Suggestions for New theme

Put them in the comments!

Fanart Friday - Pretty Poison

Markers and coloured pencils.

Poison Ivy: one of my favourite Batman: The Animated Series characters =D

Enviro-mental: Sense Amid Madness, Wit Amidst Folly

I'm currently reading Surface Detail by Iain M. Banks. It's the latest in a series of his that is based around a super advanced, space-faring civilisation called The Culture, a decadent people who many millennia ago developed giant sentient spacecraft called Minds. The Minds' are unfathomably intelligent and exist and think in more dimensions than the usual three. They are also in some cases huge, often housing billions upon billions of people in a space that could easily be mistaken for a natural environment as opposed to the interior of a man made ship (technically the ships are made by other ships rather than men, but I digress). It is a tiny segment of one of these craft that I have chosen as my environment.

At this point in the story, one of the main characters - Lededje - has just arrived on one of these ships for the first time, and the ship's mind, embodied in a human avatar, has taken her to this fifteen kilometre canyon just to give her a sense of scale. The ship is called 'Sense Amid Madness, Wit Amidst Folly' by the way (the ships name themselves).

Jeeso, it's hard trying to some up so much back story just to explain one picture... Anyway, I'm not totally sure I'm 100% happy with this. It's pretty much the first proper environment I've ever done though so I was never going to be happy. There's a lot more I'd have liked to have done with it and it's not quite accurate to the book, but hey ho.

Oh, look out for a traditional style flying saucer, a surf board attached to a kite, a diving bell, Da Vinci's helicopter, a beat up old car and a giant flying bottle of Irn Bru.

Feedback appreciated.

Theme 4: Portal 2

I haven't really read enough fiction as of late to justify picking an environment from one. However I did finish Portal 2 a few weeks back so here's something from that.

Theme 4: The Little Prince's Planet

For this Theme I have chosen the Little Prince's home planet.  For those of you who haven't heard of it I've copied a description of his home planet from wikipedia:

The home asteroid or "planet" of the little prince is introduced. His asteroid (planet) is the size of a house and named B-612, which has three volcanoes (two active, and one dormant) and a rose among various other objects. The naming of the asteroid is a conceptual illustration that adults will only believe a scientist who is dressed or acts as they do. According to the book, the asteroid was sighted by a Turkish astronomer in 1909 who had then made a formal demonstration of asteroid B-612 to the International Astronomical Congress. However, due to his clothing, he was ridiculed. After a Turkish dictator forced him and his people to dress like Europeans, he went again to present asteroid B-612 to the International Astronomical Congress. This time, he was believed and was credited with the discovery.

The prince spends his days caring for his "planet", pulling out the baobab trees that are constantly trying to take root there. The trees will make his little planet turn to dust if they are not removed. Throughout the book he is taught to be patient and to do hard work to keep his "planet" in order. The prince falls in love with a rose that takes root in his planet, who appears to not return his love due to her vain nature. 

And if you want to read the book (it's very short and VERY good) there's a link to download it here:

www.cs.swan.ac.uk/~cswill/The_little_prince.pdf

I always imagined the planet to be bigger than the pictures in the book, and I wanted to show the scene where the Little Prince watches the sunset 44 times in one day by moving his chair a little forward each time.  I also put the rose in too as she plays such a big part in the Little Princes life.  She's modelled on the rose from Beauty in the Beast, but with more thorns (precisely three!) and less wiltage.  Looking at the scene it feels really empty but it seemed to take so long to do.  Environments are difficult.  Goodness knows how Suba and Sarah Dargie do it!  :D

x Lynne

Fan Art Friday: Tank Girl

This drawing came about while I was up the whole night sitting waiting for renders the day before 4th year hand-in.  I like very much how she turned out.  I like to think that the gun is maybe pointed at someone's (most likely Booga's) privates.  The kinda thing TG would do if she was in a pissed-off mood.

Enjoy x

Fabulous Batman Fight Club.

This was a great idea for a theme, I'd be up for doing similar things again. I got stuck right in straight away and I'm pretty happy with the result. I probably could have fixed it up some more but I've come to realise if I spend more than a couple of hours on a piece I can't finish it.

I assume we've all seen Fight Club? This is the iconic scene when Jared Leto gets the absolute piss beaten out of him by Ed Norton. I figured most of the entries for this one would be funny, so I tried to make mine a bit more badass... but the feather boa kinda ruins that I guess :P

(Belated) Fanart Friday: Lonely Werewolf Girl

A scribbly Kalix, emaciated protagonist of "Lonely Werewolf Girl" and "Cure of the Wolf Girl" (the latter being my first Kindle purchase).

