Suuper's Artworks & Illustrations

[legomaestro]

Fingers crossed that the trend continues on the motivation. I'm liking your 3/4 faces a lot more these days, suuper. You've really levelled up that aspect. Also love the variation of eyes. It's amazing how much they can change a characters' look.

[Suuper-san]

thanks.
3/4 views have been a bit of a pain for as long as i can remember, but I've been doing photo studies a lot more lately as well to properly get what it should look like, so I can then apply a manga style to it, rather than learning a manga style without understanding the fundamentals.
And yes, especially with the typical large eyes in manga, eyes do have a big impact on the overall face of the character. Looking through many artists work I see a similarity in how they draw eyes between pieces, but often they still use a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so it's a bit difficult to pin down what exactly makes it their style,as opposed to a change because it's a different character they are drawing.

[legomaestro]

Photostudies make the world go round. I will do more of those when I bracket out more time for sketching outside.

The mystery of what makes eyes eyes in anime manga is a deep one. Tell me if you find anything about it haha

[Suuper-san]

yeah I think really I should be doing way more photostudies than I am doing.
But my schedule has changed lately which enables me to draw every day which is nice.
I'm waking up at 5am now so I can draw for at least 2 hours consistently without risk of disruption because of family wanting stuff and so on. Plus I'm at a higher energy level being rested for the night. So I have to get an early sleep at 9pm, but it's overall more productive and I feel like I have a lot more self esteem for some reason.

Finished a batch of 20 sketches


The amount of information and level of quality in my sketches has changed a lot, and there are also levels of accuracy  and detail that I try and aim at for each level. Too high a level early on and it wastes time, but too low and the end image will be sub-par.
I've separated my "sketch" level into "concept" and "finished", because there's a difference between having a complete idea but not fully visualised and having a scrappy idea that needs more designing. One uses creative power and the other uses imaginative power, so I'm splitting them up to keep the flow in my head. I almost did that already but now it's made its way into my WIP processing and folder sorting.
So now the order/levels of my art are: Thumbnail>Concept>Finished>Resolved>Inked>Coloured
Strictly speaking the thumbnail stage is a bit of a miscellaneous one as I sometimes thumbnail all the way up to the finished sketch. often the concept comes first with pretty raw accuracy, and then the thumbnail for balancing as the first stage of finishing the sketch.

EDIT

It seems as my art is improving I'm adding more levels to my processing, and I can already sense 2 more levels in the pipeline which is making me nervous because of a changing workload but also excited to get a higher quality art.
I'm literally overthinking every step I make.

And while I'm at it, another annoying thing is that often I put in a step to solve an issue I have with my art, like say fixing the anatomy, I call it a "fixing" stage, and it works well, but then I improve to the point that I don't need it anymore, and so the stage gets removed. It's a relatively minor inconvenience but I keep reorganizing my work which is annoying and a little time consuming.

Also of annoyance is my massive amount of WIPs that I have. I mean, considering that I've basically accidentally never finished ANYTHING over the years and ended up with all these unfinished ideas, processing them is taking it's time, but it would be a tad easier if they were a bit more manageable quantity-wise. It makes it harder to do any other stuff while they are around, especially the old ones. But as my art improves I'm also able to add more details and improve the older sketches as well, so it's by no means a total waste of time at all. In fact, I think I'm lucky in a way to have reached the bizzare state that I'm in with my crazy overthought workflows and all the names I give stuff. It's been a crazy journey and it's totally just beginning.

Since I'm in a monologuing mood, I'll mention this other thing.
After watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM39qhXle4g I got thinking. The artist mentions that he was told that he draws cute girls way too much and so tried to produce a varied output until realising that he can draw whatever the heck he wants and if it's only cute girls then that's his choice.
First of all, that's not quite the same issue I have been facing, but it's similar - regarding what I expect of myself, and trying to live up to my own expectations.

