An Artistic Odyssey...(**Jan 9th - 2nd Acrylic Painting & A Perspective study**)

[BrentM]

Well, here’s my story…

My name is Brent, I’m 22, and just graduated from College. I recently picked up a pencil a couple months ago. But before I go into that let me give you a little more background on me.

I have a family of female artists. My grandmother, two aunts, cousins, my mom, and my sister are all natural artists and painters. I grew up around arts and crafts my entire life. I am the only born in male of my family so I was always turned off from painting. I thought it was what girls did. Anyways, I have never tried to draw, paint or anything; yet I have very artistic hobbies. I thoroughly enjoy writing poetry, songs, playing the guitar and designing graphics (I actually sell custom logos part time). Still, none of these things tapped into what was inside of me. I love creativity and design, which is what brought me to this site. This site is AMAZING! Probably the most uplifting and inspiring site for an artist I have ever come upon. The community spirit is what gives it that great appeal. After just admiring everyone’s work and progress I decided to pick up a pencil. Of course I was terrible, but it was like this release of energy. I’ve always expressed myself in poetry and writing but nothing compared to just drawing! I can’t really explain it but there is something about drawing that feels amazing. I am completely horrible, yet I love learning and progressing. I have bought a ton of books recommended on this site, I took a very basic drawing class this semester, I am going to have my aunt and mom give some painting lessons and I have all the needed supplies. Now, I am just going to bite my bottom lip and draw, draw, draw.

So, I have decided to embark on my own odyssey. I just graduated from college and I am at a time in my life where I want to find out a lot about myself. So, I’ve decided to let everyone here see this voyage. I will post everything I draw/(eventually paint) and just learn, learn, and learn. My goal is to eventually become a digital artist. Who knows maybe even a painter? I really have no idea where this will take me, but that’s exactly what I love about it. I am the empty sponge, the eager student, the tenderest of feet, and I am ready to learn from everyone here. First, here are sketches made throughout the past months from random things and books. (Please keep in mind I started drawing in September of 2005)

Some class drawings from old master drawings




Various progressing sketchbook drawings:
my dog


dog toy


A vase in my apartment


the Titanic


Negative image


Scribble line gesture of a water bottle


My sad attempt at figure poses


Cell phone


Lamp in apartment


Man from reference photo


Military Guy based on Saving Private Ryan cover


Practicing shading with various shapes


Attempt at rendering a pepper


These next three are my attempts at practicing shading and rendering various human face parts, i.e. nose, lips, eyes




I've been doing all sorts of Loomis studies, I'll post those as soon as I can. I really want to get good at figure drawing and drawing from my creativity rather then refs. I just bought the Bridgeman studies book and Drawing from the right side of the brain book too. Thanks for checking these sketches out! Many more to come!!!

- Brent

[Droopy]

there is some great tallent hiddin in you.
your sketches to life are very good.
(there where beter then my first time)

your model sketches are good
to improve it taka a look at Auguste Rodin and keep up those studies
of the face. they realy help

[Ryn]

I'd say you're off to a great start!

If I make a suggestion, try getting a copy of "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". I bet it'd help a lot.

[BrentM]

Droopy: Thanks for checking my sketches out! and thanks for your suggestion I will definitely check him out. I'll be looking forward to seeing your sketchbook progress too.

Ryn: Thanks for commenting, and at the end of my post I listed some books I just recently bought, that being one of them I was actually just about to sit down and check it out. Any suggestions on parts of the book to focus on??

[DerMidlet]

Hi Brent, yea I would say you're off to a good start. Definatly study the Loomis books, I think those are some of the best drawing books out there, but I would also say just draw as much as you can from life. It doesn't have to be a person, just draw what's in front of you, that will get your accuracy up and get you used to controlling a pencil and give it a little more finesse. Keep it up

[BrentM]

Here is an update with some Loomis studies and my first attempt at a self portrait (got a long way to go) and other portaits





self-portrait from mirror


Portrait of my sister from when she was a kid. Shes 26 now and has a kid


Portrait of my neice


I'll be putting up some Bridgeman studies and Loomis studies soon. Thanks for checking these out!

