Thursday, 28 March 2019
Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Script
Introduction:
Hi, I am Cathy.
About me:
- I’m passionate about character design and concept art. My goal is creating high-quality character design.
- I only draw people. I like to practice anatomy and draw details.
- I like to draw from thumbnails and rough drawings to clean-up artworks.
- I love playing games, most of the drawing I did are fan art. I mainly take inspiration from Korean or Japanese digital art.
- I like drawing since a was little, I have always secretly drawn and think about my comic when I was in primary school. At that time, I told my everyone that I am going to draw manga when I grow up.
- After I got to middle school I started to obsess with anime. Although my school and my parent gave me a lot of pressure, I am always so happy when I am drawing and I knew this is the thing I want to do in the future.
- I worked hard and have family support me so I luckily get to an art school. I finally felt like I am not alone, there are many people who love and appreciate art, enjoying making art.
- I am very grateful that I can keep doing the thing I like the most.
First year:
- I was very lost. I don't know what I am doing, why am I making it. Everything was new to me. I didn't do the foundation course, what I did before was very fine art stuff. I didn't even know what illustration acutely means.
- I was affected by other peoples work. I felt like I didn't belong here because I feel like we all so different.
Second year:
- My situation got worse.
- I had a lot of self-doubt.
- In a very unhealthy condition but still decided to had a few commission but unfortunately, my client didn't like it. I lost my confidence in drawing.
- I started to hate drawing things, I don't even have the courage to even use my pen. I was so afraid.
- I was like a machine, I didn't have feelings about my uni work, I just want them to finish, I didn't put much effort into it.
After Easter and decided to apply for a concept design course. I told myself, this is the last chance to prove myself.
Luckily the works I submitted are good enough to make me get into this course.
Huge change:
So I went to study there in summer. The course was very beneficial to me.
- Although It was very stressful for me, especially when people around me were very strong and skilled, I couldn't help to compare their works and my poor week drawings.
- I think it also helped me in a lot of ways. In the future, I will probably work in an environment like this, when I felt I am the bottom one and can get kick out of the job any time. But then I realised I only need to compare to myself, seeing me doing better each day makes me happy.
- The other people are all nice and friendly we all just some artists looking for a way to improve and do better. I am grateful that I can have this opportunity to talk to the professionals, to the people who work in the creative industry, to people who will be in this industry.
- but to fully understand and master all the things they taught in these 3 months is unrealistic. The teachers are very nice and taught us a lot of things, too much to remember and use them all in our practice.
- Personally, I have learned is an awareness, like aware of what artist think when they draw stuff, what kind of thoughts they put in and why they use this and do that in their work. It is impossible for me to draw like them, but a least I can understand a bit more. I think I will need a few years to absorb, but now I can say it's a good start.
- This experience really changes me a lot in many different ways.
This year:
- I used what I have learnt from summer.
- I am making what I enjoying making. which is very good.
- I am still trying to like my art, but what I am thinking, more importantly, is I need to be better each day.
- Trying to love my work and be confidence a bit more.
- Still, hate my work but at least I can see myself improving. Which makes me happy.
- I like when in Hanbury they said the important things are to enjoy what you're doing, some people enjoy drawing from photo some enjoy draw OCs they are all part of their practice. I often forget why I choose to be an artist. I am not making them please to anyone, it is only because I enjoy it. Over these years, I felt like making art had become a painful thing to do, I was so afraid of others opinion about my work. Creating art only brings me disappointment and frustration. I was afraid the work I did is pointless and meaningless, I know what I want to make and I know what practices can help improve. I was so uncertain because of all this fear, but after this interview from Hanbury, it really gave me a sort of courage to do what I think it's right.
- Be positive a bit more now (or I just don't care now at this point)
Self- promote:
- I set up my website, designed my business card.
- Working on my social media. mainly focus on my twitter, then Instagram, weibo, artsation, Pixiv.
- I have made a patreon, it is for the future. I haven't decided what to do with it
Networking:
- Finally set up my Linkedln.
- But I prefer to talk to artist through twitter or weibo
- Because I am going back to China next year, so I mainly focus on the Chinese artist.
- Try to ask some question through Weibo (the biggest social media platform in China).
Future Plan:
- Find a job pls (In China, in- house, Concept art /Character design /Illustration)
- Study 3D modelling course add additional skills (I always think that learning 3D can help me understanding and draw better) (Same place I study concept art or study online)
- Settle down. Find my role in the creative industry, what style I like, what I am good at.
