Art / Drawing

Swaffy · Nov 30, 2011 3:24 AM

I recently aquired an urge to learn how to draw dragons, such as Spyro and
Cynder, in Photoshop. I need help starting from the basics.

[hr:f923f92dc8]
I'll be posting my art here, after uploading it to DevArt. Art pieces will appear
here in the first post, in Spoiler boxes. I'm not sure what I'll do with the
descriptions, maybe I'll put them below the artwork like DevArt has it.

[hr:f923f92dc8]
When I begin posting art, give me the best criticism possible! Tell me what
you think I'm doing wrong, or what I am doing right. I'm a beginner and will
be getting most of my ideas from other people before attempting my own.
Please feel free to point out even the smallest mistakes, such as a line
being misshapen.

Now for the art!

[hr:f923f92dc8]
Here's one I made about Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.

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36IStillLikeSpyro36 · Dec 01, 2011 1:19 AM

honestly, when i draw dragons i just draw them, i don't go through the procedures of drawing other things, and then erasing them etc.

then again, i'm not using a mouse then. hmm but you could try it and see what happens.

Stormy · Dec 01, 2011 1:56 AM

It helps me a lot to draw out the shapes if you want to get the anatomy to make sense. I find that if I don't do it, my drawings will end up depicting subjects bending in impossible ways or with body parts that are completely the wrong size compared to the rest of the body. Then again, Spyro and Cynder's anatomy in DotD was pretty weird with the huge chests and tiny waists, so if you're going for that.... =P

I'm no expert on drawing or anything, and most of my dragons still end up looking not entirely anatomically correct simply because I'm not really a good visual thinker, but what I do is draw the skeletal structure first, marking where the joints should be, then drawing around that.

It really helps if you don't try to start out using a mouse, too. It's really hard to control your lines that way. And if you plan to color it, I suggest not using the fuzzy brushes on Photoshop, or you'll end up with a really annoying white-ish outline around all your colors.

Just practice (preferably on paper and with a pencil so you can easily erase). I practice all the time in my notes when I'm bored in class, and I still suck, but I'm gradually improving, I think.

Latias fan · Dec 01, 2011 2:45 AM

I am such a *bleep* poor artist. Sorry that I can't really help you with anything.

Swaffy · Dec 02, 2011 5:46 AM

36IStillLikeSpyro36 wrote:

Helpful

Stormy wrote:

Helpful & Detailed

Latias Fan wrote:

Okay.

Thanks, guys! Mainly Stormy, thanks for your in-depth response.

I took this snappy shot from my Photoshop image, just of the head (and neck).
Crutique please? Maybe?

Nose too long?
Neck too curvy?
Horns attached to the head wrong?

And no, Stormy, I'm not into the DotD anatomy style.

Stormy · Dec 02, 2011 6:43 AM

I think you mean me, "Stormy," not "Aicebo." You got it right in one of the quotes, at least. tongue

It looks good; the shape and everything look fine to me, but something looks off about the eye. I can't place what it is, though. Too high, maybe, or the top and bottom outlines are too thick.

Swaffy · Dec 02, 2011 4:52 PM

"Stormy, not Aicebo." Fixed.

How many toes does a dragon have?

Stormy · Dec 02, 2011 5:10 PM

Seeing as they don't exist, any number you want. tongue But seriously, the feet on this Spyro are usually what I'm going for (not that it turns out anything close to that good XD).

Clock-la · Dec 02, 2011 6:25 PM

Look good dood, Im lerning to draw better, simply by copying other art work n a simmiler manner to how the origonal was made, i never get it perfect but the results still good.

Swaffy · Dec 02, 2011 6:36 PM

SFRB is awesome. But I also look at other people's work, such as CaSF and
shaloneSK. I've mainly been looking at the work by CaSF, since I love [her]
art style. I have a lot to learn, which is why I created this thread.

Such as this: [CaSF Line Art]
I made my dragon's feet already, using that image as a reference. At first,
they were huge as if they came from Bigfoot. Then I redrew them, which I
won't show just yet. I'm still trying to get the dragon's head looking better.

I reworked almost the entire head.

I'm not so sure about the curvature of the forehead, though. But is there
anything I can improve on? Nostrils? Forehead? The top of its head and the
shape of its nose reminds me of a horse.

This is the full image. I'm creating it on a 1600x900 canvas, my screen res.

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Stormy · Dec 02, 2011 7:42 PM

Very nice, that looks much better. smile

36IStillLikeSpyro36 · Dec 04, 2011 4:39 AM

.

Last edited by 36IStillLikeSpyro36 (Feb 07, 2016 5:47 AM)

Clock-la · Dec 04, 2011 10:51 AM

yikes realy cool. you should stat giving them hair AND EAR RINGS AND EVERYTHING UNDER DE SUN!!

(man I hate fan dragons)

Latias fan · Dec 04, 2011 2:02 PM

Clock-la wrote:

realy cool. you should stat giving them hair AND EAR RINGS AND EVERYTHING UNDER DE SUN!!
(man I hate fan dragons)

Same. Ever seen those drawings the Lion King fandom makes? Good god there awful.

Clock-la · Dec 04, 2011 4:30 PM

^ I have. i mean the KH Sora is good, but he looks that was due to his Human forum so I acsept it.

But them darn awfull snowlions with long princess hair and pink nails and golden earings and collers studded with gems. TERRABLE D': EDIt reminbder Lion kings set in Africa BTW not Magical FF world. so how they end up looking like that in the sahara...god knows.

Swaffy · Dec 04, 2011 7:39 PM

Clock-la wrote:

realy cool. you should stat giving them hair AND EAR RINGS AND EVERYTHING UNDER DE SUN!!
(man I hate fan dragons)

Heheh, I know what you mean.

