getting started with digital drawing!

**iMaiM** · November 5th, 2007, 03:20 PM

Nice wide range of studies in here! This is going to be a good one. I see lots of progress already =)

Just keep doing what you're doing man!

**Reika** · November 6th, 2007, 02:25 PM

Keep the studies going!

**Tigermilk** · November 6th, 2007, 04:27 PM

Hey man, thanks for you input in my SB a couple of days back.
Really enjoy these sketches, some of them are great, love the way you weigh your lines. However, you might miss the advantage of strong contours if you're not careful. Line weight is tricky buisness! ,)
Now lets see some more life drawing!

/tiger

**ajvenema** · November 8th, 2007, 08:34 AM

all thanks for the replies, they really keep me going

here another few blackmarker sketches, i enjoyed them

and tigermilk: yesterday i went to my first life drawing session, so ive got the life drawing u wanted on here when i see another scanner

**ajvenema** · November 8th, 2007, 12:05 PM

yech, how i hate this scanner, it totally ruins my drawings

heres one that i used a picture of a friends as a ref. put pretty much time innit, tried to render it a little better... im pretty sure it looks better in real life, but heres the scan anyway

**ajvenema** · November 8th, 2007, 02:15 PM

Allrighty then, here we got some ofthe results of my life drawing session...all 10 mins

**ajvenema** · November 9th, 2007, 03:29 AM

here's a quick sketch i did before bedtime...dunno why but i like it

**ajvenema** · November 10th, 2007, 02:54 PM

this is the kind of stuff i make without reference when im bored in train or bus... really need to work on this uninspired trash

**RandAlThor** · November 10th, 2007, 03:06 PM

Good progress since the first page, keep working on those figure studies. And play with different shading styles. Keep posting dude, your definitely getting there. ;-)

**ajvenema** · November 10th, 2007, 05:34 PM

thanks man, ur right about the shading, its the part im struggling with at the moment, and i hope it will improve soon! and i really hope ill get 'there' sooner or later

heres a couple of sketches i did while watching gladiator

**JARhead** · November 10th, 2007, 05:51 PM

Woot woot my man! Some major improvement since your first post, and it dosent seem like youve slacked a bit on practicing. Really thats the key to improvement and I know you know, is practice. Take a least 15-20 minutes a day and sketch!

Oh and dont forget to POST POST POST!

Got a lot of potential!

**ajvenema** · November 11th, 2007, 09:29 AM

thanks man, it feels good some people start to like what i sketch

im glad there is some progress!
here is another one...

**ACRO** · November 11th, 2007, 07:45 PM

cool man
i would like to see some color and more finished pieces
all your stuff looks like random sketches and not much thought into...

**ajvenema** · November 12th, 2007, 07:18 AM

yeh true, im mainly drawing pictures and people, not much ideas innit...i should get working on doing better imaginary stuff!

but heres another one i draw from a photograph

have to finish it sometime...

**UriL** · November 12th, 2007, 08:10 AM

Some real great progress going on here.. but I think maybe you can get your shading a bit more smooth..
I really like this last guy.

**Cup_of_Tea?** · November 12th, 2007, 10:48 AM

Hi there!
I agree you should work on your shading. Don't be scared to make your shadows really dark and your whites white. You might find that using a different pencil might help, a 2B is a good all rounder and will give you more shade variation. In saying that, I tend to work with an HB when I am sketching and use a softer pencil when I want to really work into the picture.

I love the pictures of the skateboarders, and also the ones where you haven't lifted the pencil off the paper. They have really nice lines. I would love to see you use these lines more often. Try drawing more confidently, don't be afraid to make mistakes.

**Nikoh** · November 13th, 2007, 08:04 PM

Hey!
You're working hard I can see that and you are certainly making progress. You could however try to use a new medium, perhaps try to paint tradionally or something more simple like using charcoal, thats great fun and very forgiving
keep up the hard work it will pay off

**Celeste21** · November 13th, 2007, 08:09 PM

Definate potential, really moving along. Just keep studying that life drawing! I don't know if you have life models or not, but thats the only way to go to really learn the human form. Good luck!

