I currently have the house to myself and have spent the time just watching documentaries about futurism and science-y things on Netflix while drawing and stuff. I finished reading that first volume of Akira, and decided to use one of my final pages of comic board (which I am never buying again, those lines are evil and the paper's too expensive) to draw a random page.
It...didn't come out all too well, but it helped me get a grasp of how Katsuhiro Otomo set up and laid out his pages, his compositional skills, and how detailed he was, more detailed than I could manage. My attempt looks half-assed next to his, but it was a good learning process. I'm trying to think of a few other comics where I could try the same thing.
And I finished a drawing for another senior show piece. Here's a snippet:
Took forever to draw, and I'm rather proud of how it came out.
Also, I found these pieces of Legend of Zelda art done by an artist called Katsuya Terada, and I love them:
When you bring up this iconic game series to anyone, and I mean ANYONE, these are NOT the kinds of images that come to mind, not the same colors or style at all. Imagine if any one of the Zelda games looked more like this art and less like...well, Wind Waker or Ocarina of Time did. The game would be almost entirely different, and the series would, dare I say it, probably not be quite so ultra popular as it is today.
Which would be fine by me, I love this work, and I've grown sick of all the Zelda obsessed kids I run into all the time. Don't get me wrong, I too am a big fan of the series, Link's Awakening and Twilight Princess probably being my favorites, but I guess I just don't like people who are obsessed with something in an unhealthy manner.
Here's another wicked awesome piece. That thing in the background is a Moblin. A freaking MOBLIN. They've never been that huge or ugly in any of the games!
Have you seen the screenshots and trailers and previews for Skyward Sword? It looks ugly, doesn't it? Like they tried and failed to combine the art style of Wind Waker with Ocarina of Time. I'll still play it, but sheesh. What was wrong with the look of Twilight Princess? That game was AWESOME. It was epic, it was dark, it hinted at certain elements that are extremely present in these pieces of art I'm in love with.
Look at Link in these. He's more mature, more stoic, that shield is not going to provide him much protection, so he HAS to be cautious and keep his wits about him. Honestly, the line art and colors in these remind me more of Moebius than of anyone Japanese.
I look at these and think of the Zelda game that could have been, then I see Toon Link and I cringe. Why must you torment me like that, Nintendo?
Anyways, that's it. Think I'm gonna find an excuse to use this Books A Million coupon that came in today's paper...
[Brett]