

I am filming the whole process like I said, but I've had a few... technical errors along the way >.> My camera heats up after about 20 minutes of recording so it has to cool down often, and I tried switching to my low-quality camera for a bit so theres a visual/perspective change. Then sometimes i forget to turn the camera on

Does anyone know of any free video editing software they could suggest (with Windows XP)? Stuck using movie maker which can't use .mov files -_-

Aeronwen · May 28, 2011, 08:59 AM // 08:59

Soz I know nothing about video editing.

I would still send the pic though - when is it ever inappropriate to give a gift? Especially something awesome made by yourself.

Can't wait to see the time lapse ...but school work comes first. Take care of yourself.

InfestedHydralisk · May 28, 2011, 12:00 PM // 12:00

I use Sony Vegas for video editing (you'd have to pirate it though).

Death By An Arrow · Jun 18, 2011, 02:46 AM // 02:46

Exams are this week, and then school is done. Then... then i can art again q______p (not to mention I never have to suffer through Anthro/Psych/Soc again...)

Just some current updates:
o Im aiming to finish that painting tomorrow, yes I have had that little time :/
Im still recording the video process, though it will likely be horrible; the camera has shifted positions several times... and I even changed cameras for a while (overheating). But i'm too far now to just delete it all...

o I learned my zoo has a photo contest open to members; unlimited submissions as long as they arent digitally enhanced/4x6 prints/meet subject matter. So, likely, throughout the summer I'll keep trying to improve my photography and put in what looks best

o As soon as school is done (my last exam is friday morning >.<) I'm gunna get around to drawing again. This will more likely start out as sketches/drawings instead of paintings to work on some fundamental things (anatomy, posing, action, composition, speed, etc.). You know... the stuff I thought I wanted to start... in March. '____.
o Lastly, this summer (and after some time sketching and the above point) I'm gunna try my hand at some kind of commission. Whether its cheap sketches, or drawings, or working on painting I want to do atleast some commissions. It'll be good practice for working on people (as well as I need the cash for my HoM. I need Obby armor... and 124 zkeys =.=)

So yes, theres that. Heres some of my latest photography to bide that wall of text

Thinking of submitting this as a botanical entry to the zoo contest; i like the colours.

Also, unrelated but something thats pretty much gotten me through the past week
~ the zoo is fairly confident one of the red pandas is pregnant and is due this summer. Progestrogen levels have spiked, she has created several nests that she constantly changes and moves around. Some of the best news I could start the summer with :2

Death By An Arrow · Jun 25, 2011, 02:35 AM // 02:35

I ACTUALLY HAVE THINGS TO SHARE Q.Q

Finished my last exam this morning, so I thought this was the best time to start anatomy-ing. My plan is to try and get in an hour of drawing bodies/parts of bodies each day, focusing on specific things. Ill try and post what I do each day, but if I can't I'll just catch up in the next post.

Today i just sort of went introductory, aiming at the torso. Then i tried to add in some rough arms and those went pretty badly xD Just keep in mind the focus is suppost to be the torso

I wont have a scanner until sunday night at the earliest, so today and tomorrow will be very yellowy-light bulb tinted and taken with my camera

Also, i have... well theres this. I don't like the way it came out (also, i couldnt get good lighting. even outdoors.). at all. I thought it was done, then realized i completely forgot to do shading. It got way to drawn out but its out of my hands so... obligatory post:

*leaves before anyone can see the painting*

Tommy's · Jun 25, 2011, 10:41 AM // 10:41

I really like your watercolors, they are very peaceful and easy on the eye.

Also, good plan on the anatomy. I'll join you once my exams are over!

Death By An Arrow · Jun 26, 2011, 12:18 PM // 12:18

The next time I work on watercolours im gunna try and focus more on environmental details i think... like shadows, for starters >.>

Hopefully exams finish quickly then

BlackXI · Jun 27, 2011, 05:15 PM // 17:15

Wow really neat watercolor painting! How long did it take you to finish it? And it is always good to study your anatomy, when shading always focus on your direction of light source ^^

Death By An Arrow · Jun 27, 2011, 05:25 PM // 17:25

Probably a few hours (id say 3-4 at most), but its hard to tell because it was probably done over a spanof a few weeks (whenever I had time between assignments and studying).

Ill keep the lightsource in mind; right now my primary resource is photos i can find around the internet but (hopefully) i'll eventually get some more references or find a way to convince someone to let me draw them (which I'm almost certain 95% of the people I know would be creeped out by that. I need to find that 5% >.>)

Death By An Arrow · Jul 02, 2011, 04:30 AM // 04:30

As i predicted I havent been able to upload them each time I do them, and I had a change at work where I now work 7 hours everyother day, so its hard to find time everyday to do this. So I'm going to aim for everyother day (or 'days off') to work on this.

Second Male Torso:

And Female Torso [NSFW]:

When doing this one I realized two things
1) I've never drawn a woman who wasn't martha stewart.
2) I've never drawn a naked woman.
So hopefully I didn't completely screw up ^^

Death By An Arrow · Aug 02, 2011, 04:29 AM // 04:29

So this week is kind of busy for me, surgery friday. But it's followed up by 5 days of good rest and milkshakes/chicken-noodle-without-the-noodles-or-chicken soup so I'll most certainly draw in my down time

I want to work on my female bodies more, the one skeleton-muscle guide was really helpful so I want to practice using that strategy more.

Finally figured out why I couldn't edit in .RAW; my photoshop needed an updated plug-in. So i tried my first raw editing from a zoo trip today; it is an arctic fox getting it's summer coat, so s/he has a much more awesome colouring than usual.

This week we may or may not do a workshop topic simply because I've had some emergency family things to deal with followed by my surgery, and Tommy also has a congested week.

Death By An Arrow · Aug 24, 2011, 02:33 PM // 14:33

Open the flood gates!

I apologize for not posting more this summer, but we've had quite a few family problems (deaths/hospitalizations) and I've been working nearly everyother day. But heres what I've been doing lately

Here are some little sketchs I pulled out on night (morning? 2:00am or so)

This is a graph.

This is an ostrich

Both took about 20 minutes each, referenced from photos.

So this just sort of got pulled out of my brain. It was suppost to be a spider o___O But then I turned it into a yeti

2-2.5 hours on/off for a few days, I changed the legs about 30 times. :| No references, but the anatomy isnt too bad.

Also, two nights ago, I decided to whip out my water colour sketchbook. Ive only used one page, so I feel like ive been wasting it. No point in not sketching some watercolour down too.

Dont know the time it took, was watching TV at the same time. No longer than an hour and a half though.

And lastly, the Toronto Zoo's photo contest is closing up on friday, so today I'm getting my prints and dropping them off

It's unlimited submissions (hooray

) and for 6 categories - Funny, Close Up Animal, Full Body Animal, Kids, Botanical, and Judge's Choice. Scanning through all my pictures for the year thus far, these are the 19 I'll be submitting (some are admitedly worse than others, but its unlimited submissions so why not try them)
Here is a link to my shiny new Flickr page, all of the submissions are here
The compositions of some are mainly my concern, as a few really nice ones have little things in the background to distract focus

/phew. As always, PLEASE tell me how and where I should be improving. I take it all into consideration, whether it be my drawing, painting, or photography. I feed on constructive criticism