Secrets of Thumbnail Drawing (Real-time)

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I wanted to dissect some of the composition techniques that I use to construct a number of my paintings. These are compositional techniques that you may use to help you set up your camera in your scene when you're starting a new image. Secrets of Thumbnail drawing will not be available on youtube for long.

[@cfdat3924]

"where's all this light coming from...? lets not overthinkkk it..." lol that was comforting to hear from a pro

[@zellafae]

The rule of cool

[@juliusjaxxon4411]

@Benton Reese yup, I've been using Flixzone for since november myself =)

[@quo6894]

Benton and Julius probably the same mf promoting this flix shit

[@Vixikats]

Novice artists don't worry about light direction at all and it looks scattered. Intermediate artists worry about lighting direction too much and it looks forced. Expert artists stop worrying about lighting direction and just light whatever looks cool, even if it technically doesn't make sense. Lmao.

[@TheMaxxbiff]

One thing I have been enjoying about thumbnails is that your brain is able to "see" a wide variety of angles and objects in just a few blobs of value. It really cures the fear of the blank page and in a way is more like sculpting. You just slap some solid values down and than chip away at what your brain starts to "see".

[@DevillukeLala]

"I don't like to get back to my old pieces because I just want to repaint them all" Oh yes I know that itch

[@eciatto3675]

Let me just do this one little thing...and 5 hours later...

[@Blanch590]

@@eciatto3675 bro really I be turning sketches into full pieces

[@OmegaPerson-33]

Holy crap man. I spend around $200-300/month on training, and I have to say you are one of the best teachers I've encountered. Great job! I subbed.

[@tonygomez4136]

I've been learning a great deal from you Mr Kent and I've so, forgotten about thumbnail sketches for I do use it in my early art days. I'll revisit it again and thanks for sharing the importance of it again.

[@lisamaier9984]

Awesome tutorial. I love the way you broke down each piece and explained why it was good, and for what reason. I absolutely loved you going over your book cover, and expanding on it. I can see why you do not go back to old drawings, it would be so hard not to reduce them all. Thanks for all the info passed our way! You rock!

[@DushanChaciej]

What a great video, it is beyond what I was expecting to find on yt when looking for tips on drawing thumbnails. The best part is that you explain so well WHY the given compositions work or do not. Thanks!

[@Arbiter902]

Awesome dude, I just love playing your videos while I'm practicing!

[@dakotathemoose]

This video was super informative. It blows my mind how important the thumbnail read is. Really sets up the foundation for the entire piece. As a novice, it's going to be something that I focus on with my character designs and landscapes. I think that it would be really cool to see you go through and make some real changes to an older piece of yours. By starting with something that already looked great and then improving on it by using these concepts, it really showed me the importance of them. Thanks for sharing Trent.

[@kris-chan1440]

Oh my god. Ever since I subscribed years ago when u didn’t have the face cam ur voice was so distinct and instantly made me want to paint

[@c.alangreen6297]

I am so glad I found your video! This has been TREMENDOUSLY helpful and I know I'll be able to use this!

[@iokhufu]

learned a crap ton of info trent. I'm forever grateful that this video is the only thing that pushed me to try sculpting stuff first over the lines and details.

[@pasiaomega3868]

Thanks Trent for another freakin' awesome video! I'm totally down for you making more videos on this topic if you want to keep talking about it. This definitely helps a lot with my composition issues I've struggled with through art school and as a professional determined to better myself. I always had a natural talent, but throughout my education that got me set to the side doing my own thing as if I never needed to learn the basics and fundamentals like everyone else. Better now than never, and I'm learning everything I can from a lot of awesome artists like yourself. Actually, you were the first artist that inspired me to learn more about digital art and painting, so it feels like this is coming full circle for me and I want to say thanks for that too. Can't wait for your next vid! :)

[@user-px1sz8pp7z]

Wow!!! Such an amazing video. I’ve been struggling with composition a lot lately and it really opened my mind up, I’m feelin’ so inspired rn. Thank you so much for this! 🔥

[@axlemoo]

this is literally so refreshing. helped me so much as an artist ! so thank you again trent!