I've been wondering for a while about producing a manga story as opposed to/in addition to illustration, and I'm really starting to think that it's just not for me, in that, I just really want to draw what I want to draw, I don't really want to do backgrounds or vehicles etc, just cute girls and chibis and stuff. So I'm definitely thinking that illustration is by far the better route for me. Don't get me wrong, I would love to do really cool old guys like what's-it from One Punch Man, and I love 3d work and vehicles and rendering, and even crafting and sewing real stuff too. But I don't think I want to do manga, like htere's just way too much everyday stuff going on like lampposts and windows and uniforms (i.e. if it's a school manga) over and over and over again, and really I want to be immensely creative and not limited by one world, universe, set of rules etc.

...But I still want to do manga.

I don't not want to do manga, you know. I like cool stories, and I read manga a lot more than I browse DA or any other image forum things. So I want to do my own, naturally. So I'm in a bit of a strange place of being interested in way too many avenues for my own good, and not really chasing down any of them. Jack-of-all-trades issue aside, I'm wondering if doing a lot of different one-shots is probably more up my street. A 2/3 week-long project or something, a completely new setup, new environment and story, that kind of thing, until I find a genre that I really want to do a longer story. That's what I'm getting to next. I think it's more that I just haven't found a genre or style that I would be happy working with as a manga. I like cute 4-koma mangas, and I love the gritty Ajin style mangas, and I'm clueless as to my own style. So maybe it's not that I don't want to do a manga, it's just I dont know how to combine all the things I like drawing, with none of teh things I don't like drawing, to form the ideal manga story for me. This isn't the kind of "perfect story" that people chase after, but more of the challenge, of being able to create a style or styles that I'm happy working with. It's a hobby (at the moment) after all, and even when I'm pro I don't think I want to draw stuff that I dont like. Maybe if I rotate working with a normal story, with my illustrations, with cool one-shots, that it wont feel so tedious. maybe that's the answer I was looking for. Maybe I'm looking for a casual speedy style where I dont have time to feel tedium when I'm churning out pages. Maybe I just want to draw steampunk.

Well typing that out helped me to narrow down the problem a bit and clear the air, but really it's a future problem. I'm still here with all my WIPs and want to gain some more skill before I try out new stuff. And I am gaining skill so basically I'm happy with my current progress and projected progress, but more just a bit wondering "What do I do when I finally finish all my WIPs"

Thanks for listening.

[Suuper-san]

Forgot to post this.
A 90 minute page of copying manga clothes.
I wont be posting these all the time but just so you guys know what I'm up to every now and then XD



Something that I'm trying to get into is actually trying out new ideas immediately when I figure out something - hence the extra scribbles on the page in the middle. I'm totally shifting from my normal do-a-page-finished-done to a more continuous work-on-everything-at-once style haha but it seems to be working.

I currently have 24 open files that I am working on, including WIP processing. At the end of the year I'll evaluate whether it has been productive.

Oh and I finally learnt morse code lol

[legomaestro]

Dude you did not learn morse code. That deserves a topic on its own haha.

Also too awesome suuper! This big canvas thing is really working for you (btw plz make it high res so I can zoom in and feel inspired even better hehe. It pixellates unfortunately and I'd really like to see the singular images better if possible)

I can't believe this 'only' took 90 Minutes! That amount of concentration is commendeable in of itself to be honest, but I'm so bad at sticking to one thing that even as I write this I have two windows on display haha. I want to learn to do deep work like you.

Great stuff suuper. Keep at it!

[Suuper-san]

@lego
--- .... / -.-- . ... / .. / -.-. .- -. / .-.. --- .-..
-.-- --- ..- / -.-. .- -. / -- .- -.- . / .- / - --- .--. .. -.-. / .. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- / .-- .- -. - / .... .- .... .-
When I use the photocopier at work I morse code whistle the content of the posters on the wall for practice
I shamelessly used this, great mnemonic method https://morse.withgoogle.com/learn/

Hmmmmm I'm a bit reluctant to upload a hi-res for that reason, as really you ought to be copying photos or manga yourself, not copy my copies - the detail loss must be huge. Just save any manga pages with cool costumes or really nice folds and then open up a slideshow and copy them. OR google photo something like white t-shirt or frilly dress etc. I've got quite a bunch saved up , and especially those of my favourite artists as I want to draw in their style.

