AlexC(Alexander Carletti)

**AlexC** · September 22nd, 2007, 10:54 PM

Hello,
A bit about myself, my long term goal is to become a concept artist/ fine artist or maybe illustrator.
My favourite medium is graphite but I am quite comfortable working with inks, gouche and getting better working digitally. I like drawing anything really, I do a lot of observational work and like to get down a lot of ideas for odd characters and robots. I feel let down by my lack of ability to make something look finished( in digital painting mostly), but I need to be able to create more finished, professional looking concepts. I would ultimately like to expand my mind, create some finished works and get a better grasp of different mediums.
I am saving up to buy oil paints, so further down the track you will see my first paintings.

3 of my own drawings, a caravaggio study, an ink and a rubens study
Sketchbook- http://conceptart.org/forums/showthr...t=92179&page=6

**AlexC** · September 22nd, 2007, 11:30 PM

3 images I really like, and 2 I dislike
First image is by El Coro:
This image inspires me because firstly the rendering and draughtsmanship is incredible. The design is amazing, the details and patterns add to the beleavability, it reminds me of Alien in a way.

Second image is by James Jean:
I really like the way he painted it and the composition. Making an illo like this is something I would like to do in the future.

Last image is by Coro again:
The composition, colours and light really attract me. Once I get painting equipment I would like to paint landscapes and cityscapes.

First image that I dislike: Kandinsky really annoys me, his images seem so pointless and aesthetically boring and unpleasing

Last image is by Mondrian: Very pointless, I dont like art based around some inward belief or ideal that the artist tries to subject in their painting, by using abstraction.

**Barts** · September 23rd, 2007, 04:22 AM

whoah dude ur from adelaide too? awesome
james jean kicks arse man he's absolutely insane
great choice and el coro always impresses me even more
so with his paintings they are outta sight.
haha looks like us 3 students so fair really really dont like
kadinsky hahahaha, nice, cya round mate

**AlexC** · September 23rd, 2007, 09:36 AM

hey Barts, awesome to see you here mate! Share the Kandinsky hate!

Here's my portrait from reference and the reference

edit- larger format update-

**Gloominati** · September 23rd, 2007, 10:33 AM

hey Alex!

concerning proportion and likeness I believe that you nailed this one quite nicely. The ear is a tad to small, same with the nose.

One thing that got straight into my eye are your values, take care on how they relate to each other. example: in the reference the shadow under her nose has the same value as under her lower lip. in your drawing, it is much lighter. in generall I'd suggest that you should push your blackest blacks much more to emphasize the strenght of the lightsource and to build up you other values on it, just use the full spectrum of you lead.
One last thing is the shadow describing the form of her cheek bone, you completely left it out, although it adds a lot to the characteristic of her face.

Thats pretty much everything that popped into my eyes, all in all good work

**steve kim** · September 24th, 2007, 04:13 PM

be careful with the reference you choose. in the photo the shadows block up and conceals information. you want a photo that has good dynamic range but also plenty of information in the highlights and shadows.

steve

**steve kim** · September 24th, 2007, 04:22 PM

also, the drawing feels rushed compared to some of the work in the sketchbook. did you feel constrained by the time limit? how long would you say you spend on one of the better drawings in your sketchbook?

please post larger images too. max 800px wide or tall

**AlexC** · September 28th, 2007, 09:03 PM

hi Steve-
I agree and disagree with your first comment regarding the ref, yes whilst the shadow hides information in the eye socket, it is very useful to see how light hits the face, and learning placement of the shadow's does have some use.

hmm, the drawing took about 45 minutes to do in my moleskine, which drawings were you suggesting when you said "how long would you say you spend on one of the better drawings in your sketchbook?".

I have finished the 2nd week's homework too, and will scan it soon.

**steve kim** · September 28th, 2007, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by AlexC

hmm, the drawing took about 45 minutes to do in my moleskine,

you mean your week1 homework? the assignment was 90 min!

**AlexC** · October 1st, 2007, 07:16 PM

these are a selection of sketches following a theme I set "skulls and facial features"
also, I am going on holiday till saturday

Steve "don't spend more than 90 minutes on it. you can spend less time but not more please"
I am sorry, I thought less time was fine, I dont think I could of spent 90 minutes on that drawing anyway, should work bigger in the future perhaps.

**steve kim** · October 1st, 2007, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by AlexC

Steve "don't spend more than 90 minutes on it. you can spend less time but not more please"
I am sorry, I thought less time was fine, I dont think I could of spent 90 minutes on that drawing anyway, should work bigger in the future perhaps.

ah, well you certainly got me there. it's fine however don't sweat it.

nice skull stuff btw.

**AlexC** · October 8th, 2007, 07:33 PM

Ca was down for ages yesterday, so I couldnt post
here's the 30 minute portrait- I dont have the ref to post though

**steve kim** · October 9th, 2007, 08:10 PM

when you get a chance can you put all the multiple personal works in one 1280x800 image. easier for me to drag and drop into photoshop for crits.

**AlexC** · October 10th, 2007, 12:06 AM

Ok, Steve here's the montage of images

**AlexC** · October 28th, 2007, 12:44 AM

just wanted to mentioned the 3rd homework assignment is finished, and I will scan/photo it tonight and post it.
Also would add that I havent downloaded the third critique video because my net was shaped down to dial-up speed, and I will download it once the new month commences.

**AlexC** · October 28th, 2007, 07:19 AM

This is the first part of the assignment, the second part is an oil painting which I will post tomorrow when there is better light.
2a- I wanted to do a series of drawings to be mounted for the end of year school exhibition. I was thinking of what interests me, and my final response was the homeless and people with disabilities.
2b- well, the series is in inks, the best way to improve is through practice
ok, I will post the drawings now, finish writing the artist's statement, gather some of the ref's I used and post them tomorrow along with part 2 of the assignment

**AlexC** · October 29th, 2007, 03:36 AM

damn

I just posted the next part of the update and it seems to have disappeared
I wont bother writing it again at this present moment, but these 2 paintings are my 1st 2 oil paints from life, on masonite.

**steve kim** · October 29th, 2007, 08:20 AM

why masonite? that super smooth surface may be hard to deal w/ especially the first time around... something with tooth like canvasboard would be easier to deal with.