Self-Portrait

This is a self-portrait I did over the summer. Originally I really didn't want to do it because I'm not that good at drawing people from real life. But after a few days of working on it and using what I learned from art class about proportions, I liked how it looked enough that it was easier to work on it. That's another reason I prefer to work in abstract cartoons instead of drawing from life. Drawing realistically isn't that difficult, it just takes a lot of time. Why put so much work into something I could get in a second by taking a photo? I want to draw things no one has ever seen before. Oh well.

The face is probably the part I'm happiest with. I took a picture of myself so I could use that as reference, because it's a self-portrait. But the sketchbook doesn't have the same dimensions as the photo, so everything below the shirt sleeves is basically made up. And I still made my head too wide and the features too small.

While I'm talking about realism vs abstractism, I might as well put all of my thoughts on it here. Not to put too fine a point on it, but right now the animation industry is so focused on realism that it's actually crossed into ugliness. The "appeal" of the animation has been lost. Now all that remains is overly lighted and textured animated characters running around next to a lifelike cat.

Now that the technology exists to create fully realistic CGI objects, they're just making extra work for themselves. Special effects and animation used to be able to rely on improved technology to create spectacle, but now that isn't enough.

Let's go back to creating something more focused.

I agree that drawing from life can improve a cartoon style, but only to a certain extent. And I don't believe you need to know all the rules of drawing realistically in order to make good cartoons. Drawing abstractly and cartoonishly is a separate but related skill. I know impressive realistic artists who would love to be able to draw something as cartoonish as I can, and I'm not that skilled.

And another reason I wasn't super excited to work on this project was because I knew at this point that- unless I did something stupid on accident- the final product would look okay.

Because honestly, what am I getting out of this aside from the satisfaction of using a few new tricks and a job well done? Who am I really helping here? Well, whatever.

God bless this post, and, Lord, be with me.