Groover Mcnab's sketchbook // floaty fishyhead 7.22 //

**Groover McNab** · October 30th, 2003, 05:38 PM

*For the love of everything you hold dear, Please view the last couple of pages! The first couple ones are crap!*

Hey all. Decided to start my own sketchbook here to motivate me to draw everyday.

This first batch is some of my recent stuff from this week. The first 4 from life drawing class and the last one was one I did at home. Any crits or comments would be appreciated.

**roger** · October 31st, 2003, 05:11 PM

Good to see you starting a sketchbook here!

I really like the life drawings you've posted and the last guy is cool too, although I think the proportions are a little bit off.

**Groover McNab** · October 31st, 2003, 09:56 PM

Thanks roger. The life drawings were done in pencil, unfortunately the longest our models pose is 20 minutes so these are so unfinished, but it is a sketchbook after all

. Been really busy and haven't been able to get going on the self portraits again, but I figure I can always take some time to sketch.

Here's one from today

**Groover McNab** · November 4th, 2003, 11:59 PM

Some new ones from the past couple days. The ones on notebook paper were doodles I was doing while I was at a meeting at work

**Groover McNab** · November 23rd, 2003, 01:10 AM

some new stuff and some old stuff, more to be scanned in, just don't have time today

**Groover McNab** · November 24th, 2003, 01:18 AM

started to color one of the sketches. might come back to it.

**Groover McNab** · December 24th, 2003, 02:07 PM

merry christmas!

more sketches coming, just have to scan em...

**PeggyChung** · January 26th, 2004, 02:16 AM

hey Groover mcNab, nice stuff, i was looking through your TD stuff and i liked it, great that u have a sketchbook too

come on, update!

**Groover McNab** · February 29th, 2004, 09:32 PM

Thanks. Been kinda busy. Should have a massive (semi-massive?) update next week...

**Groover McNab** · March 29th, 2004, 03:07 AM

Had some time to scan in some older sketches, and some more recent life drawings. Crits greatly appreciated.

**Groover McNab** · March 29th, 2004, 03:08 AM

**Groover McNab** · March 29th, 2004, 03:08 AM

**Groover McNab** · March 29th, 2004, 03:11 AM

This was from tonights life drawing class, I kinda liked where it was going but 15 minutes wasn't enough time

**Groover McNab** · March 30th, 2004, 01:06 AM

Another one from tonight, not too thrilled with the way this one came out...

**MindCandyMan** · March 31st, 2004, 09:42 PM

I love these they are great...I especially like the pen life drawings...awesome marks man...really cool.

**Groover McNab** · April 1st, 2004, 11:56 AM

Thanks MCM. When I can't get anything going in life drawing class, it usually helps to switch mediums (at least for me) to get in gear, that's the reason for these particular pen drawings. Glad you like em!

**steak-tron** · April 1st, 2004, 02:00 PM

groover, these some good sketches you got goin' on. I like the line quality and the moody characters. Those figures are lookin' good too - just check the proportions on the arms. Other than that you have a good handle on anatomy and structure.
nice work

**Groover McNab** · April 1st, 2004, 04:53 PM

Thanks steak-tron! I'll definitely watch for the arms next time, I've been drawing HUGE heads lately too, another thing I need to watch out for.

Anyway, I'm glad you like these and thanks for the crits. Your sketchbook looks great, so that means a lot.

Should be updating with some new ones really soon.

**insane visions** · April 11th, 2004, 06:47 PM

youre showing lots of potential keep drawing..thanks for the positive comment...

**Groover McNab** · April 12th, 2004, 12:47 PM

insane visions - Thanks for commenting on my sketchbook. It means a lot, your sketches awesome!

**Groover McNab** · April 19th, 2004, 04:07 AM

Had time to scan in some new stuff.

**insane visions** · April 25th, 2004, 01:04 PM

very nice pen sketches....pens could be your bestfriend or your worst enemy...tame the mudderfukking pen...

**Groover McNab** · April 27th, 2004, 03:33 AM

insane visions - Thanks. I reallly enjoy doing pen sketches, although I think I'm a long way from taming that mudderfukker

, but I'm defintely working on it...

This last week has kinda been a struggle for me, here's a crap drawing from life drawing class

I was at the Norton Simon museum in Pasadena last week. Tried to sketch some stuff while in there, they all look funky when flipped

Just messing around in photoshop w/o ref

The original sketches for these were done in class and about a week after I tried to paint over them,

**Jeff Gran** · April 27th, 2004, 04:48 AM

never seen your book till now. I like the pen life drawings for sure. i wouldn't have the discipline to keep some areas open and white like you do...they look good. I like your conceptual stuff the best. some of it gets a bit muddled, it would be nice to see you concentrate on some stuff intended for presentation, like the inked pencil sketches. your recent paintings look cool, but in my humble opinion the purples and blues are a bit overdone.

**Groover McNab** · April 27th, 2004, 10:45 PM

Jeff Gran - Thanks. Glad you like em. I do think the colors are oversaturated, part of it is intentional and going for a style, and another part of it is that I don't do a lot of painting and I still don't really know what I'm doing, especially with skintones. Hopefully I'll get my act together soon

I always doodle whenever we have a long meeting at work, so I thought I'd post some of that.

**dagreengo** · April 27th, 2004, 10:54 PM

Wow, I saw your sketchbook at the top of the page, and I decided to peek in. Your work is really impressive, my favourite are the pen sketches, they're really dynamic and attractive. But What really impresses me is that you've been experimenting with all kinds of media, and really seem to be succeeding in all cases. Keep up the great work!

**Groover McNab** · April 28th, 2004, 02:18 AM

dagreengo - Thanks a lot. Not sure if I'm really succeeding with some of these, but I definitely will keep trying.

Just tried to freestyle today in photoshop, although I use it a lot since I'm a graphic designer I haven't really used the program much for painting (mostly use painter) but I'm trying to learn. So I didn't really have anything specific in mind, but this was the result. No ref, I'm sure I'm off on anatomy but I enjoyed playing around.

**S.C. Watson** · April 28th, 2004, 11:35 AM

Hey Groover,

Wow.

Some really nice work here. I especially like your life drawing excercises. Those are fantastic.

<terminator voice>
:cool: I'll be back.
</voice>

Cheers,
~Oreg.

**artkitty** · April 28th, 2004, 11:42 AM

I like the figure drawings, nice tones and the sketcy pen stuff is great. In fact as far was what you've posted I prefer the looser, sketchier stuff- something is lost when you refine it more.
Also the digital colors seem muddy- try working with more opacity and bigger brushes. Start big and work down to details.

**Groover McNab** · April 29th, 2004, 12:15 PM

Oregano - Thanks a lot! Feel free to drop by anytime

artkitty - Thanks for the comments and crits. I think you're right about the muddiness of the digital stuff, I'm still figuring out what the heck I'm doing as far as skintones and stuff. Doesn't help that I haven't done much traditional painting, I hope to remedy that soon.

Well this is a new batch of sketches. Another tough night in life drawing class...