quibbs126

[quibbs126]

Mkay, so somewhere on Procreate I had this sort of study of the TFA bodies I was working on

I think it was here to try and draw a stylized Megatron, since I keep wanting to give him a design, but I didn’t know what to do next, so I left it

I came back today to try out another body type, namely the slimmer body type. Blurr was my reference, but I fully admit that the body’s off, the torso’s too wide. They’re also generally a little off, but close enough

But anyways, after doing that I had the thought of “what if I used this as a base for that g2 Optimus design?”, and so I started doing that just to see if I could. And then I got what you see above and I actually kind of like it

It probably needs a bit more tweaking in proportions (I also plan to slim him down slightly, though not to the point of being thin or anything), and I did tweak some placement things, but overall I think it doesn’t look half bad

Note: so halfway through writing this I was like “wait why don’t I just try and put colors on the design too?” since I was wanting to do that anyways. So now I’m back and the second picture exists

I’m still working on what color to make the face. It’s blue here because Optimus has a blue face in TFA, but I was also considering other colors, these below being two I’ve also tried out

I think the white makes the face stand out more, but the dark grey emphasizes the eyes. It’s still up in the air

Also there’s probably some more color placement that needs tweaking, I think the black and red are a bit oddly dispersed and maybe there’s too much grey at the front, but we’re getting somewhere

But yeah overall, I think I’m liking where this design is going, and I’ve actually got something working here. So maybe this design thing’ll actually become more later? I’m not sure. I wouldn’t expect much from me this weekend since I’m working, but just for the future

We’re definitely doing better than this morning, that’s for sure

[quibbs126]

So because I was bored, I decided to take the g1 toy descriptions I found on TF Archive and write down all the roles and rank numbers of the Autobots and Decepticons. Mostly because I was curious what they all were and how everyone stacks up

I'm not sure if this is how it works, but I'll link it here if anyone's curious. It's really not much though, just bullet lists and names with their Rank number

Right now I've only done the first two waves on the site, since that's as far as I've gotten in the show itself. I can add more later though

Anyways, so I just wanted to point out a couple random observations I got from this. There's more I could point out, but I don't feel like it at the moment

First off, I feel like it's kind of annoying how some characters just get the rank of Warrior. There's 6 in the Autobots, 7 in the Decepticons, and they are:

Autobots

Cliffjumper

Windcharger

Sideswipe

Sunstreaker

Powerglide

Tracks

Decepticons

Frenzy

Skywarp

Thundercracker

Devastator

Dirge

Ramjet

Thrust

Like okay, for some of them, I get it. But I feel like with Powerglide and Tracks, they gave them this designation just because they didn't know what to do with them, so they gave them the generic Warrior role, and I think that's boring. As for the Decepticons, I'm more so annoyed that every Seeker other than Starscream merely has the rank of Warrior. Like outside of the group package characters like the Insecticons and Constructicons, these guys make up the bulk of the Decepticon faction, and they get the generic role. Nothing interesting going on with them in the workforce apparently

But speaking of the Seekers, I wanted to point out a strange anomaly in the rankings. So Starscream's listed as Air Commander in this, and is the only Seeker to have that title. Despite this, his ranking is at a mere 5, instead of a level more befitting the second in command. However, there is a Seeker with a much higher rank, and the only non-5 level Seeker, and that's Skywarp at an impressive 9. Not even Soundwave's at that level, he's at 8

I have no clue why he's so high up, but I'm given to understand these toy descriptions predate the show, or at least the characters' depictions within it, like with Skyfire being Jetfire, and Shockwave wanting to overthrow Megatron, like in the comics. So maybe he was meant to have a bigger role in the Decepticons? But also Starscream is the one listed as Air Commander, so I don't know what's going on here

Anyways, on to high rankings (aka 8-10)

So Optimus and Megatron are both listed as 10s, as they are the leaders of their factions. This is also their rank title

However, there is one other 10 in the list, that being Jetfire, oddly enough. I'm really not sure why this was the case, as his Function is simply Air Guardian, which doesn't exactly evoke high ranking. But I don't know, maybe it was changed in the show with the copyright issues

