Jorvaa's Sketchbook

[jorvaa]

Thanks, Stroudle! AUGH. Color theory. I'm starting to believe that the only way I can understand it is to just...do it. And you are totally right - focusing on value first does help.
Going to be posting some figure studies soon (soooooon, I promise) but right now all I have are frustrating paintings that I think I should just drop. The first is just some hair practice, the third is a new crop of the old "Time Off" painting, and lighter. Just need to repaint it a bit. The second one is MUDDY, and I am so tired of looking at it. I basically hate everything about it, but I have no idea what to do with it. Helllp.

[jorvaa]

Fixed the composition (and everything) on the painting I was complaining about. Ugh. Needs so much work.

[jorvaa]

New stuff. Semi finished stuff. Sketch stuff. Non figure drawing stuff, which sucks. SOMEONE KICK ME.

[jorvaa]

Apparently Flickr is not the most reliable (or simple) image hosting service. Oh well.

The long promised figure drawings, portraits in progress, doodles, and life drawings.

[jorvaa]

WIP of the most boring still life ever. From life.

[luthertaylor]

really like this! such a soft drawing

[MusicMetalHead]

This is really well done! Everything looks right, by my eye at least. I would suggest more darks though. The tones mostly look accurate to me, but the range is so small that they kind of blend together.

[jorvaa]

Thanks so much luthertaylor and MusicMetalHead! The drawing is a work in progress, and I've been working on getting more darks in (which is actually hard to do on gritty paper, for some reason). The background could also use some darkening, I think. Still working on the darn thing, mostly because I had trouble fixing up the right eye.

[MusicMetalHead]

If you are using charcoal try layering it. Go over the same patch with moderate but not heavy pressure with a soft pencil to preserve the texture of the paper. Same applies to graphite though it doesn't work as well (at least not with my pencils it doesn't). If failing at that try picking up one of those super dark pencils. Ebony, Ivory, something like that. They are dark as hell and should get those darker tones in real nicely.

[jorvaa]

Three sketches from life and one painting that is WIP. So tired of having it set up on my desk. Hopefully it will be done soon.
Btw, anyone know where to get resources for some good Master Copies? Sargent and the like.

[jorvaa]

A fun little painting practice I'm working on (resource here)that I may turn into a faux illustration.

[jorvaa]

This was for a contest about the basic shape of the figure. It needs critique and editing...A lot of it, but I spent a lot of time and I learned a lot from it.

[MusicMetalHead]

I really really love that painting. You really nailed the wispiness of the steam.