Study 1: Measuring With Your Eyes
Jul 21, 2023
Did you know that you can improve your own drawing with AI? Niji Academy is an experimental program designed to help you learn drawing faster, using Niji. We have lectures every week, but we’re posting the exercises here, so you can reference them, if you can’t make it to lecture! The key to understanding a picture is taking accurate measurements with your eyes. This is a good exercise for training your hand-eye coordination and building your understanding of the subject matter.
Step 1: Using niji --style cute, select a drawing
Step 2: Using only straight lines, make a low-poly silhouette of the drawing
Step 3: Set the previous step to 30%, Make a new layer, and, using only straight lines, define the general shapes.
Step 4: Set the previous step to 30%, Make a new layer, and refine the lines with curves.
Step 5: Turn the previous step off, and refine the lines more detail.
Checking your work
Step 6: Overlay your work on top of the original drawing, to see the diff
Step 7: put the 3 drawings side by side, and nudge your study using the original and diff. (do not trace the diff directly) Repeat until you are satisfied.
Step 8: Done! Show the study to blk cat with the /submit command.
The submission channel is here: https://discord.com/channels/1017943945214435438/1129477874823479387
At every step, zoom out of the picture and check these:
The relative sizes between areas in your study are correct
It may be helpful to measure areas in relationship to other areas. (How many X is the size of Y) A popular unit of measurement is “heads”
The relative slopes of the lines in your study are correct.
This is why drafting is done first with straight lines, because it is hard to tell the slope of a curved line.
It may be helpful to measure slope in relationship to the vertical or the horizontal.
The relative length of the lines in your study are correct
Just like the size measurement, it’s helpful to think of it in relative terms. When measuring lengths on the outside, it’s helpful to think of their distance to the edge of the picture frame.
To find a picture at your perfect level: try to draw the picture again from memory 15 minutes after you studied it. Can you still remember it? If you can remember with ease, then pick something more complex. If you can’t remember it at all, then you should pick something easier.
On the checking step, try to figure out where you are failing. (perhaps you always draw the head too big, or the legs too short) When you realize where you are failing, next time, try to over-compensate in the other direction.
Building a visual library
Step 1: Try to draw something from memory.
Step 2: Generate a niji drawing of the object, and then trace the drawing (traced lines not shown here)
Step 3: Draw the object again, from memory!
While the above exercise focuses on precision and attention to detail, you can try this second exercise to improve your recall! By attempting to draw something, tracing a niji picture, and then attempting it again yourself, you can build your visual library for freehanding objects from imagination.
The goal here is not to be accurate, as much as it is to leave an impression in your head of the thing you have traced
However, if you find that the subject is not sticking around in your head, you should try an easier subject, rather than forcing it.
Do not draw something that that takes you more than 1 hour. Individual exercises will vary in duration, but more than one hour will make you sick.
Do not attempt to build a world and improve your drawing skill at the same time. It does not end well. (We will talk about concept development later)
Do not start drawing without a reference.
Do not reference a picture you are not interested in. Don’t draw apples and jars if you have no interest in apples and jars. Use niji to find something that speaks to you before you start.
I hope you have fun!
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niji・journey
What is niji・journey?
Welcome to niji・journey, a state-of-the-art AI that draws custom anime illustrations, just for you! A magical collaboration, designed together between brilliant minds at Spellbrush & Midjourney. Whether you’re looking for a cute chibi character or a dynamic action scene, niji・journey can bring your vision to life. We can’t wait to see what you create!
Where can we find you?
If you’re an AI researcher and you love anime, please shoot us an email over at [email protected].
Otherwise, if you're talented and on the job market, you can find other open positions on our careers page.
For commercial inquiries and studio licensing, please contact [email protected].