How to ink group run through FINALE! Yay!

[braden H]

Hi guys! This is where some of us were working through How To Ink 2.0 in the weeks running up to Inktober! This is the final stretch!

If you wanna take a look at all the awesome progress everyone made, feel free to check out week one here: https://forum.svslearn.com/topic/7905/how-to-ink-2-0-group-runthrough-week-1/123

This week is Jake givin' us a rundown on his process, sketch to final inks, and I had a MINDBLOWING revelation. See later post for what it is

Watch:

'Four stages of drawing' and 'wrap up'. 'Bout 40 minutes total, so not bad at all.

Homework:

-ACTUALLY WATCH THE VIDEOS. Sometimes it's tempting to skip over the 'watch me draw this thing' videos, but they are the most informative!

-Post one thing you learned while working through this course. It can be something specific from the videos, it can be something more general, really whatever you want, but I wanna know what you learned

See this extra special homework? Last person standing gets to do it. Aaaaaaaaaand FIGHT!

-In the wrap-up video Jake invites course-goers to ink one of the drawing pack images, post it online and tag him. I'm sure one of your own images would work just fine, too

Thanks everyone for workin' through this with me I learn so much from doing the courses this way.

I'm gonna make another post for any before/after images people want to post in the next few days.

[braden H]

Okeedokee, my mind-blowing revelation from watching the 4 stages of drawing videos is something that everyone's probably gonna tilt their heads to the side at and go 'well DUH'.

If I look at one of Jake's drawings, there's a whole bunch of lines that I THINK are implying light and value, and ONLY light and value.

However, while Jake's inking, as he's drawing those lines that I think are there solely to imply a light source and for no other reason, Jake says 'and here's some texture'.

HERE'S SOME @*&^%ING TEXTURE.

What I thought was just shading from light, Mr. Parker was thinking of texture. And while implying texture IS based on a light source, this kinda shifts things around inking priority-wise in my brain if you get what I mean.

Mind blowing for me, routine for others, lol.

Hope that makes sense. If anyone's confused as to what the heck I'm talking about, lemme know and I'll post a picture of what I mean

[Susan Marks]

@Braden-Hallett I think I know what you mean. Not all lines and textures are creating light and shadow. They have other work to do. Like show form. That was a key learning for me in last week's lesson.

If I got it--great. If not, yes please a picture.

I'll post images tomorrow-and my sum up. Between prepping for the big event starting on tuesday...

[ArtofAleksey]

Yeah I realized this after watching Will Terrys painting textures videos. Although i never finished the homeworks. You cant have textures without shadows. I keep trying to capture that when im inking but i keep failing. Ill get it eventually.

[braden H]

@Susan-Marks I may post a picture, yiss I think it's more that in my head I had the list of priorities all wrong. I would do contour, form and then start shading leaving no room for texture. When I should have been adding texture, and then polishing with a little bit of shading. What I thought was only shading was actually texture all along.

@Aleksey said in How to ink group run through FINALE! Yay!:

You cant have textures without shadows

Is true! But I think I need to think of that less, if you get what I mean. Right now I'm adding shadows to add shadows, when I should be adding shadows to add texture. It's... weird. But I think things have straightened out in my brain now

[burvantill]

I feel the same as @Aleksey . I am fumbling on the textures and the shadows. i think that I have gotten better, but i need way more practice. Which will be inktober. LOL.
I have to say, coming back after 5 days of not seeing everyones work everyday, and then seeing the last lessons results, I think that EVERYONE has improved dramatically. You all should be proud of yourselves. I know that it is common for artists to be hard on themselves, but you all are doing just fine.

[ArtofAleksey]

@burvantill i also sometimes forget that its a good idea to pull up a reference or 2. Like i was having trouble drawing soft pillows but once i pulled up a reference it became so easy.

[demotlj]

I think the most important thing I have learned from this course is to think before I put even the first line on the paper, especially if I am doing traditional ink. Every line can do so much that I really need to have the contours, texture, tone, and shading in my head (or penciled out) before I start to ink. Which is why the second most important thing I learned was about Tombow correction tape in Jake's list of materials!

[Susan Marks]

@Braden-Hallett I learned more specific strategies for inking in this 2.0 go-round. I think the thing that stood out to me is how to create form with contour lines and hatching along the edges.

I've tried to come up with a list and even a hierarchy or what is the job of a line.
See what you think:

1. Create the exterior shape
   a) remember if the shape is textured, use textured lines for those exterior lines

2. Create form and volume by using cross-contour lines to wrap around the shape

3. Thick lines: bring forward; for things that overlap shapes;

4. Thin lines: define an edge; inside a shape; to make objects recede in space; shapes underneath

5. Establish local value

6. Add light and shadow after local value is established (altho if you want to show "light"--you need to consider this before you lay down that local value)

7. Texture: lines to create texture can outline the shape; emphasize form by changing the size/shape of the texture; create shadow

I have an idea to take one of Jake's drawings in the pack--and try to go thru it planning the lines with the above list in mind.

[Susan Marks]

Here's my inking from the last class. Note: I drew along with Jake as he created his dragon. My anatomy is an opportunity--but I am pleased with the inking.

[Erin.Cortese]

@demotlj I feel the same way! I have learned so much, but the most important lesson for me has been to think through a drawing completely before laying down ink. I think process is going to be important for me in the future - identify my highlights, shadows, and textures, and lay them down one at a time.

I lost a lot of time being sick for the past few days, so my final exercise for this class will be Inktober

[braden H]

Sounds like everyone learned a lot (certainly some stuff I hadn't thought of )

I'll have to get a comparison thread going to showcase some before and afters

[chrisaakins]

@Braden-Hallett I think I learned that if I slow down and plan for my values and shapes, then the lines can sing. I also learned that people actually like my line art and that that is a strength for me. I also learned that I really need to work on color and creating digital art.
I also learned that the Marmot people hate it when you say I also learned six times and will beat you with heated blankets loaded with rotten mushrooms if you do.

[Coley]

I didn't really have the time to do all the homework on this course but seeing as I was starting from pretty much zero inking experience I learned a lot lol. I think I had thought of inking as more of a line thing. But I learned how to do gradients and that was pretty cool Also how to do different textures. Also how the shape of a line can change the shape on the interior of the object, eg if I draw a cube but I make wavy lines inside of it, the cube looks skewed or wavy.......kinda blew my mind lol.
I like the idea of inking something from the drawing pack and posting online and tagging Jake, I might do that. I had done tacobot as practice but think I put it with recycling a few days ago when I was clearing up stuff rats! maybe it's still there!