[@brunabento8336]

THANK YOU !! For some reason it's so difficult to find videos on composition ... And you explain everything so well! So glad I've come across your channel ; -;

[@yasao_art]

That was very insightful and interesting to watch, thank you. :) Having studied media design, I remember how our teachers often wanted us to create multiple thumbnail pictures beforehand and I ALWAYS struggled with it. I'm an illustrator and I usually have a clear vision in my minds eye, so I found it hard to come up with more than one composition.Had I watched your video in the past, I bet it would've helped me a lot. But at least I can apply the lessons to my new work now. ♥

[@brucenunn3268]

This video alone has so much Information Packed into it..!! More videos like this Trent. Watches this Twice by the way.. whole thing.. lol Thanks for all that you do Trent.! Long time Follower (here) 👊😎

[@Lisa-qt7pw]

Great video! I could really follow your thought process and learned a lot about placing elements and contrast. Thanks!

[@RagingDei]

If only I could press the like button ten times. Great tutorial, I'm currently studying landscape/environment concept art and this helps a lot!

[@kqver9696]

I mean... You could

[@mValerianW]

Why are there people disliking this video? All of this is so helpful. Thank you so much for helping me out :)

[@theducane007]

It's a "Dutch Angle" or "Dutch Tilt", not French. (You're great, Trent! Carry on with your awesomeness!)

[@TrentKaniuga]

Ahhh. After all these years, I've been blaming it on the french. I can't even add an annotation to correct this since youtube shut down annotations. Thanks for the info!

[@hopskotchSunDAY]

It also has nothing to do with the Dutch. It was a German filming technique and "Dutch" is a bastardization of "Deutsch," the German word for German. Wha?!

[@LE0NSKA]

wow! who knew :D thanks!

[@mrebholz]

hopskotch SunDAY Well, we were the initiators of bauhaus, so yes, we Germans love perspective. That way it makes perfectly sense.

[@floko3883]

thanks to providing this for free! love your art style by the way

[@hecsketch9324]

omg you is getting flaco!!! good job man!!

[@Apothefox]

Looking mighty fresh today Trent! Thanks for the vid, helpful as always :)

[@bogusbladegameing4897]

thanks for the awesome video! if you could make a long video explaining how you sort of sketch and shade characters that would be amazing.

[@serpentine8124]

Another great video, looking forward to what u go on to do next

[@wrdcreative492]

Awesome video. You're style is sick.

[@botenfalke]

I absolutely love your videos! So helpful. Thank you so much for putting in the time and effort. =D

[@georgebompetsis5343]

Love your videos Trent! May I suggest though that this tip of the mountain behind the giant on the right should be covered with clouds as well if that is the case for his left leg... perspective wise it doesn't make sense what I see.

[@travishancock9120]

Thanks for the video, I love real-time videos. Is it possible to get a toturial or some tips on how to draw the inside of a room?

[@axlemoo]

i see you using the multiply and darken layer a lot, could you maybe do a video on how to use these different layers the right way? cuz as a self taught artist, ive just been playing with my layers and trying to see the difference. i only experimented with overlay as shading and adding on tints. i’d like a deep dive on them, please !

[@Ianuarius]

Yes! Great video. More fundamentals, please!

[@jamiemorgan3649]

this guy makes art look so easy as boiling water

[@lucasvalente6619]

thanks for the precious tips!

[@bongerding3876]

what a glorious video

[@Maomaoxdos]

Thanks master, great advices

[@anonymousyt2930]

Woow nice one bro

[@CanalDojogames]

How do i know the size of each frame? Thank you,i need to learn more about thumbnails because it will improve my concept of scenes for video games. I have an art for cover that i really want to do but it maybe be very simetrical and very aligned to the center like an boat, its on bellow flowing to the center of pespective point and an dragon on sky on same way but the boat is going, the dragon is comming from there... (distant) But i ask myself after see the result you did here, "what should i work on to become more interesting?" Maybe its fine maybe it need to be readjusted? I will try to sketch it and change on many ways...

[@stickfigurearena1247]

love it , thanks again

[@grymmjack]

Great video!