- Brent

[Droopy]

your first selfportret is more then good

try to watch out for the lips.
that is the only thing.
nice shaddows.

[Hypronost]

Great start!
Loomis and bridgeman are great resources.
Keep on sketching and posting.

[MindCandyMan]

This is the hardest time...the beginning. It's horrible. It's where you have the most doubts but also where you see the most progress. I have been insanely angry...at times. Sometimes I even wanted to throw things (and I have hehe). I have stabbed my paper with my pencil...I have ripped drawings to shreds...I have set drawings on fire (seriously) just to get the pleasure of burning that piece of crap drawing.

If I am not good at art, then I will live with it,

I know what you mean....but don't ever say that again! That is not an option. You have to make a commitment now and you will always wonder if you will be good enough. You will learn the equivalent to how hard you push...simple as that. I would definitely definitely recommend starting with a bargue drawing...check out the bargue drawing thread here:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12104

I would absolutely start with that...if you do that and you post it shoot me a private message or something and I can give you quick critiques. This is a war...you are at war with your brain. Hold the line...keep going. The beginning sucks...I remember. I was seriously mad all the time. It gets better with time...the rewards get better.


p.s. - Your first self portrait blows my first self portrait out of the water!

[Blahm]

your doing well for such a begginer!
One thing i recomend is to get your hands on "artistic anatomy" by Goldfinger and copy/ read it cover to cover. Knowlege will help your speed and accuracy.

[BrentM]

Droopy: Thanks man, ya I thought the lips were off too, I'm having a hard time getting my lips right.

Hypronost: Thanks for stopping by, I'm just warming up

MindCandyMan: hey, thanks for even posting here! That is some great advice and I will definitely listen to anything you gotta say. I will look into starting a bargue drawing, and thanks for the resource. I'll contact ya if I have any more questions about it

Blahm: My sketchbook supporter!! I was looking for a good Anatomy book and I'll try and get my hands on that this weekend. Speed and Accuracy are definite problem spots. Thanks again for letting me in the group!

[thebulfrog]

Hey Brent-

I'm impressed. Four months after I started drawing, I was nowhere near this level. I'm starting that Loomis as well (just started it last week) so it will be interesting to compare notes. I feel like I'm starting all over again with that book, just cause nearly everything I've been doing has been from reference/life, as apposed to straight from my mind. I wish I had discovered "Figure Drawing for All it's Worth" sooner. You're off to a good start. The trick now is to just draw nonstop

[BrentM]

Bullfrog: thanks!, ya I'll be doing lots from that Loomis book.

Here is a quick update with some figure drawings. Not much, but something. Wont be an update tomorow because I'll be graduating from college

Bridgeman


Loomis


Loomis and just a pose from a magazine

[styler]

The dog, the pepper, your self portrait, and your sister. Those are awesome drawings.

[DerMidlet]

Looks a lot better than my first self portrait.

[thebulfrog]

The biggest thing with some of those Bridgeman studies (other then anatomy, counter position (is that the term?-the one that states all masses have an equal opposite mass in the body e.g. tricep-bicep), oh-contrapastra! maybe that's what it's called. Anyhow-I was saying...the biggest thing other than basic shapes and movement is his depiction of showing weight-or more specifically volume. It's something to keep in mind when doing drawings like the one of that person holding the bag. It has a feeling of being worked from the outside in, as apposed to vise versa, and that gives it a flat feeling. Solving that takes more understanding of what's going on underneath the clothes, but also just thinking about volume constantly-whether that means building a person up from cones, cylinders, and spheres, or something else-you do what you must. It's not a matter of shading things in-more of thinking of what you put down not just as a line-but as part of the one angle of the sculpture you're creating.
Thanks for the comment on my book-it's enough to inspire me to do some work right after this.

[Blahm]

some of those bridmens studies are looking good. I think you would benifit from doing some gestural drawings. To do this you will need a pose book or a DVD player that you can pause and draw from. A gestural drawing is just a fast drawing where you try to only draw what the object is doing rather than what it looks like. Dont spend more than 2 min on each of them and do many, many many. Keep your pencil moving, dont stop and think, just do. Dont worry what the drawing looks like.

