Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Lesson 2

The second lesson in the book involved some upside down drawing.  The idea here is that when you draw something from an angle other than right side up your left brain finds it too confusing, it can no longer identify things like eyes and arms and such and so your right brain gets to function at simply recreating the lines that are on the page.

So lesson two is, look at this example, and as you look, upside-down, you draw it.

Here is what I came up with

 

Then go find two other line drawings and repeat the process!

A quick line sketch of Flash that Francis Manapul did in the front of my Flash vol 1

and also

Another picture from in the book.

Go give it a try and see how you do, please share your progress in the comments below.

Nightwing Pencils

So as promised here is another drawing video.  This week I drew Nightwing.  I have been doing a lot of that for the third book in the comic series that i am working on and so I thought it would be good too just be able to draw him for fun.

Check out the video on YouTube with the link below and if you have any questions or comments or suggestions just leave a comment either here or on the video.

Nightwing pencils: http://youtu.be/cH_L0jaaTqM

I2 Page 13

Another sort of half filler page with a kind of poorly drawn Batmobile.  There is at least a bit of background in that bottom picture. The next page is way better I promise.

I2 Page 12

I’ve decided to slow down the rate a bit just due to the fact that I have a lot less time on my hands with two new children in the house.  One is 3 month old and the other is just over a year.  So Look for pages every Tuesday and Thursday along with a link to a video every Saturday and the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain update every Sunday.

 

I like this page here the newscast delivery of exposition seemed to work really well.  The truck is a little off in the middle panel, but I think that’s what I get for working without a ruler. I can honestly say that the reason that this next book is taking so much longer is that during the little time that I have is that there is a lot more attention to detail.

As usual, comment and questions are welcome, leave them below!

Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain Lesson 1

The first actual exercise in the book, beside the preliminary draw these four things is to draw the face-vase thing.  You know that image that looks like either a vase in the middle or two faces on either side depending on where you put your focus.

The instructions are simple, If you are a righty, draw you face profile on the left side of the page and draw it from memory.  During this step you are being mindful that you are drawing a face still. then once you are done that draw your two horizontal lines on the top and bottom of the page and then this time you are drawing the mirror of the other side.

It’s important to think this way during the second side, because you are no longer ‘drawing a face in profile’ but seeing the lines and their angles of the first side and putting them in reverse on the other side of the page.

Here is what mine looked like:

Not quite symmetrical, but not horridly bad either.

The second part of this lesson was to follow the same process, but this time add embellishments to the first profile.  Warts on the nose, a funky chin, wrinkles in the brow, whatever struck you to add in.

I think it’s a bit closer to symmetrical , a few things that are off, but close.

There is a whole chapter of text that goes with this lesson that more accurately describes the propose behind it.  But if you are wanting to follow along with the lessons in the book only, here you go! Do this and come back next week for the next lesson.

A Quick Flash Drawing

Drawing, Inking and Colouring The Flash: http://youtu.be/OCM4Wmk3qYk

I got listening to theflashpodcast.com yesterday and in the few quiet moments I had while my newest little one was napping I did this drawing from start to finish.  

I can understand now how guys like Greg Capullo can say they look at their work and only see flaws when it's done.  Some would argue that doesn't build good self esteem or something I would say that is a sign that you always want to improve.  Very rarely do I finish a piece and think ' oh yeah,  That's great! ' I'm usually thinking oh I like this bit but this other part needs work.  That's ok though I think.

I2 Page 11

Another page of exposition! and see Robin has gone from by the computer to swinging just like that!

I2 Page 10

As you can see I haven’t really gotten the hang of the lots of panels on a page bit, or white space at all, but i like this page. We introduce Robin here too.  I originally thought he would be Dick Grayson Robin, but, he’s not…  he’s just being a kid playing around all over the cave, You’ll see what I mean.

I2 Page 9

Here we get too look in on our villains again.  And look at that, backgrounds, nice!  Sadly you can easily tell which lines I used a ruler for and which ones I did free hand.  But hey, all part of the process right?  You can learn to run before you walk as they say.

I2 Page 8

Here I knew I wanted to incorporate the Batmobile somehow.  I think what sort of takes away from it is that there is no definition of light and dark on the car, It’s a decent representation, but not great.  I’m acutely aware of the no backgrounds now when I know in the third issue they are so far much better.  These pages seem more like drawings in frames than what is to come.  I guess that is what practicing is helping with!

