CAA art school - introduction discussion

[soul alive]

This is from an idea spawned in this month's Coloring Contest thread.

As you may have noticed, we have more talented artists here at CAA than you could shake a stick at. Everyone has their own talents that make their art special - a good eye for anatomy, beautiful ink or pencil technique, a unique coloring style. I thought it would be fun to discuss amongst ourselves problems that we may have, artists whose technique(s) we would like to learn, special methods we've learned that we would like to share, etc.

My thought was to round up a group of artists willing to participate, and for everyone to bring up problems they have been having or things they'd like to learn, and after compiling a list, choose a particular topic and an artist or artists who have solved it well. The artist(s) would then put together a tutorial and make a discussion thread to answer additional questions - and those participating would post projects that they did utilizing that technique.

This could be done every month or every other month - depends on what everyone thinks would be a good time span. And at the end of each time span, the tutorial would be put up at the dA CAA club with a compiled image of all the projects everyone did for the tutorial. ( christiananime.deviantart.com )

One of the better tutorial formats I've seen is the format that dA uses, if you don't know what I'm talking about let me know and I'll post an example or two.

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Anyway, to kick it off - I'd love to learn some colored pencil techniques, as well as coloring techniques for hair.

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General Requests:
-Manga style art
-Colored pencil technique
-Coloring techniques for hair
-Digital coloring
-Inking (digital and traditional)
-Facial structure
-Complex shadows
-3D perspective of characters
-Costuming
-Markers

Specific Requests / Volunteers:
Shao Feng-Li: (committed)
-Colored pencil technique
-Character creation
-Clothing folds (DONE) link
Esoteric: (committed)
-Backgrounds (DONE) link
-Composition (DONE) link
Mave:
-Ink (lineart technique)
soul alive: (committed)
-Cell shading (digital) (DONE) link
-Faces and hair (realistic)
-Basic anatomy (realistic)
-Architectural hand drawing
chibiphonebooth: (committed)
-Anatomy
-Facial expressions
-Digital art
-Hands
-Shading
dduck:
-General techniqe (specific requests?)
EireWolf: (committed)
-Sculpture basics (polymer clay)
Ultra Magnus: (committed)
-Mechs
That Dude: (committed)
-Basic anime/manga style; esp. faces
-Facial structure
ChristianKitsune: (committed)
-Colored pencil technique
Vernhal: (committed)
-Digital inking
Jaden Mental: (committed)
-Abstract Brushes (DONE) link
-Realistic Metal effect
-Backgrounds/effects
Warrior 4 Jesus: (committed)
-Unique Creatures
Photosoph: (committed)
-Tri-color shading
-.gif format animation (DONE) link
CreatureArt: (committed)
-Flash
SnoringFrog: (committed)
-Digital water
KhakiBlueSocks: (committed)
-Digital photography basics
Mechana2015: (committed)
-Vectors (photoshop)
Kokoro Daiske:
-Photography
White Raven:
-Digital hair coloring
-Anatomy of hands
taboo: (committed)
-inking (DONE) link
MyrrhLynn: (committed)
-Graphic Design - wallpapers, layouts, etc.
josh_manga: (committed)
-Photoshop basics, handling lineart

(If I've missed anything, let me know)


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Schedule:

February A: Photosoph "Gif Animation"
February B: Esoteric "Composition"

March A: taboo "Inking"
March B:Jaden Mental "Handling Abstract Brushes"

April A: soul alive "Simple Cell-Shading"

May A: Shao Feng-Li "Cloth Folds"
May B: Esoteric "Backgrounds"

June A:
June B:

July A:
July B:


(More months will be added once these have filled up)

[Yahshua]

Hm Interesting concept it might work and really work.

[Kuro-Mizu]

Oh yah... this is awesome!

Im definitely willing to participate... here are some suggestions-

Shao feng li-

How do you do such amazing colored pencils... I love them so much!!!!

How do you come up with such cool original characters... there so awesome!

How do you do those awesome clothing folds... there to die for!

Esoteric-

How do you come up with such awesome backgrounds...

how do you come up with such talented compositions for your drawings... I must know!!

mavet-

How do you ink like that... its amazing...


Soul alive-

how do you do such realistic stuff... its really good!

Chibi Phonebooth-

How do you get such an original feel to your drawings... there so cool!

yah there are my suggestions!

Come on people!! Make this thread work!

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

This is a great idea Soul!
I love drawing but there are so many things I have problems with. I'm sure there are some strenths there too, at least I hope so. (lol)
I'm in!

[Sammy Boy]

I would like to participate to learn how to draw manga style art, and perhaps also to contribute some stuff for drawing mechs.

However, what kind of commitment did you have in mind when it comes to the frequency of putting up stuff?

I work full time and study part-time, so I don't have a lot of hours left after that during the weeks.

Thanks for the interesting idea.

[Raiden no Kishi]

I would be most interested in learning from those who are skilled here.

.rai//

[That Dude]

I'd be willing to contribute some stuff, just ask me something you want to know about my art.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Ooh, dduk needs to join!

[That Dude]

I'd be willing to learn almost anything about art from him, he's super talented!

[chibiphonebooth]

mmm, this is a GREAT idea!!!

