Melanchton, eat your heart out

I SOOOOOOOOOO should have been doing work today - had this big scheme worked out where I was going to get tonnes done and then drive into the city to grab a few things and then reward myself by having a coffee at the bookstore. BUT NUUU. Just couldn't bring myself to read about historical Canadian women. BARF. Anyways, at least I was halfways artistically productive.

So here we have Horse-Archer!Copernicus. The story behind this is interesting - I was thinking a while back about how awesome Nic would be if he were a horse-archer given the historical origins of Poland and all that. THEN I came across a quote of Philip Melanchthon (one of Luther's buddies) the other day where he says this (can't believe it): "Some believe that to expound such an absurd matter, as that Sarmatian astronomer has done, who would move the Earth and stop the Sun, is an excellent thing. Verily wise governors should curb such talented rashness." WOAH HOSHIT TALK ABOUT RACIAL CONNOTATIONS. The Sarmatians were a semi-nomadic horse society living in eastern Europe around the height and fall of the Roman empire. They were considered barbarians by the Romans so essentially Melanchthon is calling Copernicus the same in an effort to usurp his credibility. Slick. There's a bit of venom there to say the least. At the time, Poland, or Prussia as it was then, was a bit of an academic backwater despite Krakow University so this could be part of the reasoning behind the comment. Just really seemed significant to me since I'd never come across it before.

ANYWAYS. Here we go. 'That Sarmatian.' This will get finished at one point where I don't feel as guilty for neglecting my work. I'm really happy with it so far though I don't know why I draw his nose so vastly long. Was looking at the 1500 portrait today and realized for the first time that it's really quite short. Just rather... prominent. Lots still needs to be changed and there is NO historical accuracy. He's supposed to be carrying a spear in his right hand with his bow slung across his back somehow. Still need to sort that out a bit better. His leg really makes me happy for some reason. And I think the neck is still too long. Anyways, will not pick.

Walk Like an Egyptian

Been wanting to do this for a while now. Came across a painting of Ptolemy by Luca Giordano about four months back in a book of Copernicus art where he's in the exact same pose wearing the same clothing. But I thought it would be considerably improved if it was Copernicus instead. Will probably finish it at one point - just not any time soon. Maybe when I'm in Europe! The original is holding some type of round armillary - wish I knew my historical astronomical instruments better... And seriously need to work on foreshortening faces, etc. The guy below is also a Giordano and if he were younger, beardless, sandy blond, and freckled, he would be Rheticus to a 't'. Especially in the hair. *swoon*

Half-Assery

Fie. As soon as I think I'm getting out of this black funk of depression, back I go in again. Don't know what's been up the last month, really. I must just be completely fatigued because nothing, and I mean NOTHING, makes me excited/happy/inspired anymore. Not the trip, not Copernicus, nothing early-16th-century, not my family (like it ever did...), NOTHING. I've been going out for runs in the evening to try and fix it but that doesn't work. Not to mention the knees are completely shot from work. Wooooooo!

So enough bitching for now. I think I need sleep more than anything. Did this tonight instead of doing work. Just sort of popped into my head and I was like "HOMG Have to draw that!" I think I'm starting to get closer to the Copernicus in my head, thank god. Not sure how much I like his eyes here but the expression is pretty much dead-on. Just wanted to contrast Nic and Rheticus - Rheticus looks too young and 'Leprachaunish' here, I think. But the contrast between the middle-aged, fairly reticent Copernicus and the fiery, young, impulsive Georg Joachim has always amused me. And I always see Nic being REALLY tall and thin - Rheticus is sort of a short-arse next to him. Not too sure what they're looking at either. There's a lot of gibble here with the faces but given the general attitude tonight, I'm surprised it came out somewhat similar to how it was in my head. Started inking it in PS but got *surprise* uninspired.

Procrastination with a Capital 'P'

Gawd, work went an extra two hours today so the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was more homework for those rotten courses. Gah.

So! Sketchdump instead! Lots and lost of early 16th century goodness. I've been sucking at art a bit lately so these are the very best that I've managed to squeeze out over the last month or so. Really want to start drawing from references more often but still keep things slightly... cartoonish because I feel a lot more character comes out. Of course, nearly all of it will be of Copernicus just because I'm incapable of drawing (or thinking about) anything else at the moment.


