Middle aged madness: First signs

[Theodora_romania]

push it to the limit!!! Love those studies! and love the way you set up your stuff!

Love this! Draw or die! work and do your best to get yourself out there!

work more with your lines! and yes do some master copies. It helps to understand and asimilate knowledge : )

[Gthm/death]

Hey thanks for stopping by, mate!!! I really like the studies you do. Especially the out door sketches. I'm soooooo not used to doing it. Keep em coming. And thanks again =]

[ThomasM]

Marian come back! I'm sure you've got a good reason to stop posting for now though, so see you soon

[Kristoff]

Awesome figures Marian! *_*
I can really see that you are super busy with your studies! Sooo jealous!

Keep that up dear!

[andres333]

hey Marian i thought you might find this useful ^_^ keep inspiring us

If you haven't been to the site yet, you should totally check it out!

www.ctrlpaint.com

[dlincoln83]

this sketchbook is full of inspiration - i hope you don't mind me taking some of it

[Marian Rowling]

Little-Maiden: Hey Little-M thanks to you to for stopping by. The colour studies are really interesting and I'm having a lot of fun working out what colours to mix.

Satupeikko: Hey Satu thanks so much for your feedback. It's very kind of you and I appreciate your support.

p sage: Hey Sage thanks so much for the info on the halos I shall try to remember that. You know it's great to have your feedback.

surus: Hey surus thanks so much I'm really pleased you like it. I did reply to the PM you sent me so just let me know if I can help.

Gthm/death: Hey Gautham thanks for your feedback and posting twice before I replied to you. Really appreciate your support good buddy

Theodora_romania: Hey Theodora you know I'm a fan! So thanks so much for your enthusiastic encouragement and helpful feedback.

ThomasM: Here I am Tom, sorry I've taken so long. Hopefully when I've posted all I have been doing you will forgive my leave of absence.

Kristoff: Hey Katherina thanks so much for finding the time to call in on me. I really appreciate it especially as I know how busy you are. Means a lot to me.

andres333: Hey andres thanks so much for the link. I do have it on my wish list to buy Matt's video's when I have the funds. It is a great site so it's handy to have a permanent link here.

dlincoln83: Hey Dustin I'm glad you think so and please help yourself. I appreciate your feedback and I like your stuff on your website, especially the little penguin under the umbrella. Very cute.




Sketches Update:

So what have I been doing all this time? Well still drawing and doing studies of cubes and cylinders. Had an opportunity to draw my Mum and then my Sister but I did really bad drawings of them both. In fact the more I drew my Mum the worse the drawings got. We had a good laugh at them in the end especially as I had made her look like a 'bearded lady'! By the way both my Mum and Sister are really happy, smiley people, not at all like the drawings.

I thought maybe I better do some self portraits to improve and as you can see my first run through was also really bad! So I decided I better stick with it and I just kept redrawing and trying to correct the errors I could see. I even resulted to doing a page of studies of my eye to help. Finally today I felt I had gone as far as my current skills could go. The proportions are quite good as is the likeness but I am still making myself too young and flattening out the form. Even so I'm reasonably pleased with how it turned out in the end.

[p sage]

Good work on the SP's Marian, those are hard to do. Make sure and use a mirror where and when you can, because it will be easier for you to perceive the depth you need... photos are taken with a single lens and lack the depth that two eyes give us (even when looking in a mirror).

The structure stuff is great, because it will give you planes, which eventually will give you places to put touches of paint that you were getting ready with a while back.

[ThomasM]

great sps marian - looking very strong, and much much better than your earlier attempts, which shows some substantial improvement! Nothing I can crit really now that I see you're working hard. Portraits from life are sooo hard unless the model sits absolutely still, so its great you're giving that a go (personally I still don't have the hang of it!). Anyway, roll on page 100 of this sb!

[Marian Rowling]

p sage: Thanks Sage, good of you to keep coming by. You'll be pleased to know that I did use only a mirror for those last self portraits. Everything in the last post was all drawn from life. No photos.

ThomasM: Thanks Tom they were very challenging and I'm not a good model at all. I often don't put myself back in the same position which can lead to some funny proportions! I worked out that at my current rate it will take 12.5 years to reach page 100 in this sketchbook, makes me wonder where all our drawing skills will be by then, .hopefully our self portraits will be brilliant.



