recent sketches - critique welcome

[retro002]

looks like i have a big problem with hands, so i'm doing some studies @ the moment, please tell me whats *problems* you see

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand001.jpg

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand002.jpg

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand003.jpg

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand004.jpg

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand005.jpg

and a portrait from last week

http://free.pages.at/retro002/vhs_portrait_009.jpg

[kaini]

well, I dont see a big problem. Its looking very nice ! Structure is ok, anatomy is fine, too. Nr 4 is my favourite.
The only advice I can give you is to work more effective. I know you have your special line, very rhythmical it really flows. However hands are very complex , thats why you should avoid any unnecessary lines.

[retro002]

thanks, i appreciate any advice. problems arise not so much in studies, but when i do small sketches and try to define them with less strokes, also in life drawing i have problems adding the hand to the model and working it out more clearly. i do these sketches to understand form and anatomy better, which i have very little knowledge of.

btw: where do/did you study?

[kaini]

hmm I can only suggest you to look at the old masters(Michelangelo, Raffael, Rubens etc) they give you all answers on this topic.

I study at a private arts-academy, they teach me traditional painting, but its not full-time. Still better then nothing while I'm in school. :) especially because its incredibly hard to find someone here in Germany who can teach you how to draw.
Here is a link : http://www.kunstforum-brakel.de/html/start.html

[jester]

I can't see any "problems" with your hands, either. I guess that these are "your" hands, drawn from life/a mirror. This might not be where you realized your problems - could it be that you can't draw them from memory? Then welcome to the club ;) I think only drawing LOTS of hands from life will help.

Jester

[miasmak]

retro, not sure if this advice will be applicable. When I draw a figure and I leave the hand out to do later (as in a blank), I can never add it in properly. If I place the rough shape and image of the hand imediately when I get to the spot in the pose where it is and then add detail later it works much better. It seems to integrate better that way.

The studies look great, hand proportions are always trickky but yours look fine to me.

[Fozzybar]

The shadows are the only serious problems i can see...use them more knowingly (word?)...

[retro002]

@miasmak: i dont leave them out when drawing the whole figure. problem is not sketching in the roughs, but working them out with just a few strokes (palm, fingers, knuckles)

@fozzy: i wasnt going for full shading with these. i try to get proportions down. away from that, you're right - i have a severe problem with light and shade.:(

[juprez]

ooh ive just started to reskill my anatomics too
got major problems w hands n feets too,
i only canan recommend to draw draw n draw
+ usin "sehen +verstehen" by gottfried bammes(the old issue from former DDR) next to his "die gestalt des menschen"( old issue here too) never saw a better
anatomical-study-book,very profound,

i think your style is pretty good and the studies shows that u can SEE,maybe the anatomics r a bit loose not straight enuff ( my former sculpor-teacher said always
"it swims" about that,means that the functional relations between the anatomical parts r not intentionalized or less mentally organized by yourself or sumthing else,
hope u know wot i mean

good luck for ya works

(btw if u cant find the old issues-the nu ones r baaaad!!-
i can try to copy sum parts of my books n send u the stuff if u like???)

[retro002]

@juprez: yes, you're right about swimming. i dont really know how to change this. i think i need at least a skeleton hand to get deeper into anatomy, but i dont have any access tot hings like that @ the moment. as for bammes - i know him and praise his drawings, they really knock me out of my socks. lately i managed to buy one of the older books (s+v i think), but reading it, the language used seems one or two levels too high for me, i desperately need someone, who can teach that issues to me. man i wish i could hire mr. bammes himself ;) thanks for the offer, for sure i wouldnt reject if i didnt have a book on the shelf.

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand006.jpg


i drew my left hand with my right hand...

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand007.jpg

and my right hand with my left hand.

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand008---mit-links.jpg

[juprez]

hmm, im not able to solve this problem too,other than draw much.
(but i wish i have your loose strokes than mine,im always too much lost in details)

think the only solution is really to study others than the own hands,cause imo one always repeats the own level
of drawing-manner if only usin own hand legs etc for drawings,
no better solution than to draw another ones hands legs etc. +! a good teacher,hard to find, but influences r always good,maybe try new techniques like fast brush or else
or more constructive way of sketching(i dont think that bammes was a very innovative drawer,but his way and thought r very good)
maybe u should try to sketch more like a sculptor than a
grafical artist, the stroke must follow the spaces and rooms,sumtimes its better to begin and let all earned skills behind u + train the ability to draw a hand out of your imagine without any model

[AmadorL]

Personally I think you got the hands down! What I would like to ask you is if you can give me some pointers on how to perceive the whole contour line approach. I am having a real hard time applying to my drawings and you seem to get the look I am interested in learning. I am taking a life drawing class after skipping the fundamentals of drawing witch might of been a mistake, ohwell

Thanks in advance for anything you can spare.
Amador
________
XR600 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_XR600)

[retro002]

@ amadorL: hmm, not sure i can help you. only advice i have is not being too stiff, it helps if you hold the pencil at the end, away from that -> practice ;)

some more for those who're interested:

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand009.jpg

http://free.pages.at/retro002/hand011.jpg

[kaini]

hey you're improving !! there is a lot of expression in these, very dynamic !

a small suggestion for the last two : you can add more depth if you draw the lines which are further away a bit brighter and thinner (arm-muscles), never forget the rules of daVinci's sfumato. :)

[MindCandyMan]

These look great! Good job retro. Keep it up!