Then, do try with some easier engine. I understand your willingness to draw something as tricky as the Shay, and you will eventually be able to do it, but you would do better practice on something more plain before. Just to refine your techniques and to help you start solving some problems that you will find on the Shay.ISA wrote:Yes!Snail wrote:Is it your first steamer?
It's a stepwise process
Well, not really. When drawing a steamer, there is no view that is the same as any other. And by that I mean, any kind of steamer. Remember the light comes from the right and, being steamers the asymmetrical engines for excellence, every view will need a different shading (I saw some engines where two diagonal views are the mere mirroring of the other two; in other words, the NE-bound sprite is the simple mirror of the NW-bound, and the SE is the mirror of the SW; this is a quick way to get things done, but it doesn't really work as the light effects change a lot with the engine's orientation). Also, if you go into details, you'll discover a lot of differences and subtleties you might want to recreate... There is no steamer where every side is the same.ISA wrote:Yes its tricky but imo very good practice! Every view is very different and Ill like it, cuz in some standard steamers every side is same and then it is very easy to draw!Snail wrote:If so, I'd suggest you to try with something easier than the Shay. That one is a bit tricky to do.
So, even steamers that apparently look easy and plain to draw are much trickier engines to work on that they might seem. My suggestion is to start with a smaller, more "regular" engine as your first steamer. By "tank steamer" we mean an engine without the tender, where the coal and water are stored on the sides and/or in the back of the engine. They tend to be easier to draw, as there is only one piece.
For instance, I am working on six French narrow gauge tank steamers myself, and it's taking an awfully long time for me to be satisfied with them!
As for articulating the Shay or not, yes, I see what you mean, the tender itself seems to be split in two. Although making this engine as 3-part vehicle would not be sensible (it'd end up being too long), I still think you can find a way to successfully cut it in half. Maybe using the frontmost discontinuity as the cutting point.
Lastly, don't forget to respect the TTD standard dimensions (every sprite has to be a multiple of 4 pixels long!)
Ok joke... But if you want go ahead! Hope Toni Babelony don't get very angry be cause of that! 
And remove my Shay building name in tracking table. Lets give try another stronger steam drawer, like Snail 
Your attempt was nice, but if you want to start, you need to draw an easier vehicle first. We always need new talent, and if you like steamers, please try and you will be better.
ÖBB 2091 really into TTD, set's an old personal dream in the adjacence of fulfilment. 
to me the biggest pleasure of playing TTD results in the combination of NG and SG. The small NG-branch-line climming up the hill beneath the modern SG-express-main-line gives the sex appeal. 
he still could manage the choice of vehicles that would be overwritten by NG. So the chronology and the kind of traction of vehicles could still be balanced. And the loss of a handful assorted SG-engines wouldn't bother me at all.
