My Sketchbook

[iven]

And there is another batch I also show the first time how
I think of REIKI waves as an Artist. I am very much interested in Illustrating
these metaphysikal waves which we can't really see. It's kinda fun
to explore these fields with my pencil.

[Vritra]

I like your Reiki wave artwork, and the way you've incorporated the spirals into the design. The one coming out of the foot has been used especially well, I feel. Loving the general looseness of lines as well.

As for the more technical figurative practices, I think you could look a bit more into proportions. Right now your line control and anatomy is looking better than the overall proportions of the full figures.

I hope that helps, and carry on doing more art, and updating this sketchbook. Also, thanks for dropping by.

[Black Spot]

No, it's not just you, you are improving. Your evil buildings and machines will take over the world.

[sin eater]

Love the faces. THey got life in them. I like how dynamic your sketchbooks is. The colored cartoon works are really great. Although i dont know how long do you take normally for your sketches, I would suggest you spend a bit longer finishing the sketches , some of them kinda seem rushed. The Studies are coming out well. And i agree with you about drawing on the street. It will be a great excercise. I never worked up the courage to do that myself . I get really nervous when people look at me drawing. But IT really will be a great way to learn. Keep them coming man.

[JFierce]

Just keep on cranking em out. The thing I think that's mattered most since the start of my sketchbook is just gaining the ability to see form. To imagine how something is in 3D space. This is hard to grasp though and only comes from a lot of practice and observation. But it applies to everything. I like Vilppu a lot and he builds his figures around first simple gesture, then boxes and cylinders on that then refines with knowledge gained. But the more you master just the simple cylinders and boxes in space along with just simple lighting or tone the easier it is to grasp form.

[Wingal]

The thing i enjoyed most about your sketchbook is the face caricatures! You have a real talent for them! Also you arent the only one, I notice improvement as well ^_^. Overall I second the vipplu stuff if you didnt get it yet. Its helped me alot. ALso Drawn to Life is a great book, I cant even tell you how great it is, it has stuff about life drawing, animation, form, just soo much gold in it for animators and cartoonist. I think there are old notes from it around the web if you dont want to buy it, even those would be useful to you I believe! Keep at it!

[iven]

3 gestures of the same guy

[Black Spot]

Nice gestures. It looks cold and maybe a bit windy.

[iven]

@Black Spot Indeed that was a sketch of the same guy, didn't do the gesture right in the first run,
messed it up, than I did after wards, gesture is KEY for me to get the drawing down in size. Aaaand if we take
over the world would you like to JOIN us

@Vritra Thanks man, YES proportions, it will come together one day. If you like the loseness you'll like
this batch of art work too. I will draw more stuff like that, very lose and energetic.

@Wingal Thanks BRO sooo Drawn to Life is a have to BUY book. I kinda stoped drawing Carricatures
as I did them, but I show you this very lose approach I have, it's more artsy.

@JFierce Villppu and I are good friends, Cranking them out you say in English, YES I just sketch around, enjoying !

@sin eater You are right, I kinda have a very rushy approach, I also hold the pencil in a very different way, I am
kinda weired with that, it feels as if I develope my hand writing/style. I like drawing people and ask them stuff about life.
But hey if I would like to draw people I would like to draw them just like I did there, I would draw them more as I feel them !

@ALL This is a way I enjoy drawing right now it's very lose and the Gesture is the fundament, its basicly a long
gesture from the OBJECT. I really want to draw more realistic, and it does feel more realistic, because I think I go away
from my COMIC style every body was bugging me about in here.
Let's see what the next BATCH of drawings look like. PLEASE GO AHEAD and tell me what you think, that I can improve.
I can say about this kinda approach that I draw more what I feel, how does the person feel. And that round bubble above
theire head is kinda their mood/aura.

Ps.: I am still on the road and it's always a different SYSTEM to scann and work, in Germany/ Dundenheim.
Thanks for letting me work on your PC !

[Jarrad]

Hey Man thanks for the kind words in my sketchbook! I highly recommend doing a sight sized cast drawing. Even doing 1 will teach you an extreme amount of patience as well as improving your sight like crazy! Keep on practicing. The harder you go, the better you'll become! I feel like your drawings have life in them which makes them pleasant for me to view!

[Greenhouse]

Hey iven! Interesting things you have going on here! I like the cartoonish figures, the lines are very confident in them. It feels like you’re having a great time doing that sort of drawings and that’s good.
Thanks for checking out my sb some while ago! I hope you continue rocking this sb. I’m looking forward to seeing more from your creative mind!