- Try a different area (Animation, Comic, 3D, Illustration)
- Be a proper adult. Do exercise, get sleep, eat healthy, clean.
- Promote me (Twi, weibo, Artstation, Patreon)
- Practice Practice Practice!!!
The Future:
I want to do freelance in the future, but I think I need to understand this industry a bit more and have enough people who enjoy my work and willing to support me. Most importantly, I need to improve my professional quality. Time management, know my limit and schedule work reasonably. Get organised, be clean and clear. Have a healthy life, do not overwork. I don't have all these quality above, so I need to be patient work hard and make sure I am practising and learning.
Question?
Hi, I am Cathy.
About me:
- I’m passionate about character design and concept art. My goal is creating high-quality character design.
- I only draw people. I like to practice anatomy and draw details.
- I like to draw from thumbnails and rough drawings to clean-up artworks.
- I love playing games, most of the drawing I did are fan art. I mainly take inspiration from Korean or Japanese digital art.
- I like drawing since a was little, I have always secretly drawn and think about my comic when I was in primary school. At that time, I told my everyone that I am going to draw manga when I grow up.
- After I got to middle school I started to obsess with anime. Although my school and my parent gave me a lot of pressure, I am always so happy when I am drawing and I knew this is the thing I want to do in the future.
- I worked hard and have family support me so I luckily get to an art school. I finally felt like I am not alone, there are many people who love and appreciate art, enjoying making art.
- I am very grateful that I can keep doing the thing I like the most.
First year:
- I was very lost. I don't know what I am doing, why am I making it. Everything was new to me. I didn't do the foundation course, what I did before was very fine art stuff. I didn't even know what illustration acutely means.
- I was affected by other peoples work. I felt like I didn't belong here because I feel like we all so different.
Second year:
- My situation got worse.
- I had a lot of self-doubt.
- In a very unhealthy condition but still decided to had a few commission but unfortunately, my client didn't like it. I lost my confidence in drawing.
- I started to hate drawing things, I don't even have the courage to even use my pen. I was so afraid.
- I was like a machine, I didn't have feelings about my uni work, I just want them to finish, I didn't put much effort into it.
After Easter and decided to apply for a concept design course. I told myself, this is the last chance to prove myself.
Luckily the works I submitted are good enough to make me get into this course.
Huge change:
So I went to study there in summer. The course was very beneficial to me.
- Although It was very stressful for me, especially when people around me were very strong and skilled, I couldn't help to compare their works and my poor week drawings.
- I think it also helped me in a lot of ways. In the future, I will probably work in an environment like this, when I felt I am the bottom one and can get kick out of the job any time. But then I realised I only need to compare to myself, seeing me doing better each day makes me happy.
- The other people are all nice and friendly we all just some artists looking for a way to improve and do better. I am grateful that I can have this opportunity to talk to the professionals, to the people who work in the creative industry, to people who will be in this industry.
- but to fully understand and master all the things they taught in these 3 months is unrealistic. The teachers are very nice and taught us a lot of things, too much to remember and use them all in our practice.
- Personally, I have learned is an awareness, like aware of what artist think when they draw stuff, what kind of thoughts they put in and why they use this and do that in their work. It is impossible for me to draw like them, but a least I can understand a bit more. I think I will need a few years to absorb, but now I can say it's a good start.
- This experience really changes me a lot in many different ways.
This year:
- I used what I have learnt from summer.
- I am making what I enjoying making. which is very good.
- I am still trying to like my art, but what I am thinking, more importantly, is I need to be better each day.
- Trying to love my work and be confidence a bit more.
- Still, hate my work but at least I can see myself improving. Which makes me happy.
- I like when in Hanbury they said the important things are to enjoy what you're doing, some people enjoy drawing from photo some enjoy draw OCs they are all part of their practice. I often forget why I choose to be an artist. I am not making them please to anyone, it is only because I enjoy it. Over these years, I felt like making art had become a painful thing to do, I was so afraid of others opinion about my work. Creating art only brings me disappointment and frustration. I was afraid the work I did is pointless and meaningless, I know what I want to make and I know what practices can help improve. I was so uncertain because of all this fear, but after this interview from Hanbury, it really gave me a sort of courage to do what I think it's right.
- Be positive a bit more now (or I just don't care now at this point)
Self- promote:
- I set up my website, designed my business card.
