This time I want to share with you some results of a drawing video course I completed recently. It’s Pin-up Illustration Course by Paris Christou (ToonBoxStudio). Generally speaking, this course represents ‘How to Draw Cherry’ tutorials. Cherry is a pin-up character created by Paris Christou (2D/3D Animator and Pin-up artist).

I didn’t know about Cherry earlier, but these tutorials were very useful for me in learning how to draw female cartoon characters. The course is taught in software called Sketchbook Pro, but I was able to follow instructions using just pencil and paper (sometimes putting a video on pause). Drawing principles are mostly the same, no matter what kind of software you are using. Even if I draw in vector (using Inkscape), my initial sketches are drawn in the classical way.

Paris Christou is a great teacher, who explains very well. He created many interesting courses covering creation of cartoon characters. So check his site out - toonboxstudio.com to find out or learn something new. You can also check his great youtube chanel.

Here are some of my favorite youtube tutorials..

• How to Draw Cartoon Eyes Tutorial
• How to Draw Clothes Tutorial
• Straights Against Curves Tutorial

...and many more.

As a result of my learning, here is a well-known cartoon female character, that I created by the end of the course. I took inspiration from the reboot of Sailor Moon series - Sailor Moon Crystal.

After preparing each tutorial, I have some additional art which I didn’t use in it. Now it can be purchased on gamedevmarket.net.

If you:

• want to explore svg source files, including the art that was made for tutorials
• do not want to draw by yourself
• need an art for a game
• just want to support me

Please, visit my page on GameDevMarket.net!

From the beginning of June I was busy with my new website with Inkscape tutorials. At first I wrote just text tutorials, then I decided to record some video processes. For now, I use CamStudio as a capturing software. For editing and adding music to the video I use Blender VSE (my first steps in learning Blender).

On the third video I encountered the following issue: the speed of my edited and rendered video was twice higher, than it should be (speed was normal at the preview mode). And there was just a black screen at the end of the video. I managed to solve that issue in my way, because I couldn’t find any appropriate information.

As it turned out, the problem is in the codec with which video was captured - CamStudio Lossless Codec v1.5. If I render video as it is, the speed remain normal. But if cut any part of the strip, sooner or later, timecode breaks somewhere or something else happening with timing.

I found the following solution - to render video without any editing in Blender, and then use the result to make a process video with editing and adding effects. I think, changing video encoding through other software should also help.

Three days

Two developers: me, AhNinniah, as an artist, project manager and animator; devolonter - as a code writer and musician

And Ludum Dare 29!

We’ve missed several jams before, tried to participate in Candy Jam (ineffectually), so we were very excited to enter LD. Almost every LD we start with dissatisfaction with the theme. ‘Beneath the Surface’ sounded too obvious, so we little by little moved away from the theme completely.

The whole process was fun, but we again wasted too much time on the concept. First day didn’t bring us any actual result. And the third day was the busiest one. That’s something we should still work on.

I want to note that almost all sound effects were made with improvised means. And the main theme was written by devolonter - he’s a hobbyist musician. Of course, we added much more sounds in Post Compo version (and even replaced some of them). But at this stage it was enough.

LD29 experiments

• We refused one-screen games or endless runners. This time we totally pushed ourself from our comfort zone
• Some people take part in LD drinking firewater, so we wanted to try this method. But the point is, that our productivity was reduced to zero. It isn’t fun at all, when you realize that your brain doesn’t work in a proper way. In addition, the beer that we took was disgusting
• So many times we wanted to do something mystic or horror. I’m not talking about screamers or something like that. We love well-designed, atmospheric horror works. No matter if it’s a movie, novel or a game. So we finally made it

Post Compo

We planned to do Post Compo version of Whistle right after competition was finished. Since we didn’t managed to return to our earlier entries, it was difficult to start. Other problem was that we didn’t want to improve the code. But code, that was made during the speed development, couldn’t be characterized as of a high quality. And we cautiously added new features, because any wrong addition could broke the whole game. As a result, our Post Compo version was something what we wanted to make during the contest.

