Oh please not yet another sketchbook

[Lionsword]

What the hell are you talking about, I keep at it? You're like a tank, man, churning out a whole new batch of work every day. Dayum.

There's some good progress here, but you really need to watch your proportions in perspective. Every part of the body is still the same size and there's not that much foreshortening. Like the sitting girl, who's head is looking away from us, her left shoulder seems like it's been dislocated, or she's pushing it forward a lot, and it really throws us off. Most of it would be hiding behind her breasts and torso if you were to look at a picture of the same pose. Also, her shirt, on her breasts just ends. It doesn't seem to wrap around her, it just ends and turns into an arm. It would help to pay attention to how the clothes follow the form, also pay attention to the termination of your lines. In most of your female studies, your line defining the neck of their shirt always just ends. I know it may be awkward, but you need to draw their breasts the way they really are, not the way you think they are, cause the far breast is always much smaller than the closest and it looks really awkward. Maybe do some nude studies? Level up your understanding of the female torso. Other than that, sweet work. Keep it coming.

Also, I should never write a crit when I'm half asleep and horny again. Muttetmuttermutter...

[alffla]

sweet, i feel your improvement.

if anything, looking at your sketches i think that you should spend more time on them and not rush them, they will look better.

like the page with a few eyes on it, they look a bit scratchy scratchy. take the time to shade them nicely! keep it up!

[the_original_sean]

you drew 100 heads in 5 hours TWICE. do you take breaks or is this five hours straight?

you inspired me to draw obsessively in short bursts. i did 50 eyes 50 noses and 50 mouths. after that i felt like i could draw anything. even without eyes noses or mouths.

i saw some pretty scribbly gestures in here somewhere. one of my teachers gave me a photocopy out of a book (i can't figure out what book) It was a bunch of curves to draw that corresponded with the body. i had to do them a billion times i think was the assignment. ANYWAY it really helped me with my gestures and getting the flow of the figure. looked like this Does anybody else know what i'm talkin about? i didnt bother scannin them. does anyone know what i'm talkin about? if you're interested i'll look for the printout, or scan one of the copies i made.

[TASmith]

I like the enthusiasm in this sketchbook - you're working hard and it shows. Those portrait thumbs are good. They don't show very much light/shadow, but at that size, they don't need to. I'd like to see some larger portraits, one per page, showing more time and detail. Go through Gist's portrait thread in the fine art forum and try to use his construction lines on other faces, either photos or from life.

The Bridgeman sketches are good. Your observational skills are sharp, it's the figures from imagination that need work. A lot of them are looking flat because there's no indication of form, or what's beneath the skin. Some of the arms are like tubes - just like what I did in my latest pastel. I suggest checking in a mirror when doing Bridgeman or any other anatomy sketches. See if and where the sketch matches reality, and try to draw both at once.

The tree in that last post has a great sense of volume, form, and weight. It feels like a tree. Too bad it's cropped off like that. I'd explore that as a theme and do a bunch of trees, because you could make something really beautiful if you pursued that further. Try it larger scale, maybe looking out a 2nd story window.

[Monkeydominator]

Hi guys. I just finished taking pictures 52+ newer works.

Then I realized I had some pics of the older life-class stuff I hadn't uploaded yet.

Then I realized that it takes forever to upload.

So yeah, I'll just throw in the old stuff and update the new ones later. I have actually improved some in my life class work! I can't wait to show you the newer stuff, I'll try to get pictures of them on Monday.
For now, laugh at these pieces of crap in no particular order, and I'll comment on your comments and upload more tomorrow. Ciao!

EDIT:
Oh, forgot to mention. The freaky-looking texture lady was a "draw over a load of scribbles and see what happens" thing and the goddamn ugly head was a "draw a self-portrait without a mirror, simply by feeling your skull" thing. Most of these are A1.

[Monkeydominator]

Alright! Morning now!

@TASmith:
Thank you so much, that was really helpful! I just started a 5 week portrait module, so there will be portraits all over the place soon enough. ;D Same goes for landscape, so I'll be sure to draw trees!
You're right, I have big difficulties with drawing from imagination. I'll practice drawing figures and breaking them into planes so I'll understand it better!

