I think it's interesting that this is touched upon during a class like this but I think it's a valuable thing to know in any workplace you want to thrive in. I'm just starting to get into the workplace (not art) and a lot of these points were also touched upon during orientation.
But how can you change yourself to readily to fit these ideals about your character and personality? Although I try and try to change myself, something gets in the way and seems to prevent me. Why is that? What is it? For the longest time I've been feeling this way. I know where my faults lie (and I'm iffy on my strengths) but it almost feels like, "Oh! Look! There's that cow sitting the road. Well can't do much about that, can I?" Talking with my therapist (yes, I have a therapist and I don't mind admitting it. It's awkward and I just started sessions, but I need help with dealing with certain things), he told me that I look at things in this world as black and white. I either can or I can't. I don't see grey anymore (if I ever did).
So here's me going through the different ethics of character, which will help me figure out what I'm doing and where I'm going with myself.
Integrity "Being true to your word"
I'd like to think I am, but I'm not. I'm constantly late, missing things, forgetting things...you name it. But what's strange is I don't think I lack too much trust. People tell me the strangest and most intimate things, and not provoked. If you tell me a secret, I won't tell a soul. I think that I've lost isn't trust then but believability. People can trust me with things, but not believe in me, which I feel is just as worst. I'm not sure how to change this. I've actually notice a decline in my integrity in the passed couple of years, and it just seems to be getting worse and worse. I'm not sure how I should go about changing it. Maybe taking on smaller tasks. I tend to go big or go home (aka black and white world), which does nothing but overwhelm me in the end and then my integrity dissipates. Perhaps halting in thinking that the world is so black and white might help. And completing smaller projects to help my confidence and trust in myself.
Humility "Let your actions speak"
I'm mixed about this one. I think I'm rather humble, but then again sometimes I'm not. Or rather, I might be mistaking humility with lack of self confidence. I'm less likely to speak up about my art and tell someone that it's awesome in fear of rejection. But I still hold my art rather high in my mind versus a lot of art that's out there. I just don't voice it that often. The one time I truly voice it (and it's a pet peeve of mine) is during critiques. If your skill is not at my level or higher, then I don't feel like you have the credentials for giving me any negative feedback. And truly what's "at level and above" is via my discretion, but I think I'm pretty fair with that. If you're commenting on how the hand looks distorted or the character's face is flat and your art has the SAME "need to work on" points, then it just angers me that you're pointing out something that you need to work on yourself. I give respect where respect is due.
Fidelity "Do your best when no one is there to watch"
Again, I feel like I'm half and half. I'll be honest. I often make statements or promises I can't keep. (Well, more like I say that I'll do something and I either forget or put it off, so I don't necessarily promise. I think I don't promise anymore since I know I can't keep them and some how giving my word seems different, although looking at it. They really aren't.) I'll do the work, but if I do my best, I'm not sure. Sometimes, I do, but other times I don't, but the work gets done.
Temperance "Think before"
I've been a victim of this too many times. I either think too much or too little. I always say what's on my mind. If it's something that sounds negative or rude, it's not meant to be. I'm not a malicious person, so even thinking that way too long actually gets me emotionally and physically ill. I just say what's on my mind factually, without emotionally attachment, but often times that can come out a bit rough. I'm working on trying to LISTEN more and talk less so I can think before I say anything, though it's been hard.
Courage "Push through Fears"
Often times I'm crippled by fear, but it's not entirely because of rejection, but by being ignored. I've been with groups, where I can easily get talked over and my opinions unheard. After a while, it doesn't really want to make you talk aloud anymore. If people don't listen to what I have to say, then why ever bother voicing it? I suppose this would be the second step down from having fear of rejection.
Justice "Be Fair"
I think I've grown up with a balanced judgement of fairness, probably because I have a younger brother. My parents tried their best to be fair to both of us, as humanly possible. I love things to be even, so I feel that I can be quite understanding in that regard.
Patience "To Have Patience"
Sometimes I'm patient, other times I'm not. I think, at least in terms of mentoring, if the person that is learning TRULY expresses the desire to learn from my and ask questions and be as active as possible in whatever it is we're doing, then yes. I have patience. It could simply be that my way of thinking is not as clear to you as your way, or visa verse. That I can understand and deal with. However, if the person doesn't pay attention, constantly makes the same mistakes regardless of how many times I repeat it, and just doesn't care about the work...than I lose my patience. If you don't care about this why should I care to teach you? And I know people have that issue with me too (at least if we aren't at a physical location). I don't do too well with self discipline. How do you even gain that?
Industry "Make the Effort. Get it done."
