Trying to figure out my Thang!

[Quidfish]

Hello folks,

In the past I kept starting these sketchbooks and then I forget that it is here >_< I've reached this point in my art where I am struggling over that next hurdle to improve so it's about time I started opening up myself for a wider feel of feedback and general advice so I can get on the road to awesome.

I am also struggling with what direction I should follow. I have a fine art background, studied sequential art but have a big passion for Illustration and am interested in dipping my toes in concept art. But I just haven't the foggiest what I should focus a portfolio on... it'll probably end up being Illustration (which I have no quibbles over!)

Anyways, I'm going to start by showing you some sketches, studies and general art works I've done from the start of the new year.

First I started with a whole collection of Anatomy break downs from the ImagineFX special edition magazine. I have the whole body broken down in my sketchbook for reference. But I need to do more from life type studies of each body part!

[Quidfish]

I have been working on a collection of bookmarks based off the Chinese Elements in the form of dragons for the Chinese new year. All of these were primarily done with Sai and each one I was just experimenting with my technique a lot.

I feel like they are missing something and a few look very unfinished but I just don't know where to go with it, so if anyone wanted to offer feedback that would be greatly appreciated. The dragons below are Water, Fire and Wood and I tried to be experimental in their design but still make them somewhat practical and believable.

[magicpudding]

Good on you for your willingness to make a commitment to yourself and keep posting. Well done! As for what to include in a portfolio, I find the best way to proceed is by asking yourself what you like. Then make a start. For example, if you like sci fi, then how bout some work in this genre? Anyway, the point I make is this: if you are interested in what you're doing, then practise becomes a pleasure. Bye! Magic.

[Quidfish]

Thank you Magic for the feedback, I think my problem is that I just like too many things lol! However if you break down my older works you can see a consistency for animals and some fantasy. Perhaps I already knew my focus... I just want to try everything first before I settle I suppose....

Attached below are a couple attempts at landscape speed paints. I limited myself through speed painting because otherwise I get hooked up into certain areas and I really wanted to see how far I could get. I don't have very good or imaginative backgrounds so it's an area I need to work on.

The mountainous one was done without any references, and I was trying to create a rocky effect. I threw in the dragon last minute because I played too much skyrim.

The second landscape was from a photo I took of Tintagel in the UK. I think I put too much water to land ratio in there >_<

Again sorry for the ugly watermarks I have been lifting these images from my blog.

[Quidfish]

Last upload today I promise. I have been doing some portraits lately, experimenting with digital painting at the same time. I still struggle with certain facial features when creating my own characters or just doodling from imagination, so I need to do more studies.

The first image was done from imagination, using greyscale first and then putting the colours on afterwards.

The second was from a bazaar photo of myself. Where I tried the greyscale first, then colour over the top and worked into it a bit more than the first one. I wanted to make the colours more interesting so deviated a bit.

The last (and most recent as of yesterday! yay!) is a portrait using reference from this guys amazing photography: http://levonbiss.com/news/2011/12/sa...or-british-gq/ Although I've moved passed the others I would like to try and keep working on this one as so far I haven't spent a lot of time on it.

I've been using Sai for all of these so far.