When I get to a higher skill level, I'm not going to put all that stuff on my
dragons like many fan dragons from other people. I don't want my dragons
to have fish gill things or ears; they won't have 1,000 spikes on them, or a
flaming tail.

My dragons will be fairly simple, kind of like how Saphira (Eragon) and
Toothless (HTTYD) are. They are fairly simple dragons. Spyro is somewhat
simple, so I will most likely draw him and his dragon friends too.

Time. That's all it takes. Time.

[hr:d95d28c764]
[Edit:] I'm working on a practice sheet at the moment. I won't be posting
any art soon on DA until I begin to get my shapes down. Here's my DA
account. I'll add the link to my SF signature too.

[Swaffeh!]

Neotyguy40 · Dec 04, 2011 10:49 PM

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Latias fan · Dec 04, 2011 11:02 PM

Swaffy wrote:

Clock-la wrote:
realy cool. you should stat giving them hair AND EAR RINGS AND EVERYTHING UNDER DE SUN!!
(man I hate fan dragons)
Heheh, I know what you mean.
When I get to a much higher skill level, I'm not going to put all that stuff on
my dragons like many fan dragons from other people. I don't want my
dragons to have fish gill things or ears; they won't have 1,000 spikes on
them, or a flaming tail. And their colors are actually going to match, unlike
people who mix blue with yellow, or some other awkward combination.
My dragons will be fairly simple, kind of like how Saphira (Eragon) and
Toothless (HTTYD) are. They are fairly simple dragons. Spyro is somewhat
simple, so I will most likely draw him and his dragon friends too.
Time. That's all it takes. Time.
[hr:a728704536]
[Edit:] I'm working on a practice sheet at the moment. I won't be posting
any art soon on DA until I begin to get my shapes down. Here's my DA
account. I'll add the link to my SF signature too.
[Swaffeh!]

Can you post the art here too? Reason I ask is because I'm not alowed on Deviantart anymore.

Swaffy · Dec 05, 2011 12:52 AM

Neotyguy40 wrote:

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Whoa. Thanks! Yet another source I can learn from.

Latias fan wrote:

Can you post the art here too? Reason I ask is because I'm not alowed on Deviantart anymore.

Sure, of course! I don't mind. But I don't know where I'd post it. This
thread is in the General Chat section, so I am not sure if I'm allowed to put
my art here. Maybe I can put it in this thread?

Neotyguy40 · Dec 05, 2011 1:31 AM

Swaffy wrote:

Whoa. Thanks! Yet another source I can learn from.

Neon Dragon is a very good artist. I have two of her books, and I've been using them to teach myself how to draw for years:

http://neondragonart.com/Store/dragonart.html

I own the two bottom books, but I don't know what the newest one is. They are very good, and if you are planning on drawing any sort of fantasy character or creature, then that's what I would suggest.

Swaffy wrote:

Latias fan wrote:
Can you post the art here too? Reason I ask is because I'm not alowed on Deviantart anymore.
Sure, of course! I don't mind. But I don't know where I'd post it. This
thread is in the General Chat section, so I am not sure if I'm allowed to put
my art here. Maybe I can put it in this thread?

I don't think anyone would mind you posting here or making a new thread in this section.

Clock-la · Dec 05, 2011 7:48 PM

We could have an Art topic were we can post our art, but Im not sure if it would belong in spamm or in here

Stormy · Dec 05, 2011 7:49 PM

I unstickied the art thread because no one was using it. You can go ahead and make your own art thread in here if you want; it'll be nice to have some new topics anyway.

Swaffy · Dec 05, 2011 10:40 PM

Sweet! It's a deal. Since 36ISLS36 wants me to post my art here.

[hr:41be0cc7f4]
[Edit] I'm about 80% done with my first drawing/practice sketching.

[hr:41be0cc7f4]
[Edit] QUESTION!
Is it a better idea to practice drawing a mane now, or just wait until I get the
general/basic shapes down? Do people even like manes? I don't think I'll want
my dragons to have one in the first place.

I ask too many questions ...

Swaffy · Dec 08, 2011 6:47 PM

I finally finished my first drawing!
See first post.

Clock-la · Dec 08, 2011 7:18 PM

So is this our New art topic? i have some chibi's i could shear tongue

#1 Nov 30, 2011 3:24 AM

Art / Drawing

#2 Dec 01, 2011 1:19 AM

Re: Art / Drawing

#3 Dec 01, 2011 1:56 AM

Re: Art / Drawing

#4 Dec 01, 2011 2:45 AM

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#5 Dec 02, 2011 5:46 AM

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#6 Dec 02, 2011 6:43 AM

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#7 Dec 02, 2011 4:52 PM

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#8 Dec 02, 2011 5:10 PM

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#9 Dec 02, 2011 6:25 PM

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#10 Dec 02, 2011 6:36 PM

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#11 Dec 02, 2011 7:42 PM

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#12 Dec 04, 2011 4:39 AM

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#13 Dec 04, 2011 10:51 AM

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#14 Dec 04, 2011 2:02 PM

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#15 Dec 04, 2011 4:30 PM

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#16 Dec 04, 2011 7:39 PM

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#17 Dec 04, 2011 10:49 PM

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#18 Dec 04, 2011 11:02 PM

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#19 Dec 05, 2011 12:52 AM

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#20 Dec 05, 2011 1:31 AM

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#21 Dec 05, 2011 7:48 PM

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#22 Dec 05, 2011 7:49 PM

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#23 Dec 05, 2011 10:40 PM

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