NickyBeats- Wannabe Concept Artist

[TheGnoll]

looking good man! so much improvement since my last visit!
The traditional sketches are looking better and better.Maybe one suggeston for you humans would be to think less of anatomical "bits and pieces" stuck on top of a mannequin frame and more like an animator, with forms flowing into one another following the rhythm of the pose (having a clear idea of what you want to draw before starting helps-sounds dumb but focusing on words and verbs rather that blocks and muscles helps).
As a way of checking on your own progress and find out what your weak points are, you should give yourself some kind of project (comic pages, a series of characters from the same world etc) with deadlines.Start building a portfolio, no matter if you feel ready or not.If you finish something, you either end up with something that looks bad (and learn tons from it) or something that looks good (and that can help you find actual work).Apart from portfolio building its a way of getting out of the pin-up/anatomy study/random studies rut and challenge yourself in new ways!

[NickyBeats]

TheGnoll - hey man, thanks for stopping by! and a huuuuge thanks for your very kind words!! your right too, it is time i began to put myself out there, and i do need to start to putting together a portfolio! i will attempt to work on that, and i appreciate the words man!! really means alot!!

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[lancer_idenoure]

woah been a while since I've last been in here and you got tons better good stuff man, those sketchbook pages are sweet. just two things i noticed from the last couple pages:
your torsos from imagination are looking very flat. the pecs, shoulders, abs, everything is on the same plane. take a quick look in the mirror and you'll see what i mean. and just be careful not to make things too saturated. a little bit is fine, but when everything is highly saturated, nothing is.

other than that things are looking good. keep it up

[Veshkau]

You're improving a ton Nicky, keep it up

[NickyBeats]

lancer_idenoure - yea man! very good call on both. i dont know why i always flatten my characters sooo much its ridiculous... thats from being out of life drawing for a few years... thatll teach me to leave. and your 100% on point about the saturation and how less can be more. focal points. thanks man!!

Veshkau - im honored! your improving at a physically alarming rate haha. killing it bro.

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updatus minimus on the chow dude. . .

[NickyBeats]

quick enviro study from this morning...

[{CKL}]

Lookin' sharp! Keep pumping it out!

[NickyBeats]

CKLamb - thanks man! you too! your character designs are flippin aces lately.

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some random head poop drainage...

[spitboi7]

I disapprove of the penisless man a the end, however the booty nextdoor to him are highly approved.

[NickyBeats]

spitboi7 - im sorry Ali, i know you are always begging me to draw more penises, but sorry bro. i dont swing that way bro!!!! hahaha

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super speedy cow sketchy poo

[NickyBeats]

Get the fuck outta my sketchbook you dirty spam bot!!

[NickyBeats]

photostudy from today... gotta work on my values...

[NickyBeats]

i had to bump the "Kill the character above you thread" because its so fucking cool. i love it. i just wish more people would get in on it!!! come on people, you get to slaughter another persons character! so cool. anyways, here is the thread if your interested...

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...=235271&page=3

check it out noooow!!!!!

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[Chips]

Damn man, your sketchbook's crammed full of action and madness! I love it.
My biggest critique would just be your line confidence! You're on the ball with foreshortening and form, but it would be real nice to see those skills executed with brave, single strokes. All texture must be intentional, the not product of scribbly lines!
Keep at it man, I'm really enjoying your work.

[Ludic]

Heey bro, you're anatomy's been improving a lot since my last visit, nice.

I'm gonna have to agree with Chips about the line thing, you have a bunch of tiny
lines scattered around pretty much everywhere, if that's your "thing" it's
fine but you don't want it clouding the focus.

Keep up the good work

[Black Sun S.]

Really cool stuff!!!
Amazing!
Keep posting!