@the_original_sean:
thank you! When doing the five-hour drawing heads thing I usually take a break halfway through to rest my arm (it tends to hurt like a bitch after a while). Ten minutes or so stretching. If your arm doesn't hurt you can keep at it for as long as you want!
Oh, wow, 50 of each? I'm so going to do that! Did you do them detailed? Did you add shading and stuff? From one angle or several?
Also, I'd love to see your copies of those gestures! Go get themmmmm!

@alffla
wow, improving? Do you really think so? Thank you! I'll be sure to make nice studies from now on!

@Lionsword
Thank you! Haha, I don't draw nearly as much as I should (and want)!
Wow, this comment was really damn helpful! I'll be sure to study the body in perspective, as well as cloth!
Oh, and the female torso, I'll be sure to study it! Who would mind that, eh?

@Spirit
Thanks a LOT, Spirit! The jar IS tilted, you're right. I'll make sure to practice!
Let's both keep it up! ;D

THANKS A LOT TO ALL OF YOU! Your critiques makes sure I never have an excuse to not draw!

Alright, here's the update. I chose the things that looked slightly more tolerable than the rest... so remember, for every ok drawing you see here, there's five more that looks like a turd on a corpse.

The last pictures of architecture and stuff is an assignment we have. We're to fill a sketchbook with pictures of a building, using a persona. My building is the old college, and my persona is 'paranoid schizophrenic'.

[James Warren]

Wow it looks like you are working very hard yourself! I can see a lot of improvement on your sketchbook so keep going at it. Your hand studies look great and I really like the portrait of the girl too.

[Monkeydominator]

@James Warren:
thank you so much! I love hearing that I've improved, even though I have a whole lot more improving to do. ;D
Keep it up you!

Not too much drawing today. Need to work on my essay. Want to finish it off tomorrow so I can use the rest of the week to just draw, draw, draw!
So yes, here's some random people passing a café-window, some doodles and my friend Sam playing the piano. Drawing profiles is hard. ):
PRACTICE!
Also did 19 pages of gestures, but I guess you don't really want to see those.

[Black Spot]

You're drawing a lot from reference. When I look back at page one to your still lives, I see real form and depth. If you did more studies from life to that level and then brought it into your referenced work, it would help greatly. Getting the level right is hard.

[Lionsword]

I love how you're using almost every technique, medium, and paper there is. You have a lot of confidence drawing architecture (in perspective too!), it might be worth focusing a little more on that and seeing what happens. Just my two cents. Keep on sketching man you're getting there D:

[the_original_sean]

i like the bloody girl and the watercolour legs. i've never tried water colours. tell me they're super easy and will make me look better than i am.

here's those gesture things. i got them with some printouts about force from a mike matiessi (sp) book. so i think theyre related. i dont know it was a while ago.
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...3/gesture1.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...3/gesture2.jpg

and the 50 eyes and mouths (the noses were in another book). i just wanted a continuous stream of faces, so i went to hot or not.com. what a gong show that page is!
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...es50mouths.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/j...es50mouths.jpg

[Spirit]

Aaah, where did I disappear to! I missed 2 updates
You have difinitely been busy! I love that you're looking at architecture and perspective, good choice. They look good, but make sure to keep an eye on how things are lining up, in the first architechtural drawing the pillars are wonky (although I can't tell if its the two towards the left or the right one ) Drawing from life too, good! As you have said, keep on practicing!
Where have you disappeared to? It's been over a month!

[Monkeydominator]

Hi guys. I have an exam coming up, so I thought I'd just upload these instead of revising. Yaaaaay.

Comment tomorrow... work now.

[Spirit]

Woooow! A very big update!
I love them all, your life drawing has improved so much! It's good to see you working on the perspective too, it's definitely noticable and paying off in your work! I love the drawing on the blue paper, with the yellow pencil crayon? Is it showing lights at night? Either way it looks amazing! I also like the last one, where you have silhouetted the forms, it works really well!
I'd give you some crits, but I'm really weak right now and cant think properly, so I'm also sorry if some things don't make sense
good luck with your exam! Revise!

[Kamber Parrk]

Hey Monkeydominator! Thank ye for the drop-by to my little SB!

