Naomi's Sketchbook - Trudging along a drawing a day.

[FalconessN]

Just recently I decided to start drawing again. It's been 5 years since I last held a pencil, and at the beginning of August I decided to start again! As a kid I used to really love drawing, but when schoolwork started piling up, I guess I eventually lost that passion, though the interest was still there, I guess I never really took it seriously.

Anyways... I've been lurking in the forums for about 2 weeks now, admiring the amazing things that go on here, and plucking up the courage to finally start posting up my sketchbook stuff!

Would love all of your critiques and feedback on how I can get better. I think I've been slowly understanding bits and pieces over the past month, and i've been drawing everyday without fail. Hopefully getting better! >< *Fingers crossed, pencil in hand*

My linework is pretty bad at the moment... im working on it... T.T

P.S: Sorry for the bad quality images, my scanner died and I used my iPhone. Gonna go home and try to connect to my dad's fancy new scanner/printer, hopefully I get to post up better quality pics.

Here goes...!

[FalconessN]

Sketchy sketchy!

I had no idea what was going on for the centre drawing in the 2nd last picture... T.T

edit: *Uploaded better quality Scans! Finally Not just horrible iPhone images. T.T*

[halfPintMike]

Hey there,

Good luck with your sketchbook!

[Syre]

Good luck! I'm also trying to do art every day, I'll root you on.

Keep studying anatomy. I see you've got a Bridgeman book in there, good choice. I also suggest Drawing for All it's Worth by Loomis.

I suggest you start doing gesture drawings, it'll help with building energy and loosening your figures. A book I particularly like is Figure Drawing: Design and Invention by Hampton, it's a good one for gestures and building on them. (I love art books, so I always suggest some).

[Nianto]

uuuh. nice, grats on starting a sketchbook. it'll definitly help!
i see you're already studying brigdman - i would've recommend him. so just keep on posting (do you also do digital? w/ a tablet?)
I'll try to have a look here and then (:: so keeeep on updating!

[FalconessN]

@Syre: Thanks! I'll check those books out and get started with gesture drawings.
@Nianto: Yep! I'll try to post up some of my digital stuff. They're not very good yet though, so i'm always looking for ways to improve.

I'll definitely keep studying Bridgman. I just absolutely love the way he does figures.

Only managed to sketch one page yesterday.
Our study group has an assignment on hands, and I spent 2 full hours staring at them, trying to understand the relation with the various joints in the fingers, and how the skin wraps around them. I used to have a phobia of hands, but I'm slowly starting to understand that they are just simple forms... (bendy forms? ) Popped out 4 hands, out of the 100 hands challenge. o.o

The dude on the scooter was drawn yesterday morning while my mom and I were stuck at a traffic light.

Sorry for the bad quality (again). Scanners don't seem to co-operate with me.. T.T *edit: Finally got me scanner working yo!*

Hand Sketch Check: 4/100

[cooper33]

This is actually very nice! good luck

[FalconessN]

@Cooper: Thank You!

Sketched for 3 hours again! It's like 1 am now... Ahaha!

Anyways, I started off with Gesture Drawing today. And I failed terribly...T.T (see below) Then, I remembered what Syre recommended as good material - the book by Michael Hampton? I read through the 1st Chapter, studied his gestures and started to understand how to go about doing gestures. So instead of scribbling like crazy, afraid that time would run out, I started off afresh - observing every image for about 5-10 seconds, understanding the pose, and interpreting it, before I drew.

It looked SO MUCH BETTER when I drew gestures the 2nd time round! Please feel free to give me crits. I would love to improve.

It's just SO MUCH FUN!

Did another 7 hands for the study group challenge! I tried to be looser with my pencil (does that make sene? looser...) Yep!
3 referenced from my own hand under my study light, and 3 more 5 min poses from The Drawing Script.
I think I messed up the turtle one... Hahahah! Well, shows that i've got more things to learn! Really stoked.

