Journey of an Absolute Rookie: Paintings and Sketches

**Sok N. Wett** · February 10th, 2004, 01:15 PM

WOW JUST AWESOME MINDCANDYMAN, JUST LOOKING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM OF YOUR THREAD AND JUST INCREDIBLE THAT I HAD TO SHOW MY FRIEND WHO KEEPS SAYING HE SUCK AT DRAWING TO LOOK AT YOUR THREAD AND SEE WHAT HARD WORK CAN DO FOR YOU. YOUR AN INSPIRATION TO EVERYONE OUT THERE....THANKS!

**Zakk** · February 11th, 2004, 01:35 PM

@mcm: wow, i saw your development from the beginning (i went through your topic now) and you're a huge inspiration for me. i'll try to do the same, but i have a small question: how much time did you spent on selfportraits or other sketches at the beginning? is it good to do sketches slowly (i take more than 10 mins for a cup)?

**stormy** · February 12th, 2004, 07:13 AM

If you get some paintings up in VA? I'll drive to see the show, for sure. That's VERY exciting. Keep up the great work, and look forward to seeing the landscape finished. (Take your time tho)

**coriat** · February 13th, 2004, 12:19 PM

i want to see an update!
you're becoming great

:eek: :eek:

**Brium** · February 17th, 2004, 02:26 AM

You are truly amazing! I sat down one day and looked through all of this thread and I can't believe my eyes! Being a "rookie" artist myself, you are truly an inspiration to me as well as many others, I'm sure. Your dedication to your art and determination to make it work is definantly paying off, and I'm glad everything is working out so well for you. I can't wait to see where you will be in the future; no doubt it will be in an excellent place.

Pantura Studios looks like an amazing school. From what I've seen and read, it looks like they strive to help their students in any way possible. Considering they only take five students, they must have seen your potential from the start.

Keep up the excellent work, and I hope to hear great news from the show in VA when it takes place. It sounds like an amazing opportunity!

**MindCandyMan** · February 17th, 2004, 03:44 PM

Sok N. Wett - Thanks man. Tell your friend he can learn it just takes hard work. Thanks again

Zakk - Thanks. Speed is the last thing to come...don't rush any of your drawings at the beginning. A sketch that takes andrew jones 5 minutes will take me an hour probably. He has paid years of dues and night after night of drawing so now he is able to do things quickly. Worry about doing things right at the beginning...don't worry so much about speed at all...make it look good no matter how long it takes at this point...worry about precision...looseness and speed can come later. In other words...to render a cup (get the ellipses right and get all the shading right) 2 hours would not be a long time.

stormy - Thanks! It would be cool to meet some of you...I will probably (by then) have a couple paintings on display and have a couple big cast drawings or cast paintings as well...probably like 4 to 5 pieces. It would be great to meet you!

coriat - Coming soon hehe...thanks bud.

brium - Thanks for looking through the whole thread...hope you had a cable modem! Pantura is awesome...it's a FANTASTIC place to study at...we get a lot of attention and the teachers are awesome at what they do plain and simple. Thanks again!

Update coming soon guys...I have been working on a mural that I am painting at someone's house so I've been a bit busy...I will update soon...thanks for all the kind comments and thank you to everyone who reads all the way through this thread...it's amazing to think of people going all the way through it hehe. Your encouragement keeps me going...thanks!

**MindCandyMan** · February 18th, 2004, 10:11 AM

As soon as I can I will take a picture of the cast I have been working on as well as the painting...but for now some sketches:

This was a really crude sketch I did while talking to someone...I wasn't even sure what I was drawing as I was doing it...I have some ideas to use it as a concept for a digital painting.

This is a quick sketch of an idea for a painting I may do in oils over the next year sometime. I want to do it for the show in Virginia...it will be a scene of Ulysses leaving Troy (from the odyssey)...my ideas are still in their infant stages.

some sketches

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**pandawhipped** · February 18th, 2004, 03:00 PM

Dude, nice job on indicating those wings! I really like that sketch. It has such a cool feel to it, and would make an awesome painting.

**MindCandyMan** · February 18th, 2004, 07:58 PM

panda - Thanks man...yeah I am gonna use the same character and put him in a cathedral type setting...this weekend I am going to take reference pics of my wife to use for it. Thanks for stopping by I have been following your progress...your work ethic and skill are very inspiring!

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And more work on my cast

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**winjer** · February 19th, 2004, 12:43 AM

I think you need to work on gesture a bit. All your drawings without ref look extremely stiff, like they were done piecemeal.

**endregan** · February 19th, 2004, 08:55 AM

good progress...awesome life drawing

that painting is a good start!

keep it up

**MindCandyMan** · February 19th, 2004, 03:26 PM

winjer - Yeah I definitely agree.

endregan - thanks bro.

Did this over lunch for the dsg...the topic was Character: B-Movie Victim or B-Movie Killer

I love painting big eye monsters haha.