I feel I should say... I don't like her much. She is pitiable, certainly - an anorexic, drug addicted, mentally unstable teenage werewolf. I feel sorry for her, but I just can't bring myself to like her. Who knows, maybe I'm being cold hearted. But anyway, I felt like drawing her. I would love to see these novels in graphic novel form (and I'd love even more if I got to draw them!)

Her arms are weird. I have discovered that drawing crossed arms can be tricky. Should have used reference.

Theme 5

I thought it would be fun for the next theme if we used this Videogame Name Generator. For those that don't know, it mixes words to create very amusing and imaginative titles.
So maybe we could use it (individually) and draw something from it.

For example, "Johnny Turbo's Hippo World" or "Generic Barbarian - 3rd Strike".
Just keep clicking on "Make me another name!" until you find one you like. (The sillier the better)

Fanart Funday - Holo

Ohhh yeah. Fanart time.. few days late but fun to do :)
This is Holo the wise wolf from Spice and Wolf, which I've been watching over the past few months.

Lynsey - Super Villain - Fantasy

Apologies for this being about a month late, between having no A3 scanner and Blogger being down I felt like I would never get it up (WEEEEY).  So yes, Lynsey - Super Villain - Fantasy.  Fantasy was a difficult one.  I kinda went half fantasy fantasy, with the horns and moon and such, and male fantasy with the sexy Super Villain comic book-esque super suit.  Also, as a Super Villain I felt she needed her signature 'critic' pose.  I have not a name for her though, any suggestions? 

Hope you like it Lynsey :) x

Fan Art... Mondays?

I'm like 4 days late but whatever... Those that don't know/play Team Fortress 2 won't appreciate this in the slightest but I'm just trying to get back into using the tablet, it's been a while. 

I reckon you guys would like the artwork in that game actually, it's got some great character design. 

Theme 4

Pick a book (fiction being preferable) and draw an environment from it.

(eg. The Lord of the Rings -> Rivendell or Harry Potter -> Dumbledore's office)

There can be characters in it if you like, but they should be secondary to their surroundings.

Don't be afraid to use films or existing illustrations etc.  for reference and inspiration, but try to make it your own vision. (It would also be cool if you did use any sort of reference to feature it in your submission post!)

Deadline for this one is May 22nd (roughly - we remain easy-going in regards to deadlines ^_^ )

Fan-Art... Sundays...? - GET ITEM

I know, I'm super late with this. I spent most of Friday finishing off a commission and decided to just do a quick sketch on Saturday morning for Fan art Friday. Unfortunately, when I started the 'quick sketch', I actually really got into it and instead spent the whole day on it instead.

I've been playing through Link's Awakening on the Gameboy colour recently. That game is hard. For anyone who's not played it, when you obtain an item in the game you get the message, "You got ______" and Link holds it above his head and a little fanfare plays. I got to the bit where you have to accompany Marin somewhere and I think I genuinely laughed out loud when this happened.

It's not perfect. I'm not too happy about the way Link's holding Marin for starters, it's missing any real sense of weight. Couple of other niggles too but hey, it was fun.

Kieran - Futuristic - Superhero

Meet Lens McFlare and his faithful companion, Grossibot.

Kieran Duncan was your average after effects obsessed animator boy, working long into the night rendering on his laptop. After an accident involving Irn Bru and curry spilling on his laptop during his later AE adventure, Kieran found himself fused with the laptop and transported thousands of years into the future. With his ability to shoot lens flares from his chest and travel speeds any motion blur would be jealous of, our hero LENS McFLARE is born!
Of course, our hero was lonely thousands of years in the future without a certain flatmate, so he made a companion robot to help him fight crime called Grossibot, modeled accurately to resemble his friend he left behind. Together our two heroes combat darkness, blinding all that is evil with his epic lens flares.

Fanart Friday - 10th Kingdom

Some quick Fan art for the wonderful short series 10th Kingdom. I remember waiting and hoping for a second season to be produced, (as is promised in the final scene) but it never happened.

