Fire in the desert sketchbook

[Desertfire]

March 6: 1st pic is just so I can change the preview picture...... It is also seen further in my sketchbook. Unless someone knows how I can change the preview pic more easily....I guess I'll do it this way.

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I'm relatively new joining here. Finally got the courage to join......and then just the courage to make an sketchbook.....barely.

Anway, I'm really hoping to improve my artwork. I figure I start with some work I did in Life Drawing this past semester. My second life drawing class; I had one a few years ago, that isn't worth discussing.

I really would like some feedback. My teacher said that I need to bring more "intense-ness" to my work. More values and detail, I suppose. Either way I want to improve.

Um, first time doing this attachement and stuff so forgive me if this takes a couple of tries to get the hang of this.

First up, is my final from life drawing. Drew this from one of many photos we took in class. Toga party, lol. I still firmly believe that charcoal and me do not get along as well as some other mediums. ^^;

[Desertfire]

Sorry if these aren't good photos.

In order of apperance:

This was a drawing that is about black. I forgot the techincal term for this, but 90% of the drawing had to be black.

Plant life study.

Still life study

Head bust study drawn from a picture

[russ]

like your figure drawings, proportions look beilevable. Keep up the good work!

[Desertfire]

Thank you Russ; I will keep it up.

[Desertfire]

Some environmental work. I want to do better environments and whanot. Some have my name as a watermark, I uploaded them on my deviantart account and didn't want to remake more copies without it. Hope it's not a problem.

All was done in photoshop. I don't have Painter X yet so I'd apperciated some feedback on how to do this kind of stuff in PS better; about making brushes and whatnot. I have a few made.

Some are a month or so old.

[Desertfire]

This was my second time doing value shading in Photoshop. I don't think I did this even a month ago. It's rather recent.

My victim was Teal'c from Stargate SG-1.

[Desertfire]

Some sketches. All from Bridgeman guide to drawing or something like that.

First was done not to long ago.
Last 2 were done Sunday btw commericals of watching Stargate SG-1

[chibimeli]

your landscape art is nice, continue to work on it!

[Desertfire]

Thanks for commenting, chibimelli!!! I shall!!

[irmax-comix]

Thanks for sharing. You have great control over your relationships. Luv the Stargate portrait. I thought he was a cool cat on the show. Too much make-up though. lol

[Desertfire]

Thanks for sharing. You have great control over your relationships. Luv the Stargate portrait. I thought he was a cool cat on the show. Too much make-up though. lol

Thank you!! Though, I'm not sure what you mean by I have great control over my relationships, but thanks.

Too much makeup, eh? lol I personally love Teal'c makeup and Egyptian type makeup. I didn't think Teal'c makeup was even that visible. lol If anyone had too much makeup I would think it would be Apophis since it's more visible then Teal'c though I love Apophis look as well.

Anyway, thanks so much for the comment!!

[RBeek]

Heya, good to see so many studies
It is the way to go when u wanna improve!

Try loomis or hogarth when ur done wth bridgeman!
They are awsome to, and when u keep switching between them u start discover new stuff everytime you open a book!

Keep at it! Ur gonna be great!

[Desertfire]

Heya, good to see so many studies
It is the way to go when u wanna improve!

Try loomis or hogarth when ur done wth bridgeman!
They are awsome to, and when u keep switching between them u start discover new stuff everytime you open a book!

Keep at it! Ur gonna be great!

Thanks!! I'm heard of Loomis or Hogarth. Maybe when I get a moment in btw art classes at college I'll head to the library and see if they have them and what they are all about. I hear them to be popular choices.

Thanks for the vote of confidence!! *hugs*

[Desertfire]

Been a long time since I posted something. These are from last month.

In order:

These are 1 minute sketches I did from posemaniac

I recently got the Matrix Triology and Apocalyto for Christmas and I was doodling something based on them. Apocalyto is an awesome movie with awesome music for those that haven't checked it out yet!

I do have recently sketches from my figure Illustration class but I don't have my sketchbook at the moment since I had to turn it in. I plan to post some images from that.

