Serp's occasionally updated Sketchbook!

**Cup of Joe** · April 9th, 2006, 04:36 PM

Page 2! Congrats! Glad to finally see some studies outta you! The pen face at the top of the second page looks great, but I'd like to see a full face like that. Remeber proportions when you do studies! Do want me to say 8 heads forever? Just look at something and study the relation of things. How many heads wide is the body at the hips, or how far down do the hands go? Also, remember that a perfect copy isn't the point, just to learn something in the copying process. Try not to go into detail for now, but learn to block in the proportions of the body. Do you have any Loomis books? If not I could rummage up the files or host them for you. (Great stuff in those). Mentler's "Hundreds of hands thread" in FINE ARTS AND DISCOVERIES also has some great models on hand proportions. If you want to see what blocking in idealy looks like, search for KChen's stuff. Hope this wasn't overwhelming or anything. Keep it up and good luck!

**OBX** · April 10th, 2006, 01:06 AM

no try layering some meat one those bones.

**Serpian** · April 10th, 2006, 02:13 PM

Thanks for your input both of you! Yes, it's always the proportions is it? I'll work on that, promise! But what happened to saveloomis.org? It used to be there for free!

Mentler is the king. But it's hard to use his work as reference as it's all so scribbly!

Nevertheless, here are some skulls done with his method! I've gotta do some more of these before their right...

Muscles... Yeah, yeah, I know, joe, proportions.. Sorry

Hands. Knuckle grid and stuff from mentler.

And finally some free doodling... I don't know if these are extra bad or if it's just looking at masters' work that makes me lose my confidence..

Keep visiting please! You, and your sketchbooks, are what makes me want to get better!

**OBX** · April 13th, 2006, 12:38 AM

good good. how fast do u draw? ive found that sometimes all u need to do is slow down a bit, relax and give ur strokes some time. i usually try and just pound something down b4 i forget wat i wanted to draw and it ends up looking rushed. impatience is huge.

sometimes u just gotta sit, chill, and say im gonna draw this out, and hit every line the way i want to. its soo hard. just try and slow the rhythm. mabey u dont even know ur rhythm yet, if u dont try and find it, gauge it, and master it. learn to be aware of it, and speed it up or slow it down.

the whole idea is still new to me, and im learning it with every successive drawing i do.

how small do u draw? try going bigger.

start out light, then as u progress get harder and more confident. wat are erasers for? dont be satisfied with a dispropotionate figure. try and go as proportional as possible. eventually the stuff u dont see will become seeable, and the stuff u used to think so hard about becomes a reflex.

ur well on ur way. dont let any knowledge slip past u. use it all. i only wish i could restart with the knowledge i have now. ur at the point were u can force out ur bad habits, and we can help u find and defeat them. ur doing all the right things. learn the subject b4 u go on to the goal. keep doing studies, from live and ref. u gotta put things in ur head not just throught things from your head out.

keep positive. ull get there.

**Cup of Joe** · April 13th, 2006, 08:43 AM

Great improvement on those studies! OBX is right, try and take your time. (Something I should work on myself) The muscles are looking good, but watch the shape on those skulls. Try and find a way to block them in so the shape is consistant. For Loomis, Here are the downloadable PDF files, and here they are on the web. Keep those studies up!

**Serpian** · April 20th, 2006, 04:14 PM

Thanks Joe, yeah, i've found those Loomis books now, thanks for the links anywway. Those skulls were done using Mentler's grid system, and I just concentrated more on getting the right amount of boxes instead of the skull as a whole...

Thanks OBX, really helpful! Yeah, i could really need some slowing down, sometimes I just let the pencil fly, and that in a negative manner of speaking... My sketchbook is pretty small, about 15x20cm, and my sketches seldom cover the whole of the page. After this one I'll porbably buy a bigger one, as I've often thought that the paper just ends too fast! The problem is that my little sister aready got me another small one for my birthday!

This small update however, is done on regular A4 printing paper, as inspiration struck me when I hadn't my sketchbook near. If you can call that inspiration, it's not very original, but I think it's good.

Till later!

