The Dreadful -- Chapter 3

[MSperoni]

Actually you should NEVER draw each individual tooth. Artistic Technique RamblingIf someone told you that: ignore them. It looks hideous from a design standpoint. There are too many lines crammed into a small space, and it creates a focal point you do NOT want. It's also superfluous detail, the same reason why people don't draw individual eyelashes. It's enough to suggest them unless there is some weird reason not to, or you are very up close where the focus is on the teeth. Fangs are a small exception, because their nature is pronounced and they're generally meant to be noticed (you also really can't "suggest" fangs). I sometimes will draw individual teeth, but only on "ugly" characters, and even then I won't draw them all. You can find this advice in many "How to Draw People" books. Also just look through comics, it's very rare you see someone with each individual tooth drawn. And from the standpoint of a colorist (which I also am) it can be a bit of a hassle. In some cases it's best to let the coloring do the work, and if you got a bunch of little lines all in a small space like that it can make things look a bit smudged once the color is laid down. It also clashes with the open area around it (creating that unwanted focal point again).

That's a lot of tooth-talk! But I wanted to spend some time discussing it because it's a cartooning technique, and I figured the advice might be helpful to any artists who might be reading this thread . (I actually know a thing or two about drawing, you know? -- and I also like talking art-technique, especially when it comes to relatively "little" things).

As for the mouth position..eh...it seems okay to me. I suppose I could have improved on it though. It's hard to get it perfect because I sometimes will alter dialog AFTER I've drawn the panel. I think it's enough to have Kit "yelling" because that's what she's doing. A lot of times in panels it's about the "expression" and not the literalness of it. Though I guess if you can do both that's good, but it's not always possible (especially if the artist and writer are two different people).

[Alanim]

Originally Posted by MSperoni

Actually you should NEVER draw each individual tooth. Artistic Technique RamblingIf someone told you that: ignore them. It looks hideous from a design standpoint. There are too many lines crammed into a small space, and it creates a focal point you do NOT want. It's also superfluous detail, the same reason why people don't draw individual eyelashes. It's enough to suggest them unless there is some weird reason not to, or you are very up close where the focus is on the teeth. Fangs are a small exception, because their nature is pronounced and they're generally meant to be noticed (you also really can't "suggest" fangs). I sometimes will draw individual teeth, but only on "ugly" characters, and even then I won't draw them all. You can find this advice in many "How to Draw People" books. Also just look through comics, it's very rare you see someone with each individual tooth drawn. And from the standpoint of a colorist (which I also am) it can be a bit of a hassle. In some cases it's best to let the coloring do the work, and if you got a bunch of little lines all in a small space like that it can make things look a bit smudged once the color is laid down. It also clashes with the open area around it (creating that unwanted focal point again).

That's a lot of tooth-talk! But I wanted to spend some time discussing it because it's a cartooning technique, and I figured the advice might be helpful to any artists who might be reading this thread . (I actually know a thing or two about drawing, you know? -- and I also like talking art-technique, especially when it comes to relatively "little" things).

I understand the not drawing each individual teeth, that wasn't exactly my point though, I was saying with the way her mouth is open her molars would atleast be semi-visible but they don't exist in the drawing, making the bottom left of the mouth have a form of awkwardness where they end. This might be a bit hard to do though(I'm not much of a artist, but I do enjoy the works.)

Long story short:If possible, placement of molars where they would be visible would be a nice artistic touch.

See?


Also you make a really good point with the expressions, lol.

[MSperoni]

The troll is one instance where I actually drew each tooth

but he's ugly, so it works.

I see what you mean though. I guess I just pretended as if her tongue was covering up her molars.

[rpgdemon]

Re: How the mouth's open: I figure, it just needs to show she's yelling, and that does fit the position your mouth would be for "You", anyways, roughly. It's not like animation where you can see that the words don't line up with the mouth.

[MSperoni]

I generally try to have the character's mouth in a position that is close to what they're saying, but sometimes after I'm done drawing a page I'll end up changing the dialog two or three different times. It's tricky to get it perfect unless I want to draw a panel over and over again. However it is just enough to show them "yelling", so I don't dwell on it if it's off.

Though I think Kit's mouth being like it is would be close to the position for "Got".

[Michael Morris]

Nothing wrong with the occasional kung fu dub.

[MSperoni]

Page 74!

Liz finally pushes it too far with Kit...

[phil_]

Well, this little argument would have looked pretty silly in the old art style.

[MSperoni]

Yeah.

Scenes like this are one of the reasons I changed it. Kit just can't look really pissed when she's cutesy anime.

[Alanim]

Since I'm now the mouth guy, can I just say good job with all the art. All of it works awesomely. Also her back teeth are drawn, sha-wing.

Good chapter. This is why the new art style is better, you can put alot more facial detail.