Blunder's Blund-o-rama

[Blunderguffer]

Hello fine folks of CA!

Long time lurker, first time poster here.

Welcome to my sketchbook, a place where ill try to share my studies and progressions. I'm aiming to explore different mediums and at the same time getting some decent foundational studies done. That, and having fun and getting a few laughs along the way.

A little about me: Currently working as an Industrial Engineer but for whatever reason after something different in life. I started getting into drawing around a year ago and have since then been doodling a bit here and there. In the last few months I've really started getting some momentum which has resulted in me posting this, getting out of hiding. Right now I'm trying to draw as much from life as possible and mainly focusing on foundational studies.

As far as studies goes I’ve done some Loomis, some Bridgman and some exercises from “Keys to Drawing”. I recently come to the realization that I’ve copied a bit too mindlessly, something I’m trying to change. I have taken up Michael Hampton’s Figure Drawing book and currently trying to get my head around gesture drawing, trying to get more rythm and better flow.
I commute almost 3 hours per day so I try to make the most of that, sketching fellow passengers and reading up on theory. I also have been hitting up open life drawing's once a week.

So please, take a look around and if you leave some advice/feedback/critique - I'd be more than happy. Be as open hearted as you like, I sure can take it.

Starting off with a drawing off Yoda from photo ref done with watercolor pencils.

[Blunderguffer]

Starting off with some different stuff from when I started out until where I am now.

First pic is some old stuff from when I was starting up.
2nd: Studies from Fun with a Pencil by Andrew Loomis - (definitely copied to much)
3rd: Random studies and scribbles throughout the year, studies from Drawing from the right side of the brain

[Blunderguffer]

Some more old things;
1st and 2nd, having fun with some classic childrens books characters
3rd, is a selfportrait
4th, we have Goosemouth! Made with watercolor pencils and ink

[Blunderguffer]

Hoi! Here's a bunch of various studies

1st and 2nd collage is some different bridgman stuff. Not sure how much it have helped my anatomy though, think I've copied without really thinking why a bit to much. I also have the tendency to crop my legs, something I need to work on.

3rd collage is Loomis head studies, these have definitely helped out. Gonna buy the reprint as soon as the paycheck arrives.

[Blunderguffer]

MOOOOARRR

Some more Star Wars stuff (not really THAT in to it, just that I got a ST picture book in the bookshelf closeby) and then there's some various photo referenced stuff (for the Swede's that might be looking Reinfeldt and Bert is making guest appearances ^^).
The one to the right in the bottom is a self portrait gone wrong that I had some fun with, Abe's even there to watch my back!
Ending off with some male orangutangs, awesome looking animal if you ask me! Definitely a favorite among the apes.

[Blunderguffer]

Good evening folks!
Been attending a few open to the public life drawings;

1st and 2nd is from my first life drawing ever, could feel it getting better throughout the session. Had (and still have) problems getting some feeling of weight on the legs, also tend to crop from the knee and downwards.

3rd and 4th is from the second session

5th and 6th is from the third session, tried to think more about gesture than during the previous sessions. Also tried out some markers (which I kinda liked) and a brushpen which I definitely wasn't ready for - couldnt control it what so ever

[Blunderguffer]

Some more stuff;

This time a few pages from my pocket sketchbook, which I always carry around with me. These are mostly done while commuting, hence you'll see sleeping people here and there. Got heaps of sketches portraying sleeping people from a back-side view.

I've also noticed that I tend to get caught when I get something bigger, A5-A6 sizes are rarely noticed though.

[Aresa]

Hello and welcome to CA! Hope you have a blast here!

So far, so good! I'm really liking those bridgeman studies you did. Nice fluidity and movement. Your portraits are also coming along nicely. In your life drawings, your lines get a little scratchy. Try capturing the figure with longer, smoother strokes. A good way to practice making longer strokes is by drawing from your arm instead of your wrist. It really helps straighten your lines and build confidence!

Keep it up! You're on the right path!

[feavre]

You have a great grasp on shading and lines. The anatomy and studies look great. Your only weakness is facial anatomy, andbthats really just a slight feature placement issue. The shading also looks good. Good job!

[Blunderguffer]

Hey again folks!

Yay, first commenters!

@Aresa, Thanks for the warm welcome, I can already feel an increase in motivation just by having started up this so I'm sure it'll be right up my alley! Also really appreciate the feedback, you're very much correct! Just got back from a life drawing session where I tried to really think about working from the shoulder and keeping the lines going - hard but it got better and better!

@Frostelle, Thank's alot for the compliments and the feedback! You're absolutely right about the features. I got a tendency to put in the features before I am done blocking in the head - might be partly due to that. gonna try using some more construction lines to get it all in to place a bit more, that and some more careful observation. I'll get back over to yours and leave a comment there, you're latest zombie girl was way cool!

Alright!
1st of is some more stuff from my pocket sketchbook, mostly been drawing people on the tram here in my home city.

