Jay's Sketchbook *4-01-2012 **Free Sketchup Download on last page**

[Mischeviouslittleelf]

Holy hell that was an amazing self caricature! Really good depth to the eyes and the skin tones are amazing! The landscapes are, even if rough, really nice, liking them a lot. Only one crit for you: DO MORE MORE MORE!

-E

[tomjones]

Great work on the self portrait - lovely subtle tones! Great to see the workflow of it as well - I actually really like the version with pencil lines still showing through.

I know what you mean about Painter being a pain for detailing as well. I never seem to have enough resolution for detailing with wet oils.....!

[Jason Ross]

Collywobbles - Thank you. Alchemy helps me get shapes that I definitely would've have come up with on my own.

Grandmassa Mr. Spect - Thank you!

Bingo - Thank you!

Mischeviouslittleelf - Thank you!

tomjones - Thank you tomjones. I find that more people here like the rough stuff that I do more than the finished stuff. I watch other artists like Android finish work in Painter...I just can't do it.

Iddi - Thank you Iddi. In a lot of situations the background color is actually the secondary lightsource.

DeeLock - Yes I agree with you. It's older work and everytime I attempt to rework it now I always stop myself and just move on. Besides the armor is old as well .

berf - Thank you. My wife said that he looks like Larry David...I might just do that.

Icedearth15876 - Thank you!

Edward Cherniga - Thank you!

I tried to paint some reflective armor from my imagination and failed miserably. So decided to just paint some real armor. Here is a study from a photograph. Mostly Painter but I like the burn and dodge tool of Photoshop.

[Jaytea]

aaah wow! Fantastic job on the armor shading, even if it was from reference. The glow and rendering is very convincing. :]

[Kagemusha22]

Some really intelligent use of colour, especially evident in the way you give reflection to the knight's armour. Along with how you've painted the face, which is really smoothly done in terms of texture and form. (I've gotta start learning how to use digital media)

[Jason Ross]

Shalite Thank you. Hopefully I'll be able to commit most of the information to memory soon.

kagemusha22 Thank you. You should. Digital media is fun. For a while I wouldn't touch it...my ignorant pride and all wouldn't allow it. "Real artists don't...blah blah blah".

Small update. Here's a zombie sketch turned into a practice painting...Man I love the artist's oils in Painter. I'm rereading "Digital Character Design and Painting Vol 1" by Don Seegmiller and I realize how different the information is 4 years later. There's a lot in there that I missed. Didn't realize that I can predefine a pattern in a blank square then paint in it and watch the paint jump from the edges up into the opposite edge for a seamless pattern. Also addin some scenery practice that I didn't really like and spent too much time on...based on reference.

[kikindaface]

Yeah dude, great studies ! Do more studies from life ! more more more more more more more more !

[lexxx]

your self-caricature is awesome!!

[AustenFM]

Really nice sketcbook so far, your enviro's and characters really have a great sense of space and weight.
I would love to see some more pencils from you though, just for an extra peek into your brain.

Keep at it!

[Jamie Romoser]

Some wicked stuff in here. Really diggin the edges, and angles of your brushstrokes,its really building up those forms.
ill sure be staying tuned for your sketchbook. -Omerta

[mike butkus]

Good job! That's a very good caricature study.

[dU5K]

awesome work dude! i really like the self portrait and caricature. the sky blue works really well with the skin color. The knight was off the hook too. I like how he looks kinda defeated even though his armor is in perfect condition. Mentally defeated maybe? Anyways. Keep up the good work and keep posting ferr sure.

[kelly x]

Jason Ross!!! Your boss!!!! And pretty darn funny too, oh yeah the talent is very good too!!

[Qadi]

hey, thanks for answering my question about greyscale.

[iwaswrong]

I used to be addicted to World of Warcraft. Met some good people during my 4 year addiction. This is for one of those good guys...banner for a video he plans on making. The character was done in Painter and Photoshop. The text was done in Illustrator then Photoshop.

the only thing i find off about this one is the sword. am i the only one? it looks like it should be pointing further back into space rather than looking like it has somehow broken behind his head and is coming a little bit more towards us.

hope that wasn't confusing D:


YOU ARE AWESOME OVERALL, though! amazingly

[sluggert]

nice stuff
styled yet realistic

[Enydimon]

Wicked stuff. Definitely subscribing.

