Finally......Someday!

[ozark]

Cool stuff you've got here ! I especially dig the perspective on that SP. Your back muscle study reminds me that I need to brush up on my back muscle knowledge as well. You're doing all the right things as far as I'm concerned. Now let's see more of traditional stuff !

[I STRaY I]

Ozark: Thanks for stopping by. Not sure if it's right what I'm doing, but I'm trying to get better. Even if it only means by just applying myself in some sort of way. Better then the alternative. As for traditional, every now and then, maybe if I can't access my laptop. But of all the things I'm trying to study and learn right now. Photoshop itself is right up there as the toughest,there are so many aspects to it and things to learn, not to mention the feel of the tablet. I'm so intrigued and determined and have so much ground to makeup it's hard to want to sketch on paper. But I do and will, especially if it is something like Loomis studies.

Crap, long-winded today. Anyways, worked some on this Steampunk girl. Actually decided to push some drapery in it, so that called for a few studies. The shoulder folds were the main focus. I hope they read and I can keep them/make them work. They need to look windblown. Also, I did a quick sketch, no ref. Obviously posterior views have been my focus lately. We'll be sure to attempt something otherwise. This sort of thing is my greatest weakness, drawaing from imagination. If I never accomplish anything other then to be able to draw better from my mind, I will be satisfied. So I should obviously exercise this much more, and will.

[Rhubix]

neat stuff- You've got the right idea with your learning, doing a bit of everything and lots of directed studies- so keep that up
I will add a bit on gesture (cuz It's my favorite!)
If your doing a really fast gesture (1 minuet or less) forget about contours. There's not enough time to fiddle around all that stuff.
There are a billion different ways to go about gesture- so explore some different types and see what works for you.

Traditionally I would use a crayon, conte, pastel or piece of charcoal - so I had a big surface area to slam in big forms.
Digitally I like to use a big fat brush with black and white on a 30 % gray background. That way I can switch back and forth to push and pull stuff- or slam down a bit of light if it helps describe from.
Just try to get down the direction of the forms - the balance of the figure, and the action. Ignore details. That kind of stuff is better left to longer studies.
On this figure I got a little detailed with the stripes- but I felt they helped describe the direction of the figure so thew them in there.


I like this method because it's quick and dirty- it lets you explore poses in a more organic way- and you'll get some more fluid and lively lines than trying to get the insertion point of the knee right- and all the other outline stuffs.

Happy sketching - keep it up!

[ecki]

Nice work man, welcome on page 2

I would like to see some quick gestures and more more more

[I STRaY I]

Rhubix- Thanks for taking the time to check mine out, as well as share some solid advice. Having never really practiced gesture much. I think what you've suggested is no doubt a method I'll continue to practice from here out. In fact I had a go today with it, instead, I may have missed the point and took it my own way. I'll try and be a little more subtle. Regardless, it's much better then drawing lines. But I'll continue to see what comes of it. Having seen your work, I'd be an idiot to neglect your advice. I will say I'm glad to hear there's more then one "right" way to do it, because I was blowing it, and certain if there was one right way to do it. I was doomed.

Ecki- Thanks bro!

And with all that, fine, here's some gesture. You guys are right, I do need to work the hell out of this. As well as find something that works well for me. I will say that going digital, on a pose longer then 5 minutes seems like a bad idea, at least now and for me. There comes a point when I just keep dicking around for fear of getting sucked into some full on rendering and not knowing how much time I have. So I just pulled up on those longer poses. Kind of crappy visual update, but one none the less. Mondays

[Rhubix]

Thanks for your comments! I've been feeling kind of blah about my stuff lately so it's a nice pick up for sure!

I promise your gestures are no worse than mine where my first time using that method. 1 minuet seemed like an eye blink and I couldn't imagine how to get a whole body in there! But as you combine all the different studies, perspective, contour, gesture, tone, and anatomy - you begin to understand what you are looking at. It takes less time to figure out how to orient things - then you can worry more about the details and muscle stuff, because you'll find time for them. Until then - just focus on mood, expression, and orientation. The rest comes with time
In my first life drawing class, my teacher told us that making a mess was okay - and that sketching wasn't about pretty- it was about learning.
Having "permisison" to make something ugly or messy was a relief to me- and my work improved tremendously in that first year.

