Merlin's sketchbook - Update September 25 - nudity

**Noë** · July 1st, 2008, 03:14 PM

Heya Merlin,

Nice works here! I like your pencil sketches the most

But everything is good!
I think that on your females (well maybe just the last two), you tend to make the space between the nipples and the navel a bit too much (should be approximately one head, ofcourse this differs with such foreshortening as on your last one).
On your last digital I think that shortening the nipple-navel space, making the hips a bit wider and the arm a bit larger will fix most of the proportion issues.

Post your lifedrawings and sketches from Hellmouth!! ^^
Love
Marleen.

**Merlin** · July 7th, 2008, 08:52 PM

Noë - Now that you say it, you are right about the proportion, thanks for the reminder.

I went to the Hellmouth sketchmeet a week ago, had a lot of fun. Here is a selection of life drawings I did there. And I've been doing some fashion sketching the last couple of days.

**Merlin** · July 9th, 2008, 07:01 PM

some more fashion stuff. These are done without reference, as you can see, some proportion issues. And bad marker colors, ah well, had fun making them. hope you like them.

**Merlin** · August 7th, 2008, 06:50 PM

I've been thinking about making this for some time now and I finally started it. Old dude with streetwear listening to iPod. Might add some bling bling. And the clothes will get some vivid colours.

**Merlin** · August 9th, 2008, 08:59 PM

color wip

**Envisor** · August 9th, 2008, 09:39 PM

I really enjoy your digital work, do you usually paint traditionally?

**Merlin** · August 10th, 2008, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by Envisor

I really enjoy your digital work, do you usually paint traditionally?

I do more digital painting. But I also like to work traditionally, I enjoy working with oils.

**teena_mom** · September 13th, 2008, 08:13 AM

Wawy

i'd like UR update so much , I think y beginning to have your own style,I loved a lot "fashion girls" I like of fashion and you created something really innovative .

keep on ,ESRAA

**Merlin** · January 20th, 2009, 08:25 PM

teena_mom - Thank you!

In september I started illustration at the art academy Minerva in Groningen and I'm having a great time there. Here is some work I made for school. The fashion illustrations are from reference and the others from life.

**Merlin** · February 19th, 2009, 06:30 AM

I've been painting (traditional) a lot lately, trying to get the hang of it. First two are acrylics, the other oils. Comments & crits are welcome.

**Merlin** · February 21st, 2009, 06:24 PM

And another one (oils).

**JellevdVegt** · February 23rd, 2009, 07:36 AM

hey merlijn,

crazzzzzzy good updates, you're really talented man, last 2 posts are just incredible and amazing.. totally impressed by your skill/imagination. the deformed skull in post 100 is really awesome just love it..

see ya later man, maybe we should meet again in a dutch sketchmeet

cya

**Merlin** · February 23rd, 2009, 12:38 PM

Teh Gosu - Heey man! Thanks! The deformed skull was inspired by the skulls by Phil Hale, they are amazing, like the rest of his work.
You can check them out here> http://comicartfans.com/SearchResult...&Order=#Member

Sketchbook time, some old, some new.

**Lyno** · February 23rd, 2009, 01:22 PM

Wow very nice work Merlin

, just keep them coming!

**~Faust~** · February 23rd, 2009, 05:43 PM

Hey, man, how're you doing? Already witnessed some of those sketches firsthand and they are extremely impressive! You rendering as well as line-skills are superb, like here for example: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/att...1&d=1235410421

Shit, only respect and admiration, sir! I'm humbled to even study in the same city as you!

**Merlin** · March 4th, 2009, 05:05 PM

Lyno - thanks

~Faust~ Hey! Danke! Wow "sir", just call me Merlin

. Yeah Groningen is great!

At school I got a great assignment, which is "design your own creature". I'm totally free on how I'm going to do it. Don't have a good idea yet, so I just made some sketches, all I know is that I want to create one without eyes.

**Merlin** · March 17th, 2009, 09:47 AM

Oil painting in progress and fashion stuff.