Colour Studies Update - Project 1

I've been working away over the last month on this first colour study and it's still very much a work in progress. I've found it quite difficult to get the still life, my easel and palette in the same consistent light. I'm having a lot of fun though colour mixing and I'm finding it really interesting. I did some value studies and I've got a book to keep notes of my colours and mixes. It all looks rather crude at the moment but I've already learnt quite a bit.

[Marian Rowling]

Sculpture Study:

So a couple of years ago I had a little go at sculpting a head for a little angel decoration (first photo) I made for my Christmas tree. During last term at life drawing class I was talking with another student about this who is a sculptor and he suggested I should have ago at doing a life size head in clay of myself. Being totally naive, and full of enthusiasm I thought what a great idea, I'll have ago.

Now that little angel head was about an inch tall and made of Sculpey this sculpture is life size and made of clay and already weighs about 12.5kg. I have no previous experience at this and only a book my sculptor friend recommended. Needless to say I am on a very steep learning curve and way in over my head, BUT, I am loving it.

[p sage]

Nice updates. You're really starting to feel the passion for it, I can tell. It's getting exciting around here

[ThomasM]

wow now that is a huge undertaking Marian. Very impressed you're going to tackle that, and judging from the small first modelling venture I'm guessing its going to turn out great. It will definitely help with developing your understanding of form, which can only be a good thing. Looking forward to seeing your progress on this one! Plus.. 12.5 years... thats nothing - hopefully we'll both have finished TAD (but who knows)

[karantina]

fast and huge improvement here! keep them comin

[Philosiflo]

Hey thanks for stopping by the SB.

If you've heard this before tried it and don't like it then you don't have to worry about using it at all. You seem to be going a very academic route and like rendering realism.

Just a quick tip though:
While you are sketching people in public, try grouping the shadow shapes together on the head, and not worry too much about line quality and all that academic stuff about construction and cubes because lets be honest, no one can draw that fast with someone in a coffee shop always moving.

Gesture out something quick and hurpderp just to get something on the paper, then block in some quick shapes of the shadow using one tone. Then go back in with your line. Don't worry about detail at all when doing the shadow shapes.
Detail is the icing on the cake. You have to mix the batter and make the cake before you can put any icing on it though right? I only say that because your sketches of people look a little overworked or forced and struggling to learn, which Im sure you learn more each time you do them.

Just thought that might help with speed cause I know people move a lot. It helps me when I'm gorilla sketching like that.

Anywayz it looks like your having a ton of learning and discover which is a load of fun when you are doing it all by yourself. Sorry don't have time to read all of your posts, just skipped from first to last page between classes but will definitely skim through here once to see some other areas you might want/need suggestions in.

Don't be afraid to throw me some critique either. We are all here to add to the same stream

Cheers

[Philosiflo]

Okay so I just went through your whole sketchbook. It looks like your about to learn and get into painting where you will be learning about the shadow shapes for real! If you transfer that to sketches and not worry about crosshatching so much you will really start seeing the head better and correcting faster sketches.

I also think that using such small media like pencils and pens is hindering your speed and eating up your time for your 40 minute to 3 hour poses figure drawing sessions. I would do a couple of examples but I cant find my freaking wacom stylus right now and I'm freaking out.

I think you will love vine charcoal, not compressed charcoal, not charcoal pencils, but BIG huge chunky messy dirty vine charcoal.



I threw the pencil in there for tiny tiny marks.

• It will force you to loosen up a bit and see the shape of the whole pose faster.
  
• Dont use it next to your paint, and expect to get dirty.
  
• Use a kneaded eraser, a big white plastic eraser and an electric eraser or tuffstuff eraser
  
• use either newsprint, canson drawing paper or other medium quality drawing papers.
  
• Don't use charcoal paper....ever...at least that's my opinion.

Who the hell thought it was a good idea to see all that toothy texture in a charcoal drawing? Its not very versatile and its limiting to what kind of texture you can use, (ie..just one kind..the papers) and people buy it with their charcoal and are all excited only to be disappointed and never go back to it.

Now I only suggest this because I haven't seen any of it if you've tried it this way in your thread. I wish someone made me try smudging around this beautiful stuff a long time ago.

This is a two minute drawing on 18 x 24 newsprint with one of those big ol' chunks of coal up there, after trying 30 second poses the same size for 10 minutes, a 2 minute drawing feels like forever.



You inspired me to make a quick tutorial and put it on my blog tonight.

Cheers

[Marian Rowling]

p sage: Hey sage thanks for the feedback. I was just commenting in Tom's (ThomasM)sketchbook how exciting things are getting with everyone. The more I do and see other achieve the more I want to learn myself. Happy days.