[MrFrenik]

Hey, thanks for commenting on my SB, Iven. I think the biggest thing to work on would be adding more construction to your forms, as they're lacking a bit in that area. Even something cartoony needs to sit in space!

[rumpenstiltzkin]

Hey there, looking good in here! I agree with MrFrenik, construction is very helpful, preston blair have some very nice ways of showing construction of cartoons http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n5eKz4l1d1...r+-+Rhythm.jpg

[Nowio]

Hey thanks! Your sketches here are pretty cool, too! Love the cartoony style, keep it up And yep, Abe is awesome, had lots of fun drawing him

[iven]

@MR Frenic Thanks for your feedback, I am working on it now maybe you can
help me, what exactly you mean,...That would be great !!

@Nowio thanks man I try to get more realistic it's getting there in baby steps.

@rumpenstiltzkin hey man thanks for that link, I kinda had the book but lost it.
I really wonder if you guys have seen other sketches I had if there wasn't construction.
Cause for me obviously I try to be very lose, (GESTURE) BUT I made specially for you guys
in the first picture 2 Characters of the same kind. The first one show construction,
the second show life/ gesture lose approach. If it's that what you guy mean.

I am a bit confused about the construction feedback, or did you guys just didn't see that
it is a gesture, can gestures like I have them have construction. CHECK out some other
pages I have to post me an example, that would be kind/ very helpful.

FOR ME construction is like I have it in THIS PORTFOLIO piece after the FLY, is it that what you mean ??
THANKS a lot for feedback!!

@Greenhouse I love the Cartoony stuff but I kinda have more fun doing lose sketches
which kinda seem to have a lack of construction in them. HELP !?
@Jarrad hey thanks, Yes I think they get more and more life, which is why I keep on
trying to keep them lose, HOW can I put in these SKETCHES with life CONSTRUCTION !

PLEASE HELP me any post with examples would be useful !!

I kinda have fun drawing portraits the way I show them right now it's kinda fun.
I also show some nudes from my mind and some kinda fingers.

I am still on the ROAD in Germany it's a pain in the ass to get a scanner.

[Rhubix]

I am still on the ROAD in Germany it's a pain in the ass to get a scanner.

I sure hope you're getting lots of life sketches done on the road . I should go on a road trip.... maybe in the spring. hmmm

happy sketching!

[iven]

@Rhubix This is an invitation bro, come to Toronto for a few days I might have
a couch for you. Let's sketch in the subway, maybe I am back in Feb. !

The first 2 sketches show how I draw lose and how I see structure in the figure.
Kinda cut his hand but you can see a drawing with structure and a drawing with life.

Some how I am able to draw older people in that lose approach but when I try
young people its kinda hard to catch them in this kinda style.

[Harmageddon]

Hey man,
First off, you're workinig hard so that's a good thing.
You like a cartoony style (me too, I think it's great) but also you want to throw in some realism.
I think there are several ways you can study and improve on that:
1) the "structure" and the "loose" sketch you have here of the guy on the ball: try and combine those.
What I mean is, first build the structure, and then go loose when you finish him.
2) draw slower sometimes. I've looked through your sketchbook and most work looks very fast, rushed almost.
Try and slow down sometimes (not always of course, loose and fast is also good).
I mean, try and take your time for a drawing: use reference and really put several hours of work in just 1 drawing.
You will learn a lot.
3) read through your sketchbook and try and write down all the suggestions and tips people have given you already.
Then, order this list from things you want to do first, and stuff you want to do later. There's some very helpful stuff there already.
(this is what I must do myself too, lol)

Anyway, good luck, happy drawing and may it be a great year!


2)

[angieb.]

Hi iven!
Thank you for stopping by my sketchbook the other day!
I have enjoyed looking at yours. I'm impressed with the number and variety of faces you draw. I'm often a bit shy to attempt peoples' faces. Faces are so intricate, and if I make a small error, and the person sees it, they may get offended! Do you do all these drawings in public?
Also, I'm wondering if you've ever tried those brush-pens (markers). They can be difficult to get used to and get a handle on, sometimes, but they can also give a wonderful character subtlety to line-work. It may be worth it to play around with them, just for fun .
Keep up the good work!

