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FG's Art Through The Ages

Forest Grovyle

Resident Reptilian Artist
    • 3,339
    Posts
    21
    Years
    Forest Grovyle - Art Through The Ages​

    I am often asked when I started drawing, and what methods I use, and I usually give the answer to the second question "lots of practise". But saying this is easier said than done, as practise is such a big word, involving a lot of time and effort. I've decided to post this thread to hopefully inspire those budding artists amongst us, and to show that practise really does improve your skills, and that you'll have great fun doing it! :D

    I've always drawn, ever since I was little, but I first started drawing Pok?mon when I saw the first previews of it coming into the UK. My first art project I did involving Pok?mon was hand-drawn pictures of the original 150, made to stick on a poster. These were basically copies of the default poses, which is always a good way to start, to get the hang of drawing the Pok?mon to its official design.

    Unfortunately, I don't have any of these very early pictures on my hard drive - the earliest ones I have are from 2000, which were ones like this Totodile:
    [PokeCommunity.com] FG's Art Through The Ages

    As you can see, it's a copy of the original Sugimori pose. I hadn't really started to venture into computer art yet, since I didn't understand how to use the programs and hand-drawn pieces were a lot more accessible to me. I'd say the most memorable of this stage was this one:
    The Wild Gyarados
    If any of you read NOM magazine, you may recognise this...in their 100th issue, it was printed as a finalist entry in a Pok?mon art competition. This was a great confidence booster for me, and really inspired me to continue. Although I really don't like the picture now, it's one that I'll always treasure.

    After this initial hand-drawn stage, I began to progress into computer art. The program which I used was PSP7. Because I have always used a mouse to draw my art, my lines were initially very shaky. This is something that takes a lot of time to master, but is well worth it unless you can get a tablet. :) I've never been able to get the hang of using a tablet myself, but a lot of people find it much easier.

    I started to take requests on forums under the username "Raichumaster", abbreviated here to "RM". Here are a couple of the works I did then:
    Ho-Oh vs Moltres
    Trainers and their Pok?mon
    Looking back on these today, I can see a lot that needs improving. The lines are often too shaky or thick, and the proportions are off in a lot of places - these are also things that tend to become better over time. :) As you can see, Blaziken is in the second picture, indicating that these weren't drawn too long ago! ;)

    I started to experiment with a few of the filters and effects that PSP had, such as blur. Unfortunately I went a bit overboard! XD That's something you always have to remember - don't overuse filters, as they really do make the picture worse as a whole. You can create some great effects without using any at all ^_^ So always experiment with other things before turning to them! Here are the pics where I drastically overused filters XD
    Rapidash
    Gyarados

    But my computer art did gradually improve. I started using thinner lines, and my mouse control became a lot less shaky. A good example of this is this Charizard, which I still don't mind as a picture today. :) This was done under the name "Cloudskipper", and was posted on PC, if I remember correctly! ;) I've really toned down the filters here, and I think this was a big step towards my current art.

    I then branched into fantasy artwork for a while, drawing dragons, horses and gryphons. I'd been inspired by the art of a lot of other web artists - it's always a great way to get inspiration ^_^ I really recommend checking out what other artists online have done, and coming up with your own ideas...you can draw anything if you put your mind to it! :D The shading in these is still a little confused...shading is always an important part of the picture, and something that takes time to get right. In the mass of these pictures I drew Pok?mon Winter Race, the picture which I see as the first in my "current" style of art. :)

    As I progressed I tried other mediums, for example oekaki (Vaporeon in the Coral Reef) and lineless soft-shading Treecko. I occasionally still draw in the lineless soft-shading style, since it's a fun one to do. ^_^ Oekakis are very easy to use, and I'd recommend them for anyone who only has MS Paint on their computer, as they can do so much more than MS Paint ^_^ I even prefer using oekaki to Photoshop Elements sometimes! :D

