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*whistles innocently*

Y'know, I actually really like this one. I'm moving towards/back to the simplistic more abstract stuff.. only this time, with the ability to draw it properly
*must upload some old traditional paintings sometime*

Entry for the Kick Your Own @$$ competition

My Kick Your Own @$$ entries

Old version:
Spirit of Blood
(December 2, 2007)


Tools: ArtRage 2.5, tablet
Time: Two hours

See the contest entry version for lots more talking: [link]

but relevant stuff copied below:

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Concept:Both strongly influenced by the urge to try and draw manga, and Lady Snowblood (which is my favourite manga series ever, ever, ever ). Also in red/black/white moods.

I seem to have a thing for white faces, black hair, red lips and green eyes (Yes, the old version here has green eyes, too, but they aren't very clear) such as for the Smoke and Sunlight pictures recently >.>


Also, a thank you to ~ryuuseisui, who I was sort of colouring pictures for, and started me trying to sketch my own. I believe Kanda Yuu was of some small influence (and that is definitely their fault, as I barely noticed Kanda in the only volume of D-Grayman I ever read)

Both focused on faces, and hair which becomes soaked in blood, and a lot of abstract bloodiness. Also, both are experiments in tools I don't usually use, interestingly - the left was using the airbrush; the right, the felt pen tool and all it's settings.
(I don't use the airbrush nowadays, because my canvas sizes are at minimum, twice as large, and my computer simply cannot cope with the airbrush's demands)

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Improvements and Changes

Composition! The old version is pretty much just a face and a filler background in order to call it finished, and while the background has some merit, the overall composition is dull and basically a backdrop/standard portrait shot. And the face was too small.

Canvas sizes and resolution are larger (this one was small by my standards, as it's more of 'quick sketch experiment' than 'fullscale project' (... like the Waterborn repaint I'm attempting )
This means there's a lot more detail, and I can actually do more with the picture.

Colour sense - about the same, but sort of composition related, the white spot in the dark picture didn't work very well. The new one is much more balanced.

Movement! And an actual sense of story (I hope!)
She's turning, and looking back as she turns, with a stained sleeve billowing out behind...

Drawing skill
...I hate drawing manga, because the proportions are off, which means I end up tearing my hair out trying to work out if the facial features are right. But here? I have a recognisable face (and she's meant to be all calm and serene - I did try for 'manic grin' but I figured calm was creepier in the end. It added a whole counterbalance of peace to the violence of motion.)
^{...hmmm. 'Violence of Motion' sounds like a title}

There's a whole body there, more or less - indicated by the shoulder, and posture and arm and hand... I didn't not draw it because I couldn't (as in the first) I didn't draw it because it worked better this way</b> as hidden in the background.

oh yes... HAND! Just because it's sort of abstract now, doesn't mean I didn't have to draw it!

Blood spatters! Those were experimenting with the felt pen settings (Softness and wetness), plus a little glitter tool for the drops at the end.

Ummm... I think that's it, anyone else see other improvements?
Critiques?
Critiques on improvements?

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