Monday, March 5, 2012
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Art Lessons Galore!
YOUTUBE LOVE:
Get your fix for art lessons on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/matthew39arch
Matthew of drawingtutorialsonline.com. Clips, tips and sketchbook peaks!
http://www.youtube.com/user/RivenPhoenix
Riven Phoenix from Structure of Man (See paid sites below). Clips from one of THE BEST anatomy lessons I have ever seen! You need these!
http://www.youtube.com/user/blackeri85
Blackeri aka Marta Dahling. Tastey digital art WIPs you gotta see to believe.
http://www.youtube.com/user/eelsevilla
This is good for your digital art soul!
http://www.youtube.com/user/markcrilley
Mark Crilley, artist of Miki Falls, youtube channel. Draw yourself some manga.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Mercuralis
Fantastic digital artist. Fantastic youtube experience.
http://www.youtube.com/user/reiqws
Anime style, digital art and boobs...nuff said.
FREE TUTORIAL SITES:
www.drawspace.com
You have to register but there's tons of great gemstones on this site 8D!
http://imaginefx.com/
For Digital sci-fi/ fantasy art. These guys have a magazine by the same name but if you register they have a few of their pages free for download. They also have an AWESOME forum =D!
www.deviantart.com
You have to create an account (free!) but the diversity of resources will send you back for more.
www.artshow.com
No registration required!
http://www.wetcanvas.com/
Mostly for painting as the name implies, but delicious tutorials non-the-less.
And no need to register =D!
WATERCOLOR SITES:
http://www.rolandlee.com/art_lessons.php
Totally Free watercolor landscape lessons!
http://susieshort.net/watercolor-tips.html
Wonderful floral painting tips and the like =D!
http://www.watercolor-online.com/
They got more than just tutorials. You can also view artists, product overview, competitions, and chat in the discussion forum!!
PAID SITE:
These sites you have to dish out some bucks but they are worth it.
www.comictutorials.com
It's cheap to subscribe especially for all the content and freebies you get.
If you're in the comic scene defiantly go look into it!
http://www.digitalarttutorials.com/
If you haven't bought or seen their CDs then you should. They are inexpensive and full of wonderful tips.
http://www.alienthink.com/
Riven Phoenix, Structure of man series. If you need to learn anatomy then you need these. (And you can't beat $90 for 55 HOURS of drawing instruction! )
He also has tutorials on color and perspective.
http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/
I can't live without their videos, and they have everything from sculpting to digital art. And if the prices scare you just remember...these videos are top of the line quality and they don't get better than this!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Artybuzz.com
Artybuzz.com, a UK based art site, is the new kid in town when it comes to art communities. Any artist is free to join and display their artwork. Artists can even submit their art to make prints, mugs or t-shirts much like sites like Deviantart or Redbubble. Users of Artybuzz can set your mark up price for each item or use the default mark up. I don't know the speed or quality of the prints and shipping since I haven't tried but they do boast a high quality and a quick turn around.
What's great is they don't just limit to one or two kinds of artwork but encourage users to submit all sorts of artwork. I've seen a vast display of different types of art including sculptures. Artwork categories is organized by media rather than themes.
This site also sports groups and contests for it's ever growing community. Groups are pretty straight forward in which you don't have to “join” them but simply add your appropriate artwork to the group. There is even a main blog where artists are featured for the website. Users can also interact with other artists in the community by favorite-ing and commenting on art pieces.
The interface for Artybuzz is pretty simple and straight forward. Once logged-in a user can do their updates from the “your account” section. Uploading art is pretty easy too! One just first uploads the picture then is taken to the next step to fill in the blanks. From there you can decide if you want to sell your artwork or not.
My only criticism is it lacks a message board which, I think, would help really push this site to be more interactive for users. As great as it is for a website to really be about the art; it's always good to really have a place to give artists a voice. I've seen some really creative things come out of art communities with message boards and grow faster because it's a glue to really help bind the community. Just take a look at sites like artwanted.com, conceptart.org, deviantart, and cgwaves.
Overall this is definitely an art community to keep tabs as it has a bright future ahead of it.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Flash back to the 80's JemCON/ 2011 He-man movie
Yes I'm serious go to http://www.jemcon.org if you don't believe me.
It's this September in New Hampshire.
Man this brings back nostalgia from my childhood. Jem was always the coolest; a rock star by night and a super hero by er...night? hehehe
Now if I could find a convention for She-ra...
Well maybe there isn't one but apparently Sony is possibly working on a He-man movie for 2011. Maybe we'll luck out and she-ra will be in it THIS TIME =P!
http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5736
Friday, February 19, 2010
New Fascinating websites
So here's a list of fun sites to check out!
Comic Tutorials:
www.comictutorials.com
a new website that's growing and sporting some cool up and coming cats in the biz. They've got interviews, tutorials and even brushes!
ListenNJW:
http://www.listennjnw.com
If you live in North West NJ area and have a library card then you can freely download library audio books to you ipod. What's cool is after a certain time these books check themselves out. No late fees!
Brave Hearted Women:
http://braveheartwomen.com/
Also for all of those strong women out with goals and ideas here's a great site for you to check out. Men welcome to look too =P!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Create a face
http://www.faceresearch.org/demos/average
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Top 10 Liest told to Naive Artists
Top 10 Lies told to Naive Artists and Designers
Mark W. Lewis
(Also see Advice on Becoming a Professional Artist by Jeremy Sutton)
1 "Do this one cheap (or free) and we'll make it up on the next one."
