Struggling to become an Artist! at 19 XD

[adammelo]

This is my journey to become an artist, without any formal training, from scratch! My name is Adam, and i'm 18 years old.

Well, if joined CA i think a year to a year and a half ago and started a sketchbook that fell fastly into obscurity partyl because i lost intrest in artwork, namely because i went to ca for inspiration but i never really recieved much in terms of comments or assistance, however i'm back with a more positive outlook!

I've recently been doing timed sketches and attempting to practice anatomy (so no need to inform me of it hehe XD)

Ive done non digital artwork with acrylic/canti/ and charcoal mediums for around 2 years and ive been doodling all my life, I've had a long long history of photoshop use, however that was attested to making signatures for forums which isnt really fine arts imo, and after having boughten a tablet and seeing all the amazing talent you guys have it inspired me to try, against all odds, to improve my art in an attempt to become a better, legitamite artist. Heres some of my work so far:

Change pictures to attract a crowd! 09/09/09

So, this is going to be a long and extensive journey, and i'm going to need some help along the way, for my artistic performance isnt all that great atm, so any comments, words of advices, inspiration, anything, please post it

I'll attempt to update everyday either with sketches, project updates, or information.

[SMILEFACE]

This Last One Is Looking Great' Cool Concept Now Let's See More!
An Thanks For The Post In Our Team Book It Was A Dead On Idea Thanks

[vardoburrito]

If you're not learning value along side your other studies, please do.
Otherwise these are good starts. At least you're doing hand studies.
[ I can't will myself to figure it out ]

The crit piece could probably use more progress to be commented on.
It's what is in your head at that time that you have to jot down quickly.
Otherwise you lose it. (For me at least)

[adammelo]

This Last One Is Looking Great' Cool Concept Now Let's See More!
An Thanks For The Post In Our Team Book It Was A Dead On Idea Thanks

I'll post what ive got so far for the digital piece based on the sketch, havent worked on it today namely because i needed to sketch. Thanks for the comments.

If you're not learning value along side your other studies, please do.
Otherwise these are good starts. At least you're doing hand studies.
[ I can't will myself to figure it out ]

The crit piece could probably use more progress to be commented on.
It's what is in your head at that time that you have to jot down quickly.
Otherwise you lose it. (For me at least)

Any links for good value studies? And i didnt mean the sketch of the crit piece, i actually have it like 30 percent finished digitally, i just didnt post it here. Thanks for the bump and comments


Did some more sketching today from observation of a compilation of pictures of samurai that i found on Mr Spect's chow team sketchbook:

[Huey Yeng]

Everyone start from somewhere. Your samurai sketch got a nice composition there.

I suggest getting proportion correct when you do any drawing as a well proportionate object is important in ensuring everything looks right.

Keep it up and wish you all the best!

[adammelo]

Everyone start from somewhere. Your samurai sketch got a nice composition there.

I suggest getting proportion correct when you do any drawing as a well proportionate object is important in ensuring everything looks right.

Keep it up and wish you all the best!

Thanks hueyyeng, the composition of the sketches was purely on accident i wanted to save space on the paper, but once i finished sketching i liked the comp and just uploaded it as such lol.

I'll try to work more on proportions

[adammelo]

Well after a long weekend at the wifes house i'm back with a couple sketches a day, might start some timed speed paintings of environments and thumbnail speedies etc.

These studies are from loomis, (popularly refered to around here) and i did a sketch of his character pointing at the sketches that i had done from his book, plus a sketch up of Atlas, just a sketch i figured i might use sometime on a speedy or something.



I'll post up how my first original digital piece is coming later on tonight, ive got most of the reallly rough work done so i could show everyone how it looks and get some feedback.

EDIT:

Decided i'd just post it now and show you all, mind you the marching men bellow are basically just silloettes of themselves right now but,....

Cough....,

Heres my first really developed digital work so far....

[Puppet.]

Hey Adammelo, thx for the comment, this last work you're working on looks realy intresting, you can realy tell what is happening and what the situation is, for the painting part try to hide the line-art layer, this is usefull in the beginning of the painting but once your a bit further you should hide it, in the beginning it may not look that good but it's giving you a better look on how to put more contrast in your work and by working the lines away your work will comme out more realistic

keep it up!

[loadedpencil]

nice man
youve got a nice grasp of alot of stuff
especially in the color one.

keep up your long frustrating trip

[vardoburrito]

Any links for good value studies?

I'm just working off of black and white photographs at the moment.
And doing some apples, books, still lifes pretty much.
Training my eye lids to do the 'Squinting' technique.
(Simplifying what your eyes sees into manageable blocks for canvas)
My eye lids can't keep still though. It's terrible, plus, I like taking
naps, so I fear I might knock over while trying to squint.

Squinting technique, I couldn't find much on Google, but basically
it's closing your eyes enough to have your lashes cover your sight
enough to simplify values/colours/detail.

[SMILEFACE]

Im Really Like'n The Soldiers You Add'd

[Bornlivedie]

Your figures are quite believable, the anatomy practice shows! The samurai' are my favorite.

[adammelo]

Hey Adammelo, thx for the comment, this last work you're working on looks realy intresting, you can realy tell what is happening and what the situation is, for the painting part try to hide the line-art layer, this is usefull in the beginning of the painting but once your a bit further you should hide it, in the beginning it may not look that good but it's giving you a better look on how to put more contrast in your work and by working the lines away your work will comme out more realistic

keep it up!

