*Fetal Grindings* [nudity]| Updated 9/13 (Life drawing)

[funfetus]

So I've been drawing since as early as I can remember, like most of you, and it was the most important thing in my life, like with most of you, until about 7 years ago, when I just completely stopped for some reason. I made a few halft-hearted attempts to get started again, but they always fizzled out after a couple weeks. So now, I think I'm finally on the right track, and motivated as hell. I'm also noticing that I've got a LOT of holes in my knowledge and abilities -- bits of anatomy I just never learned, things I've been faking for years -- and for the first time in I can't remember how long, I'm making a concerted effort to LEARN, instead of just to draw (and digital paint).

Here's a sketchbook. Critique the hell out of me -- I need it.

[funfetus]

These are a couple of things that came out in my sketchbook this week that I particularly liked.

[funfetus]

These are on-the-sly life-drawings from Starbucks. I used to be a LOT better at these, so it's kinda disappointing. That's what I get for quitting, eh? I'll get better. I'm concentrating on learning drapery right now, so that's what I focused on here to some extent. Oh, and the last one is my friends on my patio, who were aware that I was drawing them, so I could take my time.

I'm noticing that, while I've gotten a lot better at keeping my lines, um, economic, when drawing from my head, I'm still REALLY scribbly when I do quick drawings from life. I need to work on that.

[funfetus]

And this is a title screen for a game project I'm working on. Turns out I'm going to have to redraw the guy and the dog (the dog certainly deserves it), but I wanted to put this up because I still kinda like it. The second one is the new sketch for the guy.

[Pawl]

like your stuff mate, you have some talent, good to see that youre drawing again, 7 years is a long time to stop!

nothing to really critique, you know what to do, just keep drawing !

[costas]

hey man... you really got talent... keep it up...

[funfetus]

Thanks, you guys. I didn't really STOP stop, but I only drew once in a while, and never seriously for more than a couple weeks. I filled maybe 2 sketchbooks in 7 years.

Okay, so here's something I did this morning. From reference, which I almost never do, but I guess I should probably do more. I keep seeing people on CA saying to work from life/reference, and save drawing from the imagination for later. Is it later for me? I dunno. I should definitely do more life/reference drawing, though. Anwyay -- I spent maybe 3 hours on this. Probably longer than it should take, but, like I said, I don't do this often.

[TacticallyWacked]

I'm glad you have gotten back into your art and are making a serious attempt at "learning" not just sketching with out a strive for progress. I really enjoy your skecthes of the figure in the chair....they feel nice and loose.

The digi painting from ref. is also quite good! =)

[Saera]

Hey there - great start. If you want some critique - you should look at the knee position of the last girl. They're on the same height even though her hips are tilted.

Keep updating and keep drawing!

[Evxyza92]

thats good stuff keep it up nice to see you drawing and wanting to get better

[funfetus]

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

Saera -- thanks for the crit. Though, at first I thought you were right, but now I'm not so sure. I re-checked the ref, and if anything, the knee of (her) right leg is a bit lower in the ref, due to that leg being more straight, because it's bearing more of her weight. Maybe that's my issue -- I made the right leg look too bent. But thanks again.

[funfetus]

Here's a weird dude. This is more of a speedpaint than I usually do, starting with blocks of value, rather than an outline. I'm really not so good at this. Which is why I'm doing it, I guess. I was experimenting with a square brush that follows the pen direction. It's kinda cool how you can almost "extrude" these blocks everywhere. That thing in his hand is stupid, though. I don't know what I was thinking.

[Sheavolution]

Hey funfetus, just checking out who I will support from now on. You told me that i posted quite a lot in a short while.. hehe, seems im not the only one!

These drawings are looking good, I like the digital background of the dog/guy drawing, good choice to redo em it will be worth the time. I also like the girl from ref, do you got the feeling you learned something from it?

I'll be back!

[funfetus]

Thanks, Shea. Yeah, I guess we probably both had a backlog. Let's keep it up! As for the woman that I painted from ref -- I don't know if I'd say I learned anything new, at least as far as concepts goes, but it was definitely good practice. It came out better than similar attempts in the past. I think I was more patient than I've been before.

[Clocks]

Hey funfetus! I like the work you have posted up. The female figure is really well done! Also I like the redesign of that hunter-guy, it added a lot of character to him IMO. Is the game post-apocalyptic by any chance? Anyways thats the feeling I got from the picture.

Also good work on those life drawings. I always feel like i should go do that somewhere but I always wuss out because I'm scared they are going to look at me while I'm drawing them haha.

Keep up the good work!

[funfetus]

Thanks, Clocks. Yeah, the game is post-apocalyptic. It's actually a mod for Fallout 2. (You can check out it out here if you want, though there isn't really much to see on the website.) And if you haven't played the Fallout games, oh man, you really have to.

As for sketching people, I've been doing it for years, and I've never once had anyone let on that they noticed. Just don't stare. Glance, draw, glance, draw, etc. But it's important -- you should really do it.

[brunopicinini]

hey buddy, how are you?

I´ve just send a pm to you regarding the SSG #44 ... So, it has not been authorized yet for me to join but i don´t thnik should be a problem.

