Sketchbook: A Tumultuous Journey

[CrashPoint]

Heeeeeyyy.... Yeah, so this is my first post on CA and I figured it made the most sense to start off with the good old sketchbook.

So basically I'm a 21 year old guy who's been going through an identity crisis for the last couple years at college. Roughly a year ago I picked up drawing again and rediscovered my passion for art and creating story. Basically I'm at this point where I would really like to do this thing for real, but I'm afraid I just won't have what it takes to push myself towards that goal. So here I am taking my first step on this journey and hopefully with the help of such an awesome an creative community I just might be able to draw something worth looking at.

Can't wait to meet some of you guys! Let's do this thaaang!

[CrashPoint]

Alright so lets get this sketchbook started!

Here are some Loomis and Hogarth studies I did today, including a thumbnail for what's going to be my first attempt at a digital composition. Enjoy!

[DARKTHUR]

Great start! That portrait, if not technically awesome, is yet very expressive, and that's what is needed to be good with art. Techniques are easily acquired anyways XD
It's great you decided to get into art, I was afraid of it too, but I can tell you, if you already came here, you are in a good path, this place is great for improvement, you can find many usefull things, as well as great people, with great art that can inspire.

It seems that you are reading Hogarth right? Greaaaat! haha, that guy is an excellent reference, but don't remember some observation drawing, you can learn a lot from it too

Again, good start, and keep posting!

[liquorbleu]

It's great to see you here, that little paragraph you wrote about yourself coulda been me a couple months ago.

Just keep up the habit, the more you do it the more fun it is.

Like Darkthur said - your self portrait is awesome and expressive - maybe try to use chalk highlights more sparingly to find the brightest spots to make em pop - see if that works for you. Squint your eyes at your reference to bring out where the darkest shadows and the lightest lights are.

Keep it up! Great start!

[Pete Hidalgo]

Hey thanks for stopping by my book. I like what I am seeing here so far. reminds me that I need to do more anatomy studies ha ha. Keep it up man.

[CrashPoint]

Darkthur - Thanks for the advice! I have definitely been neglecting drawing from life.

Liquorbleu - Thanks for stopping by! I'll be sure to keep my chalks under control next time.

Pete - Thanks for visiting! I wish you good luck on your own anatomical studies!

Alright day 2 did a bunch of still life's as last night I got really frustrated with myself and decided to stop screwing around and do some fundamentals. And then a little more loomis heads and hogarth. Enjoy and let me know if you have any good tips on mastering forms!

[Sapphirelullaby]

I really like the portrait too, as stated, because of how expressive it is. Its really hard to get such an odd angle and expression down good on you! Your studies are looking good, just be keenly aware of proportion; that's probably the essence of anatomy, really, ahaha. Keep going strong with the studies and don't get discouraged!

[CrashPoint]

Thanks Saphire! Yeah I think that last one I did the body looks a little too big, I'll be sure to keep an eye on my proportions!

Alright so I kind of got a mish mash of sketches here. Some still life some quick sketches of the figure from imagination another little loomis head study, a self portrait and some hogarth head studies. Advice welcome!

[FROZ3N]

[jNeumann]

Nice start man, glad to see you're drawing from life. Keep at it

[tsabu]

Nice start, your portrait above looks really good

Don't forget to play a bit with colors. Painting also boosting your drawing skills, and vice versa.

[CrashPoint]

Pitchblack - haha thank you

JNeumann - Thanks! I think what I also need to do is try to do some bigger objects maybe try to use perspective.

tsabu - Thanks for the advice, yeah I haven't really experimented much at all with colors so I've been kind of hesitant, but I'll get on that!

So decent size post did couple heads from my imagination, did some less than satisfactory hogarth head studies, did my first legitimate attempt at a digital self portrait, which I think turned well enough. And finally at the end a colored WIP I like the idea though I'm not entirely sure if I'm really selling it, any compositional tips are appreciated! Upward and Onward!!!

[ceddo]

This is great stuff! The portrait is very expressive, and I'm glad you found the courage to get serious about art.

If you want some advice for the studies, I would say that for the constructional studies, ditch tone altogether. This is because the brain learns best when focused on one thing. So when you are doing anything that involved simplifying reality to simple 3D shapes, I think it's best that your first step is pure line art.

Also, your Burne Hogarth studies look very good. Is the book still open when you do them? If so, try to do them again with the book closed, to see how much you have actually retained. The aim of studies is to take something and store it in your memory for future use, without reference (or less dependency on one). So if you haven't done so already, try looking at a Hogarth face for a solid minute for example and try to remember as much as possible. Then, close the book and recreate it. This really forces the memory part of your brain to start working.

