Lee's sketchbook

**Lee W** · August 30th, 2006, 04:28 PM

My name is Lee and as you probably can tell by my nickname that I am probably older than most here, if not all. I drew from the time I was around 5 years old until I was sixteen or seventeen when I stopped. I have never taken any art courses, so I do not have any knowledge in any other medium except graphite. I am now over 40 years old and trying to recapture my artistic abilities, if one can call it that.

**Infinit** · August 30th, 2006, 04:57 PM

Hi lee
nice to see your SB
you show basic understanding of form and light which is good (and not everybody does^^)
in the first one the eyes are a tad too far apart but nothing rly wrong about it
the second one is quite flat when you work with colour already use highlights as well as shadows to show volume

so drawdrawdraw and post

cu around

**Lee W** · August 31st, 2006, 01:22 AM

a sketch from a store catalog, no rendering
trying to get proportions correct.

**Goodbye..fromthevoid** · August 31st, 2006, 03:15 AM

40, eh? Well that means you are almost as old as me.

That first head looks pretty good. Try to reproduce some reference as accurately as you can - it's hard!

Keep posting and maybe something wonderful will happen.

**Helzon** · August 31st, 2006, 06:30 AM

Hey there Lee! Thanks for the kindness over at my SB bro.
Let me return the favor here. I realize you must feel like a person trying to take a sip from a fire hydrant at this point.

For me sometimes sketching out a quick gesture of the skeleton beneath can establish a characters mood and feel. Check out Phuzion's SB...he's got some phenomenal work when it comes to that.
Im enjoying the second post and would offer this challenge as well, add paper either physically or digitally...and finish the rest of her body so that you can get a feel for her entire being and how she is grounded. That pulls into play your imagination and makes you think about the proportions of the ankles and feet.
Ohh...and let me recommend another SB Rebecca Kimmel. Brilliant, brilliant artist with a superb knowledge of the human form.
Keep your work rolling in...I will be keepin my eye on this sb.
Cheers!

**Lee W** · August 31st, 2006, 07:10 AM

Goodbye..fromthevoid: thank you

will try to reproduce a ref as close as possible. I have to learn to be patience, rendering takes a loooooooooong time.

Helzon: a challenge already? okay, accepted

oh, I seen both rebecca's and Phuzion's sb, they are both amazing as with many in here.

**Lee W** · August 31st, 2006, 07:30 AM

a couple of quick sketches

**dogfood** · August 31st, 2006, 08:02 AM

I like where you're going already, Lee. I'm so glad you're doing stuff from reference. There's a way to really challenge your observation skills and quickly improve your anatomy knowledge: after drawing something from reference, put everything aside and draw it again without reference. The difference will indicate what you need to work on.

Cheers!
Tim

**Seedling** · August 31st, 2006, 11:24 AM

. Age is irrelevant in both art and on the internet, so have no fears.

I’m going to cheerfully contradict dogfood: when you can draw from life, do, and only use photographs as an emergency backup. Drawing from life is harder and a better teacher; drawing from photos can easily become a crutch.

Do you have any goals with your art, aside from just getting back into it and having some fun?

Post more art!

.

**Lee W** · August 31st, 2006, 01:39 PM

dogfood: thank you. hmmm ... right now, everything is giving problems

Seedling: Since I just restarted drawing, I am not quite comfortable sketching from life yet, well except in the privacy of my own house maybe. As for goals, I would like to get employment in the art industry, but I think by the time I actually gain the exceptional skills required, I might have to retire

Anyhow, here is another sketch, facial and rendering study (no ref) to see how much I still remember.

**Lee W** · September 1st, 2006, 05:28 AM

didn't do too much sketching except the these two from ref..

**Lee W** · September 1st, 2006, 10:43 AM

here is a simple line drawing that took forever to do just to get the facial structure to look like the ref

EDIT: added the ref image

**White Rose** · September 1st, 2006, 10:48 AM

well they look very good.
--------
edit*
geezus... i didnt notice the other posts right above me.

hmm i guess i should say.. dont forget to draw from your imagination. and push the boundaries...

i wonder how you do in color...
and welcome to CA

**Lee W** · September 1st, 2006, 07:33 PM

White Rose: Dunno if my imagination can be revived, but drawing from memory I can do

Here is a couple of pen sketches

EDIT: oops, first one was pencil

**Slaving_maniac** · September 1st, 2006, 07:58 PM

Nice updates Lee. I can already see progress in your drawing.

