Under The Clouds: My First Dialogue Bubbles
As usual, I only had time to do 2 drawings which have been displayed below despite having the confidence that I could do one more before typing this post. I also had a chance to experiment with text fonts and boxes that I thought would be suitable for the overall look of my drawings.
I wondered whether I should download generic dialogue bubbles from Google search and use them, but decided to draw them myself to avoid future copyright issues. I don’t think there will be any over such insignificant little things but with today’s politics, I thought it would be better to take precautions and just avoid using any other person’s work altogether unless there is a mutual agreement that I can.
In the beginning, I did not have a slightest idea what my first graphic novel would look like and did not even know how I would draw the characters. I just went with a schedule that I built to deliver something each week. And I have to say, I genuinely don’t dislike what I see above. My drawing skills can only improve as I draw more and I think how I will draw a year from now will look better than how I draw today and if that really happens, I will most likely come back to my early drawings either redo them or draw upon them for consistency.
So far I have been doing individual drawings to deliver a continuous motion from one subject to another. In the next 3 drawings, it will feature interactions between the 2 characters, and the best way to draw them is to work on them at the same time. In that way, I won’t lose consistency.
My biggest criticism about my own art is that they are often inconsistent. For a lot of times, as I discussed a little a few posts ago, I am not confident in my own style. I keep chase after what’s perceived as “better” or “popular,” in other words, artists with huge social media presence and followings. It is impossible for me to look at my own art and have an objective opinion or judgment. The only feedback I get is from my mom whom has nothing but praises for whatever I decide to do. Not complaining. It’s great to have a supportive mom and god bless her. She is a great woman and mother.
Anyways, I understand that the number of likes or followers does not equate to the skill of a craft but in the world of social media, one can not help but to compare and often ends up following a trend. I have decided to abandon Instagram. I tried it for about a year and it has not had a positive influence on me. Social media is what made me draw so many girl portraits, girl characters, only girly girls because that’s what seems to be the most “selling” subject. I didn’t hate it, I mean I do sometimes like to draw girls. After all there are only 2 sexes, whether she is boyish, girlish, old or young, I don’t hate drawing females but pigeonholing one archetype of a woman as the only subject of every drawing does not excite me whatsoever.
When I started drawing, I had one goal and that is to be able to draw as how I imagined it. Draw as how I imagined it is the goal I should continuously pursuit and thrive to achieve. I feel so free when I struggle between my imagination and my drawing ability to produce an artwork so much more than when I wrestle with a portrait trying to make it my own.
I didn’t plan on what I just wrote ranting about social media. I guess after typing “consistency” twice, somehow it triggered me. LOL. Anyways, as always thank you for reading and have a wonderful week. See you next time.