The next step could be to try rotating and twisting it in your imagination - this is really difficult

All the best!

[CrashPoint]

Thanks Ceddo, a bunch of great advice! I'll be sure to get on that!

So here's a couple sketches of the boat thing I've been working on plus the WIP. I've been having trouble trying to figure out the background, though I know for sure I want it to be a night scene. Thoughts anyone?

[CrashPoint]

Here's some quick still life sketches i did last night, and my sad attempt at self portraiture I spent far too long trying to make it look nice that I eventually gave up and just doodled the same head over and over again...fail.

[birdscanfly]

Several tips: First, if you draw digitally, it's always good to draw on a 50% gray background, so you can see the values more accurately.
Secondly, sketch out the outlines and general shape of what you're trying to draw and then fill it in with black. Then check the form with your reference, erase/add where it's not accurate. Lastly you start blocking in the general values of the piece.

Try to clean up your lines, don't chicken scratch, but try think about why that lines is going there and how it should look. Check before you draw. Don't outline the lips, but rather work them in using values. If you check my sketchbook I have a gif of how I did my self-portrait. It's not really good, but maybe you like the work-flow as much as I do.

[Veshkau]

Good start here. Would recommend doing some studies where you split the values into two though and try to use a big brush to begin with. There's a lot of muddy values and small brushmarks all over at the minute. Keep up the good work.

[CrashPoint]

Thanks Veshkau, Thanks Birdscanfly I'll be sure to work on all that stuff.

Some gesture drawing and a bunch of head studies. Oh and a quick sketch of andy from advance wars!

[CrashPoint]

Landscape color study, self Portrait, and eye study. Man landscapes our tough!

[CrashPoint]

Arrgghh.... must fight self loathing.... It's funny I go through these moments where I'm like maaan... I suck. What makes me think I can do this? And then with any luck I might see some progress and be like, oh wait... maybe I'm not a complete failure!.... naaah I still suck lol.

Haha, anyways here's some more head studies, an army lady portrait thingamadoo, and a cloak study!

[CrashPoint]

Alright late night post because I have nothing better to do. More head/face studies, and a study I did of the famous national geographic photo of the afghan girl with the haunting green eyes. I think this is the longest time I've ever spent on a piece, which in itself makes me happy if that makes any sense. Crits welcome!

[Pete Hidalgo]

This last portrait looks oddly familiar. Why do I feel I have seen that face before? Ha ha. That is going to bug me. Anyway dude nice job with the studies and portraits.

[CrashPoint]

Thanks Pete! Yeah that last portrait I did is from a very famous photograph.

Been busy with work lately so I haven't really been posting any of my stuff, but here's a study of the grand canyon!

[CrashPoint]

Here's a portrait of a young Jean Claude Van Damme I did earlier this week. I can't guarantee that I'll be posting that much for about the next month, as I'll be moving to France next week and will be staying there for the next 8 months. Enjoy!

[Draconius]

awesome studies dude keep up this pace and you'll improve faster then something..that..improves...fast?

your faces are allready very recognisable. maybe try applying some off the stuff that you learn on your own projects. It will help you process the information better, since you actually need to think about how to do it. studies are awesome and all but in the end it's just observation .

also the self loathing and doubt it's normal. I have it aaaaaaall the time. it's when you push through these moments that the stuff starts getting intressting.

cool that you are moving to france to a while we'll by country neighbours haha :p since i'm from belgium and all that jazz.

Keep it up.

[CrashPoint]

Draconius - Yeah I definitely will try to apply this to some of my own stuff, it's just so painful to look at my own crappy work haha. Ohwell, I guess you got to start somewhere. Cool that your from Belgium! I'm sure at some point I'll be visiting your lovely country during my stay.

So here's a mouth study I threw together and another go at the self portrait.

[CrashPoint]

Alright here's my attempt at creating a my own portrait based on a couple references.

[Raiderukkus]

keep it going man! you are an a right way

[Psychobuddy]

Good work so far man, one thing I've noticed is that in your digis, everything is staying, for the most part, o the light side of things. Bumping up the contrast should help to give the studies a better sense of form. Just something to keep in mind.

[CrashPoint]

Thanks Psychobuddy I'll be sure to keep that in mind!

Soooo, it has been quite a while since I last posted, but sadly life can have a tendency to get in the way. Anyways moved to France it's all good and hears my latest portrait of Benedict Cumberbatch from the BBC show Sherlock. I kind of quit once I hit the clothes, but advice is always welcome!