Voting

Personally, I didn't expect that our marks would be so high. Mood - #33 Top Jam, Audio - #36 Top Jam. So that was an unexpected surprise for me and devolonter.

Feedback

In order to gather more feedback, we uploaded Whistle to Newgrounds. We have already uploaded one of our LD games to this community and we really liked the experience we got from it. We received different points of view, but one opinion was often repeated - great, scary atmosphere. And now we are very inspired by that fact and we plan to go further in this direction.

The result

For ourself we decided, that we don’t want to make any commercially successful game. Game development for us - is nothing more than fun and opportunity to tell a story, make an interactive experience. Whistle is the first result followed by this resolution.

That’s all! Thanks for reading.

I draw nearly all of my art works in Inkscape. This open source software for creating vector graphics has a lot of opportunities. Well, if Inkscape doesn’t have something that other similar commercial analogs have - it’s a great reason to think and solve needed task in your own way.

I think all Inkscape tools become useful sooner or later - it all depends on the goal. But I would like to highlight five tools that I use more frequently.

My workflow begins with the creation of a pencil sketch. The more detailed sketch is - the better. If only I don’t already see the whole picture in my mind. When the sketch is ready, I scan it and move on to Inkscape.

Bezier Tool (Shift + F6)

Earlier, I have always used this tool to draw an outline. It’s very handy when you are working with a mouse or you don’t like a freehand drawing. However, Bezier Tool can be very tricky. For example, I still don’t know how to draw a paths with ‘click and drag’ as I want them to. So I just create nodes in the right places and then edit them.

Nodes Tool (F2)

The nodes are edited with this tool. Not only nodes that were created using Bezier Tool, but in all other paths too. With it we can drag a node to any other place and make paths smoother.

Pencil Tool (F6)

Now, I prefer to trace the outline with a pencil. I set its smoothing to 50%, so my lines are smooth enough for me. But Pencil Tool isn’t the best way to draw circles with. For this goal there is nothing better than the next tool.

Elipse Tool (F5) This tool speaks for itself. With it we can create the perfect circle or basis for ellipse, arcs, etc.

Spray Tool (Shift + F7)

Only recently I’ve discovered the convenient way to use this tool. It helps me in creating, for example, various forms of bushes, trees or clouds. I create a circle, and without deselecting it I switch to the Spray Tool. After editing options like Amount, Scale and Scatter I create a rought shape. Then I unlink clones and unite them in one object.

And what are your favourite Inkscape tools, that provide you a great help in your workflow?

In order to get the maximum benefit from the new knowledge, I tried to repeat by myself almost all drawing sections of the tutorials. And I can say that it really helped me to get my hand in drawing, at least I think so.

Almost every description of the tutorial contains links to the source materials. And if I have nothing to open the flash-files with, I examined pdf-files with a great pleasure and now I keep them on my PC in order to use as a reference when I need it.

Here are some of my favorite tutorials..

• How to Draw Dynamic Expressions
• How to Draw Demons
• Let's Draw Villains!
• How to Create Characters (the Design Process)
• How to Draw: Foreshortening

... and many others. I'm sure everyone will find a tutorial to their liking or topic of interest. In the latest video Jazza told about the upcoming channel and the format of the tutorials update, which I look forward to.

Afterwards, we tried to participate as regularly as possible. There were some satisfactory results as well as very bad ones. Once, we’ve gone the distance before reaching the finish line. Another time, a musician joined our team, so devolonter had to do only programming part. But it didn't work out.

Our previous LD games ( in ascending order): Stand alone (LD#22) | Codename E | Survive in gravity (LD#25 Warmup) | Mad Professor (LD#25) | Buzzbuster LD#27

I don’t want to say that we were doing something special or brilliant (but when you do, you think absolutely the opposite thing) - the majority of our games are only prototypes. And plans for their full completion are transferred in our TODO list every year. But it's noteworthy that participation in each contest was extremely exciting and fascinating. No matter how many bugs you have in your code or how bad your animation is - you give it your all. Looking back I remember only these emotions. And it‘s for them I'm going forward.

Ludum Dare 29 starts this weekend. This year, the competition celebrating a 12 years anniversary, by the way. So, good luck and have fun!