If you check out photos of dark colored fish, you will notice that they still have specular highlights that are almost white. And so for practice, you should have a full range of tone, from almost black behind and under the fins (occluded areas) to almost white, in bits on the upper surface, even on the tail things.

This is the color theme I want to achieve. (+ the burning red standing out but cannot find the initial betta pic I saw with red too)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YqD-NP9JWg...pics+4+045.jpg
I'll try but I don't know how it will end up, as the character doesn't have a glossy skin but rather a matte one. Kind of like a lizard / salamander.

Well that's not really a good reference photo... there's hardly any light on the fish. I honestly can't see any color. This may be too glossy, but I did this in just a couple minutes. You still get the dark color feeling, but there's light and shadow on it too. Even matte surfaces can have some kind of specular, it's just wider and more diffuse.

Well yeah that diffuse specular is what I'm after. Like light fading onto the surface because the surface is so dark that it will absorb most of the light.
Kind of like velvet.
http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j0...Lkn/Velvet.jpg
^ This is the material I want to make its skin look like.

Trying out a new clutch pencil and the doodle kind of got carried away, but I now have a plan to make this into a full piece, so when I get further on with it I'll post the progress.

Nice Dango...thats exactly what I used to draw as a kid by the gazillion....nice shading

cheers bullet

That looks good

Thata is'a very nice sketch Dango!

Thanks people!
Glad you like, am about to move onto the second item in the image, so hopefully I won't ruin it! Haha
Also, not sure if I should add the jaw onto him or not, any opinions?

*Edit* Added the jaw in the end, this looks far darker than in the sketchbook, should stop messing with it in Photoshop so much...lol

Here's another character concept I'm working on for another project

aaah, Perfecto, that's adorable!

Really cute concept. Kinda like Peanuts meets the Power Puff Girls :)

Nice Dango I like it with the lower jaw, Perfecto lovin the concept, what are you going to do with it?

Here is a concept I put together while I was at work one day. Still plan on doing some work, just trying to decide how I want to go about it...I am trying to get the main features to look like they are on top yet transparent so you can see what is happening with the "energy" flowing the the skull and out of the brain.

Have you ever wonder how come some people can draw something so well while others can't. It's not because of talent, it's because most people are doing it wrong. Many people draw what they think they see, instead of what they see - get it? lol, but it's all about the way you look at your object, here's an example of amateurs drawing the same thing using the 'normal' method and the 'secret' one:
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4112/5...69810784_o.jpg

It's based on a book 'Drawing on the right side of brain'.. as the titles hints, most people draw using left hemisphere (imagination) instead of right (reality).. but here's a better explanation and example:
http://www.seedsofgrowth.com/have-yo...it-upside-down

..just thought I'd share. This is mainly for drawing what's in front of you, but also if you use photos for references etc.

@nov2011 ... Yes, I have that book also. It's a bloody good read and quite an eye opener. (I still can't draw though ... mainly because of lack of practice though I reckon).

[QUOTE=Ozgalis;335770] Perfecto lovin the concept, what are you going to do with it?
QUOTE]

I've been working on children's books mostly. Some are 2d artwork, some are 3d, and some are a mixure of 2d and 3d.

Hi all,

Been a while since I've been on here, hope everyone is well!
Nowt in the way of 3d to show (although I am working on a few bits at the moment, just nothing finished that I can show), I've been very busy being creative in other ways too though, a bit of web design for a friend, writing my graphic novel and, sketching loads.
Here's one that I did this morning, just a shadow study but he turned ou looking a little scary so I was quite pleased with it.

Yeh nov I have that actual book...had it for years. The upside down take was amazing!!!! also the negative space sketching was very interesting...I actully have to force myself to do that one. A must for any budding sketcher....nice Dango...not bad at all mate.

cheers bullet

P.S Mark...anyone can draw if they follow the book....you will be suprised what you are capable of!

Wow I am suprised and happy to know that this little trick actually works. I read the article and was a bit skeptic at first so I decided I would have to put it to the test. My entire approach to drawing the image changed drastically. I think most people would agree that the hardest parts of drawing a person are their hands and facial features but by using this method it was like they where no different than any other part of the body. Quite Amazing Thanks for sharing the link Nov2011 :D

@ nov2011, thats a great trick to help people draw portraits and stuff more accurate!

