Angry bird, first images

To tell you the truth, I didn't expect it to be so difficult.

I mean, I've always realized that copiing anything is a difficult task, but not like this. I mean, Angry Birds? They all seem like such an easy project to copy!!! But no. Not only are they angry but they also have character. Literally!!! I've been fighting almost every line to get the curve right! 

These three birds were done in one set.

I obviously didn't get it right but it's a start. We'll see what the future brings. 

P.S. This session actually made me think again about sketching emotions, which is crucial for character design. Obviously, it is already on my to do list.

Copiing Angry Birds, the Title!

So for the first cartoon I chose was Angry bird.

Just to remind you, the first game of angry birds was released in 2009 by Finnish company Rovio Entertainment for Apple iPhone (read more). Since then it became a cartoon, then a movie and many many spin off games in between. Kids love it, adults love it and it seems that there will be no end to it for a very very long time. Which is great.

The reason for choosing Angry birds as a first copiing project is simple. They seem pretty easy to draw and I love them. I might also finlay learn the characters names. Birds', pigs', etc.

I usually start a series of sketches with a simple title: 100 mushrooms, 100 flowers etc. But here I thought, hey! The title is an image too! It also has a character! After all, creating a winning title is a very important step of creating any written/drawn/filmed - add missing - world! Be it a book or a movie, a cd or anything else ,designers and illustrators spend a huge amount of time and effort to create a perfect title. And I should respect that.

So first thing first - the title!

It wasn't easy, I must say! I really should have measured time because for sure since it took me a lot more than an hour to copy.

This is the result. I first created a pencil sketch. Then I outlined it with a very thin liner and then with a thicker one.

I'm not sure this is identical but it does look like an original title. So I guess it was probably worth the try.

One thing I know: making an exact replica of an original is not easy at all. I'm not sure that this is something I would want to do in the future, but it's obviously one way of learning and gaining experience.

Copiing favorite cartoon characters.

This post was ready to be published a month ago. Before pushing the Publish button I though, but why? Why would I want to copy from cartoon character in the first place? Is there a real learning experience in it? What would I really learn from this? If at all? Another thing that bothered me was that I actually didn't have any proper marker in my possession to make the experience complete and colorful. I am buying and buying  materials and since they are pretty expensive here in Israel sometimes I have to really think twice before purchasing something new. But then I though, ok, I don't have the colors but why not doing it in black and white and just contour it? Yes, it might be a bit boring, seeing black and white all over again but it will be way better than doing nothing. So I ordered some simple brush pen set and started working.

So...

To copy or not to copy, that is the question. Great masters of the past always copied from their teachers and fellow artists for the sake of the study. They used a life reference for the same reason. Some years ago copiing from others became some kind of a Tabu. Be original, they screamed, draw what's on your mind! My biggest difficulty in college was to be able to express my own ideas, when they came. (but that is another subject for another post). How can I do something if I don't know how to technically express it.

Only recently do I see people starting copiing from reference, they take somebody else's picture and they copy from it; a very popular do in recent years.

At this point of my artistic development - remember, baby steps - copiing portraits of people/animals etc is not really interesting.

But I've decided to copy my favorite cartoon characters. First - I love cartoons. Second - they are cool and fun, so why not?

I will be doing several poses of each characters, all in different media. A brush pen, some markers, colored pencils - time will show.

The main thing is just to get in to action.

My 2016 wish list: 9/158.

I recently went through my Would like to do list for this year checking out projects I've completed and I felt pretty sad. It's only 9 projects out of 158 that I checked out. And one goal that I simply ddn;t reach on time. And although I do realise that most of them are pretty big, I look at my list and I think, how come I work so slow? How can I increase to become more productive?

I guess that the only correct answer for this one is to just keep on working.

Here's the list of what I have done since I started this list:

1. I had a go with some Porcelain drawing. I didn't really like the outcome by the experience was really nice.
2. I watched and with some Peter Han's preview classes that I found on YouTube, highly recommended.
3. I watched all Hulk and Spiderman movies, just to know who's who. Definately a one time experience for me.
4. I've done some 100 seashels project (drawing from reference)
5. I got familerd with a Sting repertouare (love him!)
6. 100 leaves project (drawing from reference)
7. 100 mushrooms project (drawing from reference) and getting bored, so I stopped in the middle.
8. 100m lampshades (also from reference)
9. Comleted a class in Skillshare (highly recommended).

And that's it, actually.

I failed to reach my diet goal, but that's ok, I already weigh less then before so I'm happy to keep on going.

P.S. My list got longer since the furst publishing...

Changing a working routine

I've recently changed some of my daily routines and one of it's outcomes is a sketchbooks moveing.

I have seveal sketchbooks, each for a different subject. I used to have a to do list with all the things I have to work on during the day, including my art projects. Now I don't have this thing anymore. I simply move my sketchbooks from one side of the table to another. I take one sketchbook, work on a project, finish it whenever I feel that I did enough and put it on the other side of the desk.

This is funny because in a way it feels like being a clerk doing his everyday job, signing papers. On the other hand it gives my day a certain order. I do everything without looking for reminders, without this crazy stressing need to check a box on my list. A feel of a certain relief of this tiny fear that I won't manage to do it all in time. I don't plan anymore, although I did it for so many years.

The only thing left to see is will this ethod really work. But I guess it's just a matter of time.

Scribbling with Jazza

Josia "Jazza" Brooks, an Australian animator created an application for people who want to stretch and develop their creativity. The app suggests some challenges, like a color challenge, a copy challenge and the two that I do at the moment - a scribble and a design mix challenge. The idea behind a scribble challenge is that you get a couple of scribble, you copy them into your notebook and the you work with it trying to create something.

A design mix suggest the user to combine to of the everyday objects that has no connection whatsoever. Like a photo camera and a aid band or a bow and arrow and an electric plug.

At this point my scribbles are pretty lame and obvious but here's the cool part: it does the work. These lines challenge your grey cells like nothing more and you try your way around it trying to be as less obvious as you possibly can. But the obvious just comes out, and it's ok. 

It's ok because it's still a learning period . It's ok because the grey cells are not as flexible as they should be. It's ok because this is something new. 

I am so glad that I was tipped about this app, and since i installed it on my phone I can now do these challenges everywhere, If I don't forget my tiny A6 sketch book, of course :).

Everyday monsters, part 8

As I previously stated, I am finishing this project. I created around 130 creatures including a monstrous ABC. This was a very fun projects and now I have loads and loads of images to work with. Who knows, I might open a new shop on Zazzle or something like that :)

These are the last two of my monsters.

On to my next projects.