When the work is split into lots of 10 minute sessions it really makes a difference to getting work done. And also I can keep an eye on which canvases haven't been edited in a while so I'm always rotating my studies without missing anything by accident. Which is really the sequel to my Artists RPG idea - the original concept was to make it easier to see what studies need doing or whatever.

needless to say I made a program to help haha
not all of my pages are loaded into the system yet, I'm slowly updating to the new method.



It keeps a track of how long each GIMP file is open for so I can also sort by time spent drawing, not just time last opened.
Also a spoiler for my hands regime haha tbc

[legomaestro]

Dude come on how many programs can a man make hahahahaha! My word I want to install one of them for fun in case they can help me somehow. Just legendary.

Also make iiiit. Even if I don't learn Morse code, I like learning about how to learn so I could use your methods there on something else I want to do.

[Suuper-san]

haha I had a quick count and I currently have 25 apps that I use at least monthly if not daily, and over 25 more that will get used sometimes.
I've never counted before so i suddenly realise that that's actually a huge number XD
Unfortunately most are custom built to my exact needs so are almost completely unusable for someone else, lemme see if one is useful....
Here's my original timer I used for my art, let me know if it works on your PC as I never test much on other people's systems. It's main feature and the reason I made it is that it should stay above whatever program you are using, so it's quick to glance at to check your time.
It won't need installing as it's standalone.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fn6O0xeLb6fRkyWoZjP9oOV1NhElL-Nl
It's probably not useful tbh unless you micromanage your timing XD
I do have my gesture program which is on the list for a rebuild, at which point it should be public worthy haha.

the best method for learning lists of things is definitely mnemonics. It's great when someone already has created a list of mnemonics because that saves a lot of time and effort creating your own. I'm wondering if it can somehow help with art, but art is rather abstract and image based, not word or text based which is a tad annoying.

[Echo_River]

Whoa that is some dedication there on that canvas!
It's always neat to see your studies suuper.

[Suuper-san]

@echo thanks!
I'm breaking up my studies on different canvases and working on them all at the same time, and then I just sort by date last modified to see which ones I havent done for a while, so it's been really helpful in pointing out "you haven't done hands for a while" and so on.

anywho here's my most random page, a mixed manga copy page. Because I sort my references into much more sub groups than I care to have study pages, I have a catch-all study page that covers all the genres that dont have their own page. props, effects and material renders are some of the things that end up in this list.



I'm doing a lot less WIPs at the moment while I get my bearings, and especially, finish my requests. Although it's gone more 20-80 studies-WIPs, into kinda 75-15-10 studies-WIPs-requests lol

I'm improving faster than I can actually finish my WIPs which is not so much frustrating, but intensely annoying.

[Suuper-san]

Did another 20 finished sketches
I've noticed that my attitude to processing my WIP levels is different to when I am doing a regime of processing a level. i.e. just finishing a batch of sketches in between my normal stuff as opposed to working on 100s of sketches all at the same level. I think that you do build up a momentum when focusing on a certain thing, as the 1000x regimes certainly prove. but when you stop the regime, you will start to lose that momentum as you start to focus on different things. I don't think that's avoidable really. having said that, I have a plan, which is basically doing larger batches of sketches at the same level rather than rotating between every level. so for 2 weeks do this, then 2 weeks the next thing. Like a mini regime. So you make the most of each stage while you can.

[Suuper-san]

At the end of each month, I make a bunch of statistics, so in view that I'm meant to not be on here so much, I'll be posting a little review of each month as it ends instead of my normal uploading (at least, I'll try to shut up!)

I've been using my new workflow for about 40 days now, and it continues to grow in the number of open canvasses I have in my working folder (now at 33 files and growing!). Because I rotate between them, it's actually quite efficient, and makes sure that I'm doing regular studies on different things such as faces or hands etc. It's like an automatic checklist, of sorts.
It also has a benefit in that I don't feel pressure to do any amount of work, I can just open the file, do a couple of sketches and save it again. I've found that my original sketches are more creative and varied than if I tried to do say 20 all in one session.
There is a slight drawback in having too small a drawing session amount, that it takes a few minutes to actually warm up, so you have to commit to at least 5 minutes I think haha. I'm averaging 12 minutes per session.

