Black Spot's Sketches

[B-Man]

Its coming along nicely. Cheers doll!

[Black Spot]

Thank you guys. I will look more into the perspective when I have every assembled. Trust me there’s nothing that can’t be tweaked, stretched etc to get it right.

This is a baby picture I did for the back of the room. It will hardly be seen as part of the lampshade will cover it and be reduced to almost nothing. I have two more pictures to add to the walls to complete a life before moving onto the final figures.



Today I fancied a break. A few people have called me out on values, so I thought I’d do an exercise to push them – totally vector drawn. The girls might know my reference. It’s not perfect, but I think I’m close. Argue with me. Believe it when I say I do take on board comments, just that it takes a while for the penny to drop.

[NicG]

Hi Black Spot! Nice update. I do recognize the pic. I think the values are fine but honestly I'm no expert (serious understatement there). He's a really cool subject, though.

[Black Spot]

It's still untidy. Need to practice more.

I decided to rearrange a few things, so this is just the vector picture. Not many of the original layers will survive. Sticking rigidly to my perspective grid, which I should have done from day one. The first appearance of my mum. She's not finished yet and there's a fair bit still to get in. The room is getting quite crowded. Believe it or not, the woman in the corner was once an old lady getting out of one of those self rising chairs. Apologies for the lack of shadows in some areas - they will be addressed.

[zelda_geek]

I like the sitting guy in your last post. Definately a leap forward. Don't forget to add all the cast shadows on that last one and maybe you could make the ghost lighter and more glowing? (he is a ghost right, 'cause it took me a while to notice it..) I think it also whould help to decide which lightsource is the primary and secondary. Can't wait to see how it will develope.

[Black Spot]

I have too many light sources, and yes I'm aware of cast shadows, but there's no point in putting them in until everything is there.

The guy on the left is bad. I'm going to have to redo him and there's load s of tidying up to do (like sorting out the frames, shadows etc), but I'm nearly there. My mum now looks more like my older brother; we had a right laugh about that earlier.

[NicG]

Awesome! It's a really cool concept, Black Spot. I can't wait to see it finished.

[alesoun]

I'm starting to get where you're coming from.

I'd downsize the soldier's pic, though, it's grabbing too much attention right now, and giving the game away....

[SMILEFACE]

WOOOWWWWWZERS THIS IS GUNNA BE HOT!!! THIS STORY IS GUNNA RRRRRRRROOCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! cant wait !
cant wait ! AN I MISS YALL TOO BUT IM NEVER REALLY GONE AN ALL YALL ARE ALWAYS W/ ME O YEAH AN GOOD LUCK IN THE... I MEAN YER GO'N DOWN IN THE CHALLENGE MMWWHHHAAAAHHHAAAAA

[seagulls]

hey blackspot, This is starting to look pretty good.
Its very obvious that the perspective is looking better now and the scene looks like it really fits together and there a bit of story. I cant imagine how hard it must be to work out where all the shadows would be.

It may be a good idea to put just a bit of depth into the frame of the paintings on the wall.

[dierat]

Looks great so far! Once you get everything where you want it, it could be good to desaturate and darken some of the elements (like the photos and some of the minor figures) to emphasize the light from the window. (It might also be interesting to make the photos smaller, like a series of small framed photographs, which can look really nice and would make them an interesting detail but not so much of a focus. But then it might be hard to see what's going on in them, and you might not want to sacrifice that narrative.) It's a bit busy and bright right now, but I know you have a lot you're planning to do to it. Keep up the good work!

[Black Spot]

Alesoun I made it smaller, but it’s going to get a fair bit of limelight – just for those who need a bit of two by two.

Granny, I know you love me really. Rhaawwweeraw!

Seagulls, already there with the frame shadows. Also need some sharp highlights of reflected light.

Dierat, I’m not sure about making them smaller as the smallest is hard to read as it. De-saturation is definitely on the cards.

Just to make things more complicated, I’ve added cosmic light. It’s not quite right yet, but I need more before I can knock it back.

[TASmith]

that value study figure you did is really good! Great skin textures. You're on to something, do more!

The death, project is looking good, but I think it still needs more shadows. The boy is backlit. It should be stronger. Have a family member stand in a similar place, related to a light, and see what he looks like.

[NicG]

I know you haven't got all your shadows in yet so maybe that's all it is, but the room seems a bit bright for a deathwatch, which isn't wrong but from my experience most families tend to turn the lights down when they're waiting for death (I work at a VA hospital so I see a lot of deathwatches). Of course, that may be part of your vision... the contradiction could show that it is actually a great day as opposed to a sad day to die. If so, ignore me and I apologise.

Ok. I'm rattling... Sorry.

I do think this is going to blow us all away when it's done.

