just the sketchbook of a 14 year old girl...

[Selina-Mei]

Hey everyone, i'm new to this, and have recently been using DeviantArt.

Art is my passion, and although i'm still young I hope to make a living out of it.

I've heard the people here are very friendly and helpful, so i'd appreciate some helpful critique and advice.

Thanks so much

Selina xx

(P.S: I had another couple drawings, but after persisting for hours .. I couldn't get the file size down low enough..only to about 1.4MB..the colours are so vibrant..I think thats the problem, but I don't know what to do to make it smaller. I've been using "save for web" on photoshop, and lowering it as far as (I can see) possible. Any help on this matter would be appreciated!)

[Syle]

Hello! I was just going to add that yes, you should post some smaller pictures

Resize them and repost them, you will get some legitimate replies then.

From what I can see though, great detail on the eyes, specifically the reflection near the pupil. Those flowers are fantastic as well, you have a real knack for color, and their ability to create that natural depth/value. I am a noob at drawing thus far in my life, so I don't feel comfortable giving you any constructive criticism. Only words of encouragement!

Cheers!

[Royzy]

Ha , well what I can fit on my monitor looks very good so far!

Do you have any software to make them smaller? If you don't, there are image resizer alternatives online, such as http://www.shrinkpictures.com/

Not used that site myself, but I know people have found it easy to use.

[Syle]

PS: to resize in Photoshop, go up to "Image" on the menu bar or hit CTRL+ALT+I to bring up the image resize option.

Change the size-value of the image from pixels to inches, and just make it like 5in or 4in assuming your resolution is relatively higher (150-300 range).

That should get the image smaller.

[Selina-Mei]

Hi thanks a lot for your helpful and kind words!
I have resized them on photoshop, but I have no idea how to edit my thread and re-upload them
sorry for sounding like a noob..haha I'm trying to get used to this site..

thanks! x

[Selina-Mei]

thanks a lot, i've done that part, but what I don't understand is how to "edit" this thread and re-upload them..

thanks for your patience and help! x

[Royzy]

On the post you want to edit, in the bottom right corner of the post should be an edit button. Then go to the attachment manager and delete the current images / upload the new ones

Edit: Btw you will probably have to click 'Go Advanced' after clicking edit.

[Twan]

yeah size down your pictures.
good studies but I need to see more to have a good opinion
keep it up!

[Selina-Mei]

yay i've managed to do it!

Yes I will, just need to resize more!

Thanks x

[Selina-Mei]

aah I think i've fixed it all now!

Thanks everyone for your patience, i'd appreciate some feedback, and will be adding more soon hopefully!

Selina xx

[Royzy]

Well it is clear to say that your colouring of that flower / plant is beautiful! It appears to be really nicely rendered.

What are your human studies like though? I think I'd like to see some people

What area of art interests you most? What do you want to practice / get skilled at in particular? Show us some more work

[Selina-Mei]

thanks a lot!

well i'm in the middle of finishing a piece of a boy and a dog

i'll probably send the WIP if you want..

in the meantime here's some other works I did - probably not as good/realistic, but I'll show you anyway, since this is what its for right?

>> so here's a figure of a young girl..
and a self portrait!

[Selina-Mei]

(btw; sorry for some of the bad quality...it won't upload otherwise..._

[snowies]

I know you! :]
Well, not in real-life, haha. We watch each other.

I was pleasantly surprised to see you had started a sketchbook here.
Welcome to CA.

[Selina-Mei]

ohh yay you're my 14 year old bud on DA right?
hahahah yaaay i'll make you a friend on CA
x

[Selina-Mei]

Here's a WIP of a current drawing i'm doing of my cousin and his dog

Hope you like, and can help


xx Selina

[Selina-Mei]

And here's the finished product!

x

[witcrack]

Hi Selina! I like your drawing of your cousin and his dog. Turns out really well! Your strokes have a good quality My tip would be to try using harder pencil, cuz i see you want to put a large amount of details in. Here's my usual setup, i usually sketch with an HB pencil, shade with an H pencil, sometimes 2H if i pursue more detailed and subtle tones, then detailing with a sharp 2B pencil. That's for a clean look though, many artist like the rough look and some just go with a 4B pencil with minimal smudging or a lot but not very detailed. Oh and, i think you could add some little tones for the background, it looked flat.

[Selina-Mei]

Hey there, thanks for the kind tips!

Oh okay thats great, so start with HBm then some 2Bs or 4Bs

great thanks

Also - yes I agree with that, but hadn't had any advice for the background yet, so now I know what to do for next time

Thanks!

[Royzy]

I agree with Witcrack, that drawing turned out really well!

Only thing I can say, and it might just be me, but at first I thought your cousin's hand was actually a part of the dog's ear. I think it might be because the shading is a very similar tone and also it doesn't help that they almost make a single nice curve together (though that may be a fault of the reference, but is something to be aware of). Other than that, I think it is pretty outstanding.

[Selina-Mei]

oh yea! :o
so it does... well I tried to copy the tone from the reference, but it was probably my fault it turned out that way but practice I suppose!

Just wondering though, what could I have done to "seperate" them more. Make the hand lighter or...?

Thanks a lot for your, and everyone else's great help ! x

[cdejong]

That last drawing looks good... I think the values in your cousin's skin would be lighter though, right now his skin seems very dark, skin is in fact pretty light. Good job though, you really got a full range of values. Keep on working

[witcrack]

Just wondering though, what could I have done to "seperate" them more. Make the hand lighter or...?

You have photoshop, right? have the original photo (the reference) scanned and saved. Open in PS and desaturate it (ctrl+shift+u, or cmd+shift+u for Mac). Now, compare the b/w version with the color version, understand and make note of what colors (in color version) are of light values, mid values and dark values (in b/w version). That's a first step, there's a lot more to it actually, but that's a start. If your reference is already a b/w photo then group the tones to 3 basic values (light, middle and dark), again, make note and understand them

Waiting for next update here, studies perhaps, doodles, ideas or anything?

[Adrian Wilkins]

you kick ass for a 14yo srsly!! keep going! thanks for posting!

[andres333]

Nice! Nice! Nice! 14 years old!
keep it up and you'll be a master

[Selina-Mei]

hey thanks alot for the encouragement
yea perhpas I did make it a bit too dark, but the lighting was pretty rubbish in the reference, hmm here it is if you're interested...

[Selina-Mei]

Aaah i see exactly what you mean!

What a smart thing to do!
hehe thanks a bunch!
and dont worry there's more coming I just need to make time to scan them on! haha thankyou for staying with this SB, i'll be sure to have a look at yours asap. (If you have one?)

[Selina-Mei]

thanks so much!

btw -"Choose a job that you love, and you will never work a day in your life."
I totally agree ! nicely said! xx

[Selina-Mei]

thanks so much it means a lot

I love art, and hopefully I can be very good one day, and pass on my wisdom to others

Thanks for visiting. If you have a SB i'll be sure to have a look

[Travis Smith]

Aaah i see exactly what you mean!

What a smart thing to do!
hehe thanks a bunch!
and dont worry there's more coming I just need to make time to scan them on! haha thankyou for staying with this SB, i'll be sure to have a look at yours asap. (If you have one?)

I wouldn't claim to be an expert on colour at all but I wanted to show you something that an artist once show me. Basically what she was showing me is that different colours can make you believe you are seeing brighter or darker tones/values than you actually are.

Also keep in mind that the same colour seen on two different background colours can make that colour appear as though it is a different value/tone.

I'm almost certain that Concept Art has some resources covering colour theory but failing that look online or in a book store.