Time taken, about 2 chapters of Goblet of Fire read by Stephen Fry.
Stephen Fry as Severus Snape? Awesome

Fanart Friday 06/05/11 - Lynsey's

Been listening to the Harry Potter books as read in the deliciously dulcet tones of Stephen Fry the past week or so. Inevitably, started doodling the characters.

I hope it's somewhat obvious, but here's Hermione.

Kat - Steam Punk - Disney Princess

Blogger makes the colours look a bit washed out, which works quite well for the theme. This is Kat with her clockwork owl sidekick.

Remember it's the first Fanart Friday today! And we need suggestions for the new theme on Sunday.

Lynne Robot Babies

Aye.

Tom G - Street Fighter - Mythology

That is one tiny unicorn.


This past week I've been trying to work on some commission work but I've had a major creative block since we broke up from uni. Decided to take a wee break from it and give this another go instead and it's really helped me get back on form, so thanks Fortnightly Themed Sketch Group!

Dog - Susan - Stoneage

Had to repost this cos the zoom wasnt working..

Had a lot of fun with this sketch, lessons learned this time round.. always save your work! My own fault. Also, posing in the mirror helps lol. Think her balance is a bit off in this but I'm quite happy with it. I want a dino dog!

Suzanne - Film Noir - OAP

I give to you Suzanne, as a classy old broad (heavily armed).

Now that I look at it, it's really off balance... looks like she would be toppling to the left  =/

Fan art Fridays

How about it? Every Friday, some fan art of any kind, from anywhere.

I know we've all had hand-ins, and the last thing we want to do is pile on extra work. But we need to keep it up. It's been over 2 weeks since the last theme, and the new one isn't decided yet. I don't want to let this die before it's really began.

So, the fortnightly theme is still on, but with added fan art content.

Theme 3: Out of a Hat

We put our names in a metaphorical hat, along with a random assortment of subjects, and had to draw each other with the themes applied. This is not due tomorrow, considering how this blog does not impose deadlines

Theme 4, which does begin tomorrow, will be something environment oriented, rather than character.

Different types of Kat

Age 10: I was constantly hyper and wore pink sometimes. Oh dear. I also received my first ever copy of Pokémon blue which would be the only game I would end up playing non stop for a very long time. I was obsessed with Pokémon and often drew comics about going on adventures with my Pokémon buddies.

Age 15: Halfway through high school.. I was that awkward teenager and quite chubby. I felt self conscious and unhappy (with those generic moments of happiness inbetween) and was one of those teenagers that'd go straight home and sit on the computer for endless hours. I also discovered photoshop and it's joys as well as read manga and watched craploads of cartoons, ate lots of junk food and generally was waddling through life, hopelessly acting like a fool and writing really bad stories.

Age 18: Started Uni. Even though I had shed most of the fur and the fleas, I still had a bit of that puppy fat on me D: I didn't have the best choice in clothing and I learnt so much from moving away from home. However I didn't learn about better dress sense until about now really..

Age 20: This is me now. Still unusual, still like some of the things I did when I was younger and doing a course I love :D but I still act like a complete kid.. and I've started using rucksacks again. I definitely have better clothes sense than I did before. I also don't wear glasses anymore, which was a big thing for me. Also manage to shed most of the puppy fat. Thank goodness. Student lifestyle has served me well.

Kieran's Adolescence

Age 12: The Victim...

Age 17: The Rebel!

Age 21: The Reasonably Well Adjusted Young Man.

Schtages

Age 5 - 8: I really MISS this stage. I was fit and healthy and very freckly. My hair was wild. My shoes lit up. My knees were scraped. That was the LIFE. I was also confident to the point of cocky - shyness was an affliction for other people as far as I was concerned. Also, I included here the result of me trying to cut my own fringe the night before school pictures with serrated scissors. Good times.

Age 12 - 14: Where did the cute me go? I was a right wee torn-face. My grey Vans were my prized item of clothing, with my baggy jeans coming a close second. Baggy shirts a must, preferably navy blue. I desperately wanted poker-straight hair, but a combination of bad hand-me-down straighteners, my lack of patientence/expertise and, oh yes, naturally curly hair resulted in a bit of a mess. The only feminine thing I did was wear eye make up - black eyeshadow, black eyeliner and black mascara. In copious amounts. My dad called me Chi Chi (after the panda). I stayed indoors most of the time, so was pale and spotty and pretty chubby. Very shy, quiet, withdrawn and moody. Not my best years.

