# In Serious Need of Artistic Guidance



## nutella (Mar 2, 2010)

Basically I'm doing my HSC Major Artwork, which is like my major artwork for my final year of grade school and I'm half way through the year (year began on September) and have produced like nothing at all (at least what I plan to submit).

Just to give a bit of background, I explored humorous and comical works, knowing fully that it was just an exploration experience and not my final work. While doing a test work, I got bored and put an 8-bit Mario in my work and my teacher laughed and said it was the best part of the work. I explored 8-bit works and stumbled upon the gallery, "i am 8-bit". Basically, I decided try working with super old video games like tetris, pong, space invaders, the like. I found works that really fit my style, yet I can't think of ANY ideas that fit that style. (http://michelgagne.blogspot.com/2009/07/8-bit-legacy.html link if you want to have a looksies). I tried to make a similar work with tetris pieces and try change it up a bit and make it my own. In short, it epically sucks balls, and I feel my teacher agrees. (If you REALLY want me to, I can post it for you Scratch that. Posted!!).

In short, I want to go in the direction of works BASED on 8-bit video games (i.e. not necessarily 8-bit style, but remind us heavily of these 8-bit games in a comical and fun way).

I draw exclusively, and don't really paint, sculpt or any of those things, really, I just draw. My style is very controlled, and my teacher feels that while that does have its merits, its really holding me back. Most of the works that score well in art are those that are huge and use more expressive techniques. Marking wise, the work is marked 50% resolution and 50% on concept.

Please, if any of you have any serious help you can give me, that would be HUGE. Serious ideas please and no cliche ideas too.

Here is a small scale test for that tetris work I mentioned (Its backwards because YouCam's ghey):


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## [M]artin (Mar 2, 2010)

This interests me but I'm drawing a blank on inspirations at the moment as I'm running on no sleep. (But if I think of anything, I'll be sure to post!)

However, I would very much like to view your "similar work", if you don't mind.


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## nutella (Mar 2, 2010)

[M said:
			
		

> artin]
> This interests me but I'm drawing a blank on inspirations at the moment as I'm running on no sleep. (But if I think of anything, I'll be sure to post!)
> 
> However, I would very much like to view your "similar work", if you don't mind.


HAHAHA!!! Stupid me forgot to bring it home from school. Do'h! But I have a small scale version in my art diary that I can show you. Its only about half a page. All I got is my webcam to shoot it. I'll try have it up in a second.

EDIT: Posted!!


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## nutella (Mar 5, 2010)

I don't think its too unreasonble to bump this thread after three days. But I really need some help. ANYTHING will do. Criticise my work. I KNOW its not the best artwork. Heck, I might go as far as saying its a bad artwork. Make any suggestions. Call it shit if you want. Just make sure to tell me why you think so.


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## zeromac (Mar 5, 2010)

How about a 8-bit link (from Zelda series)


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## nutella (Mar 5, 2010)

zeromac said:
			
		

> How about a 8-bit link (from Zelda series)


Please go on. I've thought about this but thought that going even older would be the way to go as they are more recognisable. I think my subject matter is fine, its just what to do with it. When working with something so geometric, I find it difficult to work expressively, which is what drawers need to do.


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## zeromac (Mar 5, 2010)

Im not really an arty kind of person but looking from the link you provided in the first post, you do kind of isometric (is that the word for it?) kind of drawings..

Brainwave!!

How about something like a triforce in the middle of the paper and then different oldie games around the page each drawn in a likable style. (this may be too videogame oriented for you idk)


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## nutella (Mar 5, 2010)

zeromac said:
			
		

> Im not really an arty kind of person but looking from the link you provided in the first post, you do kind of isometric (is that the word for it?) kind of drawings..
> 
> Brainwave!!
> 
> How about something like a triforce in the middle of the paper and then different oldie games around the page each drawn in a likable style. (this may be too videogame oriented for you idk)


This really sounds interesting but honestly, not to shit on your idea, but I really don't think it will work for me. Don't get me wrong, if you had suggested that two weeks ago, I would have done it in a heartbeat because it was very suitable to the style I was trying to adopt. In fact, that idea is well suited to the work shown in my first post, but its just something I'm not capable of finishing with a high quality. I think I need to put this work aside and move on. Its served its purpose.

Last year in my preliminary year, I did a lot of drawings on machines on black paper. There wasn't really a concept involved, but what the thing I think I demonstrated well was my attention to detail, which is why these *geometric* shapes are not working out well for me. They're very... bland. I have come to the conclusion that working in this style leaves me with very little opportunity to be expressive.

Images like these...





... are images that I think I could draw well. They just have no concept (and as I have mentioned, concept is worth 50%). I think for now, I'll see what I can do with this image, but still, if you have any ideas that are vastly different to this, by all means, you are very welcome to post.


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## zeromac (Mar 5, 2010)

So a detailed drawing that (juding by the pics look like they intertwine..) would overlap each other like a spiderweb?


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## toxibunny (Mar 5, 2010)

do a world political map, like this: http://www.frederiksamuel.com/blog/images/bbcw3.jpg

but with tetris blocks.  the concept is 'the game of politics' - or something like that...


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## zeromac (Mar 5, 2010)

toxibunny said:
			
		

> do a world political map, like this: http://www.frederiksamuel.com/blog/images/bbcw3.jpg
> 
> but with tetris blocks.  the concept is 'the game of politics' - or something like that...


This is epic go with it


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## nutella (Mar 5, 2010)

zeromac said:
			
		

> So a detailed drawing that (juding by the pics look like they intertwine..) would overlap each other like a spiderweb?
> Perhaps. I really like the overlapping idea with detailed objects. Its very... "videogameishy".
> 
> QUOTE(toxibunny @ Mar 5 2010, 08:51 PM) do a world political map, like this: http://www.frederiksamuel.com/blog/images/bbcw3.jpg
> ...


Again, this is a good idea, but its just not something I think I could do effectively. I thought of this same idea, (though I like the idea of "the game of politics". lol) I've worked that idea of Tetris blocks to death. Trust me. I don't think any work that comprised of just Tetris blocks would work. I just can't seem to get them right. Thanks though.


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## Kroatien99 (Mar 17, 2010)

Cool.


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