You're doing a lot of good hard drawing-- your public life studies will pay you big dividends-- keep 'em going! (Portraits too!)

Criticism: I'm into cartooning too-- I hope you're working and scheming on your cartoons-- even if you're not posting them. Otherwise, you've developed some good solid hand-eye skills-- try to push yourself to complete some well polished professional grade work-- only by those pushes to you discover the problems you need to reach so that you can solve them.

[freakmod]

Those environments look good, especially the ocean. My favourite drawing is the girl reading the book - relaxes my mind when I look at it In your shaded figure drawings, the backgrounds often tend to overpower the figure and make the image confusing.. It'd be nice to see the figure itself pop out of the drawing more.

[Jho]

Wow, you are diligent and it's paying off, you are improving really fast.
Many of the characters seem a bit too long though. I haven't read many comments you've got, so I don't know if someone already said this, but just tried to think of something to criticize...
Great SB and great work, keep it up
C:

[gabs]

hey! thanks for the comment, sorry for the late reply!
booooyyyy do you update a ton! i love your figures and your sketches, and i agree, you're so diligent, it seems like you're drawing 24/7!
it seems like you're at an art school, right? which one?

[Monkeydominator]

Lalalalalalalalala art art art, it makes me happy.

@Black Spot: studies from life, got it! Will do!

@the_original_sean: Actually, watercolour is pretty easy, especially for quick shading. Makes everything easier and more fun. And wow, gotta love those gestures and eyes/mouths! I will so do that too!

@Kamber Parrk: haha, thanks a lot! Yes, I do draw quite a lot of cartoony stuff, but I don't upload it because it's not quite what CA is after, at least not when I'm still at the beginner stage. I'll upload a small taster today, though! And I'm working on two paintings right now, an A1 watercolour and an A2 acrylic.

@freakmod: thanks, I'll keep it in mind!

@Jho: you're right, they are pretty long. I will have to practice that. Today's schedule is set!

@gabs: haha, thank you! But if you look at the dates, you'll see that I don't update too often so I don't really draw as much as it seems. I usually just update parts of what I've made during the time... if I'd have to update all the gestures and doodles we'd be here all day. But I WILL be more productive!
And yes, I'm currently studying Fine Arts at Aberystwyth University. It's a really nice place and they give us lots of time on our own, so we can practice what we want to.

@Spirit:thank you so much sweetie! I'll keep it up.

So yes! First week of school's just over, just thought I'd throw in some cents to show what I've been working on.
Random doodles, head construction, portraits, life drawing, dinosaurs, picture thumbnails and colour tryouts, yadda yadda.
Why do I always end up drawing the model's back? I will arrive early next time and grab a good full frontal. No horrid puns intended.

[Monkeydominator]

Most of these were drawn during a party. I fail at socializing.

Note to self:
- get better at rendering
- get better lines
- sit somewhere where you can see their legs, you need to practice those
- colour, motherf**ker, practice it
- and moar portraitz plz

[Spirit]

Ooh, two updates
First update:
I love your dinosaurs! The effects of watercolours running into each other when you paint wet-on-wet is great, isn't it? I must get out my watercolours again...
The Loomis heads are looking great too! The portrait you painted is also looking good, I like how you have used large brush strokes to "abstract" it, while maintaining the form! I don't have any crits really on this update, just keep up the good practice!

Second update:
Hah, I wish I had the guts to draw at a party! I get so self conscious when doing artwork if any of my friends or aquaitances are around. It's life drawing though, which is good practice, so who cares if you fail at socialising, there are plenty of opportunities to do that!
the portrait is good too, I live the bright colours you have used. Just one thing though, make sure you look at the features carefully, as the lips seem to be sloping down - either that, or the rest of them are just in the shadow xD

Just to let you know... yoremember the concept work you gave to me? Well, I've only managed to start it today I fell ill on monday when I was going to start it, and I'm just recovering (tuesday and wednesday were the "dead" days) So I'll let you see what I've come up with so far, soon!

Gooood work! Keep it up I just wish I did as much drawing as you now I'll have to start drawing around college, I think...

[Monkeydominator]

@Spirit: haha, thank you a lot! I'll keep the features in mind when I'm doing my next one! And drawing at parties is easy, actually, people are busy being drunk and dancing... though I actually got some praise! I would've likes critique more, but what the hell, it made me happy.
Now gimme my concepts!

