UNSC Magnum Vector
by drakathownz on May.07, 2012, under Games, Photoshop, Projects
Here is my first vector of my new project on Halo Weapons
This is the Magnum from Halo. It is a small-arms weapon used by marines of the UNSC (United Nations Space Command).
I have to admit, this was quite hard to make since this was my first attempt at making an object instead of a character and at making something that was not originally a cartoon in the first place.
Whilst making this, there were gaps between some of the lines which I removed by making changes to minimize the amount of gaps and the size of them which I felt went quite well.
If I could make any improvements for next time, it will be to be a bit more careful with lines and details since some of them are slightly off in this one.
Halo (C) Bungie, 343 Industries and Microsoft Game Studio.
My first major project
by drakathownz on Apr.29, 2012, under Other, Photoshop, Projects
I have completed my first big project with vectors.
Yes, I made a pairing with my two vectors that were previously uploaded. I’m happy that it’s finally done.
Since I have now completed my pairing project, I can now move on to something completely new and fresh which is what I’ve been planning for a while now.
Since I have become used to the art of making vector graphics, my next big Photoshop project will be a vector based one again, but it will have a different theme. The next theme will be about Halo and I will be making vectors of the majority of the weapons from Halo (including the Assault Rifle, DMR, Sniper Rifle, Carbine, Needle Rifle, etc). I may release the odd Pony vector during the next project but hopefully I will be more focussed on the weapons throughout the next few weeks.
I have to say that if I did a project like this one again, I’ll make different poses for the characters and I’ll work on my own background since I just combined two backgrounds I found on deviantART. The reason why I didn’t make the background from scratch was because I felt as if my length of experience wasn’t able to pull off something big like that yet.
So that’s it for now. Hope to deliver you a shipment of weapon vectors at some point soon.
I do not own all characters used for this. I do not own My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, that belongs to Hasbro.
Background sources:
and
A New Vector
by drakathownz on Apr.28, 2012, under Photoshop, Projects, Random Stuff
Yep, another pony vector for my ongoing project.
Have to admit, since this is of my OC (Original Character) it was kind of hard to make since I had to use a mixture of references to put together a new pose for the character so now I’ve realised that OCs are harder to work with than I thought.
I also have admit, I had a problem with the eyes since I need to reshape and place the eyes in a place and shape that didn’t look ugly on the character.
Everything else turned out alright though. But if I could improve on anything, it would be to use easier references in future projects. I also had some problems with the pen tool on this one since I couldn’t do better lines on parts of the outline due to the canvas size, so another thing that could help would be to use a larger workspace on the file and move the finished project onto a perfect canvas size before uploading to the internet.
Now this is done, I can finish off a big project I have been planning on doing which involves this vector and the one I made before this one.
That’s all for now.
Another Vector
by drakathownz on Apr.22, 2012, under Photoshop, Projects, Random Stuff
That’s right. Another vector I worked on. This time it is of a character from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. *squee*
It is my favourite character Fluttershy. Quiet, calm and very caring, especially towards woodland creatures. And Bronies refer to her as being the cutest character from the show (which is why she’s my favourite. Too cute to resist!).
Compared to my previous vector, I’ve noticed that the outlines are less wonky, especially on the body since I used some tips from my vectoring tutorials when drawing the outlines (they’re still a pain to draw but they’re easier than the eyes).
Again, I drew the outlines with Photoshop’s magical Pen Tool and used a few references to guide me in making a new pose for the character. The eyes were still challenging however (since the eyes are the hardest part of Friendship is Magic vectors). The making of the eyes are a bit awkward since you have to be aware of detail accuracy.
Another thing to mention is that I made this vector for a project I’m making. It’s going to be an image but you’ll see what it is when it appears.
Now for improvements: All I can say to improve for now is to be more accurate on the details and behind the scenes, be more careful with where I place the layers. This is because of a few problems that caused things to look out of place because of layer order so I had to juggle with the layers in certain places to make it look right.
That’s all for now folks. Peace out!
I do not own the character used for this. I do not own My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, that belongs to Hasbro.