**Lee W** · September 2nd, 2006, 10:24 AM

Slaving_maniac: thanks

some pen doodles done last night

**Helzon** · September 2nd, 2006, 10:52 AM

Hey man, it looks like you're riding a huge art high. Great to see you uber posting.
With the reffed female face, the part that's off a bit is the line from the bottom of the eyelid to the bottom of the jaw..or (eyesocket to chin). If you want to..use the dark tones of her hair to sculpt that area just right.
Also the irises are the same tone..so it flattens them into disks. Might want add some highlights on them.
Otherwise, keep at it!
Cheers!

**Spats** · September 2nd, 2006, 11:01 AM

Hey there OldNoobie

Very strong start! All I can say is keep drawing & drawing.

I'll be sure to keep my eye on your sketchbook!

**Lee W** · September 2nd, 2006, 12:54 PM

Helzon: thanks for the crit

I messed that sketch up and probably won't try to fix it any time soon, maybe one day.

Spats: thanks for the compliment, and I'll check out your sketchbook later on tonight

Hate to post without a sketch soooooo....
I think I am starting to find my fluidy sketching hand

**Sodbrenner** · September 2nd, 2006, 01:08 PM

this is a amazing linework you show us here! instead of starting somewhere between bad and not soooo bad you begin with drawing confident and good, looks like you're really talented, so go for gold man

**Infinit** · September 2nd, 2006, 05:12 PM

heyhey Lee
when I first saw you posting in the lounge you were all like "I'm so old! I hope no one pushs me around because I'm so bad..."
but one can see that you are better then many "beginners" I saw here already
in fact I like your drawings quite a lot

what did you do (art stuff) before? why did you quit anyway?
cu Infinit

**Lee W** · September 2nd, 2006, 05:37 PM

Infinit: I started drawing for fun whenI was five and continued until I was around 16 or 17. Never had any formal training in art and only drawn in pencil and pen & ink, mostly imitating comic artists such as John Romita SR and JR, Sal Buscema, Neal Adams, and my favorite, Gil kane. Though I have numerous books on art instruction and anatomy.

Reason i stopped was I didn't have time anymore since I started working full time to keep a roof over my head. I'm glad I can pretty much pick up from where I left off.

**Lee W** · September 2nd, 2006, 08:38 PM

A pic of deep concentration to produce the pic next to it

**Lee W** · September 3rd, 2006, 05:14 AM

A couple of sketches from last night (no refs), its not much but gonna post them anyhow

**Lee W** · September 3rd, 2006, 08:20 AM

a couple more

**Lee W** · September 3rd, 2006, 12:38 PM

attempting to do a digital painting .. haven't figured out how to paint hair yet

**Idiot Apathy** · September 3rd, 2006, 03:55 PM

Hey man, good on you for starting up with art again. If you're determined you'll be kicking ass in no time.

Now, I'm not sure of how anyone else thinks but myself of course but I know I had a lot of misconceptions about art and for my point specifically drawing. I think you'd do well to go around and see how others draw, see that they use lots of tools and techniques to help them with the final product, to me it seems as if you are jumping right to it - I know how that feels, a need for immediate satisfaction perhaps, but it's really important to know that building blocks are needed. It can be painful at first I think but it's necessary and becomes very natural with a little time.

To give you a good idea check out... mentler king of contruction and building blocks. Not saying that you need to go to such an extreme, but will help none the less I hope:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...593#post839593
Edit: Oh this one is great too -
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...495#post915495

Cheers and keep it up!

**Lee W** · September 3rd, 2006, 11:51 PM

Idiot Apathy: Thanks, I'm trying to find where my skills are and what needs attention for a couple of weeks (also to find my hand-eye coordination). Mentler is one of the threads I viewed when I was just lurking around before I registered, he is amazing. And as for tools and techniques, going to experiment pretty soon and will be trying things I have never used before. The building blocks I studied on my own years ago but will be revisiting them soon again seeing that I forgot a lot of it

Anyhow, here is an finished sketch with rendering even.

**Hendric VII** · September 4th, 2006, 03:36 AM

Hey, great to see someone who is older than me here, but not by much. Great stuff here Lee, and as I am looking at your SB your work keeps getting stronger and stronger. Keep drawing! Your sketches are very dynamic! Keep it up!