Becca's First Handrawns

[Xx_Pixie_Dust_xX]

Ok, so far this is the only one i've made that has looked even the slightest bit decent xD:

The hair got a bit messed up because I was using JascAs3. (After I was done the hair I saved it, and it went different colours in some places..)

This is where I got my base::: x a n d o r r a s :: p l a c e :: cartoon dyna base

Tell me what you think. :]

[TheHayleyDoll]

It's a bit pillowy. The highlights need to go with the folds. Since you're new at this, here's a couple tips.

1. Look at yourself in the mirror and see how the highlights hits on your shirts and jeans. As well as your hair.

2. Check out some tutorials. Most doll sites have a few. Try a lot of them out, to help develop your own style.

3. Practise makes perfect, right? So the more you doll, the better you get.


I have a couple other bits of CC, but until you get the basics down and everything, those aren't important. For right now, learning proper shading is key. Shadows, details, etc. aren't important for you right now.

It's good, but just watch for the pillow-shading demon, okay? xD Pillow shading and shading to the base are the short cuts, and shorter isn't always best. I take a couple hours on every one of my dolls, and sometimes I end up spanning it over a couple days (not straight of course). Some dollers take days and days to get things perfect. ^^

[Xx_Pixie_Dust_xX]

Okay, thanks Hayley. ^^
I thought it looked a bit pillowy, but I wasn't quite sure how to fix it. :\
I'll have to work on that and fix up this doll. I also have a few more bases to practise on later. :]

[TheHayleyDoll]

I love it when people start hand-drawing. It makes you appreciate other people's work more. =D

[Xx_Pixie_Dust_xX]

Lol, I noticed that too. xD
I just wanted a small, pretty base for clothing and hair experiments.

[TheHayleyDoll]

In "Doll Creation" there are loads of good base sites to check out. Or, to find other ones, look at other peoples' dolls and see the base site that they used. ^^

[Xx_Pixie_Dust_xX]

That's a good idea. ^^
I just googled "doll bases" and didn't get many good results.. xD

[Miranda_]

I'd also suggest to start off dolling in MS Paint, cuz it's the more simpler art programme to use and if you use photoshop etc, you might be tempted to take the lazy person's way out, ie toolshading, in leu of pixel shading. You can always tell when a person's done this, cuz it looks burned and smudgy. O.o

Save dolls in .png to avoid the dreaded gif monster from discolouring your doll's hair and clothes after; you can always turn them into gif later with iaza.

I'd agree with Hayley as far as the doll goes; it's certainly better than my first try. XD Watermelon Bubblegum has a great first doller's tut, and also loads of bases. I'd also recommend If Looks Could Kill... t e m p for some good, simple bases that are great to doll on. ^^

[Elanorea]

Originally Posted by Miranda_

I'd also suggest to start off dolling in MS Paint, cuz it's the more simpler art programme to use and if you use photoshop etc, you might be tempted to take the lazy person's way out, ie toolshading, in leu of pixel shading. You can always tell when a person's done this, cuz it looks burned and smudgy. O.o

Y'know, it's not very nice to call toolshaders lazy. I don't toolshade, because I never got the hang of it and I prefer pixeling, but I still respect those who do it. It is a perfectly valid shading style, and I don't think it takes any less effort than pixeling.

About the doll... as people have said, it is a bit pillowy, but at least you're shading and doing folds, so that's good. I'll have to echo the advice about looking at yourself in the mirror - or just observing how fabrics, hair, etc. look like. It really helps. Also, I noticed that you made the doll completely symmetrical (except for the hair) - don't do that. It looks unrealistic and rather lazy.

[Xx_Pixie_Dust_xX]

Mk, thanks. ^^
I am now working on a new one with a base from the site Miranda_ suggested, thanks again. :]