Dude, you do have some really nice art here.

I specially like post #7 ... that came out great!
That picture from the cover of the game is also good, really tells the history ...
But i dunno, in that one something is missing and I don´t exactly what ... more contrast in the pic maybe? don`t know ... what do you think about it? like, it is good indeed, no question about that, but there is something I think you could do better and I just don´t know what hehe

see ya
best regards and keep drawing

[Loolarge]

Hi Funfetus,

this stuff is really nice! I can only imagine where you would be if you had been drawing during those 7 years The photo refd girl looks great! Please keep us updated!

[funfetus]

Thanks, guys!

brunopicinini: Yeah, I think I know what you mean about the game pic. One thing that's wrong is that the composition is kinda lopsided, because the game's menu is going to cover the left side. I couldn't stand looking at it, though, so I added that lopsided sign that will probably get covered up. I also think that it's really oversaturated. Since I'm practically redoing the whole thing, I'll try to deal with those issues the second time around.

Loolarge: Yeah, also I think about where I'd be if I hadn't quit, and it makes me crazy. But oh well, no one to blame but myself. I'm here now, and that's what matters. Thanks for the comments!

[funfetus]

Okay, my last couple days' output, or at least what's worth showing. I'm pretty sure no one wants to see a bunch of perspective grids.

The first page is a couple of faces from reference. The small ones were too small -- I've learned my lesson. I have a bad habit of drawing things too small. It's hard to learn doing that.

Second is a couple things I drew while watching tv.

3-5 are Bridgman studies -- trying to bone up on the parts of anatomy that I've been able to get away with faking. No longer! There are also a couple of originals on the last feet page...it's painfully obvious which ones they are.

[Sheavolution]

Hey man, good to see that you are keep doing these less exciting studies. I have no crits, don't hide the hands like i do tho

Drawing too small sucks, it never happens when im working digitally. It's just something to keep in mind when you are working on a4 paper. I really like your tv sketches, the face has allot character.

Keep it up!
Shea

[funfetus]

Haha! I did hide the hands! Shit!

[funfetus]

Okay, here's an update on that post-apocalyptic game title screen fella. They wanted me to take out the duffelbag (which I really liked ), tone down the shoulderpads (probably a good choice, because they were pretty ridiculous) and have him looking at the viewer -- maybe with sunglasses, for a touch of anonymity. I personally don't care for the sunglasses -- a little too ZZ Top for me. Oh well. I'm not sure if I like him looking directly at you, either. Maybe facing forward, but not quite...making eye contact.

[jurffy]

Yo, you definitely have skills, I think if you keep up the pace you'll see improvement fast.

[funfetus]

Okay, bunch of sketches today. Most of them are snipes from Starbucks, and the breakroom at work.
1. A couple of back studies, and some of what I will call "hellraisers".
2 - 7. Breakrooms and Starbuckses.

Also, I either need to learn to draw darker, or learn how to use my scanner better, because I have to make it all ugly dark to be able to see the drawings. Eh.

[kawakaze]

awsome stuff. overall you seem to have a strong hold of your basics, great proportions and its cool to see you push them a little as well. i really like the stylized look you have and i would love to see some more stuff taken beyond sketches. those digital paints are awsome. keep it up!

[TacticallyWacked]

Lots of movement to your starbucks sketches! I find it very hard to get a very accurate sketch from someone who prob isn't standing in the same position for more than a few seconds.

About how much time did you spend on each of them?

[DanielC]

Nice sketches !
Something that might help is always look for variety. Never do the same thing and experiment with what you've already done.
And what I mean by variety is everything: time, medium, effort, style, technique, etc.
I hope it helps, keep it up !

[funfetus]

Thanks, guys!

kawakaze: Thanks a lot. I'll definitely be doing more "finished" stuff in the future, but right now I'm very much in my cocoon, transforming into a beautiful butterfly. That means lots of sketches, anatomy studies, blah blah. I should actually be painting that ZZ Top guy pretty soon. In what way do you see my work being stylized? I try to go for pretty straight realism, actually, though I'm sure my comic book roots creep through pretty well.

TacticallyWacked: Yeah, it's definitely hard at first. I took a "figure drawing for animation" class a couple years ago, where we had models doing like 30-second to 3-minute poses, so I got used to getting a pose down fast. It's mostly about throwing down the important gesture lines to capture the pose right away, then getting down what you can while they're still there. The rest you can fill in later, if you want. I probably spent less than a minute on most of those, although that old guy plunked down right in front of me for about 5 minutes. I have a friend who can draw capuchin monkeys while they're swinging around. He's a lot better than me.

DanielC: Thanks, that sounds like good advice. I definitely think I should spend more time developing at least some of them in the future, and I'd like to try some other mediums that aren't too much of a hassle to carry around.

[Jazz]

That is some awesome sketching! I envy you because I'm slow and meticulous with even sketches, so it's something I'm trying to work on!

I see something of a "stylized" fashion, like your spin on the expressions and such. But I always liked seeing artists do that, it's totally cool to me! I'll be looking forward to more of your colouring!