2nd and 3rd is from tonights life drawing session. Used A3 size for the first time, didnt really make use of the whole paper hehe. Tried Aresa's tip above and tried to force myself to do longer lines and only use the shoulder. Had lots of problems with weight and balance (more than usual I should add ) but I think it got better through out the session.

Thats all for tonight folks!

[Aresa]

Much better! Your linework in your latest life drawings are looking smoother than before! They also have more fluidity. It is hard to draw from your arm instead of your wrist, at first. I struggled with that when I started out, but you'll get use to it. Keep up the great work!

[Blunderguffer]

Top of the morning to ya!

Thanks a lot for your comment Aresa! I'll keep on pushing shoulder mode, can feel it getting better and better

And now to the upload
1st is a few more pages from my pocket sketchbook - commuting people

2nd is some various observational stuff I've been doing

3rd is me trying out a variant of the random shape thing that AustenFM does from time to time (they're awesome). I tried segmenting up a sleeping guy infront of me into smaller shapes. The result got pretty boring though, definitely gonna do more random shapes though, seem to be a nice practice!

4th is me sketching my brother when he was here visiting the other weekend. The one in colored pencil felt pretty good

[Blunderguffer]

Hey folks, here's some more stuff;

Trying to do a few pages of posemaniacs each day, here's a collage of that. Usually vary between 30 and 60 secs.
I'll try not to upload to much of that in the future seeing as it is pretty boring.

Some more bridgman studies (and some Jack Hamm), neck and torso.

Got asked by a friend if I could do a small illustration on Gandhi so right now I'm doing some photostudies of his face and trying to get a feel for who he was so I at least can do him some justice. It'll be a portrait with a spinning wheel faded in the background. Trying out some different color combinations, think I'm going with orange - not sure how to go about making it "pop" though. Been reading up a bit on composition to try make it a bit interesting as well.
On a sidenote, gonna start attaching the original photo in the corner. It really makes it apparent how much stuff that's actually placed wrong and distorted. Eyes for example

Last off is a photo studie from a blue whale, did not seem to capture the action from the picture though, in retroaspect I also see that a lot of the stuff is out of place.

That's all for now, back to the drawing board!

[Likes2doodle]

he coloured Ghandi study did it for me :3 great stuff

[gen5]

that's an massive amount of stuff you're putting out.
keep pushing on the face drawing, you're totally inspired me to continue with face studies (for today )

[SaiVix]

great stuff!! I should really get back in to doing daily studies like you. Your work has become much better since you started this thread. The line works are what I admire most.

[Blunderguffer]

Likes2doodle - Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it!

gen5 - Glad to hear that I inspired someone else to get some work done :o, awesome!! Thinking of commiting to do a 100 1h Portraits over the coming half year, the goal would then be around 3 per week, its definitely doable!

SaiVix -Thanks a bunch! Glad to hear that you can see some improvement, especially on my lines seeing as I really try to think about them. Yeah keeping up daily studies has really speeded up my process, trying to get at the very least an hour done each day.

Thanks for visiting, got all motivated from that!

Here's a small update, just finished my first pocket sketchbook. A very nice feeling I gotta say! Here's a collage of the last pages from that, commuting people on the tram here in my home city. Judging from the page in the bottom right it got pretty aparent that I should start up some perspective studies.

Thanks for looking!

Edit: Noticed that some of the stuff already was uploaded, sorry about that!

[Roope Maatta]

Whoooa, Dude you're a freaking rock enroll machine from Mars! Brilliant studies, really inspiring. And I just love your sketchbook, it's so full of goodies .

[Mikko Voipio]

Oh man. So much hard work here. I'm sorry that I don't have any good advise or crits. You obviously know what you should be studying. And your improving constantly. Great stuff. Also thanks for the kind words in my Sb. Really appreciate it.

[Blunderguffer]

Wrulf - Thanks a lot, really glad you liked it! The mars bit made me lol btw . Awesome gestures in yours btw, ill make sure to swing by and at least give some feedback.

Placeboast - Thanks a bunch for the feedback and the kind words! Got all happy inside from that. Yours was well deserved, really great stuff!

All right!

First off is some more Bridgman stuff that I did on the bus on my way to work. For some reason it fits really well studying his stuff on a shaky and cramped bus, think it is because its not as delicate as some of the other anatomy out there, doesnt matter to much if you go off a bit on your lines during a bump etc.

2nd off is a christmas gift I've started working on for my brother. The specc I got was Olly Moss + Bears + Some sort of red color. For those of you who does not know of him be sure to check hi out, he really do some cool stuff! Thinking of buying some nice colored paper and the cutting it out and glueing it all together.

3rd is my first thing ever done in Photoshop, a 1 hour portrait, what a load of fun!
Decided to commit on doing 100 - 1h portraits and this is the first of those. Charlton Heston in the 1950's. Although the finished result actually look more like a young Nicholas Cage, lol.
Only used the three basic brushes supplied by Matt Kohr on CtrlPaint, fealt like anything else would just make it confusing. In retroaspect I think ill stay away from using to small brushes for hairs and stuff, looks pretty dotty and out of place.