[DizzySun]

Hello Iven! Thank you for the visit to my humble sketchbook. ^^ And goodness you've got a lot of great stuff to look at here! Your gestures in particular have excellently smooth lines. I do agree with Harmageddon's advice about slowing down sometimes, I struggle with this constantly myself. ^^;
Anyway, thank you for sharing your progress with us! Keep on chugging, I wanna see more~ : )

[Rhubix]

Hiya Iven - I actually live in Toronto lol - unfortunately i work in Hamilton and commute daily- so I don't spend very much time in T.O. If you ever see a girl on the king street car with frizzy curly hair and a sketchbook - that's me

I see you've been fighting the construction train- it's just one of those things you have to do. Yes gestures can have structure- you should be thinking about volume and perspective while you draw. It doesn't have to be neat- tidy stuff but it should be there. Think about how your subject is oriented in space, how their feet are planted on the ground- the relation of the table they're leaning on.
In the mean time the longer boring studies are incredibly helpful. Part of doing the slower studies is to help your subconscious to absorb the information. You draw a cube a few thousand times from every possible angle- then when you're drawing chairs, desks, boxes- what have you - your conscious brain isn't required to get it down the way you want it. You've done it so much it just flows out.
I try to find a balance between longer structured studies and loose gestural studies. I feel it makes my cartooning stronger, and I can draw more quickly. And as you know, when you have a few hundred frames to draw speed is very useful.

If you really want to push yourself, sometimes you have to do things that aren't fun. They're tedious and boring, and will make you a better artist.

Hope your trip is going well

Happy sketching

[Sharon J]

hey iven!

I was out of town for a few days..
haha.. i have the same trouble that angieb was talking about.. wary of drawing portraits in public.. hey, the faces you've been drawing? they look great!! and are these drawn in public? outdoor sketching session maybe? they have a nice caricatured feel about them..
and despite the scribbly lines, I think the sketch of the girl (in blue pen) in post #189 is lovely. so is the other guy's face, the side profile, in blue.

you could try drawing with a pen or marker more often maybe.. it doesn't have the option of being erasable, so i think it would help in refining those lines keep going with the drawing!

[iven]

And here I am back with my new travel Sketches from Germany/ Jena/ Augburg. I have to confes
that they are done quickley usually done while beeing in bars and on the street. Basicly I need to
capture the moment. I kinda did some long studies thou, does the portrait count and the foot !?
I mean for my speedlimit they are kinda done slow as you can see.
Anyway I am still sketching and working hard, just drawing away, drawing, drawing,..........



@Harmageddon Hey man thanks a lot4 your suggestions, and YES I can draw very fast,
almost rushy. I don't know what it is but I should try to slow down. *THANKS*

@angieb I tried Brushpen, haven't posted anything thou. And YES they are all done in public,
and of course I make things wrong and the person says usually aaaaaah it looks a little bit like me.
But they get never upset, I really enjoy drawing people when they tell me where they are from and
what not. I am kinda listening and drawing, which is no problem.

@Dizzy Here's some more stuff and YES I kinda want to slow down, but while I am on the road
I think I am impulsive.

@Rhubix You are right the longer boring studies are incredibly helpful + the 1000's of boxes I drew
already help me. I think I might want to draw some more room/ obeject drawings.

@Sharon Hi there I am not big in erasing thou, but I enjoy drawing with Pens and Markers. I just
draw the gesture capture the hole thing and than I use the darker lines thats how I draw with pen.

THANKS for all of you to come back and post, that means I can just click through you SB more easyly
when your link is just down on my fingertips. Thanks 4 advice and suggestions !

[iven]

So these guys need another extra thread cause they are GERMAN
spooky characters from parents.
*
The Weichter SchnarrZ comes when children don't want to sleep,
it seem kinda like a beeing grown out of a tree. I made 2 versions
of the SchnarrZ, when I drew the comic version I thought no this
need to be an realistic character, which is the first version.
*
The other Character is called a Mumuratz, he lifes down in basements
which are old and cold, it grabs you when you turn your back. So
watch you back

[kamikazel33t]

You've got some nice work in here. I also noticed you tried to do a portfolio for sheridan college, how'd it go?(I am applying as well and the stuff you see in my last post was the submitted portfolio.). I feel as though you may need to go a little more hardcore with perspective and proportions. Draw a lot of objects from life and try to understand the structure that goes with it, like for example a cup, use it to study how an cylinder moves through space. Try to study a lot of the ideal proportions of the figure and construction using books like Andrew Loomis's books or Bridgman's complete guide to life drawing as well as villpu and hampton. Learn how to construct the figure and then you can move on to dynamic by reading books like Force: Dynamic Life Drawing For Animators. Right now, I like the variety of cartoon designs and faces you produce but I find they lack the solidity and feel that gives it a convincing look. If you push into doing constant form studies and perspective drawings your normal sketches will have a bigger sense of solidity because the rules of perspective get ingrained in the way you draw so you will be thinking more in terms of 3d. For example every time I draw now I am always thinking of the construction rather than thinking about it as just a contour.

[Rhubix]

Good to see you are posting again

I can see the improvement since your last update. All that travel has been good for you.

