Modifying angles, lighting, or the original 3D form of the reference is the kind of stuff I'd like to ultimately do when using references. Just anything that demands the 3D form is understood so that it could be used to produce other 3D forms is what would benefit me most. I tend to be more 2D-oriented when copying photos regardless of whether I'm using measuring devices or just freehanding, and that's useful for copying 2D images, but not for inventing 3D ones. I tend to ask questions like, "what's the 2D shape of this highlight? How does it relate vertically and horizontally to this other mark?" Rather than, "what's the 3D form of this figure"? If I understood the 3D form, then I could invent my own highlights without using the precise shapes in the photograph.

I pretty much knew this picture wasn't what I should have been doing when I started on it based on my goals, regardless of the grid (though the grid made it that much worse). I set out only to draw the reference as accurately as possible and nothing more. In that sense, it's one of my biggest failures since that's the last thing I want to be doing in the future as I progress. I didn't even try to experiment with painterly techniques - I was trying to be as unpainterly as possible in this one so that it would look just like a photo. Generally I get the most comments about the painterly aspects of my works when working from photos, but this time I really wanted to try not being painterly (I tend to be painterly for economical purposes, not intentionally). I didn't even really achieve the photorealism I intended to achieve despite the use of the grid for the line drawing, so I didn't even succeed in that respect. While it's completely against my personal goals, I still admire the artists on here who can make their paintings look just like a photograph. I was hoping to achieve it here, but I think I deviated too much in the shading and still relied too much on lines which gave that sort of cartoony effect in places.

omg biggest posts ever. great pic and i've been a victim of the grid in the past. when the masters of the past were working on frescoes - they couldn't draw straight from life, so they did their preliminary drawing and they would grid that whole wall up before doing some of the greatest paintings ever made, theres no shame :):)

Mmm... (damn you essay writters.)

Whaddaya talkin' 'bout? I like the hair .... like golden strands of wheat.

i think how the hair is finalized is fabulous.

Thanks DonnaJean, and yes you do. XD

I'm impressed, this is really cool.

Oh, thank you so much Axil, a treat to get a reply from you. :)

Really? I think the planets the worst part.... I might have to go back and tweak this. But thank you Poppa.

Bam! :D
"Bang." We started with one, and we'll end with one. >:D

Thanks davinci! *S* I will do alot of odd pictures i am sure!

Sweetcell..no...Marsha has no body *L* But she has great hairdos! *L* I think she would be pretty in color, I'll have to try.

The alien Bear is a visitor to Mars and he loves to play with drums and loud things generally, plus all things sparkly. In fact he loves to have fun and to be full of joy. He spreads joy too..just by being himself, which is nice....as do some people.

very beautiful axil, i preferd it at the point with the eye, nice animation to watch

It stopped a quater through, but it was spectacular nonetheless.

I love this...animation very cool.

Now what Gerbear has achieved here is to perfectly amalgamate the images that in everybodies minds when you say flying saucer. Forget everything you see in films, and be honest...this is what a flying saucer would definitly look like....plus it comes with the optional extra of having a cheeky, animated quality....

I think actually that saucer does not contain fierce monster life forms but a kind of cosmic teddy bear with a smiley happy face, just playing...discovering new worlds not for science or war but as places to play. They have grasped that the universe is to roam in not to make enemies but playmates, not to cause fear but friendship, not to show hate but love....they would have to be bears to know that...

wow, I did not know you even had stuff here gerri. nicely done.

H there....I reallly love the bold and vivid use of colour here....it adds an expressive quality to the image. Now..here are the four reasons...the airfare would be too expensive............it would fade quickly in the cold..........everyone knows martians do not appreciate flowers the way we do............and it would be more luggage than there is space for in the flying saucer
You may think these are crazy reasons, but trust me they are the right ones for this image

ty DeTroy! Glad someone finally thought of some reasons! :)

Ooooooooooo ..... fabulous!

Oh, Happy Belated B-Day Rosemary! :)

Happy birthday to you Rosemary!! hope it was a fine day!!

Happy Belated Birthday! Love the card but then again.//./gerbear is partial to bears! :)

Thanks all, the image comes and turns into something else.

oooo too cool!

Very nice. Interesting, and peaceful on my eyeballs.