MikeJL Blog

Drawing Blog

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:28:45 -0700

Been posting on by other blog Orcs and Dragons. Gaming little also.

Note: blogspot has really improved. Might move all blogging over.

Work flow and Media

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:24:48 -0700

I do not have any art training. Just go through lots of podcasts, video tutorials, drawing books and lots of practice. I feel I’m improving however I need to get grounded on my work flow and media.

I know the style I like, and feel I am best at; I call it a gritty comic look. example: www.darkhorse.com/Features/Desktops/387/Conan

My workflow is:
- Sketch
- Scan
- Re-ink
- Render and color

I like the process however struggling with how much sketch detail to do, how much re-inking and what is the best media to use.

I purchased ArtRage for a few reasons; one is the smaller set of tools. Here is what I will try to move toward:

- Sketch (detail, and use art pens to line)
- Scan
- New ArtRage paining (standard paper, 1024 x768 100dpi)
- Open scanned sketch as tracing image
- Use the “Paint tracing image to current layer”
- Remove tracing image
- Add new layer (transparent and top of original drawing)
- Use oil-paint tool (50 % pressure, no thinners, 17 % loading)
- dab around in strategic places, just to get the overall color scheme right
- Use Pallet knife (30% pressure) to blend
- Use a non loaded brush with some thinner for additional work (like shine effects)

I’ll try this process on this sketch I did call "Trouble Arising":

Update:

New workflow and techniques worked way better then I expected: I present "Trouble Rising"

New Canvas and Inspiration

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:41:47 -0700

I had my eye on this book ever since I flipped though it at the local book store. It arrived (Amazon order) yesterday and really has my drawing juices flowing.

The Future of Fantasy Art

I also got a copy of ArtRage 2.6

I was looking for a simpler drawing program. This offers a nice suite of drawing tools and some features that hooked me:
- Drawing rulers and stencils
- Reference Image viewer
That and the price of $20 was a great deal. I’ll still use Corel Painter for some greater details and effects.

So I’m using this sketch in ArtRage to get use to using its features. This sketch, showing a warrior moving swiftly into battle,

as a study in capturing motion.

Throw in the new Wacom Bamboo Pen I got and I have my hands full, literally, of good drawing going on.

Big Butter Jesus Ver 2

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:42:43 -0700

Last night a 65ft statue of Jesus was it my lighting and burned. I'll leave the irony for you to wallow in. However, a story posted that the church was going to rebuild gave me the ideas for the new statue.

So here is Big Butter Jesus version 2:

Bamboo Pen Weekend

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:14:42 -0700

Some time ago I joined Twitter.. I joined to win stuff. And it paid-off; I won $50 Amazon gift card from a massively.com contest. So I ordered a Bamboo Pen tablet

My Pen setup.

It arrived Friday and I LOVE IT! I took a few hours to get use to it, at least enough to do this drawing titled “Three down”

Excited to do more with it.

LOTRO Free To Play this Fall!

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:54:34 -0700

This is exciting news. LOTRO is going Free 2 play!

http://www.lotro.com/news/709-announcing-the-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-move-to-free-to-play-

I always liked LOTRO however I'd take it in small amounts of play and found it hard to justify the monthly sub. This fall I'm heading back. I will purchase some Turbine Points ans an upgrade to bag slots and gold cap.

Details..

Summer MMO Wanderings

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:38:39 -0700

Got the itch to revisit Warhammer “WAR.” Got a “fair” priced for a 60 day time card; I think after the over billing debacle Warhammer time cards are a hot item. Still a few dollars cheaper than a OTC 60 day card.

EDIT: Connection issues and graphics glitches. On a 10 day welcome back.. see if I'll use the 60 day time code or sell it on e-bay.

EDIT (6/8/10): Will let the 10 days free run out. Hold on too the 60 day WAR time code for now. Guess WAR just not doing it for me as I thought it would. Think as its a heavy RvR game and I like a more PvE. So I went back to EVE as its a no "end-game" game. More my speed.

I'm a Mac Commercial Tribute

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:27:10 -0700

Love the little 30 second gems and found this video tribute to the ad campaign. I love my Mac, still game on Windows 7. However, the actor John Hodgman really made these ads awesome.. love or hate Apple; John did a great job and playing the lovable PC.

enjoy..

Ironialy .. John Hodgman is a Mac user.

New Life at 50

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:37:48 -0700

No not 50 years of age; level 50. In AoC when you hit level 50 you got a one time level 50 alt. With about 1 gold 50 silver (enough to purchase a mount) and a comparable set of gear.
So it finally happened; Vandoren, my Aquilonian Conqueror, hit level 50. DING!

So I created a Cimmerian Ranger , Thorngar.

New character and new expansion coming is pumping some fresh blood into AoC.

CROM!

Update (5/6): Ranger seems to become new main. Now at level 53.
Link to planed feat build for Bow/PvE

By CROM!

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:52:06 -0700

Conan! What is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women ..
Me: and 60 days of play for the cost of 30!

Got me a cheap 60 day Age of Conan time card. And heading out to Hyboria again. This time armed with a video card upgrade. Got a 9800GT 1GB few months ago and look forward to better graphics and smother performance.

Also .. Vandoren my 48 Conqueror is close to 50. And at 50 you get a one time alt also at level 50. I'm thinking Cimmerian Ranger. And to top it off I pre-ordered of the AoC expansion "Rise of the Godsalyer" that should arrive May 11th.

So poor me some ale and fetch me a wench.

then I'm off to bash some skulls.

Update (4/27/10) - BY CROM! new video card makes world of difference! I click "High" for graphics setting and get great FPS so far. And even get .. shadows! Game looks fantastic and played smooth. Did some combat in Fields of the Dead (to relearn how to swing a sword .. then headed to Old Tarantia Market (i.e. auction house) and FPS dropped into the 30's. Before with older AoC code and 8600GT I was lucky to get 20 FPS anywhere.

So off to a great start.