Madfishmonger's sketchbook

[rsnurkle]

Said May 5th when? Did you PM me? (I haven't gotten any new messages lately...)

Nice portrait by the way - though it looks like the shadowing "chisels" him a tad much.

[Madfishmonger]

Weird, I guess that's why I didn't get any replies. I'll try it again.

And yeah, I wasn't too happy witht hat shading, I was experimenting with different pencils and shades and whatnot, it came out a little too hard, I tried to soften it, just made it worse I think. Other than that I'm happy with it. I know the hand isn't great, or anatomically correct, I didn't get to finish it.

[Madfishmonger]

Going out to the cabin this weekend, going to force myself to draw a lot. Will scan them and the other little doodles I've been doing when I gte back. Bug me about it.

[rsnurkle]

Yay!! *pokepoke* Draw! Scan! Upload! (when you get back)

=]

[EKU_11]

Looking foward to seeing some work. Doodle hard doodle hard.

[Madfishmonger]

Sorry haven't posted yet, computer problems, will as soon as possible.

[Madfishmonger]

I am the laziest person ever.


My eye.

Cat sketches from life

Cat sketch from photo. Reference is here
I have no fucking idea what to do with this. It looks all wobbly and it's been hard to work on cause it pisses me off with its persistent suckiness.

A truck. When I scanned this, the midtone settings were high from another scan, and I got this spooky effect:

Here's the sketch you can see in the background:

No reference.


Quick gesture sketches. I need to do more of these.


I found a how to sketch book from the 30s, and one of the exercises is to take a simple shape and make things with it. I was doing these on my breaks at work, mostly, and once while waiting for sushi (mmmm sushi). I obviously didn't try to make them good, I just tried to make something, and they're a lot of fun.

I made a couple posters for work (that I didn't get any pictures of, I'll try) opne which iw as illustrating the ABCs of feelings. The kids and the counsellor came up with a list of feelings, and I did a little stick-man comic for each feeling. My friend came up with a list of goth emotions and I thought it would hilarious to do the ABCs of goth emotions. Here's the first.


Anyway, hope this artist's block lifts, I think I just have to keep doing it no matter how much it sucks or how unsatisfying it is. I'll get better eventually.

[rsnurkle]

Yay for art! I like the eye and cat sketches and especially the referenced picture, that cat is just great. Regarding the truck, and wobby lines - just practice some lines separate from doing the truck. Like a warm-up, draw a bunch of paralelle lines (vertical or horizontal or oblique) and try to make them as straight and as long as you can on the page. You could also try a bunch of blind contours on the truck, so you can see what you want to draw and what you can leave to be filled in mentally. Then, get a sharpened pencil and try the drawing again. I like the other studies and drawings - I'm getting a sense that you're working out your imagination and memory there. =D

*thumbs up*

[Madfishmonger]

I forgot this sketch, which I did from reference and entirely in pen. I don't necessarily like it, but it's been a good exercise.


Rsnurkle - thanks for the support Some good suggestions there, I think I might just do some patterns to practice my linework, good idea. I am getting my imagination going, I'm trying to leave behind ideas about how I think it should look and just let stuff come out.

[rsnurkle]

I need to work patterns myself. Nice work with pen - the detail gives it a nice character, and practice is always good.

[EKU_11]

Have to admit it was a bit odd to you work look like a 5 year old did it but they have a lot of personality to them. Have an artist block never really helps what I tend to do is scribble on a sheet of paper with my eyes closed then see what done and refine anything that look interesting. The pen drawing is nicely detailed and I think you captured the personality of the person really well. Just keep on trucking

[Madfishmonger]

Thanks...that's actually me in the pen sketch, it's not a good likeness, really, but I'm glad something came through. I think I'm going to finish it no matter how I feel about it.
And yeah, it does look very kid-like, but I wasn't trying for more than that. Just ideas, just playing around. It helped a lot to just let go of attempting to have talent and just....play.

[Madfishmonger]

Look! I did something!

Boyfriend's feet (unfinished)





I didn't allow myself to use an eraser to do this. Not perfect, but it's done. I wanted to fill a page and try and loosen up, so no eraser. I had just missed the bus and had nothing to do for half an hour, so I sketched out the important shapes, and filled them in with the textures at D&D.

I haven't been doing much sketching, but I have been doing other creative things. Unfortunately, the lack of a camera means I can't post about it.
Here's what I've done so far for the Human Pixel Project

[rsnurkle]

Woot for art. The feet look good, even if the sole looks a little blank on the first (that may have been lighting). Have you done any value studies? (I think I may be moving into those sometime) I ask, because the third piece looks good, except it looks flat. All the walls have roughly the same grey value and so I don't naturally pick out what section is where in space. Great use of extra time though, with the intention of loosening up, and whatnot.

[Madfishmonger]

The sole of the foot looks blank becasue I didn't get there before he moved

Values are definately somthing I need to work on. What are you doing to work on that? I do feel like I loosened up, and it felt great to fill a page. I know it's totally flat, but I wasn't too concerned about that. Maybe when I learn a little more values, I should go back and try and do the same space.

