GreenSock's Sketchbook Diarrhea

**PHATandy** · January 10th, 2006, 12:04 PM

Really nice stuff man, your life drawings are really cool. Love the renderig on your more detailed life drawings.

Youve got some great anatomy stuff etc. Would be really cool to see how this transfers to non ref work or more concepty stuff

(ive got a fetish for stuff like that )

Good job tho man, real good stuff keep it up.

**SirGreenSock** · January 11th, 2006, 01:26 AM

Dan1989 - Thanks, youre right about the features. It may be understandable, but not forgivable. I should be able to do these properly, whether Im focusing on proportion or colour or whatever.

Zord - Thanks man, hope you'll be back into scanning soon!

PHATandy - Thanks for the kind words. Concepty stuff will have to wait until this week is over, way too much school work at the moment. I'll see if I can whip up some good stuff by the beginning of next week.

Todays self portrait. I didnt spend any time on this one, I have a lot of work tomorrow and need to get rest. I guess when school is in question, the quality of these will deviate depending on how much time I have. But hey, doing one every single day is good practice, even when they dont turn out.

**Zord** · January 11th, 2006, 03:27 AM

I just wanted to give big ups on the daily SP's. It's totally understandable given the time constraint, and your SP's have given me inspiration to do dailies myself. And even if certain ones aren't as good as others, they give you that fine touch into the finger's memory.. or something like that. It's like sharpening a knife until it's a Hatori Hanzo. Yea, similes and metaphors are where it's at.

**guggemmaneuver** · January 11th, 2006, 05:30 AM

sir green sock green sir!
http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...cs/dec-152.jpg -- you say that this is an expiremental rendering style? looks really, really great to be rendered in pencil. on http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...cs/dec-185.jpg the guy in the background is a little bit out of scale (lol)... just kidding ... the stuff from this last figure session is looking pretty good...i like all the one minute ones--looks like she was doing some nice improvisational poses. if pressed into a corner and forced to critique with the threat of blunt head trauma, i'd probably shriek that http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...cs/dec-188.jpg 's support chair or stool, whatever it is. doesn't seem to work somehow...like it should extend farther to under her butt a little.
great Self portraits by the way. seems like you are learning a lot about color!

joel

**SirGreenSock** · January 11th, 2006, 11:36 PM

Thanks guys!
Zord - Thanks, hope to see some of your dailies, too. This activity seems to be addictive eh? GOnna have to spread it throughout ca! I know what you mean about sharpening and stuff, even if they individually might not be as good as others, its still good practice.
guggenmaneuver - Thanks! That first one was experimental since I never tried combining crosshatching with smudging before, it really helps with using various types of edges. Glad you like the figure work, the one minute ones are always the most fun and rewarding to do. THis model was interesting to draw, too. I agree on the stool crit, Im not sure, but I think her butt may have actually been off the edge, in which case the error is with the weight distribution, either way, something is off. Thanks!
Todays self portrait was also done for school, art class is doing a semi-conceptual project involving wrapping. THis particular exercise was to take any body part (no, youre not a pervert, that was my first though, too) and wrap it in a material, then draw it. I chose to wrap my face in cling wrap, and do it in Photoshop, since I finished my current sketchbook and dont have a new one yet

Im actually quite happy with this one, despite the looseness. How does the cling wrap look? It was difficult to work on two layers, looking at the skin, while doing the plastic on top.

**JustinBeckett** · January 12th, 2006, 08:02 PM

Major improvement here, especially in the digi's, keep at it.

**SirGreenSock** · January 13th, 2006, 01:04 AM

Thanks Justin!

Todays self portrait was another good experiment with mediocre results. Experimented with using Turner's palette from 1799. Interesting to try, messed up a whole lot of areas of the face though

Gonna try more colour experiments like this in the future though.

**Janus** · January 13th, 2006, 11:38 AM

very impressive improvement.
keep going

**FuT** · January 13th, 2006, 12:34 PM

very very big improvement!just keep doing what you do.

**guggemmaneuver** · January 14th, 2006, 02:55 AM

http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...ics/011106.jpg
wow that's really freaking scary looking... might be good to use in some fantastic character or monster concept. the texture that you've rendered seems totally implausible, but in the way that it works it's amazing. I could tell who AND what was going on without having to read the description. very nice; but VERY disturbing. is this something you actually did? wow. the life-threatening dedication is impressive!