Ryder Starlight Vector.
by drakathownz on Apr.09, 2012, under Photoshop, Projects
I’ve been practising with the use of Vector graphics lately. So I used the skills I had to make a vector drawing of a character I made for the Brony Community.
His name is Ryder Starlight and he is a pegasus with an unknown background.
He loves to fly around at night and go on adventures alone or with some friends of his. He also has an interest in rare and ancient artefacts and stargazing. (Hence, his Cutie Mark is a Katana surrounded by stars)
I have to admit, a pony vector looks really simple to do but they’re actually quite challenging for a newcomer in vectoring. Especially when it comes to making a character of your own (considering that this is quite challenging in any style of vectoring, not just ponies).
I have noticed the the lines are wonky in places. Part of me thinks that this is a common mistake with vectoring in Photoshop. (If you look closely, some lines a bolder/finer than others).
First off I had to “draw” the lines using the Pen Tool. I did use a number of references to guide me. After that was done, I added the fills in separate layers for the different colours and body parts. (Don’t get any ideas!) The most challenging part of vectoring a character like this one, and I’m sure the experienced pony vector artists will agree with this, are the eyes. The eyes are actually very confusing to make but with the help of a tutorial a vector artist from deviantART made about the art of making eyes using Photoshop, I think I did a good job on the visible eye.
If there was anything I think I could improve, it would definitely be the accuracy of the outlines, whether it be a pony, a spartan from Halo or a character from a movie.
An aim I am trying with my vector art is to experiment and practise with different styles, genres and themes.
That’s all I can tell for now and I can’t wait to show you all my next upload. =)
Ryder Starlight (C) drakathownz (Me)
Something to confess…
by drakathownz on Mar.31, 2012, under News, Other, Random Stuff
I’m a Brony and proud of it.
Cuz Haters gonna Hate.
Picture was found on deviantART.
A True Friend – A Poem I wrote.
by drakathownz on Dec.10, 2011, under Other, Random Stuff
A true friend will always be there for you.
A true friend will watch your back.
A true friend will show interest in what you have to say or do.
A true friend will find you, like you find them.
A true friend will protect you with their life.
How I have ever wished for a friend like that.
How I have ever wished for a friend with a simliar taste to me.
How I have ever wished for a friend who would understand me.
How I have ever wished for a friend who would tell me the truth.
How I have ever wished for a friend who can keep my secrets.
A True Friend to anyone is someone you can trust, someone who cares about you, someone you can talk to when you’re feeling down, someone who won’t spread your secrets even if it mean’t death, someone who actually knows you.
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
by drakathownz on Aug.03, 2011, under Games, News
Title: Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Platform: Sony PSP
Genre: Role-Playing Game (RPG)
Created by: Square Enix & Disney
Year of Release: 2010
Pegi Rating: 12
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is the latest major release of the Kingdom Hearts game franchise. It is the prequel of the Kingdom Hearts series and it explains why and what happens that relates to the rest of the series.
The story begins in a world called ‘The Land of Departure’ where three friends; Ventus (Ven for short), Terra and Aqua are training to become Keyblade Masters. The three friends are practising Keyblade combat together to start with and then they sit on a cliff side as Aqua hands Ven and Terra two Wayfinders she made. The three Wayfinders were different colours and each of the characters look at them throughout the game when they’re thinking about each other. The day after they received the Wayfinders, Terra and Aqua take on the Mark of Mastery exam to become Keyblade Masters but only Aqua passes the exam because of darkness in Terra’s heart which causes him to fail the exam. Ven then gets taunted by a masked boy about how Terra will be a different person whilst Terra and Aqua get given a mission to find a missing Keyblade Master, Master Xehanort, and to destroy dark creatures called the Unversed in the other worlds. Once Ven catches up to Terra, Terra leaves ‘The Land of Departure’ and Ven follows him out. Aqua then leaves ‘The Land of Departure’ with another mission in her mind, to get Ven back home, and so the real story began.