Just did this tonight and you REALLY need to full-view it to get the maximum scowl effect. Will likely be part of a larger drawing I'll do in the same style of a negotiation scene between Copernicus and the leader of the Teutonic Knights during the siege of Allenstein.
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'Erasmus' looking pissed. I drew this in the margins of my Renaissance History readings next to Luther's response to Erasmus' defamation of his ideas. Har har, Luther, that's what you get. Erasmus was one of the most wonderfully cynical men...

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I actually really like this one. Was trying to figure out how to draw those awesome 2-D Disney eyeballs and this came out. More Copernicus from the 'animated film' character design I've got swirling around in my head. There's this great scene in there of him being dragged down to the armoury by his Uncle Lucas during the siege of Allenstein and rather roughly fitted out with some armour amid his own protestations that he's a scholar, not a soldier. All highly incorrect of course because Uncle Lucas was most certainly NOT around at that point.

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Another sketch from the columns of Renaissance History. Score one for productiveness!

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Lastly, one more of Erasmus which I'm really happy with too.


Okay, seriously have to do some work now. At last practise that bastard lecture for Thursday. DO NOT WANT.

*Fail*

Tried drawing some tonight after doing a paltry amount of homework and yeah... didn't work out too well. Anyways, I've got this plot kind of swirling around in my head of a Ancient Roman story around 150 AD of a cavalry prefect who ends up training his daughter to ride and fight. The entire thing is completely impossible but hinges around the fact that she's got a natural talent for horsemanship and ends up being the chief horse-trainer for his unit. He buys the mounts and she works them before they're taken on by the soldiers. It all starts when she's eighteen and breaks this horse he bought for himself. Blah... instead of trying to explain it all, here's what I wrote the other night.

A New Horse for Quintus Flavius Marcianus

Down went her head, up went her heels, and off came Father, landing with a paramount expulsion of air on his back. He lay there for a moment, then pulled himself weakly to his knees, gasping hollowly for breath.
"I can't... don't know what's wrong..." He gestured helplessly to Cajetan who was now standing placidly in the corner of the enclosure. After a few more breaths, he stood up stiffly, hand on the small of his back. "Silva, do you want to try her again?"
Standing beside me with his arms folded, he laughed wryly. "Not a chance, prefect."
Father nodded grimly, mouth compressed into a line. "Don't blame you." Then he raised his eyebrows in resignation and turned to me. "You're up, Flavia. Not sure what else to do."
I expected as much. Silva brought her over, Father gave me a leg up, and I settled into the saddle, taking the reins gently, and feeling her back with my seat. As I nudged her forwards, my father and his draconifer stood back quickly, identical expressions of agitation fixing onto their faces. But once again the mare behaved impeccably, yielding to the bit gracefully, stepping out smartly as I pushed her into a trot.
"I can't believe it." Father propped his hands on his hips and shook his head. After three circuits of the enclosure, I stopped her, backed her up three steps, and swung off lightly. Father stood back for a moment and then walked around her once more, running his hands thoughtfully over her hindquarters.
"Four hundred denarii," he murmured more to himself than us. "What a waste..." He stepped away, mouth a line again, and looked the horse up and down. "Even if I could ride her, there's no way she would be ready for the Nones." His arms crossed and his gaze flicked glumly over to us. "Well, let's get her untacked." He turned to go but stopped, paused, and slowly swung back around, forehead creasing into a frown. The frown deepened as his hand came up to his chin and I could his eyes shifting back and forth between me and where Silva stood a few feet away.
"You know..." he started, then paused, letting a sharp jet of air out through his nose. "You two are awfully similar." An arm was released to gesture between the two of us. Silva shot a puzzled, slightly alarmed look at me.
"Well... thank you, prefect," he said, not sure what to make of the situation. "I know I'm somewhat shorter and thinner than average but as far as... eh... breasts go..." He glanced down at his chest.
"Yes, my point exactly," said Father, now jabbing a finger at us. "Not about the breasts, of course, but the size. Yes. This might work."
"What? What might work?" Silva's look of alarm was intensifying.
"Flavia, you will ride Cajetan in the Nones. Wearing Silva's kit. You're both of a similar build and with his helmet on..." A grin began to spread itself across his face.

