Time passes so quickly that it hardly seems to pass at all until, every once in a while, you see or hear or do something that brings you up short and makes you take stock, realizing with something of a shock that you are not, in fact, the same person you were ten years, or five years, or even three months ago. These tire strips on the road of life can be good, horrible, or anywhere in between, but they all have the same stopping power to break the chain of continuity from moment to moment to moment that ties us in our current mental state as if it were the only one that ever could, or ever has, existed.
All of which is a long and flowery way around of saying "Holy crap, I was drawing some real shit two years ago, and I'm much better now. Has it been that freaking long?!"
Specific case in point, these two "Boots", one from the Expansion Pack and the other one I just finished for the Warrior Mini:
Jiminy Christmas, that one on the left looks like it got partially melted in a laser firefight. I mean, come on, let's be honest -- it's crap. And yet at the time I thought it was good. Which makes me wonder, is the one on the right actually crap and I am kidding myself into thinking it's good?
Luckily deadlines exist so we creative types can't keep plunging knives into our own hearts, never actually completing anything. I hate to think how often I have sent out work that was just "good enough, it needs to be finished". On the one hand, I hate that I sent out something I knew wasn't as good as it could have been. On the other hand, it got done.
I have to say, though, I've learned a lot over the last two or so years of doing character illustrations for the Caption Contest and, I think, finally getting a good handle on how to draw with the digital pen. My work's getting much, much tighter and more solid looking, which I am so happy about.
Anyway, back to work, I am still cranking to get the Mini ready for beta tomorrow. And this time, when it comes to actually launching it, it will be the best I can possibly make it. Which will make me happy until the next time my life is brought to a screeching halt by looking at the boot on the right and thinking "That sucks!"
I must admit the new boot is A LOT better, it has a better design over all and fits a more athletic build then the one of the left which in my opinion is actually very good for a brick body type.
the new boot looks heaps better and more like a robot leg wich in my opinion is good 🙂
I gotta tell you, I was thinking something similar when I compared the two caption contest winners you have done for me. It was only a couple months apart but you can see how much tighter your “penciling” is. Both are excellent but you can see a difference. Kaldath’s color contest winner was another great example. So the pupil has now become the master!
You know, if you haven’t finished all the hands/gloves and if you haven’t done so already, and IF you have the time and space in the program to do it, I’d add a matching robotic/cybernetic hand/glove to go with that boot.
They both ARE good but the newer one is better. Looks sleeker.
i like the leg your right it looks tighter, but I liked the old one too, I used it a lot in HM2 (it really reminds me of that big robot in robocop. You know “you have 10 seconds to comply. 9 seconds. 8 seconds… etc”) All it needs was some matching leggings or something. Hope that other really sleek metallic boot made it in too (right foot, expansion, last one on the first page
You live, you learn.
this is why you should draw things out that might not even make it into the mini, then put it away for awhile. Then when you’re drawing stuff for HM3 you can see what you like about it and what you didn’t.
Ten years from now you’ll be able to put a bunch of boots in a row like that “Evolution of Man” illustration. It will be the “Evolution of Jeff.”
lol@haz! I would pay to see that, but only if it came in Scratch’N’Sniff …
The new boot looks awesome! The old one was pretty good too but I like this one better. Can’t wait for the complete mini, and HM3!
The beta’s now out, check http://www.heromachine.com/warrior-beta/ to start playing.
Jeff- I’m pretty sure scratch’n’sniff metal boots wouldn’t smell that great. Talk about killer foot sweat.