Evolution

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Published by: CJ on 8th Oct 2011 | View all blogs by CJ

Nope - not a blog to stir everyone up and cause arguments, but rather a reflective one on the nature of that slippery thing: Improvement.

I don't know about all of you, but I find 'improvement' a horribly nebulous term. We talk about it all the time at work - it's always 'the children have to show improvement and progress', but not always easy to see when you're in the thick of it all. Invariably, you have to wait until you've got some time under your belt and have multiple examples over time so you know it isn't just a fluke or a one-time thing.

As writers (and within other creative disciplines), we ask for critique. Critique allows us to grow and 'improve'... but we very rarely (well, I don't!) look back at how far we have come. Once we have edited and revised, that old version often gets stuffed in the back of a metaphorical drawer, never to be looked at again. So, this is my proposal: I am thinking about opening a group that allows people to reflect, not on what they need to improve, but how they have already improved. To take those old pieces out of the drawer and compare them to their newer pieces, so we can all see just how far we have come.

And, for the record - here's a visual guide to how one character of mine has tracked my artistic journey (I hope you all don't mind, but I find it fascinating!)

So, meet Fade - an character evolution over 10 years:

Hilariously, I was once proud of those earlier pictures, and I am sure that given time, I will feel the same about the latest ones... XD

Comments

14 Comments

by Gerry 7 months ago

'Hilariously, I was once proud of those earlier pictures' - of course, they're brill! Pity 'Fade' has been nicked as the title of a BBC3 chuck-everything-in story for kids. But your Fade is fab - and getting more so by the day, it appears!
by CJ 7 months ago

^^D Thanks, Gerry! She's been with me for a long time, has Fade... (her real name is Kher'tal, but earned the moniker over the years), and stars in many pictures, stories and roleplaying endeavours. She's just that one character who steadfastly refuses to go away!
by mike 7 months ago

Hasn't the sixth one down got rather large thighs?
by CJ 7 months ago

:-) Hence the evolution and 'improvement', mike. That picture was drawn in 2005-2006. There are mistakes in all of them, but as it goes along, those mistakes are learned from and new ones are discovered. I figure that if I keep plugging away, fixing each mistake as I go, then one day, I'll get it right...
by Wrathnar the Unreasonable 7 months ago

Nothing wrong with large thighs!

It's interesting to see both how the character and your artistic technique have evolved.
by Gerry 7 months ago

Not sure about 'large' thighs - 'powerful', I'll give you that - and befitting to character (especially with those nice decorative buckles!)
by Vanessa 7 months ago

cool Elysia...how do you do these?
by Tony 7 months ago

Terrific drawings. Even the sketches have a lot of character, but the later artwork is stunning.
by CJ 7 months ago

:-D Thanks! What interests me is I can see from the beginning to 'end' (subjective, since I am bound to continue drawing this character - these aren't all the pictures I have drawn of her, but they are the most complete) exactly how I have overcome certain problems I have had with drawing. In the beginning, I had the imagination and could kind of colour, but my anatomy was off and I couldn't for the life of me draw legs. Hands were also a problem (look at the beginning pictures and you'll see the poses allow me to hide her hands as much as possible), and I couldn't draw a background for toffee. Then, as the pictures go on, things I couldn't do earlier start to come in - hands become more prominent because I made myself draw them, followed by legs, and then backgrounds start to filter in. Also, my methods change - simple pencil to slightly more adventurous pencil on different coloured paper, and then finally I switch over to digital. At first, it's all the smudge brush's work, then to colouring line art, and finally to 'proper' digital paintings, where I banned the smudge brush and made myself paint proper backgrounds to give the character context. Now, I have to work on my colour choices and make my compositions more challenging - a chappy who paints for Wizard of the Coast (the people who own Dungeons and Dragons and my dream employer) gave me a really helpful critique on the last picture, saying that my anatomy is pretty sound, my character design is fine, but I'm still at that magpie-ish 'OOO! Pretty colours! Must use them ALL!' stage and need to tone them down a bit to make them look more realistic, and that I need to be more adventurous with my backgrounds and make the pictures 'whole', as opposed to just a character on a background - make them more like integral scenes (like the second to last one - he said that one had its own flaws, but he liked the idea of me experimenting with actual scenes).

Still got lots to learn, but looking back like this makes me realise that once upon a time, I thought I'd never get this far - the fact that I have got to the point where I can draw hands and legs, and add in backgrounds means that I can overcome my other problems, given time and practice. And it's the same with writing - I think looking back just to remind yourself that whilst you've still got a lot to learn - look how far you've already come!! :-)
by AlanP 7 months ago

Ely, this is a conversation we have had before. Generally I can only see the "mistakes" or "faults" in your drawings when you have pointed them out. Even then I don't always agree.
by Gerry 7 months ago

Interesting that she's called Fade - as that's what she doesn't do - rather she becomes more pronounced over time...
by Malcolm 7 months ago

I think this is an interesting question and I think AlanP has really hit the nail on the head in pointing to the answer. When we create something (in whatever creative field it may be) we, as the creators tend to focus far too much on what we perceive as the flaws and far too little on the good bits. Others look at what we have achieved and marvel at it, while we sit there picking holes.

I'm not saying we should be blind to the flaws but a little more focus on the things we have done well might be far more useful. There are plenty out there who will be willing to find fault. A little positive feedback may well be useful.

If there is a forum that allows us to achieve that then I'd be for it.
by Gerilyn 7 months ago

Ely, do you practice by drawing from 'life'. I find that's the best way to iron out problems. Saying that- I can *only* draw life- plagiarising it if you like. I wish I had your imagination. x
by Weens 7 months ago

I would be happy to have drawn your first version. You know I have always loved your drawings. I'm sure there must be a platform for them somewhere, they are too good not to do something with.