Old crappy sb

[jordyskateboardy]

We want moaaar!! Xd

[ChuanMing]

I got back from Indonesia a week ago, my dad's very sick and the doctors thought he was done for. So... off to Indonesia. Mind, this was definitely not a vacation. It was tiring, gruesome and saddening. My dad's still in hospital and I don't think he will get out of there anytime soon. Life has been pure arse gravy of the worst possible kind and art has been out of the picture for quite a few weeks. Fortunately, things are looking stable right now, so that means more time for art.

Some sketches and gestures:

[jordyskateboardy]

Yo man. You mentioned you had experienced zero progression. I actually consider the contrary. I can still, eventhough your absence, see some form of progression. In particular the first sketch. Solid rendering on those two guys and the form reads really well. I also like the spontanuity of those gestures in your Moleskine. Am gald you're gonna do these weekly updates again. Should prove some support during these insecure times.
As for critiscm. All I can really think of is that at times you're just not forcefull enough and you got to many lines which don't really contain a meaning. Just random placed scribly lines. Which are great for explorational sketches but you need to make sure they don't occupy your drawing. Maybe do some pen drawings. Really forces you to only make necessary lines.
Anyways pretty cool update. Can't wait to see more.

[ryan mcshane]

wow man, youve got some pretty rad looking lines there! update please?
nice stuff keep at it

[Traveler]

I'm seeing some nice progress since you started the SB. Keep up the good work! Study, practice, post, repeat = recipe for success.

It'd be nice to see a few more from life.

[ChuanMing]

Jordy: Thanks! Yeah you're right, working on it!
Ryanoir: Well thank you.
Traveler:Thanks! Yes, it is indeed. And I do need to work from life more often.

Okay, can't believe I'm doing this (again). So yeah, guess who's back. I'm sick of me sucking at art and I want to do something about it, so that's why I'm posting again.

June last year, my father got to know he was terminally ill and only had a few months left to live, upon which he decided to go to Bali, Indonesia. that summer I flew over to visit him, though he was in the hospital most of the time. That autumn my dad saw his blood values drop(indicating liver shutdown)and thought he was done for, so we all went to Indonesia, expecting a funeral. That funeral didn't happen. Against all odds, my father fought for his life and managed to regain some strength. I called him every day and, for a moment, life seemed "normal". Then fate struck back. I got a call from his caregiver and dear friend, telling my he was slipping into a coma, his body was shutting down. Again I flew over, again he lived. When I came back home he was still on a respirator, but the doctors told me he'd soon be able to breathe by himself. A mere two weeks later, december 18, after a brief phone call, my dear father, teacher and friend passed away.

The last 8 months, art was practically non-existent, I did not have the energy nor the desire to do anything. I did learn alot about myself and people, though. I decided I did not want to do another study next to art, I decided I wouldn't let people(criticizing me) get to me and I decided to pursue my dreams. I'm so fucking sick of all those fucking idiots telling me to get a "respectable job", cuz I need to live and I need money. Well fuck them. I don't want to end up depressed because of my so-called respectable job everyone told me to get. So what if everyone in my family is a doctor or a scientist(or whatever the fuck an asian person typically does for a living). So-Fawking-what. I don't care. Just let me draw and I'm happy and sedate. So I picked up art from where I left off 2 months ago. No more slacking for this fucker. These are 30-minute color studies(Open Canvas) I made in January. Can't scan in my pencils, cuz my scanner died on me this week. Planning to post some more old shit later this week.
Oh, and happy Chinese New Year! 恭喜发财！Yeah, I know I'm late. 我知，我知...
And sorry for the rather coarse language, just gotta blow off some steam.

[jordyskateboardy]

Good to see you making your way back out of oblivion. Should be good for ya to get some sort of focus back and this time make sure you stick to it haha. If not I'll have to start bitchslapping you or something. So yea go get a new scanner cause we wanna see those delicious sketches moehaha. Keep pumping out those colour studies. Move to life as well maybe join the daggers and go do daily studies from life. Life is always best to learn how to use colours.And yea we should meet again. And OC. Wuuut. My stomach hurts lol. SO sorry for the lame comment ;p.

[Nibras]

Great Ming
Don't have time because parents are about to kill me but just great
Can't wait

[ChuanMing]

Jordy: Lol, yeah it's become a bit of a bad habit. You're right about studying from life.
Lilnebo: Lol, what did you do?

Color study from life(like the 2nd I did in my entire life). Oh my God, definitely gotta do more life studies. This one just kicked my ass, never did something this hard. I guess I fucked up the perspective and I'm still having trouble understanding how metal reflects light. And yes, I know that jade amulet is kind of stereotypical. 45 min. in, but I'm getting bored with it

[jordyskateboardy]

Hahah cool to see you dive into this shit as well. Yea it's super hard like you experienced yourself. So go do something more easier first. Start with an apple or something. Metal is just super hard lol. Can't wrap my head around it haha. And besides that drop that weird brush your using. Only deduces you from what really matters. So just grab a hard round brush and very the softness a bit by using shift + [ or ]. Go have fun with that. But huraay for the 2 updates in a row.

[Traveler]

Glad to see you back in the groove. Sounds like some crazy stuff with your father. Good that there's been some resolution. I think it's great that you've made up your mind to pursue what you love rather than what others think you should do. Don't think it's going to be easy, though. If you haven't already, I can recommend listening to some of Bobby Chiu's podcasts. He's gives a lot of really great advice for being a successful independent artist:

http://www.youtube.com/user/digitalbobert

Start with the older one's first.