[Jason Ross]

Walid D - Thank you!

lexxx - Thank you! Me and my long head...

AustenFM - Thank you and you got it. What's a sketchbook thread without some sketches.

OmertA - Thank you and I will try to stay motivated to keep it up.

mike butkus -Thank you!

dU5K - Thank you and I wish I could take credit for the aesthetic response you got from the knight painting...I just painted what was already there.

kelly x - Thank you Kelly X! Must be my "cheer me up" antics. I love laughing and making others laugh with me.

Qadi - No problem. Thanks for viewing.

iwaswrong - youareright. The sword's perspective does not match the hilts perspective. Just too lazy to fix it.

sluggert - Thank you!

Enydimon - Thank you!

[Samantha]

nice work men !!

[Jeff Lai]

yus that cariciture is great!
very nice lighting and colour.
I agree with Shalite about that armour,
has a nice glow to it.

[RokasButkys]

WOw i like your work
Caricature looks great !

[scorge]

Ahhh, another Painter pusher. Nice to see what you can do man. Self portraits look great. Armor looks nice and loose. Tough to do. Cheers!

[Xo.]

I love your carricature i had to smile =)

and your selfpotrait is really amazing with the background spots and drops !

Keep it up will follow your progress!

[seetsy]

really cool stuff i here man, i really like that knight painting a few posts back nice brush work

[Kan Muftić]

lovely updates, buddy.

[Jason Ross]

Samantha - Thank you!

Jeff Lai - Thank you! I'm diggin your work as well.

DoctorPencil - Thank you!

scorge - I love painter. It keeps me more "honest" than photoshop does.

Xo. Thank you! It's really just a captured "dab" with the impasto effect turned on. But I really like how 3d the paint looks.

seetsy - Thank you!

Chupacabra Thanks a lot Chupacabra! I visit your SB frequently.

Here's a few more pencil sketches. I don't really like to emphasize that "no references" were used but some people seem to really want to know the "when" or "how" in regards to references. Some of these I may turn into paintings at some time. The RL sketchbook is 9 x 12. I use mainly an "f" pencil, 4h, 2b, and 6b.

[DSGodwin]

Great color work. The caricature is solid. Im really digging how you treated the beard line on it.

[Jason Ross]

DSGodwin - Thank you DSGodwin. My beardline never goes away... I got more of a 10 o'clock shadow.

Here's a Painter painting that was a nice learning experience. I re-read some of Don Seegmillers book "Advanced Painter Techniques" and it really has some to notch information. This is a tradition drawing scanned in and painted in Painter. You can see how small it is by my hands. I didn't have any real reference for anything except for some pictures of King Henry 8th armor at a museum. The armor needs some more work...work that I don't feel like doing yet. This is supposed to be Lancelot waiting at the bridge but I got bridge lazy as well...maybe later .

At first I thought his head was very small, but after looking at your preparatory drawings I realized that the armor was probably that big back then. Maybe the hair could flow more naturally? More of a "down-curving-up" rather than a straight horizontal, eh? It looks a bit stiff right now.

I agree with you. The head was about 15% too small and the hair was way too stiff. So here is the updated version.

[YihyoungLi]

Great stuff! Your self-portraits on the first page are great--colors are very delicious. And the dude in the third pic, post #48, is pretty awesome looking.

On Lancelot, the reflections are top notch: very convincing. At first I thought his head was very small, but after looking at your preparatory drawings I realized that the armor was probably that big back then. Maybe the hair could flow more naturally? More of a "down-curving-up" rather than a straight horizontal, eh? It looks a bit stiff right now.

Keep up the wonderful work!

[Jamie Romoser]

Whats up Jason
You have some awsome pencil work sir
Your updates sick looks like a fun way to build armor designs.
Keep it up man!
till next time -Omerta