[Juan-Philipo]

Ok, so even though I'm done with these pictures, and they usually dont go furhter than this, I decided to post it here instead of the Gallery board, since they are so bad compared to yours!
Anyway, comments on these would be quite nice
http://www.hyperjump.net/natalieboard/art/leon.jpg http://www.hyperjump.net/natalieboard/art/yahiko.jpg http://www.hyperjump.net/natalieboard/art/kenji.jpg http://www.hyperjump.net/natalieboard/art/kenshin2.jpg

Hope you can say some things (without flaming, I'm just starting out here) to help me get better with my future drawings.

[Usagi Yojimbo]

youre sketches are pretty good

what you should try and do is pay attention to the detail you're puting into your drawings. in the kenji drawing for instance youve put alot of detail in the rocks beside the path but they dont look quite right because you placed a big rock with a smaller rock under it over and over, it doesnt look natural, same thing with the trees.

basically all you need to do (and you probably know this already) is practice and be very critical of what you make.

[cptoonz]

Hi, Juan-Philipo

I agree with Usagi...that is good advice no matter how good you get! Are you using any reference material or figure drawing books? They really can help immensely. There alot of good books out there that break things down for you in a procedure like fashion. I would also encourage (and I don't do this enough, myself) you to draw from life whenever you can (trees, cars, buildings, people, etc). At times drawing from other artists work as reference is OK, but one should not make a habit of it, because you should develope your own style! I think you do have your own style, and show a lot of potential (particularly if you have just started) to develope far from where you are now. Your pictures are also complete, with full background and concept established. It is clear that you put thought and effort into your compositions. I like your drawings, and I hope that I provided some helpful advice! These are just my opinions, and there maybe artists far better than I that can add to (or refute) what I wrote here. Keep it up!

[Juan-Philipo]

Thank you both for your positive statements
I have used refference, and I did a little bit in the "Leon" one, since I was watching the movie The Professional, while drawing it, and the drawing is supposed to be the main character. Otherwise I do use refference now and then, but usually I make the drawings during different boring classes in college or that, so I dont really have anything to go with except my imagination.
Usually when I use refference I end up spending several hours with the drawing, but of course it also ends up looking somewhat more realistic than these do.
Well, I'm 17 (though soon 18), and I've pretty much been drawing for fun my entire life, but it havent been until I was around 14 or 15 that I started using refference from comics, which really started me going, and I've made much improvement since then, and also draw more. However, my website or graphical design urge, usually makes sure I dont have the time to draw as much as I sometimes would like.
Oh and on the books thing, I do have a few... Mostly about comics drawing though, since that is what I find interesting. The book How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way helped me very much, especially with the face of people.

[Mharett]

yeah i picked up a copy of how to draw comics the marvel way a while back and it was pretty good.

i know for sure that i will get flames for this, but look through some of burne hogarths stuff to see if you like his style. most of his drawings are wrong in terms of what alot of the muscles look like, and a million other things people have said about his stuff, but i picked up a few of his books and they helped me quite a bit. i didnt learn alot about exactly what muscle goes where, but it helped me group muscles into shapes and allowed me to see how they acted depending on pose(though they are exagerated(sp). be careful with this one, though, as it can do harm as well as good.

the atlas of anatomy for artists by peck is also very helpful, though it may be a bit further from what youre interested in doing. he looks at his subjusts with anatomy more in mind.

as for the pics, good job with em... on another note, i also think its great that you do backgrounds with your pics. dont ever ever stop. i never really did backgrounds and im paying for it now.

hope its helpful
mhar

[Juan-Philipo]

Thanks... well right now I'm chilling with the books, since I've come to the conclusion that I never get around to reading everything in all of them (plsu they are in english, and I'm danish. And even though I pride myself of speaking english very well, some terms can be hard for me to understand in the books that go farther in with anatomy and such).
Oh and on the background, heh, well those are some of my latest pictures. Its only recently I started doing backgrounds, actually I can't stand making them. Hardest part of it all, heh, but I felt my images needed something more, and felt empty without a background.

[Makaveli]

Im useless also when it comes to including backgrounds. I do however agree as to the usefulness of the "how to draw comics the marvel way".

I like your images, and im not good enough myself to give decent crits, i just thought id post as i also am turning 18 soon, and have been drawing as long as you.

Mak