nimzicki's sketchbook - here to learn.

[nimzicki]

Hi CA,

My name is Rich and this will be my first post on CA. A little about me - I live in the UK and finished a degree in Graphic Design last year. After graduating from university I worked at a design agency as a Graphic Designer for 6 months before being redundant due to the recession. When I was younger I used to browse these forums and other digital art forums excessively but for one reason or another (laziness probably) never actually pursued my own interest in digital art.

However, due to my job loss I have been re-introduced to my love of the world of concept art and entertainment design and since I now have a lot of spare time on my hands I have decided to throw myself into art in the hope of getting a job in this industry. I feel that starting this sketchbook will not only help me get critiques from some of the industries best but will also motivate me to keep practicing and posting my progress.

Hopefully being 23 I am not too late in finally deciding to take up my passion for this but hey, if you don't try, you don't get.

If you are still reading, thank you and I welcome all critique and criticism. I have had no formal training in traditional or digital art so I know I have a LOT to learn.

Anyway, ill stop rambling and post my very first forays into digital art. Currently working on laying down values in PS and will also be throwing myself into learning anatomy.

First portrait is my very first digital painting, should've used reference but was just eager to get something onto the screen, the other two were painted on top of a scan from my sketchbook - both sketches had ref used. As I say, these are my first ever digital paintings so any advice at this very early stage would be much appreciated.

[nimzicki]

Another one, ref used, any crits welcome

[nimzicki]

Couple of poor scans from todays sketches...

Loomis heads:



Couple of sketches from ref:

[nimzicki]

Some face sketches from ref, think they all have problems though :s Just got a hold of Bridgemans complete guide to life drawing so will get into that asap

[nimzicki]

This was done from Marta Dahligs tutorial in ImagineFX, she did a colour version but I copped out and went B/W :/



And a self portrait done after watching the Zhang Lu/Jason Manley tutorial...ok, im not a caucasian female but I still learnt something...well hopefully anyway

[{CKL}]

Are you ever going to update this thing or what? Slacker.

[nimzicki]

Haha screw you! Just 'cause you're a rockstar ya think ya can push me around with your guns and what not.

But yeah...I am!

First off is a character thing I was working on before Team Chow started that I never got round to finishing:


Finals from Team Chow, these are my first ever full character designs:



And a sketch that I ballsed up yesterday:


Gonna try and do at least one life study every day and work on anatomy/colour studies too.

[Spaggen]

Nice studies man. I like the faces.

Update more often!

[{CKL}]

Wtf, where are your dailies,slacker?

[nimzicki]

Im doing 'em, im doing 'em, just need to scan the buggers. Vine charcoal self portrait:



Going to do more of these, I messed up the eyes and mouth quite considerably, I think im trying too hard to draw a mouth instead of the forms, lighting and values shaped by the mouth. If that makes any sort of sense anyway...

[{CKL}]

Doris- Whew, you look like one pissed off hombre. Great effort though, this looks much more specific then your last portrait. Watch out on proportions, looks like you're getting a little long on the nasal area. Definitely focus on proportions the most when doing a self-portrait, if you focus to hard on articulation you'll come out with a self portrait that has elements that look like you but not you as a whole. I'd pair this study with a skull and facial muscle study.