Der-shing Helmer  [NSFW]

You can imagine how excited I was to receive an email from Der-shing Helmer (also known as Alexds1), the talent behind the colorful and fun webcomic The Meek! Der-shing offers some comparisons here that will knock your socks off – and we can’t thank D enough for being willing to share a few samples of older work, some from as far back as 13 years ago!

I went to school for biology and am going to be earning my teaching credential soon, but I really enjoy drawing things as well. Right now I am working on my online comic The Meek and am fortunate to have a few published works coming out this year and the next. My portfolio site is at shingworks.com.

“Stripes” (1998): Learning anatomy is really REALLY important!	“The Meek” Chapter 1 Cover (2009)
“Frame” (2004): Posting this publicly is one of the hardest things I’ve done this year, possibly ever. I am being serious.	“Hide Nothing” (2008)
“The Meek” pg. 2 (1998): Learning good habits: I referenced a picture of a cruise ship for that first panel…too bad it looks like it melted!	“The Meek” pg. 10 (2009)
“Tiger Gryphon” (1996): I still love drawing monsters…you have to start somewhere!	“Dinosaurers Battle” (2008)
“The Hobbit” (2002): The worst part about this piece is that someone actually commissioned me for it…it was the most detailed piece I’d done up to that point.	“Emily vs RoboHitler” (2009)
“Furan” (1997): The pinnacle of my artistic achievement for many years!	“Dapper Fellows” (2009)

Some thoughts:

I am a self-taught artist all the way, which means I have made a TON of mistakes over the years. But that is okay, you have to get them out of your system if you want to be any good…I hope that anyone reading this will keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to go to an art school to get an art education, you can learn a great deal simply by practicing every day and challenging yourself! And always remember to listen to and absorb criticism, it is the only way to improve!!

 

13 Responses to “Der-shing Helmer”

1. Kish says:

   April 30, 2010 at 2:14 pm

   You were the same age as i am now when you drew those things in 1998, so dus vat meeen i cud groe up too bee liek yuu??
2. Martel says:

   January 19, 2010 at 6:20 pm

   Amazing.

   I guess I’ll be better off not going to art school, then.
3. nianinini says:

   June 10, 2009 at 1:29 pm

   hey in nianininini from deviant art this is amazing how much you have grown as a artist it gave me allot of hope!!! i love the meek
4. Tammy says:

   June 4, 2009 at 8:10 pm

   Wow, I have to say you’ve come a long way, and for this site that’s a great thing! I think I’ll go dig out my own sketches again.
5. lou says:

   May 26, 2009 at 10:26 pm

   ROBOHITLER!!!

   nice pics!
6. thinofsubstance says:

   May 25, 2009 at 3:58 am

   “Der-shing offers some comparisons here that will knock your socks off – and we can’t thank him enough for being willing to share his old work, some from as far back as 13 years ago!”

   Have all the things I’ve heard about you being a lady been LIES? YOU’RE REALLY A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, AREN’T YOU.

   Uh, also improvement is a good thing! I am impressed at your emotional fortitude, showing these to the world.
7. Falcolf says:

   May 24, 2009 at 2:45 pm

   Wow, that’s some pretty amazing comparisons! The thing I find most amazing is how you can hardly tell that the two comic pages are from the same story. That’s just plain incredable; I don’t even recognise the characters in the original page. Thanks for having the guts to post this!
8. L Ron says:

   May 24, 2009 at 1:19 pm

   Man, it takes brass stones to owe up to ones past.

   Great seeing how far you´ve developed.
9. coNs says:

   May 24, 2009 at 9:37 am

   I love to see how Luca used to have those ears, LOL

   But srsly, this is inspiring <3 I love to see ppl’s improvement over the years
10. Pedro Dias says:

    May 23, 2009 at 8:29 pm

    I have a better than cursory academic acquaintance with Art, whatever that is these days. I’ve been reading comics/narrative art/bandes dessinees for about… Oh, about forty years now. On three continents (well, I read them on four, but none of the authors were actually African).

    I know crap, seen a lot of it.

    You can stop worrying: you’re *good*.

    To be precise, I have no way of judging your story *making*, since there’s hardly any story to speak of, yet. But the story *telling* is really, really good. You have a sense of timing, composition and flow that many artists never do seem to get, your coloring is very pretty, but not in any way that distracts, and your character-building is truly extraordinary: a few pages in, I feel better acquainted with wossisname, the drunk logger, than I am with some people I actually *am* acquainted with.

    Keep it up. Please.

    Oh, and “Emily vs RoboHitler”? I want. Gimme.

    
11. ScribeOfTales says:

    May 23, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    That’s really an inspiration to me. I’m trying to teach myself as well; I read books and tutorials online and I’m trying constantly to improve my art but I’m not majoring in anything art-related, let alone going to school for it. I find for every piece I’ve done that I’m proud of, I’ve started at least a dozen others.

    Thanks so much for the hope and words of encouragement!

    ~A Fan, Scribe of Tales
12. Meredith says:

    May 23, 2009 at 4:15 pm

    Wow, what a difference a few years makes! Thanks for posting this. It gives hope to those of us that still have a long way to go!
13. Loppi says:

    May 23, 2009 at 12:44 pm

    Hahahah this gives me hope that I will improve… I had better be awesome by the time I’m 24 >8(.

    Also that last thought… I go to art college and these days they teach you NOTHING. It’s all about the practice, failure, and subsequent success that you do in your own time!

    Thanks for posting this, it was fun to read!