Chronicles of Jussi Tarvainen [Updated April 10th]

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Here's something from this weekend. Life drawings of my girlfriends dog and what I think she is thinking. Pencil and marker.

[bluefruitbowl]

Great thread!
Looking from the first few post to the last few, you are really getting better at understanding/ visualizing mass.
Keep it up! My only suggestion [I'm learning myself, and every one else has covered the important things] is to vary your drawing material now and then if you can, try doing figure drawing in pen or charcoal as well as pencil. It's frustrating at first to try a different implement, but quite worthwhile.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Hi bluefruitbowl. Thanks for your feedback, I really appreciate it! I haven't really thought of that until you put it in words and now I can see it too

That's a good idea, I'll definitely need to work with more mediums, I'm actually currently getting into working with charcoal but definitely should try out drawing with other stuff as well!

Cheers!

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Here's a quick copy of a cast drawing from a book with charcoal, some life drawings of a guy watching a tv while waiting for my girlfriend to get her finger patched up and side profile pencil drawing of a friend of mine trying to work with the shading fairly quick.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

So here's some life studies of apple, apricot, mandarin and banana. Will be doing more of these with different mediums and various different objects. Starting with more simple ones and no colors and slowly advancing to more complex objects and to different mediums but staying away from colors so I will learn to see the values.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

okie dokie so I did some life studies of some fruits with pen and markers and then I did a few self portraits with pen, marker and pencil. I'm going to start doing at least one self portrait everyday and use various different mediums so I will get used to them.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Here's some life drawings of random objects around the house and one very crappy self portrait. I have no idea how to draw with charcoal and when the drawing is set on a stand but I'm learning and that's all good. Mediums used pencil, pen, marker and charcoal.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Today was a great day. Very frustrating and also very joyful. I was having some trouble drawing as I was listening to Betty Edwards the author of Drawing on the ride side of the brain. I wasn't cooperative at all and she just annoyed the heck out of me. I decided to keep pushing through the frustration and hear what she had to say. And it payed off. First I didn't get much results but after all I made a small breakthrough which got me all exited. This may not look much but I learned so many things from her video. Edges, negative space, light, angles, sighting etc. I think anyone in my position and is a beginner should read her book. Also the great thing was that I was able to push through the frustration. Bobby Chiu talks about going through the frustration and keep on doing it because when you kick frustrations ass that's when you make progress. And it sure works that way. Today was a great proof of that.

Anyways here's the two of the pictures I draw today. Gotto to step it up and draw more though and make better use of my time.

Thanks for dropping by.

[bluefruitbowl]

hey there,
i was wondering about how much time you spend on average on each piece? they tend to seem a bit rushed, so i suggest slowing down and giving yourself more time to work on each thing.
also, for selfportraits at least, maybe try laying off of the tonality/shading for a week or so, and focus on drawing as accurate as possible contour drawings. it'll help you to see, i think.
try some rectilinear contour drawings if you have time, also - of books and boxes and things in different directions.
love post 35, the fruits are really lovely. they seem whole and textured.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Hey bluefruitbowl. Thanks for your good critique I really appreciate it.
I only spend 15 to 30 minutes... I definitely should spent more. Thanks for pointing it out.

Thanks for the tip, I see what you mean. I'll get the contour drawings on my list for sure.

Thanks for the nice words! Back to drawing, you got me all exited!

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Okay so here's a few self portrait contour studies. All that I learned today from Betty Edwards is starting to make more sense. Thaks bluefruitbowl for pointing out the contour exercises! Now I need to spend more time on one piece and learn to take the proportion "rules" into what I draw when I'm drawing.

[xinranliu]

Hi there!

Please allow me to share some stuff I learned... Just wanna help with a kind heart

general proportions

the face is 4 eyes wide
the mouth lines up with the pupil

also take more time doing your drawings, use your pencil to measure and fix it/start over if needed

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Ronald Liu: Big thanks for your help. I'm aware of the proportion but when I start to draw from life they seem to go out of the window because I think if I'm drawing from life they'll be automatically correct. Well obviously not SO today I will concentrate on measuring and keeping the proportions!

Thanks again Ronald!

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Okay so here's some life drawings. Tried to spend some more time on these and slower my drawing. It's getting better. I tried doing contour line life drawings and then shadowing afterwards learn two things at once. Also I've been trying to learn to se and measure and first it was so annoying but not it has almost come into an unnoticeable thing for me. So more work with that. Also did one head drawing of my mind... Need to do one some creative stuff everyday as well and not all studying so I don't kill my creative side and can actually develop it as well. So many things to study everyday and soooo much basics but they seem quite easy to learn and cause I'm such a beginner the next level comes easier. Loving this!