Aside from that, the other high ranking characters here are: Prowl (9), Grimlock (9), Jazz (8), Wheeljack (8), Skids (8), and Roadbuster (8) for the Autobots. And for the Decepticons, it's only Shockwave (9), Soundwave (8), and as mentioned prior, Skywarp (9)

Skids and Roadbuster haven't appeared yet in my viewings of g1, so I can't speak on those two (though I don't know why a theoretician is so high ranking, but whatever), but I definitely understand Jazz, Prowl and Wheeljack. Prowl doesn't do much in g1, but I'm given to understand he's usually one of Optimus' top bots, so I get it. Similarly, Jazz is his second in command. Then there's Wheeljack who's a bit odd, but at least in Season 1, he was the main guy inventing stuff and he had a prominent role, so okay. A bit odd Ratchet isn't higher up, but ah well

As for the Decepticons, I think we all get Soundwave and Shockwave (and we've already talked about Skywarp). Most of what I have to say on this front is that I find it interesting how few Decepticons have high rankings. There aren't that many 7s either, just Ravage and Kickback, for reasons I can't really tell. It reads to me like Megatron doesn't trust his troops enough to give them high ranks within his command, even if their roles imply they should, like Starscream being Air Commander and a 5, and then Blitzwing as Ground & Air Commander and a 6. Maybe that isn't the intended interpretation, but it's how I see it based on the info

And that's pretty much all I wanted to cover on this topic. Just thought it'd be interesting to share

[quibbs126]

I’m still thinking about an Optimus predominantly based on his g2 design, so I just want to elaborate a bit on points I made in the tags there. Granted, it’s probably not gonna be much more than what I already put

For reference (and for me to have it), here’s the look. I think I probably use this picture too often, but screw it

So like I said, in my eyes, I imagine this Optimus to be of the younger variety. My brain says the “cool” Optimus, but what it means is that he’s a pretty experienced fighter, he’d do good in battles, but he’s also not the best at leading a team. He’s more used to doing his own thing, and he doesn’t really know how to lead other people. Don’t entirely know how he became leader but whatever

His arc in this hypothetical story is basically just him learning to be a better leader, be more patient and level-headed and kind. He’s got a good heart, and he is still Optimus, he’s just more youthful and rough around the edges, and probably closer to a rebellious teenager in mindset. He evolves into the Optimus we know

He was probably also built during the war

I’m still trying to figure out what his Megatron would be like. Because I mean, presumably he’d be based on one of his g2 toys, I say this one because I don’t like the green and purple on the other one

But I see this largely purple Megatron, and it makes me think he’s Beast Wars Megatron. Because outside of the T-Rex thing, my main association for that one is being largely purple, as opposed to Megatron who’s usually grey and black, with some red or purple accents. But this g2 Megatron isn’t supposed to be that one, he’s supposed to be more like the original

My brain’s still fascinated by the idea of a Megatron built for the war for the sole purpose of “destroy Optimus Prime”, but I’m also aware I can’t use that here, since it just doesn’t fit. Or at least, not how I want it to

Let me explain; basically in the built Megatron scenario, he has to be built because Optimus shows up, and Optimus is a really powerful fighter, but he’s also a really good leader. And it’s the combination of both that gives the Autobots their new upper hand, and makes him such a threat that the Decepticons have to build something to counter him. But this Optimus, as I’ve described him, only checks off the fighter box, not so much the leader one. He needs to be both for this option to be viable

I mean maybe I could make it that this Megatron was built to replace the original that died, but then there’s the issue of who killed that original one and where that person is now, whether or not this applies to Optimus as well and they’re just derivatives of the original (granted you might have a story there), and also it’s just trying to force the idea in when it doesn’t need to be there

So I know what I don’t want to do, but I still don’t know what I do. My brain’s only telling me he sounds like BW Megs and that’s not helping

I’d also probably tweak his design more than the Optimus one. I’m not too big a fan of how his robot mode looks with the tank. I’m just not the most sure on how to tweak it, but hopefully I’ll figure it out

Any other things?