Age 16-18: I was a bit happier, but not much. Still waiting to lose the puppy fat. Making attempts to look girlier. Cut all my long hair off, after the misguided belief that shorter hair was less fuss (for me, it isn't!). I wore what I know think was too much make up (foundation, bright green eyeshadow, blusher, etc.) I was still quite shy, but getting better.

Now (nearly 21): Animation student time! I think apart from my youngest stage here, I'm at my happiest and most content with life. I'm also starting to look a bit more like I did when I was younger (well, i think so anyway). Not much else to say =)

A brief history of Paxtonia

This challenge was... well... challenging. Turns out I'm very boring and almost never change. I've been wearing baggy T-shirts, cargo trousers and hillwalking boots since I was about 14. I've dredged up the past anyway though.

Age 9: The 'lovable scamp' phase. I've always been a 'function over fashion' kind of guy, but when I was young this mantra was taken to something of an extreme. I spent most of my time in garishly coloured jogging bottoms and strange, bright T-shirts. My excuse is that it was the 90s and that this kind of thing was practically encouraged. At 9 I was quiet and shy, but confident that when I hit ten I was going to receive my starter Pokémon from Professor Oak, leave Midgar, and travel across wonderful lands battling everyone and everything before saving The Planet from the evil clutches of either Sephiroth or the Elite Four, I forget which.

Age 15: The 'accidental goth' phase. Disillusioned by a complete absence of the fantastical adventures I'd hoped for as a child, I had grown into a depressing cliché of a teenager. I grew my hair because I didn't like hairdressers, and got a pair of steel-toe-capped boots for a school trip where sturdy footwear was required. Like I said before, I've always picked clothes that were comfortable over any kind of aesthetic reasoning, and it just so happened that at this time, the comfiest clothes I owned were pretty much all black. Then I wondered why all the neds picked on me for being a goth. I guess I was too busy writing 'witty' blog posts on my msn space and being ignored by girls to notice what I'd done to myself...

Age 21: Present day, although my current look is not particularly new. I still regularly wear some of the clothes I was wearing when I was 17... I now always carry my rucksack with me, which is big enough to go on holiday for a week with, but usually is just filled with sketchbooks and art materials. This, combined with spending my days hunched over a light box, has left me with a posture even poorer than it was in my youth. I'm fairly confident that by the time I'm thirty I'll be curled round into myself, and I'll just roll everywhere like Sonic the hedgehog.

Gane Stages

Age 7: I was young, brash, and foolish. I liked Football. I also collected girly trinkets like necklaces and key rings (but fortunately never wore either)
This was the most confident I would ever be, to the point of cockiness. Fortunately, my pituitary gland soon snuffed out all the self esteem I had.

I also had a talking football sidekick. He was my umbro.

Age 13: Addiction to mmorpg legend of mir successfully vanquishes talking football, exercise and social life. Also, acne. Pale and dark haired due to lack of sun. Hair gelled in a desperate attempt to raise attractiveness. Then, Anime Phase.

Age 23: Cannot wear anything that isn't blue. Shoes replaced once every 3 years at the earliest.

Pokéface

Only three days late but I doubt anyone is surprised.

I am pocket-men.

Enjoy.

Poké-Kat

It's a bit late but shhhh! Here is my submission! :D
This Apple-Cat Pokémon evolves on happiness and it takes pride in the apple that sits on it's head. I liked the idea of it being a fire/grass and trying to perfect it's attack without bungling it up and setting fire to itself (which I imagine knowing me, would happen quite a lot by mistake.)

Theme 2: Your Stages

Draw yourself at varying stages of life, par example Loish Stages

Tompoke

Can't believe that I left this until last minute, like it was some kind of dirty essay. Anyway, this was done entirely in photoshop. Instead of evolving when reaching certain levels, I/he evolves right before a deadline (I'm getting better at this, honest)

Poke-Lynsey!

Schazz

...actually, please don't.

Well, here I am... some sort of mossy, faun-lion thingy! Short-sightedness gives the impression that she's grumpy (always frowning/squinting)

Suggestions for type, moves etc. welcome!

Theme 1: Youpoke

Draw yourself as a Pokemon, with/without any evolutionary stages. Remember that some pokemon evolve under difference circumstances than just leveling up! Have fun with the first theme!

Due Sun 27th March.

Preperation

Ok, so what say we actually start this blog? Starting from now, we'll be accepting suggestions for a theme this month of March. Then hopefully after this busy weekend is past, we can decide and publish the theme.