Oh wonderful.... Who needs historical accuracy? Anyways, Flavia will end up riding on the Nones during the general's triumphal parade, which is what they need to get the horse ready for. For whatever reason, the horse will not tolerate Flavia's father riding her and therefore Flavia gets roped into riding her in the parade, mostly to accustom the animal to all the noise, confusion, etc. She goes 'incognito' and wears Silva's parade kit because it's got that freaky helmet that covers your entire face. And nearly gets seduced by the emperor's daughter because the daughter thinks she's Silva. HOSHITWATCHOUT. THIS MUST BE CONFUSING. Agh.

Anyways, now for the art. Finally. Just trying to get it sorted out how I want her father to look - he'll be big, buff, and battle-scared - sort of a grim, humourless person, which doesn't really come out in the excerpt above but that's a special circumstance. I saw 10000 BC last weekend (which is almost appallingly bad) and I figured he'd be like the captain of the slavers who's got the thing for the blue-eyed girl. The father's at the top there and at the bottom is yet ANOTHER testimonial that I CANNOT draw women. K, pretend it's Silva or something. Love it how all my guys are suddenly developing abnormally long faces and large noses. Thanks, Nic. Pfftt.

HOMG An UPDATE!

Holy cow, I'm totally wiped. Spent nearly the entire day doing lineart on a drawing of Copernicus I did yesterday during breakfast. It was supposed to be a quick project but obviously it hasn't turned out that way. I'm pretty happy with it so far. Any historical accuracy has gone right out the window since I wanted to draw the fantasy/steampunk/random version of him that floats around in my mind on occasion when I think about flying boats and huge triquetrums. Not too sure what to do with his shoes here so that's why there are none. Biggest issue with this has been colouring. The lineart goes together well enough but when I try to set in the base colours it absolutely refuses to work - any sort of... quality disappears and it suddenly seems as though it was drawn and coloured by a five year old. His hair is the biggest problem since it adds so much character (imo) but it's black so when I colour it, there goes the lineart! Fie!

Something about his left arm seems gibbled for some reason - I think the perspective is off. His ear makes me abnormally happy though - mostly because I've never actually drawn one before for Nic 'cause of his hair - and it amuses me to think they would have been large and pointy. Still haven't figured out how to draw his hair around it though. Perplexation. The torso is probably too long but I don't care - it makes him look tall and gawky which is part of the idea. And this was awesome - I was looking at the 1500 portrait closely the other day and he's got a rather large freckle on the left side of the bridge of his nose AND HOMG I'VE GOT ONE TOO! XDDDD *clearly wins*

How can you tell this was drawn on scrap paper???? Any suggestions for teh colours? Because none of my ideas are workin'. And I hate it how I've got at least four projects on the go and none of them are finished nor will likely GET finished. AND I don't want to work tomorrow. At least it's only for two hours and is not completely terrible.

D:

Stupid anality. Drives me nuts. Trying to paint an actual portrait of Copernicus and yeah, she ain't workin' out so far. Tried that thing where you lay down the darkest colours first and gradually get lighter - doesn't happen. Wish I didn't suck so completely at light. The original idea was to have the light coming upwards towards his face from a candle on the desk or something. It's only in the early stages so perhaps I shouldn't rant too much but usually I can 'see' where it's going by this point - however, I cannot, which is why I find it frustrating.

*epic lose*

Solution: Eat chocolate chip cookies until my hands are too greasy to hold the tablet pen. Mwaha.

K, solution is working and it's starting to look WAAAAY better. Learned two very important things just over the course of the last hour - change the brush shape to make things look more dynamic - ie. if I'm painting his nasolobial folds and the light goes from the top to the bottom of the canvas, change your brush shape to mirror that. And hoshit, what a difference it makes. AND when blending, pull from the colours right around that area - ie. don't just alternate between the two main colours on your colour palette. This is all stuff that's probably been obvious to everyone else for years but I'm a little.... uh... slow.

KK, so this is teh way it looks so far. It's still way the hell too dark - nice tan, Nic - and his eyes creep the poo out of me but s'good.


K, have to go get ready to go out with some 'friends.' DO NOT WANT. DD: At least we're going to see 'Juno'