[@alimozaffari4983]

So helpful

[@angelbracero4053]

Hello Trent. I wanted to ask. Once you've developed a series of thumbnails, what is your process then of selecting a thumbnail you like for development into a final painting? I enjoy your art channel very much. Thank you for sharing.

[@TrentKaniuga]

Hey Angel. Sorry for the late reply. Usually I pick the thumbnail that serves the purpose the most. OR if its work for a client, they will pick the one that I use.

[@VyacheKan]

Hey, Trent, I hope all is well. Is this video up on your Gumroad box sets?

[@pepsisisu2447]

hi, how do u quickly switch between multiple grey colors at fly? :0

[@TrentKaniuga]

I rest my finger on the ALT key, which switches to the color dabber.

[@thisismychannel607]

Hey TK, i was curious, how much does a concept artist position pay with a big video game company? Im sure theres a ton of variables like the skill lvl of the artist and how big the company is, but if you could just ballpark it. Also, what could a decent graphic novel/ comic net you?

[@jccwell]

Try checking Glassdoor.com

[@TrentKaniuga]

Hey Zack. Sorry for the late reply. I covered this in another video. But a concept artist at a AAA studio will make between 60k/year and 200k/year. If you're a comic book artist you could make between 5 dollars and 500 dollars per comic book. J/K. Some comic book artists make 150k/year. But only if you work for Marvel or DC, or if you are mega successful as an indie creator.

[@Kijinn]

@ 30:18, looking at Olaf and his companions in the forest, I have to ask if it was fully intentional that he breaks the flow of movement, in contrast to the dog and the boy? The latter two are clearly in motion, while Olaf looks like he snapped to attention or wants to jump off the tree. It's so strong a break that it puts more focus on the character, but at the same time appears to create a tension that confuses me slightly. The longer I look at it, the more I get the feeling the creature with the glaring eyes is about to jump out and Olaf is ready to flee and abandon his companions. Is it just me? PS: @ 29:47, in general, I cannot get my mind to appreciate the Dutch Angle. It only works for me as long as the image only consists of organic structures, like rocks, trees, hills and so forth. As soon as there are elements that clarify that the "camera" has the Dutch Angle, like straightly standing people, houses, towers, etc., my mind is triggered into thinking their world suddenly shifted and now everything is going to fall and/or slide into the direction of the angle. And I strongly dislike getting that impression when it isn't actually happening.

[@AmpleWhale]

Is there any place I can download your custom brushes?

[@LlamaFreak]

First link of the description. His tutorials, templates and brushes are all on his gumroad.

[@zarbustibal]

Great Stuff :)

[@10upstudios]

i lol'd when he called it a "french tilt"

[@SebasPosada]

Trent you should create a Patreon!!!

[@OzanPulat]

yassssss

[@mikenelson1624]

👍✨

[@kaiserrat70]

God I wish I could draw like this

[@DrTomb]

36:16 Why not have the dog tail touching the staff. I dont get it, I never went to art school. what's the reasoning for it

[@TrentKaniuga]

Tangents disrupt the flow and separation of elements. You want silhouettes and large objects to stand apart. Its just more pleasing to the eye.

[@mrebholz]

But you totally flipped the perspective on the first two; that could be a bit too much and confuse the spectator.

[@Blanch590]

Thumbnail if is a freaking nightmare to draw to a song. There’s so many moments in some songs that have nothing but instruments playing and it’s hard to put action into what seems like a whole lot of nothing. 20 seconds of drums?! Are you kidding? What do I even put there?

[@TrentKaniuga]

Have you tried more cowbell?

[@izaya65]

Pray tell my Goodman what gumroads do you speak of?

[@TrentKaniuga]

www.gumroad.com/trentk

[@WotanSkyFather]

Dutch Angle

[@sugarplumvodka8408]

I came here from Ethan's videos.

[@JimQuimy]

templates facebook.com/1914152515470036/photos/a.1948997768652177/2342138292671454/

[@mountainmateen0_o]

stick salesman strikes again

[@darrensurff8554]

I cannot find your ebook in uk ,need sell here ,brilliant art work