How To Make An Avatar "looking Good"

[Espartano]

1-First of all get married with a woman who loves to criticize you.
2-Imagine what kind of character will represents.
3-Sketch drawing.(check the attached image)
4-Note the ratio 100x160 to make the most use of space.
5-use the techniques described in http://magicduel.invisionzone.com/forum/54-md-artworks-former-artisans-guild/ so it has alpha transparency.
6-When everything was ready, show the avy to your wife and hear such a response:
"What the f**k is this? What design horrible!"
7-Be angry (not with wife) but with himself for having made a mess and seek inspiration.
8-Make several new designs to improve the physical appearance of each character, bring, equipment and face.
If overcome, do not rush and whimsy in the details.
9-Remake the avy and again show to his wife (the best work of his life) and get an answer like this:
"...... It was ... good! "

Edited November 22, 2010 by Espartano

[Amoran Kalamanira Kol]

I feel your pain! One thing I've learned not to do, is show someone your artwork BEFORE it's finished! You end up with all kinds of comments.

The end result looks good!

[Ravenstrider]

The problem with me is: I can't really draw... I mean, I can (poorly), but I can't visualize something and then draw it... it comes down to me drawing lines until I see a shape I like then going from that... And then my friend comes around and goes: "What is that? Is that a space monkey?" And I rip the paper in shreds... and eat it... without chewing...

*sighs* I need some art-education...

[Amoran Kalamanira Kol]

Art education isn't the answer in this case. Try meditation and looking at amazing photography for a month.

I don't think you can really be 'educated' in art.. I think it's just something that some people slowly learn how to do, while trying to make the images in their heads real. Sometimes it's not even an image in their head, sometimes it's just drawing and whatever comes out on paper, comes out on paper.

Most of the time what I draw isn't intended either, it just turns into what it turns into and I play and poke at it until I feel that it's finished, which most of the time the art isn't.

[Espartano]

[quote name='Ravenstrider' timestamp='1290482277' post='72840']
*sighs* I need some art-education...
[/quote]
You can see that all children enjoy drawing, they draw all very similar,
when they start aging some stop drawing, and others keep sketching, when
time passes some develop good skills ...
I think that drawing is like a workout, you should train your hands and your
mind ...
A teacher can teach techniques, but can not teach him to have talent that is developed with time and training.

[Prince Marvolo]

I'm at art school, and there I learned to see things how I normally shouldn't see things.
Bit it is true that teachers can only teach art techniques.

If something doesn't work well, lay it down and start something else
I have a dozen of unfinished paintings in my room, but I know I wil ltake them again later.


Never, EVER rip apart pieces of art. My room is full of paper with sketches, and sometimes I see one thinking "I can do that with it" and then I start over with it, and it ends up looking well.
Keep sketches in a map, and skip through them when you need inspiration.
and I mean EVERY sketch, even if it's horrible - it'll end up better when you rework it.

[Ravenstrider]

But I like eating paper.

Meh, I started drawing a few months back... So I'm still searching for my style...and learning techniques, since I never really liked to draw, so I never bothered, until now... So that could be a part of it... And I was mostly joking in the above post.

Great work, Espartano, btw...

[The Great Pashweetie]

Hahaha wife's can be helpful in that way,

When drawing an avatar remember to keep at it, thats the most important thing, i loved how your avatar turned out !