Artwork: Taking a Break

Drawn By: WrittenDusk

Finally drew something that has a mech in it! 

I've always wanted to draw and design some sort of robot, or mechanical suit, but I've never really found the confidence and willingness. Most of my attempts stops half way because I always end up feeling overwhelmed by the details. But after seeing my recent improvements, I felt that it's about time I seriously tackled this challenge again.

What makes the details overwhelming for me when drawing robots is not the actual design of it, but rather its movements and functions. This is because each part of the robot has its own shape that is maintained throughout most of its movements. To make sure each part is recognizable in different poses and perspectives, I have to specifically figure out and study the parts I have trouble with separately from the overall design itself. 

I think it turned out better than I expected overall, but when compared to my previous drawings, I feel like I could have improved more.

As I completed this drawing I just couldn't help, but feel like the drawing felt flat. Or rather there really isn't much there. The composition isn't all that interesting and the lighting doesn't really bring out much either. The colours didn't really stand out as well. 

But this doesn't mean I see this drawing as a complete failure. I got what I wanted from it, but I just felt like I could have gotten more. The main culprit of this drawing's short coming is actually this drawing's purpose.

To begin with, this was meant to be more of a case study than a full blown illustration. Because I still lacked confidence in drawing mechs, I decided to go for something more simple and direct. But I also wanted it to be a little more than just that; to make the most of it. But the more I worked on it, the more I expected out of it. It was misplaced expectations, but the idea had the potential.

It's disappointing that I couldn't do better this time, but next time I'll be more prepared. Finishing this made me realize that maybe it's about time I prioritized composition and atmosphere over fine details and accuracy. I think this is the next big step.

Hope you enjoyed the drawing and this rough self reflection!