darkarrow trial 4

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2006-06-23 19:36:29

Last author: Perplexity
Owner: travs the bean

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Trial 4: Random Junk

As you may have noticed, the trials of a knight are really practice exercises to improve your skills and help you achieve a higher level of professionalism.

This trial deals with the following skill levels, and you may earn one or more of these skills:

Traditional
<img:stuff/penc.gif>

Digital
<img:stuff/compink.gif>

The aim of this trial is for you to look at what is around you. It is all about your envrionment. In spot illustrations, comic book layouts, and other pieces, the environment plays a big role in making the world believable.

Example 1:

The Collector, by Travis Hanson from "Tales of the Brokenmoon" www.beanleafpress.com

If you look at the illustration above, you will notice many things about the character. Even without words, you get an idea about what his world is like, what his personal traits are, and also his passions. His world is all around him. Too often an illustration is created with only the character and no envrionment.

If he is a clutter bug, surround him with clutter. If he likes to read, surround him with lots of books. Is your character a neat freak? Do they collect odd trinkets? Look around yourself, and at the people you know and watch them - watch what they collect, watch their envrionment - you can tell a lot about a character by the world around them.

Example 2:

The Adventurer, by Travis Hanson. www.beanleafpress.com

Notice each character is as unique as their world. There is much life in these caves, old relics of forgotten ages and many other trinkets. Also, note these elements are not random. They are connected with each other in style and feel. This is where references are so important (I am a big fan of National Geographic).

Create a source book. This is a notebook of reference pictures cut from books and magazines that you like - caves, castles, ruins, armor, statues etc... I have a wide variety of different pics that I use.

Example 3:

The Storyteller, by Travis Hanson. www.beanleafpress.com
Paying attention to the details in an outside settings is just as important. Plants, flowers, landscape, insects, etc.. too often we miss the little things that can bring our pictures to life.

And now we finally get to...

Your Trial!

You will need two 8.5" x 11" sheets of paper.

Draw a box that is 8" x 10" on each sheet of paper. One will be for an outside setting and the other for an inside setting. If you do not have a understanding of perpsective, keep going and we will help you along the way.

Your interior setting can be one of the following:
1. A messy room.
2. A scientist room
3. A tomb interior
4. A kings chamber
5. The study of a detecive

Your exterior shot can be one of the following:
1. A ruin surrounded by forest and trees
2. An elven house hidden in the forest
3. A battlefield- the aftermath.
4. Outside the dragons lair
5. A goblin blacksmith.

Look for lots of small details to build up your pieces - make us believe in your world and give it life.

You will sketch first, then pencil draw. Your sketch must be approved by your teacher - there will probably be a lot of revisions in the developing stages. It is here you will plan out your drawing. Do not jump to final pencils before getting the go ahead from your teacher. You can play with camera angles, but that is not the focus here. We are focusing on making your world real.

Once the pencils are done, you are encouraged to ink and color in order to earn those badges as well.

Good luck!
[travs the bean]

darkarrow

2006-06-22 [Calico Tiger]: OMG this is going to hurt >_< But is exactly one of the things I need to work on :)

2006-06-22 [travs the bean]: :) i want you to be better than anything you have ever imagined:)

2006-06-23 [Elisha Kelly]: hmmm I that means I am gonna have to really work hard... cause I can imagine myself to be really REALLY good :P

2006-06-23 [Perplexity]: THIS one is gonna be tough... and it is one of the things I need a LOT of help on. So, reluctantly, I look forward to it. lol

2006-06-23 [TheRogue]: oh yeah baby.. this one's gonna leave a mark.. LOL we're all sweatin this one.. haha

2006-06-23 [TheRogue]: the question is oh master of the quill.... how do you find the necessary reference on this sort of thing? objects and whatnot? how do you decide what to put in?

2006-06-23 [travs the bean]: That is answered in 2 fold- first it is in the preliminary sketch. You map out the location- placing your character within the envrionment and not the envrionment around him. Your pencil sketch is where you place notes and you need to ask yourself what story needs to be told without words. Start to think you are there and what would you see. As for ref after you start thinking it out and themed the illustration, than you look for pictures that will help you keep the continuity. Even sketching some of the objects on a seperate sheet of paper to help you visualizes the item for the final piece. National Geographic, the web what ever. IF it is a tavern scene you need to look at bottles

2006-06-23 [travs the bean]: and glasses, a barrell- how is the place lit- tables and candles, who is there - what is the barkeep like ( a dirty barkeep would keep a dirty bar,) it goes with anything you work on- alot of times you have a description or script to work off so you have a general idea. but if your drawing a messy room - well how would you make it unique....is it a roman room, a stable room- this is where your imagination comes into play. You need to put yourself in the characters position and how they would keep something

2006-06-24 [Linn Scarlett]: ohh this one is gonna be a pain but nice to do! *sucketh at surrounds because she's prone to being too lazy to make em*

2006-06-24 [Calico Tiger]: Hehe, I almost feel like you can hear the entire classroom groan in dispair as the teacher sets out the assignment ;)

2006-06-24 [Linn Scarlett]: *nod nod* indeed so ;)

2006-06-27 [Evilmonk]: Well if it makes anyone feel better, I knida ran my mouth off. Trav said he was "going to make this one tough", and I kinda replied "well I am going to make it look easy". *hangs head* Prayers and donations to widow Tina can be sent to:....

2006-06-27 [Evilmonk]: What I wouldn't give to have the other half of my brain sometimes. Oh well....talked the talk....

2006-06-27 [TheRogue]: hehe.. i call mine 'the shoulder gnome'.. the one that speaks WAY before my ego has time to stop him.. ^_^

2006-06-27 [Evilmonk]: I couldn't help it...it was just begging to be said....it was so wide open!....The sacrifices I make for comedy I tell ya. =)

2006-06-27 [Evilmonk]: does anyone know how to play 'TAPS'? =D ....ok enough whining.

2006-06-27 [travs the bean]: you will do fine- get up off the floor monk:)

2006-06-27 [Linn Scarlett]: I think the trials are going to be a mixture of fun and pain ;)

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