Space-Sprayer's Sketchbook - Dedicated to Improvement

[nickmarshallvfx]

Hey there

Just thought Id start up a sketchbook so that I can get some peoples thought on my work, and log my progress as I move forward (hopefully forward anyway...).

Here is a Charcoal sketch I did today over lunch, so maybe.. half an hours work i guess. The idea was to join the feel and complexity of Gothic architecture with the design of modern cities, i.e. tall buildings, very compact.

[nickmarshallvfx]

A couple of figure studies - my update for today:

First sketch, about 8 minutes using ballpoint pen:






and this second one was about 2 hours work last night. Sorry for the shading looking a little grainy, I had to do some levels adjustments in PS because the photo was taken in bad lighting, and it couldn't be avoided.




Comments and crits very much appreciated.

Nick

[Envisor]

Very nice work, lacking in anatomy a little. Keep drawing from life and you get better and better. Try the Loomis books, there free over the internet, just google Loomis, and you should find them. Also, find some Bridgeman books, they are both good for learning anatomy. Keep up the good work.

My Sketchbook- C&C very welcome
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85772

[nickmarshallvfx]

Thanks Envisor, you are the first person to grace my sketchbook with a comment, so i appreciate that
I had a look online for the Loomis books, coz its not the first time I've heard them mentioned as a good learning resource, but I couldn't find them anywhere for free. I saw amazon selling them, and a bunch of other places, but didn't have any joy getting any free info. If you would happen to have a link that you could post then Id still very much like to check them out. You are right about the anatomy too, it is a little off. I am studying some Vilppu dvd's and an anatomy book by Steven Rogers Peck to try and improve that. I have a tendency to draw small heads, and this one came out a little wide through the body too

Ok here is a little update for this evening. Decided to do a more finished drawing, with more shading and render it with realism as my target. You'll have to let me know if I succeeded or, but Im pretty happy with the outcome. Eye Study:



Hope I get some more comments soon. Im happy to keep working away for my own benefit, but I could do with some crits, and a little advice from this generous community. I know its difficult coz in the sketchbooks you end up 2 pages back after about 10 minutes with all the posting that goes on here, lol.

Check back tomorrow for more updates!

Nick

[Envisor]

Sorry about that, it took me awhile to find it again. This first one is something I just stumbled across, looked kinda cool and seems to deal with Loomis.
http://www4.ncsu.edu/.../handouts/id318handouts.html

This is the one with the Loomis books
http://fineart.sk/index.php?cat=1

My Sketchbook- C&C very welcome
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85772

[nickmarshallvfx]

Wow, theres a wealth of information there, thanks Envisor! Its gonna take me a while to sift through all that!

Ok, so here is a little update of a few studies of Ballerina poses. One was a copy from another artist here on conceptart.org, and the other was from photo ref:









Comments much appreciated!

Nick

[nickmarshallvfx]

And a couple of little practice bits on anatomy and perspective:










Nick

[nickmarshallvfx]

And this is the reason I needed that perspective practice. Its an assessed piece for my uni course. Im not happy with the quality of the photo (dont have a scanner ) but I hope you can make everything out. It was sketch over a few days, and the original is A3.





Comments appreciated!

Nick

[AztcFireFlower]

That's a really great environment sketch space-sprayer, I think you should fill up this SB with alot of studies. Thanks for the message That was very nice of you. I still think you should do Bargue and Loomis studies to head you in the right direction. This is the best way I learned proportions and shapes. Remembering is a matter of pencil movement on paper

[nickmarshallvfx]

Hey thanks for the message AztcFireFlower, its cool that you took the time to check out my SB. I definitely plan on filling this up with lots of studies. I have one more environment sketch to do for my course and then i can go back to studying my own things. I have two Bargue arm studies that I am going to do as soon as I finish my sketches for my course. Also, once i finish that sketch the course shifts to anatomy and human figure sketching so i will have a lot of chance to practice
Thanks again, its good to see you in here.

Nick

[nickmarshallvfx]

A little perspective and shot design practice after watching Feng Zhu's dvd. Not much I know but i've had a busy week:

[nickmarshallvfx]

OMG! I just discovered the immense joy of creating custom brushes!!
I've always been tempted to try them, but i went for it tonight, and its just opened a whole new avenue for me!! THE POWER!!

Here is a little test with my first custom brush - the tree brush



Im very happy with the result, and this took less than 5 mins, and I haven't even gone into highlights!

Nick

[nickmarshallvfx]

Thought it would be good to gather all the little bis and pieces I've worked on over the past...maybe...6 months? These are in different places on these boards, so even if you have seen one, you probably won't have seen them all. Ill try and post them cronologically too so you can see any improvements / backtracks, lol. Here goes



















Obviously I've spent more time on some than others, but comments and crits appreciated anyway.

Cheers

Nick

[nickmarshallvfx]

Here is a quick sketch I did for the DSG. The brief was to paint a 'Horrifying, toothy, quadrapedal Junkbot in the amber haze'.
About 1 hour in Photoshop CS2. Inspired by a George Hull concept painting from the D'Artiste Concept Art book:

[Envisor]

Wow man. Its been a while since Ive been here. Very nice environment studies man. Would like to see some in pencil.

[nickmarshallvfx]

Thanks for stopping by Envisor!
Yea I definitely want to get back to good old pencil and paper. Im going to have to soon anyway to work on some concepts in my concept design course. Ill post some up soon!

Nick

[nickmarshallvfx]

A speed painitng I did as a concept piece for a short VFX film that me and some friends are working on.
Comments and crits always appreciated... it seems a little quiet in here...



Nick

[Justin.]

Note;

Don't be afraid to use large brushes.

You will save your wrist alot of pain, and save you alot of time. Trust me =)

[nickmarshallvfx]

Thanks Justin. Yea Im just starting to really see that using larger brushes is a good thing, and that less can actually be more. I tend to grab small brushes a bit early, but ill try and fix that. Thanks for stopping by

Nick

[nickmarshallvfx]

A new one, inspired by watching Dylan Coles Landscape Matte Painting dvd. I used a different plate, but wanted to capture the mood.

Thanks:

[Andronicus2814]

^ i like the values in that one

[nickmarshallvfx]

Thanks Andronicus. Yea I was quite happy with how the values came out in that one too.
Here are a couple more, this time working from photo ref to try and get a better understanding of how atmosphere affects value:






Thanks!

Nick

[reaxion]

very nice progress on the envoronments, my only advice would be to push the contrast in them. some of them look blown out abit, almost 'too white'.

keep it up
peace,
reax

[nickmarshallvfx]

Thanks Reaxion. Thats something I have noticed myself in my work too, so i will try and recify it in the future.
Haven't updated in a long time, so here is a page from my sketchpad. Hope you like:



Nick

[Beelow]

Your doing good dude. I would suggest exploring color some more. You have some stuff going on and glad that your taking the time to study. Focus on having a definite foreground middle and background. Composition is another thing that you should focus on. Good luck! XD

[nickmarshallvfx]

Thanks Beelow! I will do some work on the things you suggested. Im really committed to improving so I will take all comments on board and do my best
Thanks for stopping by!

Nick

[PXLPropheT]

Looking great man keep up the great work^^

[nickmarshallvfx]

Hey PXLPropheT!
Thanks for stopping by, sorry I missed it, these sketchbooks get buried so quickly
Its a big compliment to me that you like my work, so thank you!

Nick

[nickmarshallvfx]

[nickmarshallvfx]

A few sketchbook pages: