Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Damn. How can I make kick ass drawings of my designs?

This is topic Damn. How can I make kick ass drawings of my designs? in forum Designs, Artwork, & Creativity at Flare Sci-Fi Forums.

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Posted by MIB on :

I saw quite a few very nicely done drawings of ships on tis board including the drawing of the Pioneer.

How can I make kick ass drawings like that?

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"We have to get drunk immediately."----Gattaca

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :

Print some out, get a piece of tracing paper...

Just kidding. When it comes to me though, I draw inspiration from Rick Sternbach's and John Eave's starship artwork.

For the most part all starships are the same. My suggestion is to take those basic concepts and work around them. Rearrange parts or whatever to fit the idea in your head. Sounds a little like kitbashing come to think of it.

But if you're one of those people that can't draw a straight line then I don't know what to say.

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"Let me ask you something, Mr. Garibaldi, a purely philosophical question. On a scale of 1 to 10, how stupid do you think I am anyway?" - Bester
Federation Starship Datalink: Brand new look, fresh minty scent, same great taste!

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

Do many sketches, do loads of them. Don't be shy, if you try and draw a finished design from the start you'll end up drawing veeery slowly and carefully and the paper will be torn from erasing every time you change your mind.
Also, try and change angles. You won't believe how hard it can be to make a 3D-model out of a poorly drawn schematic.

To find inspiration you can try anything, I once saw a beautiful trashcan lid in the city, it looked like an Excelsior/Ambassador saucer hybrid. Toilet seats too, all those lovely items.

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"Babies haven't any hair;
old men's heads are just as bare;
between the cradle and the grave
lies a haircut and a shave."

Samuel Hoffenstein

Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :

Random cloud formations have also provided me with the basics for more than one starship design.

To make a final drawing, I do a pencil sketch, scan it, then trace over it in Photoshop using alot of stroked curves and the pen tool.

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"The sons of the Prophet were valiant and bold,
And quite unacustomed to fear.
But, of all, the most reckless, or so I am told,
Was Abdulah Boul Boul Ameer."
Aban's Illustration www.alanfore.com

Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :

Try using a vector-based design app (FreeHand or Illustrator).

I've done lots of schematics - and I would have given up without the "undo" command.

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Faster than light - no left or right.

Posted by Matrix (Member # 376) on :

I would like to know how you get a good design from paper to the computer without making it look like a big blur.

Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :

Scan it...?

Posted by Jeff Kardde (Member # 411) on :

Sure. Wanna lend me your scanner ... ?

Just kidding. This is what happenes when I don't get enough sleep.

Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :

Step 1: Scan preliminary artwork.
Step 2: Place graphic tif in Illustrator - place in background layer - lock it. Draw on top.

Assuming that you have sketches of all views, scaling them equally and aligning them will drive you to distraction - but it is well worth it.