Jillian's Sketchbook Wooot!

[Jillian]

Hello all!

So it was suggested that I get a sketchbook, since I've been lurking about critiquing and the like with nothing to show of my own. So here it is!
Please Critique the hell out of me, but of course I don't need to tell you guys that. I'm looking to improve, I REALLY want to be a better artist, I hope that posting here, will help me in my goals.

Thanks for reading, now for some eye candy:



This sketchy mess is how I draw, naturally, when I don't force myself to use a bigger brush. It's cool and all, but I want to move more towards realism. I'm a huge fan of linda bergkvist, and craig mullins. That's my Ideal. And I can do pretty okay, when I'm copying a reference, wrinkle for wrinkle.. but it doesn't feel as creative, and as "mine" as I would like it to be.
~
Here is what most people consider to be my best work:


I like it okay, but I'm not as happy as I would like to be with it. Lots of references used, painting and picture side by side.

~

Although this one isn't as good, technically I didn't use any references, and feel a lot more pride and ownership for it:



~

another piece I did from black and white reference:



~
another painting from reference:


and finally:

Yeah I know the fish kinda suck
~

Thanks for viewing,
comments, critiques, general chatter are all welcome!

And finally, my thumbnail for the thread

[JFierce]

Welcome sketchbooks always help people get better

These are great, the first and second to last ones are my favorites
I cant really critique because I'm not at this level yet haha


Post more

[Jillian]

Thanks for the quick reply,
I will post more, but I just wanted to get an initial reaction from these.. Don't wanna overload the senses! Besides, these are my best works, the rest is mostly sketches, and things I've given up on..

[Jillian]

:|

Thanks for viewing!

[Jillian]

Thanks for viewing!

[andy375]

some really nice work here!

[Randomself]

Your paintings are pretty good! I totally get what you mean about having a greater sense of ownership for stuff done without reference.. I should follow your example and paint as much as you do.. here's to seeing more of your stuff around here!

[Jillian]

sorry, only one new piece update, but I worked hard on it, I made it for my avatar.

[mcaseybickley]

your stuff is really cool. I especially love the ocean scene. B-E-A-utiful! don't feel bad about using references. from what I can tell a lot of greats still use them to create. keep up the good work. If I were to say you needed to work on anything maybe try adding more detail in your backgrounds.

[BlueDaisy]

Your body is work is really nice. I love your figurative pieces. Especially the nude girl resting on the stool. It has a soft and lovely quality.

Your newest avatar portrait is beautiful. I love the eyes!

[Jillian]

Yay! Thank you all so much for your support, and kind words,
mcaseybickley: Thank you, and yeah I agree I need to spend more time on backgrounds, they are the bane (sp?) of my existence!

BlueDaisy: Thank you very much!


now I'd like to share some of my failures, and things I can't seem to force myself to finish.
The first four are all versions of the same painting I've been trying to paint for well over a year now, there are actually 11 different versions I've painted believe it or not. But i just can't do it

The Second to last "surrender" is a painting I really like, but just lost interest in, and didn't like it enough to fix the numerous mistakes...

The last is my most recent failure, painting jars= mistakes

Thanks for viewing!

[Jillian]

two more wip/failures... Once again different versions of the same painting. yeah I tried recycling the face, but still couldn't manage to finish it... (in case your curious, he's a vampire, she's a human, they're in love despite the fact that he kills people, she couldn't bare it, decided she'd stake him, and in the end couldn't do it, and he knows that she just tried to kill him but forgave her anyways)

thanks for viewing

[The Legendary Left]

Nice Sb... I love the image with the little girl looking at the jar. Her eyes are very expressive, she truly looks amazed and mesmerized. It looks like it could be a movie scene. Very magical feel to it. Keep posting


Critique me

[Jillian]

The Legendary Left: Thank you very much, glad you like it


This is what I did today, surprisingly enough it didn't take two long, couple hours maybe, did a cat eye too, but it wasn't very good.. The eyelashes suck real bad on this eye, cause I went crazy drawing them, then realized I was on the wrong layer, and I hadn't saved yet

Thanks for viewing!