I have also been getting up at 5:30 and drawing for between 1 and 2 hours every morning. At least that's the plan, I do oversleep occasionally, but it's been pretty stable. And in the evenings I do other stuff and drawing if I can. But the mornings is the main stretch.

So a combination of a better workflow, and a better routine, has resulted in drawing for 52 hours this month. That's better than every month this year (nearly double most) except Jan and Feb (bear in mind I didn't have a job then)

In terms of WIPs done, I've only finished 40 sketches, the lowest amount since starting processing WIPs. But I have done a lot more studies, which were critically needed. I have started an original sketch page so I'm now generating new ideas each month as well. I'll boost my WIPs as soon as I finish my requests.

The requests have been processed rather slowly, but surely. It's always in my list and so it nags at me until I give in a do a layer of sketching. So it's a good workflow for things that don't have a deadline. I was hoping to finish all my requests before December but I really didn't give it enough time so meh. Compared to doing no requests for nearly a year, I think 1 every 3 weeks is fab.

So it's been an excellent month in all, and it looks to be a fantastic December as the winter holiday approaches. I'll get 3 weeks off work so thats 6 entire days of drawing hopefully :P

I've started working on manga layouts as well, although only today did I set it up, so I'm not sure how it's going to work out. I've got a copy page and a creative page. I'll be attacking manga pages the same way I work with my WIPs, working out different levels of sketches and how to present my ideas in the most time effective way, not wasting time adding too much detail too early on etc.

My current theory is that the majority of the creative process is in the first 10-20% or so of a sketch, and then it's just fleshing out after that. So I think practicing "generating ideas" will lead to the greatest amount of growth in terms of creativity. We'll see.

When the year ends I'll have another bunch of WIPs that are yet another year older, so I might have a bit of a frenzy to cut the number down. I've also finally decided to cut away WIPs at the inking and colouring stage. I don't want to spend time on work that is below par, and because of my constant improving, it's resulted in some WIPs in the queue that aren't fit anymore. I don't want to put them back in for more fixing, because I get the feeling I will get the same problem later on as I improve even more. So I think it's a necessity to remove some, otherwise I'll be stuck doing sketches and no linearts for forever. And it's come at the right time. I knew this would happen ages ago, but I wasn't prepared to do it, and I am now.

I've nearly spent the entire year just doing sketches, and other than my requests, I haven't done a single finished piece of my own. It's been beneficial, but not so great on my self esteem.

-suuper out

[Coach Fro]

Holy crap dude you're like the most efficient person I've met on this forum lol. Everything you do seems so mapped out and well thought out. The whole making statistics at the end of each month seems like a neat idea. It definitely gives you a clear sense of progress.

I would try some of your methods myself, but I can barely make myself a weekly schedule lol. I'm so free form with everything I do that mapping out my days by the hours feels kind of restrictive I guess. Then again, maybe that's why I haven't been getting a lot of writing done lately. 

Regardless, it's always nice to see the improvements in your work. Keep it up!

[Suuper-san]

haha thanks!!
Partly it's my love of statistics that leads me to work in a way that generates statistics, and yes it is indeed a great way to check productivity.

But I certainly haven't always been efficient or organised like this, I've had gaps of 6 months or more with not a single drawing done, and I have no idea how I thought I would get good at drawing like that. I'm annoyed that it took 7 years or so before I figured out how to deal with WIPs, partly because I had never considered it a "problem". The moment I saw how I could take my sketches and finish them, everything accelerated. I could finally see a path to the end goal.

Really it's a result of me trying to figure out my self, what makes me tick and how to get the most from my personality and abilities. And this is the result that I arrived at. It changes almost every month slightly as I perfect my methods constantly. And I'm never performing anywhere near my targets, which are insanely high, so it's always pressure to keep moving forward.

I think having a big goal to work towards is nice. Mine is basically to be a pro illustrator or manga series writer, so I know I've got to have a high output no matter what if I'm writing weekly.

So it'll be different for each person. It's basically saying "what makes me the most productive?", "why was X day more productive than Y day?", "what can I do to get in the 'zone' more?", and so on. And just because you've always done something a certain way, doesn't mean it's the right way, or the best way for you. So you have to have a bit of a "challenge everything" mentality.