Well I have a basic idea of the setting, that being Earth with a small group of Autobots and Decepticons fighting there, but that’s like, almost every iteration. All I can say is cities are more involved? I don’t know

Also, if there are returning characters, they can’t just look like their g1 designs/are derivative of them, they have to have more differences, like these two designs here. Sort of like they’ve upgraded I want to say, but I’m not sure if that’s the right word. But they must look different

I think that’s about it. I’d like to maybe delve more into this, but I don’t know if I will. Might have to find more g2 toys, but I’m also fairly certain that most of the toys aren’t as different as these two. I’m given to understand one of the reasons g2 failed (among others) is that there wasn’t enough difference between these new toys and the originals, or at least not much outwardly noticeable. At least maybe I should find some commercials

But also I’m throwing the g2 storyline out, I’m just using the designs as inspiration

[quibbs126]

*sigh* I don’t know. I don’t even really know why I’m posting this in the first place, I don’t really like it

I’d say what it is, but you can read what’s on the tin. I thought it’d be cool if I drew that g2 Optimus design, because I think it’s cool looking and Optimus might look good in black and red, and with pink eyes

This was my reference by the way

But no, I couldn’t figure out how to make him look right. I thought maybe I could try sketching him in another style, but no, that didn’t work either. But I finished the sketch and thought it looked halfway decent, but when I went to do lineart I realized it wasn’t. But halfway through lineart I just gave up and slapped it together, slapped some colors on him, wrote some stuff on the page, I guess to fill up the black spaces I know I wasn’t gonna fill with actual drawing, and now we’re here

It’s the fucking arms I tell you. I still don’t know how they’re supposed to work, and I don’t know how to pose them either. So they look like shit. But I can’t just not have them, so they have to be there

And I don’t really know what’s happening on the shoulders either, particularly the wheels. I know I made them too small but I don’t know how to make them look how they do on the toy either

I considered trying a more stylized art style since the 3D was fucking with me, but my brain couldn’t figure out how to do that either, so I’m stuck doing the same thing over and over again, drawing in circles and wondering why I’m not getting anywhere, while simultaneously being unable to figure out what I’m doing wrong

So now we’re here. It looks bad. The shoulder pentagons are too small. The face is too tall. The colors on the face are all wrong. The arm is all off anatomy wise. I forgot to color in the black on the back despite going in and adding lines for them. The grill’s off. The chest doors don’t look like doors the open up, they look stuck to the rest of him. He barely looks 3D because I’m bad at doing this

But I got far enough, and I knew that even I start over on a new canvas, I wouldn’t want to delete it by this point, so I might as well finish it instead of having it taunt me every time I see it. So here we are, as I’ve said multiple times

I really wish I was better at drawing Transformers. I should be at this rate, it’s been a couple months. But no, I don’t know how to improve and I keep staying with the same mediocre art, because I don’t seem to like trying. I do try, but it’s not improvement, it’s just me making the same mistakes over and over again. Like with arms and the joints

Why can’t I get better? Am I just not trying? I don’t know how to try better

I have thoughts I want to share with people because I think they’re neat, and I know any thoughts I do have will only gain traction and be seen if there’s art attached, at least here on tumblr, and because I am an artist, I have to try and draw them. Especially because I’m anti-social and a cheapskate, so I can’t ask someone I know who can draw Transformers good and I won’t commission anyone for it either. I’ll only get what I want if I do it. But I’m bad at doing it

So it’s either write it out and see some people like it, but it’ll only be for the next couple days before it gets forgotten and I too forget about it, and it’ll never do as good as if I did draw it, or draw it but not as good as it needs to be, so people won’t really care about it anyways. Because my flat drawings aren’t really good anyways, just mediocre, and I write too much on my drawings and go on tangents, meaning people probably aren’t gonna reblog it with their own thoughts on anything I said either

