Lefran's sketchbook: 20th April

**Ghostbrush** · June 5th, 2009, 12:01 AM

Yeh! that owl is so nice, liking all these animal sketches, they really pop off the page with only the faces rendered, nice effect.

All the best

Alex

**kelly x** · June 5th, 2009, 01:00 AM

Hi Lefran!! Nice work going on here girlie!!

**armando** · June 5th, 2009, 01:53 AM

Charcoal grosses me out too, I just make a mess. I think maybe it only looks good over large surfaces, and then only in the skilled hands of an experienced artist. Nice rendering technique on the owl, good emphasis on the eyes.

**Finn Diesel** · June 20th, 2009, 07:46 AM

Nice owl picture! I love the lighting around the eyes. I think drawings like this could benefit from some graphics, perhaps typography or coloured lines/shapes, but that's entirely up to you.

**Timsalcove** · August 7th, 2009, 01:22 PM

Wow, this is an awesomely raw sketchbook. I love the panoramic train photo you posed on 30 - really gives a great feeling of depth. Keep up the great work - Subscribing.

**lefran** · August 24th, 2009, 05:58 PM

Edward Cherniga- Thanks

Aaah that sounds awful, i dont care if it made me immune i couldnt sit there and do that for 3 hours haha
EKOes- Thanks

Alesoun- Thanks

Ghostbrush- Thank ye

Kelly x- Cheers

Armando- Yeah it looks nice in other peoples work, think it has a nice effect when used properly, just cant touch the stuff hehe, thanks
Finn Diesel- Thanks, the bars behind were meant to be the graphicy touch as an interpretation of the display cabinets they were in, maybe next time i could think more about it

Timsalcove- Thanks

So long time no update, but heres a few bits and pieces anywho!
The painting is a Coby Whitmore Study

**Shantih** · August 24th, 2009, 07:00 PM

This is all very nice Fran (I like Mr indian monster) but you really need to spend less time on here and more time in the kitchen making me tea.

**Bones Weep Tedium** · August 25th, 2009, 03:51 AM

I really like the 50s girl - her face in the close up is lovely. I especially like her eyes, very sexy!

The swordsman with the bowler hat is an amusing touch, the monster is gonna make mince meat out of him!

Looking forward to seeing more!

**sleep** · August 25th, 2009, 02:07 PM

that coby whitmore study is gorgeous ima have to look this person up . drawing of chloe is also really nice but could do with being finished, u really tend to leave things half-shaded - knowing how to push that extra mile can really make the difference

the monster looks like the weakest thing in ur update, as it doesnt look like it was intentionally naively drawn, it just looks like you tried to make it realistic but didn't know how- i have a hunch that those white bits on it are meant to be reflected speculars but im not sure , the horns look slapped on, and there is only a vagueindication of the rib area which looks empty as if you didnt know what went there

the sketch of the lady facing forward betrays a little badger influence. liking what im seeing- but is this really three months worth of drawings ? :p

**Badger** · August 25th, 2009, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by sleep

the sketch of the lady facing forward betrays a little badger influence.

Bwha ha ha, see how i have corrupted the bristolians.

Looking nice fran, but draw more! I've told you the rest already.
-B-

**lefran** · August 26th, 2009, 04:53 PM

Shantih- i aaaalways make the tea and its most beautiful!
Bones Weep Tedium- Thanks

Sleep- Cheers Shaun, i dont ever draw creatures/monsters etc really, so it was just a doodle.
Badger- Indeed you have B!
Jens- Thanks, ill consider that more next time

Heres a study of a Lucia Lerner illustration, and some doodles sat in a coffee shop yday

**lefran** · September 1st, 2009, 09:01 PM

another wip of a study
im not the best at skin tones as you can tell , i tend to oversaturate everything, but ill keep working on it and hopefully knock it all back down. I also plan to even out those stark pale patches

**lefran** · September 20th, 2009, 06:16 PM

Some doodles, and 2 wips- the horse and the dragon, i'll finish those off tomorrow maybe
The owls are by Mr.Man, me, Shatih, Badger and DannySketch (but not in that order)

**Bones Weep Tedium** · September 20th, 2009, 06:27 PM

That horse is terrifying! I can't wait to see the final version.

**Mane** · September 20th, 2009, 06:35 PM

I love the fact you always try new things and tend to do it really bloody well, something Im normally to scared to do as it would be awful. You have alot of talent and motivation to improve it.

Keep up the good work
chris

**lefran** · September 20th, 2009, 10:00 PM

Thankyou both

Did some more work to the dragon this evening
not sure what looks better, with or without fire

**FactorZero** · September 21st, 2009, 12:28 AM

Sweet! I like it with the fire, it helps draw your eye toward the head as a focal point. Without it my eye floats around a lot more.

**daestwen** · September 21st, 2009, 12:33 AM

Hey! :]

The dragon is coming along great... I kind of prefer it with the fire, but maybe because the red light makes him pop out a bit?

**Mr Man** · September 21st, 2009, 05:22 AM

The lady in the red coat is luvley! I think your onto something! Paint more!!! bwahah!

**DannySketch** · September 21st, 2009, 02:05 PM

I like the version with the fire as well. Lovely stuff franigan.

**lefran** · September 23rd, 2009, 08:56 PM

Thanks guys

Heres something ive been working on for a monthly sketch group at http://art-actuate.blogspot.com/

I never draw using PS as i find it quite difficult, but i chose to do so with this entirely using ps, as a kind of challenge
just done the lines, i will start colouring tomorrow

**jatherip** · September 25th, 2009, 04:47 AM

as already mentioned, lovely style!!!!
keep posting

**phucci** · September 25th, 2009, 04:53 AM

the dragon with the fire is so gorgeous!!!!
u have good eye for color! im jealous

**lefran** · September 28th, 2009, 06:24 PM

Thanks both

Coloured

**Bendragon** · September 28th, 2009, 08:50 PM

Hey Fran! Great sketches in here. I love how you are using your sketchbook pages, each page are covered with studies but are arranged in a way that they look like illustrations themselves.
Nice style with that last one. Good to see the different results we got! I should be able to read those signs but alas... I cant read!!!

**lefran** · September 28th, 2009, 09:14 PM

thanks

Mostly because i just made squiggles that looked close enough, to my unknowing eyes, to some signs i saw in street pic refs, so they probably say nothing, or i've in fact written something about a frog or something accidentily hehe

**lefran** · October 8th, 2009, 01:16 PM

Some things from the last week

**Flaskpost** · October 8th, 2009, 01:47 PM

love the font! also, very nice paints on last page!
artsy owls too.

**Bones Weep Tedium** · October 8th, 2009, 01:51 PM

The alphabet looks nicer before the digital, it has a lot of nice little details that have been lost on the darker one. I really like the paper mechanic horse, very good.

**lefran** · October 20th, 2009, 06:19 PM

Thanks guys

The horse related stuff was for the book The Rain Horse, for a uni project. With the popup horse, i made another section in the gap in its back, which looked better, just havent photographed it yet.
The mugs is for another project on favourite things.