#it was kinda a challenge drawing the background and objects and whatever but I think I did an ok job :)

[cosmo-shell]

So I rewatched doomed yuri the movie a few days ago 😁😁

Og frame

[pioneeroverc-my-5000th-sideblog]

plan from July:

-Drawabox lessons 4-5 (two weeks each - 2 pages of insects per day) ✗ finished lesson 4 except for the very last insect drawing

-finish 100 heads ✓

-studies for Shepard: textures, hands, draw mass relay, red/blue lighting ✓ (kinda - mostly focussed on hands though)

-study people interacting with everyday objects (hands) ✓

ACTIONABLES: use more references✓, plan out multiple light sources better✓, clean up lineart✗, reference faces/necks/hands in particular✓, figure out a less cartoony way of drawing eyebrows✗, try to define edges on faces more when painting✓, keep going with composition✗, try to do background in two sittings (?), study textures more (ongoing)✓, more figure drawing mannequinising stuff✓

Overview of August:

finished 100 heads challenge, nearly finished lesson 4 of DAB. Drawing all the insects has helped me analyse stuff better and also has improved my sense of 3D->2D space. Redid a few of them until they made more sense, which I think is probably a very important thing to keep doing at this stage of development.

Figure drawing improving. Need to keep trying to mannequinise them instead of falling back on ~the intuitive way~. Path of great resistance but great reward. Gave self permission to focus on interesting bits and not worry about finishing each figure. Thinking about 3D and hip/torso orientation is helping my unreferenced sketches too, which is nice.

Drew a bunch of hands but they were kinda too sketchy to actually help go to something more precise. Quality of hands in my finished art varied WILDLY this month, although they mostly look 'ok'.

Put the stuff I learned about head structure into practice with a painting - was good to actually try out defining nose/eye/lip planes. Need to keep practicing this, though, and not sure how much focus I'll be able to give it. aaaaa

During the painting, I also used lots of references (although my ability to use the information was pretty limited), tried to represent texture and learned how to blend in a more smooth way. Even though I'm not super happy with the way the finished thing turned out, I did get presented with a lot of new information - hopefully I'll retain some of that.

September plan:

finish DAB Lesson 5 (multiple pages per day if possible so I don't lose momentum)

study whatever the next step in the Radiorunner curriculum is

do 30min figure drawing/other studies at least 15/30 days

finish that damn comic

sketch out/thumbnail every prompt fill for October prompt lists

probably a busy month, but I got this!!

notes and improvements from finished stuff:

orochimaru: hands SUPER off and ended up being 'eh, kinda looks like a hand, whatever', forearm connection is kinda fucked, lines too messy/pointy to look graceful, hands don't really look like they're interacting enough

good points: tried several iterations on a difficult pose, arm movement is relatively clear, sense of energy

kylo: values WAY off & look washed out (I THINK because the background has more contrast??), hand is completely fucked up (too wide and lighting doesn't make sense on it), glove doesn't look like leather, mouth too low, cutout effect isn't done well (+ it isn't obvious whether it is a flat graphic effect or a physical sheet in front of him - drawing a thin shadow on his face didn't help here), level of messiness in foreground/background and kylo is uncomfortably different

good points: I really do like the colours (hues) even though the values are messed up, nice sense of energy from brushstrokes, the detail fadeoff in the shadows looks intentional (I mean, it was)

femshep: shadow values went too dark too quickly bc I wasn't sure how to handle multiple light sources, sunk-cost fallacy w/ left eye and/or nose (facial features are in different perspectives), overall shapes not interesting, neck connection to body is wrong, near shoulder looks dislocated even though I took a photo reference (possibly related to the neck being wrong - or maybe the strap going across her chest is oriented wrong too & flattened out), background looks messy, composition is boring, clothing folds aren't realistic, shading is too soft

good points: at least there IS some texture to everything, I LEARNED HOW TO BLEND, facial features are overall painted pretty well, nice transition between lightsources on face, hair texture and placement of texture looks really good, somehow the hand came out looking 3D with minimal effort, tried to do a lot of things I had 0 experience with and learned a lot

ACTIONABLES: CLEAN UP LINEART, reference/learn about neck-body connection & shoulders, mannequinise figures, take own clothing reference photos for exact pose instead of trying to abstract existing images (not skilled enough to do this yet), draw hands, study leather texture in particular (since it's a common material), start drawing in greyscale again

[garamondemagazine]

Artist Profile: Avia Rose Ramm

In May of 2019, Avia Rose Ramm held her first solo show at Weird Hues Gallery in Chula Vista, CA. The show was filled with emotion and captivated the audience viewing. You could sense the powerful energy encapsulated in her work that touches on the relationship between religion, vulnerability and sexuality through symbolism. Her style draws inspiration from the Baroque and Rennaissance periods, with a contemporary context. I wanted to delve deeper behind her work.

Garamonde Magazine: What is your background, and a little about yourself?Avia Rose Ramm: I was born in San Diego, went to a Christian school for most of my life, I had 8 rescued dogs growing up, and my name comes from aviation because my parents fly planes. I’m also 5”1 since apparently, people think I’m taller?