But this is just me being greedy anyways. No one’s entitled to give me their opinions, especially when I know my thoughts are stupid anyways. I don’t really know anything about Transformers, not like other people do, I’m just some casual person who just got here and should just go back to Cookie Run at this rate, but is stupid and keeps thinking that maybe she’ll get good at this and have opinions people actually care about

And don’t go on here telling me that I shouldn’t put so much emphasis on what other people think, so long as it makes me happy. It doesn’t work like that with me. Drawing the thing’s only half the fun for me, and sometimes that varies. The real fun comes from telling people about the thing I made, and the ideas I made for it, especially when they tell me what they think of it. If I draw something and nobody sees it, and I don’t tell anyone about it, what was the point of me drawing it? Even if I enjoyed it, heck when I do, I’m even more motivated to show it to people, because I’m proud of it, or that pride comes later when I see people really do like it. These things are intrinsically tied together for me, I can’t separate them

What’s even the point of all this? I’m just complaining at this rate about basically nothing, at least nothing to do with what I drew. But I don’t like what I drew. But I made it so I have to show it, at least to get a semblance of what I was going for out there. I’d like to think maybe if it did, someone better could get what I’m going for and do it better, and I can see it better, but no one ever does. I’m not good enough for that. Maybe some people did, but not anymore, I’ve grown too big for my britches. And also we’re not in the same fandoms anymore

And I write all this, but it feels almost performative. Like I’m putting on an act of frustration and disappointment and anger and whatever other emotions I can’t quantify right now. Because this’ll still be on the post. I’m still gonna post this. I’m still gonna diligently put my tags in it like any other post. Like I’m doing this for show. I’m not, but I’m making a deal of it publicly online, aren’t I? So I must be doing this for attention

*sigh* Well I suppose it’s my own fault

I’ll probably try to attempt this again some day, maybe even later today or tomorrow (actually probably not, I work tomorrow), because I never got out what I wanted, but I can’t figure it out right now and I’m too lazy to make it any better. So take this not very good quality art that I really shouldn’t even be posting, but hey, it’s content, isn’t it?

[quibbs126]

I really gotta stop posting stuff like “this thought popped into my brain, it’d be cool if someone did this thing with Transformers, most likely with Megatron and/or Optimus”, and actually commit to something, preferably with drawings attached

But no, my brain’s too scattered and also lazy for me to do that, instead I’ll just post some random stuff that has no real substance

And then on occasion complain that about what I’m doing, but continue to do it anyways because I’m far too reliant on social media for interaction and also I’m too lazy to do anything to actually change things

[quibbs126]

I like it when artists have Optimus, when flustered, has smoke coming from his smokestacks (I butchered that sentence but you get what I’m saying)

I need something similar for other characters, most importantly Megatron since he’s usually the one I see causing Optimus to let out smoke

Best I can suggest right now is steam coming from his cannon being “overheated”, but it might just look like he’s ready to fire instead. Hmm

[quibbs126]

One time I saw a fic where the plot had Megatron I think become a Prime in Optimus’ place, and so he got renamed into Maximus Prime (or at least I think that’s the plot, I don’t think I ever got around to reading more than the description)

And now I can’t stop thinking about how good of a name that is for him actually

It’s an actual word, unlike Rodimus, and it also falls into that weird rule of mine of Latin or Greek superlative, and in Latin it means “greatest” or “biggest”, which fits him well, considering how large and powerful the guy is. And it also starts with the same letter as his original like Optimus, while not just being derivative of his old name like Rodimus

Sorry, it’s random, but Maximus Prime is a cool as hell name for Megatron as a Prime and I can’t get it out of my head. So I must share with you

[quibbs126]

I was just randomly going through those toy descriptions again, and I find the “TV calms him…stares at rock music videos for hours” bit extremely funny

Like put this in modern day, get him an iPad with YouTube and he’ll be set for life

[quibbs126]

I think it’d be funny if you had a version of Megatron and Optimus who had the whole “were once friends (or more) but fell out and hate each other and are probably now on opposite sides”

