HOME | DD

Before The Fight — Description
This is a drawing I did about two years ago, with a lot of story connected with it. Around this time, I had been experimenting with drawing anime characters in different styles for the first time. This picture was an experiment in anatomy and facial stylization, and was also one of the first times I had ever attempted to draw a specific background completely by hand (the Tendo's yard, wall and koi pond ). It was also a departure from the cel-shading style I'd been using essentially since I first started CG-colouring my drawings.

Well, in the end, I was hugely proud of the results, not because they were just so good, but because I had managed to achieve the drawing I'd envisioned when I'd first looked at my finished sketch. I proudly posted it to an art site I was then a member of.

The first comment I got was a typical "nice picture " The second was a three paragraph, numbered list of why the drawing wasn't as good as Takahashi's original style, why I shouldn't draw fanarts in experimentative styles, how Ranma and Akane were out of character and looked wrong, how the whole thing had nothing to do with the real series, and how I needed to create my own characters if I wanted to draw this way. The person closed with kindly saying that they were sure if I ever drew "real" fanarts, they would be great.

Needless to say, I never submitted anything to that site again, but unfortunately, it killed my enthusiasm for a really long time. I don't think I could draw something that would take as much effort as I remember this taking, anymore. Hopefully, someday I'll gain that energy back.

Anyway, now I get to select Critique Discouraged, so please look but don't touch. ^.~