My new art style

[Dungeon Warden]

My art style has changed so much that I've become embarrassed looking at my old Sig and thought it was time to change it. Someday I'll have to get around to changing my avatar as well. It's hard to believe I've gotten so much better in only a year. I guess that's what drawing everyday will do for you.

I hope you enjoy my new Sig.

P.S. Please read my comic. It's been a long time since I've gotten any comments about it. I know there are five people that read my comic regularly because I have a counter that counts how many people load the main page everyday.

Does anyone have suggestions for getting comments and viewers for my page? I am debating if a blog or forum is a better idea. Lots of people read bolgs and send comments so that might be the way to go. What do you think?

[Doan the Nado]

Just latch on to something people already like and create a message board dedicated to it, then drag all the best members to your board.

Seriously, though, I don't really know how to generate interest in something that people are not already interested in. I think one important thing is to be an interesting person. Frankly, I think we all are, it's just that some of us are better at projecting it to the world. Outside of RPGM2, I have not had much success in drawing online attention to myself.

I'm sorry that I haven't read your comics, but I barely have time to read the posts on this board. I know the "barely have time" excuse is rapidly getting old, but I just can't find a way to escape it.

The new sig is definitely improved. I like it. Keep drawing every day, and maybe in a few years I'll be watching some major animations that you've done.

It's good that you're embarrassed by your previous work; it means you're improving. When you look back at something you did and you think it was perfect (that you could never match), that's when you know that something is wrong.

[Dungeon Warden]

Thanks for the comments, Doan. Yeah, one of my instructors said the same thing (about seeing the problems with your old art and continuing to improve). He also said that the people who get hired are not always the most talented artists, but the ones who continue to draw and improve their style.

One of the girls in my class is a wonderful artist but all her drawings look the same. She takes her style from Amy Brown exclusively and it really shows. She may never be a good animator because she only has one style. I, on the other hand, am studying many artists styles and that's one reason that I think I'll start a blog - so I can talk about everything I've learned from all these great artists and animators I'm reading about.

[Dungeon Warden]

Okay, I just updated my Avatar. I used a method of covering a photograph with color fills and then removing the photo. It creates a nice photo-realistic image as you can see.

[Bigfoot]

Yeah, DW, looking at your old comic strips compared to your new ones, you have improved alot.

Do you think in your spare time that you could do an avatar like that for me too? I think its pretty rad, I think I have a few pictures of myself in the picture topic.

[Doan the Nado]

Yeah, I like that. Nice job. (Some of you might need to refresh to see it. I still saw the old one until I refreshed.)

[Rodak]

I like the New Avatar!

I think I'll steal the technique!!

Nyah-Ha-Ha!

And I will make it a point to keep up with your comic!

And leave some feedback.

I can tell from the new signature that your style is evolving.

Be sure to read some Vaughn Bode while looking up other artists for exposure!

Da Bode was the Single Greatest Cartoonist Who EVER Lived!!!

He died in the early 1970's, and they still reprint his work!

Get The Man.

Or Deadbone Erotica.

Or anything, really!

But The Man is My Favorite single comic book of All Time!

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Art is wonderful.

[Dungeon Warden]

Thanks for the heads up about Vaughn Bode. I didn't recognize the name but I've certainly seen his work before. He has a wonderful loose style that I like to use myself. His backgrounds are very whimsical - thats where I really need to do some work. I need to move my characters into the countryside and show more detail.

Check out his son, Mark Bode's, web site. There is quite a few examples of his father's work, including some never see elsewhere.

He is also the artist behind the wonderful movie, The Wizards. Not that the movie itself was all that great, but the humor and animation was well done.

Thanks for the praise everyone. It's nice that my hard work is being recognized.

Bigfoot: I'll see what I can do about an Avatar for you.

[Rodak]

I actually Know Mark quite well. I have bought much of his father's art from him!

I'm secretly working on something that will involve getting a license from him, but can't say any more and probably said too much already!

However...

dungeonwarden said:

He is also the artist behind the wonderful movie, The Wizards. Not that the movie itself was all that great, but the humor and animation was well done.

A Common Misconception.

Ralph Bakshi FLUFFING STOLE ALL the character designs from Bode!!! And the plot was stolen from Bode's Cobalt 60!!

Bakshi is a no good slime worm what should have his face sawed off!!