I picked up a picture reference book on "Film Star Portraits of the fifties" after seeing CCsears tip about that in his thread so I'm planning on using that for most of them.

Thanks for looking!

[Blunderguffer]

Good evening!

Just got back from this weeks life drawing session. Loads of fun! Although I ate a filled baguette with some bad chicken-stuff in it just before the session started to, what I guess, the other attendees big dismay. The belly was roaring like truck hehe

1st and 2nd is from the life drawing session. Tried to think about working from the shoulder and keeping the lines going as much as I could. All in all it felt better than the time before. Feel I need to get some studies done on hands and feet since I tend to skip them for now. Also tried some rendering with some copic markers, cant really call it a successful experiment.

3rd is some more Bridgman studies, Abdominal Arch

4th is some commuting people, kinda like the one with glasses!

Thanks for watching!

[Samszym]

Thanks for the comment! I have the same sentiment at placeboast, you're doing the right stuff and you'll improve fast. Your lines are looking better already! All I'd say maybe try to work more from imagination to apply what you see.
Keep up the good work!

[blazingdimensions]

very nice stuff, i like the dedication to studies, reminds me to keep at it

[Blunderguffer]

Evening folks!

Had a visitor staying at my place this weekend so didnt get as much done as I would have liked but at least I got something in here and there.

@ Vertical - Thanks for the comment and the suggestion! You are dead on with working from imagination, something I definitely need to get around doing more

@ blazingdimensions - Thanks heaps man! Really glad to hear that

Alright!

First off is this weeks worth of Posemaniacs (and also thanks to Vertical, some from Pixelovely, which is a great resource)

2nd off is more Gandhi stuff, last practice before I do the final piece. Was out buying some decent watercolor paper and an orange color earlier. Picked up some prismacolor pencils in black and white a week ago and now also bought some toned paper (in A3 size) to really try it out. Worked pretty quickly - perhaps 30 min. Lots of fun! P.S the spinning wheel reference kinda feel a bit sloppy, need to work on the finnish and placement of that

[Blunderguffer]

Alright, here's todays stuff!

This weeks goals will be; do the light/shadow excercises from Keys To Drawing, finish the Gandhi piece, two more 1h portraits and some Hampton anatomy studies. All juiced up!

First off is Portrait 002 of the 100 1h Portraits; Anna Magnani from 1955 (no idea who it is but fell for the picture). Had loads of problems with this one, the whole process was a struggle and it all looks a bit off, especially the nose. I also think I need to spend more time in construction and also zoom out and step more often so that I avoid some of the obvious mistakes.

2nd is me starting to practice on working from memory, I draw what I could remember from the Gandhi portrait yesterday. Gonna fit stuff like this in so I actually apply what I learn/do.

3rd is some more commuting people

Thanks for watching!

[Alrap]

Great studies, keep it up

[Flaskpost]

fett med studier! och dom blir bara bättre och bättre!
fortsätt nöta bridgman och teckningar från verkliga livet (borde jag själv göra oftare också)
kör hårt!

[Blunderguffer]

@ Alrap - Thanks a bunch, sure will!

@ Flaskpost - Tackar!! Jajjemen skall jag göra, hårt utan kellogs som man säger!

Alright, now to some more stuff;

1st and 2nd is some different Light/Shadow studies from life. The portrait is made looking in the mirror with having a spot lighting on my left side. Can see lots of stuff thats out of place and I also look abit like Saddam.. guess its the mustache Felt like I got a feeling about the shadows in the face doing this so it was all good, definitely gonna do more selfportraits in the mirror!

3rd is some random doodles

Thanks for looking!

[Blunderguffer]

Hey folks!

It's weekend and life is all good again! Been a busy week but at least got some life drawing in. Feeling better and better about it, lots of fun. Best model so far, notifying when it was 1 min left and also stood in some interesting poses. All good!

1st off is some 1 min gestures - might have focused to much on getting the lines flowing so missed some of the proportions.
2nd and 3rd is 3 mins to 7 mins. Also tried some tonal paper but didnt really feel that I wasnt competent enough utilizing the white pencil

In retroaspect when I'm reflecting on the session I can tell that the limbs definitely need some work, always gets lots of problems when I get to the legs in standing poses and I dont really know how to counter it, they always feel to short. I also feel that they dont really capture that its any weight on them.
Can also see that I get a bit to sketchy/scribbly at times.

Thanks for taking a peep!

[shockowaffel]

Hi, thanks for dropping by my sketchbook.

Lot's of anatomy here, huh ?
Definetely a good thing to do regularly.
I dont know how you draw or how you begin your bodies, but just in case: Do NOT start with the head. Start with the torso or a line to get the upper end, the lower end and the center of the whole body.
Something that might help as well, would be a more fluid line or more rounded forms and interactions, intersection and crossing of lines, forming foreground and background...Check out anatomy sketches of the old masters and try to immitate the style. Dont look to closely on the proportions while working on style (but dont abandon them). If you draw without reference the pictures get less perfect, but the learning effect is much bigger.