Evolving Art Styles

[AlwaysDude]

I have a very loose style of drawing that's fun but not consistency friendly (I scribble until I like it and then I line). Sooo... Very ooc for me, but I'm actually taking the time to make character sheets and adjust my usual ways of doing things while my comic is still in the planning stage. This's lead to a shift in my overall art style as I figure out what will or won't work for me when I have to draw these characters over and over into infinity.

So! I'm curious how many of you started out drawing one way and ended up with something significantly different. Wanna share your evolutions?

[AbelDraws]

Can't say much since I've only been drawing my comic for less than a year but I wanted to drop by and say I love how your style looks <333 good luck

[Kelheor]

Totally agree, the style looks great! Looking forward to the comic!

As far as comic goes, I believe my style hasn't changed much since 2017? Well, I wanted the comic look consistent, so I guess it's intended =)
It just progressed, and I am sure into more details (those ears changing lol) and a bit bolder lineart now.

These are the characters I haven't have to stay consistent with because I haven't shart the comic with them yet, and they are originally from 2016 when I basically started drawing, so the difference is probably more perceptible

[AlwaysDude]

For less than a year, I can see some gradual improvement already, especially with how you draw the main character.

[AlwaysDude]

KEEP EXPECTATIONS LOW, I haven't drawn an actual comic in a loooong time. This one's actually gonna be based loosely on one I did when I was sixteen and I'm glad the internet purged most of the original evidence of it in the past fifteen years, haha... aaaaahh.

Line art and definitely some evolution on how you draw/shade hair. Also, side note, the way you draw clothes is chefs kiss. I've got the Artist Envies over those jeans.

[AbelDraws]

Ow, thanks it's quite encouraging to hear that, since I don't see much of a difference up until now ahsjdkkg. I'll keep trying my best > I'm sure when the next year arrives I'll be able to recognize my improvement with much more confidence.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Uh here's a page from 2018 vs a panel from 2020. Not only did my style change from two different mediums, I've also improved on form and lighting.

2018

2020

[Kelheor]

This one's actually gonna be based loosely on one I did when I was sixteen

Goddamit, that's something I can relate to But at least you did a comic before, so I believe you won't stop on the concept art!
Aww, thanks Now I only need to find out how to draw freaking t-shirts sleeves at least half as good, I hate them so much >D

Are you up to a long story?

@dragonsparking dude, Rip's so epic I'm dying here

[nathanKmcwilliams]

@Kelheor haha thanks! Years of being obsessed with kick ass power up scenes from shounen anime have paid off xD

[DualDragons]

Oh boy now you've asked for it, i shall unleash both my recent art, and my bad "art" from the darkest pits of hell!

"The dark pits of hell" of bad level art (begin 2018):

Slightly better (mid 2018)

Already much better than 2018 (mid 2019)

"Returning to digital" 2020:

[AlwaysDude]

... I feel like DBZ and Spyro just had a baby. And I'm INTO IT. Heck yea, gimme all the lens flares and good glowey sh*t!

[AbelDraws]

Dude I hadn't realized you started your comic in 2018, the improvement is amazing. I'm excited to see your comic in a few years <33

[AlwaysDude]

Up to it? Probably not! But I'm taking the time to type up and split the plot into lil baby bites to make less brain work and more art time for future!me. I probably won't post for a good while yet so I can build a backstock of pages.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

That's a perfect description xD. I love using bright, glowy, eye stabbing effects so much. (Overlay is my best friend.)

Here's some more (these are alternate versions of Rip)

@DualDragons you really have come a long way. It's been awesome watching your style evolve.

[AlwaysDude]

That's a lot of progress in two years! But I'm not surprised, drawing those action scenes is forcing you to do allll the camera angles. You'll just keep leveling up with all that practice.

[Rhonder]

Heh, the main trio from my comic's first season actually can create a fun timeline because I've been drawing them since 2010! So they're a good metric to gauge my progress overall~

July 2010:

November 2010:

2012:

2013:

Early 2018 (concept art for comic):

Halloween Special 2018 for my comic:

Early 2019:

Late 2019:

then my comic ended so I've been playing around with pushing my style further before starting the next one. I just wrapped up a commission series where I tried out some more blendy/digital watercolor shading and am really digging the results so far! here's one of those:

Early 2020:

[AlwaysDude]

Dang. I know the characters evolved for sure, BUT- between the first and fourteenth drawing, you really gave the rocky background an upgrade!

[Rhonder]

Yesssss. Trying to up my background game is something that I tried really hard to improve during this comic, even quite a bit more than the characters tbh @u@;; the chars still need a lot of work too, of course, but my backgrounds even from more recent years than the first picture have been really mediocre for a long time lmao. Finally reached "acceptable" with this project and continuing to grow from there hopefully~