He makes some fun movies, but he is a Prick!!

You know of Frank Frazzetta, right?

During the making of Fire and Ice (the only animated Frazzetta!) Frank had to Pull a Knife on Bakshi to keep him from changing things and redesigning stuff!

If Bakshi did not do those great Spiderman cartoons in the '60s he would not be worthy to live.

As is, he should STILL have his face sawed off!

Wizards.

NOT Bode.

Oy.

I do tend to go on about art...

[Dungeon Warden]

I didn't realize Ralph Bakshi stole Bode's character art and story line, although I did know that he was the director of the film. Bakshi is also responsible for changing the way animators were trained in studios. Before Bakshi, someone had to go through a long apprenticeship before he could become an animator but Bakshi showed that talent was more important then time spent at a desk(long story).

Still, I'm sure he could have been sued if Vaughn Bode had still been alive. As it is, the movie did poorly and Bakshi lost a lot of money because of it, so he got what he deserved.

Anyway, I think I'll try doing a few of Bode's characters and see if I can get the style down. Maybe I'll use his style but my characters just to avoid infringement and because it's more useful creatively anyway. I'll post what I've done later.

EDIT: Here is the Sig you wanted Bigfoot:

You can download it here.

[Rodak]

dungeonwarden said:

Bakshi is also responsible for changing the way animators were trained in studios. Before Bakshi, someone had to go through a long apprenticeship before he could become an animator but Bakshi showed that talent was more important then time spent at a desk(long story).

OK, I forgot that.

Just saw his Nose off.

[Dungeon Warden]

Here is is! My reproduction of one of Bode's paintings done with my own characters. I left Bode's art on the left so you can see the original and see how I changed it to fit my own characters. I hope you like it.

[Doan the Nado]

I like that drawing a lot. Now you just need your own signature...

[Bigfoot]

That is a pretty need reproduction, I should start reading your comic strips. And thanks for the Avy, its pretty sweet.

[realitybites]

Nice drawings, oh and nice Avy Bigfoot

[Rodak]

Very Nice Color Sense!

Great Rendition.

Bode had just the right balance of line, color, and breasts.

My Kind of Artist!

Now...

When the fluff am I gonna get to your comic??

Probably during the work week, so I can get caught up and give a full review! (today is busy) (I post in between crappe!)

Watch for it

[Dungeon Warden]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone. I'm glad you like it since it took a while to create. I'll probably put it on my site sometime.

Attention: I now have a blog at blogger. Come check it out and leave some comments. I've gotten one comment already. ;D

[Deleted]

Yes, they do look very good. And, I can see you've improved a lot. Kudos. I don't really have anything else to say.

[Dungeon Warden]

rodak said:

Ralph Bakshi FLUFFING STOLE ALL the character designs from Bode!!! And the plot was stolen from Bode's Cobalt 60!!

Bakshi is a no good slime worm what should have his face sawed off!!

Sorry to bring back this old topic but I just found Ralph Bakshi's reply to this rumor that he stole anything from Bode.

Ok Ok Ok - Vaughn Bode was one of the worlds great cartoonists. Vaughn, his wife and his newborn son at that time used to hang around my apartment in Manhattan and talk about doing an animated film together. Sure he influenced me and many others, as I influenced him. He told me his secret to his Lizards was a simplification of Daffy Duck and Vaughn really love Fritz the Cat - what I had done with it. We were gonna do the Amorous Adventures of Puck - after Wizards. The script he wrote was hysterical , something about a Don Juan Lizard with a wooden dildo because in those days - Lizards had no balls. At any rate, I loved Vaughn and his family very much and never speak of him because of what he did to himself. I try to erase that whole part of my life out of my mind. I really miss him and all the wonderful , brilliant things he would have done by now. Victoria's website forced me to finally admit that Vaughn was gone.

Seems Bakshi and Bode were good friends and had planned to make a movie together all along, but Bode's death and Bakshi's denial of it kind of messed things up. Seems Bakshi isn't such a bad guy after all.

[The zoradude]

I like your comic alot i just only read every so often though, i am not a fan of waiting for one at a time, i like to read alot at once lol

[Dungeon Warden]

Thanks for you comments, Zora Dude. I'm glad you enjoy reading my comic.

Sorry for the late reply. I've been very busy lately. That's not going to change until Christmas time.