Sigh...the further I get down the list the more I find that I don't have any of these qualities...just another to add to this list. I can't really make the effort to do most things anymore. I'm not sure if I just don't care or if I poor and managing time or what. I think I care a little bit, because I'm able to stress about it enough to cause physical ailments, but stressing about it and not doing anything about it is something I have a problem with. Maybe my lack of all of the other characters are really just a lack in this one. I have no personal drive anymore, which takes away my pressure that I place on myself to make an effort.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Late Assignment 4.2 - Reaching Out
So for this assignment I had to post images up on a popular forum site and blog about the responses/critiques. So I decided to choose conceptart.org. The Link to Original Post
The images are as such...
First let me get this off my chest, because this is VERY irritating. I originally submitted the post several day prior to when my assignment was due. However, it wasn't accepted, when I went to look at the post (which wasn't there) the day the assignment was due. So I resubmitted almost the EXACT SAME post AGAIN on the day the assignment was due which was October 31st. And I waited...and waited...and waited. Nothing. FOR ALMOST A MONTH. Nothing. NO responses. Nothing. It came to the point where I was so distraught (with other stressors adding on top of this one) that my husband made an account and posted a reply to my post. This was on November 21st. After his post, two more people posted. And that was it. Perhaps I'm not much of a forum poster, but I think that's a bit ridiculous if you ask me.
And sadly the responses I don't think were overly helpful. I'm still working on the "taking criticism" part of being a stronger artist. Here...lemme show you the posts...
My Husband's Post (since I only have two posts from industry peers and I need three for the assignment)
I think the first piece is more high end video game then real. The face does not have any marks or texture to it. I wonder if its supposed to seemed Photoshopped? like today's models in a magazine.
I agree to the middle piece comments. I think its the forehead that throws me off. It seems over pronounced on the right side of the face (stage left). Perhaps if you could bring it back so it sticks out less.
I like the last piece. I am used to seeing art books with similar layouts but the characters have a flat face. I like that this one is a bit snarky. I like the detail in the arm guard and foot piece!
Post Critique #1
In the last picture, it looks like she has a diaper and not a big butt. Check for reference, her butt is really hanging down very unattractively.
If you want to achieve more realism - draw what is there and not what you expect to see. There's usually a shadow under the lower lip and the angles are not that defined. Try to draw with round lines instead of angled lines.
Post Critique #2 (in reference to image 1)
Cartoons are about shape and simplification. If you want a more realistic look pay attention to form and value. (Shape = 2D, Form = 3D) For example, I doubt this lady had lips that were the same value as her skin and there was no variation on the light falling on them. And I'm pretty sure they didn't come with thick black outlines around them unless she happens to be mime who wears lipliner. Those sorts of choices are going to make faces you draw less realistic and more cartoony.
If you can, work with figures that have a good mix of shadows and highlights on the face so you have less incentive to outline everything to define it. Another thing you maybe ought to get away from is leaving the entire face as white. If you have to colour the whole thing lightly it might force you to actually think about what value the face really is and how that value changes.
Post #1 My Response:
I agree partially to Post #1 in that she may look like she's wearing a diaper, since I didn't see it that way before to which I'll be editing. Although I'm a bit wounded by such a bold statement, I'll take that to heart and think about how my character looks and how I want her too. However, I'm not too keen on the second statement. First, I'm tired of people regurgitating the whole "draw what you see, not what you expect to see" crap. It's a lame go-to, honestly, in terms of critique. Also, the comment on angles, I can understand, however that's how I draw. Also, I'm guessing it's a reference to the first drawing, however it was an assignment drawing. The professor wanted me to draw the piece a certain way with defined LINES and little to NO shading. I'll work on line variation since I didn't focus it so much on here, but I focused on value variation in my lines because THAT'S ALL I COULD DO FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT. I tried to draw differently and got marked down because of it. I posted it because I thought it came out rather well despite restrictions on style.
Post #2 My Response:
This is mostly a repeat of what I said for Post #1's second comment. It was focused on defining form with little to no shading. Also I don't agree with the comment on color. Perhaps it's because I've been drilled in my mind to understand value first before color and an image should read as value scale as easily as it does colored (which can also provide distraction). So I disagree.
My Take from This:
Sadly nothing exciting. After waiting for about a month and getting my first initial post ignored by the admins, it feels lackluster and uninviting. I get more feedback from classroom peers than these "industry peers." Perhaps it's because students are required to think of SOMETHING during a critique session so they pull more and get creative with the feedback, when these industry people don't really care. Really, I'm just disappointed.
Also, maybe I'm just spoiled or just too sensitive for critiques, but I've always been taught for giving "constructive criticism" to apply positive feedback mixed with negative so that way the person knows what's working and what's not. Isn't that what constructive criticism means? Perhaps these people can draw but it doesn't make them experts on it, let alone teachers/instructors.
