"Sketchbook" - Working towards a porfolio

[Kale]

Hi everybody, my name's Kale (inventive forum Id... I know ) and this is my first post on ConceptArt.

I've been living in Japan for a few years now -- since graduating from college -- doing some pretty boring work fixing computers, and I've decide to move back to the US. Specifically to Seattle, where I hope to get a job in the Game industry. It's a complete stretch I know, but I've got a fair training in classical art (and some 3D work) so I'm going to take a month or so off, once I finish work, and use this "sketchbook" to work on a portfolio.

But before I work on 3D models and textures during my month off, I wanted to brush up on more conceptual stuff -- that's when I can across these great exercises on this forum:

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=81332
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=79065

So anyways, I'm going to try to update once a day if possible for a while starting from tomorrow (yeah... right you’re thinking ); I would be grateful for any critiques of my work. Here is something I did recently in PS, just so people know where I'm at:



You can look at other stuff here if you want:
http://samuraifight.deviantart.com

-Kale

[oma]

wow thats some nice beginning to your Sketchbook. looking forward to see some more!

[mull77]

That's a really nice start. Love the colours and the way you've rendered the her clothes.

Lets's see some more!

[Envisor]

Welcome to CA, and as the others have stated, very nice start to an SB. Got to see more to critique. keep posting.

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

[The Lone Gunman]

Hey Kale! Great first piece however I did notice that the neck seems a bit flat. Even if you reference doesnt have it create some neck muscles. Also with the drapery of the legs would have more folds unless it is a orange sheet of metal which I'm guessing its not! So put those folds in there! Great job and let's see some more.

[designboot]

for me it's too much realistic, I think that was a photo or something ...
make some art

[Kale]

Here is today's sketch. I decided for my first "from life" sketch in a while I would try something difficult like a guitar. I'm not completely satisfied with it, but it's done, although any comments would still be helpful.

-------

oma, mull77, Envisor - Thanks for the comments!

The Lone Gunman - Yes the NECK, I have futzed with it so much but nothing looks right. Everything above the obi (belt) is mostly out of my head so I have to work a little harder on it. As for folds at the bottom, kimonos are very very flat in the front (unless the have a crease line from being folded) but maybe it could use some more finesse. I will work on it.

designboot - Well what can I say, this is a portrait taken from my own photographs - not concept art - and I was going for realism. [start sarcasm] I will try to make actual "art" in the future [end sarcasm] Maybe I will follow your example and make pencil sketches from porno.

-Kale

*edit* spelling, put comments after drawing...

[blacky]

Like first one
On the life scetch I'd say that transitions between values arent actually smooth, same goes for hetching in general,
Guitar casts shadow on suitcase but not on floor/ bottom bag?
If Guitar is supposed to be main subject, you have to make it obvious.
Hope tis's been of help
good luck n so long....

[TheGnoll]

good start for a sketchbook.I agree with blacky, and i add that you might want to slow down your pencil rendering, just to make it look smoother.Try and study line quality more.But anyway, its a good start, keep sharing

ciao

[Kale]

This goes along with the last one... for assignment #1 in this thread:
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=81332



It's not very polished but completely done out of my head (and lately I *never* draw without a ref) so I'm kind of happy. Reminds me of my dad.

-------------------

Blacky and The Gnoll - Thanks for your tips! I'm really impatient when it comes to pencils for some reason, but not on the computer or with oils, it's strange. I guess I expect some sort of instant results. Anyways I hear it a lot about my pencil sketches so I will try to smooth things out a bit. Thanks again!

-Kale

*edit* picture not showing up right

[Kale]

Okay here is my peice for today, a self portrait done from a mirror. I didn't what to do a straight one shot, but I was doing this in a mirror so options are limited. Instead to make it a little interesting, I tilted my head down a bit.

The ears are a little lop-sided and the mouth is funny, but what I was concentrating on was making everything smoother looking. Any improvement? I still feel like I'm rushing, especially the hair, but there's not enough time after work to do a long studied rendering.

[spudstudios]

good stuff. that top piece is great. love her pose and feet position - ( no i do not have a foot fetsih. lol)

[Scott James]

not bad keepem' commin'!

[Kale]

Scott James + spudstudios: Thanks for the comments.

Wasn't able to do anything last nice -- ran out of time and energy -- but in light of the fact I want to update this journal daily, and that it helps people if they can compare new stuff with older work, here's a self-portrait from a few years back, done in Oils. I don't really think I've done anything much better than it since, probably because I spent weeks on it (don't have that sort of time anymore) and had a little bit of beginner’s luck.

]

I know the hair and the ear are very underdeveloped; I think I just ran out of steam in the end.

-Kale

[Envisor]

These last SP's look great, keep posting.

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

[Kale]

Enivisor - Thanks for commenting... keeps me going

-----------------

Well, no one commented on it (here at least), but I really liked the concept on the guitar-headed guy so I decided to redo it and actually devote a few hours to it this time. Here is the before and after....



Too bad I can't do this straight out of my head.....

-Kale

[carmageddonstein]

I like the update. Keep up the great work!

Wish I could pull of stuff like this.

[Dile_]

Really nice work man! however, theres a huge difference drawing from reference and drawing from imagination! but yes, keep feeding your mind! thats really good

~Dile

[Kale]

This goes along with the last SP... for assignment #2 in this thread:
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=81332



I always loved The Thing, this is sort of a trubute to his skin as well as I can remember it.

-------------------------------------
Dile_ : Thanks for commenting... it does make me sad that all that information isn't stored in my head yet, but I will keep on working.

carmageddonstein: Thanks for the comments, I'm glad you like it!

[Kale]

I'm reading Loomis's book Figure Drawing for all It's Worth, because I really want to learn anatomy, and how to draw from my head. I also bought the book Constructive Anatomy and will be going through that as well. I thought I would post my notes, as I will be taking a break from doing other drawings until I get this sorted out a little better.




-Kale

(Ps. if people think this is crap that shouldn't be posted, please tell me... I'm just hoping to keep up my momentum... )

[Cold]

lovely perspective studies, and your digi paint is really outstanding, keep em coming.

[Kale]

I'm going back to the basics on some things because I'm horrible at them: like how to draw stick figures - notes taken from Loomis, and some work on the anatomy of the arm from Constructive anatomy.




---------------------------------
Cold - Thanks for the encouragement.

-Kale

[Kale]

Today's sketch... pretty crappy but hopefully tomorrow I can finish it up. BTW: avert your eyes from the shoes!

[Kale]

Okay, spent a little bit more time on yesterdays piece starting to look better.

[Envisor]

Doing great man. I love the SP for the Conceptart 101 thread. Doing good on your Loomis studies as well. Keep up the good work.

[Kale]

Ah... It's been a little while on what was supposed to be a "daily" sketchbook. Getting ready to move and going on vacation put a dent in my drawing schedule....

Envisor- thanks for the comment

---------------------

Today's piece a sketch of a Japanese businessman staggering his way home. Sorry for always being a lazy ass on the backgrounds, I have to put some time into environments someday soon...



-Kale

[Kale]

Well this is what I had in mind for some of the smaller drawings I've been doing, setting up character sheets. This is just sort of normal city-life stuff; I'm going to move on now to some more fantastical drawings now and then pick some to make into 3D models.

What I was really trying to do here is make this look like different views of the same char (which I have tons of trouble with). I'm very happy with the way the 2nd one came out but... meh. Time to move on.