**aesir** · April 20th, 2006, 05:24 PM

Nice job on the last one, but watch your anatomy as youre blocking in the shapes, cause on this last one his neck would be super long under that armour. Youre definitely improving though over the course of your sketchbook and if you keep up with your sketching you'll be a pro in no time!

**Cup of Joe** · April 21st, 2006, 10:35 PM

That last one is cool Serp! Proportions aren't bad, but like aesir said, watch that neck! Keep it up!

**OBX** · April 22nd, 2006, 05:46 PM

lol u got quite the imagination. dont loose. keep feeding it. its the most important tool u have.

**Boogieman** · April 24th, 2006, 07:35 PM

I know I say this all the time, but do more life drawing! Are there any figure drawing classes where you live? Try to find one and try it out. Lots of live figure drawing will give you a feel for proportion that copying Loomis or Mentler never can. Proportion rules with headlengths and whatever are good guidelines but nothing more than guidelines. When you walk down the street how many people do you actually see who are 8 heads tall with 2 1/3 heads wide shoulders? You wanna know the truth study life, not books!

Sorry for the rant. I'm not rackin on you or any of the people you've been studying. Just saying that books are good for reading and picking knowledge from, but copying other peoples drawings doesn't really teach you that much about the reality of things. It just makes you good at copying their take on reality. There's so much to be learned from studying life and I believe good life drawing/painting skills are essential for any one trying to do any kind of visual art. So get cracking!

**Serpian** · April 28th, 2006, 01:47 PM

Thanks Aesir! Yeah that neck is too long, but I didn't want to change it..

Joe, thanks!
Thanks OBX, kind words!
Those are wise words, dear boogie. There WILL be more life drawings and SP's soon, I promise! And if not, you could always try to get me anned or something! :p NO just kidding, don't do that!

Over a week since last update again... And I haven't even got a big dump! Creativity has been down. Sorry.

Some bad face. Didn't really try on this one.

A-HA! Life drawing! Or at least a little! School buddies at break.

Skottish witch hunter. Don't ask me.

And some doodling...

Thanks again for your input!

**Serpian** · May 5th, 2006, 09:37 AM

Update!

At first is some more quick life drawing in school, man it's hard! I guess I just have to keep at it...

This is a... sort of... WIP-sketch... of a concept... for a sketch... Em... Anyway, which hand has the more correct size?

And here's a scene with this kind of trooper.

'tis all for today.

**Cup of Joe** · May 5th, 2006, 03:23 PM

Hey serp! Geez, this is becoming a monoweekly thing. I see your watching your proportions more! On the scene with the trooper, there are a few problems with the guy in the foreground. First, the lower-leg on the rock is too short, and secondly, the thigh pad on the other leg is facing sideways. The sketch-WIP-concept-sketch lloks good though! Much cleaner. The scene is kinda messy stroke wise. Watch those pencil marks! I agree life is brual too, but it really shows you your weaknesses. Thanks for dropping by my SB, and keep it up!

**OBX** · May 7th, 2006, 01:42 AM

OK. The reason ur character concept sketch looks so much better is coz it has some line weight to it, u varied it in places. that gives life.

the reason i dont buy the scene with the concept in it is cos ur lines are too connected. It gives the drawing too much contour(describing something with lines). U need do break ur lines up, sometimes for no apparent reason. this will allow for the values to speak up, and have more say in the drawing. specially on rendered peices. let the viewers eyes connect the lines. too many contours will sofocate a drawing.

But back to the concept. nicely balance. joe has good points. I think the hand should be able to cover about 3/4 of the face. in general.

but the best for last, i love ur life drawings. they are buy for some of the best stuff u have in ur sketchbook. if ur having trouble drawing something that moves just do quick gestures. basically scrible out wat u see as fast as u can. life drawing gets better as u go, but u gotta give it a good dose of studies, then u can peice in things u miss with the information u have built up inside ur brain. think with negatives too. dont draw the slant of the cheek, instead draw the air that describes the space outiside of the cheek. describing negative space is crutial for life drawing. often the mind plays tricks on u wen looking for the right curve or angle. but i really like the way u nailed the gesture of that guy in the middle of the page. excellent stuff.

keep at it, i hope i didnt overload the brain there. one thing at a time. savour each idea. try and think about one for each drawing u do. the more u spend the less ull have to think. till one day wen u draw u have nothign blocking u and u can just purely draw. but hay u can do that right now. following rules will just help u get more attractive illustrations. not better art.

