My Love/Hate relationship of Sketching

As some of you may know I do the odd sketch here and there, normally it is Video Game related! Ok 99% of it is video game related lol. Generally I copy characters I like within games I've played or just something that's caught my eye.

Birthday Sketch Book

I started drawing waaaaaaay back when I was young, I was always told off in school for not paying attention in class as I would always doodle rather than pay attention! So for my 11th Birthday I was given a book to sketch to my hearts content!!

First entry in my sketch book, Dr Mario & Blood Angel

As video games are a big part of my life even back when I was young I would sketch, draw, doodle video game characters to my hearts content! One might say I was obsessed lol but ever since that day I loaded up my NES and copy of Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt game I've been hooked. So it seemed only fitting that I would draw the things that I loved most!.

Bit of Super Mario Bros and his Power Ups  

Super Mario Kart 

At the time it was all about Super Mario such a simple game but had me and my brother engrossed for hours! Also my favourite Mario Kart game, Super Mario Kart on the SNES!!

One of my Favourite NES games Probotector 

So as now games got released it continually inspired me to sketch images from them, like the awesome Probotector which is still one of my favourite games to date.

One of the most Icon Players in Italian football Del Piero 

It wasn't all about about video games occasionally I would try and draw my favourite football players from the teams I supported, being Half English / Italian I had to have a team from each country to support so for the Italian side of me I choose to support Juventus reason for this was Roberto Baggio simply amazing player ! My English side was decided for me, Manchester Utd as my family are from Manchester! (not a glory hunter lol)

Chrono from the Incredible Chrono Trigger Game

Now your probably thinking why the Love Hate relationship with Sketching/Drawing, well over the years as I continued to draw I found myself becoming more of a perfectionist with the sketches as I wanted the image I was doing to be exact to the one I was copying, this meant I wouldn't do life like drawings anymore but concentrate on Video Game related characters.

Aerith from my favourite Final Fantasy game FFVII (still not perfect imo)

It wasn't until Final Fantasy VII came out that I was really want for a better word anal about getting the images right, I loved the game so didn't want to ruin the characters that most of the world had come to know and love.

Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII

So what went from a daily fun enjoyable thing slowly over the years started to only get done when I was bored or had plenty of time to spend on a sketch, the above sketch was done while at a previous job due to long periods of quietness. 

One of my Favourite Characters from Final Fantasy VII Vincent Valentine

It wasn't just my perfectionist manor that slowed down the sketching other things got in the way, gaming, moving house, girls, college, cars etc so you get the picture lol the above piece was actually started in 2007 but I only managed to finish it last year!

The Awesome VIVI from FFIX

I don't know what or why I turned out as anal as I have but it gets to the point where I find it hard to draw unless I'm really in the mood to, which with my current condition and stage in my life wont be any time soon. I've never had any lessons at art although I did go to a few at college but got turned off with all the technical side they tried to show me. I actually hate being like this as I want to draw again as foe the most part I do enjoy it especially when seeing the end product its just the length of time it takes me to get there is very off putting for example the VIVI drawing above id estimate took me 6-8 hours! Now to me that's far too long to be on one sketch as time is short i could be doing other things or several things within that time frame.

Dragon Quest V Sketch I did as a thank you for someone

I also find it hard once I've done one sketch to instantly start another, this could be down to the few reasons I've mention already but do believe that my medical condition makes this far worse than it should be as believe it or not its very draining sketching due to the concentration and in my case the frustration of said sketch looking how I think it should be or how I know I can get it to look! So its with this that I leave you with the last picture I drew, it was a thank you to someone that has done a lot for me just don't ask how long it took me to do lol!!