No reputable business person would first give away their work and time or merchandise on the hope of making it up later. Can you imagine what a plumber would say if you said "come in, provide and install the sink for free and next time we'll make it up when we need a sink." You would be laughed at! Also the likelyhood is that if something important came along, they wouldn't use you.
2 "We never pay a cent until we see the final product."
This is a croc, unless the person is leaving the door open to cheat you out of your pay. Virtually every profession requres a deposit or incremental payment during anything but the smallest project. Once you have a working relationship, you may work out another arrangement with a client. But a new client should not ask you to go beyond an initial meeting and, perhaps some preliminary sketches without pay on the job!
3 "Do this for us and you'll get great exposure! The jobs will just pour in!"
Baloney. Tell a plumber "Install this sink and my friend will see and you'll get lots of business!" Our plumber friend would say "You mean even if I do a good job I have to give my work away to get noticed? Then it isn't worth the notice." Also the guy would likely brag to everyone he knows about how this would normally cost (X) dollars, but brilliant businessman that he is he got if for free! If anyone calls, they'll expect the same or better deal.
4 On looking at sketches or concepts: "Well, we aren't sure if we want to use you yet, but leave your material here so I can talk to my partner/investor/wife/clergy."
You can be sure that 15 minutes after you leave he will be on the phone to other designers, now with concepts in hand, asking for price quotes. When you call back you will be informed that your prices were too high and Joe Blow Design/Illustration will be doing the job. Why shouldn't they be cheaper? You just gave them hours of free consulting work! Until you have a deal, LEAVE NOTHING CREATIVE at the clients office.
5 "Well, the job isn't CANCELLED, just delayed. Keep the account open and we'll continue in a month or two."
Ummm, probably not. If something is hot, then not, it could be dead. It would be a mistake to *not* bill for work performed at this point and then let the chips fall where they may! Call in two months and someone else may be in that job. And guess what? They don't know you at all.....
6 "Contract? We don't need no stinking contact! Aren't we friends?"
Yes, we are, until something goes wrong or is misunderstood, then you are the jerk in the suit and I am that idiot designer, then the contract is essential. That is, unless one doesn't care about being paid. Any reputable business uses paperwork to define relationships and you should too.
7 "Send me a bill after the work goes to press."
Why wait for an irrelevant deadline to send an invoice? You stand behind your work, right? You are honest, right? Why would you feel bound to this deadline? Once you deliver the work and it is accepted, BILL IT. This point may just be a delaying tactic so the job goes through the printer prior to any question of your being paid. If the guy waits for the job to be printed, and you do changes as necessary, then he can stiff you and not take a chance that he'll have to pay someone else for changes.
8 "The last guy did it for XXX dollars."
That is irrelevant. If the last guy was so good they wouldn't be talking to you, now would they? And what that guy charged means nothing to you, really. People who charge too little for their time go out of business (or self-destruct financially, or change occupations) and then someone else has to step in. Set a fair price and stick to it.
9 "Our budget is XXX dollars, firm."
Amazing, isn't it? This guy goes out to buy a car, and what, knows exactly what he is going to spend before even looking or researching? Not likely. A certain amount of work costs a certain amount of money. If they have less money (and you *can*) do less work and still take the job. But make sure they understand that you are doing less work if you take less money that you originally estimated. Give fewer comps, simplify, let them go elsewhere for services (like films) etc.
10 "We are having financial problems. Give us the work, we'll make some money and we'll pay you. Simple."
Yeah, except when the money comes, you can expect that you will be pretty low on the list to be paid. If someone reaches the point where they admit that the company is in trouble, then they are probably much worse off than they are admitting to. Even then, are you a bank? Are you qualified to check out their financials? If the company is strapped to the point where credit is a problem through credit agencies, banks etc. what business would you have extending credit to them. You have exactly ZERO pull once they have the work. Noble intentions or not, this is probably a losing bet. But if you are going to roll the dice, AT LEAST you should be getting additional money for waiting. The bank gets interest and so should you. That is probably why the person is approaching you; to get six months worth of free interest instead of paying bank rates for credit and then paying you with that money. Don't give away money.
Now, this list wasn't meant to make anyone crazy or paranoid, but is designed to inject some reality into the fantasy.
You are GOING to be dealing with people who are unlike yourself. Their motivations are their own and their attitudes are probably different than yours. There are going to be demands, problems, issues and all the hassles that go with practically ANY work/job/money situation. Too many times I see the sad example of someone walking in to a situation with noble intentions and then getting royally screwed, because what they see as an opportunity and a labor of love, the other party sees as something else entirely, not at all romantic or idealized, but raw and simple.
How can you deal with this stuff and still do good creative work? Good question. THIS is why an education is important. You learn, out of the line of fire, how to deal with the art at it's own level and also how to deal with the crap that surrounds it. You may have tough teachers and think that it can't be worse, but wait until a business person has a hundred grand riding on your art! Then you will know what "demanding" means. You will then thank all those tough teachers for building up the calluses that enable you to enjoy the job rather than just feeling like it is all a big waste of time!
In the end, working commercially, being a terrific artist is about 25% of the task. If that is the only part of the task that you are interested in, do yourself a favor. Don't turn "pro."
