Cavematty Uncensored

[Ricardo Robles]

The traction city is an awesome idea, great impact! and your watercolors are so good, I love them. so much creativity here!
keep it uP

[tsimps]

Hey man!! I haven't checked your sb in way too long so thought I'd swing by- must say I like what you've done with the place. Loving the gesture studies- the ones from imagination are just as strong as the others. Shot bro. Also there was some traction city stuff I haven't seen before- did you do this after finishing your portfolio??
See you soon cousin

[Thaw Naing]

hey matty, its wicked to see uve kept on keeping on! nice stuff. i just got picked up for a concept art job in welly,. im stoked. chances are we're working on the same project! get excited!

[Cavematty]

Mr Thaw Dogg - Yeah keeping at it a little. Work takes up my time though Stoekd about the job. I'll track you down and find out more

Poppa Simpson - Thanks buddi! the traction city stuff was after i finished my folio and hand landed a job, but before I had started said job. Was just keeping the skills up while finishing up some contract work. Hows the illus going? Hope ur not TOO chained to that desk?

Ricardo - You're right, traction cities are an AMAZING idea, but alas I cannot take the credit. It's from 'Mortal Engines' by Philip Reeve. Great book - you should read it if you have the time. Awesome scope. The design on that one is pretty preliminary not too refined. Ha. but thanks

PaperX - Thanks mang! The arm is interesting, but in terms of design parts dont really work.... but hey, I won't point out the problems, just roll aroudn in the praise! Thanks buddi! Great to see the momentum you kicked up this year!

Lyno - Churs man, I'll be along to yours for a wee looky promptly!

Jailhouserock - thanks man. Repeat visitor? Awesome! I'm hitting my demographic! Ha. I'll stop in on you this arvo buddi. Replies are a coming!

Dr Fearnaux - Nope, can't spell your name for ballz. Thanks for the kind words man. You've seemed a bit less nervous lately - and deservedly so. Your work is sharp. Keep it cranking buddi. Still gotta buy you that beer!

Jakers - Thanks man. Yeah watercolours usually over a rough sketch. Cos watercolour is so unforgiving for a wrong mark, I always tend to map it out a bit first. Might try to get away from that eventually, but still getting used to it again. Great advice on that pic. It was just a sketch, so i never intended to re-visit it, but I might make this change, I think you're right - it will surely help

Thanks for the kindness of replies despite my slow updates! Here are some lifedrawings from Dr Sketchy's premier in wellington. It was a very fun event, though from a lifedrawing standpoint - a bit frustrating. The models were happy and playful, and created a great ambience. But they covered their anatomy with wigs and feather boas, and the second model would come last at operation cos she sat about as still as a metronome (and if you are wondering about my drawings the second model was an acclaimed drag queen, and not a petite one!). The longest pose of the whole thing was about 10 mins. That said I really enjoyed the day, and drawing clothed models is a fresh change. The models were Eva Strangelove, and Ruby Rouge I believe. Will go along next time, but for real study I'll stay loyal to Vincents xD This seemed more like pandering to what the general public THINK life drawing is about.
Each page is A3

[Frank Gressie]

good life-drawings! is that pencil or charcoal? One thing i'm told, especially in a 10 min range, is not pay to much attention to detail...only the 'block in' part, so don't waste time drawing a face or fingers, try to capture the gesture and such. But that will come in time i guess.. haha!
You're doing great, so keep this up!

frank

[Cavematty]

Frank G - Thanks man! Yeah I know I need to be more disciplined and work on my structure and block in more Here are some lifedrawings I did on thursday night. I've been studying Villpu and trying to think more in terms of form etc. These ones were short poses except for the last which was 40 mins (but didn't get that much further But yeah, after your comment I thought I would post them - as I agree with you completely and am trying to move in the direction you are talking of.

Materials - its a Nero lead - which I think is a charcoal graphite blend. It comes in these sticks that you use in a holder, much like a clutch pencil, except the lead is as thick as compressed charcoal - 6mm ish. So you can get really varied thick and thin lines, and they're easy to sharpen. Would definitely reccommend Lets you work large-ish too if you want.

