Not sure if this even belongs in here, but a side challenge on another site encouraged me to take up drawing again (albeit with the gfx tablet rather than pen and paper as I used to do many years ago), here's my first attempt at drawing in over 20 years.

There's some obvious problems like the text at the end of the barrel and the lens cap are both not quite right, but overall I am really pleased with it and definitely intend to do some more.

The only thing not done by hand is the text and even some of that was drawn in.

That looks like what may happen if you leave your gear in a too-hot car!
Aside from that, very nicely done!

Not quite sure I understand the bolded bit but thanks for looking

Paratima wrote:
That looks like what may happen if you leave your gear in a too-hot car!
Aside from that, very nicely done!

Odd choice of subject. There are many, many problems with this drawing. You've noticed dissonance in perspective between the end of the lens and the focusing ring, but the problems don't stop there. The cable leading from the thing on the hot-shoe to the flash sync port doesn't wrap over or naturally rest on any surface; even if that's the way it worked in real life, I hardly think the impression you've given us in the drawing is very convincing. There are perspective and scaling problems in the text for the AF/MF switch, and on the distance markings within the lens barrel. The whole piece is suffering from overall perspective problems which are simply impossible to overlook. The circularity of some elements on the lens barrel are different from other parts, even though they form parts of the same cylinder, which has roughly the same diameter from end to end. The indentation in the handgrip is too deep; in your attempt to render the light and textures accurately, you lost sight of the overall form, such that it appears the entire front end of the hand grip is a pressed-in rectangle. Also, the details around the mode dial are fuzzy and poorly developed.

Paratima's view was pretty accurate in my view, though I would not agree that this was "nicely done." It's an effort for sure, but it's definitely a beginner's effort. I think a greater focus on developing the shapes and perspectives of the object before delving into the micro-details would give you more coherent end-result.

Arka C.

Wow thanks for that ripping report LordArka, as I said it's been 20+ years since I did anything hand drawn and working with the gfx tablet like this was completely new to me, guess I will stay out of this part of the forum.

For what it's worth I believe it's one thing to offer some friendly critique but another to unashamedly belittle someone or their work. Some of your remarks are more than unnecessary they are downright rude such as "though I would not agree that this was "nicely done."" was that really necessary?

Sensitive...

With all due respect, why are my comments scaring you out of the forum? You got honest critique and impressions. How does it help you to hear that you've "done a good job" when you really haven't? Sorry to upset your delicate sensibilities, but the remarks I've offered, while harsh, were offered in the spirit of honest critique. If that scares you out of the forum, fine, but I won't take ownership of that problem.

You may feel like you should get an A for effort, or get a pass because you haven't drawn for 20 years, or because you have never used a tablet before. Maybe you're "really pleased" with the work here, but you should not be; the errors here should definitely inspire you to refine your technique, but hearing an echo of your own contentment doesn't help you do that. Would you prefer that I have manufactured some sweetener to blunt the impact of the remarks?

This work is not good. Period. That has nothing to do with belittling you personally, so divest your ego from your piece. I have attempted to share with you why the work falls short. If you think this is a personal attack or rude, that's your problem. I have dealt with far harsher comments upon my own work, and have grown as a result of it. You can do the same, or you can wander away in fear of "unecessary" and "downright rude" remarks. If you choose the latter, you impoverish yourself, and the community of artists on this forum.

Arka C.

arka, while you may believe you are a lord of something, i am sorry to break it to you, but you are not. dont be such an ass. you may feel that you were being helpful, but it did not come across as such. you could have said that he needed a lot of practice, or something else along those lines, and you could have pointed out problems in his attempt at drawing, but you should consider the effort that anyone takes in their work. if i attempted to draw anything like that it would be days before i could get an end result like that. you on the other hand, a master artist may take only an hour, and get an end result that is much better. you say "definitely a beginner's effort" like beginners try less. whereas in reality, beginners dont have the tools that more experienced people have at their disposal.

and your response to his statement is even more coarse. you fail at interacting through the internet.

I don't feel like I should get any mark for effort, geez it's been many years since I went to school or felt the need to have my work assessed to give any clarification on it's significance in the world.

I made no claim to the image being perfect or that I thought it was anywhere near so, so why you feel you need to continue with statements like This work is not good. Period. bewilders me. I was putting an image out there to share with people I have had great respect for on this forum in the past, people who offer CC without the need to be egotistical and rude.

I would simply ask that if you see my name at the front of a post you refrain from replying in it, you will probably refuse this but at least I have asked. I can take negative critique without issue but from you all I sense is someone that likes to inflate their ego with rude comments intertwined with what otherwise would be helpful comments, and that I would rather pass on thank you.

you know what? you should used an L lens...after all its free!!

! So serious! I'll address your defenses of another in seriatim.

arcer63 wrote:
you could have said that he needed a lot of practice, or something else along those lines, and you could have pointed out problems in his attempt at drawing,

Which I did...

but you should consider the effort that anyone takes in their work. if i attempted to draw anything like that it would be days before i could get an end result like that.

No, I should not; I totally disagree. What gallery will post crappy work on the wall because the artist invested days of time and ego into it? What accolades would unrefined and underdeveloped work draw, if the viewer were told that the artist spent hours and hours of untutored, underdeveloped effort into developing a mediocre piece? I look at art in an age- and capacity- appropriate context.

Effort ≠ quality. That's a very reliable axiom for most things in life. Unless you're in grade school, results matter a lot more than the time you spend generating them.

You may think me an ass, which is fine by me. However, I related my unvarnished impressions of the poster's work; I am not going to make up some saccharine "positive point" to preserve your sensitive internet interaction mores. I critique others as I would expect to be critiqued; honestly, harshly, and substantively. Sorry if that bothers you.

and your response to his statement is even more coarse. you fail at interacting through the internet.

Would you pass me if I told you I worked for hours and hours developing this post?

Arka C.

Mark-A wrote:
I don't feel like I should get any mark for effort, geez it's been many years since I went to school or felt the need to have my work assessed to give any clarification on it's significance in the world.

I made no claim to the image being perfect or that I thought it was anywhere near so, so why you feel you need to continue with statements like This work is not good. Period. bewilders me. I was putting an image out there to share with people I have had great respect for on this forum in the past, people who offer CC without the need to be egotistical and rude.

I would simply ask that if you see my name at the front of a post you refrain from replying in it, you will probably refuse this but at least I have asked. I can take negative critique without issue but from you all I sense is someone that likes to inflate their ego with rude comments intertwined with what otherwise would be helpful comments, and that I would rather pass on thank you.

You know what, that's fine by me. While I hardly need to knock down a stranger across the Atlantic to boost anything, I will spare you the drama and unease if that's how you interpret it.

Arka C.