**Janos** · March 17th, 2009, 10:35 AM

Awesome stuff man. Could it be possible that you like ladies legs? =)
I love the sketchbook pages and the traditional illustartion stuff a lot, esp number 2 in post #99. I think your digital could use more work, especiall ythe handling of edges.
I just realized on the last sketchbook page (the one with ELLE) the lowers girls face on the left page is from a major fachion show. I really liked the images of these girls with nets on their heads wearing their hace in greasy curls on their faces. Quite original actually, though it doesn't sound as awesome as it looks. Any chance you've got the link?

Cheers

PS: Sry if I'm being dump, but is Groningen in Germany or the Netherlands? I am thinking about going to a school for illustration, but seems like I'll be attending art academy in stuttgart.

**Merlin** · March 17th, 2009, 11:32 AM

Janos - thanks. Yeah I love lady legs, especialy the ones with the slim ankles, the ones where you think they are about to break with every step they make ;P.

In what way could I improve my digital stuff, and what do you mean with the edges?

I just bought the ELLE magazine, I don't have the links to the net girls, sorry. But you could check out style.com, maybe it's there somewere.

Groningen is in the Netherlands

. But it's pretty close to Germany. Good luck on your admission! (if you haven't been accepted yet)

**Merlin** · March 17th, 2009, 04:52 PM

Sketches for the school project 'Angry Lampshade'.

**Merlin** · March 18th, 2009, 08:14 PM

Update of the creature design. Not sure if the perspective of the legs are correct.

**Pixeltuner** · March 18th, 2009, 08:23 PM

Yoo Merlijn, sup bro. Finally got to do Illustration somewhere I see

Small update, I'm leaving Zylom per 1st of April. Don't know yet what I'm doing next but I've got some stuff in the proverbial pipeline.

Nice stuff you've got here, especially the traditional ones. About the creature one, you should check out Richard Dobles creature design vid (if you haven't already), it's pretty neat for this kind of work.

**MaartenR** · March 31st, 2009, 04:34 AM

Its funny, I recognise the model of the hellmouth sketchmeet (your post the 7th of july). ive drawn her quite a few times myself... what kind of a meet was that.
im really impressed with your paintings and sketchbooks.

**Noë** · May 21st, 2009, 12:53 PM

Woohoo Merlijn hello ^_^

I'd love to see your recent work both for school and personal.. I bet you're best of your class haha

I love the subtle experiments, like here with the ink..

Well, if you have time, let us (CA'ers

) know how you're doing! ^^
Love
Marleen.

**Merlin** · May 23rd, 2009, 08:26 AM

MaartenR - Thanks. The meeting was last year in June. 3 days sketching, talking, eating, drinking, drawing, having fun.

Noë - Heya! There are a lot of skilled people in my class, each with there own style. Thank you, I like to experiment from time to time.

Here's a sketch for a pin-up calendar I'm making for school. And some sketchbook pages.

**Merlin** · May 30th, 2009, 09:12 AM

Update

**Jamie Romoser** · May 30th, 2009, 01:28 PM

Awsome work man keep it up!

**Marlisa** · June 10th, 2009, 04:26 AM

Man, you're so good!
It's fun to browse through your SB, nice studies and different media, I like!
Want to see more

I also saw that you are in first year Illustration at Minerva. I'm doing Fine Art and Education at the AHK in Amsterdam, but I don't like it anymore.
I've heard alot good things about Minerva and I want to try to go there too (although it's a bit too far away), mainly because I've heard that they appreciate old school traditional drawing/painting more.
I don't know if this is right, I'm going to the Open Dag friday.
But when I see how good you are and that you said everyone in your year is very good... I'm afraid I must study by myself some more years, to get better haha

**Merlin** · July 17th, 2009, 08:20 AM

OmertA - Thanks!

Marlisa - It was nice meeting you at the open dag. Hope you liked the school. Good luck studying!

Here is the finished illustration of the pin-up. Not entirely happy with it, somtehing to do with the legs.

Also an oil painting from a while back.