Lee's sketchbook

**EKU_11** · October 24th, 2006, 06:44 PM

Like everyone else is saying your making good progress with your paintings. You sure have done a fair bit of work since I was looked too well compared to me that for sure, your portrait always have such good detail to the eye I find it quite hard to get that detail look that your get.

**Lee W** · October 24th, 2006, 08:15 PM

term8or: thanks

that first suggestion sounds like a good idea, gonna try it out. I try to do an underpainting with raw umber but somehow I mess up when applying the colors. Either the glaze isn't translucent enough in acrylics or in the case of oils, the underpainting wasn't completely dried yet

Fellah: wow, I'm honored having you leave a comment in my sb

and thanks. hehe, that portrait is very familiar huh?

Flake: thanks

yah I like the slower drying time better, I can actually blend the edges., but I got to remember to let it dry before I can apply another layer.

EKU_11: thanks

hehe, I try to do at least one thing a day, but it's hard, some days I just don't have any motivation. I'm not sure if I read if or dreamed it, but whenever someone views a portrait, the eyes are the first thing they look at. So I try to make the eyes as convincing as I can yet simple to create.

just a couple of random crappy doodles (no refs) this time

crappy paintings will be on another day.

**Flake** · October 24th, 2006, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by OldNoobie

Flake: thanks

yah I like the slower drying time better, I can actually blend the edges., but I got to remember to let it dry before I can apply another layer.
.

It's probably stating the obvious, but most oil painters work on at least two or three pics at the same time, minimal waiting times and it gives you a nice sort of perspective on stuff that you did (many) weeks ago.

It's no longer your "greatest awesome pic", it's just that shit you did last week so it doesn't matter if you destroy it totally. Get what I mean?

**Jska** · October 25th, 2006, 03:58 AM

Nice charcoals, I love those white highlights on the neutral toned paper... your drawings are lovely, but so many females of the same body type!! You should switch it up a little, its kinda fun to draw really curvy contours!

**Spats** · October 25th, 2006, 09:26 AM

Looking great as usual mate, keep it up!

Nice oils. Love your charcoal sketches too - the highlights really add to them. Don't be afraid to play around with skin tones... go wild with them while attempting to keep them as a whole value-wise. Don't take this as patronizing or anything, I'm just not very good at being helpful

I have no idea of what I'm talking about but keep this up! Looking good!

**gigglepixie** · October 25th, 2006, 12:51 PM

Love the first oil painting - I know the colours are 'wrong' but they look great anyway.

**Lee W** · October 25th, 2006, 07:43 PM

Flake: I'm sure most oil painters work on more than one at a time, considering it takes days for a layer to be dry enough to add another layer. At this point for me, every new painting is a hit or miss kinda situation

it can either look decent or it is a complete waste of time and effort. That first one when I posted it, I did it all at one day. But I made some slight adjustments since (and still look like bah) and waiting for it to dry.

Jska: thanks

.. hehe, the female bodies, well, can't help it

almost all fashion ads feature females with that type of body

besides, they are easier on the eyes

Spats: thanks

I am going wild with the skin tones (cuz I can't mix the correct ones but don't tell anyone)

gigglepixie: thanks

what a buddy, stroke my ego even when I screwed it up badly

haven't done really anything, I did this quick sketch just to post with my replies

yah I know, it looks kinda funny

**max xiantu** · October 25th, 2006, 11:26 PM

The acrylics are definitely getting better, and I liked the feeling on the oil painting the best by far. Although I do agree with Jska, I would like to see a charcoal of a heavyset old woman

**Bald Muffin** · October 26th, 2006, 12:50 AM

Wow! Your portraits are improving so fast! You make the wrinkles and teeth on a face seem so natural. I can never do that...
On your last portrait, it looks funny because one eye is higher than the other. do you do preliminary lines before drawing in the facial featuers? If not you should start. It really helps a lot with proportions.

Your acrylics are spectacular. I'm starting on acrylics soon too so it's really exciting to see yours. Go for a more ambitious piece next time!

**term8or** · October 26th, 2006, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by OldNoobie

Flake: I'm sure most oil painters work on more than one at a time, considering it takes days for a layer to be dry enough to add another layer.

It shouldn't take days for paint to dry, if you paint thin (like, the thickness you'd paint with house emulsion, or thinner) and put maybe 1-2 drops of liquin in your white.

Also, what white are you using? Zinc white is a slow drying pigment, better to use flake white or neutral white.

Finally, check what drying oil your paint contains. You really want linseed oil for an underpainting. Stand oil, Safflower and Poppy seed oil all take much longer to dry - better for direct painting and top layers.

http://painting.about.com/od/oilpain...ryingtimes.htm

**EKU_11** · October 26th, 2006, 07:55 AM

Were do you get the inspiration for your portraits are they of the top of your head or from magazines and things like that. Like the random doodles with no refs pretty good to see you putting that theory of yours in practice’s for someone that might forget dur to old age.

**DannySketch** · October 26th, 2006, 08:36 AM

some of the studies from reference you are producing are really starting to step your game up, great effort being shown, keep it up.

**Lee W** · October 26th, 2006, 12:42 PM

max xiantu: thanks

learning to paint isn't easy

it takes a lot of work, time and effort. As for a charcoal sketch of a heavyset old woman, I'll see what images I can found on the net. Maybe will have one later tonight or tomorrow (key word here: maybe)

Bald Muffin: thanks

rendering those teeth took a while to do and still don't look quite right

they're hard. Actually, that last sketch, they eye on the far side of the face is not only too low, its also too small. Yah, everything is lightly sketched before actually keeping it there. I found that sometimes a light sketch may look correct would actually come out incorrect when darkened. Acrylics are great cuz they dry so fast but that could present a problem if a hard edge is not wanted, but i suppose that can depend of the type of surface that it is painted on.