[Maestro Andres]

Very nice sketchbook. You have a lot of nicely done paintings in the first batch and the last eye is no exception. I really enjoy the mood in the "surrender" painting one and too bad it won't be finished, but that's how it is, to move from painting to painting. About the using reference issue, I don't think it's bad to use them but what is bad is becoming overly depending on them. I have fallen on that trap as well. But what helps is that on your referenced paintings try understanding what are you painting don't just copy it with observing because in that case there won't be too much learning. One tip I hear about what a pro did, at least for landscapes was to do one from reference and after finishing it, he will do another similar but this time using no reference at all so he could retain and applied what he learn from the previous painting. And doing studies is a great way too, to help you in understanding what you are drawing. Anyways, hope this is helpful somehow, keep it up!

[Trashy]

hey Jillian,

It's a good start to your sketchbook. I think you have actually a pretty solid painting style developing here. Plenty of strong pieces and I do like the eye study. Main thing is to mix up your studies. Study from ref, study from life, and do some studies from your head and you will be just fine. Just Keep pushing forward.

[Jillian]

Maestro Andres: Thanks, sounds like excellent advice, I'll certainly give it a try, I guess the trick is to find something interesting enough to paint twice
Trashy: Thanks I do my best to paint from my head, but I just hate how bad quality it is.. Every now and then I make something half way decent..

2 hour speedy from reference, sry about the distortedness of it:

[Smeg Head]

Thanks for the SB post - Incredible work you've got here..really is astounding.

That eye, it's sublime!

[Jillian]

Thanks smeghead!
some more paintings, the second is my attempt at using the lasso tool more, though I didn't get far before I started scribbling agian

Thanks for viewing!

[RandAlThor]

Jill. Wow. Very cool posts you so far, can wait for more. My fav has to be the 'pet' theres a lot of emotion in the face of the child and the pet is awesome. keep posting gal ;-)

[Kim Flynn]

That second one (Last post) Is amazing!! Just absolutly fantastic. Great job. I wish I got as much done as you do!

[thesadpencil]

nice stuff here i really like the last 2 in post #1 and the first one in post #4 and the giant eyeball. the last one in the newest update is really atmospheric i like it. good use of colors. i would suggest doing some more anatomy studies, and doing more studies of the structure of the face. also try to put more emphasis on contrast w/ your darks/lights. the added contrast will help bring out the images more, give them more depth and make them look more real. keep it up.

[kidult]

Nice stuff here - You have a goos grasp of using different techniques and styles More studies of the underlying structure and anatomy of people + animals will help lots towards making your work even better.

[AsaB]

Hi Jill, welcome to CA

Very nice start! Seems like you've gotten pretty experienced in painting, I like your style a lot. Your colour choices are great, I like the soft purples! Some great finished pieces already, my favourite is probably the fallen angel with the bone wings one. Great work. Keep updating and doing studies, you're doing great

[Jillian]

Thank you all very much for your kind words and advice, I'll do my best to improve!
Not finished yet, I'm not happy with the sides of the face or the hair or a hundred other things, but I'm sick of looking at it, and might delete it if I keep forcing myself to refine it..

[Jillian]

My past life,
Or at least, that's what I tell myself

I know hair is sucky, but I cant seem to keep the same enthusiasm throughout the painting, as I had when I started...
(nor do I have the enthusiasm to look up how to spell enthusiasm...)

[amordecosmos]

That eyes post is sweet! and so is post 25, hope to see more!

[Jillian]

amordecosmos: Thanks so much!

K next piece, glow worm,

no comments about missing belly buttons please
insect= no bellybutton

She's a glow worm, and she doesn't have a firefly in her hands
she IS glowing... I know I'm expecting a big leap of faith from you all... but I don't know, it felt cheesy to add antennai or wings or something stupid like that...

Enjoy!

[Tea Drinker]

Your sketchbook is very beautiful!

In your last post I agree that she's better without the wings or antennai. She as a real calm and subtleness to her that really relates to a glow worm. Really nice work. Can't wait to see what you post next

[LifeWontWait]

This last post of your is just plain awsome. I love it. Did you use reference for this one?

Keep doing what you are doing because this stuff is looking really great!