Ellyon's sketchbook-on the road of improvement

[Ellyon]

Hello world, how ya doing?

So I'm obviously a n00b here, I've been drawing for a while and now I'm obsessed. As of now, I'm sort of in a slump so I figured joining here would help and so far I really think it is! Also, I noticed a lack of bright colors on the site so maybe I can fix that! Although I do draw humans a lot, my favorite thing to do is nature studies so I'll post those after a while, just need to get my notebook back from art.

Critique is totally open, I need to improve!!!

[Naidy]

Hello there, looks like you're onto a nice start.
Love the colours in the first post and the eyes , though, I think with a bit more definition/touching up it could look even better.

But anyways, hope to see more soon, it'd be particularly useful if we could see some studies too, just to see where you're at on a more general level.

Keep up the good work!

[Ellyon]

Here's some random things I sketched and a few studies. As well as two thumbnails (like the one in the corner is inspired by "King of anything" by Sara Bareilles, I might finish it). I'm going to try and update everyday with at least one study... or wip.

[Ellyon]

My goal right now is different faces and emotions. I'm starting with angry faces... tomorrow I'll work on open mouthed angry faces. Any help?? The second one looks a little odd. Random sketch design, it's just for reference, I know everything is off already hahaha. Looking at this for help: http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/#/d37hme5

[Ellyon]

I know I need to study more and practice but I love color sooo much...any tips before I finish this and spend hours smoothing it out D:? I really need to work on 3/4 but this was just so awesome I just had to work more on it! If you don't realize this already, I sort of go through periods of same style and then my style may take a 360 depending on my mood.

[Ellyon]

Gesture sketches (I'm so slow...), I need to work on guys next... From Posemaniacs.

[Ellyon]

My two hardest things to draw: men and animals... Baby animals aren't that bad though

[PeteJ]

I agree with you, drawing men is harder because of the muscles. But it looks like you are doing pretty good though. It looks a little abstract and cartoonish but other than that it's fine. For your animals, well I haven't done much animal studies myself but I will say they also look alright so far but try to draw more from life instead of photos.

[Ellyon]

Thanks for the advice, I sometime have a chance to draw humans but I can't say I have a Zoo in my backyard

I said I would update everyday and I will!, I felt tired so just a very simple sketch.

[Ellyon]

WIP. Have you heard "I need a doctor"? Its one of the sweetest songs I've heard in a while go listen to it! It was the inspiration for this, I really hope I have the motivation to finish this, I really like it. I haven't draw the other arm yet, she is supposed sort of anguished and disoriented. I realized the neck was too long so I've edited it since this screenshot.

[Nemome]

Hey!

Welcome to this community.
Great you opened a sketchbook!

You did a great start.
Nothing really to suggest.
Just DRAW and PAINT more.
This isn't that much for a day

Keep it up, you got potencial!
Sil

[Samszym]

A post a day can get tough but it's a great goal, keep going! you might want to use this instead of posemaniacs, it uses real people.

[Ellyon]

@Silwynar: Yeah, I know I need to draw more :/ I wish I could just stay home all day and draw, but I'm taking all advanced classes except for two, and one of them is intro to art. So much homework, it's awful.

@Vertical: Thanks for the link, it's really cool that it has animals too!

Maybe one day I'll take home some of my art that I did in school. I don't really like intro, not enough freedom and far too easy. Not to mention most are taking the class because they thought it was easy or failed the last class they took and art doesn't need a prerequisite.

Anyways, here is another WIP.

[Ellyon]

@Silwynar: Yeah, I know I need to draw more :/ I wish I could just stay home all day and draw.

@Vertical: Thanks for the link, it's really cool that it has animals too!

Maybe one day I'll take home some of my art that I did in school. I don't really like intro, not enough freedom and far too easy. Not to mention most are taking the class because they thought it was easy or failed the last class they took and art doesn't need a prerequisite.

Anyways, here is another WIP. Something's off with either the size of her head or her arms, not sure what.

[Cozmo]

Great use of colour! I love it. I do agree that the very top one could use some more definition, but the tones are very nice. And speaking of tones, I REALLY like how gentle and understated your sketch is in post #9.

It's funny that you say how hard it is to draw men, because I've always found that to be easier (perhaps because I am one? Probably not the reason.). Drawing women has always been harder for me...everything has to be understated, from lines on the face to curves to limbs, or else they look like men and the beauty is ruined. At any rate, your drawing of the torso is great. Nice shading.

[Pamz1e]

I like your stuff!! The colours are awsumm and it has personality, which is something surprisingly hard to find for some reason. Don't be afraid to draw bums =) If you ever go to art school, you'll have to do them anyway so might as well start now!! loll. And i like your baby tiger, so cwuuttee =D

[Ellyon]

I didn't update yesterday! D: but that's alright-I had a thunderstorm and had to bunker down and turn off the computer so it didn't get zapped!