- Working on my social media. mainly focus on my twitter, then Instagram, weibo, artsation, Pixiv.
- I have made a patreon, it is for the future. I haven't decided what to do with it
Networking:
- Finally set up my Linkedln.
- But I prefer to talk to artist through twitter or weibo
- Because I am going back to China next year, so I mainly focus on the Chinese artist.
- Try to ask some question through Weibo (the biggest social media platform in China).
Peing (also Questionbox) is a Japanese Q&A social network that allows people to anonymously post questions to specific people for those to answer. Because I will be back to China for a year so I am looking for Chinese artist to make a contact with. Since Linkedln is not that popular in China, I decided to ask people through Peing.
I found some artist that I like on Weibo and went to their Peing page to asked them question that I want to know:
I found some artist that I like on Weibo and went to their Peing page to asked them question that I want to know:
Future Plan:
- Find a job pls (In China, in- house, Concept art /Character design /Illustration)
- Study 3D modelling course add additional skills (I always think that learning 3D can help me understanding and draw better) (Same place I study concept art or study online)
- Settle down. Find my role in the creative industry, what style I like, what I am good at.
- Try a different area (Animation, Comic, 3D, Illustration)
- Be a proper adult. Do exercise, get sleep, eat healthy, clean.
- Promote me (Twi, weibo, Artstation, Patreon)
- Practice Practice Practice!!!
The Future:
I want to do freelance in the future, but I think I need to understand this industry a bit more and have enough people who enjoy my work and willing to support me. Most importantly, I need to improve my professional quality. Time management, know my limit and schedule work reasonably. Get organised, be clean and clear. Have a healthy life, do not overwork. I don't have all these quality above, so I need to be patient work hard and make sure I am practising and learning.
Question?
Portfolio
I have put (personally think) my strongest work in my portfolio. Many of my work either unfinish or I hate, luckily I still have a few drawing I can put in my portfolio.
Tuesday, 26 March 2019
Artist Stats
My Artist Stats
My practice:
Line art has always been one of my weakness. I know when I make digital art I normally with cover my lines up, so people wouldn't notice. I know I can't make beautiful line art but I feel like this is a very basic quality I need to have as an artist. I need to keep practice and practice.
I have been drawing for many years now, I am still struggle with anatomy a lot. I still don't fully understand it, I need more practice and observing and learning for this one.
Personal sketchbook
I know practicing line art in pen is better than digital. I have my personal sketchbook with my studies and practices.
Shading
For shading practice, I just draw from sculpture or sometimes black and white photos.
Speed
1 hour drawing challenge. I will try to draw an illustration in 1 hour, must include light and shadow not just flat colour.
Colouring
(previous post about personal practice)
Sunday, 24 March 2019
Hanbury
- Drafts, Process sketches are important
- Idea into the story (contact artist from IG)
- Rely on the persons power
- Take the chance!
- Get used to the rejection
- Be honest to yourself, who you want to work with. Target people, find out why you like that publisher.
- How you going to present yourself.
- Prepared all the things, be professional.
- Children book marketing is bigger than graphic novel
- Format can be important. (What fit in the shelf, make sure people can find it)
- PDF email
- Challenging yourself. Uncomfortable situation can make you gain more.
- Forcus on your work present
- Instagram is the main way to look at artist
- Use more '#'
- Document your work. Have a solid profolio
- Reach out, introduce yourself, communicate
- Don't second guess the market
- Find out your role
- Do what you think is right
- Age doesn't matter
- Enjoying what you are doing, it is all part of your practise.
THOUGHTS:
I like when the last interview they said the important things is to enjoy what you're doing, some people enjoy drawing from photo some enjoy draw OCs they are all part of their practice. I often forget why I choose to be an artist. I am not making them please to anyone, it is only because I enjoy it. Over these years, I felt like making art had become a painful thing to do, I was so afraid of others opinion about my work. Creating art only brings me disappointment and frustration. I was afraid the work I did is pointless and meaningless, I know what I want to make and I know what practices can help improve. I was so uncertain because of all these fear, but after this interview from Hanbury, it really gave me a sort of courage to do what I think it's right.
I hope they could have included something about oversea opportunity or hiring a foreigner that kind of stuff because as an international student and probably not going to work in publication, many things they suggest are not suitable for me.
Overall I think this is a good new experience for me. It was not very beneficial but at least I have learned and gain something from it.
