Can you draw Astro

[DrFrag]

That's really good, Astro looks cool with a lightning sabre. B)

Can anyone give me some tips on where I'm going wrong with mine and how I can improve?

[Strange Wings]

Originally posted by DrFrag@May 5 2005, 06:40 PM
Can anyone give me some tips on where I'm going wrong with mine and how I can improve?

I won't presume myself to give you any tips since the most on how to improve drawings I learned from your instructions on page 2.

As for my attempts, I use to start with the eyes' outer circles first,

continue with the pupils/eyelashes followed by the eyebrows, nose and mouth.

Next I do the temple's hairline (tip: always start with the one temple which is nearest to the eye), carry on with the forehead's hairline and with the ears (here again: draw first the one ear which is bigger and easier to locate), followed by the spikes:

The cheeks and the chin I find most difficult to draw, one wrong curve and the face is totally out of shape. Like you said before: observe the lines very closely, do the lines with a light pressured pencil and rub them out as soon as you see drifting the face's shape into the nirvana. Do the 'rubbing/try again'- cycle as long till you're satisfied with the result.


The body really is a challenge. At my last attempt I really rubbed myself a branch out till I finally managed to receive the result I was longing for.
First I start with the neck, carry on with the shoulders/arms/hands, always keeping the proportions in mind, and continue with drawing the waist, briefs, thighs and boots.
So basically I draw Astro from head to toes.
I think essential is to begin with the eyes first, they're the most important clues (at least they are for me).


I hope it helped a bit.
Just be sure to have enough rubbers and pencils around.

[DrFrag]

Originally posted by Strange Wings@May 6 2005, 07:29 AM
I think essential is to begin with the eyes first, they're the most important clues (at least they are for me).

Thanks for the tip, I've been doing the eyes last and I think it causes problems with the perspective.

[Strange Wings]

5th attempt:


His left hand appears to be a bit odd :huh: .

6th one:


With this one I'm fully satisfied .

I think it's enough for the angry Astros, next I'm gonna do a few cheery ones.

[dannavy85]

Isn't the attempt more important though? I always start with the ear first, shape the head, then the hair, then the nose, the eyes, the mouth, then the body.

[Big Astro Fan]

Why are you be negitive about your drawings? They're great. You should be proud of them.

[DrFrag]

Originally posted by Strange Wings@May 6 2005, 05:42 PM
His left hand appears to be a bit odd :huh: .

Do you know it's because there's a hole in it? That is, it's joined up to his armpit. :wacko:

6th one:

This one is awesome. Fantastic work on his hands and stance. B) Hands are hard to do, according to me and Gary Larson.

My next one is also less angry. Romantic, even.

[Strange Wings]

Originally posted by DrFrag@May 6 2005, 10:04 PM
Do you know it's because there's a hole in it? That is, it's joined up to his armpit. :wacko:

It looks like a hole indeed, but there shouldn't supposed to be any . I guess I just totally messed up doing his index finger.

This one is awesome. Fantastic work on his hands and stance.

Thanks! I suppose I was just in a good mood while I was drawing that.
The current state of mind also is very important when doing such stuff.

Just finished another one. Doing Theodore was very tough without using any dividers.
:wacko:


Not quite like Beavis & Butt-head.

[Astro Forever]

Originally posted by Strange Wings@May 7 2005, 07:13 AM
Just finished another one. Doing Theodore was very tough without using any dividers.
:wacko:

Wow, you are all becoming really good!

Strange Wings, this one looks like the Frankenstein/Goliath's style of drawing. Is it intentional or you just ended up doing it this way because it feels more natural for you?

The one drawing style I truly hate in the 1980s series is the one like in the Hijacked Airship episode. Sometimes he looks sick with mumps and at the end, his mouth is so badly positioned that it looks like he got partially paralyzed...

[Strange Wings]

Originally posted by Astro forever@May 7 2005, 04:18 PM
Strange Wings, this one looks like the Frankenstein/Goliath's style of drawing. Is it intentional or you just ended up doing it this way because it feels more natural for you?

Good question. I can't say whether it's gonna be that style I'm most related to. I just try to improve my drawings, thus sometimes Astro turns out to be similar as shown in certain 80's episodes.
Sometimes you need a bit of luck too, and on this last attempt I really had a lucky hand. His mouth and eyes really look like the style being used in those episodes you mentioned. However, it's a good thing the scanner didn't nail the rubbed out pencil traces. If you'd run your finger across these sheets you'd think of a relief map.

The one drawing style I truly hate in the 1980s series is the one like in the Hijacked Airship episode. Sometimes he looks sick with mumps and at the end, his mouth is so badly positioned that it looks like he got partially paralyzed...

Yeah, I 'm not that fond of this episode's drawing style either. Partly Astro's face really appears to be drawn out of shape.
Concerning different drawing styles of the 80's series, this topic might interest you:
Different Astro drawing-styles in the 80's version
Xenomage delivered a quite plausible explanation in the 5th post.

I just categorized my prefered 80's episodes which all are featuring similar drawing styles of Astro:

- Astro's First Love
- Uran The Tomboy
- The Transformation Robot
- The Robot Stuntman
- Uran's Twin
- The Monster Of Clarken
- Lilly On Peligro Island
- Blackie Young
- The Great Meltdown
- Uran's Quest
- Save The Carolina 3
- Outer Spaceport R 45
- The Robots Nobody Wanted
- The Greatest Robot In The World Pt.1&2

Similar drawing styles in those bunch of episodes:

- Save The Classmates
- The White Planet
- The Rainbow Comet
- Speeding Through The Storm
- The Robot Vikings
- The Genie From Outer Space
- The Runaway Subway Train
- The World Of Odin
- The Anti-Proton Gun
- Atlas Forever

Similar styles in those ones:

- Frankenstein
- The Light Ray Robot
- The Wreck Of The Titan
- Goliath's Head
- The Liar Robot