Hand Sketch Check: 11/100

[reborn-gp]

Glad you decided to return draw. That's really goo! keep drawing everyday and one day, you'll be rocking a lot!!!!!
cheers and thanks for stopping by at my SB

[FalconessN]

@reborn: Thanks for stopping by! Yep! It's only been a month, and i'm already seeing alot of improvement as I flip through my physical sketchbook. Get's me all pumped up to know that I can get better

So the only time I ever.. like EVER get to draw is after work. In the car, at home, after dinner... etc. Whenever I can, I try to sneak in a few digital ones at the office, since I have my tablet out anyways... o.o Usually I just do line work and cylinders and circles and cubes, but today I decided to try something new...

It's really bad... >< I'm bad at digital painting at the moment. But i'm going to work hard to get better! Everything about that picture is currently really off...?

Its my colleague by the way. She sits right beside me, and she's really sweet and hardworking... unlike me, the skiver.. ? Whole thing took me 20 mins?
I definitely have alot of things to study when it comes to painting... whether its lighting, proper rendering... etc etc...

Working hard... Will upload some more studies tonight.

[Vailence]

Nice work. Keep studying that Bridgeman book! It will save you alot of trouble later on. Keep it up

[FalconessN]

@Vailance Thank you! Haha! Yep, gonna keep studying Bridgman. He's really fun to study.

[reborn-gp]

Yeees, I know that feel. I find myself in the same situation. I work too (and i have a short time to draw.) But you're totally right, we have to work hard to get better . I'm subscribing your SB btw

[FalconessN]

@Reborn: Yay! Thank you! I'm already subscribed to yours. Let's work hard together!

I'm so zombified... I think all my brain juice has slushed out of my ears onto the floor...

Bahaha! Had a Bridgman study today! Was interesting...! I learnt quite abit... But unfortunately, at the moment, still unable to apply it. Look at all the 'PHAIL' hands. T.T Gotta work harder. And try to draw earlier. Drawing at 2 am is no good... I see things funny... +.O

Well, they're stil hands nonetheless..
Not counting the Bridgman Studies...

Hand Sketch Check: 17/100

[FalconessN]

Some sketches from the train ride to work this morning. Got drenched in the rain... All cold and wet and... At least my sketchbook's fine.

[reborn-gp]

Enjoyed with the skull one! Hands are a pain in the ass to draw. I still have a lot of difficulty X_x
I will suggest you what a friend suggested to me once. Take some photos/references, make some traced drawings from the photos and later draw again seeing the references with the traced ones. it helps compare the lines and see how works. ( i know it may sound wrong, but help a lot) XD

[Psychobuddy]

Good start, your Bridgman's look good, just keep studying, it'll really pay off.

[FalconessN]

@Reborn: Thanks! I'll try that.
@Psychobuddy: Psychobuddy is on my SB! *Faints* ;D Thank you! I'll work on doing a lot more studies.

Gotta draw hands until I can do it in my sleep. zZzZzZ...

[FalconessN]

Started off with some 1 min gestures. I think i'm getting better? o.o

Anyways, did a whole bunch of hand studies. Had problems with drawing a few kinds of hands, especially those with foreshortening. Slowed the whole process down and really tried to understand how the pieces all fit together. (Thus, the colour pencils - helping me see and understand... )

And I've been spending more time drawing? Its now 3.30am.. -.- Compared to the last two days...

(Oh, did I mention I'll be joining a Life Drawing Class next week? I'm so excited. It's the first time i'll be going to an art class. Wonder what it's like... - Person who's never been to an art class... Can't wait to learn stuff. heh. )

Hand Sketch Check: 27/100

[FalconessN]

My last post got removed... oh well, I guess with all the construction going on, its not really surprising. I really hope CA gets up and running a 100% soon.

Anyways, not gonna repeat myself... but.. just a bit of what I've been doing while CA.org was down. It was definitely alot more difficult to find inspiration to push on, but I managed. Hope I improved to show for it. XD

Have been working on Faces and Torsos.