Happy sketching

[I STRaY I]

Rhubix: Yeah, to feel blah is a pain for sure. Unless of course you happen to be into blah type things, or really dark and angry stuff, maybe you could tap into something then. But.. you most surely do not like to make those types of things, quite the opposite actually. So I can see how that would suck. I'm sure you'll sidestep it soon enough and get on with some cool stuff, which I actually think is happening, but I get it. As for what you speak in regards to me. Time is what pushes me, because I believe eventually I'll improve. It's hard not to wish "time" would just hurry up. But, I'll grind it out for now. And try and learn as much as I can, and practice more. Thanks for all the good talk.

Here's some hands. Some were done while either riding or sitting in the car today. And all throughout the day with different states of mind. So they may vary. Also, I did my daily sketch, albeit brief, I sort of like it.

[Joe777k7]

Progress progress, looking good. Keep pushing it! You doing great!

[ecki]

Nice update.
Try to use less lines and keep it coming

[I STRaY I]

Joe777k7, waddup dude. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it! Ecki, you're like a thread bump machine, but I won't complain, just come around next time I'm on on page 5 or something. And yeah, I try, and will continue to do so with line, I'm basically a slob until I know where I want to go, then I get stuck on detail, go figure.

Anyways, here is my daily sketch of an attempt to simply create some sort of an interesting pose, nothing awesome for sure. I would require reference to go any further, which sucks. But I guess thats the point of trying. Also, here is this piece I've been working on since Monday. It's from Pencil Kings Photoshop tutorial, done by Sycra, I dig his videos. Also, I frickin wish I could just roll out of bed with all the info and knowledge laid out in the video. I think maybe I absorbed about 25%. Some good shit though, clearly I blew it on some stuff. The only reference I had was that in the videos. So it was kind of difficult. Obviously no color picker. It wasn't really setup for a step by step, and step by steps kind of suck too, it gets frustrating at points trying to think, paint, listen and learn all at once. But whatever, my pears look like potatoes, and the apple had some f'ed up adjustment layer failure going on. But I'm proud of it, aside from the warped metal bowl, it's just organic shapes, albeit poorly painted. Good thing is, i have much to fix if I choose, and will give me a good reason to revisit the tutorial.

[M.Calza]

I would suggest Michael Hampton's Figure drawing for the anatomy stuff, after you learned what you're suposed to be drawing in the gestures it becomes easier, later you can draw the gesture and then find the muscles and all, and maybe use less strokes/lines but more confident ones

[I STRaY I]

M.Calza: Thanks for stopping by, and the suggestions.

Missed yesterday really, and have barely anything good for today.

[Mikael Eson]

Hey man. I was browsing through many sketchbooks and your stuff caught my attention. I think you definitely have the "it" (if there's such a thing) required to get somewhere in this business so good luck and work your ass off

[I-Bomb]

Rocking start on your sketchbook

[V3T]

You should take a look at the rendering tutorials on CTRL-paint. They could be very useful to you =] Keep up the good work!

[lionheartGFX]

nice hands up there dude! always remember to draw with STRUCTURE a basic sketch with simple forms its fine just to have a overall shape to carve out a more detailes contour its a good way to start, i want to see more construction lines! build in your paper so you can later do it from your mind alone, dont jump theese steps find the fun in them, cheers man and keep it up you are doing awesome!

[I STRaY I]

Hey thanks guys for stopping by and sharing. So awesome I appreciate the love.

Mikael: Modestly, holy shit man, I have so far to go before even considering any sorts of things. But my mom and you have to be right, right?lolz
Udonhead: Thanks bro!
V3T: For sure, Ctrl Paints on the list. But I just have so much to do, it's no hurry. But I think the suggestion is solid, and I've seen alot of Matt's video's and they are good.
Lionheart: So right you are, I'm just a lazy bastard, who thinks he can just get it. I'll certainly try my hardest to find fun in the mundane. Truth is, I just suck at sketching, and am always thinking about the next step. I need to get with it, and thanks for the clue's!

