Yinqing Yin Spring/Summer 2013 Haute Couture

沁园春晓 via 疯子

Padmé Amidala’s wardrobe from Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode II: Attack of the Clones / Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)

Assassin’s Creed concepts from 2005. part 2/2

More instagram daily-sketch dump

on my dA

So I was chatting with the lovely Justin Oaksford yesterday, and he casually asked if I used photo reference for my recent Rolemodels piece- not as a bad thing, but because the pose and the camera angle read well.  Pretty sure I grinned like an idiot when he brought it up because, goddammit, I’m proud that the work shows!  I’ve felt like my work has been somewhat stilted as of late- I could feel myself subconsciously trending towards easier angles, easier poses, easier expressions just because it's slightly less frustrating for my brain to process- so getting that confirmation from a colleague was pretty damn satisfying.

I think there’s a tendency for artists to take pride in being able to draw out of your head, and, while that’s an admittedly important skill, what’s actually important is what that skill implies- it implies that you’ve internalized reference.  That you’ve spent so much time looking at the world around you, studying it, drawing from it, breaking it down, that you’ve amassed an extensive mental library that you can draw from.  You are Google reborn in the shallow husk of a human being.

But heck, the world’s a big place- what are the chances that you ever get to a point that you’ve internalized all of it?  Internalized it AND ALSO are never going to forget it ever?  Probably no chance at all.  Sorry buddy.  So rather than bemoaning the fact that we don’t have impenetrable search engine cyborg brains- yet- you sure as hell better still be using reference to fill in/refresh those empty shelves in your mental library.  You shouldn’t have worm-ridden books about dinosaur anatomy from the 60’s in there.  Stegosauruses with brains in their tails?  CLEAN THAT SHIT OUT.

So my general process for using reference of any sort is:

loose thumbnails and brainstorming.  If you have an idea, get that raw thing- unadulterated in it’s potential shittiness- onto paper.  Good art is a combination of both instinct and discipline, so you don’t want to entirely discount those lightning strikes of brilliance.  Or idiocy.  Happens to all of us.

research and reference.  Start gathering and internalizing whatever reference is pertinent to your piece- could be diagrams, art, photos, good old-fashioned READIN’, whathaveyou.  Please note that this doesn’t mean find one picture of a giraffe- this means find tons of photos of giraffes, read about giraffes, understand giraffes, and learn how to incorporate that knowledge into your art with purpose and intent (Justin uses the word “intent” a lot so I’m stealing it).  Don’t blindly copy what you see, but understand how to integrate it in an interesting and informed manner.

studies and practice.  Could be lumped in with the previous step, granted, but it’s worth reiterating- if you’re drawing something new, it’s worth doing some studies.  You discover things that you wouldn’t otherwise by just staring at them.  It’s weird how I’m still learning this- “Gee golly, six-shooters are way easier to draw now that I’ve drawn a ton of them!” Yes wow Claire BRILLIANT.  Gold star.

go for the gold.  Finally, I’m sure it goes without saying, you integrate all of that research and knowledge into your initial thumbnails.  If you learned something about anatomy, or fashion, or color, or butts, now you can drastically improve your original idea with this newfound knowledge.  Also, per the images above, this is also your chance to improve on the reference- photos are a fantastic tool, but trust your instincts.  Cameras can’t make informed decisions.

…So that’s my soapbox- it’s pretty easy, and it’s totally worth it.  Research and reference lets you stand on the shoulders of giants- it lends legitimacy, specificity, and allure to your work that wouldn’t be there if you were just drawing out of your head 100% of the time.  To put it simply- it makes your work ownable.  It makes you stand out.

It makes you a better artist. :)

-C

Odd question. But can you post a closeup on your personal preference on how to hold a knocked arrow when you draw?

As you can see in a lot of my pictures, I prefer the Mediterranean Draw, even though I shoot a Mongolian Horsebow as well as the English Longbow. The reason for this is simply that I was taught the Mediterranean Draw when I first picked up archery and I just stuck with it. It is what works best for me!

I hope this was helpful :)

I LOVE this fashion, but do you know of any ways this style can be incorporated into a more modern way...?

Great question! First of all, I’d like to point out that wearing hanfu does not require fancy hair, makeup, or accessories - it can be worn casually as you would any other clothing.

That said, there are many ways to incorporate hanfu styles in a more “modern” flavor. You can always mix-and-match hanfu separates into your usual wardrobe. There’s also an entire offshoot of hanfu called “hanyuansu/汉元素”, which refers to designs that utilize elements from traditional hanfu. Here are some of my suggestions/inspiration for incorporating hanfu style:

1) Shortening sleeves and/or hemlines can produce a more “modern” look.

2) Layer on a Beizi/褙子 (jacket) - Beizi are extremely versatile, and come in all lengths and materials, for all seasons. (note: the pics below are “hanyuansu”; real hanfu doesn’t have modern pockets)

3) Put on a Banbi/半臂 (half-sleeve jacket) or Bijia/比甲 (sleeveless jacket) - Similar to Beizi, but with shorter/no sleeves, these can be worn like cardigans/t-shirts/vests. 1st row: banbi, 2nd row: bijia.

4) Hanfu skirts - Try wearing a hanfu skirt with your outfit. Left: Ming Dynasty-style, Right: Tang Dynasty-style.

5) Song-style pants/宋裤 - These pants were popular with women during the Song Dynasty. Try adding them to your outfit. (note: the right pic is a modified, “shorts” version)

6) Doupeng/斗篷 (cloaks/capes) make a nice accessory during the colder months, and come in various lengths and designs.

These are only just a few ways to incorporate hanfu elements; there are a lot more ideas and designs out there. I hope this helps in providing inspiration :)

(edit: links to clothing are in this post)

Four of Swords

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STEAM 腕章付きダブルボタンコート  (BBD18-C646 KHA/M) ￥25,920 （本体価格  ￥24,000）

Fan Bingbing in Cannes 2015. 范冰冰工作室