Training montage- Updated January 20th 2013

[IvoM]

That stuff from life looks sweet man So does your stuff from life. Take your time for those photo studies too though, but guess it all depends on how much you learn from it

[Irishdrunk]

Hey, I really like the linework in your sketches.

Drill Man looks fucking brilliant! I'd definitely play it.

But some of your poses look stiff. A couple of life studies, and I'm sure your figure's believability will sky-rocket!

[jordyskateboardy]

Cool update man. You get to do reall life anatomy studies O.o? Wuut where XD? THey're cool btw. YOu should work on you drapery though that jacket of the first guy looks pretty fake XD. Ah too much to study yea I know XD.

[Porg]

You're really coming along well Sam. The detail you're getting is better and better.
Those Wes Burt studies looked really nice and that environment you did worked well with the lighting, especially the pillar and the glowing branch / tree.

Don't feel bad by copying other people's images, as long as you're getting out and drawing from life too, no matter how brief.
Keep it going.

[SamC]

Porg: Thanks
jordyskateboardy: I figured it was quite obvious, they were just done in a mirror. And true dat, will work on it, cheers
Irishdrunk: Thanks, working on making poses flow more

Some painting I did tonight, for the speedz

[jordyskateboardy]

Pretty cool sketch man. I like the absurdness in it. Try and play a bit more with dynamic poses. He's kinda sketches. A good way to achieve that is do loads of posemaniacs and I can also recommend the book Force by mike matessi. Really cool book.
And lol so you're posing naked in front of the mirror? great idea lol.

[My57]

I like the last one. It really shows your improving. Hmmm Just keep an eye out on perspective and dont let it get out of hand.

[SamC]

jordyskateboardy: Thanks

My57: Thanks

Digital sketch from mind, 4 hours probably

Study, 2 and half hours i presume

[jordyskateboardy]

Heya man,

About the first piece. i really don't think that overlay texture adds anything to the piece. On the contrary it makes it look way more sloppy and mixes up yours value. Please refrain from using those they kinda mess up your work man. Make sure you use them when they actually add something to the piece a sorta ground dirt texture on a face just doesn't make any sense lol.
About the second piece. It looks pretty sloppy for a 2.5 hour painting. I guess this is mostly due to the brush your using. It now looks like you spent only like 30 mins on it. You can't really render with it. So just use a normal hard round brush and alter the softness so you can actually achieve a pretty smooth look and on top of that use a brush like this to get rid of that digital airbrush look. Now it just looks like a super muddy mess of colors.
Hope that was a bit helpfull. Keep it up.

Cyaa

[SamC]

jordy: Thanks, although I don't think telling me my work looks like it took half an hour to do really falls under constructive criticism..you could easily have told me what was wrong without being 'cruel'

Some pencil face from mind

SP

[jordyskateboardy]

Hell yea dude!! That selfportrait is like really really good. I really like it. That blue light really adds to it. This looks so much better than the previous post. and I really think it's because of the brushes you were using earlier on.
Sorry for the kinda cruel bump the other time but with saying that it looked like you only spent 30 min on it I was trying to make clear that with the brush you were using you can't really get a finished look. Anyways sorry for that. But yea this Update looks really cool. Keep that shit up!

[My57]

that last study with the asian guy is from Character Designs right? I love that site. Btw my deviant art page has a stock pile of references you can use in my favourites. Just in case your having trouble finding some more models and such.

[Miles_]

Cool study Sam, the blue light really adds some dynamics. Keep on pushing yourself with these

[SamC]

jordyskateboardy: No problem, you meant well And cheers
My57: Yep I'll be sure to give it a flick through, cheers
Miles_: Thanks

Wes studies and a self-portrait

[neovirtu]

Compare your first SP with this one^^^

That SP is beautiful, nice lines - quite inspiring±

[My57]

I would have to say for the last one to watch out for the position of the lips. They are a little low under the nose. Other then that I think it looks pretty good, just try to draw the hair in more chunks then stringy lines.

