LastMan wants to get better at drawing. Help him!!!! [Updated May 28, 2008]

[LasT ma ma MaN]

Hey, my name is Brandon. I've been drawing on and off for a while. I really want to improve though and I'm just focusing on improving my skills right now. Any critiques or comments are much appreciated. Feel free to tear me a new asshole if need be, I'd just like as much critique and advice as I can get to improve.

Sketches. Some are obviously referenced.





Doodles during lecture :-P



A sketch I decided to work on in PhotoShop. (I don't have a tablet so everything was done with a mouse :/)
Attachment 369222

[LasT ma ma MaN]

No replies. So depressing

Anyway, here are some poses and a work in progress.

I also ordered an anatomy book by Hogarth. I'm gonna focus on that for a while.

[LasT ma ma MaN]

A few more. Self-portrait, a couple sketches from imagination and a couple from reference. I wanted to work on shading/hatching.






Crits plzzzzz

[N A Johnson]

Hi, welcome to Conceptart.

As for critique:
You already seem to know how to improve. You mentioned that you ordered an anatomy book, and that is a great way to begin. I like George Bridgeman and Andrew Loomis better than Hogarth, but thats just my opinion.
I recommend you draw from life, and often. Building a visual vocabulary is important.
Keep in mind that when you are hatching, you should be using your hatchmarks to build the form. When you hatch against the form, like in your self portrait, your drawing will appear flat. An example would be the straight lines across your sp's forehead and cheeks. Put some curves in there.

Have fun, keep studying, and keep posting.

[LasT ma ma MaN]

Hi, welcome to Conceptart.

As for critique:
You already seem to know how to improve. You mentioned that you ordered an anatomy book, and that is a great way to begin. I like George Bridgeman and Andrew Loomis better than Hogarth, but thats just my opinion.
I recommend you draw from life, and often. Building a visual vocabulary is important.
Keep in mind that when you are hatching, you should be using your hatchmarks to build the form. When you hatch against the form, like in your self portrait, your drawing will appear flat. An example would be the straight lines across your sp's forehead and cheeks. Put some curves in there.

Have fun, keep studying, and keep posting.

Thanks! You're my first post muahahahh.

I'll keep that in mind about the hatching. I thought something looked off on the portrait but I couldn't really pinpoint it. I'm going to try that in a few of my next sketches though. Thanks again.

[Rudeone]

The main problem with your studies and sketches is that it lacks value. Right now it pretty much consists of one light part and one or two types of dark.
One thing that helps me to grasp light and shadows on the human form, the face in particular, is to analyse it in everyday life. Make it a habit to study lights and shadows whenever you're in public places or in a conversation with a person or whatever. I find myself doing this everytime almost subconciously and I'm sure a lot of people here are doing the same, it really helps me a lot.
Also, I would like to recommend Digital Character Design and Painting by Don Seegmiller. Apart from discussing some PS tools and digital painting, it covers a lot of the basic theories about color, light and value as well. It's very well written and easy to get through, an excellent book for beginning artists.
Anyway good luck and keep doing those studies!