Oh dang...this new "turner's 1799 palette" self portrait is REALLY nice, although like you mentioned there are some anatomy issues. One of the very best of your self portraits in terms of color scheme and light...you should consider doing another in this style. I think if you spent just a LITTLe more time on it it would look fantastic!

oh and i'm sending you more ref photos. this time, abandoned places (700+!)

keep

THE PORTRAITS

BURNINATIN friend

-joel

**SirGreenSock** · January 14th, 2006, 03:36 AM

That fat kid - Thanks! I do fully intend on doing tightened up sustained self portraits, but at the moment I do these after other work and before sleep, so long studies will only happen when I have a lot more spare time!

Janus & Fut - Thanks a lot!

guggenmaneuver - Hey man! Thanks, cant wait to get the new pic set! hehe glad you like that sp. I actually did wrap cellophane around my face and painted it from life, so I had it on for almost an hour! Dont worry though, i managed to cut breathing holes before I asphyxiated myself.

The Turner pallette one was almost strictly a focus on studying how turner used his pallette and composition, although I agree there are a lot of areas to improve. I am gonna do way more of this style as I go on, there are a lot of artists, both old masters and contemporary, whose palettes I wanna study and try out.

Big time update for tonight, and hopefully there will be another huge one by Sunday!
First off some digi sketches of classmates

Interesting assignment from life drawing class, drew the model from behind a plastic sheet

Library, class and subway sketches:

1 minute gestures

5 minute sketches

10 minute sketches

15 minute sketches

And Finally, tonights self portrait. Went the traditional route, trying to figure out vine charcoal.

**Alday.J** · January 14th, 2006, 07:09 AM

Nice stuff, Nicolas ! Glad to see how good looks your digis. Do you feel more comfortable with a wacom ? Nice done, anyway. Keep posting, dude !
J.

**PHATandy** · January 14th, 2006, 08:18 AM

Great stuff man, i love the gestures and the watercolours are really improving aswell, excellent colours.

Im really excited about my life drawing now (im starting on monday

), it looks real fun, and your defintly improving from it, they look ace.

Keep it up man.

**spacemanchris** · January 15th, 2006, 04:01 PM

Great expressive gestures man! You've done a good amount of self-portraits, and they are really hard to get right, but this latest, is my favorite I think you've really nailed it.

**SirGreenSock** · January 15th, 2006, 10:48 PM

Alday.J - Thanks! Yeah, I feel very comfortable with my wacom, not as much as with a pencil, but definitely more than with a brush.

PHATandy - Thanks, good luck with your life drawing! Cant wait to see what you come up with!

spacemanchris - Thanks, the vine charcoal just seemed to cooperate on that self portrait. Its also the most technical of the recent ones i think.

Sorry for no update yesterday, was pretty sick, hardly even managed to do that day's self portrait.
Another traditional update today!

First off, two ok-looking self portraits
goauche and ink on the cover of my sketchbook

pencil

Subway Sketches! This was a good session, did some good sketches, and even sold one sketch to a guy on the subway!

My favorite of the batch, the guy was still for a while

The one on the right is way too light, he just started drawing so I thought I had time for a render, but he moved before I even finished the gesture >_<

**Mr.Blonde** · January 15th, 2006, 11:01 PM

hey! it's great to see your subway/class/library sketches, I think that they are some of your best work. Keep on drawing, reading, and learning!

**Alday.J** · January 15th, 2006, 11:17 PM

Nice stuff, man ! The first one is beautyfull. Cheers, dude !

J.

**mentler** · January 15th, 2006, 11:38 PM

Love your SB location sketches are great and really think you have a great feel of the short figure studies as well

**fooxoo** · January 16th, 2006, 04:32 AM

Those quick studies are really nice. Good work! Keep it up

**Shylone_Breath** · January 16th, 2006, 07:21 AM

Your thread is very nice , i like your gesture, i think that I will be inspired by those.

**tullie** · January 16th, 2006, 07:54 AM

Hello sir greensock! That last self portrait you did looks really good. I tried doing a self portraight, but it gave me a headache.
The subway sketches are really inspirational. I did some drawing from life when I went to london recently and realised how fun it was, but Im scared to draw people - partly cos I know I will mess it up haha. Only drawing will improve that.
Some of your life drawings look a little off. I don't know if you do this already, look at the negative spaces more, it might help to improve the placement of arms and legs.

**mitch** · January 16th, 2006, 11:53 AM

greensock, totally diggin the SP's, especially the painted ones. your gesture drawing are really good also, i am really liking the first page of teh subway sketches. keep it up dude.

**jtheanswer** · January 16th, 2006, 12:34 PM

Nice job man, just one quick question, how do you get the proportions right on your 5 or 10 min sketches? And do you clean the rough lines when you have the final lines?

Thx!