Perhaps it might be just the community. I'm not a fan of the conceptart.org community. I actually deem a lot of the users on there as pretentious. Also, as superficial as it seems, the layout of the forum is abhorrently unorganized and difficult to navigate, so while I'm on it I already get frustrated. Sigh...what I'm really in search for is a good community with professionals that I deem worthy to respect. ::rides off on high horse::
The images are as such...
First let me get this off my chest, because this is VERY irritating. I originally submitted the post several day prior to when my assignment was due. However, it wasn't accepted, when I went to look at the post (which wasn't there) the day the assignment was due. So I resubmitted almost the EXACT SAME post AGAIN on the day the assignment was due which was October 31st. And I waited...and waited...and waited. Nothing. FOR ALMOST A MONTH. Nothing. NO responses. Nothing. It came to the point where I was so distraught (with other stressors adding on top of this one) that my husband made an account and posted a reply to my post. This was on November 21st. After his post, two more people posted. And that was it. Perhaps I'm not much of a forum poster, but I think that's a bit ridiculous if you ask me.
And sadly the responses I don't think were overly helpful. I'm still working on the "taking criticism" part of being a stronger artist. Here...lemme show you the posts...
My Husband's Post (since I only have two posts from industry peers and I need three for the assignment)
I think the first piece is more high end video game then real. The face does not have any marks or texture to it. I wonder if its supposed to seemed Photoshopped? like today's models in a magazine.
I agree to the middle piece comments. I think its the forehead that throws me off. It seems over pronounced on the right side of the face (stage left). Perhaps if you could bring it back so it sticks out less.
I like the last piece. I am used to seeing art books with similar layouts but the characters have a flat face. I like that this one is a bit snarky. I like the detail in the arm guard and foot piece!
Post Critique #1
In the last picture, it looks like she has a diaper and not a big butt. Check for reference, her butt is really hanging down very unattractively.
If you want to achieve more realism - draw what is there and not what you expect to see. There's usually a shadow under the lower lip and the angles are not that defined. Try to draw with round lines instead of angled lines.
Post Critique #2 (in reference to image 1)
Cartoons are about shape and simplification. If you want a more realistic look pay attention to form and value. (Shape = 2D, Form = 3D) For example, I doubt this lady had lips that were the same value as her skin and there was no variation on the light falling on them. And I'm pretty sure they didn't come with thick black outlines around them unless she happens to be mime who wears lipliner. Those sorts of choices are going to make faces you draw less realistic and more cartoony.
If you can, work with figures that have a good mix of shadows and highlights on the face so you have less incentive to outline everything to define it. Another thing you maybe ought to get away from is leaving the entire face as white. If you have to colour the whole thing lightly it might force you to actually think about what value the face really is and how that value changes.
Post #1 My Response:
I agree partially to Post #1 in that she may look like she's wearing a diaper, since I didn't see it that way before to which I'll be editing. Although I'm a bit wounded by such a bold statement, I'll take that to heart and think about how my character looks and how I want her too. However, I'm not too keen on the second statement. First, I'm tired of people regurgitating the whole "draw what you see, not what you expect to see" crap. It's a lame go-to, honestly, in terms of critique. Also, the comment on angles, I can understand, however that's how I draw. Also, I'm guessing it's a reference to the first drawing, however it was an assignment drawing. The professor wanted me to draw the piece a certain way with defined LINES and little to NO shading. I'll work on line variation since I didn't focus it so much on here, but I focused on value variation in my lines because THAT'S ALL I COULD DO FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT. I tried to draw differently and got marked down because of it. I posted it because I thought it came out rather well despite restrictions on style.
Post #2 My Response:
This is mostly a repeat of what I said for Post #1's second comment. It was focused on defining form with little to no shading. Also I don't agree with the comment on color. Perhaps it's because I've been drilled in my mind to understand value first before color and an image should read as value scale as easily as it does colored (which can also provide distraction). So I disagree.
My Take from This:
Sadly nothing exciting. After waiting for about a month and getting my first initial post ignored by the admins, it feels lackluster and uninviting. I get more feedback from classroom peers than these "industry peers." Perhaps it's because students are required to think of SOMETHING during a critique session so they pull more and get creative with the feedback, when these industry people don't really care. Really, I'm just disappointed.
Also, maybe I'm just spoiled or just too sensitive for critiques, but I've always been taught for giving "constructive criticism" to apply positive feedback mixed with negative so that way the person knows what's working and what's not. Isn't that what constructive criticism means? Perhaps these people can draw but it doesn't make them experts on it, let alone teachers/instructors.
Perhaps it might be just the community. I'm not a fan of the conceptart.org community. I actually deem a lot of the users on there as pretentious. Also, as superficial as it seems, the layout of the forum is abhorrently unorganized and difficult to navigate, so while I'm on it I already get frustrated. Sigh...what I'm really in search for is a good community with professionals that I deem worthy to respect. ::rides off on high horse::
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