I2: Page 7

Break out of that ice Batman.  I couldn’t bring in Batgirl without having her save the day and so she provides a little help.  Again notice another page with zero backgrounds.  I’m really trying to change that in the third book, and it has doubled or more the time it takes to draw a page, which is probably a good thing really.  The pictures look way more complete and more professional.

Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain

Quite a while ago now while listening to Fatman on Batman, a pod cast hosted by Kevin Smith (Yes, the one that made Clerks, and not the Matrix), Greg Capullo current artist on Batman was on.  During his interview he mentioned that while he was trying to break into the comics industry he got advised to read through a book called Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain by Betty Edwards.

Having just started paternity leave I actually had the time to go to the library and they had the book! My intention is to work through the book, and each Sunday I’ll post up some of the exercises that go with each chapter, that way if you can’t get the book, you can at least do the exercises, though, for full value I would recommend getting a hold of a copy as the text is worth the read so far.

So the first drawing exercise is the pre-instruction drawings.

1) Draw the face of someone while you look at them.  I was alone in the basement, so I used my superman toy since he has no mask or anything.

2) Draw a person without looking at anything.

3) Look at your non-drawing hand, and draw it.

4) Draw a chair while looking at a chair.

About each drawing asses what you don’t like, and what you do like.  I’ll keep those for myself other than that I’m a bit disappointed in the Superman headshot, and my hand looks weird.  I do like the person though (which is clearly me) but I was able in that drawing to revert to my usual style.

Next week, the first couple of actual exercises.  If you have any questions, or you use the basic instructions of the exercises to do them for yourself, please link up in the comments!  This would be a great thing to share with people!

Colouring Harley, Ivy and Catwoman

So, I’m finding that as I get more detailed in my work it’s taking longer to get pages done.  With that in mind I think that weekend content might be more like videos and other such stuff.  Here is me colouring the Harley, Ivy and Catwoman commission I did for my friend. 

Again if you have any comments or questions leave them here or on the youtube channel.  I’ll reply to them in the next video or if it’s something quick I’ll just reply right there in the comments!

I2 Page 6

I think I did some nice action stuff and such here, I actually really like the drawing of Batgirl holding the wing up to not get frozen.  The Fluke Transport on the truck was because while driving on the 401 home from Toronto one day we actually saw that name and I thought it was pretty odd to basically say that if your delivery was on time it was by accident.

I2 Page 4-5 Also–It’s PAL-entines Day

Batgirl!  You all saw that coming right?  Makes for a nice splash page though I think.  If I had the time (and skill) to colour it properly it would look even better I am sure, a background would be good too, but progression right?  I’ve done the first few pages of Issue 3 and they look pretty nice, you’ll just have to wait and see!

PAL-entines Day

The Dudes over at Man Crates have started a petition in an attempt to get PAL-entines Day recognized as a holiday!  Why should couples get all the fun all Valentines Day and best Pals not get a day of recognition?  I mean really has you best friend not got you through just as many hard times? shared as many laughs? What could you do for your best Pal today? because really today, could end up being the day to celebrate that friendship!

If you are wondering what to get a friend, check out the Man Crates link above and send them some cool stuff that you even get to open with a crowbar!

On my PAL-entines day I’ll be driving about the countryside meeting and picking up my new foster-to-adopt children, which is pretty awesome, but YOU could be sending a wicked gift to someone supercool!

I2: Page 3

Oh no! Batman has been frozen, but it looks like help is one the way!  I like the set pieces of this page even though the train got mostly covered in the first panel.

Issue 2 Page 2

The introduction of a new character, who could it be?  It’s probably pretty obvious to most, but I wanted the reveal to make a bit of a bigger splash.  Only a couple pages until that big debut.

Issue 2 Page 1

Gone is the boring city short that established Issue 1, here we leap right into the action where we left off. 

The Cover of Issue 2

Considering that the whole comic is in black and white I decided that I would just do the cover of Issue 2 in the same style.  I might colour it later just for fun, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.  And so again we start a run of posts in consecutive days as I get started drawing the third book.  I have most of my layouts planned, but I haven’t actually drawn anything yet.

