Question for Artist, How Long?... - Lateral-g Forums

ProMav71 · #1 07-23-2009, 09:38 AM

How long does it usually take you guys from initial sketch to final product? I'm talking all forms like traditional and computer generated. Just curious to see if Im on par with you guys.

Hdesign · #2 07-23-2009, 10:58 AM

Anywhere from 8-20 hours for each view depending on the car, variations, revisions, body mods, etc. I've had some that took 30 hours too. I'm a picky PITA and I like to be as accurate as possible. Reflections and graphics tend to take the longest. Thank God for the undo button.

If I were to do a pencil, marker, chalk and gouache render, it'll probably take 5-7 hours. Again, it depends on how much detail.

I try to nail down final linework for a single view in 2-3 hours after some sketching.

DocJr · #3 07-23-2009, 02:01 PM

I think most of us will be within the same range. Something to consider is what the client wants. I'm working on a project now where we're coming up with multiple paint ideas, each "Sketch" is running an average of an hour or so, and I currently have 7 of them. Of course theyre the same two views, each having master line drawings, that took about an hour to do. To point this out, these "Sketches" are not perfect, they are what I call quick and dirty sketches, and theyre used to get the point across without wasting the clients time and money.

When we reach a final design, I'll work up another set of master line drawings, where I'll take more time into perspective, proportion, elipses, and reflection mapping, and come up with the final rendering. At this point in my life I still prefer old skool techniques using marker, pastel/airbrush, pencil, and gouache. The final rendering is very important, it's the communication device, hence the detail, and with detail comes time, a whole lot of time. I try to set a goal between 10-24, some may take longer, some may take less.

Speed comes with practice, especially if you've done it before, like same colored cars, same medium used to come up with the work. Canson renderings take me forever, becuase I don't render on Canson as much as I do white paper. The same goes for digital rendering, I'm not used to it. Ben's got the advantage there he does have that undo button!

Hope this helps!

DocJr · #4 07-23-2009, 02:36 PM

How much time do you have in the Pinto? That thing looks pretty awesome.

ProMav71 · #5 07-23-2009, 02:36 PM

Appreciate the replies guys. I don't feel so bad now. I was starting to think that maybe I was taking WAY too much time to do my renderings. The one of the Pinto I just finished took about 15-16 hours. I to can do them much faster using traditional techniques and materials. I do love that undo button, comes in very handy. But Im still learning with the digital stuff. I know zip about vector line drawing and all that.

ProMav71 · #6 07-23-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dziner69

How much time do you have in the Pinto? That thing looks pretty awesome.

Thanks! Im a picky PITA too (just ask my wife). But Im a perfectionist by nature so of course that will rear its ugly head when doing artwork. I'm an all around artist so you can imagine when I do a portrait what kind of hell I put myself through.

DocJr · #7 07-23-2009, 03:01 PM

Oh yea I can imagine. I drew a house a few years ago now, first time doing a house, all pencil, took like 30 some hours. Im a long haired dude, its a wonder I had any hair left haha.

I just graduated from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a Bachelors in Industrial Design/Transportation Design. My main Indstructor always got on me about being a perfectionist. I can't say as I blaime him, I was getting so bad with it, I wasnt completing my projects on time, never a good thing. OCD on perfectionism sucks in a way.

Yea that vector stuff confuses me. I been dabling in photoshop, I need to boost my digital skills for my portfolio. I should get a wacom tablet.

ProMav71 · #8 07-23-2009, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dziner69

Oh yea I can imagine. I drew a house a few years ago now, first time doing a house, all pencil, took like 30 some hours. Im a long haired dude, its a wonder I had any hair left haha.

I just graduated from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a Bachelors in Industrial Design/Transportation Design. My main Indstructor always got on me about being a perfectionist. I can't say as I blaime him, I was getting so bad with it, I wasnt completing my projects on time, never a good thing. OCD on perfectionism sucks in a way.

Yea that vector stuff confuses me. I been dabling in photoshop, I need to boost my digital skills for my portfolio. I should get a wacom tablet.

I got the Bamboo which is great for a starter tablet less than $100 and made by wacom. I didnt want to spend $400 then find out I couldn't use the thing. Figured I would start with something cheaper and work my way up. Now I need a bigger working area so I will step up soon and get a nicer wacom.

city_ofthe_south · #9 07-23-2009, 06:33 PM

If I could stay focused mine would probably be around or even under the 10 hour mark ..... IF. The details for me always jack up the time. I can be mostly done with the body of the car in 3 or 4 hours but then the wheels and trim and things I think need fixed start adding on an hour here and an hour there. Every time I learn a new way to save time, I add on another way to spend time. But with any luck this makes the final product better ....

DVierstra · #10 08-04-2009, 06:26 PM

Everyone is within time range.

I am a traditional artist as well as digital. I prefer digital when doing custom concepts for clients. You know that the undo is worth it's weight in gold! Just to do an illustration takes an average of 6-8 hours max. Add on the custom touches and it will add on a half hour to an hour. Quick sketches can take a half an hour. I have a day job as an illustrator and graphic designer, so I do my freelance work in the evenings and on weekends. I have even illustrated a couple children's books digitally. The first one I did in 6 weeks. Ahh the beauty of digital illustration and layers in PS!

Learning Adobe Illustrator has it's advantages. You don't always have to create multiple layers. Learning the bezier tool will definitely speed up your work. I too can be a perfectionist. I sometimes go back and add more detail after I show the client. I call it "polishing." My wife thinks that I am too picky! I tell her, if my name wasn't on it I wouldn't care so much. Some days I can fly through a project and others tend to drag on. Guess it depends on the mood or the project. Oh yeah, distractions can slow you down as well.

I am the oddball, I still prefer the mouse over a tablet. Guess I haven't used the right setup yet. All I can say is continue to discover new techniques and shortcuts. Only time and experience will help you shave off minutes or even hours on your projects.

-DV