@Cozmo Thanks. I really think it has to do with what gender we are though, If I ever need a reference for a girl, I can always simply look at myself in a mirror. Also, its how muscular guys stand, it baffles me, I don't see how they don't just tip over. They seem to lean back a lot, while girls stand in a ) shape.

@Pamz1e Thank you. Hahaha, yeah I did draw it, didn't exactly want to post it online though... I guess I'll have to get over it.

More sketches and wip.

[Ellyon]

Decided to take a break from the underwater scene. I can't say I draw Manga a lot, but sometimes I just feel like drawing something more stylized and simple, but I HATE lineart! I just don't think that many styles of Anime are that pretty, some are gorgeous of course, but some just aren't appealing to the eye, I just can't put it any other way...but when it is mastered it is just as beautiful as any other fine art. It's just that a lot of people think that its simple so it's easier right? No, it just means you have to be careful of where you place each and every line, it matters more than a painting with thousands of brush strokes.

[kitana_mk]

Don't brake the underwater study - it is the best one I saw here.

[Ellyon]

@kitana: Thanks! It's not really a study, I'm not really referencing anything, myself a bit.

Okay, now I have the right image up...gah. Smoothed it out, detailing shading etc.

Also, Lady Gaga's new video is weird beyond words, great for sketching, but very very weird

[Ellyon]

Okay I think I'm done, or about done-ish, maybe just tired of fixing everything hahaha. I do like how she looks like she's dieing, its not a good thing but it looks cool! I still might fix up the bubbles a bit, but I haven't ever painted them before so I need to do some research.

[Ellyon]

I just saw the movie Beastly today and I have to say it was one of those movies that just makes you happy after you see it, good characters, good storyline. I wanted to make a picture with hunter on one side and kyle on the other, yes one of the most overused themes but I'm proud that I'm drawing men so well! Hahaha Also, I just need to work on skin tones in general and profiles, I'm awful at profiles.

[Naidy]

Hello again, I knew I'd be seeing some more interesting stuff from you.
It's evident you have some nice way with colours, the under-water woman is looking great and I like the man's face study from the last post, I hope you develope it further.

Anyways, the faces beneath it in pencil look a bit flat though, so just keep studying faces and mixing them up a-bit. From the better works of yours I've seen, you show the capability to draw great faces, it's all about studying till you can show a consistent improvement in ability.

So, it's morning and I'm rambling, but I really like what you got so far. Chuck in some more anatomy studies and perhaps even photo studies too or self portraits and keep up the good work.

[Ellyon]

Watercolor for art, very much inspired by this watercolor tutorial: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=156352 He is one of the most amazing traditional artist's I've seen so I just had to look up a picture of the same forest and draw it (picture from travel japan guide). I wouldn't say this is done at all even though I have to turn it in, I forgot my watercolors so I had to do my best finishing somethings with pencils and pastels. Oh well. The colors are all messed up in the picture anyways! hahaha. All the darks are too light and lights too dark.

@Naidy Thanks I love to work with colors. hahaha, yeah I really need to work on more full body studies-like legs.

[Ellyon]

Finished up the sketch of Alex Pettyfer, I didn't really feel like smoothing it out, I like the rough feel it has now. Anatomy work, the pastels didn't really scan well. Oh how I despise scanners....and cameras...I really wish I could just transport paintings/drawings to whomever is viewing them.

[Ellyon]

an artwork I did where we had to observe plastic flowers, fruits etc. The gear is real, trust me. I was the one who had to lift it all the way from the stock room and back.

**Sorry for the bad photo, its all I have to take pictures right now and this is far too large to fit in a scanner...

[Ellyon]

I had to remove the daily label. Eventually I will be able to put it up again, but I'm trying to make all As and somehow my brain is not functioning artistically doing both until today. I tried to make the best of it and do a study and fun sketch. The study photo is from here: http://fav.me/d3br83u Took about two-three hours. The second is a glee inspired picture, I know there is a promo pic ofher doing the L sign, but it just didn't have the right attitude as the song.

[Ellyon]

More sketches and a painting sketch that just wasn't meant to be. I'm really trying to study more, and I'm studying Loomis so you'll see a multitude of figure studies etc in the next few days.

[Ellyon]

Sorry for the lack of updates... I just finished part of my finals but still have more! D:
Anyways, here is my pencil portrait referenced from this photo: http://browse.deviantart.com/photogr...aits/#/d25ou7q I did ask permission from the photographer to draw it. I did try to edit it a bit with dodge and burn because it turned out lightened.
Its charcoal, I got a final grade of 99 on it, which is as close to a hundred as I can get! (My teacher does not give 100s) My first time using charcoal actually...

[Ellyon]

Wow! I haven't updated this in a while have I? I'm so rusty too! I'm going to try to get back to drawing one thing everyday.