**::EPIC::** · February 19th, 2004, 03:32 PM

hey mcm, just a question is there a site where one can purchase plaster casts for at home studies?

**MindCandyMan** · February 19th, 2004, 07:18 PM

The evil eye says, "Click Me to Buy a Cast...look in the 'cast drawing' section"

**endregan** · February 19th, 2004, 08:43 PM

LOLLL

your ridiculous man

i like it

I would buy a cast... i must do a bargue first though.

**::EPIC::** · February 19th, 2004, 08:54 PM

heh thanks mcm

http://www.statue.com/items.asp?Cart...=DRAWCAST&tpc=

**OrangeCatNinja** · February 19th, 2004, 09:50 PM

MCM, been watching your thread progress, looking every month or so...
it's great to see how much you've improved in so little time, it inspires me so much! =)

**Mindflaw** · February 22nd, 2004, 11:32 AM

Hi
To quote a book:
"Gruesome eyeballs are a favorite theme of adolescent boys."
Yeah never grow old man he he!

Todays question: Is a sketch in the eye of the beholder or in the amount of time spent doing it?

And I too wish that my sketches were as great as those guys your mentioned...well they might, in like ten years from now:bash:

**MindCandyMan** · February 22nd, 2004, 12:13 PM

endregan - Yes definitely! Do a bargue first though you are right.

EPIC - Thanks for posting the link I wasn't sure if it would work since it was an asp page.

Orangecat - Thanks man! :chug:

mindflaw - That quote is awesome! I will never grow old don't worry about that hehe. Not sure about the answer to that question...kinda hard to say. Everyone's sketches are different...some are more developed...some less so. I think that's what makes everyone's sketchbook so interesting too...you can see their personality come out. We will be doing sketches like them...not even in ten years from now

_____________________________

Sorry for the bad image quality today guys...I went to the zoo to draw yesterday and of course...I forgot my sketchbook...very smart I know. So I used this old piece of paper that was all wrinkled and stuff...sorry. These were off of the dead animals stuffed.

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**endregan** · February 22nd, 2004, 01:27 PM

awesome sketches. I need to go to the zoo sometime...

is that a hippopotamus?

I saw a video yesterday, it was sad. A mother brought her baby with her to a group of hippos, and this other hippo grabbed the mini hippo baby and killed it.

Anyhow thought that was relevant.

Who knows why, but it happens for a reason!

**pandawhipped** · February 22nd, 2004, 03:06 PM

When you do your Bargue drawings are youw orking from a book? I just ordered an awesome book with tons of his illustrations from casts, and it looks like some of the ones youve done are from that book.

**emilpaun** · February 24th, 2004, 03:33 AM

Hi! I just dropped by to say that I have been reading this thread, at work (please don't tell my boss

), since december, and finally yesterday managed to read the last page. MCM, you're an inspiration to us all. I even started my own thread now, but can't quite seem to get the images to display . Anyway keep it up man, you're going the right way

**stormy** · February 24th, 2004, 07:16 AM

impressive stuff on the update. is the reason for just initially drawing an accurate outline instead of structure so that you don't get alot of mess where you're gonna want to detail later on? I've been trying to incorporate some of the techniques I've seen you use, for instance blocking in the different tone areas in the shading (ie. the cast of the lower face...which is very cool in itself), and have ordered a couple anatomy and gesture books. we'll see. keep up the great work and continue posting.

**Erik** · February 24th, 2004, 03:30 PM

wow mcm you're taking giant steps these days

the sanna tomac site is great, especially i love the study paintings. Blue wrap is my favourite -- it really vibrates

**TARGETE** · February 25th, 2004, 06:31 PM

MCM,

I like that hippo man and those large figure drawings are really cool..seems like its a great execise...keep pushing my friend the light is near..

JP

**antihero** · February 26th, 2004, 04:20 AM

Kickass!

My limited english-knowledge must fail when describing what you are doing here...
Sorry. Can't offer any crit, you're doing great and i don't doubt that you wont stop doing great.
"Keep at it!" is probably the only thing i can offer you.

antihero

PS: The Hippopotamus looks just great!

**Lukias** · February 26th, 2004, 04:58 AM

Hey mate

Awesome to see your persistance man and as everyones said you're improving in leaps and bounds.

Keep on kicking ass imkay

**illy** · February 26th, 2004, 07:48 AM

OMG... you are awesome!!! keep up the hard work, and if you get better than anyone on this board, you deserve it, that's for dayam sure. bravo buddy.

**steak-tron** · February 26th, 2004, 11:52 AM

nice work dude, I like dem figure drawings - your doing all the right stuff. Looks like your a one-man sketch factory over here, some day Ill get through all 30 pages.

keep it up.

**Jaded** · February 26th, 2004, 03:53 PM

MindCandyMan you are an inspiration to all of us who want to be great artists. Thanks your awesome. I have skimmed through this thread with hopes of reading the entire thing and learning from you and everyone who's had a part in this.