**ajvenema** · November 15th, 2007, 05:17 AM

wow, thanks for the whole lot of replies!

Uril and cupoftea, definitely right about my shading, im trying to make some more finished and shaded stuff now, really tough, but thats good. Because it isnt as easy for me as the more sketchy stuff, it means a lot of progress is there to be made

Nikoh: thanks, and ive been messing with charcoal a little more now in the last days, nice medium indeed, if u get the hang of it i think. i'll be uploading some results tomorrow!

celeste21: also thanks a lot, and i started model drawing last week, there are some results on here as well, and next week im gonig to attend another one i think, because your right, thats the only way to really get the human forms.

tomorrow is updateday again

**Blaz** · November 19th, 2007, 04:39 PM

Oooh I smell....progress!

Yup yup!
Just keep doing those studies...you definitely progressed from last time I was here! Good job.

~blaž

**ajvenema** · November 20th, 2007, 03:08 PM

thanks Blaz! good to see u back

im sorry, i didnt show up on update -day, so im gonna do it now!
ive been experimenting with charcoal a little, and here are some of the results:

**ajvenema** · November 21st, 2007, 01:48 AM

ok ok, here's some more!
some life drawings of familymembers, and a portrait from a picture i liked:

**bakatron** · November 21st, 2007, 03:15 AM

hey there - i really love it when someone new is starting the trade and is learning. ive gone through both pages and enjoyed thoroughly your progression. i can clearly see youre getting better and life art classes always help

one piece of advice - its the way your pencil is balanced when you draw. it creates a furrier/rough stroke. the best way to create strong strokes is through guiding the pencil through the wrist. try not to bend your finger, and instead rotate your paper when its required.

its a bit weird for the first week but once you get in the habit of it you'll nevveeeeer draw the old way again.

i also recomend walter forster's human anatomy book

**ajvenema** · November 22nd, 2007, 03:01 PM

thanks for the input!
i tried what u said, and yeah, its 'different'

but on the long term it will be better i think. at least now i make much better straight lines^^
here are some more pages:
1. some one-lined things
2. my shoe

3. a not finished russell crowe

**Tigermilk** · November 22nd, 2007, 03:38 PM

hey there ajvenema!
Looks like you're doing pretty great in here!

Really liking the shoe study in last post. But listen I think you would gain by drawing the head more in detail though. Like making singular studies of ears and eyes and mouths, etc. A great book to learn from is Hogarth's "Drawing the human head". Don't know if you're familiar with it or so. I think it's good and I still use it every now and then.
Really diggin' that you're drawing lots from life.

Keep at it!!
tiger

**ajvenema** · November 22nd, 2007, 05:08 PM

yo tiger!

thanks for stopping by again!
yeh, your right, heads are (one of my) weak spots!
its good someone tells me, sometimes i need a kick in the butt^^
ill be doing some practices with my mirror soon, and the book is being downloaded at the moment!

**ajvenema** · November 27th, 2007, 12:05 PM

got some new stuff!
made while watching(and pausing

) saving private ryan

**ajvenema** · November 27th, 2007, 05:05 PM

yay, tonight i went life drawing again, and i think they were better then last time

too bad i cant scan them now, so u have to do it with some older stuff, did those last week: an environment from a holidays picture, and some people from life: bring on the crits!

**Olof** · November 27th, 2007, 05:09 PM

Latest two posts are a great improvement. You've learned alot overall.

Continue to do studies while drawing the funstuff to keep the motivation up. I'd recommend lifedrawing with simple objects (cubes, spheres etc.). They will look boring, but you can make them look good. Practice!

.cheers

**ajvenema** · November 28th, 2007, 04:08 PM

thanks Mortem! making progress is the thing im looking for

here are some more pages of my sketchbook. some trees drawn from life, a sketch i made while reading a book, and a quick before bed time environment with marker: