First Neytiri drawing attempt:film cover

[Smirnoff]

Here is it,My first attempt to draw Neytiri,you know im just started drawing and your opinion and critique is very important for me,so i can improve myself. Dont mind her ear and bioluminescence i still didnt figure how to do the bioluminescence so id like to hear your advice with that too.Thank you

[Disco Scratch]

Nice! Really great for a first attempt especially just starting out. It's certainly better than anything I could do. I've tried to draw Neytiri before and I get too frustrated by the fact that I can't do it so I end up giving up. Continue drawing her and you'll get better each time. An art teacher once told me to be more confident in my lines. Me anticipating that I'll make a mistake is what was causing me to make the mistakes I made because I lacked confidence; so be confident. Also, I'd say focus on drawing her (or anything) and move on to shading later.

[Smirnoff]

Originally Posted by Eternal Enigma

Nice! Really great for a first attempt especially just starting out. It's certainly better than anything I could do. I've tried to draw Neytiri before and I get too frustrated by the fact that I can't do it so I end up giving up. Continue drawing her and you'll get better each time. An art teacher once told me to be more confident in my lines. Me anticipating that I'll make a mistake is what was causing me to make the mistakes I made because I lacked confidence; so be confident. Also, I'd say focus on drawing her (or anything) and move on to shading later.

Thank you very much Enigma! Yeah I have got this thing too,sometimes when I draw something and it starts to become ****, I get really mad and just quit,with this Neytiri drawing same thing happened but this time I managed to finish it.Confidence is really important as you said.Thank you for the advice with shading i didnt knew it, i will draw this way next time.And by the way why have you said that you cant draw like you used to? I think maybe you should give a try??

[Disco Scratch]

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

Thank you very much Enigma! Yeah I have got this thing too,sometimes when I draw something and it starts to become ****, I get really mad and just quit,with this Neytiri drawing same thing happened but this time I managed to finish it.Confidence is really important as you said.Thank you for the advice with shading i didnt knew it, i will draw this way next time.And by the way why have you said that you cant draw like you used to? I think maybe you should give a try??

You're welcome!

I meant to get a reply in yesterday, but I was searching on DeviantArt for some line only sketch examples that I wanted to show you to add to what I said previously. I also wanted to show a couple of stylized versions to show that you don't have to go for high detail or ultra realizm to achieve a great piece.

Get good at drawing in sketches and lines.

In this sketch by AlexanderDefeo you can recognize who the subject is even without a whole lot of details like bioluminescent dots, stripes or realistic shading. It still looks nice because it is technically accurate even without the extra detail.




Then you have stylized options where instead of trying to draw Neytiri exactly as she is seen on screen you can create a stylized / caricature. As can be seen in this piece by Mashi.




It doesn't have to be 100% accurate to be good as can be seen in this colored sketch by SaskiaWillow. I love the eye shape and the lips look nice.




You can do stylized line art as can be seen here with this piece by easyt63.




Here's a great example of one I like very much by J-Scott-Campbell.




As for my art. I used to do sketches, pastel and charcoal drawings and I used to be good at it. When I was in high school I sold my work for $50-$100 each. In 2003 I was bitten by a Brown Recluse spider on my hand while I was at work, which is one of the two most dangerous spiders in North America with the other being the Black Widow. The venom of the Brown Recluse breaks down tissue by causing the tissue to die and rot.

Here are some photos, but be warned they are graphic.

Spoiler: Graphic Content 

This is what it looked like on day 3.



This is what it looked like by day 5.



This is day 7 after being cleaned up by wound care specialists.



The wound was about 12mm deep and you could clearly see my thumb tendons, which are very important for pen / pencil control.

And I caught this early. Had I not taken care of it I could have lost my hand. The venom and dead tissue has to be removed or it will just keep killing healthy tissue. The biggest fear for anyone bitten is that the venom gets in the blood stream and gets to the heart.

I'm left handed so that's my primary hand. It did enough damage around my tendons that it basically took my ability to draw away and that's why I get so frustrated because I remember what I once was able to do. Although I will admit that after this injury I never really sat down an tried to relearn how to draw. Here I am 13 years after the injury and I still struggle to write my own name.

I may try to do a sketch though.

[Smirnoff]

Originally Posted by Eternal Enigma

You're welcome!

I meant to get a reply in yesterday, but I was searching on DeviantArt for some line only sketch examples that I wanted to show you to add to what I said previously. I also wanted to show a couple of stylized versions to show that you don't have to go for high detail or ultra realizm to achieve a great piece.
As for my art. I used to do sketches, pastel and charcoal drawings and I used to be good at it. When I was in high school I sold my work for $50-$100 each. In 2003 I was bitten by a Brown Recluse spider on my hand while I was at work, which is one of the two most dangerous spiders in North America with the other being the Black Widow. The venom of the Brown Recluse breaks down tissue by causing the tissue to die and rot.

Here are some photos, but be warned they are graphic.

Spoiler: Graphic Content 

This is what it looked like on day 3.



This is what it looked like by day 5.



This is day 7 after being cleaned up by wound care specialists.



The wound was about 12mm deep and you could clearly see my thumb tendons, which are very important for pen / pencil control.

And I caught this early. Had I not taken care of it I could have lost my hand. The venom and dead tissue has to be removed or it will just keep killing healthy tissue. The biggest fear for anyone bitten is that the venom gets in the blood stream and gets to the heart.

I'm left handed so that's my primary hand. It did enough damage around my tendons that it basically took my ability to draw away and that's why I get so frustrated because I remember what I once was able to do. Although I will admit that after this injury I never really sat down an tried to relearn how to draw. Here I am 13 years after the injury and I still struggle to write my own name.

I may try to do a sketch though.

Thank you for the examples,you're right not too much detail but yeah they are beautiful I will keep that in mind.About the caricature/sketching that is a great idea I will probably do this way next time! I really loved that
Im so sorry for your hand man This must be very difficult. I have been knife stabbed in my shoulder i guess 6 months ago and i still have problems with moving my left shoulder/hand.But that kind of spider Jesus.. I guess more dangerous than any knife or even gun.And Thank you again for helping me soon enough i will draw another one probably something like easyt63's work.

[fierox]

Nice work! Especially her eye and ear look really good. I agree focus on just drawing first. Try to draw really light at first so its easy to adjust. Also dont make a very detailed eye, then a detailed ear etc. Sketch the whole 3d form (a face insnt flat),key lines using only a few lines and circles first.
Goodluck and if this is your first then you have plenty of potential to get even alot better. So certainly no reason to get mad, you should be happy with the result and what you learned already. Not always easy i know, but thats most important

[Smirnoff]

Originally Posted by fierox

Nice work! Especially her eye and ear look really good. I agree focus on just drawing first. Try to draw really light at first so its easy to adjust. Also dont make a very detailed eye, then a detailed ear etc. Sketch the whole 3d form (a face insnt flat),key lines using only a few lines and circles first.
Goodluck and if this is your first then you have plenty of potential to get even alot better. So certainly no reason to get mad, you should be happy with the result and what you learned already. Not always easy i know, but thats most important

Thank you Fierox,I didn't knew that,I mean I just start with drawing everything at the same time,I will certainly consider your remarksWhen I get some free time I will try to draw Neytiri again,a more detailed one,actually i think about the picture where she aims her bow.Soo stay on track