Cartooning Class, Summary
May. 22nd, 2010 11:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebI haven't been keeping you up to date about the cartooning class because I just was never in the mood.
For week 2, we were shown many cartooning styles from simple to detailed, realistic to exaggerated. We were to draw something in three different styles. Mine all stank.
For homework, we were to create a character, draw it in many different positions, and create an origin story cartoon. At this point I got a horrible feeling like during nanowrimo--I cannot think of characters. I drew a celery stick guy. I drew an octopus and thought to myself, no way am I drawing an octopus a million times--I want an easier character. I drew a guitar guy. Bleh.
At home I decided to copy some other cartoons. But I only copied some Calvin and Hobbes. I learned that Calvin is not that fun to draw. Hobbes is better, but that cartoon is mostly about the story.
In class, he was insistent that we do the homework project. He would go around looking at everyone's characters and try to give them hints. He was nice enough to do this on the front board, so we all learned a little bit about how to draw things like teddy bears, gnomes, and kittens.
Finally, I just drew a baby.
Here is the comic.
I'll just tell you what's on there, since it's too pale to see, and you might not be able to figure out what it is if you could see it anyway..
1. A baby is crawling and thinking, "Must get to climbing apparatus."
2. The baby is half kneeling in front of bookcase with one hand on a shelf. She is saying "Arg!" and thinking, "Must pull self up."
3. The baby is standing next to the bookshelf, hanging on with one hand, with the other hand sticking out. She is saying, "Ba ba ba ba ba. Ba ba ba ba. Ba ba ba...." She is thinking, "Victory. I am now upright and blathering. Just like grown-ups!"
The fourth week we were supposed to finish the project of drawing our character in many positions and an origin story. Which I already did. It was very boring and hard not to fall asleep.
The fifth week we learned about inking our cartoons. This means you can actually see my next one:
The last week we practiced drawing each other. My first ones were actually okay--they didn't look like monsters at all.
But as he had us do various things like don't lift the pencil and draw the person as an animal, I got annoyed and frustrated again.
I had checked out a couple of books on cartooning at the library. I pulled one out and did exercises from that instead of just sitting there trying to think of some way to do some of those things.
Overall, I would say the class was not a great experience. Part of the problem was that I wasn't really prepared for the class--I didn't spend time practicing at home, and wasn't psyched about it. But I wanted to take it before Informal Classes was canceled. Part of the problems was that I just got waylaid by having to think up a character and plot.
On the other hand, as a result of the class I no longer think that I have to suck at drawing. I think that with some practice, I could get to a level that I would like. I could start carrying a sketchbook around on the bus and things. I probably won't just yet.
For week 2, we were shown many cartooning styles from simple to detailed, realistic to exaggerated. We were to draw something in three different styles. Mine all stank.
For homework, we were to create a character, draw it in many different positions, and create an origin story cartoon. At this point I got a horrible feeling like during nanowrimo--I cannot think of characters. I drew a celery stick guy. I drew an octopus and thought to myself, no way am I drawing an octopus a million times--I want an easier character. I drew a guitar guy. Bleh.
At home I decided to copy some other cartoons. But I only copied some Calvin and Hobbes. I learned that Calvin is not that fun to draw. Hobbes is better, but that cartoon is mostly about the story.
In class, he was insistent that we do the homework project. He would go around looking at everyone's characters and try to give them hints. He was nice enough to do this on the front board, so we all learned a little bit about how to draw things like teddy bears, gnomes, and kittens.
Finally, I just drew a baby.
Here is the comic.
I'll just tell you what's on there, since it's too pale to see, and you might not be able to figure out what it is if you could see it anyway..
1. A baby is crawling and thinking, "Must get to climbing apparatus."
2. The baby is half kneeling in front of bookcase with one hand on a shelf. She is saying "Arg!" and thinking, "Must pull self up."
3. The baby is standing next to the bookshelf, hanging on with one hand, with the other hand sticking out. She is saying, "Ba ba ba ba ba. Ba ba ba ba. Ba ba ba...." She is thinking, "Victory. I am now upright and blathering. Just like grown-ups!"
The fourth week we were supposed to finish the project of drawing our character in many positions and an origin story. Which I already did. It was very boring and hard not to fall asleep.
The fifth week we learned about inking our cartoons. This means you can actually see my next one:
The last week we practiced drawing each other. My first ones were actually okay--they didn't look like monsters at all.
But as he had us do various things like don't lift the pencil and draw the person as an animal, I got annoyed and frustrated again.
I had checked out a couple of books on cartooning at the library. I pulled one out and did exercises from that instead of just sitting there trying to think of some way to do some of those things.
Overall, I would say the class was not a great experience. Part of the problem was that I wasn't really prepared for the class--I didn't spend time practicing at home, and wasn't psyched about it. But I wanted to take it before Informal Classes was canceled. Part of the problems was that I just got waylaid by having to think up a character and plot.
On the other hand, as a result of the class I no longer think that I have to suck at drawing. I think that with some practice, I could get to a level that I would like. I could start carrying a sketchbook around on the bus and things. I probably won't just yet.
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your baby cartoon
on 2010-05-25 12:56 am (UTC)Re: your baby cartoon
on 2010-05-30 05:35 pm (UTC)And she really does make good grunting sounds, some of which I find myself making occasionally.
Re: your baby cartoon
on 2010-05-30 05:48 pm (UTC)Re: your baby cartoon
on 2010-05-31 03:30 am (UTC)See, there's this video of my niece trying to stand up, and right before she gives up and rests for second, she makes a grunting sound which is now quite familiar to me because I like the video and have watched it often.
So normally I don't notice myself making that sound, but I do now. I'm not using it to express myself; it's just a sound that comes out. Now I can't remember when it happens exactly or I'd give you an example.
Re: your baby cartoon
on 2010-06-03 02:54 am (UTC)