The Anime Van

*sees husband*

*sees Dell computer*

*turns around*

*sees eight Dell computers removed from network a while ago but not wiped or disposed of yet*

*turns right*

*two more Dell computers*

correction, it is just a horde of Nintendo Handheld Systems.

Even if you had the most technically impressive art in the world, you wouldn't be known as "the best artist", you’d be known as “That person that has pretty good art which some people like and some people don’t.”

 That’s not to say there isn't “good” or “bad” art or that improvement is pointless, it’s to say building a wall of people in you’re head of people who you think are better then you will only ever serve as an insurmountable hindrance. 

This is a pretty tricky question ferrousleonine, as “anime” style, while having common traits such as large eyes and oversimplified noses, is more diverse than it initially seems.

A lot of people, even artists I admire and respect, tell me that all anime looks the same and sameface is to be expected. I strongly disagree. Tiny changes in the smallest of features go a long way. Eye size, eye shape, distance between the eyes, these all contribute to giving each character a distinct look.

What do you consider to be “anime” style anyway? Large eyes? A nose that’s less of a form, and more of a symbol?

Here’s an exercise I did while trying to find my own “style” in photography. I would save photos i really loved into a folder, and study what these photos had in common. Was it the color? The composition? I would then try to keep these things in mind and incorporate them in the photos I took.

Instead of trying to get an “anime” style down, you can probably do the same exercise I mentioned above, but with drawings from artists whose art you consider to be the ideal “anime” style. Save some scans, pics, character sheets, etc. that you like. Look at them. See what you like about them and copy their art. Do this a lot and often, but your mileage may vary.

That said, I’m still honestly surprised whenever people tell me about my style since I wasn’t aware my style was that distinct. Nor did I ever try to consciously develop my own style when it came to drawing. However, I was heavily influenced by the likes of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Raita Honjou, and Shigenori Soejima. I’m not sure if that comes across in my drawings though. 

Now before someone goes on an explosive rant about the evils of copying and plagiarism, remember that copying artworks of the masters is often the best way of learning. If you want to post it online, be upfront about it. Make sure everyone knows it’s a study and that you’re not trying to sell it or directly profit from it.

I tried to draw a lizard man.

Leopard gecko man? 

With a worm.

A guest illustration I made for deel and the rest of Lion City Crew’s Comiket Special 2015 artbook "IDOL in SINGAPORE"

As the title suggests, the artbook’s theme is Idolm@ster: Cinderella Girls in Singapore.

And as fast as I roughed out a follow-up to the chibi run, I slowed down a little to do very minor line refinement and think about fun backgrounds to go along with the chibi theme. But it has finally been completed! I went with Inazuma from Kantai Collection this time around as another little giftie, this time for neonie who once brought her up being a cool character, and I was all “Hey, I think so, too lol” since she has this very soft demeanor about her that I like in a number of characters, and thought up a good visual to go with not too long after Rin got the chibi treatment.

I knew I wanted to go with a sitting posture, and originally, I thought of a bench or cushion to have her sitting on, but neither way felt like a way for me to have the sky be a prominent area in the piece, which I started to want to go for. I then went with a different approach where she’s sitting on a standardly-sized item, and at one point, her sitting on the edge of a table or in a teacup were ideas I considered for a while, and although those fell through, they will likely be used somehow in a future idea or two. I then thought “window frame” and went with that and started to go with that and really felt it coming together the way I liked.