[rsnurkle]

Hehe, I wondered about that foot. ;P

I am thinking about two things for working on my values: 1) doing studies solely for values and 2) finishing pieces (rendering them out). I think I'm just going to find a reference (either a greyscale photo, or perhaps just from life) and using something like a stick of charcoal try to block out the planes and forms of light, but not focus so much on the details. The second, I just did a portion of today -- the costume study -- rendering stuff out like that also forces you to think about values and how you use them.

If you weren't working on that at the moment, then it's perfectly acceptable! If you do go back to do that space in regards to values and whatnot, you could try looking up some advice on "atmospheric perspective." I think that should get you some more specific suggestions about conveying spatial relationships using value and contrast in a picture.

[TheGnoll]

what you're doing is supposed to help a lot, like life drawing and drawing from reference.But there's one thing that could help you define things in your mind much better.You must start thinking about the human body with some anatomy in mind, proportions, if you then want to be able to change it according to your will.And that actually means get your hands on some loomis books.You don't want to leanr the names of the single muscles, you want to understand mass in space(that is like the improved version of pics no7 and 8 in post 67) .The first part in learning the basics of drawing is really hard, but try not to give up.

Besides, I never saw a pretty girl like you play D&D or talking about that kind of stuff in MY town.argh i hate my town.

keep up the good work

ciao

[Bartovan]

I like the drawings of the cat on the previous page. And you have made great progress. But you should construct your drawings based on what you know that is there. Not only based on what you see from one point of view. Therefor you have to study anatomy and stuff like that.

[Madfishmonger]

rsnurkle - Awesome advice, thank you! I'll give that a try. Finishing a page seems to be hard, I think I get frustrated with it not coming out the way I imagine it, so I can't finish, but I have to finish in order to learn. I think not trying quite so hard, just blocking something out will definately help. And I do find I do better with a reference like classic art. Stuff's insanely busy around here at the moment, but I expect it to slow down soon. I'll try those.

The Gnoll - I'll have a look for those books, I've heard a lot of good things. I've been working with Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, but I'm behind. Having some kind of mental block, not sure what'll break it, but I'll try anything. And thanks for the compliment It's not often I get good advice and something nice in the same post.

Bartovan - Thanks. Yeah, there's something I'm missing, but I can't quite put my finget on it. I keep thinking studying anatomy will help, but there's still some kind of block there. I guess I just need to look at it a different way. I like the way you put that, drawing what I know is there. I guess I need to know more about what's there.

[Madfishmonger]

[rsnurkle]

Awesome studies! Things that will take them to the next level: nailing the structure fully and pushing the rendering on that structure. Both things will obviously take lots of practice, but you'll get there! =D

Hey... =] Want a challenge? I just thought of it, since you seem to like hand/feet studies: 25 hands and/or feet by August 1st... eh?

[Madfishmonger]

Thanks, I'll keep working on it. I have to figure out exactly how to render something, but I'll get it.

I'd love the challenge, and I'll take you up on it but not by then, I'm spending the next couple of weeks packing and moving, and my boyfriend is moving to another province too. After Aug 6, though, for sure.

[rsnurkle]

Check out the shading techniques of someone you like and see how they do it -- if they use smudging, straight lines, lines following the contour of the object. It's sometimes quite fun to imitate something to figure out how it is working.

Hehe, good luck with your move! =D

[EKU_11]

Good to see more relaxed line work the foot you did really show that. Maybe when shading use a different lead type something softer for the shading parts, remember the shape and the form of what your drawing cause some of your work like the fingers still look a little flat.

[Madfishmonger]

Well, I've moved and the madness has finally settled. I don't have a cord for my scanner yet, but! my roomate has a wacom tablet (squee!) so as soon as I can write my name with it, I'll be able to do a bit o' that, and I also now have a digital camera to post pics of other arty projects I've done. Whoo! I need to get off my ass and start drawing again, I've been doing many other creative things, but not a lot of sketching.

I went to a friend's place and hung out in their lovely backyard. They's installed a pond surrounded by stones and plants, it's really very nice. I did a quick sketch trying to catch the angles of the stones and whatnot. It's not well defined, and I just drew until it got dark. My camera isn't so good, so this is all I have to offer now. And RSnurkle: I'm totally taking you up on that challenge.

[rsnurkle]

Hehe, I guess I should step up to the plate then! I've been fairly un-active drawing wise (college, year 1, is looming) but this sounds like fun. How about 5 fairly serious studies of hands/feet (with shading, etc.) and 20 looser sketches/studies of hands/feet, done in 13 days? It can start when you reply to the challenge (I'll check for that).

[Madfishmonger]

You're on! 13 days upon your reply. Ding ding ding!

[rsnurkle]

Woops, was supposed to be on your reply, =D. Ok...go! Due Tuesday, Sept 12 by midnight.

[EKU_11]

Totally have not been keep up with what’s been happen with our little sketchbook group. Pretty good idea about having a challenge I’ll see how much I can get do within that time frame definitely more interesting them some of my assignment that I have.

[rsnurkle]

Hey there, our deadline definetly passed and I have to say I did not finish my challenge. On Sept 2 I left home for a five-day hiking trip and went straight from there into my first year of college. I'm still in orientation week here, so I don't believe I will be finishing the challenge even late, and was just going to drop a note that I probably will not be around for a while. Hopefully you got some nice studies in from this, =]