    But there are always pictures that go unfinished - pictures that didn't go the way I wanted them to, or ones that I tired of...even ones that finished abruptly because the applet crashed, such as this Rayquaza, which I would have liked to complete. I luckily managed to snag a screenshot of it in progress, but as it was an oekaki I couldn't paste it in properly using Photoshop. :( Ones like this Arcanine were also left on the cutting-room floor, because they just weren't turning out how I'd liked. But the best thing to do is to keep on trying, no matter how a picture seems to be turning out...I know that lots of times I've felt like giving up, but when I carry on, it all turns around and I've been really pleased with the results! :D

    So why post this thread? I just wanted to show everyone that practise really does make perfect, and to inspire anyone who's ever thinking of starting to draw, Pok?mon or otherwise - as long as you have the will, there's a way! :D There's an artist inside all of us - they're just waiting to escape! ;)

    --Forest Grovyle (aka in this post as CS and RM!)
     
    Wow FG. You've really inspired me to become a better pokemon artist. You must've been very glad to have your picture in the finals. I love your art, it's all astounding. I like the Acinine the most. You made it look very realistic.
     
    Yes, this thread you posted is really helpful to me and your a great artist. ^_^
     
    I'm glad this thread has inspired people! ^_^ I'm always up for seeing more Pok?mon art. ;)
    salamance king, I know there are lots of people who are better artists than me ^_^ Always have been, always will be! But let's not start a debate here ;) This thread isn't about who's better than who. :)
     
    I'm so lazy, I can never get things done on time, but because of you, I actually feel like working now. My art is more InuYasha and vampire related stuff though, I don't have very many Pokemon stuff of my own. By the way, that horse of your's is magnificent, I would like to request a drawing, but I don't know if you do that type of stuff.
     
    Stop slagging her off, it is against the rules for one thing and she is a great artist ^_^. Plus like Ty said you have to prove it first. Hey FG I like them all, epecially the realistis Arcanine ^_^, your pics are totally amazing ^.~

    Pokemon_Veteran
     
    wow, thats very interesting, its cool how youve been able to progress and improve as you went along, reminds me of my drawings, and practice is the answer
     
    Wow you are realle talanted and skilled.Good work keep it up.
     
    how can such skill be incorporated through Oakaki?

    They are immesureably prim, skillful, and precisly correct.

    I admire you greatly! ^^
     
    Cool, you've really, noticeable improved over the past few years.
    At this rate, I wonder how much better you'll get...
     
    Yeah, you've improved so much, I think every artist improves through the ages, now that I think about it. I have and I'm sure everyone else has.

    Quite a nostalgic look back. It's great to see how people have improved.

    Keep up the great work and always keep improving.
     
    You've certainly improved... Not that that's an uncommon thing, but that's the whole point of the thread, hey?

    The Arcanine one's really good, except for the fact that it looks more like a timber wolf than an Arcanine... I think it really needed more hair on top. When I think Arcanine, I think of heaps of hair.

    The Vaporeon, Treecko and Rayquaza are all good, too, but I think the only ones I'd say were bad would be the Totodile(too fat), the Wild Gyarados(The birds looked quite odd, and Gyarados was off) and the Pokemon in the Trainers one.

    But you use a mouse to draw? Yikes! Those are especially good for a mouse, though I think my mouse is just especially bad...

    I need to work on my colouring. I don't scan many pictures in, so I'm really low on the practise. Plus it takes quite a while when you're trying to get it right...

    I have no doubts that you'll just keep improving. The stuff you're doing with those Meowths is really cool.
     
    Wow O_O all the history of Pokemon drawings by you... since I started drawing Pokemon in the past 5 months or so, this thread is inspiring me... especially the realistic Aracanine :)

    I was sort of surprised that you are quite new to oekaki...
     
    You truly inspired us all, your pictures are breathtakeing, filled with skill in every corner, there isn't any sign of any kind of mistakes in any of your pictures, I hope your skill expands with each day and with that your goal will draw nearer, I don't have any word to express what kind of prais I should give you for such tallent, but them all: great, amazing, breathtaking, incredible and fantastic FG!
     
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