Patreon
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Business Cards
My Business Card Design
I want my business card to be simple and clear.
I didn't think much when I design this, I just want people to focus my name and details so I drew my hands highlighting my information in the middle.
I am ok with this design, it's cute.
CV
Creative CV
Same old idea and colour choice as my business card. I just want to keep it simple and cute.
Thursday, 14 March 2019
Life As a Freelancer
What are your concerns:
- Find a job
- Networking
- Gain clients
- Minimum 6 hours on Monday to Saturday, take break on sunday
- Digital work (Photoshop, SAI)
- Finding reference and research
- Anatomy
- Networking
- Social skill
- Time management (Procrastination)
- Short briefs
- Storytelling
Networking: identify and contact a minimum of 10 people who will potentially be useful to you in the future:
- Jiu jiang zi
- HumerSobek
- Tanuki
- Ershao
- Nishiki
- Shoggothhh
- Helen Pang
- Gegezu
- Design agency/company
- Portfolio
- Find a job
- Networking
- Gain clients
What is the shape of your working day/week:
What are your strengths-practical skills/management/people skills etc:
- Finding reference and research
- Anatomy
What do you feel you need to develop:
- Social skill
- Time management (Procrastination)
- Short briefs
- Storytelling
Networking: identify and contact a minimum of 10 people who will potentially be useful to you in the future:
- Jiu jiang zi
- HumerSobek
- Tanuki
- Ershao
- Nishiki
- Shoggothhh
- Helen Pang
- Gegezu
Where are you going to be working and what do you need to buy/prepare for a future career:
- Portfolio
Sunday, 10 March 2019
Future Plan
- Find a job pls (in- house, Concept art /Character design /Illustration)
- Study 3D modelling course add additional skills (I always think that learning 3D can help me understanding and draw better)
- Settle down. Find my role in creative industry, what style I like, what I am good at.
- Try different area (Animation, Comic, 3D, Illustration)
- Be an proper adult. Do exercise, get sleep, eat healthy, clean.
- Promote myself (Twi, weibo, Artstation, Patreon)
I want to do freelance in the future, but I think I need to understand this industry a bit more and have enough people who enjoy my work and willing to support me. Most importantly, I need to improve my professional quality. Time management, know my limit and schedule work reasonably. Get organised, be clean and clear. Have a healthy life, do not overwork. I don't have all these quality above, so I need to be patient work hard and make sure I am practising and learning.
- Study 3D modelling course add additional skills (I always think that learning 3D can help me understanding and draw better)
- Settle down. Find my role in creative industry, what style I like, what I am good at.
- Try different area (Animation, Comic, 3D, Illustration)
- Be an proper adult. Do exercise, get sleep, eat healthy, clean.
- Promote myself (Twi, weibo, Artstation, Patreon)
I want to do freelance in the future, but I think I need to understand this industry a bit more and have enough people who enjoy my work and willing to support me. Most importantly, I need to improve my professional quality. Time management, know my limit and schedule work reasonably. Get organised, be clean and clear. Have a healthy life, do not overwork. I don't have all these quality above, so I need to be patient work hard and make sure I am practising and learning.
Contact
Linkedln
I have finally set up my Linkedln. I think it is a good platform and I found some amazing people on it. It is quite useful in finding connections and possible jobs.
Peing
Peing (also Questionbox) is a Japanese Q&A social network that allows people to anonymously post questions to specific people for those to answer. Because I will be back to China for a year so I am looking for Chinese artist to make a contact with. Since Linkedln is not that popular in China, I decided to ask people through Peing.
I found some artist that I like on Weibo and went to their Peing page to asked them question that I want to know:
(Chinese roughly translate):
Jiu Jiang Zi (九酱子）
Chinese freelance artist.
Q: I want to know how to improve my colour sense, I find it very difficult when I am colouring my work...... I saw your huge improvement from 2015, I wonder how you did it? I want to improve my colour skills.
A: In many case it is not because your colour doesn't look good, it is because of the light and shadow. First you need to make sure your piece is nicely balanced value-wise in addition to colour. In 2015, I work hard and practice a lot, that why I improve a lot. You need to have enough practice to summrise your process and style, then constantly consolidate, accumulate and breakthrough
I found some artist that I like on Weibo and went to their Peing page to asked them question that I want to know:
(Chinese roughly translate):
Jiu Jiang Zi (九酱子）
Chinese freelance artist.