GM: Your artwork surrounds the topic of personal experience. How did you mesh your experiences into your artwork, and was that a challenge for you?

ARR: I don’t know how to summarize this because I’m not that good with words, but in a nutshell, I just paint how I feel and what I see in my head. Unfortunately, growing up I never had a safe person to talk about my feelings and my parents don’t believe in therapy. And lately, I just don’t like to talk to my friends about that stuff. When you don’t talk about your feelings it builds up in your head, so these paintings are that release for me. I don’t know how to write them down so the images just make sense. It’s kind of natural at this point for me to kind of mesh these together. It has gotten easier for me to talk about my feelings and personal experience, but I think I prefer to just stick to the painting. Paint doesn’t judge you or try to give you advice when you just want to be heard. Paint doesn’t invalidate you or tell you to get over it. Paint doesn’t pretend to listen to your feelings for a fuck afterward.

GM: What do you draw inspiration from the most?

ARR: My biggest inspiration is the Baroque art period. Baroque was a rejection of the earlier Renaissance artwork. Artists like Caravaggio « kept it real», and didn’t idealize as much. I want to do that with my work. Personally, I do not resonate with art about depression n suicide that’s colorful and flowery. Just as how Caravaggio did not idealize the virgin mary’s death, it was sad and dark. Thinking about killing yourself every day isn’t all too bright and I want to show that, it’s something I don’t want to idealize for a viewer. Sheep too. Random photos I come across of sheep, ones dead on the floor and the flock just looking at them, for example, is something I oddly resonate with. Did you know there are like over 100 breeds of them?? And that in New Zealand sheep outnumber humans? The texture of them is so fun to paint too. Lambs have been a symbol for the catholic church and for innocence. When I paint them dead and gutted I guess its symbolic for my rejection of the church and my loss of innocence growing up. Sometimes I miss the comfort of religion, and I miss being young and not knowing what being sad was.


GM: What emotions do you want the viewer of your artwork to feel?

ARR: Whatever they want. I say first thought best thought. Whether they are weirded out or feel something that’s all valid. I do say if a viewer doesn’t understand they should ask questions and start a conversation. I have had people come up to me and say that they understand it and that they see themselves in it. I really appreciate when people come up and tell me that because it takes a lot of courage to say you’re are going through the same thing. I feel alone a lot, if people feel less alone by looking at my work it kinda gives me a greater purpose to keep painting I suppose.

GM: What is your process when making work?

ARR: It usually starts with me seeing a piece of artwork I like, or randomly, an unusual picture of an animal, and recreating it in my own style. And I always paint something that’s going on in my head or life, to cope. Oil paint is a process, you can not do it in one day. So from there, it’s a matter of me doing a layer a day until I just think it’s done. Usually, I stop when I have let enough of myself out onto it if that makes sense. No need to overwork something or overthink it in my head when I have essentially moved passed it mentally.

GM: Each painting has such attention to detail and texture. What materials do you work with?

ARR: Oil paint is my true love. The science and mediums that go into it are incredible. My favorite mediums to use with it are Gamsol and Galkyd. I also use dirt, I think it makes the painting fun to look at and sometimes I want people to touch it because dirt under oil paint feels so unique. I also like to use it as a separate thing to represent the pain that I have in my stomach, head, heart, and vagina, spearing it over those body parts and painting over it—it looks rugged. I encourage other painters to do the same, use a texture from nature or objects you have as I think some painting texture mediums are overpriced and a joke. It’s a lot of patience though. I would say the minimum it takes to finish an oil painting with layers and glazing is three days. I think that’s a good thing though, I am an impatient person, and this has taught me to be more patient or work on multiple projects at once. You never get the same richness or presence in acrylic as you do with oil.

GM: Do you have any current or upcoming projects/works?

ARR: In the spring I have a couple shows planned up at some local and amazing galleries that I haven’t even started making pieces for but I know it’ll come together haha I’m looking forward to them! I know I talked about being said a lot here but having something to work towards has made me super hopeful and excited.

GM: If you could tell the world one thing, what would it be?

ARR: Be okay with embarrassment, don’t overthink that awkward conversation and be comfortable with silence among strangers, friends, and yourself.

You can view more of Avia’s work on

https://www.aviaroseramm.com/

or on Instagram at

https://www.instagram.com/piggish666/?hl=en

[dragon-hall]

OCemptember Challenge 2019

A/N: I’ve never...talked or released any information about my OCs since forever. This will be the first time I’m posting about them. Bear with me because some info maybe vague or kinda mary sue sounding if that is even the term...

1. Favorite OC(s)  8. Initial designs 10. Obscure facts

It started when I was young(er than today) when Magic Knight Rayearth and Vision of Escaflowne got TV slots in the local channels. I had a penchant for drawing my very own characters out of those animes because they are so lovely and awesome. There was one recurring character that I noticed I kept drawing then, figured I want to draw more of her and she kinda developed as years go by.