Term8or: I don't know, I checked the painting and it's still isn't completely dry to the touch yet. It might be the cheap oils I am using to learn and that I'm using canvas paper right now. I use refined linseed oil to thin the paint, maybe a little bit of turpenoid if a lot of linseed oil is used. The white I am using right now is titanium white.

EKU_11: Where I get the inspiration? hmm I don't know, all I know is that I have always been fascinated with the human facial structure. Every face shares the same basic structure yet no two faces are exactly alike, not even identical twins, there are always some differences if the time is taken to observe. Most of the portraits I have done are from magazine ads and images from the net. My anatomy knowledge sucks, I only know the basic muscles, mechanics and structure. I really need and should spend more time studying anatomy

among other things that I'm not inspired to do.

DannySketch: thanks

an unfinished quickie sketch to go with the replies

**Lee W** · October 26th, 2006, 03:07 PM

here is a quick sketch of an elderly woman ...

**Flake** · October 26th, 2006, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by OldNoobie

Term8or: I don't know, I checked the painting and it's still isn't completely dry to the touch yet. It might be the cheap oils I am using to learn and that I'm using canvas paper right now. I use refined linseed oil to thin the paint, maybe a little bit of turpenoid if a lot of linseed oil is used. The white I am using right now is titanium white.

It sounds like you might be adding a tad too much linseed oil, or maybe you just paint quite thickly. No big deal, it'll just take a bit longer to dry.

btw, you realise that oils will go over acrylics quite nicely? If you wanted to you could knock in the underpainting in acrylics then go back in and soften edges etc with oil. Just a thought.

Like the latest sketches btw.

**Haxxxor** · October 26th, 2006, 04:07 PM

hey oldnoobie.. your portraits are realy imroving, looks good so far, i can´t give you any tips but practice

but don´t forget to draw full body views too, it is important to find the right way to place the head on the body

ok so long.

hope you keep this sb up.

**Lee W** · October 26th, 2006, 05:22 PM

Flake: well I do use quite a bit of linseed oil ... though I use only turpenoid for the under painting and that dries pretty quickly. yep, I know that oil can be used over acrylics

Haxxxor: thanks

hehe, yah I need to do more full body view sketches

okay, here is the oil painting again with the adjustments and used the scanner this time even though its not completely dried. Got a bit of paint on the scanner glass but not too hard to wipe up.

**EKU_11** · October 26th, 2006, 08:07 PM

I always like faces for the same reason but felt in would be better to get improve my anatomy studies and all that so that my skills would become a big more all-rounder.

**Lee W** · October 26th, 2006, 09:59 PM

yah i really should do more studies on stuff other than portraits ..

really small update

return of the water drop in acrylic ... think I got the colors right this time I hope

**Lee W** · October 27th, 2006, 01:03 PM

just some gesture doodles (6b charcoal on kraft paper) no refs

**glikster** · October 27th, 2006, 01:10 PM

great gestures.. the arms might be a bit long.. but really great... I esp like the foreshortening in 8th one....

**Waffle_King** · October 27th, 2006, 01:17 PM

Old Noobie!

You may be old, but you are far less of a noobie than when you started this SB. Great work. Those last gestures are really nice- especially from no ref. Some proportion flaws, but that will come with time. Keep drawing, and please keep posting.

-Andrew

**Lee W** · October 27th, 2006, 06:55 PM

thanks glikster and Waffle_King

yah i realize that some of the proportions are off, I didn't want to fuss around too much with it or it would have been more than a gesture sketch

just wanted to spend a few minutes on each.

a quck charcoal sketch that didn't come out too good

**Lee W** · October 27th, 2006, 09:20 PM

more doodles

first three done with ultra fine sharpie and last one with soft carbon pencil (no refs)

**Frumious Me** · October 27th, 2006, 10:53 PM

Hard to keep up with your posting! Those arms are nice looking. Accurate enough in a very dynamic way. I especially like the upper right one with the elbow focus.

**aph** · October 28th, 2006, 01:36 PM

Wow, these are great. Good energy, and the hands and arms are really nicely handled. Keep it up duder =)

btw. that charcoal sketch was nice imo !

**TheGnoll** · October 28th, 2006, 02:17 PM

hey!
these last gestures are really looking good, especially the male ones,why don't you mix different medium while doing them, and maybe add some highlights.You've already improved a lot since the beginning of the topic...why don't you try to change subjects too?
this sketchbook is looking good, keep 'em coming!

ciao

**dhilipsomesh** · October 29th, 2006, 05:37 AM

hi your ligting sense is good but you ampliy the strokes and forms control or ask your hand to listen the inner .........

try to concentrate on drawing than on shading and lighting,

if the drawing is good then there is no need for painting.

my sketchbook

**Bard** · October 30th, 2006, 09:09 AM

hey been checkin you out. Glad your doing this. Hmmm I thought I was old starting to recapture my drawing skills. Glad your doing this.

It'd be cool to see page 25 of your progress!

----------------------------------------------------
My Sketchbook
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=80906

**Lee W** · October 30th, 2006, 01:41 PM

Frumious Me and aph: thanks

TheGnoll: thanks

just started learning color soooo mixing different medium might take a little longer

hmmm maybe I try a different subject for next post, don't know what yet though

dhilipsomesh: thanks

I used to do only line drawings, trying to learn to show structure through light and shadows right now. I understand what you are saying in that the underlying line drawing needs to be good.

Bard: thanks

hopefully I can get to page 25

haven't done anything practically for the last two days, finally did something and no surprise here

another charcoal sketch

thanks to a CA member for her picture to use as a ref