[Wanna]

Damn there's so really good stuff in here.
Your improvement is really noticable since you started the thread.
Sorry to hear about what you've been through, btu the positive thing is... now you know it's all art
Hope you'll start updating often again.
Btw are you still doing that character a night thing with lilnebo and all? Wouldn't mind joining or making some kinda of thread :p
And thanks for dropping by my sb, I have no idea how you found it lawl, and yeah I'm working on what you said... but school's a bitch atm, have to sort things out -.-

[Nibras]

YAAH! Cheers for the reminder wanna!
Are you back for sure now Ming? Cuz I need my character buddy
Oh I was just up really late.

You Know Im sorry about what happened with your Dad but I also know your one heck of a guy and you can make it through so much.

The art is looking good and I am getting excited to see more
Show me imagination work!

Bye, luv ya and keep at it

[ChuanMing]

Jordy: lol yeah, I was using artweaver(don't even ask). But yeah, round brush ftw.
Traveler: Yes, I'm well aware of the fact that it won't be a smooth ride. Yeah I'm familiar with his vlogs, they're awesome.
Wanna: Thanks! Haha, we did that like 2 years ago, might be worth to pick it up again. School sucks ass, I know.
Nibras: Me iz back, foh sure. And thanks, lol. Imagination stuf coming 2mro.

Pfffffffff... Okay, so I spent my entire evening on this fucker...And it still looks like ass-gravy lol. I hope you guys can see what it is, lol and if you can't: it's an ammonite I found in my room.

EDIT: The colors in the JPEG version are so off, does anybody know what happened?

[jordyskateboardy]

I wunna be a character buddy as well. Though my homework doesn't want me to. But yargh.

It looks better than the previous still life man. Much more defined. Still a super hard topic you chose. Go do something basic first. An apple or something. I mean that's a lot better to start with haha. Go get em tiger.

[ChuanMing]

Jordy: Haha, thanks. Yea I know.

Study I got bored with and I propably spent too much time on this one. I mean, look at her mouth, she looks like she's had a stroke for godsake. Pencils coming tomorrow.

[Wanna]

Study looks good, pity you didn't finish it. the skin looks good

[GriNGo]

How is your dad man?

[jordyskateboardy]

Cool study. Major improvement colour wise. I see you're having a hard time getting details into the eyes and you end up with some colour blobs. For eyes and detailing in general i find that the traditionl round brush with other dynamics simple doesn't give me the edge control and quality i want when working really small on details. So yea when detailing i turn on shape dynamics as well and at times even turn of other dynamics to really be able to get nice clean edges. But use it combined with the started brush for extravagant awesomeness. But yea go clean those edges O.o

[ChuanMing]

Wanna: Thanks. Yeah, I never really finish anything(verrry bad habit).
Gringo: Uh, he passed away a few months ago.
Jordy: Thanks! Totally right about those edges, dude. And thanks for the tip.

So school is being a dickhead again, as always. Wasted quite a few hours of my life on that bullshit. I'll be fucking happy when I can finally get out of that hell hole, haha. So I'm not feeling so well, there's snot and mucus all over the place, so here's today's digital doodle. Gotta work on my values and facial structure.
EDIT: forgot to include my 30 minute daily study poo. Needless to say it's...well...you know...but that's what studies are for, I guess.

[PieMonster]

Looking mighty good man, these studies will definitely pay off!

[ChuanMing]

Piemonster: Wow, thanks dude! How did you even find my sb?


Okay, so still not feeling too well. Here's some poop. A failed color sketch. God, it's fugly. And some other turds, unfinished color studies etc etc Gotta paint/draw/sketch/study moremoremoremoremoremoremore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

[ChuanMing]

Ok, so basically Jordy told me my values suck So I decided to work on that. Argh, crap. Gotta do more from imagination.

EDIT: and before you ask, this is not my grampaw ;P.

[jordyskateboardy]

Good to see u all set and going like craaaazy. Allready big improvement. Just remember to use the largest brush possible. On your grandpa's forehead there are to many tiny marks which lead to inconsistencies which you can overcome by using a larger brush. Also go and start blending a bit. Just use shift + [ or ] to soften your brush a bit more and get some edge control in there. Kipitup.

[ChuanMing]

Jordy: Thanks! Working on it!

Fuck! School just raped my day, lol. Pretty busy atm, so this is all I did today, apart from some sketches(but I;m too lazy to scan them). It's a Yue Minjun study, and yea i kinda failed the face and some other stuff haha.

[Nibras]

Looking better and better and better!
The values are really pushing my only advice would be to really focus and spend a lot of time of a study because it really pays off, then do finished imagination stuff

[ChuanMing]

Nibras: Thanks, yeah i gotta work on my stuff from imagination.

So yeah, having exams right now, and I gotta tell ya it sucks balls. B-A-L-L-S. Didn't get to draw as much as I would've liked to, but that's life. Tryin to get back on track(again?!!!)though. So some faaaaaaaaaaail studies I did two days ago. They make me sick. Used OC because Photoshop was being a dick again.

[Nibras]

What do you mean fail?! The colour one is so damn niiiiceeee !
Really good stuff man.
Advice: Finish off stuff from imagination
Keep on rocking

[PieMonster]

These studies are ace man. Just remember to apply what you study to stuff from imagination, and you ought to do real good!

[haithamjaz]

good work