Luna Sakura Emerald is my very first and my most favorite OC. Initially named after the protagonist of Cardcaptor Sakura and a minor character Gundam SEED Destiny, Luna has been my anime alter ego ever since I learned about OCs. She is, for the lack of better terms, my baby anime daughter. She is mysterious but outgoing, friendly but slightly withdrawn with her thoughts, intuitive but cautious. She reflects the best and the worst in her creator more than the creator realized (ugh). She stars on every AU and she even got her own timeline and history, even traumatic events in her life.

In her description, I made her a brunette, long dark rich chocolate brown hair with bangs. It is hands down my favorite hair dye. I would have kept the middle split bangs like what they had in Sailor Moon fashion but it is easier to sketch without the split so no split. Then, her eyes are almond-shaped and (exactly) shamrock green in color. Initially, it was emerald because that was the name of the color pencil and it was the reason why her surname became Emerald (and because I love green). She is young-looking. Definitely, young-looking. Her age is pretty much about 20-22 but I’m not sure which one it is exactly. Of all the things undecided, it had to be THEIR ages. She has a perpetual neutral face as her default. No one knows what she is thinking on this one but her second default expression is her chill smiling face. She does this when she observes her friends or she is just happy to be around them. Just - do. not. get. her. mad. She is a ticking time bomb when someone hurts her family and you don’t want to die yet, do you? She knows how to fight, btw, but this is an obscure fact as well due to the story and her world as it is.

Every expansion in my OC world is based around her. It is better to link my OCs back to her in order for them not to get lost somewhere in my head. Like the next one:

Andrew Lionel Emerald was supposed to fade in the background while Luna was still undergoing descriptive construction. He is not even the second or third OC I’ve made. But, I realized Luna needs a male companion around her and so, Andrew stayed as her elder brother (HALF-brother). He is her constant shadow, watching her every step and guiding her through her endeavors. He and Luna bicker most of the time, throwing jabs at each other or pointing sharp objects in each other’s directions but they are very close as siblings can get. She is the reason why he excels in what he does and dedicates himself in protecting her even from afar. Honestly, the half-brother thing stems from Flame of Recca where Recca and Kurei are half-brothers and Kurei followed Recca to another timeline to kill him. Contrary to that though, Andrew has nothing but brotherly protectiveness and affection towards his younger half-sister.

He is not exactly a favorite OC at first but then... well, he grew.

Andrew is described to have short raven hair which he puts in a tasteful coif towards his right side. He has blue eyes - AT THIS MOMENT. At first, he was supposed to have brown eyes because he is always at the shadows, WORKING in the shadows so he should not have any more striking appearances whatsoever. But then, there seems to be a boom in the anime industry where black-haired blue-eyed protagonists are becoming popular so now he has blue eyes and not because the creator loves a certain freestyle swimmer from that swimming anime. He is quiet and broody to most people especially to those who are new around him who also thinks he is easy to displease. To those who are close to him and who know him well enough, Andrew is playful and affectionate. He is studious and smart (he has his own library as his workspace), always seeking answers to questions and leaving no rocks unturned until he finds it. He is competitive towards his half-sister, Luna, and they always challenge each other to fights or simple menial tasks. He is also secretive but on a whole new level but it is all for the benefit of others and his family.

Nero Gareth, a minor OC of mine who suddenly sprouted a background story! His first name is supposed to be Garett but, after watching 91 Days, I thought Nero is actually a nice name despite having a tyrant in catholic history sharing it. It is also the online name of my favorite roleplayer back when I was still roleplaying Katekyo Hitman Reborn so as a tribute to her and our memories, Nero became Nero. He does not have anything to tie himself personally to Luna, all except for the fact that he is her best friend’s lover/husband. How did that happen? I have no idea. Apparently, my OCs are keeping secrets from me.

Nero’s growth came just recently where he suddenly developed vivid descriptions and a more solid background story. Or MAYBE because I suddenly dipped my toe in the Fate/Stay series that he grew like that.

Nero is... the eldest in their band of merry OCs. A professional doctor whether he has magic or not. It is a tribute to my very own job and someone needs to patch up people when they get into trouble. He is a blond guy with smooth hair down his shoulders that he ties to a ponytail most of the time and with brown droopy eyes. He looks soft but mature and aesthetically pleasing. He likes scarves and he loves his candy (honey lemon-flavored). He also likes to switch up his glasses just for fashion’s sake (he is near-sighted due to prolonged studying, a trait he shares with Andrew) and it drives his wife crazy (”It’s ridiculous! Just pick ONE style!” She says while blushing to the tips of her ears.). Nero likes fun (usually dangerous) things but he remembers that he is the mature one so he knows how to moderate himself and those around him. His background story is...weird. He is the bastard son from a prestigious family, said family adopted him either way but it does not change the fact. Nero is fine with that so as long as they give him what he needs for his education. He has a younger half-brother, the real heir to the family, who developed a certain unhealthy relationship with him. Whatever it is, I’m not yet comfortable describing that tidbit so it is an obscure fact for Nero. In the end, he left his family and made a living on his own, his wife being the sole factor for his decisions.

---

For now, this is my top 3 favorite OCs, arranged in order of appearance/development. There are more, namely 10 or so more minor and underdeveloped OCs.