Thanks for the comments and support puppet, i did intend to remove the sketch layer, i only posted it visible because for the man in the back and the rest of the scout its just solid colors, and i figured id make it more interesting to view for the time being lol


Bornlivedie - Thanks for the support, glad to see my practicing is paying off

Grandmassa Mr. Spect - Thanks for teh continued support on my jouney

dwardo - I'll try teh squint technique! lol

loadedpencil - Thanks for the support, glad youll be there too see me threw the long and winding road


I'll update in the morning with more sketchwork, and possibly some speedthumnails and environment attempts XD

[adammelo]

We'll i lied,...

No sketches today, However ! Got to do my first three speed paintings today


All of them were done within 15-20 Each, need alot of work on my speedies.





I'll be home all day tommorrow so hopefully i'll get some pencil sketches done, and work more on my wip scout.

[JaymeNYC]

nice sketchbook you have here really like the last image in post #7!

[adammelo]

Thanks lol, everyone seems too

[xobgob]

Great job adammelo. Not much i can say from experience i am lazy good for noting wannabe. Just don't stop drawing. Push push push no matter the cost.

[adammelo]

Heres a 20-30 minute sketch:



And an acrylic painting i did, ive posted it here before but nobody ever said anything about it

[adammelo]

Well the weekend is apon us and as such i will venture away from my makeshift studio so there wont be an update until sunday night, however i hope its a big one, for now heres a human proportional study i sketched from someone on CA:



Comment up ( ) my page for motivation, id be amazed if it was still on the first page come sunday night lol!

[Pic]

This is a nice little tut i was shown recently, thought I would share it with you.

http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm

[Suncut]

Nice effort you got going. I suggest you try doing your speedies with a hard edged 100% opacity brush, and only soften some spots in the end if they need it instead of starting too soft and needing to go over everything again to make it look any kind of finished. Also try working a bigger brush and only use a smaller one when you really need to add detail somewhere, not just to scribble over something.

[Karein]

Great start to your sketchbook here I would just really suggest all the things that have already been suggested lol. Keep it up though, You'll see the results soon enough

[adammelo]

Well, it's been a while since the last time i posted, namely discouraged and looking for a job and my license but that wasn't doing to well, i kept up my art work and will have more to post other than this however, these are both character sketches and a finished project sketch for an acrylic painting with the same character.

His legs are supost to be small, and his arms large, its the kind of features that apply to his race.

More updates very soon, been tryna finish my book.

[Lapada]

Crit eh? well what i can tell you for sure is DRAW FORM LIFE -- when you start makeing thing sup to much things go wrong. It looks like oyu ahve a pretty good start right now -- about where i was when i was a while back XD

but at this point you gotta just Practice -- Draw somethign every day and push your self to draw more complex things -- good start though , keep it up

[adammelo]

Lapada - thanks for the support man! Will comment back.


Well, again it's been a while and i haven't received too many comments likely because its been a while and i haven't been "criting" others lately, hopefully i can avenge that though

All i have for you guys today are some quick sketches on pen, followed by more pencil sketches of character concept art for two novels I'm working on covers for, a sketch of my favorite cat "lucky" and a piece of pencil work that i hope to finish...


Start of with the pen work..:



Character Concepts for my friends novel, i knew the character would look dumb and sketched this as a point to show him just how strange he would look:



This character concept is one for another novel i'm working on and i just needed to get a familiarization for the character before actually starting work on the piece sketch and then begin painting it..:



Cat sketch on moleskin:



First piece of nearly finished pencil work.:



I hope to receive some much needed criticism on these bad boys thanks

[Sanjo]

Hey! Thanks for your comment in my sketchbook

You've got some nice sketches here, I like those from may 8th alot! That acrylic painting is a bit small but looks good, as far as I can see

The proportions on some of your figures seem a bit off, you might want to work on that

Besides that, cool work, keep it up dude!

[adammelo]

Sanjo - Thanks a lot man, I'll try to incorporate proportions more adequately in the future. Any references?


Here's a quicky of an acrylic painting i did of myself and my girlfriend for her birthday, it was done in roughly 4-7 hours can't remember:





More crits are always welcome.

[JailBird]

Hey man I appreciate the comment. All I can throw your way for right now is keep up the Loomis baby! Something I realized is when you are doing those studies, make sure you aren't just copying his work, but taking those concepts and playing around with them to make sure you really have the process memorized. Otherwise you wont progress as fast, ya?

Keep up the discipline!

[adammelo]

Hey man I appreciate the comment. All I can throw your way for right now is keep up the Loomis baby! Something I realized is when you are doing those studies, make sure you aren't just copying his work, but taking those concepts and playing around with them to make sure you really have the process memorized. Otherwise you wont progress as fast, ya?

Keep up the discipline!

Yea, you've got a point, i need to buy some books on sketching too as desktop pc's arent the most portable things "free online loomis studies" lol. More crits would be loved, i always crit back

[Demodeus]

Hi adam, thank you for commenting my sketchbook ;D
I seems we have a lot in common, beeing both 18 years old and art noobs, trying to become better.
My guess would be, you should do some serious portrait and figure studies - from life and from good books (like loomis 8])
Some stuff allready looks quite good.. so post MOAR and do MOAR and one day it will look great!