[Cavematty]

Hey guys,
Bought a moleskin ages ago. Was very hesitant to start in it - those little suckas are SPENDY! But finally made a go of it. The preciousness has made me slow down and take a bit more time with the drawings I do in it - a great lesson in and of itself. First drawing is from photo ref. Second pic [the spread] is on the left, a study of a James Jean pencil. Secondly a portrait of my girlfriend [which came out far more manly than she actually looks!] - done while she was drawing, so she was tilting her head every which way. Hard angle to draw without her fidgeting!
Also had the bright idea of pasting a bargue drawing on a facing page so I could do my first bargue copy. Pasted it in on a spread at the centre of a fold, so that it is one page opened flat that I am actually drawing on. This reduces the moleskins tendancy to pull closed/distort my perspective on the reference page. So far so good (tho I have plenty more work to do). The idea is I'll be able to prod at it on lunchbreaks now that its more portable than the big wood mounted one I started a while ago

[Hybrid_75]

I'm still nervous as f#&k but I'll get over it. These latest sketches are really lookin great. The drawings of the male figure are really nice. Looks like a good model too. I did some life drawing for the first time in a long time, real crap compared to your stuff. keep it comming dude.

[Frank Gressie]

haha, yeah i have that 'problem' too, those expensive moleskines. If i see someone in the SB area that are just scribling away with some lousy unfinished studies/sketches or something, makes me wonder why don't do that on regular copy paper...i only do studies and finished drawings in them, or else its a waste
Your lifedrawings are getting better by the update! Lovely lines in the moleskine too, keep it going mate!

frank

[kinjura]

This is a fabulous sketchbook. Your studies are a real inspiration and I love your approach to your moleskin (I'm totally stealing that!).

How are you liking the Vilpuu approach to the figure? I discovered him while I was in school and was lucky enough to grab a bite to eat with him and let him draw in my sketchbook; the guy is incredible and he's so kind and gentle. It's very difficult to be frustrated around him!

Congrats on the job and best of luck!

[MacTire]

Really nice work CaveMatt! Really liking the gun designs, especially the use of those machine parts (a brush I presume?). Also loving those cityshots and character costme variations!

Keep up the good work!

[domo arigato]

Yo dude, wow! what sweet sketchbook you have going here. 5 stars from me. Such kick ass variety..you're really showing off how versatile you are. Really digging the life drawings as well. I need to start some bargue drawings of my own. And yeah those little fuckers (moleskine) can get expensive. Haha, I too am terrified to draw in them. BUt oh man they're so nice. Anyway, keep it up. You're improving every post and I think its awesome.

-Andrew

[JailHouseRock2]

Really nice shit man, great to see you updating again!

Fantastic life drawings dude!

cheers
matt.

[Thaw Naing]

very nice progress matty- everytime i get going with any barque, life gets in the way and ive had to stop mid way on two still lifes! had a read of 'cast drawing' (sightsize) and its amazing, borrow it off me when u can. the films been put in limbo, so im doing my own thing for now n kickin it on conceptart as much as possible. so ill catch ya around here

[Cavematty]

Hey guys, thanks for the kind words!

Hybrid - Thanks brutha! I really gotta buy you that beer aye? Long overdue...

Frank - Thanks matey! Yeah, it makes me wonder too. Those dudes are earning too much! Its a wee lesson in itself for me. And the moleskin is going to take me about a year to fill up at this rate! But the drawings are staying sold so that's key

Kinjura - Thanks mate. Yeah I'm digging Villpu's approach. Havnt managed to keep the studies up on a regular basis so I feel it slipping again... but definitely has merit. I would love to be able to draw figures from my imagination well. I'm sure I'll get there eventually. Stoked you got to meet him, what was he like? Sounds like he's pretty cool and mellow if you got him to draw in your book over lunch. I feel pretty isloated over here in NZ sometimes. Not many people of that calibre teaching down here. Though I have been very lucky lately.

MacTire - yep, i made a few brushes for those guns. Its the smart way to go. Still had to trim some fat in terms of the shitty silhouettes though. There were plenty of them

Domo Arigato - Thanks Buddy! 5 stars? Generous! Ty.Big fan of your stuff, so the kind words mean a lot

Jailhouse - Thanks duder.

