Some watchers ask questions and/or make statements about the technical aspects of my ACO cards. For example, one watcher asked where I find round-edge ACO canvases; another made a presumption about my pencils: that I PhotoShop them.
Because of this, I've decided to make this little step-by-step of how I make ACO cards. This is NOT a tutorial---in fact, it's likely the wrong way to make them; this is simply how MY dumb butt makes MY cards.
Ok, so from top left to right:
1. I search my desk for my favorite pencil: the Wallace Zephyr. The Zephyr is a hard pencil that makes a very light line. The lines are difficult to see, but this makes it easy to erase guidelines and mistakes.
2. I get a sheet of cheap typing paper and a Pokemon card. I trace around the edge of the Pokemon card (thus explaining the rounded edges of my cards). My challenge is to draw everything inside the borders I created. :3
3. Next ...I just draw. :P There would be plenty of questions here, mostly of the 'how-do-you-draw' variety. I get it, but I'll not be answering any of that here. ^^ I will say I use tools other than pencils to draw, such as this table mirror. The mirror is useful when I need a reference for hands at odd angles, as seen in the photo. ...And, yes, mine is an Aristocats mirror. :p
4. After I've drawn my subject, I'll need to erase the guide lines and so forth. I do this with a sharp, arrowhead eraser (I call these erasers 'caps'). This can be very tedious and creates a lot of dust. :P
5. Once the drawing is clean, I draw over the light Zephyr lines with a softer pencil (that is, one that makes darker lines). In this case, I decided to use a vintage 'Onward' pencil, because I thought its name compliments this drawing (yes, I know 'Onward' is a movie, but I haven't seen it, as of writing).
I have many vintage pencils to choose from---this image doesn't even represent half my hoardings: https://sta.sh/011qj4o8lt9v
6. I use scissors to cut the finished drawing from the paper, thus creating a card.
7. Because I like to feature pencils alongside my ACOs, I place both the card and the pencil side-by-side on my scanner. I do not use PhotoShop (I wouldn't know how to); my drawings and my pencils are tangible and exist together in space. ^^
On a side note, I was kinda intrigued by one of my watchers who commented that they didn't know what a scanner was. :P A scanner is big box with a glass top used for making digital images of paper documents (by way of photography). It's the means by which my traditional drawings find their way onto the internet. ^^
8. The drawing is complete. :3 The last step is to upload it to my gallery, to remind the world that I can't draw and my art tools are outdated.
One of your watchers didn't know about scanners? I guess they're kind of obsolete in this day of digital art. I do have a scanner built into my printer...
One of your watchers didn't know about scanners? I guess they're kind of obsolete in this day of dig
Mine's the same, but the ink dried up in it many years ago (around 2014 or so), but it still scans picutures (I don't throw a thing out until it's BEYOND broken/expired). :3
EDIT: Actually, this might be the more recent scanner ...I can't remember! XD
Mine's the same, but the ink dried up in it many years ago (around 2014 or so), but it still scans p
That is so cool, thanks for showing your process! <3 I got a question, since these are probably the same size as a trading card, do you store them in trading card binders? :0
I might try and make small art pieces like this in the future, and store them like that so they stay preserved! :3
That is so cool, thanks for showing your process! <3 I got a question, since these are probably the
That's so cool! :3 I bet you have a lot of binders filled with these.
I had no idea there was an actual community! I'll probably do mine without color too, with just black ink and pencils. ^^ If you'd like, I can ping/mention you on here when I post my first one!
That's so cool! :3 I bet you have a lot of binders filled with these. I had no idea there was an a
Almost (almost) everything I draw gets published here and/or on DA/FA. ^^
You needn't do that, though I appreciate the thought. ^^ ACO isn't anything I can take credit for, it's just something I discovered and thought to try. :3
Only one folder. ^^ Almost (almost) everything I draw gets published here and/or on DA/FA. ^^ You
