#dazartschool

Daz has some tips for games art students Hi all, I know it's been a while since I've done a #DazArtSchool (or any) post, but I responded to a tweet about “tips for students” and then I kept thinking of more tips, so I decided to write them all down here. I've talked about tips for getting an industry job previously (and I'm gonna repeat a couple of 'em, but feel free to click that link and check out that one too) but here's some stuff to specifically focus on while you're in higher education.

You have time to make mistakes When you're working professionally, you're gonna have very little room to screw up, and you're gonna have to work pretty efficiently. Because of this you're likely to rely on the same tried and true techniques that you know will produce good work fast.

This is not a bad thing, but while you're studying, you're gonna have time. Obviously you're gonna want to produce good work, but it doesn't have to be ALL good. Allow yourself time to make mistakes, do pieces specifically to try out new things, experiment while you have the chance. *It also helps to set aside some “time to make mistakes” even while you're professional (the Rey art pictured was a “test piece” I did to try out some brushes and techniques, and it turned out well and ended up one of my most well received pieces)

Daz rants about the "Myth of Frank Frazetta" Today is the birthday of the late great Frank Frazetta. A friend of mine used to joke that Frazetta would “just suck art power out of the universe!” and I don't think he was that far off, Frazetta's work contains an energy and dynamism rarely seen.

But I'd like to talk about this whole “Frazetta never used reference” narrative that gets spread around, and stories like art director Ralph Mayo taking Frazetta to one side and telling him “your stuff is great, but you need to learn some anatomy.”

This particular story continues that Frazetta is handed an anatomy book (Bridgman I believe) and spends the rest of the night reproducing all the art and diagrams from the book; then returning to Mayo the next day, throwing the book down defiantly and saying “"Thank you very much, I just learned my anatomy.” As if to demonstrate “That's just how good Frazetta was!!!”

This is what I call “The Myth of Frank Frazetta” and frankly it's bullshit! Don't get me wrong, I think Frazetta is an amazing artist, and he is easily my biggest influence; but to say Frazetta could just “do it” is nonsense.

Frazetta studied his art, he had some serious formal schooling. He also had many years on the job experience in comics and illustration. Frazetta didn't start doing book covers and posters till the 1960's, after about 20 years as a professional artist. Also, Frazetta did use reference! While compositions and roughs were often done from memory, it was not uncommon for Frazetta to use reference, often of friends or himself in posed photographs.

Propagating this “Myth of Frank Frazetta” is insulting, it skimps over the effort he put in honing his skill, it ignores the years of study and experience Frazetta put in to his craft. It overlooks his understanding of how important it is to use reference, maybe not as a straight jacket, but as an aid. And it's a dangerous lesson to pass down to students.

If you don't believe me, listen to the less frequently told “ending” of the tale I began earlier, in Frazetta's own words.

Daz explains how everybody can draw

I got a comment about my art today along the lines of “I’ll never be able to draw like that”. This was from a talented artist, who I’m sure that with time, study and practice will be able to draw as well as they damn please; but it got me thinking.

One thing I hear a lot when people see my stuff is “Oh, I wish I could draw”, well here’s the news, you can! And I’m gonna prove it to ya right now!

I think the place this comment comes from is a common misconception that being good at art is a talent. it’s not, it’s a skill; and like any skill, to get good at it requires time, study and practice.

Anyhow, back to the proof, if you “wish you could draw”; I’d like you to try something, right now! Get a piece of paper and draw a square. Don’t rush it, try to get it right.

Now look at what you’ve drawn.

Now compare it to the image I’ve posted. I’m willing to bet that they look pretty similar? The sides are roughly equal in length and straight, the angles are about 90 degrees.

Comparing these two images demonstrates that your hand-eye coordination is not much different to mine. Effectively our “talents” for drawing are about equal.

“That’s great” you’re thinking “but drawing a square is easy!”. Well yeah it is, but that’s because it’s something you have a very clear idea of in your mind. You know what a square looks like and how it works.

We’ve already proven your hand-eye coordination is not much different to mine, when it comes to drawing something you know; but here’s the tricky part.

I’ve been drawing for about 35 years if you count when I first picked up Crayons, and about 20 of that has been serious study and practice. I’ve spent that time learning what things look like, and how they work. Learning proportion, perspective, anatomy, composition and colour theory.

I’ve spent that time honing my skill.

This is the part a lot of people don’t want to hear. Drawing isn’t easy; it’s not a “talent” that you’re simply born being able to do. It takes time, and effort.

Want to learn Colour Theory? Daz tells you where to start!

I’m currently outraged! I just watched a $60 “tutorial” dvd on colour theory; which while not strictly incorrect, was certainly incomplete and not worth the price!

Rather than name and shame the offender (which was my initial instinct) I decided to do something a little more positive. I decided to tell you where you could find all the exact same information (and much more) online for FREE!

First up is the excellent “Colour made Difficult”. Now this website is big and intimidating; but it’s a great explanation of how colour created by light works. It’s quite sciencey and took me three goes to start to “get it”, but it’s worth the struggle. It will change your understanding of colour with a “mind = blown” Inception BRRRRRAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW!

Next up is a brief explanation of how traditional colour harmonies work (*Note: These are based on an RYB colour wheel, rather than the Yurmby wheel you find in Photoshop) and a colour website which makes traditional palette harmonies for you (and can be used to create your own custom RYB wheel, with a little ingenuity)

Finally a recommendation; which although not free is certainly worth the price. Go buy the book “If it’s Purple, someone’s gonna die” This book is one of the few examples of the subject of "the emotional effect of colour” being addressed and you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it!

EDIT: This dvd however, is excellent! It has some great stuff on environmental lighting behavior and is a solid investment.