Some Improvement and A lot of Procrastination. (BIG Update Jan. 13!!)

[Saraiva]

kyurai - I completely agree with you! The foreground is crap, the thing is I started from the back and then when I was half way through the picture I was bored and inpatient. So shameful =(

So that I don't post without a drawing, here is some anatomy. I will be posting more later tonight but this is what I have until now. I was looking around my house and there was this big thick book with bunch of sketches from Da Vinci. I'm using some of his sketches as ref. The full model is from Hogarth.

[Kidda]

Hi, Thanks for your comment on my sketchbook. Your studies are improving. Keep at it. Your line seems to be getting better. Try drawing your lines with one single fluid line, rather than sketchy lines (if you know what I mean). It's hard to start with, but it will pay off later. Much like your mask studies, they have good line. It's different for everyone, but I find fluid lines give alot of energy and dynamics. I also like your Eagle portrait. Keep up with bridgman.

[Raúl.Arbeloa]

Hi Alternative, sorry for the delay but I like to write as properly as I can in English, and I need to find enough time to express myself as correctly as I can !
You are getting very good advice here in your sketchbook, if I were you I would make the most of it! .
One thing that specially capture my attention is that your line tends to be too hard, I think you're actually pushing too much and wearing out the paper. The softer is the pencil you are using more relaxed has to be your hand. This way if you have to correct or erase something you will still having a cleaner look on you piece and that helps to work comfortably.

Talking about the line:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhF4fBetN4Y

I know this video is on the Tutorials Forum but I couldn't find it there. Have a look at it!.

I hope this will be helpful

Congratulations dude, you are improving, keep it up!.

[SaintLConcept]

HEY! u're still posting and better keep it up!!^^

[danlambert]

Sketching/studying Da Vinci will be an incredibly worthwhile experience. He is THE man.
Keep up the good work man, looking forward to some more Leonardo inspired stuff.
Peace

[clockworksnail]

Hey,
16 year old alberto from Brazil!
im 16 year old kurt from England,
youve got a reli good Sketchbook here, not only because of how the figures look, but because there is a definate improvment throughout the whole book.
i cant really crit you to be honest, you seem far better then i am, but maybe i can catch you up in skill one day

il be back to see more!!!

[Aberzheim]

Hey, sorry for not commenting for a while... Ive been on-off the forums, but now will be on a regular basis

Anyways, I can see a lot of good progress coming along in your studies- just keep it up, like all skills it takes time before all the studies have an effect
that said, there are certain things that you can do to improve faster- try working in tones, not only in linework, and i see one of your earlier contour line work (the second tree drawing?) really good handling of pencil pressure, use that style in your studies!

And drawing from life as well, really helps to put your knowledge and skills to the test- this also applies if you're thinking of painting- try a couple of colour studies, then some object observation studies and landscape from life- you'll see good development that way

Keep up the practice, and remember- take time to enjoy drawing and painting occasionally, thats one of the things about art =)

[Saraiva]

Hey guys, I havent posted in a whileee. I am in this AP Art class and a bunch of harder classes now in my school and that has kept me pretty busy. Firstly, I want to thank everyone that has posted in this thread I am going to post things much more regurarly, I have a breakkk coming up soon. Here are just a few stuff I got my hands on to scan. I am taking my camera to school tomorrow or so and taking pictures of some of my current work. I hope I can get better criticism then my art teacher.. All she says is "Great studies" or "Omg, you drew the hands too small!!"

So yeah, lets see this as a new rebirth of this sketchbook. Thanks in advance

For those who are wondering.. The first study is a piece of cloth. Blah. I have been working a lot with water color, I have a bunch of new stuff to post laterrr..

[Saraiva]

Trying to get into a sketch a day routine. Hopefully I will be able to keep it up! I shouldve done more today, but I am lazy D:

[Danny_K]

I see effort and I see improvement way to go! keep drawing drawing drawing.

[A.Fedotov]

Excellent work, a person playing the tune, very much. More practice, and succeed!
"Sorry for my English."

[SaintAsh]

Thanks for stopping by my sketchbook.

I like the cloth study in post #38. One suggestion: when painting in watercolor, I'd avoid using black to paint shadows or outlines. Black is a very dead color, and it's much better to mix your own blacks and greys with the colors you're already using. For example, the blue and crimson mixed together will result in a deeper purple that can be used for shadows in the cloth.