But like, not with each other. They separately both have this with some other characters. They kind of just know each other as that bastard running the other side

[quibbs126]

I started making this Tuesday and finished today

I’m not entirely sure what my intention originally was, I think I might have been attempting to draw various Ratchets. Or just g1 Ratchet, but then I realized I made him too small to just post him alone

I got myself some references for g1, I think his IDW self (they were on the same page), Cyberverse, Animated and Prime. So I might have been trying to draw all of them, but I’m not sure

But yeah, I drew g1 Ratchet, and then I decided to draw Cyberverse him, because he had a neat design

For my first attempt at the style, I don’t think it turned out horrible? Not the best though, and I especially need to work on the arm joints

Also none of them have hands because I was too lazy to give them any. So just ignore the lack of hands

Anyways, so after that (but also on Tuesday, I just finished the lineart and colors today) I think I was trying to combine features to get a Ratchet design I’d like to draw. It was mostly these two for inspiration, but there was also a bit of the IDW design I took as well. But also it’s mostly in the head, I didn’t care much about the rest of it

I don’t think I intended to use the CV eye lines, but I wanted something and just ended up doing that. Might change them later. I also gave him the big eyebrows because I thought it suited him. Grumpy old man

I gave him the antenna because I thought he’d have one. Like he needs to keep the radio on in case anyone needs his assistance (and he’s surrounded by idiots)

I gave him circles and the simple chevron because it’s just easier for me to draw and I’m lazy

I gave him the sirens from CV because I liked them. I also gave him the thing in the back because it looks like a backpack and I like that on him, I like to read it as a pack with his medical stuff, even if it probably isn’t

But on to colors, I do wish I could have more red, but admittedly there isn’t much else to put it in the little I drew. So fair enough

But also, I didn’t want to give him the red chevron. That’s like, the common chevron color, and I like how he didn’t follow that in his g1 design, being grey instead. But the grey isn’t in much else of his colors, and the red would be more consistent. And also, I like the white with red accents, it fits him as the medic. So I don’t really know how to get rid of the problem here. I guess the best solution is to change other chevrons?

I’m also debating changing his eye color from blue. I consider it with most of the Autobots (and I would the Decepticons, but I haven’t really drawn them), since they almost all have blue eyes, and I want variety. I think Ratchet can still have blue eyes, since it kind of fits, at least with the blue half of the sirens. If I were to get rid of that, maybe his eye color could change, but I’m not entirely sure what to. I know I tried yellow and red, but maybe I need to expand

But yeah, I don’t know. I finished this, wanted to share it. I really do need to get better at figuring out vehicle modes/the rest of the body. Probably need better references than the g1 cartoon

[quibbs126]

I was wondering why I wasn’t getting any notifications for my new art (like I know Tracks isn’t the most well known character, but still), then I remembered that I finished it like 8 minutes before I had to go to work, so that’s why

Well I’m on break now, so might as well write the post

So yeah, I drew Tracks this morning. Saw Auto-Bop, made me realize I think Tracks is pretty neat, and afterwards I proceeded to draw him

It’s mostly based on his g1 design (not that he has many others), though I tweaked the wings a bit to more resemble his Animated self and did my own thing with the helmet. I really wish I was able to do my own thing first try with the rest of the body, but oh well

I also tweaked some colors here and there

He originally had something more similar to a chevron, but I decided to change it and it ended up like this. It’s the wrong angle, but I think it looks good

Also I swear it looks like Knock Out’s helm, but I haven’t looked at his design to check. Tracks also having Breakdown colors and a posh sounding voice really don’t help him beat the KOBD love child allegations, even if he predates both of them (I haven’t even seen the Stunticons yet in g1). I don’t wanna relegate him to that but he does look similar

But yeah for the most part, I’m pretty proud of how he turned out. If only I could give him a proper, more modern redesign. But oh well, not at that level yet

Would be even better if Hasbro just put Tracks into more stuff. He’s a car that can fly, you can use him in stuff. And give him a human bestie like Raoul

[quibbs126]