[BrentM]

Quick update
I've been reading "Drawing from the Right Side of your Brain" and it has seriously opened some doors that were previously closed. Here is a new self-portrait I did today, and some gesture/pose drawings from various things.

Self-Portrait #2, its a little off, the chin is a tad too big


Some poses and gesture drawings

[algebra]

Wow that was a quick jump in skill.

Great job man, keep up those figure drawings and anatomy practice.

[Zebz]

Congratz on finding out some new territory in your life! It's always cool to find something new that you're drawn to. And from what it sounds like, your Mom and sister could really help you out a lot! Best of luck to ya. You're doing the right things. Keep doing anatomy studies and working from life as much as possibly. The portraits you did are great for first go's as well. Keep at it!

Might I ask what your major was?

[BrentM]

Thanks Algebra, will do

Thanks for stopping by ZebsFree, ya I am getting my Aunt to give me some painting lessons later this month, I've never even picked up a paintbrush before... As for my major, its e-business (electronic business) I went through 4 years of college only to take a drawing class my last semester as an elective and then find that art and drawing were what I wanted to do all along...

[BrentM]

Bridgeman studies, character drawings, and a glass vase for rendering practice

[algebra]

I love it when I can see people doing the right things and improving this quick. Keep up the good work, man. I'd like to see some hand sketches along with the rest of your anatomy stuff though!

[thebulfrog]

There is some serious improvement with that last post. I remember when I first read drawing on the right side of the brain-absolutely awesome book. Glad that's working for you. I'd give you advice on things like being more concious of proportions and how light falls-but you seem to be on the right track and are more then aware of where you're falling short, and quickly fixing them, so I won't bother.

[Flaskpost]

whoa mate! great improvement in short time! fun to watch!
just keep up the anatomy and life drawings. remember proportions and value!

[BrentM]

Thanks for the comments guys, it really helps to know people are interested.

Here is an update with some hand studies. These were pretty difficult as I have never worked on hands before. I also worked on rendering muscles and was pretty happy with the outcome and it only took an hour or two. I've been working on my proportions as well, and I know that they will get better with more practice.

Hand Studies






Pencil drawing from ref

[bwkeough]

you're making rapid progress and you're studying all the right things. keep on rolling!

one thing to remember: there is no such thing as perfect line. loosen up your wrist and allow natural motions to happen with a light and easy stroke. it's the relationships between the lines on the paper that's important; each individual line has no meaning in and of itself (the same thing holds true for color and value).

[blacky]

You sure still do have a long way ahead, but I'm sure you have the potential to become the next "MindcandyMan." (sorry for the comparison, but you know what I mean )
Don't drop leterature poems n all. Those are very important for an artist too (I'd say so) Just have a look at William Blackes stuff. (Love his "poison tree", he'd illustrate his poems...) Reading also gives you ideas about philosophy, politics, morality, and on and on... Those are topics of an artists concern samewell.
Anybody can (given enough time and motivation) turn himself into an walking photocamera, which doesn't mean his paintigs would become interesting too.
If you have something interresting to say, technicue almost doesn't matter, as that is not what art is about. (Am not exactly trying to keep you off sparing every wake minute on drawing), but you might want to keep on expressing your thoughts and ideas too.
So long...

[Blahm]

mmmmm, hand study good. Remeber to just let it flow. Dont draw lines inch by inch. Sweeping flowing lines = good.

[BrentM]

blacky: I agree completely, dont worry drawing isnt kicking my writing/reading/guitar to the curb. I've just found that I love it and in this short of time I am more passionate about it then i have ever been about anything else.

bwkeough and Blahm: Great advice, i have been trying to loosen up my lines and stokes. It's tough to just let loose and trust my hand, I'm working at it.

Here is another update. I drew my third self portrait and worked a lil on facial epressions on this one. I didnt finish my neck and hooded sweatshirt if it looks funny. Also, Here is a lil practice on letting my wrist and hand loose in my pencil strokes. Its alot more scribbly but it was good practice.



Babe Ruth


From watching tv