[NealTse]

Hello Alt,

Thank you for commenting on my sketchbook. Seems like you're doing a lot of drawings from books so your anatomy structure is getting better bit by bit.

A few things I notice though, you're not paying as much attention to gesture and the skeleton of your figures. They seem a bit out of proportion and not as fluid, the structure and expression are off. it's even more apparent when you go back to your own drawings that aren't observed out of a book. More life drawing of people (not from books!) will help fix that a lot, I'm not sure if you're in school, but look around for workshops and day classes if they have figure drawing models available.

Also you go in really really heavy with your pencil, lighten up your touch before you commit to a well laid out figure/composition. I like your landscape on the first page but I can see indentations on the paper from a previous page's drawing. You should never be pressing that hard.

Experiment with different ways to hold the pencil that help you change the pressure you use, holding it like a drum stick and drawing more from the side of the pencil tip then pressing down into the paper will help you create more controlled planes and shadows. If you look at Leonardo's drawings attached here, he doesn't just use his drawing tool to create rough indications of muscle indentations, he uses his lines as sculptural planes adding depth and roundness to his muscle shapes. his lines are carefully laid down to all flow in one direction and curve around each shape. Here's another good example: http://lh3.ggpht.com/FAMSF1/SIZcYf9_...ci%20Angel.jpg

I like to see that you're putting in the work, and it's making you a better artist. If you take the fluidity and expression that you use in those beautiful water colours you've done into your pencil drawings you'll notice a whole range of expression available to you

Happy drawing!

[danlambert]

Good to see you posting again, those watercolours are great. I think people have said before but right now I think drawing as much from life as possible is your best bet. Find life drawing classes, do more still lives, self portraits, sit in town and sketch people, building, objects everything. As much from life as you can! Go go go haha

Peace
Dan

[Saraiva]

Hello hello. Most of the stuff I did was rubbish, these are the only decent ones.

danlambert: Hello mate. Nice hearing from you again I will do so! Thanks for the comment.

NealTse: Hi there. Thank you so much for your post. It really helped me out, I never though about it like that. I am starting to do skeleton studies from real photos (I dont have a model just yet. I am trying to get some family members to pose for me for now.) I will pay attention to these things, thanks a lot. Really helpful post! =)

SaintAsh: Thank you a lot =) I am going to do some more watercolors tonight! Hopefully I will see some improvements. I have some old watercolors to post still, I will have them up asap.

A.Fedotov: Thank you sir! Good luck to you!

Danny_K: Thank youu.


I am starting to do an oil painting, this is just me playing with colors. As for the painting, I just layed in the background and did a sketch, so it wont be up for some time. here are some drawings, i am drawing a lot now that I am in vacations The last one is a wip, but i dont think i am going to finish it. I also did some digi painting, but I would like to keep that to myself for its suckiness haha.

[Saraiva]

Guys, I am off to a little 4 day vacation to Argentina. I will be back soon with a lot of new stuff to post!! (I hope at least.. haha)

[Saraiva]

Hello =)

I did not have any time to draw in Argentina (other than some hands with a random pen) so there is not much to post. Many of the stuff I did was neglected because they were pretty terrible. I am also doing some arm studies, but I want to post it all together.

The rendering of the chinese guy took me forever. I did it in two sittings, so that is why the legs look a bit different and more low quality then the uper body.

I also had my brother pose for me while he played video games in his boxers. It was pretty awkward.

Not very happy with the african dude.

Anywaysss... back to drawing.

Merry Christmas!


EDIT: Darn... I lost my Wacom's pen!

[Corvus monedula]

And here's a visit in return.

You've got some lovely studies here, I like em.
Reminds me I should do some more studies myself.
I'm a first-years art student atm and they make
us draw from observation. Figures are hard, but they say
that once you master the human figure you can draw all
Keep up the drawing from life.

Would love to see that oil-painting.
The paint study looks good to me.

[Zilhir]

The first study is a piece of cloth. Blah. I have been working a lot with water color, I have a bunch of new stuff to post laterrr..

hey! very good. but,don't use the black for colored stuff. try different colors.
maybe you can use the ultramarine blue for shadows. i think that is more effective
keep it up

[kyurai]

lovely study of that old woman/man !!!

[Alew]

Very good evolution here!
I particulary love your hands studies.

Continue your 60 sec poses
It is a great exercice.

Keep working!

[phoenicorn]

you are doing great like everyone says. Keep up the hard work

[Sir Cam]

Hi there, thanks for stopping by my sketchbook.