Thaw - that sucks man. Well I am positive it is only temporary limbo, but you never know how long that could be.... sometimes long long times.... You should keep in touch with him and flick him new work maybe. Great guy to know. I'll post an update of the bargue soon too. It's getting there


Onto the Update.... Some illustrations I did for a company in wellington called Locales. They are a bit rough, as I had to do 13 or so pics in one weekend to make a deadline. But it was good fun. The style and compositions were art directed by a great artist and friend Stephen Crowe. Unfortunately his site is under construction, but you can see from the teaser that his stuff is shit-hot!

The images were done in various resolutions so that they could be animated in after effects, so the texture varies due to the amount of zoom it has to accomodate. Style has restricted saturation and a certain roughness to the linework to reference a historical period of illustration. These and the others I didn't post are now part of an installation at the Stonestore in Keri Keri. The Stonestore is NZ's oldest stone building (I think) yet is only 170 years old. Very telling about our history as a nation, and so much interesting history associated with it.

[JailHouseRock2]

Great set of illustrations mate, some better than others but all great work!

Really love the one with them silhouetted against the sky (great colours in the sky and great angle!) and the lighting in the one with the boy staring out the window.

Cool work, and I'm still amazed by your life drawings!

P.S, and yeah, I'm pretty sure the Stonestore our oldest building.

Cheers bro,
matt

[Cavematty]

Jailhouse - Ha, you gotta be subscribed to reply that fast! Thanks buddi. Yeah they are very up and down. There's a couple of bad ones I didnt post. 13 illustrations in two days is a tall order for me. Couldn't quite keep the quality up. But it was a lot of fun, and trying out the style, quite different to the way I usually work, was very satisfying (on some at least). I can't take too much credit for them - Stephen, the art director, had a very clear plan for the whole thing. Otherwise I still woulda been floundering come sunday night! ha. But thanks for the kind words

Update : Don't know if you'd go so far as to call this fanart. Was trying out the style of an illustrator I love. It's close, in places, but overall misses the mark a bit. Design is a bit screwy too... wasn't really paying much attention to that while I was working
Can anyone guess the artist?

Had heaps of fun and figured out some new working methods on this one. haha. The detail is just to show the texture I got in there. If you're interested.

Matty

[Cavematty]

Here's the detail:

[juicy]

im drooling over your moleskin pages man!
they look so fresh

this last tank is awesome as well. keep up the good work

Jack

[Cavematty]

Hey Juicy, thanks man, Here's a couple more for ya!
Mostly drawn in a Borders bookstore cafe, with my good friend Andy Shaw

[willmunny]

Your moleskine work is really great! I had that problem with not wanting to "ruin" it too. I just force myself to use it, with the promise that I'd do more "finished" sketches/studies. I use another el-cheapo book for rough stuff like gestures or testing out pens, or drawing things that I'm really not confident about.

Would you mind enlightening me as to how you did that fine hatching/rendering on the last post (230)? It's beautiful.

[Shadow Stalker]

Hey man... I really enjoy the moleskin sketches. Nice work man.

[Shadow Stalker]

Love the gun silhouettes.

[jackpot_anjr90]

Nice work! I don't know why but I'm in love with the last figure drawing of post 216. The way you captured the rhythm in the second picture of that same post is great too! Looking forward to more

[Dent]

Heya Matty, it's Claire - I finally joined, heh heh..! Now, to post stuff... though I guess I ought to stop freaking out a bit first D:
Beautiful Moleskin work... hmm... I think I know what to get Paul as a pressie XD

[paperX]

sorry I haven't dropped by in ages man, once uni started all that momentum just went out the door haha

loving all the updates i missed tho! the moleskine bargue drawing idea is brilliant! mind if I steal it?

The illustrations look great too but I really like the painting in post 227, really captured the traditional look, I'm guessing its inspired by ashley wood?

It's 2010 now so I hope you update with more arts!

[Cavematty]

ok... so it's been a few years. No bombshell to drop in here or anything. Just slinking back in with some sketches. Hoping this SB will help keep me honest again

Quick studies today:

[Cavematty]

Another lil head study. Internet is hooked up at our apartment now too

[Cavematty]

Some more photo studies. Practise grouping tones, especially on the left one. Of course the ref made it easy.

[Mane]

that en plein air study is great dude.