Q: I want to do freelance in the future. Do you ever have the time when you haven't drawn in a while, what do you do with this situation?
A: Yes. I had a time when I didn't draw that much in 3 or 4 years, at that time I was escaping. I don't have a good solution, it all depends on self-understanding and awakening. Even when you don't want to draw at all or don't know what to draw, just go do some normal practice. Never let yourself forget the feeling of drawing.
Q: I wonder does this creative industry valued very much about your qualifications or your degree course?
A: No, it is portfolio that really matters. If your works are strong enough, no one will care.
Q: How do you get your first commission? I find it really difficult to get a commission
A: Through Weibo. I was already in creative industry and I had 1k followers back in 2015. Someone appreciate one of my drawing and asked for commission.
Q: I want to know how to improve my colour sense, I find it very difficult when I am colouring my work...... I saw your huge improvement from 2015, I wonder how you did it? I want to improve my colour skills.
A: In many case it is not because your colour doesn't look good, it is because of the light and shadow. First you need to make sure your piece is nicely balanced value-wise in addition to colour. In 2015, I work hard and practice a lot, that why I improve a lot. You need to have enough practice to summrise your process and style, then constantly consolidate, accumulate and breakthrough
Sunday, 17 February 2019
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Photoshop, SAI
- Drawing people
- Observational drawing
- Life-drawing
- Reference/ Research
Weakness
Opportunities
Threats
- Creative industry environment in China
- Copyright issue
- Hard to follow the trend
- Photoshop, SAI
- Drawing people
- Observational drawing
- Life-drawing
- Reference/ Research
Weakness
- Time management
- Low self-esteem
- Anxiety problem
- Need to put my work on social media
Opportunities
- Making fanart
- Talk to someone who work in creative industry
- Put work on Twitter, Pixiv, Art station, Behance
- Patreon
- Patreon
Threats
- Creative industry environment in China
- Copyright issue
- Hard to follow the trend
Friday, 1 February 2019
Online presence
My Website
I have set up my own website. It is my first website, I think it is easier to view my work. I want my website simple and clean and for anyone who viewing easy to access. People can look at my online portfolio here and find my contact email. I also linked my social account so that people can find more about me and my work.
Instagram
Instagram is the main way for people to look at artist so I set up this new art account. I need to post more stuff in here. I decided to put my finished high quality art in here in the future.
Twitter
I use twitter the most, I'll post my art in here. Twitter is now the main way I get to know and see other artist's work (and memes). I like it here.
Pixiv
Pixiv is a Japanese online community for artist. Pixiv aims to provide a place for artists to exhibit their illustrations and get feedback via a rating system and user comments. I resisted my Pixiv account a long time ago and used to post my art there. I think Pixiv is a very good platform for artist and I need to post my new work and manage my account more.
WEIBO
Weibo is a Chinese microblogging website and one of the biggest social media platform in China. Since China had blocked most of the foreign social media platform, Weibo is like an Chinese version of Twitter or tumblr. I post some work here. Many are little comics I made with Chinese dialogue. I don't think I'll have some new post in there during this period.
Sunday, 20 January 2019
Presonal Practice
Colour practice
Some of my colour practices. A good colour practice suggest by many artists. Draw from a photo image. Avoied eyedropper tool, choose the colour yourself. I think it helped me to understand the colour a bit more. I should do this more often, because my colour use always look terrible.
Learn from last year
Because I also did something about Chinese culture last year, so I think I can review then and summarize some problem I had and try not to make it happen in this year.
Wrong body structure
Wrong Perspective
Armour is wrong
(DISASTER)
Wrong body structure
Awful colours
Some folds of his clothes are wrong and unnecessary
Background and environment can be more interesting
What I've learnt (suggestion):
If I want to draw something with high completeness I need to find and look at as many references as possible.
Because I want to draw something realistic I need to make sure the body structure is right and not looking weird.
Try to make sure all the perspective are correct, something like armour, building, I need to use my brain more. Try sum it up in geometric shape .
This was my least favourite drawing from Last year so I decided to improve it. I used the red line to corrected the body structure, I also found some references image to help me draw. Then I roughly re-drawn my character. I am still unhappy about my second drawing, her both hands looks very weird and uncomfortable but it is a lot better than the one from last year. I can see myself improved a lot during this year, but my weaknesses still really obvious. I NEED to practise more and understand more in human anatomy. I also should have look for some more references to help me a bit more.
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