Tessa's Sketch Journal

**Tessamack** · July 5th, 2011, 08:22 PM

Hi. I'm a young artist -if you must know, I'm turning 16 in a few weeks- who has been doodling for as long as I can remember. You can call me Tessa, charmed to meet you. I'm looking for constructive critiques on pretty much anything I post. So yes, anything I post is fair game unless I state otherwise, which I probably won't.
Anyway, moving right along...

I cracked open some anatomy books and went to town recently. I've just started my studies, but I have a couple of pictures to show for it.

-The first image is a scan from my sketchbook. I used James E. Crouch's Functional Human Anatomy as reference for study. I'm trying to get a feel for the upper-torso muscle structure and a feel for some hand anatomy.
-Second is a compilation of some portraits I did digitally using a hard round brush. The one on the bottom right was drawn from life using a mechanical pencil in a dentist's office of my younger sister. As always, critiques desired.
-The finale is the next page from my sketchbook (after the anatomy drawings). I was trying to apply what I learned in shapes. I'd especially love feedback on this, as it's drawn from imagination.

(Thanks!)

**Ghast** · July 6th, 2011, 12:27 AM

The soldier portrait is very strong and its great how in depth those studies are. The portrait above it seems a little too wide compared to the photo however. Keep posting!

**Tessamack** · July 7th, 2011, 05:58 AM

Somewhat of a "late" update, I suppose, but I've been doing some more studying. I'd love critiques on the skulls, I just can't seem to get them right...

Hoping to get some life drawing in soon! Though I may have to start out with my pets, seeing as I can't exactly ask just anyone to pose for me (especially nude!) in my current situation. Well, I probably could. But I'm rather shy... Anyway!

Just like before, these were made with a graphite mechanical pencil, James E. Crouch's Functional Human Anatomy, and a couple of colored pens for highlighting. Oh, and I shaded a bit with a Cool Grey 10% Prismacolor marker. Thanks, guys!

**Tessamack** · July 8th, 2011, 04:13 AM

I drew some more stuff today! Not much in the way of life drawing (on humans. I did draw cats!) but it's something.

The first is a drawing that was requested. It's some chick's fancharacter. I didn't design it, so please, don't crit me on her simple shirt or odd eyes... Here's a link to the original. Oogh. I'd love some crits on the coloring, lines and anatomy, though! Especially since her neck seems to have spontaneously narrowed. Ugh. And yes, the background is terrible!

Next I was trying to do some life drawing of my cats, Misty and Tripper.

Finally, here's the sketch of the first picture, for posterity. Thanks!

**Steveland** · July 9th, 2011, 02:56 AM

You seem to be studying hard and applying it, love the portraits and the cats. What's your ultimate goal?

**Tessamack** · July 10th, 2011, 03:26 AM

Ultimate goal? I suppose it'd be to improve. I don't really want to put a cap on it, I just want to improve as much as possible (and hopefully even turn my art into a career). Ideally, I'd like to get the the point where I'm not ashamed of what I create, because I tend to get shy about my art after a certain time period. Thanks, by the way!

Anywho, here's some new stuff I've done recently.

The first was a piece I made to give to a band that I saw perform the other night. I upped the contrast on the scan to make the colors pop and the blacks a bit blacker. I was fortunate enough to give him the piece in the end. I'm actually quite proud of it!

The next is a little bit of concept art for a game that a friend of mine is designing. The joke is that he's this huge ice giant with a bad case of the runs, cue the distant (giant-sized, of course!) outhouse and toilet paper roll on his horn. And the icicles below his eyes.

As always, comments and crits are always welcome! Thanks!

**Steveland** · July 14th, 2011, 04:02 AM

The icicles do make a nice touch to the image.

**nutbunnies** · July 15th, 2011, 01:45 PM

hi tessa! i really dig the cartoons, especially the yeti. also i'm in arizona too! glad to see other artists from here

**Tessamack** · July 20th, 2011, 04:14 AM

@nutbunnies: Always great to meet another Arizonan artist!
@Steveland: Thank you very much!!

No update in a while, but I come bearing art! I just celebrated my 16th birthday and stuff, but I'm back now. So, here we go...:

The first is a bit of fanart of Valve's Half Life hero, Gordon Freeman.

The next is some little thing I drew up to practice anatomy. It was from memory, and I'd LOVE some critiques on it.

Lastly is some more anatomy, drawn in a dim theater when my sister dragged me to see the Harry Potter premiere. Well, I can't complain, it was a lot of fun. Also, I drew one of the girls there. It's pretty stylized, obviously.

Thanks!