If you want to improve, I think the best thing you could do for yourself is pick up a good book on constructive figure drawing. Vilppu Drawing Manual by Glenn Vilppu or The It Book by Sheldon Borenstein are great places to start. Some other great books (though perhaps a bit less beginner friendly) are Figure Drawing: Design and Invention by Michael Hampton and Force by Michael D. Mattesi.

What I'd like to really emphasize is that, without a solid understanding of the fundamentals, you will not improve. The only way to fully understand them is to study them. Sheldon Borenstein has some free videos on youtube that helped me out a lot when I was just beginning to learn, maybe they can help you out too: http://www.youtube.com/user/sheldonsartacademy

Good luck with your work.

[SaintLConcept]

Hey!! Merry X'MAS !!
how r u doing? btw thx for stoppin by ^^ havent heard of u for long time i'm so sorry to ,since my last visit here XD, ur drawings are improving, better and better, keep ur studies from life , ow and u should try drawing the same pose over and over again trust me it helps XD, keep it up ! i'll make sure i'll check ur sb again lol

[Saraiva]

Hello boys and girls, I am back =] I was traveling for new years and right when I got back I had to work. i havent done much..

Well anyways. I feel like a douche bag for not answering all the comments, its late but I will definitely answer in the morning tomorrow!

I started a new book, Figure Drawing: Design and Invention by Michael Hampton, as suggested by Sir Cam. Its great! Thanks for the suggestion. Gesture drawing is so hard. Anyone have any tips?

I also began to digi-paint. Finally. After having a tablet for like 2 years rotting on the side of my pc, i picked it up and started. I am just fooling around for now, I will start real studies soon!









WIP


Just fooling around with an old sketch

WIPPPP

[ZhouPeng]

i've checked your sketchbook and those stuffs you've done~ you are very hard-working and you are getting better and better~ i accept your point that painting is just for hobby and fun, enjoying it, that will be the way of happy life~
if you want to improve you skills, perharps you could focus on one thing and practice it for some days , then change another point~ just step by step~
hope you get more fun in it~
cheers~
btw, i love brzil football team~

[Saraiva]

Hello gentlemen. I just wanted to drop by to post a reply to all your wonderful comments!

Corvus monedula: Thanks for the comment! The oil paint should be done soon, I haven't been really working on it, but its for school so I need to finish within the next few days hah.

Zilhir: Thanks! I will definitely try that later! I was going for a different funky style, but I guess i didnt succeed.

kyurai: Thank you very much! Its a woman =)

phoenicorn: Thank you!

Sir Cam: I just wanted to thank you so much for your comment. It has helped me immensely. You are right, without the fundamentals I can go only so far. I bought the Hampton book, and its an amazing resource. I am studying it like a bible. Haha. But the gesture drawing part is very complicated i think. Anyways, thanks a lot!

Art4All: You know, after your post, I was thinking about that. I was thinking about drawing my anatomy studies over and over until I can do it perfectly from memory. Is that a good idea? Because I know repetition is a great way to memorize. Thanks a lot for your comment. It was short and helpful =)

ZhouPeng: Hello sir. thank you very much for your comment, I have this attention span problem that makes me wont to do a million things at the same time.. haha. I will definitely try to focus on one subject at a time. Thank you for the comment.


I shall edit this post later with some drawings so its not a post without drawinggsss.

[_ttot]

Hey, Alternative! Thank you for your posting at my sketchbook. Well... I'm answering, a little bit later, tho.

What can I say? Judging by your creations, you and everybody of us need learn a lot, the most important is a wish. And judging by considerable quantity of your works, you have real wish, and as I've already said, it is the most important. Draw, drow more and one more time draw!

[Saraiva]

ttot Thank you for the kind words! Really appreciate it.



I know I havent posted in a long time, I have been real busy with school and procrastination just hits me when I look at my sketchbook and then look at my scanner. Haha.

I scanned just a few things I have been working on. I joined this drawing group every monday, so at least 3 hours a week I will be forced to draw haha. The teacher there is great too, he has taught me a lot in only 2-3 sessions!


ttot Thank you for the kind words! Really appreciate it.

Anyway. Here are a few of my stuff. (sorry its not an attachment..)

Few quick ketches from the drawing group.





Some anatomy. Need to spend more time heree!

Fun while watching Dexter..

Trying to understand some basic guns for my next drawing.



Ball point fun!

Other fun

[Saraiva]

Three more quickies!