[Desertfire]

Done end of Last month.

I had a Legolas from LOTR moment. Got the set for Christmas. I think the pose was based on something from Posemanaics. I wasn't looking at anything when I drew this as I did it doing free time in class......except maybe reference for his headband/crown.

[Aveh]

Cool, keep posting daily! The leaps you can make by doing that are insane

[a_mckeown]

Hi mate, nice sketchbook so far. At the moment, your traditional work is much stronger than your digital. I suspect its just a matter of having less expierienced with the digital medium. My tip would be to use a 100% brush when you start your studies. Using a low opacity brush to block shapes in distracts you from the values you are trying to accomplish. once you have blocked in all the values (with a 100%) brush, then go in with the lower opacity and blend it all together.
I was offered this advice once, and it never made sense to me until recently.

[Desertfire]

Cool, keep posting daily! The leaps you can make by doing that are insane

Lol, I shall have to remember to do so. Thanks for the advice!

[Desertfire]

Hi mate, nice sketchbook so far. At the moment, your traditional work is much stronger than your digital. I suspect its just a matter of having less expierienced with the digital medium. My tip would be to use a 100% brush when you start your studies. Using a low opacity brush to block shapes in distracts you from the values you are trying to accomplish. once you have blocked in all the values (with a 100%) brush, then go in with the lower opacity and blend it all together.
I was offered this advice once, and it never made sense to me until recently.

Thank you so much. Really? That gives me more confidence that my traditional work isn't too bad. I've been working with digital for the past year or two-ish, so I'm trying to improve that. I think I understand what you are saying (after rereading it a few times), I shall keep that in mind and give it a try! Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me!

[Desertfire]

I'm mostly posting this for my info really.

I know it's bad. I think the last time I worked on this was early this year, late last year. A start at a request for someone on DA.

I will completely revamp this when I get a chance to but just want to put it here so I could see some improvement later......

[Desertfire]

I checked out this digtal book from my art college libaray and downloaded some brushes from the brushshare forum here.

It started with exercises based on the book (for one they had Painter and I had to improvise with Photoshop)....and then it started to get really crazy and I was just experimenting my little heart away with the brushes.

I though I made some cool patterns and whatnot. I had great fun that day!

[Mac Con]

I like your digital picture of the tree post#21 looks very Tranquil

[Desertfire]

As I said before, I would upload some sketches from my figure Illustration class. These are the best work I've got so far.

I drew these from reference as well.

Sorry for the less than good scans. -_-'

[chromion]

As I said before, I would upload some sketches from my figure Illustration class. These are the best work I've got so far.

I drew these from reference as well.

Sorry for the less than good scans. -_-'

Try out fast doodling friend.It'll help for more balaence.

[Desertfire]

Try out fast doodling friend.It'll help for more balaence.

Thanks for the tip. Do you mean like 30sec doodles or something like that?

[MightyApplejacks]

Thanks for the tip. Do you mean like 30sec doodles or something like that?

I think he means 'gesture drawing' Posemaniacs can be good for that (depending on the pose...), although you might want to start on the 90sec ones (the really fast ones are a bit of a stretch when you're new to them, and looking back I can't really vouch for how much they help), or even the Pose Viewer, without a time limit at all, to really get to grips with it first.

The idea is to capture the basic curves, line of action, position and so forth, in a few lines- to which you can then 'build upon' like a foundation. In order to do this to the fullest extent, it'll help to draw 'skeletal' forms, and practice drawing the muscles to a good degree.

Without these, the gestures will be a bit.. wibbly wobbly, but they may well at least have some 'flowy' form, which is something of a starting point- it's just a case of working the lines to convey a basic sense of 'weight' and 'balance' at this stage. You can then surprise yourself with better ones after practicing form

What I do is practice a few muscles, then switch to Posemaniacs and start doing the 'rough' drawing, but this time add in the muscles I just worked with earlier, and work them in by what I know. Helps to know a good bit of skeletal form when you do this, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4qZCTrBoIo Lots of videos about them (should really check them out meself lol).

[Desertfire]

Thanks, AjaxDynamoDroid!