Liz's Sketchbook (Updated 9/18/11)

[emclelland]

Hey everyone!
I'm pretty new to CA (been lurking for a few weeks), and decided it was about time to start up a sketchbook on here.
A little bit about me:
My name is Liz. I'm a 22 year old VFX artist based in Los Angeles. I work on both the practical and digital sides of things, which is a lot of fun. I've also been doing a bit of commissioned artwork between jobs.

I decided to start up a sketchbook here because I know that I still have a lot of improving to do, and you guys all seem really nice (and knowledgeable :p).
At this point, my skills seem to be kind of split- there are things I do better digitally and others I do better with traditional media. I'm hoping to balance this out.

I had the opportunity to do some matte paintings for a film this past spring, and I'm really hoping to be able to move my career in that direction once I get a bit more experience. With this in mind, I'm really hoping to improve my ability to paint more realistically "from my head" (I'm not aiming to scrap references altogether, but I would like to lean less heavily on them).

My true love is fantasy art, but I haven't done much over the last five years or so as I have been focused on developing my core art skills. Now that I'm out of school, however, I've been having a lot of fun delving back into the genre.

Now that I've bored you all to death with a novel of an introduction, on to the art.

EDIT: Art moved to second post.

I'm really looking forward to getting to know everyone here

[emclelland]

Here's the final sketch for a portion of the oil painting I am currently working on. I'll try to take a picture of the painting this weekend when I'm actually home during daylight :p
The painting itself is a re-envisioning of a painting of the angel of death that I did in high school (seven years or so ago).
I've never really successfully drawn a child before, so any criticism on the proportions, etc, are most welcome.

I've moved the art from the first post to this one to allow for more recent stuff to be posted there.

[jeremygordon89]

You're off to a good start here, just be sure to keep it going. Here's my two cents:

Since your most recent figure studies are from 2007, I would suggest doing a lot more of those. Also studying anatomy would be a good idea to go along with that. I would recommend doing Bridgman studies, and try putting more depth / volume into your paintings.

That lamp study looks really good, though I think that you should focus more on drawing than painting for now.

That's just my bit of advice, hope it helped : ]

[MephistoLV]

Welcome aboard!

Looking at the two charcoal figure drawings, I think the first thing you need to concentrate on when drawing from life is your proportions. Remember, you can't successfully render details if the overall structure is not believable first. Triangulate key points on the anatomy with each other as you begin the drawing until everything relates to everything else correctly, and then you can begin developing the forms by working the value structure.

Keep at it!

[emclelland]

Thank you guys so much for the replies, I really appreciate it
I've been doing some Bridgman studies this morning at work (which I've attached), and I'll keep doing more figure stuff over the course of the day.
I also attached a sketch I did the other day that started as a figure study, then morphed itself into something else :p
I'll hopefully be posting a few more times over the course of the day today as I work.

[jeremygordon89]

Those studies look good, glad to see that you're keeping up with this daily. Now for my two extra cents:

Practice using more continuous line and varying the value of your line (the line weight) A good exercise would be just drawing a random line and varying the pressure you apply. Also practice making a gradient value scale with your pencil by adjusting the pressure you put on the pencil. That will help you to have better looking lines (and it will also just take time of course to develop) Keep it up : ]

[emclelland]

Jeremy, thanks for your input again. I'm doing my best to keep this thing updated- fortunately my job right now is to scan photos eight hours a day (thanks to the effects industry being slooooow) so I just sit here and doodle while I run the scans :p

[emclelland]

Sorry for the lack of updates this weekend. Spent all of saturday at a friend's place and all of Sunday working on a commission (which still isn't done, lol).
I did do a quick sketch of my boyfriend on saturday while we watched a movie, however:

[emclelland]

Some updates from today.
Figure study and gesture doodles using refs from characterdesigns.com
Horse gestures using refs from google.

[struve]

characterdesigns.com is an amazing site. thanks for pointing it out!

[emclelland]

I posted a thread over in the critique center for my current WIP painting. I'd really appreciate any opinions/advice: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...89#post2575689 Here's a photo as well:

[emclelland]

Here's an update on my painting. Let me know what you all think.

[emclelland]

Sorry it's been so long since my last update- life has been a bit hectic over the last month or so. I've been drawing still, I promise, and I'll post the stuff I've been working on over the next day or two.
For now here's two things.
First off is the finished Angel of Death oil painting, which I've submitted to Spectrum. I'm really happy with how it turned out- I hope everyone else likes it too.
Second is the line drawing for a digital piece I've been picking at over the last few days. My sketchbook was too big for the scanner, so apologies for the bottom being cut off. In progress pics of that to come soon.

[Dr poPcoRN]

nice sketchbook keep working it at and i am sure what you want to achieve will come around with persistence! really like the high level of finish in your light study!

[emclelland]

Yikes, can't believe its been over a year since I last posted in here!

I've been having trouble balancing work and art as my schedule has gotten pretty hectic (was doing 70+ hour weeks for a while), but the last month or two I've been really pushing myself to squeeze in as much drawing time as I can.

I'm going to really try to make it a point to update this sketchbook more often from now on.

Anyway, here's an apple I painted in photoshop a couple of months ago. I'll try and post some more recent art later today or tomorrow.

[emclelland]

Started this one for the "Post Apocalypse Paladin" CHoW a few weeks ago, but I wasn't able to finish it in time for the deadline. I've been working on it a bit since then, hoping to get it done. Crits definitely appreciated.

[emclelland]

Just started this one today. Let me know what you all think.
(I've included a version of her without the makeup in case its hiding any mistakes :p )

[emclelland]

Here's an updated detail of the paladin from a few posts up.

[emclelland]

Here's a quick self portrait I just did