I would loveee to participate.

[soul alive]

I'm just looking more to see if people would be interested in participating. Following the tutorials is completely optional, but I would love to feature their products. I'm horribly busy during school, and know how tough it can be to find time for things - fun or required. I would request, though, if anyone is going to do a tutorial, that they would be able to check their tutorial's discussion thread fairly frequently to answer questions. That's the only complete commitment I would ask for.

I'm going to start compiling technique requests and artist suggestions in the intro thread, so let me know if I miss anything.

[EireWolf]

I'd be willing to do some minor sculpture tutoring. I need to put together some tutorials for my web site anyway.

[meboeck]

I doubt I would have much of anything to contribute, but I would certainly love to see some tutorials. I like the idea of having certain specific topics like colored pencils, inking, digital coloring, etc.

[soul alive]

Vernhal - not quite sure what you're requesting tutorials from for chibiphonebooth and myself. Also - would you be willing to contribute/revamp your digital inking tutorial?

[ChristianKitsune]

If you are interested in my skills I could do something...

Good luck on the project!! Let me know how I can help!

[soul alive]

CR-chan, I would love to see a colored pencil tutorial from you, if you're willing.

What time frame would be suitable for everybody? I know that tutorials take a while to put together, so the tutor(s) will need advanced warning, especially if we're shooting for a month for each topic. I'd prefer a time frame of a month or two months for each topic - but would love to hear what everyone else thinks.

:edit: My idea would be to pick out the first topic ASAP and start the first session next month if possible. That would give the first tutor time to put together a tutorial. Then around the middle of the session, have the next tutor start on their tutorial so that they will be prepared in time to start right away for the next session.

I'd like to get an established list of people who are willing to commit to tutoring sessions. That way I can just get ahold of someone already committed, and won't have to track people down at the last minute. As time goes on, people who are not pre-committed can be tracked down. This way there would be a backlog, and no messy situation.

::edit:: I'm putting '(committed)' next to the names of those who have stated that they would be willing to do someting specific for a tutorial. If you've stated that you're willing to do something and there isn't anything next to your name, or your name isn't there, don't be alarmed. I just need a confirmation that you are willing to do a request(s) under your name or one that hasn't been taken yet.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I think that's good. It may be wiser to have the original poster post a tutorial and then if there are others that are good in that artistic field they can add comments, more to the tutorial.

[ChristianKitsune]

hmm

well what are we talking about here? Taking some line art and coloring it step by step?

I will do my best!! I just hope my scanner won't kill the colors?

This sounds like lots of fun!

[soul alive]

CR-chan - if we're doing a tutorial, coloring lineart would probably be the best idea. Everybody doesn't have to use the same lineart - but we could have the lineart file that you use for the tutorial available for those who want to use it.

W4J - yup, that's the idea, and why the tutorial should be in a discussion thread.

Just a question though, would everyone be okay with the tutorials and discussion threads being placed in the Tutorials forum here?

[ChristianKitsune]

OK! ^_^ that's great!! :3

[Jingo Jaden]

Hmmm, if anyone here wants help from me, please ask I know of a few effects myself.

[soul alive]

That's great Jaden - do you have any that you would like to do specifically as a tutorial for this?

[Jingo Jaden]

Hmmm, brushes tutorial perhaps? o.o

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

My only strength I know of is coming up with unusual creatures etc. Maybe I could do a tutorial on that?

Or what other strengths do people see in my art?

[Jingo Jaden]

Pretty much what you did mention W4J and creating a scene. *Like some memorable moment in a battle and such*

[Esoteric]

Since there was a request for background/composition tips, I'll participate with that. But it'll take me a little while to compile a nice tutorial, so don't expect me to go first!

[chibiphonebooth]

i could do tutorials on anatomy, showing emotions, digital art, and hands...

i know those can be killer for people. XP

especially hands.

and other things if other people have more ideas... :O

[Taliesin]

how do you draw a line?

[Radical Dreamer]

Oh wow, I really love this idea! I haven't thought of anything I could do a tutorial on (maybe digital painting, but I'm really still learning myself, so I'm not sure XD), but I would love to see some tutorials on facial structure and that kind of thing. Anyways, this is a really fantastic idea, so I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this thread! Also, what is CAA's dA community? I do watch a lot of CAA members on dA, but I didn't know we had our own group there. I'd love to join it, though!

i could do tutorials on anatomy, showing emotions, digital art, and hands...

i know those can be killer for people. XP

especially hands.

and other things if other people have more ideas... :O

That would be amazing! I would SO love to see you do a tutorial on those subjects, because they're a few of my worst (namely, emotions and hands)! XD

[Photosoph]

I'd love to be part of it, and would definitely be able to be committed (at least to the extent that you described, SA).
Not sure what my strengths are... but I could teach some basic classes on tri-colour shading (in pencil), sprucing up lineart by varying the thickness of the lines (Creatureart taught me the first steps though ^^ ), simple cute characters tutorial, or The Basics of Cute , and maybe take a topic and research it myself to refresh my memory, but then introduce drawing a specific subject: such as 'how to draw cats' or basic tips for drawing said subject.
I could also take 'basic shading' as a tutorial too.