You know, Tracks is great

He was just kind of the not-Smokescreen with a weird posh accent originally, but after Make Tracks and Auto-Bop, he’s grown on me

His friendship with Raoul is pretty fun, I’m glad he isn’t just a one-off (even if Raoul probably isn’t in much more after this. He’s at least a two-off). Also, it’s pretty cool that he can fly in car mode

It’s a shame it seems like he gets basically nothing after g1. Other than some stuff in IDW according to the Wiki, but like, IDW seems like it gave every character at least something, so I don’t know how much that counts. Yet another Autobot who didn’t deserve to get shafted after g1

Sorry there’s not much substance to this, I just think Tracks is neat and wanted to express that, I’m just bad at explaining my reasoning. He deserves more

[quibbs126]

I need more of Sunstreaker in Transformers media because I just gotta know how people translate his Lombax ears

[quibbs126]

You know I really don’t know why so many of the original Autobots were red while having a red insignia. Like that’s just gonna cause problems with putting the symbol in places

Like it’s to the point where even Optimus Prime, the leader and face of the Autobots, has this issue because his insignia is on his shoulder, which is red

I mean maybe they couldn’t change the colors of the characters, but they could change the color of the insignia or something, right?

[quibbs126]

Depiction of my current struggle

So I had to get a textbook for one of my classes, and we have a bookstore on my campus with textbooks, and I found the one I needed, new and plastic wrapped. Unfortunately the thing cost me like $82 all on its own, but whatever, I needed it

So now because I have nothing else to do today, I’m trying to read some of the passages I need to read by Thursday. And the book’s got a new book smell and it is throwing me off

I’m used to old book smells, I even take comfort in them. But I am not used to this brand new book smell, it is unknown to me and I don’t like it

Also another note, the pages are like, super thin. I guess because this is a giant book, but it means the pages are gonna be really fragile and I’m gonna have to worry about accidentally ripping them. So that’s lovely

Oh well, still gotta read it. I just felt like drawing and sharing this image because it was funny in my head

[quibbs126]

Oh no, I’m realizing I’m starting to get a bit tired of seeing TF One megop/dpax stuff

It’s not that it’s bad or anything, but I’m coming to the realization that they tend to be the same few genres of images and comics. I’m trying to figure out how specifically to word what I mean, but it’s not coming to mind at the moment. But they sort of evoke the same ideas and feelings I think

Technically you could say this is true of other varieties of megop as well, but usually when we see those, they’ve already been fighting for a long period of time, so you’ve got their current dynamic and long time of being apart to work with, as well as their origins. With TF One, the breakup just started, so the timeline and dynamic that comes with it is significantly more condensed and limited. If that makes sense

I’m also not criticizing people who make their dpax/megop stuff like this, honestly I probably would too if I drew them more. It’s kind of just a product of the movie being an origin story and the dynamics only now shifting between the two. There’s a very clear way to do content about them in this movie

It’s just that I’ve noticed this, and now it makes me a bit more disinterested in this version of megop, at least for now. Makes me want to seek out other variations a bit more

[quibbs126]

Also I feel the need to mention, in Optimus’ original toy, it talk about how Optimus is actually technically three separate beings. There’s Optimus, the guy were used to, Roller, the little scout drone, and then his combat deck/trailer (known here as Autobot Headquarters but I think it has different names elsewhere), which seems to be another autonomous drone, this one for combat. It also says here that the three all feel each other’s pain, which is interesting

But the point is, Optimus has these other parts of himself that are seemingly also alive. But outside of Roller’s occasional appearances and the occasional use of his trailer as a weapon, this little fact of his is like, never utilized elsewhere as far as I can tell

I feel like this is something we should capitalize on, whether in canon or fanon. Give Optimus his two drone guys, maybe make them their own characters in a similar vein to the Cassettes

I’m given to understand the Minimus situation in IDW was based on Ultra Magnus’ original toy being able to put on armor to become the recognizable Ultra Magnus

So why can’t we bring back this original feature of Optimus in some way?