[FalconessN]

A quick sketch 'dump'.
I haven't had the time nor energy to post up as much as I would like, and am suffering from some sort of sleep deprivation, prolly because I used to sleep at 3am every morning just to slot in time to draw, which has obviously taken a toll on my body. No matter, I've been catching up on some sleep lately, but fitting in time to do random 1-2 drawings a day. So i'm still drawing consistently (though not always able to do studies)

[Psychobuddy]

Good work again haha. The hands you posted two posts up are awesome, really, awesome. About the sleep deprivation, I understand it sort of, you're right it really does take a toll, I found that I made less improvement and did less work when I was staying up later to do it. Just get some good night's rest, which you seem to be doing now haha and draw whenever you can...your body can really only take so much. Anyway my rambling really has no point, more of a I know how you feel kind of thing haha. Keep up the good work, I'm looking forward to your next update!

[halfPintMike]

Hey, nice work and effort!

I really like the girl in goggles and also the one with the braid on one side of her head! So these are Bridgeman? I've only had Loomis before. I should give this other guy a shot.

[FalconessN]

@Psychobuddy: haha! Thanks
@halfPintMike: Thank you Some of them are Bridgman studies, but I try to do studies from various places.

Another dump. After 5 days...? I think I'm seeing slight improvements in my sketches. But i've still got alot to work on.


It's not supposed to be a vampire looking dude... Haha. It came out entirely different from the reference..



The guy's body is too short....!! D: Or legs... or something.. I just know something's wrong.. o.o

[FalconessN]

Another sketchy dump! I've had a little more time to sleep though..

Done without references. Tons of stuff to improve on..


Some with references and some without. XD



One of my life drawing sessions. Done with compressed charcoal:


I'm currently a part of a study group, and I was inspired by one of my group mates to paint. I finally picked up the courage to give it a proper try... XD
So, thanks Turp! This is all thanks to you...

[FalconessN]

some random sketches and drapery for a group assignment.


I need to learn to draw straight on my sketchbook. XD I tend to draw at an angle because my book is always tilted... A bad habit..


Drapery Studies... [5/50]

[Jamie Romoser]

Nice start for your sketchbook I'm looking forward to seeing your progression
always have your eye open for the world around you, and what drives you to be the person you are today
keep having fun learning and exploring
-Jamie

[SaraCooley]

Hey there! Stopping by to check out your sketchbook since you were nice enough to stop by mine.

You've got some really nice hands there, I know hands tend to be a giant hurdle for artists, but you seem to have found a way that works for you, so kudos on that.

Keep up the studies!

[FalconessN]

@jamie: Thanks! I'll do that!
@Sara: Thanks for stopping by mine! I'll definitely be working harder.

A bunch of painting that i've been trying out. I've got a whole bunch of sketches i've yet to upload, but i've got to scan 'em all, so these are the stuff i'm working on digitally... Its kinda really ugly at the moment. So, would appreciate any advise as to how I can paint better. Especially with cleaner lines... I think I know one thing would be that i'd prolly have to observe more...? And i realise I tend to get confused with values... So i'm guessing that would be something I need to study more.. Any advise would really help! I've only started painting a few days ago... <.< not that it really matters I guess, but i'm pretty new at this.. XD

[FalconessN]

A friend of mine who's a pretty fantastic fine artist gave me some tips on painting. And the key thing he said was to slow down the process and work slowly through my paintings instead of speed painting, to better understand the process.

So, I worked at it, (after watching a video on perspective and lighting XD), and here's what I have to show so far (without references-it was a bad idea <.<).
It's definitely a work in progress... But I might be taking a short break from digital painting after this. (Current overload of information) and work more on anatomy (yet again.. Don't we all? ) Also on better understanding values.. i think. Btw, I do have a ton of sketches I should be uploading, i just have to get around to scanning them.