ThomasM: Thanks Tom, this is why I didn't manage to post for a while. I don't have to tell you what a challenge it can be to fit in all our art studies and post progress at times.

karantina: Hey karantina, lovely to hear from you and thanks so much for your encouraging words.

Philosiflo: Wow Carlton thanks so much for your posts and doing the tutorial on your blog. It's brilliant and makes a lot of sense to me. The good news is that we do draw with only charcoal at life class but only thin bits and not on newsprint. I do draw at home on newsprint though so I shall get some chunky charcoal and go for it. Have to say I'm really jazzed at the moment thanks to you.




Life Drawing: Term 7
14.9.11

Had a really good evening this week and I surprised myself how well my drawings came out after such a long summer break. I don't know if it was because I really enjoy drawing our model Barry but I actually felt that the first long pose just flowed. Not something I experience that often. Can't wait for next week to try again.

1. 5 min gestures
2. 45 min pose
3. 40 min pose

[m0uS3r]

very good sketches, this are the way to go if you want to learn pose and gesture very fast, just keep in mind to watch out for the proportions

[p sage]

Nice upgrade, Marian! Those life drawings really are a big improvement. They look better than mine, for sure.

Cheers.

[ThomasM]

Marian can I ask where you get your newsprint from please? I just read that you use it and I've been looking for it for aaages. Ive even bought some charcoal pencils in preparation for finding some!

and that model looks like he was doing some interesting poses for your life drawing session. I always prefer it when the model takes their work seriously and gets into the pose. Are your models strongly lit directionally? At my class I am constantly pushing for this, but unfortunately I don't have much sway there being about 40 years younger than most of the other veterans

[shambok]

I really like your figure studies! You conveys so much info with so few lines ... shows huge confidence. The old man with the shtick is fantastic!!! ... great work!

[purplegoat]

Marian - I go away for a short while then when I come back you are busting ass drawing, painting and sculpting like crazy! All I can say is to try and keep the momentum going. I'm sure you have learned and will learn some much from these studies. Also, keep it fun as possible (in other words don't burn yourself out!).

I answered your question about the oil paints I started off with in my sketchbook thread but will post the same info here:
I started off with a warm/cool palette (w=warm c=cool):
French Ultramarine (w)
Cobalt Blue (c)
Cadmium Yellow (w)
Cadmium Lemon(c)
Cadmium Red (w)
Alizarin crimson (c)

Titanium White

Here are the earth pigments I have:
YELLOW OCHRE
BURNT UMBER
RAW UMBER
BURNT SIENNA
RAW SIENNA

Also:
PAYNES GRAY
Mars black
Flake White

I first got mostly flat hogs bristle brushes:
Flat SZ 3
Flat SZ 2
Flat SZ 4
Flat SZ 4
Flat SZ 6
Flat SZ 8

A few sable brushes, Gamblin Gamsol for thinner, wood pallette, painting knife, cheap canvases (some board, some stretched)

[andres333]

you use such a variety of media *_* that's amazing..I envy you...hehe I do pure digital stuff I like it though hehe. You improve so steadily

[Marian Rowling]

m0uS3r: Hey Marius thanks so much for your feedback and keeping my mind on proportions. Something I still have to work hard at.

p sage: Thanks Sage you know they come in fits and starts so I'll be glad when my skills are more consistent. I really think you are doing well with your life drawing.

ThomasM: Hey Tom might be worth me putting in this link for newsprint for anyone else who is interested and in the UK http://www.homecrafts.co.uk/products...rint_P901A.htm.

With regard to this model he is brilliant and he does great poses and hardly ever moves! Our teacher is also pretty good at directing the models pose it was he who went rummaging round the room and found the cardboard tube for the model to hold. The room just has strip flourescent lights Tom so no strong directional light for creating form shadows. I do find the rendering difficult due to this but I am trying to build my knowledge of how light falls with other studies so I can use this when I can't work out what's in front of me at life class, and by the way my best chum at class is well into her seventies so even I feel young!


shambok: Hey Shamie thanks so much for your very encouraging words. Means a lot to me.

purplegoat: Hey, hey PG so good to hear from you. It wasn't quite my intention to launch into so many new areas at once but sometimes opportunities come round and you just have to grab them and hold on tight. Don't worry I shall make sure I keep it fun and don't overwork myself. Thanks also for the painting supplies info it is a big help.

andres333: Well andres I feel a bit like the little child that is taken to the sweetie shop for the first time, I want to try everything! I've been loving your digital studies so know need to envy me.