So here's another of the Pencil Kings tuts from Sycra I completed today. Froggin Alice in Wonderland ey? Pshh, Anyways, aside from the pose, the drawing is all from brainmatter. And of course inspiration from the one in the video, but it's pretty different I think. I learned quite a bit. I'm beginning to think I can learn Photoshop well enough to get some shit done in it. Now if I could just learn how to paint and see color right. Anyways, the tut was designed for line art, then cell shade, and lastly stylized. But I'm not a huge cell shade fan, so i kind of half assed it through it. But I took the line art serious as hell in effort to practice good line. And then the stylized part was fun. I could have pushed it more, but it's late and I'm tired. So it's all good, I got what I needed from it. But she's missing an arm, because Sycra cropped his funny or something and I just never considered it until the end. Anyways, I'm going to sleep forever.

[I STRaY I]

Short day today, just some face studies. I have a goal set for like a hundred faces this month, and I have a ways to go. Anyways, these are all chalk brush, which I really really like. Mostly, so I don't have to hear about my damn line so much,god drawing line really takes forever too. These are just naturally messy and loose, and perfect for shape and form which is all I really care about.

[I STRaY I]

From reference, value study, brush experiments, and basic overall practice right. Ran out of time, but want to go further with it.

[eroquii]

Someone's been working hard! Good updates bro! I'm liking what I'm seeing. Keep going

[lionheartGFX]

wow alot of ladies lately and they are getting way better too! it seems you are a little bit lost on how to do hair its a tricky subject but try to look at some magazine photos and see the chunks of hair, where they sprout and where do they go, you will see patterns appear and try and draw lots of different hairstyles and hair types

i use http://pinterest.com/talpal93/get-out-of-my-hair/ when i want to study hair have fun dude!

[I STRaY I]

Hey guys, yeah I been trying to work hard. Somtimes it most likely doesn't look like it because I spend more time reading about creating art then actually doing it. And by the time I get around to it, I'm on information overload, and feel blah. As for hair, I actually "understand" it. But actually going for it is another thing. Usually I get lazy with it. But If I'm going for something super polished I might handle it differently, but thanks. Like everything I'll hope to improve. Here's some study today. Loomis style construction of stupid heads.

[Freshfool]

diggin the studies man keep it up!

[I STRaY I]

Thanks Freshfool!

Finished this sketch today. No ref except for the bird. I picked up Norling perspective as suggested by Loomis. Perspective is especially hard for me. So I really need to practice it, but also being creative as well. Drawing boxes is boring, maybe if I stick them in some shit like this. I still failed I think with the horizon in regards to character. Whatever, not to mention other things like the arms and overall design and pose, fabric etc. I'll give it some attention in Photoshop and see if I can sort it out. But I tried to keep composition in mind, like eye movement and what not. Baby steps, in the right direction I think.

[Silverkeeper]

I Love your faces and heads study !!! last sketch looks really cool, the hawk is really expressive ,keep practicing Stray!

[eroquii]

Pretty beast sketch bro. Moreeee! =)

[Colour Coded]

Theres a lot of movement in your figures which is good. Your anatomy needs work though.

[I STRaY I]

Eroquii- Cheers!
Colour Coded - haha you'd love this update then. Yes Anatomy is hard, and really hard from imagination. But I do work on it and also realize I have a ways to go. I think I'll be working on it for awhile. But thanks for the compliments too!

Such a bad update today. Really was feeling like an idiot for not updating for a few days now. Not for lack of effort, just everything I've been making are studies so ugly, haha.And I've been working on perspective, alot of reading and shit. For sure nothing anyone could care to look at now. I do have this Loomis Study from a few days ago, which is terrible. Used pen and single strokes and just trying to "muscle memory" 8 heads and the whole deal you know, practice. Anyways, it's an update of some sort.

[Joe777k7]

Its looking good though for the type of strokes you are doing. Pen is a bitch to get use to but trains you to draw faster and more accurate Keep going!!

[I STRaY I]

Joe777k7, yeah thats for sure! Exactly why I need to use it more often, it also seems to help me learn when doing anatomy better because I'm thinking more about it. Thanks for stopping by again!

So here's this perspective drawing I started, I've actually put a crap load of time into this and that clearly didn't include much planning. I was basically "stacking bricks" and it kind of started to become interesting to me. I'm not quite certain how to finish it so I'll put it on hold. I also need to learn more perspective, I think maybe having a vanishing point in the sky or in the ground might have been better for the building, But I really don't know.