I have always been a natural at drawing, but I did ( as much as I hated it ) studied basic shapes (squares, circles, cones ect.. ) and translated them to paper. I drew alot of apples, grapes and oranges, and other basic stuff to. I also learned how to shade them to create detail, depth, and shadow. After that I graduated to more complex shapes, like guns, shoes, and then finally portraits. learning basic shapes does help alot, and once you have learned them, you wont need to turn that picture upside down to trick your brain.

Something a little orgasmic for you all, warning you may cry as these speed paintings are so damn good!!

http://sketchpat.blogspot.co.uk/

Edit: heres the quote from Facebook:

FRIEND'S WORK: Buddy Patrick Faulwetter shocks us with another killer live speed painting. The infamous yellow Veyron of Bijan on Rodeo Drive. You've all taken pictures of it, but Patrick just paints it right there plain air with a laptop better then any camera will ever expose.
We all can't even sketch such spot on proportions.

Jay

Thanks Jay, I cried, sobbed and smashed my head on the desk, wish I was that good.

cheers bullet

I feel your pain....my head is still spinning too

Jay

Are you sure thats not really your work and using an alias name to trick us?

Here's my 2d effort, actually did it a while back. But there you go.
Invading squid aliens. Original I know!!!! :)

http://www.thegraphicsengine.com/ima...rame_small.jpg

Full size image

LOL cool squid man...I dig it

cheers bullet

Awesome Sqidalien dude. What did you use to render that?

It'll be a while till my skill set is advanced enough for this, but I want to do this guy on a flickering vintage TV set.

I really like it, lovely character, Strong bold, gestural lines. Very nice.

Thanks so much MrJackson. That compliment really meant allot. I worked to death on this piece.

Best from across the pond...

TC

He look really great...good work! It sounds like you are like me, you have the ideas but got to wait till the knowledge/skill catches up! frustrating or what!!! lol :D

Nice work Travis. The pose and the cigarette really capture the image and essence of how I recall Mr. Serling.

Thanks Bram. Means allot again.

especially coming from a Mod. Yeah, about 90% of the work that went into this piece was Rod's body language. I really appreciate the tip of the hat man. Leaving my identity as a 2d industry guy to take on 3d is a pretty large tastk. But really, there's just nothing like it. Wish I would have had this technology 20 years ago when I was a young guy. lol.

So I'm devoting every waking hour outside my day job to it. Maya...live it...breathe it...eat it...sleep it.

Cheers man.

Your 2D skill is already advanced enough in my opinion. Have anything else to show?

Thankx THX. 25 years in that business. Appreciated.

Here are some pulls from my portfolio. Most are projects I have at various stages of pre-production. A couple of contracted gigs (t-shirt design concept).

Kit N' Claws will start production (2d-indie) next year for their 2015 Holiday special. Just finished their script after 2 years.

Cheers pal...

that is fantastic work

Thanks Bram. Seriously. very kind of you.

I want to model most of this stuff eventually.

I'm really biting the bit to start working on some of my girls. I may start in a couple of weeks. looking at some female and cartoon female modeling tuts at the moment. Not much out there at the moment but BunnyBox just started a very good human one that is a only few days old I'm monitoring.

I think that combined with the Joan of Arc tut will set me up to really give it a go, and I think my skill set by this time next month, at my current pace which is putting 10 hours a day in every night after work) will be sufficient to start that experiment, on top of my year long horror scene project.

Thanks for the comments man.

TC

Awesome concepts Travis! Looking forward to see how they develop as CG models!

I do mostly portrait work, some of which I have posted here in the past, but no here really seems to be interested all that much in 2D, so I stopped showing any new stuff. There was talk about making a 2d forum here at SM but nothing ever came of it.

Here's part of an old color sketch of Katy Perry I did a few years ago. I most likely wont ever post the final here at SM. There is just no interest here in the kind of 2D work that I do.

You, kind sir, have the eye and skill I have sought all my working years as an artist. God, I've always wanted to do that sort of technique. Links please.

Gorgeous. And the only thing better than Katy Perry is Katy Perry in depictions you probably would never post on SM. So don't worry, I can't be offended. I'm too used to being the offenDER;)

Would really love to see your work. PM me if you feel it's a better option.

Wow really great body of work. Very expressive forms. Top notch stuff.