Behind the Scenes - Emma's Sketchbook!

**A-May** · April 15th, 2012, 04:01 AM

I did! Cheers, I'm pleased with it (: I'm hoping to take what I learn from it and do a self portrait with a mirror when it's done

not sure that'll be though!

**Lux_Aeterna** · April 15th, 2012, 04:07 AM

very nice sb. i loved these fantasy-like rooms that you drew!
Also, the greyscale work turned out well. i'd like to see the colourized version in a little bigger size.^^
Keep on painting!

**shiNIN** · April 15th, 2012, 04:13 AM

The master study looks really good this far

**kevinwueste** · April 15th, 2012, 11:33 AM

#107 is good! Not that you asked me but - draw a LOT ( no need to do color yet).. shapes and values.. at least - that's what I teach ;-)

-Kevin

**JulieSS** · April 15th, 2012, 12:24 PM

The master study is looking great, are you picking your colors yourself or with the eyedropper? If it's all your own colors - wooooow! It's looking very very good.

**A-May** · April 15th, 2012, 02:05 PM

Lux Aeterna: Thanks a lot, I did enjoy those rooms - I will!
shiNIN: Thanks! And cheers for popping in again, I'm gunna come over yours in a minute!
Kevinwueste: Thanks, I do want to do more in greyscale, I think I'm better at getting a good contrast in forms, I'm also going back to the Loomis so I can get my head around forms a little better!
JulieSS: Thank You! ^^ I picked most of my own colours, with occasional use of the dropper when mine didn't look right to see where I was going wrong!

I have a couple of updates with some Loomis studies:
First is the male proportions from memory, and then a study of the female, and trying out the quick proportion sketch method
Second are studies of Loomis' frame technique, and lastly are some referenced poses on pixelovely drawn with the loomis wire frame (:

**A-May** · April 15th, 2012, 06:45 PM

Hey guys, another update on the master study! My god the little girls face gave me so much pain! P:

**TFsean** · April 15th, 2012, 07:15 PM

Your doing a killer job of that master study. Wasnt even sure it was digital till I went back a page which is cool, knowing how to get things painterly is good. I think you will benefit from more environment and figure studies paying attention to light as the main thing I notice in your work is the lighting can seem quite overcast/universal where there is no obvious main light source, this is quite important to grounding a piece and making it believable. The designs and and compositions are interesting though

And do more life stuff like that foreshortening thing when you get the chance

**A-May** · April 16th, 2012, 06:21 AM

TFSean - Thanks so much for your comment, it is really helpful, when I look back I totally agree on the light source issues - as soon as I'm finished my master study I'll do some studies with directional lighting from life (:

Today we have some characters I drew to practice using the loomis proportion and skeleton frame method - I'm a strong believer that studies don't do anything unless you immediately apply the knowledge to something from your head. Okay so I really like these characters, yes there are a few issues, but I had fun with them.. and I think I might keep developing these characters throughout my loomis studies, I have a bit of a story developing!

Things to practice:
Arm Muscles
Heads/Faces
HANDS

**Clur** · April 17th, 2012, 12:27 AM

I love love love the richness of colour and texture in your environment paintings! They've got a real storybook sort of feel to them. And that master study of course is fantastic.

Your figures are still a little shaky, however. I feel like they lack weight. When you draw a figure, do you draw the head first? Because I find I get much better results if I start from the torso and work outward from there.

I do really enjoy the concept of your latest character sketches, though.

**A-May** · April 20th, 2012, 02:51 PM

I'm back! Sorry bout the gap - Uni work is piling back on again!

Clur - Thank you for your kind words, and the advise! It's very encouraging.. I do usually start with the head and I completely know what you're saying - I shall be trying that very soon!

Finally finished the master study!

**shiNIN** · April 20th, 2012, 03:45 PM

The girl's face is really lovely. Good job but I hope you know you made the light much weaker on the old face (and the right, our left top eye lid is kinda straight in the original so the two eyes look much more similar there). But it's impressive in general. I really like the clothes (and the word 'really' too, it seems *sigh*)

**A-May** · April 20th, 2012, 08:48 PM

shiNIN: Thank you! I did realize about the lighting on the old woman's face although oddly not until after I put it up.. weird huh? Anyway, thanks for the comments and advice!

I'm really trying to nail the overall sense of proportion, from my loomis studies so I've been scribbling figures everywhere! Tonight I tried to apply my new knowledge to a couple of character drawings from imagination.. I think the sense of proportion is starting to sink in.. I think time to move on to individual parts of the body.. and I know the head and hands need desperate attention!

**A-May** · April 21st, 2012, 06:44 PM

Hey I could do with some opinions guys.. which thumbnail looks most dynamic.. and which shows off the character best?

**SandyMan** · April 21st, 2012, 07:58 PM

Hey A-may, that master study is coming along very nicely! You obviously know how to handle painting decently, my one critique in here would be; watch the posture/anatomy of your characters. Mostly on the legs, they are bend at unnatural positions of several figures, especially on that one big guy in the pic labeled ''Gamers''. Other than that, try to loosen your line a bit as it looks somewhat stiff. Nice character ideas though, they're reminiscent of a steampunk type of style of a few JPRG's that come to mind ;D

**jdem** · April 22nd, 2012, 05:19 AM

I'm not even going to talk about the master study because I'm jealous of your skills. However, with regards to the thumbnails, I think number 2 is most dynamic but number 3 would show off the character (in terms of costume/face etc). I think number 2 stands out because it's less cluttered - and the darkest point is the figure in the middle, the others all have a lot going on! The figures are improving! Only point I'd make is that their necks seem just a little too short - and from the straight on perspective look a tiny bit disconnected from the head - Loomis does some helpful neck muscle studies in his 'Figure Drawing for all it's Worth' book! (If you don't have it I can dropbox it to you!)

**A-May** · April 23rd, 2012, 06:10 PM

Thanks for the feedback guys! Sorry I've been quiet I've been frantically working on a ChoW entry!

SandyMan- Thank you! Yeah I totally agree on the leg thing, I draw some weeeeird legs P: I'll do some more Loomis studies. About the line, thanks for pointing that out, I might do some gestures to ease up my fluidity!

Jess- Cheers! The Master Study was just patience, I nearly gave up sooo many times! I do need to work on necks! I'm making my way through that Loomis already so I'll most likely get to it soon!

Here's my ChOW entry this week, I was really trying to focus on creating an atmosphere/expression, and on refining my use of light.. The theme was a horror film survivor - I wanted to pay homage to the horror sci-fi of the 50s/60s sooo this is what I came up with!