Colour Studies - Project 1:

I'm feeling really encouraged by the end result of this first colour study. It's taken me a while to sort out my lighting setup and just to get used to mixing paint and using palette knives, so it's good to have finished project 1. This is what the book refers to as a first statement, which means that you identify and paint the fewest, biggest, and simplest colour spots that represent the subject.

I have to say that my brain kept wanting me to paint the toilet roll white despite what my eyes could see. Here you can see me comparing a colour mix and my original value study in charcoal. Followed by a photo shot in monochrome to check my values and the finished study. I think my chroma is probably to high (too bright) on most of my colour's but I can of course have another go at getting better with my next project as I really did enjoy this.

[Theodora_romania]

hehe : D yep... our brain can ask us a lot xD

So you painted with the knife! nice : ) i usualy use it when i paint with brushes just so i can get some nice texture and so on : )

[Marian Rowling]

Theodora_romania: Hey Theodora the book I'm following says to carry out the colour studies with a knife rather than a brush so you don't get caught up with mark making, and stay solely focused on colour. I felt like a right clumsy clot at first with it but now I'm starting to get the idea. Thanks for popping in.



Sculpture study update:

Well this week I managed to turn myself into a bug eyed monster....haha! I didn't realise my mistake until the end of my session. I had been thinking from the outset of a ball in a cup for the eyeball and socket. What I didn't think was you only see half of that ball protruding from the cup. Something I hope I can correct in my next session. Apart from the eyes I worked all over the face and I think the nose is getting a better likeness. Something I really noticed in this session was the angle of the eye in profile and how the upper eyelid protrudes much farther than the lower eyelid.

I did find the clay somewhat sticky this week and it wasn't quite as easy to work. So I've wrapped it in some wet cloths as well as covering it with the plastic bag at the end of my session. I will also check on it in the week and re-wet the cloths.

These photos are a big help in seeing the errors and I also got my life drawing teacher to shoot some more photos of me with my hair up for reference of my ears and neck. Although I plan on modeling my hair down I need to model all the hidden bits to help me get the bulk right.

[p sage]

Theodora_romania: Hey Theodora the book I'm following says to carry out the colour studies with a knife rather than a brush so you don't get caught up with mark making, and stay solely focused on colour. I felt like a right clumsy clot at first with it but now I'm starting to get the idea. Thanks for popping in.



Sculpture study update:

Well this week I managed to turn myself into a bug eyed monster....haha! I didn't realise my mistake until the end of my session. I had been thinking from the outset of a ball in a cup for the eyeball and socket. What I didn't think was you only see half of that ball protruding from the cup. Something I hope I can correct in my next session. Apart from the eyes I worked all over the face and I think the nose is getting a better likeness. Something I really noticed in this session was the angle of the eye in profile and how the upper eyelid protrudes much farther than the lower eyelid.

I did find the clay somewhat sticky this week and it wasn't quite as easy to work. So I've wrapped it in some wet cloths as well as covering it with the plastic bag at the end of my session. I will also check on it in the week and re-wet the cloths.

These photos are a big help in seeing the errors and I also got my life drawing teacher to shoot some more photos of me with my hair up for reference of my ears and neck. Although I plan on modeling my hair down I need to model all the hidden bits to help me get the bulk right.

Marian,

If you're attempting to do a good human likeness, have a look a the tooth cylinder a bit. I'm thinking that either the cheekbone is too far toward the front of the face, or the top teeth are completely missing. There's not much form under the nose.



Notice how the line of the mandible--the septim (under the nose) goes beyond the "keystone" of the nose. It's about halfway down the bridge of the nose.

If you get that sorted, I think you'll be happier with the appearance... and the eyes won't even bother you that much

[Theodora_romania]

looks interesting. we have an artist called Constantin Brâncuși : o a very interesting artist. you should check him up. you kinda remind me of him : )

[Wassim]

nice sketchbook , your studies are looking good , i like the value studies and gestures , keep the good work

wassim

[ThomasM]

wow incredible study there marian - I know what you mean about wanting to paint something the colour that you imagine it rather than as you see it. Its just how your brain is wired, which I always find incredible. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the next step on this sculpture, it really is very ambitious and shows how seriously you are taking your desire to learn. A lot of respect for you for that.