[007-r0b3r7]

great updates!
love the latest digital SP.
keep up those life studies

[Jamie Romoser]

Cool stuff here Sam
keep it up man
-Jamie

[Krato]

ahh you have improved allot since the first page

[SamC]

neovirtu: Thanks
My57: Cheers
007-r0b3r7: Thanks
OmertA: Thanks
Krato: Thanks, you too

Pencil studies











Recent finished piece

a WIP

[Man Made God]

Careful with the guy in the back, there's a lot of form and perspective weirdness happening. First thing I noticed was that the angle of his head doesn't really match up with the first guy's, and his mouth is kind of jutting out too. The whole neck/shoulder/head area isn't making much sense either, maybe try bringing the furthest shoulder down and showing some trapezius on the closest side.

The skin tones look too bright and warm for a night scene too imo. The angle of their guns seems low too, unless they're aiming at something on the ground. Good face on the first guy.

Doing great man, have a good Xmas!

[My57]

I would have to say good job! you have improved a lot. Be warned though your style looks to much likes Miles so try to separate yourself a bit. Not sure how but thats what you need to figure out.

[Andrew Sonea]

Your stuff is improving, especially your pencil lines, but there are still a few things holding you back a little. Your pencil shading does not really describe the form fully. I would suggest thinking in planes more (like the Bridgman studies), punching in some nice dark core shadows, and separating the lights and darks better. Values can be categorized as either being in the light or dark. The darkest value in the light is still lighter than the lightest value in the dark. Currently your shading actually flattens the form (the second apple still-life especially).

When it comes to your digital stuff, you are getting pretty good. There is a good sense of mood and atmosphere. My main crit with them is that you should push it further. The first digital with the girl with glowing hands is not what I would consider finished. You could render it more and clean up parts of it. Right now it looks promising, but could be so much more. The glow of the eyes of the background characters is especially sketchy. The only other thing I have to say on it is that the shadow on her chest is confusing. I assume it is her hand causing it, but her hand is on fire. That part should be bathed in light.

Sorry if I came off as a little critical here, but I think just a few small things could make your current work go from good to great.

[jordyskateboardy]

Hey man. Cool to see an update again.
I like your improvement!
First of all your pencils. The 1st one is the best. You render pretty minimally and what you put down is in the place. Also you got some solid lines. But in the other piecies you kinda overrender (besides the bridgman studies). TO much middle values and you can't really read the forms anymore. Especially in the 3rd pic. Try and find a balance and render a bit less. Less is more ahaa.
Great improvement in your digis! The best iv'e seen from you. Pretty solid rendering and values. I mean you now got some goof foundations for those pieces (besides some anatomy issues) just be sure to clean them up now. In the 1st digi do her straps around her belly a bit cleaner and i think you could forget about the shade because they're supposably pretty thin. Just add some more detail and you're good.

Yea that's about it on the right track man. Love the progression. Ow and yea you are kinda getting a Miles look haha. But can't avoid that whilst being around the Mastah himself haha.

[Nibras]

Hey Sam

I've not been in here for a while, sorry about that.

You've improved so much it's really stunning, super cool stuff. I am actually loving how far your digital paintings are coming, some really nice rendering and skin etc
Your pencil work is also great, value is getting there really quickly too.

Hope I get a chance to catch and chat to you on msn some time soon. Would be cool to get some advice

Keep at it

[Krato]

very neat stuff the jaw on the last fellah is very off nice colors though.

[P]

Great improvement man, really! You are handling digital medium very well, youre good with colors. Keep drawing. Keep that Bridgmans going, and draw as much as you can from life, its the key. On those apple drawings you kinda lost that 3dimensionality, as jordyskateboardy already mentioned, that you overrender the form with middle values. Draw those apples till you get it! You are doing very good job mate, keep it up and you will get there. And have a good holidays

[SamC]

Thanks for the criticisms everybody The jaw on the WIP is meant to be underbit as I was gonna make him a bit of a gorilla man, maybe add some hair at the end over the arms and shit. I was also planning on adding some soft light coming down from above to show better that theres a street light above them.

A still life, scanner raped a bit, most of the darks are too light and look weird

A face from mind on the right and a photo study on the left, really focusing on construction more than rendering

Some pen thumbnails to focus on design a bit

Some shit character so I don't feel stagnant

[Zorcron]

great work , really digging the still life.

i think its time to push your boundries again... perhaps more landscape and wild traditional mediums ? anywhooo

keep up the good work, looking forward to more break that comfort zone !

[Φ]

A still life, scanner raped a bit, most of the darks are too light and look weird

nevertheless you created a very convincing "lightsituation". such value-studies are quite valuable and they´re paying off! keep the good work up!