[SMILEFACE]

AHHHHH THATS SOOOOOO sswwEEAAATTTTT! CUUUUuuUUUTTTeee ahhhhh ....snif*snif* hart stings +1

[danlambert]

That is looking great, and a really nice concept. I'd say be careful with making it too cluttered. It's a bit busy atm, with a lot of things going on and nothing really standing out as a focus. Perhaps if you threw the room into shadow (maybe a night scene), then used only the glow from the ghostly figures, and maybe the back lamp (secondary) as lightsources. This would push the other characters and the other elements in the room back a bit, and allow the ghost/spirits to come forward. Either way I'm sure you know what your doing.
Oh, and I think the old woman (your grandma?) in the bed is too big.
The rendering and form you have going on, on the bed especially is great, and I love the dedication your showing by painting each of the pictures on the wall as proper seperate images.

Peace
Dan

[bharat]

thanks Black Spot for coming n give some important crit on work.... i was little busy with that's why not update regularly ....but i will tray...u things r nice.... keep it up ...!

[bebobmace]

i really like the setup of the piece though it looks like the dush isnt very intrigrated, but i gotta withold judgment till you get farther.

also do they see the ghosts/whats going on?

[JailHouseRock2]

Great value study at the top of the page, and this latest ones looking very nice, but I'd say some more darks and shadows in some places would help make it pop!

[Black Spot]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement, and I am working on darkening it, but I'm doing it slowly so not to muddy the water. Dan, I might have to enlarge the man and woman as opposed to my mum, but I'll play a bit more with the program and see what I can do.

Went to life drawing today - at long last. Bit of a farce; the pub was shut, but the organiser was collecting people as they turned up to sit at another pub. He's manage to track down two alternate venues and left the choice up to the model. My feet hurt, but I did okay, met a nice young man (I am in danger of turning into a dirty old woman) and my husband prepared dinner.

[NicG]

Very nice. I have to find a life drawing class I can afford...

I hate leaving crits because I'm so inexperience that I worry that my comments are out of line. For the record, I think the pic looks great now but I feel like I should try to say something intelligent and possibly helpful from time to time. Looking forward to the next update!

[SMILEFACE]

LOL WHY DOES EVERY ONE ALWAYS GET HOT GIRLS FER LIFE DRAW'N ALL I GET IS DUDES ITS LIKE THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF GUYS READY TO GET NAKED IN SEATTLE haha AWESOME LIFE DRAWINGS YOU INSPIRED ME TO GO TOMORROW THANKS !!!

[Black Spot]

NIcG, not every comment has to be a critique. Just post “Wow it’s great” - only kidding. You can’t crit everything, as sometimes it’s just an update or a sketch. Just knowing people are looking is good enough for me.

Grandma go to meetup.com and find a local life drawing session, and if it’s not good enough – start your own. The organiser of mine is quite mad (French) and finds out of work dancers, wantobe actresses etc to pose. Not all of them make great models but it sure is interesting.

Not much done today other that building a wardrobe with 3 drawers. Life drawing again tomorrow.

[alesoun]

I really like the way you've handled where her left foot and right knee touch.

I guess I should break out the Biros, but I think certain members of my family must eat them.... I can never find one when I need it.

[{CKL}]

Howdy! I really dig your life drawing studies, ink? I'm always a sucker for anything that is done from life. Going back up to your other image, the deathbed scene, I think you did an excellent job portraying the emotional gestures in your figures. The value scale is a little bit to much in the light range, need more of a middle ground from which you can build up the forms, but overall it's a really great piece. It instantly reminds me of Six Feet Under...damn that show for making a grown man cry at the finale!

[seagulls]

The life drawings look pretty good. Much better than mine heh.

For the deathwatch painting, your way beyond me and my understanding of how to do it. Maybe it would be best to work out the sizes at the start rather than later as you say you adjust things.
I find I constantly 'fight' my work later if the base stuff is not worked out very well.

[Black Spot]

I'm giving the scene a bit of a rest for a couple of days and then get back to working out the light layer by layer.

Life drawing yesterday. Not as good as Saturday's, but still learning. The first one the head's too big, but it looks the most like her. Note the big toe - she was a dancer.

[SMILEFACE]

I GOTTA SAY THE LAST TWO ARE MY FAVS ...haha an what are you try'n ta do get me arrested lol imagin my avatar walk'n around try to get people naked mmwwhhahahaa ...i kid thats a great idea!

[jatherip]

you seem to have pretty much knowledge about anatomy, but you should do some studies on skintone!! it looks kinda strange....too bright, too little contrast just copy some nudes and youll get it in no time!!!
keep rockin!

[NicG]

Nice work! I especially like the last one.