Nananananananananananananananana ART-MAN

Or, you know, woman. Whatever.

People, blind-drawing, figures, portraits, hands and whatnot.

More notes to self:
- pratice painting folds
- continue drawing hands because you're crap at it
- be more friggin' productive

[Monkeydominator]

Work from yesterday plus the Dodo-bird I drew for the Chiustream (approx. 50 minutes).

RENDERIIIIIIIIIIIIING
I will start doing it properly from now on I swear.... but not today because today is research for art modules day. Yesterday was "was going to be productive but ended up wandering aimlessly around town with karate-people for five hours" day.

[GaussianRaider]

Very eclectic sketchbook!
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/att...1&d=1265826378
Clean lines in general and nice design with those wing shapes, the pose/gesture in some point is a bit stiff tho, I like the contrapposto.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/att...1&d=1265826343
I like these "negative landscapes" ones, they look great. Good lines and compositions.
I think this one looks much more powerful than this one tho
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/att...1&d=1265641203

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/att...1&d=1265641035
Good flow and line weight variations!
Same with this one
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/att...1&d=1265640400

Great job with those landscapes (post 133).

[lennon]

Your very talented. I see that you do your studies with this awesome 3dish technique of making polygons out of simple form, but sometimes you don't use that technique that much in other drawings. I think they could help you a lot, make your life easier. I mean, lots of people do this studies and don't realize that some of this constructions are learned to be used, because they make life easier.
Your stuff looks great, and very promesing because you seem to know what to study, you evolve quickly and most important you have a terrific eye. My only advice: Apply more the techniques, if they aren't confortable, change them, make them fit your needs.
Great stuff, let's see some more!

[Kamber Parrk]

Hey! If you're gonna do Loomis studies, draw the nude chicks in the high heels-- 'cause, um, er, Loomis woulda wanted it that way. . .

[knoxie]

hey MonkeyDominator!

you are smashing the traditional mediums! I love that landscape you did in ink halfway down the page with the environmental atmosphere fall off.

keep it up! your progress is fantastic.

[Monkeydominator]

@GaussianRaider: thank you! I'll try to keep it up, and be more productive.

@lennon: thanks a lot! I'll make "wires" on all my studies tomorrow! and thanks a lot for the tip!

@Kamber Parrk: hirrhirr, yes indeed...

@knoxie: wow, really? Thanks a lot! I think I've had hardly any improvement at all, personally. :/ Well, just work more, then!

KARAOKE-NIGHT yesterday! Meaning... drawing time!
Yeah, I can't sing a lick.
Was harder this time because the space was smaller and there was fewer people. :/ Ah well.
I also bought a mirror! I can finally do self-portraits without worrying about my flatmates, whooooo!
Though my first one was crap and my second one had wonky, weird eyes. Hence the next was eye-practice.

Now I'll go practice some more. And so should you. You don't want to be as unproductive as me do you?

[Spirit]

AAh, you're updating too fast for me to keep up! That, or I should check my emails more often for notifications. This is a good thing, however, I wish I had as much motivation to work as you... darn my laziness! I don't see how you are unproductive... o.o
You last updates are looking great! Your portraits are looking good too, I can't see anything wrong with the proportions keep up the good practice! I don't have any crits, just that if/when possible, it might benifit you even more if you draw faces too when drawing people from life... having only attempted this once, I know how hard it can be!
Now I shall obey you and go and actually do some work! I'm currently thinking up your concept for you

[Kamber Parrk]

Hey Dominator 'o monkeys! Like the public stuff, as usual.
Question, how much time are you spending on your average public head?

(It's a question I'm going to be asking a lotta people-- I'm trying to get faster at mine, seeing what strategies people are using-- for now I'm trying to memorize the Asaro head type framework so to build a quick scaffold for my ever moving Starbucks victims).

Have to forgive my above taking of the name of the Loomis in vain-- getting ready to study a bunch of his life stuff-- noticed he seems to have some sort of ladies' shoe fixation. . . I'm mean, when you draw out the height and proportions of the ideal woman and have her in high heels?