Inking Harley, Ivy and Catwoman

Here we have the inks for that Harley, Ivy and Catwoman commission.  It’s a bit longer than the drawing videos, but hopefully I give you some good information.  If you have any questions or comments post them to the video or in the comments below.

You might be wondering when I’ll start posting Issue 2 of my comic, it is ready to go except for a cover, hopefully I can have that done tomorrow, it’ll depend on when I get up to go for my run and what is happening around the house after that.  Hopefully in the mean time these videos are keeping you interested.

New Background and PAL-entine's Day

Well the new background is up, I decided to not draw all new things just for the background, but rather incorporate some of my more favourite pieces into the mix.  I used the same pattern in the back as over on Wisdom, Courage, Power but a different colour scheme, I think that gives a bit of continuity between the two blogs.

What do you think of the new look?

 

PAL-entine's Day

I was also sent an email about an idea for a ‘holiday’ called PAL-entine's Day!  It sounds like a great idea!  You can get a bit more information and even sign a petition from over at https://palentinesday.com/.  The whole idea is being put on by Man Crates, a very fitting promotion since they are a subscription service that will send you monthly crates of manly stuff, for you and your pals to then have and look at and use!

The idea is that unlike the completely Hallmark fabricated Valentine’s Day instead of lavishing gifts upon your significant other, you’d get to pal around with your buddies doing whatever hetero-lifemates want to do.  Frankly I would say that I do this kind of thing a few times a year.  A few of my friends and I are members of our own He-man woman haters club and Pete and I have gone to see a few comic book movies without our wives.  There are thing that guys understand together that our Valentine’s just don’t.  I’m not certain that PAL-entine’s Day is going to get any traction, but it really should, if only so that those guys that need an excuse to hang out with their friends cane actually get one!

Changes Are Coming

I meant to put up another video yesterday, but I ended up getting side tracked drawing a picture to go along with my facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/themightychrispy) and so I didn’t end up doing the commentary for the video.  It would be good to have a few questions or something to make the commentary for the videos a bit more interesting though, so please send in any questions you have and I’ll answer them. 

I’m also going to make a bit of a more interesting background for the blog here instead of just plain black.  So just hang on to your seats for a couple more hours and you’ll get some new content ASAP.

To keep your whistles wet here is the image I put up on the facebook page as the cover photo.

Drawing Catwoman

The final bit of pencils for this commission, Catwoman.  Check it out over on youtube for a larger video size.  If you have any questions or comments you can leave them on the video or down in the comments of this blog post.  I’ll be sure to answer you in the next video.

Friend Making Monday

Normally I do Friend Making Monday over on my other blog, “Wisdom, Courage, Power” which is a blog geared more towards fitness and such, but I want to try and draw some people over this way as well (see what I did there?)  Below are my answers to the questions of Friend Making Monday, but mostly with pictures! Nifty right?   Leave a comment, and be sure to browse around the site!

Drawing Poison Ivy

To go along with the video of drawing Harley Quinn, here I have added Poison Ivy to the page.  Sped up of course so that you are not watching for over twenty minutes.  If you have any questions leave them in the comments below or in the comments of the video and I’ll be sure to answer you as soon as I can! Or in the next video!

Drawing Harley Quinn

Most of the time my head is out of the way.

As promised here is me drawing Harley for that commission I posted a picture of earlier.  You can get a better view of it on youtube.  It’s about 17 minutes worth of work crunched down into under 3 minutes.  Comments and questions are very welcome!

Filler Material

I kind of like that I just had twenty-two straight days of content on the site and I have issue #2 ready to go.  I just wanted to share that I’ve lately taken a few more commissions and actually took video of my latest one which I’ll be posting up soon.  I’m really excited about the fact that I have been able to start selling some art and hopefully it will fuel my trip to the next comic-con.  Here are the inks of the commission that I did today, once the video loads up from my phone I’ll share that as well, if my head is not in the way too often that is!

Page 22 The Final Page of Issue 1

The final page of issue 1 of course sets up the next issue.  It’s a pretty abrupt ‘hey here’s another villain’. bit but it works ok I think.

Page 21

A pretty quick tilt against Firefly, and not a bad one-liner after the fact! Only one page left in this issue!

Page 20

A bit late in the day, but it’s still up, page 20!  Continuing the fight with FireFly!