Vintage Futurama

[on:]

All the art talent here is inspiring me to take up drawing again. I've been wanting to draw Amy and Leela as 40s and 50s pin-up models for a long time. Here is a rough sketch I drew:



My model is a Gil Elvgren print, so I'm basically just stealing. But I thought she looked very Amy Wong-ish. And of course, this is not the finished work, but some scribbles.

[Reply #1 on:]

You know the saying about good artists and great artists...

And do keep drawing!

[Reply #2 on:]

Nice to see you started drawing (again)
So, my usual "things you should keep" and "things you might change" speech:

First, the things to keep:

- The face is spot on, and matches the original quite well. Yep, she has a certain Amy Wong like quality to her, especially the Asian touch on the eyes. (Add Amy pineapple hairstyle, and that's it )
- Your lines have a rather round, flowing character. Making them of course very suitable for a pin-up girl drawing.

Now, I do not have really "things you should change", but maybe some "things you should add":
- Your lines are rather soft, with a very "shading like" character. Maybe you might consider adding just a few sharp lines to define the outer contours and the most characteristic features, e.g. the tip of the hair, the eyelashes, the lace structure on the bra, etc...
(I am thinking a bit of Michelangelo, who also rather went for nearly mere coloring/shading, framed by such a defined outer line).

(Sigh...again, the "constructive criticism part" is the longer one, and it will look as if I have more to complain than to praise. Once again I feel the need to point out this is not the case...)

[Reply #3 on:]

Oh, I'd be disappointed if Professor Hein did not weigh in here. Thanks for the feedback. This is just a preliminary sketch in my sketchbook, so I really didn't want to take too much time to add those sharp, defining lines that you mention, and that yes, you're right, would enhance it. I'll work on the "real thing" this weekend, and definitely have your critiques in mind.

[Reply #4 on:]

Okay, um, I guess no one's interested, or I just suck? Is there a small voice tag available on PEEL?

Here's something I drew today, in an orgy of unstructured free time and drawing that I've not indulged in since I was probably in grade school.



That's my version of Turanga Leela as Betty Page. Any rockabilly fans out there?

(I don't know what it is, but I can't really get any good quality photos from any of my cameras, of my drawings.)

[Reply #5 on:]

That's......AWESOME!

Nice work sparkybarky!

[Reply #6 on:]

Thanks, Snake. I do especially appreciate a teenaged male's compliments.

[Reply #7 on:]

I love this Leela one! Very beautiful!

[Reply #8 on:]

Good job, Sparky!

[Reply #9 on:]

 

wowser, you got skills. - lol at random Fry tattoo xD

[Reply #10 on:]

Both great, but that Leela one, wow! I've never seen her drawn in quite that style before. Really nicely done, and great shading too!...

[Reply #11 on:]

I  must say I have problem with that picture. My politically correct and sensitive soul got problems with that sexual objectivation of women....

Hm...somehow I think you are not really buying that one, right ?

Okay, to get serious:

Great picture:)

- I like the "sharp shadow" outline as e.g seen on her left arm.
- The structure on the eylashes is great.
- The Fry tatoo is priceless, of course
- The slightly larger nose also fits Leela (while the designers just CLAIMED early Leela had a relatively large nose, while I considered her bulging eye/nose about the Marge Simpsons proportions, and Marge is probably a relatively normal woman). Anyway, back to the subject: You drew sucessfully graphically what the Futurama designers/artists just CLAIMED they were doing

One last thing: Maybe you could add a sharper/clearer division line between her two shoes.

(HA!!!! My positive aspects text is LONGER in this post than the constructive criticism )

[Reply #12 on:]

The reflection on Leela's shiny hair is really well done, grats It's always a real challenge to translate Leela into a more 'realistic' style, so you accomplished that v nicely!

Comparing the 2 pics is quite interesting; dunno how much of it is the camera (!), but Amy's pic uses a much warmer colour palette than Leela's - together with the 'softer' lines and curves (and expressions!), that gives a very different emotional feeling to the pics - cute, cuddly, fun versus whiplash dangerous seduction

Only thing I'd say agin it is that Leela's looking a little willowy; not suggesting a voluptuous/curvaceous look (although, personally... anyway!), but from the show I'd be tempted to translate her to a more athletic build, at least.

[Reply #13 on:]

Holy crap that's awesome.

[Reply #14 on:]

I like what you did with Leela's hair. It's different, but it's still clearly her.

Though it's probably clearly her because of the eye. But, y'know.

[Reply #15 on:]

Wow your colouring is fantastic!

Have you considered using watercolour pencils?  I think they might be worth experimenting with. 

[Reply #16 on:]

Hi everyone, thank you for your generous comments. I've been a little too shy to post here. Prof Hein, I know, I got so sick of it when I got to her shoes, and it shows.

Marcus, yeah, she needs to be thicker.

Spacefish, I dunno about me and painting, brushes hate me. That does sound intriguing though and maybe I will look into it.

[Reply #17 on:]

Wow great art love the fry time code tattoo