so these are the finished arms i did for rob hardin and sent him a couple of weeks or so ago. they are found at http://www.heraldrysociety.us/MemberArmPages/images/Hardin_Denny.jpg

i like everything about these arms, except the angel. for me it is very difficult to have switched gears and go form 20 plus years of cartooning into more true to life renditions of humans. it has been easier making the transition for animals and plants. however, humans, well, i am still making too ‘cartoonish’ and the hybrid mix of cartoon and real life is not what i would like to see myself as the artist. thankfully rob was pleased and i am glad he was so, but i must confess that the angel bothers me as much as the rye that i did for our fellow member mike swanson. so, in the future i would not rule out me sending either of these men another rendition of the arms with what i consider ‘improved’ forms of the angel in rob’s case and the rye in mike’s case.

thanks again rob and i am glad you like them and thanks t.r. for posting them in the member’s arms page.

slan.

Denny,

Your work is getting better and better!  The more I see, the more I like.

With regard to drawing truer to life, might I suggest two approaches—both involve tracing:

(1) trace some faces and bodies of people from magazines and concentrate on the major lines of definition.

(2) trace some comic book characters.  Note the artists’ use of line density (thick/medium/thin); also note the "zen" line of no-line (patent pending)—that is, not all lines connect at all times.  Sometimes the mere insinuation of a connection leads the observer to see a full-drawn image.

After a month of this exercise you should be able to render more naturally using differing widths of lines.

I would also suggest you experiment with india ink and pen/brush.  You’ll find in a short time when to apply less pressure for thinner lines, and more pressure for heaver lines.

Regards,

—Guy

As always Guy, I appreciate your advice. I use the ‘line of no line’ approach in cartooning all of the time. I just figure that if I brought it into this ‘truer to life’ approach it would muddy the waters even more. I was thinking that the more solid the more real. Stupid of me seeing as I am an artist and do have an art degree, but you know sometimes how we can over-think a situation… at least I do all of the time. However, I will give it a try and go form there.

Indeed I should try to trace real people. I have been doing cartooning so long that this might be a very practical hands on approach to learning, both mentally and muscle memory wise, a new form. Thanks. 8)

One tip from me, look in a book of C.A. von Volbroth he draws very good heraldic faces.

I have that… I should practice tracing there… good idea… thanks Ton.