**Serpian** · May 11th, 2006, 02:02 PM

Sorry Joe! I'll try posting more often... Yeah you're right about the solider, and even if the leg guard is supposed to be on the side of his leg, the other one not being is equally wrong. Thanks!

I've always found this whole line-wight business confusing, but thank you anyway, OBX! Maybe I'll try deliberately breaking up lines in the future! Aaargh, negative space! I always forget about negative space!
You've got many good points in your post, and also many kind words! Thanks!
Nice new avatar too!

Onto this post. Sorry for the bad pictures, I blame bad lightning... Hopefully the next batch will be better.

This is actually an IMPERIAL servo-dentist, not a royal. But whatever. The damn thing has so little contrast not even photoshop's levels could fix it. I'm thinking of going over it with ink.

SP! Don't laugh, it's my first. Damn those noses and mouths!

When the going gets tough, the tough draw sci-fi weapons! There's also a detailed technical specifications document to those numbers, but I'll spare you this time....

Till later, folks!

**OBX** · May 14th, 2006, 01:04 AM

that nose and ear are lookin good. keep it up.

**Serpian** · May 16th, 2006, 07:50 AM

Thanks OBX!

My first sketchbook is full! I have now got myself a bigger one, and I'm currently drawing the first of many-to-be drawings and sketches in it!

These are the last pages of the old one:

From life, during class. Pretty decent I think.

Here's the more finished sketch of the soldier.

Colour in my sketchbook! I know nothing about colour theory! Watercolour.

Some anatomically and proportionally incorrect crap.

Just having fun..

till later!

**Cup of Joe** · May 16th, 2006, 08:27 PM

Cool update! Your proportions are definately improving! Just keep the anatomy up!

For the life, the look mre like thier bending instead of turning on a hinge. Common mistake, I make it too alot. Try and clean up the values too, but cool beside that! The soldier looks alot better! The only thing I could see is maybe you should break up the stomach plate, because now it looks like he couldn't bend over. The hand is sweet! I've never dabbled much in watercolors. Color theory, eh? THREAD WHORING! Well, not my thread, but it's still awesome- The Peer Project. I'm still trying to see how someone could apply these things to traditional media. Stop by sometime!

Thanks for replying at my SB, and keep kicking it!

**OBX** · May 16th, 2006, 11:52 PM

congrats on filling ur first book. Its soo fun wen u see a huge stack after about 4-5. image the stacks of books the pro's have!! hundreds prolly. They are powerful little reminders to show u where uve come from.

**Serpian** · May 17th, 2006, 08:55 AM

Thanks guys!

Joe, let's just say the belly-plate is bendable and it'll be out of the world, yes?

Although I don't really understand what you said about the life drawing, is bending or turning better?

Yep, OBX, would be cool to have some of the pro's collection to look through, eh?

Small update today. The two first pages of my new book.

The very first page. The old book was named Liber Sententia I ; Imago imaginatio, which means Book of Thoughts I ; Images of the mind. This one is therefore Liber Sententia II ; Progressio et Visus Kenyensis, the latter part meaning Progression and the journey to Kenya. This is since I'm going to Kenya this summer for five weeks, and this book will hopefully contain drawings of lions!

There's a story behind this one as well. Or really just behind the title, "A fantastic day". After I had finished this, my friend asked me if I was angry today. I replied that no, I was having a fantastic day! Hence the title.

till next time guys!

**Fl3wk** · May 17th, 2006, 09:15 AM

Its not the Oblique External, that one is the Latissimus Dorsi. The Externus Oblique (proper name) is that one undernieth this one so you was close. You maybe thinking it is undernieth, true, but the wrong ones. I am also studying anatomy so i dont have all the names memorized yet.

**Serpian** · May 17th, 2006, 04:32 PM

The muscle I labeled 1. is, as is stated further up on the same page, the latissimus dorsi. The muscle I've labeled the External Oblique, according to this picture, seems to be in the right place. Correct me if i'm still wrong.

http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/muscu...menu/image.gif

Thanks for stopping by anyway!