[Mike L]

Hey Nicky,
I haven't been by in a bit, so it's great to see your improvement! Work is getting tight
Props for tackling that horse photo study, tough pose with tough lighting and foreshortening to boot. If the reference doesn't always translate, I'll crop or make changes to try and add action, I think it's the fence and back legs that are proving to be a challenge visually win conveying the movement. I'm on a tangent here, just wanted to say good work!
M

[rokushoxxx]

From simple page 1 to complex page 71. Loving the improvement... Lets see more sketches

[Christoffer]

Good to see you trying new stuff and stepping out of your comfort zone.

I dig your Sgt Guile and that barb dude. Was it pastels?

[spitboi7]

GET BACK HURRRR! Where you at bro? Slackin?

[NickyBeats]

Chips - your absolutely right! i am seriously guilty of laziness whenever it comes to linework, and textures too... i never really take the time to do studies of whatever material im rendering... i just wing it... gotta work on tht! thanks man!!

Ludic - yea i feel ya! im trying to devte some more time to material studies to improve that! thanks for stopping by man!

Black Sun S. - thanks a bunch! i really appreciate that!

Mike L - haha feel free to speak all you want! coming from you, anything is helpful! thanks a bunch man!!

rokushoxxx - thank you! more are on the way!!

Christoffer - barb dude? i think the one your referring to was digital... i hardly ever work in pastels, well not since highschool really. but thanks man!! i appreciate it!

spitboi7 - no slackin haha, just my girlfriend was holdng me hostage for a few days... heres some shit for ya!!

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3D model character study, taken from an artist on c g h u b . c o m

[Wholewheat_keyboard]

Cool sketch book NIckyB

You seem really dedicated, I like your sketches, especially the random ink doodles, like the ones from june 13th, very cool! Guile looks great man - nice work! Your comic panels are also really fun I like those too.

One thing that really stood out to me is you do a lot of stuff from a head-on camera angle, like the character is square to the camera. In a portfolio that will be very noticeable - and if you draw too much like that in can hinder your ability. (not saying you do, but just sayin..)

I see you post a lot in the weekly challenges, good luck with those I try to do them too when I can.

Nice sketchbook, thanks for sharing!

[SMILEFACE]

IS THAT GUY MESS'N WITH YOU BROTHER i I COULD TAKE MAN HAHHA XDXDXD

[NickyBeats]

Wholewheat_keyboard - thanks a bunch for the reply and the kind words!!! and your definately right about the boring head on stuff... i guess im still not 100% comfortable drawings anybody from a 3/4 perspective, but its somethin im slowly working on!! thanks again!!

SMILEFACE - haha i know you could bro!! aint no thang

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some fan art (WIP) of Tessai from Ninja Scroll... still my favorite anime character. . .

[NickyBeats]

base colors...

[kevin_]

these forum sketchbooks have so much progress in them and this sb is no exception! great stuff!

[Fernteixeira]

I hope u post the ones u said u will do tonight!

Man... since the last time I was here u improved alot !
I specially dig the HQ stuff they are really great... I hope to see more soon

e_e sorry my crap english

[Lakai]

hey nice ideas. Try to spend more time for rendering.
Also like your comic stuff, pretty dynamic.

[Aaron_]

Oh wow, those drawings from the Kill Chara thread rock. THey're fulll of dynamics. And Tessai is looking nice too, looking forward to how this develops.

[NickyBeats]

thanks guys!! replies are coming in the next post i swear!!

for now, i just needed to post this in here, and i should probably post it on my first page as well, this is just some awesome advice by one of my heroes in this business, mr. Darren Yeow. he is a true inspiration!

"Something I learned when my career was in the shitter:

Wherever you are in life right now, there is something you can specifically do at this point in time, to either make your life better or worse.

In times of despair, this should provide solace - no matter how bad things are, as long as you still draw breath, there is a single step you can take immediately, that will elevate you, even if slightly, above where you were before. After that, there is another and then another and another. String enough of these together, and you'll increase your chances of knowing success.

In times of abundance, this should evoke a measure of caution - no matter how good things are, and how bright they seem, there is a misstep that you can make that will erode everything you've worked so hard for. After that, there is another and then another and another. String enough of these together, and you'll probably increase your chances of knowing failure."

-Darren Yeow