**guggemmaneuver** · January 16th, 2006, 10:18 PM

You know i'd like this one:

http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...pics/jan34.jpg . http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...pics/jan16.jpg is really, really nice as well. were these all from one session? The poses with plastic sheet are really really terrific... http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...pics/jan04.jpg has this amazingly ominous vibe that i'm so down with. Seeing these really nice subway drawings of yours totally makes me want to take the train to work again. Ha ha!!! great that you sold a drawing! i'm going to bust out a self portrait tonight cause i wanna be like you

Keep the huge momentum going you sick, sick drawing monster!

**guggemmaneuver** · January 16th, 2006, 10:19 PM

You know i like this one:

http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...pics/jan34.jpg . http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...pics/jan16.jpg is really, really nice as well. were these all from one session? The poses with plastic sheet are really really terrific... http://www.projectsole.ca/gallery/al...pics/jan04.jpg has this amazingly ominous vibe that i'm particularly enjoying. Seeing these really nice subway drawings of yours totally makes me want to take the train to work again. Ha ha!!! great that you sold a drawing! i'm going to bust out a self portrait tonight cause i wanna be like you

Keep the huge momentum going you sick, sick drawing monster!

joel

**vances22** · January 16th, 2006, 10:51 PM

i am really liking these gestures i am seeing. I liked going through your thread and seeing the improvment that is taking place. Kudos on ur rendering skills those are improving as well.

**Dan1989** · January 17th, 2006, 12:01 AM

Here's a question: What kind of paper did you do the vine charcoal SP on? I can never get charcoal to go on like that. Everything looks awesome, subway sketches = super cool

**SirGreenSock** · January 17th, 2006, 02:01 PM

Holy crap so many replies

Mr.Blonde - Thanks, thats probably my favorite work to do, too. Its really helpful with learning to get form and gestures down quickly and efficently!

Alday.J - Thank you! The first one was interesting, but ended up messy. Im going to be practicing with gouache more, its a curious medium.

mentler - Thanks mentler! Means a lot coming from you!

fooxoo - Thanks for the kind words!

Shylone_Breath - Thanks, gestures are fun and helpful to practice!

tullie - Thanks for the compliments and the crit! Subway sketches, and other work in public starts out really hard, with people moving non-stop, thats why its also helpful, you get a better understanding of gesture and movement when the subject is gone in a split second. Youre completely right on the negative space, Ive actually been completely neglecting that when it comes to life drawing. Im gonna focus more on it to help with placement, thanks a lot!

mitch - Thanks, will do!

jtheanswer - Thanks! 5 minute sketches to me are just extended gestures, I still focus on getting the gesture down, then I just tweak and tighten areas of interest. In longer studies, I still do a gesture, then tighten up the contour before I start rendering. In longer studies I do those steps lighter, dont like to erase. To help me get those gestures down, I usually focus on the spine as well as joints (shoulder, elbow, knee), which you can probably tell from the 1 minute gestures.

guggenmaneuver - Hey Joel! Glad you like those ones, yeah theyre from a single session! The plastic ones were amazing to do, it was a great challenge to figure out how to render the distortions caused by it. hehe, if you dont wanna ride the train to work to sketch, you can always try sketching out your car on traffic stops :p. Yeah, I sold a sketch, its actually the first of my work ive ever sold. Cant wait to see the self portrait dude!

guggenmaneuver - Double Post!! :p

vances22 - Thank for the compliments! I know I always love looking through whole threads to see improvement. I dont see it as much in mine, but thats just because Im biased towards all my work

Dan1989 - Thanks, the vine charcoal was done in my sketchbook, same paper I use for everything I do. I was just very very liberal with smudging, then used a kneaded eraser to model the form. Thats what makes vine charcoal so great, is that unlike graphite, it allows for more gradation with an eraser. Graphite just gets picked off cleanly no matter how much pressure you use with the eraser.

Heres yesterdays update, I'll scan todays tonight. Mostly just playing around, still feeling sick, so have no will to do excess work

Classmates

Study of Vermeer's Milkmaid, focused on the head

A couple of pages of very quick gestural self portraits. Playing with a graphite stick and methods of getting masses down quickly. Some are better than others, which can be expected I guess.

**Alday.J** · January 17th, 2006, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by SirGreenSock

Im going to be practicing with gouache more, its a curious medium.

Agree ! LOL ! But there's so many way to use gouache, I realise that I have to practice it more too. Nice set of drawings here. Your vitality and the energy of it always amazed me ! Cheers, N. Keep posting the good stuff !
J.

**Profil** · January 17th, 2006, 02:46 PM

Awesome. I should reply more

I really like the subway sketches, and the SP's.
Btw, I'm thinking of ordering another intructional art book soon (anatomy, etc). Right now, I'm thinking about Vanderpoels's The human figure. I have Bridgman's constructive anatomy, loomis books, robert beverly hale Drawing lessons from the masters.
Do you have any tips?