**Fl3wk** · May 17th, 2006, 05:35 PM

I would NOT copy from that image, it is wrong.

If you would excuse the few mistakes I made with naming, it is quite accurate.

Also it is of the front, if you want me to show you of the back, just ask and I will scan one of my back studies into the computer and show you.

My writing is terrible, i know.

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/2...s1705065rh.png

I can give you a more accurate study if you want it.

Edit: Just noticed it seems like the artist of this picture as made it so that the muscles are being 'sliced' through to show you of the muscles undernieth, I think. So it could be quite accrate, but not the best to study from.

**Serpian** · May 19th, 2006, 05:39 PM

I'm confused.. I may have drought (sp?) badly, but still this picture tells me that the latissimus dorsi is on the back, and the external oblique is on the side to front of the torso.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...px-Gray392.png
Of course, the latissimus dorsi goes forward and to the front of the torso, but not where I, on my picture, have put the Oblique. Take a look:
http://www.exrx.net/Graphics/LatissimusDorsiSide.gif

I don't want to start a big fight or something, i just don't know what you're talking about... A second oppinion, anybody?

Edit: also, on your pic, the notes you've written at the botton actually contradicts what you're saying now, and puts the muscles on the same places as on my pic. Now I'm really confused.

**Serpian** · May 23rd, 2006, 07:42 AM

Update!

First, a Really Crappy Page (RCP)

Secondly, from life. I almost nailed the likeness in this one!

This is done without any ref, so half the muscles are probably wrong.

Just for fun: Deth Bot 2000!

And lastly, a sp!

**Cup of Joe** · May 25th, 2006, 09:37 AM

Hey Serp! The face from life and the SP are an imrovement, but you seem to have trouble with noses. I'd try to help, but I know nothing about drawing faces.
I do see a few problems in the unreffed muscles one. Your abs look more like eggs. Think of them more like....well, bulges. I'm having trouble explaining stuff today, so heres a quick thing to try and explain what I mean. It helps when drwing muscles if you remember thier purpose. A bunch of muscles on your stomach wouldn't do much unless arranged right. You also connected his pecs to the arm too far up for someone that buff.
Sorry if none of that made any sense. Keep it up!

**OBX** · May 25th, 2006, 09:02 PM

i like the way that life drawing looks. all those tick-like lines show that ur searching for the best one. get the feel remember it, its very important. keep loose, hold the pencil far down and draw the lines with swift little flicks of the wrist and elbow, rely little on the fingers except for fine details. looks for shape and the negative space, like i said earlier.

i also like how u even put perspecive on the decals on that deathbot. small lil hints of progress. ur way better than u used to be.

**Boogieman** · May 27th, 2006, 08:11 PM

Hey man. Sorry for not stopping by more often, haven't been very active at all with the SB's lately... Anyway, VERY happy to see you doing some lifedrawing

Keep that up. And keep up with the sp's. The last one you posted looks good. If I was in a position where I could tell you what to do, I'd say you should study the eyelids and the area around the eyes + the lips and the area around the mouth. Look in the mirror, try to break down what you see to something less complex and draw your simplification. Observe!

Other than that, I really like this one.

**Serpian** · May 30th, 2006, 07:47 AM

Thanks guys!

Joe: Yeah, I guess the abs are more rectangular than round... But your post made very much sense, thanks!

OBX: "Thats Deth Bot TWO THOUSAND, pityful carbon-based fleshling!"
Thanks for your comment!

Boogie: Thanks, I'll try it out!

Just a small update today.. Sorry. It's the last week of school, i.e. a lot of last minute work and stuff... I don't have much time for drawing.. And then there's the preparing for my trip to Kenya, where I'll be for five weeks... So just as a heads up; I'll be gone for a pretty long time soon!

Alpha Key

It's stabilo 88, you know those that all girls have...

**Serpian** · June 1st, 2006, 08:48 AM

So no new sketch today. Probably not tomorrow either. On Saturday and Sunday I'll not have time to draw. On monday I leave for Kenya. And will be there for five weeks. So this is, most probably, the start of a pretty long hiatus of updates in my sketchbook.

Just as a heads up.