The Complete Intergalactic Cookbook à la Ilari

[LeaderOfZombies]

Hey, CA-people. My name is Ilari, I live in Finland and I'm 21 years old at the time of starting this sketchbook.

All comments are critiques are very welcome!

http://leaderofzombies.deviantart.com/

Listen to this while you are browsing through this sketchbook:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_YrNDNDOTg
It's a Donkey Kong Country cover my friend and I made It's super awesome.

[LeaderOfZombies]

I think I'll post mainly studies and sketches here and submit most of my finished work on deviantart in the future. Or not. I don't know.
But here are some stuff from my current deviantart-gallery:

[LeaderOfZombies]

The previous ones were all digital paintings from reference, these were done with traditional media (from reference as well).
The superman and batman drawings are copies, not originals.

Ink & coloring pencils


Ink & coloring pencils


Ink & watercolor


Ink & watercolor

[LeaderOfZombies]

Some quick studies done during the last week or so.

[kevin_]

nice start to your sb, the studies look very well done!

[Suncut]

I think you're doing great, even where your studies aren't quite taken to a finish you get the character of your subject through, which is awesome. You seem to be a bit careful with the color sometimes, going greyer than the reference material, especially on muted colors. Missed some gorgeous blue on those mountains and wonderful lilacs on the water.

[LeaderOfZombies]

Thanks, Kevin! I'm trying to get rid of my habit of concentrating too much on detailing. Doing these quick studies is really helping me to loosen it up, and it's good to know they still look decent.

Suncut: You're making some very good points there. I always feel a bit afraid of using strongly saturated colors and my eyes aren't very good at picking those bluish hues. Need more color studies, I guess. Thanks for the constructive criticism!

[LeaderOfZombies]

Trying to draw some animals by doing constructive drawings (or dynamic sketches or whatever you call them).
I think I should go even further and really break those forms down to cubes and stuff.

[LeaderOfZombies]

Haven't really drawn much with charcoals, but here are some attempts to do so.

[Spudonkey]

wow i need to learn your eye for detail!

[Orango]

Wow these last updates were really amazing ! Too much to comment thoroughly but overall really impressive.
I personally prefer the ones where you draw more quickly and freely with a pen like the Lion and your Aardvark
Keep it up.

[LeaderOfZombies]

Spudonkey: Photo studies do the trick! The more time you spend on them, the better you get at catching the detail. And of course it is also important to learn to leave out unnecessary detail.

Orango: Thanks, mate! Those quick pen drawings are my favorites as well. It's kinda good thing that you can't erase so you get more confident with your lines.

[lionheartGFX]

wow your observation skills are really up there man! specially in animals and figures, your enviros its where i think you can actually push yourself harder, they are still pretty awesome but not on par with your figures, keep this pace man and those are gonna be alooot better in the following months! hope to see alot more from you mister!

[LeaderOfZombies]

Thanks for the kind words, lionheart! Yes, I do need a LOT of practice on those enviros, I completely agree with you on that. They are just so intimidating subject to draw/paint and I don't think there's an easy way around it. Studies, studies..

And here are some older pencil drawings I scanned today (I think these were all drawn from reference):

[Icedearth15876]

Some very good pencil sketches and charcoal work can't wait to see more

[LeaderOfZombies]

Digital b&w studies (and a colored version of the apple) from some time ago:

[n1frit]

Cool graphic! Keep it)

[LeaderOfZombies]

Did some random sketches a few days ago. Didn't plan anything before drawing.



Started refining that weird creature with the grotesque posture, but didn't like it and therefore didn't bother to finish it.

[chevy28360]

Interesting stuff in here. I really like your studies. That last creature design is very cool as well. Keep it up!

[LeaderOfZombies]

chevy28360: Thanks! Drawing from my imagination and creating my own designs is still quite difficult for me. Trying to get better at it, though.

Speaking of which, I did some quick "hellish" creature thumbnails today. They are very sketchy and messy, yes.

[lionheartGFX]

its all about practice, i like those loose sketches btw the have enough info to take them alot further wich is the most important aspect of a sketch to me, it has to have all you want to say keep doing theese also do more stills they are great!

[magicpudding]

Really great work so far, a good amount and variety of skills being honed. Good work! I agree with lionheartGFX; those crazy hot silhouette monster studies are the seed of an idea coming from your heart and mind through the pen and onto our screens! They ARE pure expression. Develop them for public consumption, sure, but the idea baby, thats where its at! Great work, keep postin!

SB

[Letty]

Hi! Really nice studies and your Gandalf picture is awesome! Keep it up

[Kriss_Kringle]

First of all,you seem to have the exact same problems I have and by that I mean you're a detail freak and when it comes to working from imagination things don't turn out that well.Second of all,the studies look great,so you already have hawk eyes for observation.
I don't really know what advice to give you on the drawing from your head part as I'm struggling with it myself but if you find a solution,please share it with me!

[Wingal]

Nice studys! keep it up mate! Practice and you will get better at the imagination thing... just like with everything else =) You could also try visualization meditation.

[PeopleEveryday]

You are super talented! Wow! Drawing with imagination with come in now time once you fill out your visual library a little more perhaps.

Your thumbnails look great! ( I recognize that brush. ) Why not work on those characters and develop a few to finish?

[LeaderOfZombies]

@ lionheart: Thanks for the comment! It's true that I could take those sketches a lot further, but I'm kind of afraid to do that There's a chance of failure and I hate failing.
@ magicpudding: Thanks, man! I'm glad you can see the idea behind those poorly produced monsters
@ Letty: Hi! Thanks! That one's my favorite as well
@ Kriss_Kringle: Yes, I am most definitely a detail freak, as you said I've realized that working with a media that doesn't allow you to erase (like ink) helps to loosen up and forget about the detail (at least until you've got the basic drawing worked out). And those quick color studies seem to help as well. I will give you a shout when I find the easy way around the problem!
@ Wingal: Thanks! I've never heard of that "visualization meditation" -thingy before o.O I'm definitely gonna check it out.
@ PeopleEveryday: Thanks for the kind words! I'm considering to work a bit more on some of those thumbnails, but I'm quite skeptical about the outcome.

Random studies from yesterday and today:

Tried a new method on this one. It's very clean, but I dunno. Maybe I like a bit more "painterly" -looking stuff.


40-50 min


~30 min (while watching tv) This one looks nasty Maybe some extra minutes should have been spent.


A quick color study.

[johnny24]

nice sketchbook!! and really good studys of snatomy and stuff keep going!

[LeaderOfZombies]

Painted some butterflies today. Two different versions of the same concept.

watercolor & gouache

[dawnusllaw]

Hey! you have an impressive sketchbook started here, keep it up! Your skill level with different media is impressive!