Katey's sketchbook - New to this

[bbwolf]

I said it before, I´ll say it again, I love the mixed media you do on these things

[Seraph Fawkes]

I see you're practicing structural anatomy drawing as well, as painting from references. Some, like the avatar image, are quite good. I'd probably suggest some perspective drawing practice, with multiple points. Will come in handy. Keep drawing!

[luthertaylor]

[KateyParr]

Thanks so much everyone. It's so great to get constructive and positive feedback.

@Seraph Fawkes I have to agree that this is something I want to practice. I understand perspective drawing when it comes to landscapes but I struggle to apply this to the human face or form. I guess I need to block out my figure in 3d shapes, apply the perspective then fill it in?

I am currently working on some oil painting besides my studies on website design and improving my graphic design portfolio (so much to do!)
This medium is completely new to me and I had a lot of trouble just understand the basics and where you are supposed to start. There are so many different opinions and all sorts of stuff to try. I should probably have started painting grayscale... but you know what it's like, you just want to jump head first into colour. Oil painting takes a life time to 'get', never mind master.

Here's a first stage where I am attempting to block in the shadows with burnt umber. I actually feel that I started this piece far too big... the brushstrokes look small and messy because of the size of the piece and how much 'space' there is to fill across the planes of the face. When I try to 'block' in colours, even at a starting stage, it looks odd and isn't really resembling the 3d-ness of the face very well at all! I am really struggling with this piece but every time I go back to it I am learning something new, which is highly valuable.

[0000]

nice flow on your sketches, keep it up.

[KateyParr]

Another update on my oil painting. I went through quite a few stages in this sitting and I got much more of a feel for medium.

This is my first time properly oil painting and it's all very new to me but I am really enjoying it. Few things aren't perfect, the colours feel quite off, I lost the shadow/light areas and they've sort of blended into each other and the nose seemed to drag down and become long. I think I need to give her more forehead as well.

[PeteJ]

Nice studies Really like that drawing of the girl with the big heart thing behind her.

[KateyParr]

Thought I'd post some drawings I did when studying my degree. Most of these are from over a year ago now and I feel I could draw some of the ideas that I had, much MUCH better.

My degree was Design for Exhibition & Museums which is basically designing environments that tell a story to the visitor and viewer. It's not far off concept design in many ways but it was specialised in that you'd be designing a manufactures trade show exhibition stand or an exhibition at a museum that teaches viewers about the war and so on. It was a fantastic degree and I went on to work in London for a few months at an exhibition stand design company. However I soon left when I found that London wasn't the place for me and my sanity











































This is what my final show looked like:







And here is some graphic design I did roughly 3 years ago now, a mixture of paid and college work:



















Well I thought it might be interesting for you to see my previous works, something to compare to at least when updating with things I am working on now. I am quite busy as I work full time, attempting to build and design 2 websites, designing a lot of graphic design projects to fill my portfolio with and on top of all that I am wanting to practice my oil painting and figure drawing skills which sadly end up being put to the bottom of the pile.

[Revidescent]

I really like the colours on your oil painting! It's got some proportional issues, though - overall, the nose is way too long, which it looks like you've noticed. Remember the basic proportions, dividing the head into thirds (chin to bottom of nose, nose to brow line, brow line to hairline). I know it's a pain to fix actual paint-on-canvas stuff, but for what it's worth, if it's possible to repaint the lower half of the face and just move it up a little, you'll be in business:

[KateyParr]

Yep you're definitely right! I am using a photo ref but I don't know how I managed to get it all long in the first place, perhaps I drew the head far too long in general.

Thanks for the photo edit, it does look much better.Not sure how well I am going to be able to paint over as the oils tend to show through the layers. Will see what I can do.

If I repainted the eyes lower, would that fix it??

[T-Eight]

hey great studies. like ur human skeleton head study a lot!

I guess - if I may told u that - u should try to start to learn all about the human anatomy. Beginning with the skeleton.
I try to learn more about human skeleton/bones at the moment and it's super interesting haha... have to learn this to draw better human.

ur very good a traditional drawin' ... keep it up

[magicpudding]

Really enjoy the variety in your sketchbook already. I think this will help you heaps with the design aspect of your folio, especially landscapes, machines, buildings and any weapons that need some thought given to their function as well as appearance. Your Portrait of the woman is amazing! Check out Ctrl+Paint to help you with your digital painting. Great sketchbook. Keep postin!

SB

[KateyParr]

@T-Eight: Thank you very much! I am definitely wanting to do more and more studies so please watch this space.

@magicpudding: That's great to know! I think having good ideas and concepts is one thing, but being able to express them is another, wouldn't you say? Thanks again for the confidence boost.

[Jmob]

Hey! I'm loving the progress I'm seeing. I think if you wanted to get better though you'd need to study and read up more (like all of us). I'm just seeing a lot of expressive things that definitely are important in art but do not remain as the backbone of the art. Perhaps having a more firm understanding of forms and planes would help. If you'd like me to suggest to you some of my heroes of the fundamentals I'd love to. I'll be following you to make sure you study those fundamentals!

[KateyParr]

Hey! I'm loving the progress I'm seeing. I think if you wanted to get better though you'd need to study and read up more (like all of us). I'm just seeing a lot of expressive things that definitely are important in art but do not remain as the backbone of the art. Perhaps having a more firm understanding of forms and planes would help. If you'd like me to suggest to you some of my heroes of the fundamentals I'd love to. I'll be following you to make sure you study those fundamentals!

Absolutely I would love to hear your list. My favourite artist is Nathan Fowkes. I love the Riley Method and I am certainly attempting to get those fundamentals under wraps. I have never studied them enough as a younger girl I was immature with the art scene and didn't understand what I was doing or trying to achieve. Now I understand how far behind I am on the basics.

Will post more studies shortly, I promise! I know I can do better!

[Jmob]

haha, don't be too hard on yourself though. I tend to be way too hard on myself and end up burning myself out! OK, for starting off with anatomy read and study this book http://www.amazon.com/Human-Figure-D.../dp/0486204324 (vandorpoel) and Loomis pdf(s) http://alexhays.com/loomis/. The Loomis book I recommend to start with is Figure Drawing for All It's Worth. Once you have understood what they are saying and have done at least multiple lengthy drawings of what they've done you can then consult Bridgeman (Constructive Anatomy) for more of an in depth analysis of the human form. Once you have mastered this or get sick of it and just want to take a break, you can read up on composition here:http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/C...ition_tutorial and here, http://www.wetcanvas.com/Articles2/135/120/ (for landscapes). Lez do dis... gogogogogogooo!

[tylerfontes]

just started a new sketchbook forum today. input is most greatly apreciated
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthr...tes-Sketchbook

[KateyParr]

@Jmob Thanks for all the tips. I am working my way through these very slowly and will post my progress.



Here is my progress on the oil painting. I haven't finished the eyes, which is why they look faded. I am struggling to shade them in, it's really hard to the make the iris and pupils look right without her looking derp?
However I think all round she's looking more realistic and in proportion. I moved the eyes down the face, increasing the size of her forehead. I also shrank the hair a bit etc.

[KateyParr]

Accidental duplicate post.

P.S Does anyone know how to shade teeth?

[AdrienneRose]

Really liking your work and progress here! I think my favorite thing so far is your "scribble scrabble" in post #30! Great start to a sketchbook so far, though I'd like to see so much more!

[KateyParr]

Thank you AdrienneRose!

Just some mmore portrait practice, attempting the Riley Method again. It's very tricky. I can't seem to get the lines down neatly in the construction period.



Stage 1 - attempting to figure out the construction lines with the Riley method