The Kingdom Hearts series has been famous for the fact you explore and aid characters from worlds based on the Disney films such as Hercules and Peter Pan (in which you visit them worlds in Birth by Sleep), but there are also worlds from Disney films that have not yet been explored in the Kingdom Hearts franchise and some unique worlds that you can explore which are in fact certain worlds from the rest of the franchise before they were touched by evil. In Birth by Sleep you can explore worlds from films like Sleeping Beauty, Lilo & Stitch and many other Disney films and you get to see and explore worlds such as ‘Radiant Garden’ which was what ‘Hollow Bastion’ used to be before the Heartless had control of it.
Also as part of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep you get to choose which character you use in the game. You can choose between; Terra, Ventus or Aqua. Each with their unique abilities, stories and friends. However, if you complete each character’s story and collect a certain number of items, you will unlock the Final Episode which is when Aqua has to place Ven into a familiar place and search for Terra after he lost something important at the end of his story. You also get to see a cutscene at the end about Sora and Riku when they were kids and that Sora has an encounter with one of the three main characters in his heart.
The gameplay has to be very unique and amazing for what it is as well. You can even play online against others around the world or locally in the Mirage Arena. You can fight other players, team up with other players to defeat waves of Unversed, race each other in Rumble Racing or play a Monopoly style game where you can win some commands for your command deck by playing with other players or CPUs.
The game’s graphics are also very good and clear. They don’t look as pixelated as the DS versions of the Kingdom Hearts franchise and they certainly look more realistic or cartoonish.
So overall, I rate Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep as 5 out of 5. Amazing graphics, awesome gameplay and an effective story.
I do not own the image on this post. The image is owned by Sony, Square Enix and Disney.
The image was found on Amazon.
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep fan-made wallpaper.
by drakathownz on Jul.30, 2011, under Games, Photoshop
This is a fan-made desktop wallpaper of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep.
Made using Photoshop
Kingdom Hearts (c) Square Enix and Disney.
You can also view and download this wallpaper on deviantART.
DA link: http://drakathownz.deviantart.com/#/d420orc
Download available via DA.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
by drakathownz on Jul.17, 2011, under Games, News
Title: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Platform: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC
Genre: Role-Playing Game (RPG)
Created by: Bethesda Studios
Year of Release: 2006
Pegi Rating: 15
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion or Oblivion for short has to be an awesome RPG that anyone should not otherwise. Oblivion is set at the end of the 3rd era of a realm called Tamriel and in the province of Cyrodill. The story begins when your character is in prison and the Emperor uses your cell to escape from some assassins who have killed his sons and they’re after him next. He is accompanied by three soldiers from the Blades who swear to protect the Emperor and they open the secret passageway in your cell to help the Emperor escape in which your character follows them through the secret passageway until the Emperor passes you his amulet; the Amulet of Kings to give to the Grandmaster of the Blades before he gets killed by one of the assassins and from that point onward, you choose your own path throughout the game.
There are many quests and side-quests in Oblivion. You can join any or all of the four guilds: the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Thieves Guild or the Dark Brotherhood. You can become a combatant in the Imperial City Arena and fight your way to becoming the Grand Champion. Explore Cyrodill and see the many ruins, settlements or camps. Destroy the gates to Oblivion that dot Cyrodill. Or you can go and complete the Main Story of the game.
The game’s system is quite a unique system compared to other RPG games. You can view the world in first-person view or third-person view. There is no battle interface, instead you kill your enemies ‘on field’. You can battle your enemies with a sword, a bow and arrow or magic or you can base yourself on stealth and sneak past your enemies, but make sure you don’t kill or steal from innocent people or you’ll get a bounty in which guards will try to arrest you unless you pay the bounty or go to jail.
Though there are lots of good parts in Oblivion, there are the bad parts as well. If you carry too much weight then you will become over-encumbered and unable to move (in which Bethesda made different in Fallout 3 and hopefully The Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim).
So overall, with all of this I’ve said about The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, I rate Oblivion as 4 out of 5, so if you ever consider getting Oblivion, keep in mind that it is nothing like Fallout 3 but still worth the money.
(I do not own the image on this post and I do not own The Elder Scrolls franchise. The Elder Scrolls is owned by Bethesda Studios. The image was found on Amazon.)