Advices, tips please

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Went to sketch out to the city for a bit today. It was fully a new experience to me and a bit frustrating and didn't really know how to act when someone notices that you are drawing. Never the less a good experience and might do it again tomorrow. Did some drawing around the house from life as well.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Almost forgot. Almost. My daily self portrait. Need to start spending more time with every study I do. This was a quick one before going to bed.

[Dannelf]

Hi there Yousa! Thanks for stopping by my sketchbook and leaving comment!

I can see you're working hard with those selfportraits. Keep going with it! But it would be good if you started to draw some anatomy from reference. I would suggest Hoghart or Brigdeman! I don't think it would be any problem for you, when the first image in post #34 (which seems to be from reference) looks great.
The pictures you've coloured looks like the best I think!
Keep going!

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Hey Dannelf. You are most welcome.

That is true. I should definitely jump on dumping anatomy into my daily routine. And I shall do it. Thanks for the push

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Here's todays work. I started by drawing a shoe form life, then some fruits, more shoes and then took a crack at the anatomy to see what I'm up against. Yup it's HUGE Lot to learn and lot to remember. I wanted to try drawing the full skeleton and simplifying it. Even that felt overwhelming. So next thing I'm doing is just taking a piece at a time from top to bottom.
Also did a bunch of reading. And here's a few things I need to concentrate on: contour lines, negative shapes and line angle compared to horizontal and vertical when drawing from life.

Oh and I started a daily portrait thread at:
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=131692

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Here's some Bridgman studies. Read a lot today and tomorrow should be drawing more.

[Kozak]

your technical drawings (objects, furniture, etc.) seem to be coming along very well. I don't really have any advice or critiques I just wanted to say keep up the good work! You're on the right track.

[safesheep]

hey yousa, thanks for stopping by my sketchbook and the advice! You have some great stuff going on in here. In particular I really like the drawing of the room in post number 38, it has wonderful mood to it. One thing I would suggest for your portraits and self portraits is to really study the forms that you see. In some of these it appears that you are drawing the symbols for different facial features rather than what is actually there. That was something that helped me immensely. I don't know if that makes a lot of sense, I can explain more if you'd like. Maybe try your hand at a couple pages of eye studies, or something similar. just my 2 cents! Liking your sb, I'll be back! thanks again!

[Quasi-almost]

Hey man I like seeing this anatomy recently.A tip I hope will help, just start with the large bones if your going to do a skeleton. ( The Humerus Radius, Sulma, Metacarpals, Femur, Tibia, Fibia, Metatarsals ) Don't worry about fingers and toes yet. After you do that then start doing the axial skeleton. Or you can do them in reverse order if you like, just don't try to tackle everything at once. Anyway, that's a little advice. As for portraits, you should work more on them. Like take more time doing them, It's ok to erase, try working inward, from the edge of the head to the within it. Keep on going man !

[xenoxr]

wow dude you look like your putting in a lot of work here, got a lot of cool studies, keep it up

[Jussi Tarvainen]

n.contemporary: Thaks for the nice words!

safesheep: My pleasure mate. Thanks for the props.
That's a good point. I think that's exactly what I've been doing. Just drawing the shadows but not thinking the form at all. Really appreciate having the time to write!

Talkingjello: Thanks a lot for your tips! That's my plan. I just wanted to try drawing the whole skeleton to understand how much I'm dealing with. But yeah good idea to start with the bigger bones which are easier to draw and slowly move on. I'll do that!

xenoxr: thanks buddy!

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Here's some more Bridgman studies. I got really frustrated with this though but kept going. I couldn't understand the cube system and how to build the head with 4 lines. I think I was mentally not even wanting to learn it because the Vilppu way already works for me. I wouldn't like to leave anything out though from my learning process. Another try at it tomorrow.

Oh and here's today's "daily" portrait:
http://conceptart.org/forums/showpos...3&postcount=11

[Demo]

hay i really like the work your doing on facial structor and anatomy im trying to work on the same right now is their a book or guide your going by if so leaveing a link in my sketch book would really helpfull keep practicing u seem to be getting the heng of every thing

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Yeah you should get Bridgman's books, Glenn Vilppu's Drawing manual and/or Loomis. You can find Bridgman and Loomis books as pdf. files online for free. Just do a search on google or search at conceptart.org. It'll help you a ton!

[bluefruitbowl]

Hello there! Great stuff!
You've been improving in leaps and bounds, no kidding, since you've started reading theory/doing studies.
The shoes in post 49 are so much more disciplined than your earlier work, they are a pleasure to look at.
No real crits as you are doing all the right things. Perhaps though, the next pencil still-life study that you do, don't be afraid to go really dark with your line weight/ shading. Contrast between your darks and lights is important.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

bluefruitbowl: Thanks so much, that means a lot to me! It sure pays off to listen to critiq, most of my improvement comes from you guys.
That's a good point. Glad you said that cause I'm in the mids of working today's portrait and haven't started shading yet. So this one is for you(in an hour or so).