I picked my favorite drawing- of the rat guy and drew some advice to help you improve .




Hope this helps!

Happy sketching.

[sin eater]

Hey man good to see you sketching so much. The portraits look good. Even the scribbling adds something to it. I see you are having some confusion about construction. Rhubix already gave you an awesome example with her last post! I think that should clear it a bit.
Anyhow I ll let you know what i think construction is. See when you are drawing a character, instead of directly jumping to making eyes nose and other details ,first you make a basic frame work. Nothing complex. The more the simple it is, the better! Since you are inclined to a non realistic style, you can almost use any kind of shapes which is really fun.

The trick is to draw the basic forms of the character first. It will work as the skeletal framework. And through that you will be able to tell where should be the hands in proportion to the head . It also gives you the freedom to choose a pose and keep changing it easily because you have not done much of detailing.

Consider this, you are making a full character with a pose and you start with the head. You decide to make up the pose as you go on. So the head you sketched turned out awesome. But now you are solving the pose to fit that head. More often than not you will be stuck with the head cause you like how it turned out and wont be able to make body around it that fits ( happened to me a lot). So thats basically it. Just try solving the pose and see the proportion.
I hope that makes sense,it might seem redundant but i hope you get the point.

[Black Spot]

After you've scanned your original drawings (so you don't lose them) it might be an idea to try and clean them up a lot. Don't be scared of the eraser.

[iven]

@Rhubix Hey Rhubix thank you so much for this great example I will work on it and in some of the following sketches
you can see how I drew more perspective/ indicated a chair.
@kamikazel33t Yes perspective thanks for the reminder, love villpu and Loomis, I have them at home it needs practice,
right and I am on it! Lack of Solidity? Is it in all pictures, do you (anybody) see any example of my sb with solidity. If yes please show me,
from examples. Thanks a lot for your feedback, I am not sure yet what it means. I get structure now, THANKs guys !!!!
@Black Spot You are soo cheeecky, why do you need to bring this up I AM SOOO SCAAARED of the eraser,
I kinda drew a few clean ones just 4 YOU ! No but you got me there some stuff if it would be a sketch/ for just
the sake of practice than I would clean it up, but some how I never do but when you skip back I think I am on
a cirten style which get more and more realistic, as you see I practice/ sketch sooo much!
@Sin eater

The portraits look good. Even the scribbling adds something to it.

Thanks man, its kinda my style, right ?! So no eraaaaaaaser .
Things need to be said many times, we pick it up in word/ practice it. Sin eater you kinda
see that I have a already a hand signature, thanks for recognizing it.

Underneath I posted some vector sketches and I can see with the guy who look in the BOX
should have a shorter right LEG, if I would have though with the grid, well it would be shorter.
But hey cool I got it with the grid !

There is also the fly which I used for an animation:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-fla...php?st=4fa5026
And this bottle dude was an animation for bottleball:
http://www.aniboom.com/animation-vid...97/Bottleball/

And the Why is it called Mother Earth sketch is kinda like my new style where I miX up
vectors drawing with jpg. Its not done yet but what do you think about the composition !?

I might do another movie or even a Childrens book about this
hole EARTH subject I am working on, please watch this: www.iveno.de/ecow.swf


Briefing:
I want to understand what solidity is in drawings, any examples would help me to jump
the language barrier. I am more and more aware of the grid which adds something to it.
Rhubix thanks for your example and all of you to take time for posting. I also want to face my
fears and use the eraser more.

Thank you very much @ALL !

PS.: I am back in Toronto and happy to be in this crazy city with all the subway sketching
people and other friend and mentors. I am waiting for another 3 sktchbooks from germany.
I will spend a hole day just scanning and posting,....love it !

[iven]

Ohhhh so much more sketches to scann I hope my bro is sending the box with the other
3 Recycling sketchbooks in it, YES I bind sketchbooks from already used paper

The PIG scanns show some ideas from a Calender I might do for animal rights.
I really like the picture with Ronald Mc Donalds hand and the knife in it.
I have a similar buzzing around my sketches somewhere, oh here is a link for the
other one I wonder which one you think has a better composition??

The life and death sketch shows how we are BORN and how we go
through cirten prozeses of life. Life a a Rollercoaster.

The next scann shows 2 hour glasses which chopp of a tree, our survival
depends on tatural recources and we depend on it, thats the symoblic
meaning behing the TREE!

I did a sketch than I made a Silhouette from the characters and choose
the best pose and BAAANG a clean up with the you of a needable eraser.

HEY GUYS thanks for Pushing me to clean up my paper,......still I love to
draw the way I draw the Energetic drawings.