MarkBehm's book

**MarkBehm** · November 11th, 2007, 02:33 AM

Finally decided I gotta put up a sketchbook. I feel like I can put roughs up here and get feedback. Yes? Nobody wants to crit on blogs. Overall and specific C&C are most appreciated!

First (not the icon) is for a forum called drawerGeeks. Topic: create-a-sith. The other is my first oil sketch in years.

**Dan Valkar** · November 11th, 2007, 11:44 AM

hey nice start...the sith its cool....ur paintin' style its nice...mm.. i think that the lightnin' source, in this case, the lighsaber, should be more intense in the pants and feets...nice job man!...now keep postin'!!!

**joaKimArt** · November 11th, 2007, 12:34 PM

Good start here. Pretty odd thing the second one ^__^. Haha. Cool though. Seems like you have good potential. Seeing forward to more of your work.

**Stoat** · November 11th, 2007, 03:03 PM

Whoa! More!

**zeroe** · November 11th, 2007, 03:04 PM

The arm with a face! That's genius! I think you've got a good sense of drama in your works, good lighting and dynamic poses so far....hope to see more

**Halfmonk** · November 11th, 2007, 03:14 PM

As the others said - More please!
I love the lighting and colours in the sith one. I will be keeping an eye on your sketchbook! :-]

**MarkBehm** · November 14th, 2007, 02:08 AM

Thanks guys!
DValkar - totally. Shoulda spend more time. Sooo late at night on that one tho.
Stoat - crazy trad stuff!! More more more!

A doodle+Lunchtime-lifedrawing at work from 2 dif sessions. 1 3 and 5 minutes all vine and/or compressed charcoal. Focusing mostly on massing in form and shadow rather than gesture. Charcoal is frightening and unfamiliar to me but I love how some people make it look!

**ghoulio** · November 14th, 2007, 07:13 AM

A one bodypart creature!!...cool. Like your studies to, they´re ALIVEEEeee...

See ya...

**Alex Alexandrov** · November 14th, 2007, 07:16 AM

niceeeeeeee post more sketches and you got 5 stars from me then

**spudstudios** · November 14th, 2007, 07:16 AM

Really nice stuff!!! love those studies. so natural. What a nice suprise this morning!

**MarkBehm** · November 14th, 2007, 04:35 PM

Alex: Woohoo! Thanks!

Lunchtime quickie paint (drawing yesterday) Anatomical problems abound. This is one area I need to do more foundational work in.

I want to write down my current goals so I have something to look back on...

Anatomy
_Hands & Feet - structure and value study
_truer understanding of the shoulder girdle

Man-made/mechanical

Environmental

**Tigermilk** · November 14th, 2007, 04:57 PM

looks awesome! vibrant lines and great knowledge in values and anatomy!
me likes big time!
/tiger

**MarkBehm** · November 15th, 2007, 11:33 AM

Acrylic sketch on watercolor paper from last night.
I've only ever dabbled in acrylics and never dry-brush. It was really fun! From time to time I plan to dip into them like this. Maybe even color someday.

And yeah, I really wussed out on the neck.

**Dan Valkar** · November 15th, 2007, 01:57 PM

nice update!..this sb its gettin better faster....good job on the last two...keep it up bro!

**Christian223** · November 15th, 2007, 02:04 PM

Woooowoooweeewaaaa, amazing, you know what could be even more awesome and cool?, to show your process, maybe a video or something like snapshots, maybe im asking too much?, i dont loose anything by trying

, keep posting you awesomeness!.

Edit:
Im no expert, so feel free to ignore the following critique.

On your last work, the forehead of the guy has a very pronounced curve, making the head look more like a triangle than an enlarged "box", i think this is because the values that are in the zone of the eyebrows are not maintaned in the forehead, but go much darker than they should, as if their angle almost didnt face the light, as the eyebrow zone faces the light, also, it has no projected shadows-', on the nose, neck, mouth, eyes?. Also, the outline make it look as if it where a relief, and not 3d object in a 3d space... the guys face (image on the above post, the one with the girld) looks kind of a relief too. As is said, feel free to ignore, im an amateur in all this.

**daveneale** · November 15th, 2007, 02:30 PM

I remember one of your pieces from a while back...I love your work man, very cool stylisation (Im going to take a while to go through the weath of stuff on your site too...some crazy awsome stuff on there...the only crit I have is that in the 1st piece the character doesnt sit all that well in the background...the shadows on the grond look way too light compaired to the ones on the sith..the black outline is also distracting (It looks like you cut him out from another pic), Love his surface piercings though.

**myjkolada** · November 15th, 2007, 02:45 PM

I like the way you draw figures... nice outline...

**mrpank** · November 15th, 2007, 08:00 PM

Awesome awesome work, great concept designs and line
cheers

**AztcFireFlower** · November 16th, 2007, 04:46 AM

Cool stuff. Like your color sketches and found your blocked in figure work very interesting and fresh!
I'm keeping an eye on this book.

**El Jeremie** · November 16th, 2007, 05:18 AM

Lovely start.
Love the pose of the Puncher, and the arm-thing is....disturbring.
Those wet eyes and sad look almost make me cry

**MarkBehm** · November 16th, 2007, 02:23 PM

Dan, myjkolada, myjkolada, AztcFireFlower, spookybabydoll : Thanks!

Christian : Don't need to be an expert to have an objective eye. I think you're right in a sense! There is a bah relief thing going on. Crushed value range and inconsistant lighting. After a night's sleep, I see some of that in the image bleow too! As far as process, sometime I'll look for a decent screencap app for my mac to do a video.

Dave : True. True. I call this one unfinished. The problem is I didn't bring the whole thing to a finish at once as I should! Then I could leave it at ANY point and nothing would be entirely missing. So thanks for the reminder!

Avatar change and Photoshop doodle from last night.

**DARAF** · November 16th, 2007, 03:01 PM

Like your style man.

**Xaya** · November 16th, 2007, 03:28 PM

hey abo!
I really like your life drawings, especially your shading technique.
In your last painting it seems you tried another shading.
You should darken the shadow values too add volume!

Xaya

**GriNGo** · November 16th, 2007, 04:11 PM

very nice brush strokes and lines! very clean stuff, I like it alot. That first monster on post #7 and the fighting girl and monster on post#11 (the composition, and value contrast), is just astounding. Keep up the good work!

**chrishly** · November 17th, 2007, 07:31 AM

such a intresting and strong style.

**JellevdVegt** · November 17th, 2007, 07:46 AM

good job dude, keep on posting

**Mark Tarrisse** · November 17th, 2007, 07:51 AM

You have a very nice style and, when I saw your acrylic sketch I reminds me I should return at the traditional ways a little bit !

keep it up !

**Christian223** · November 17th, 2007, 10:44 AM

Wow, impressive... can i ask you what do you mean by "crushed value range"?, i might learn something from it

Keep posting awesome stuff!

**MarkBehm** · November 19th, 2007, 02:18 AM

Thanks guys.
Christian223: I just mean the lower range "crushes together". Like instead of a smooth 0-256 it's like the first 20 or so just look black.
Xaya: Heheh. You're totally right. Damn. I added that dark BG at the very end and that screwed everything up.

PS speedie tonight...