Morte's SB!

**Morte** · February 7th, 2009, 06:23 PM

Hi guys, i've been stalking the forums for a bit, and i thought i should post some of my work in order to begin my legacy here at conceptart, i'm fairly new to art and ill enjoy the feedback that i'll get on it! Thanks.

This had a photo ref.

A Commission piece for a video game

Hugh Laurie

A Skeleton, no reference.

**Morte** · February 9th, 2009, 12:52 PM

Sorry, i didnt introduce myself, My name is Skyler. I've been doing art for a while, but not as serious as now. I just realized the other day that i must go back and restudy the basics of art in order to continue. So right now i'm refining my skills with perspective, anatomy, and drawing from life. I hope to get much better, im open for all feedback and i cant wait to hear from all of you!

some 60second poses

**Morte** · February 9th, 2009, 12:53 PM

and some more

**Morte** · August 17th, 2009, 08:47 PM

Here are a few studies i've been up to lately. I saw that i suffered alot in my figures and clothing on figures so this is what i'm working on right now. Please critique them hard!!! They are diablo 3 studies

**Dr.Blindsy** · August 17th, 2009, 08:52 PM

Hey! Nice SB you got here.
((On a side note, people are going to think I'm crazy if I keep posting at the rate I have been))

Your studies show a great deal of promise. You need to pull it back a little I think. You seem to be getting ahead of yourself in terms of progress. You should take some time to study basic facial structure and do some more anatomy studies before rushing headfirst into full on portraiture. That stuff can be very daunting and often times, until you work out a method that works best for you AND gives you the best results, its best to scale back and learn for a while.

Regardless, it was a pleasure to have popped by, and I look forward to seeing more from you in the future!

**Morte** · August 17th, 2009, 10:00 PM

Thank you for the feedback, i'm going to definitely do what your saying and explore my foundation a lil more.

I've been focusing too much on copying then learning the fundamentals i believe.

I don't really understand how to learn from copying other then i'll keep practicing and eventually i'll have it stuck in my head as a reference

**Dr.Blindsy** · August 17th, 2009, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Morte

Thank you for the feedback, i'm going to definitely do what your saying and explore my foundation a lil more.

I've been focusing too much on copying then learning the fundamentals i believe.

I don't really understand how to learn from copying other then i'll keep practicing and eventually i'll have it stuck in my head as a reference

You're welcome.

Best bet is to just start using shapes... circles and lines like... stick men, then build on it.

Also, I do find your tones and shading are actually pretty good. I think once you get a bit more practice on structure, you'll be quite a good portrait artist

Just need to practice practice practice.

Another thought, is to do daily studies, just parts of the face or body... i.e do like ... 10 different eyes (with or without shading), or 10 different kinds of lips... or just some hands or feet in various poses... Gesture drawings are also good... Just keep at it!

**Morte** · August 17th, 2009, 10:27 PM

I mean my biggest issue arent the certain parts, i can draw an eye or i can draw a pair of lips, my issue is planting it on a plane, say drawing the pair of eyes on a plane and not have it seem flat. i dont get how to get it corrected, i understand when on planes, its blocked by another plane.

like for example on a 3/4 portrait, drawing the other eye is going to be somewhat covered by the bridge of the nose, but i dont get how to wrap it, will it be wrapped downwards or up... its hard for me to see it for some reason

**Lionsword** · August 18th, 2009, 08:10 PM

There's an easy way to fix that: draw whatever you're having trouble with until your eyes fall out.
Grab an anatomy book (I have Hogarth, and he's awesome), and study the figure until you know it inside out. And you're getting a good start on that too, like the skeleton study in your second post. It looks stunning compared to everything else. It's existing on a plane, it has weight and form and it actually feels real. And it's pretty accurate too.

You have a great imagination, all you have to do is bring your anatomy skills up to par with your creativity.
Now go draw. =)

**Dr.Blindsy** · August 18th, 2009, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Lionsword

There's an easy way to fix that: draw whatever you're having trouble with until your eyes fall out.
Grab an anatomy book (I have Hogarth, and he's awesome), and study the figure until you know it inside out. And you're getting a good start on that too, like the skeleton study in your second post. It looks stunning compared to everything else. It's existing on a plane, it has weight and form and it actually feels real. And it's pretty accurate too.

You have a great imagination, all you have to do is bring your anatomy skills up to par with your creativity.
Now go draw. =)

I'm totally with ^. Its great advice, just draw faces until your eyes drop out of yer head or yer hand falls off.

Its a little known fact that artists can regenerate limbs

**Spirit** · August 19th, 2009, 06:46 PM

Hey there Morte!
Its a great Sketchbook you have here

And I agree with what everyone else is saying - and they have basically said everything I would have done. You should start reinforcing your knowledge and understanding on the basics, such as anatomy, which you ahve already started to do (and the studies look great!) doing more of that will improve your art. A few more artists I can suggest looking at as well as Hogarth or Andrew Loomis (his books are out o print, but they are available online if you look around), George Bridgman (I'm currently studying his book 'The Complete Guide To Drawing From Life' and it's made so many things click for me). Also, apart from studies, make sure you're doing some art that you enjoy and what you find fun!

Your pencilwork it very good, and I like how you capture detail with your rendering! One thing I can suggest is just keep an eye on your perspective, this isn't really aimed at any of your drawings, but it doesn't harmt o keep things like that in mind when drawing!

I'm no expert on portraits either, but eyes should be about one eyes width apart from each other, and are about halfway down the head. I have only ever drawn one portrait, which I don't even own now, so take that advice with a pinch of salf

I'll also dig up a few links for you, some of which give invaluable advice for drawing faces and portraits, I'll find them and get back to you

Good luck, and keep up the great work!

EDIT: here are a few links which I hope will help you

http://www.stanprokopenko.com/blog/2009/05/draw-eyes/ - This gives a lot of information about eyes, which I know you are confused about. After reading this I felt I understood the structure and how to draw them a lot more than I did previously. Also there are many other pages liek that on Stan's blog, such as ears, mouth etc.

http://emptyeasel.com/ - This website has many useful articles, so feel free to look around it, as I'm sure you'll find something which will help you.

http://www.huevaluechroma.com/ - This is for when you want to start learning Colour Thoery (if at all) but I thought I would post it for you, so you have it in the future

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52023 - This thread has a lot of information which can help you with gesture drawing.

I hope some of these are of use to you!

**Morte** · August 19th, 2009, 07:34 PM

Okay so from lastnight, i studied the nose and its place and how it blocks the other side of the nose/face/eyes.

I also did a slight study on the eyes. Felt good about it, probably around 3-4 hours of studying... and... i am a lil' uncomfy with the 3/4 view coming from the top. Still working on the whole 3 dimensional planes thing. I think im going to focus on that today...

**Monkeydominator** · August 21st, 2009, 03:50 PM

Those latest studies are great! You've got fantasy enough, that's for sure! Also, your dedication is great!

I... don't really know what more to write right now. STFU, I'm tired and hungry. >>
Go draw!

**Lionsword** · August 24th, 2009, 11:24 AM

Eyes are staring at me o.o

It might help if you drew out the head first before the eyes, so that you know where they can and can't go.
And I don't think this has been posted yet, Andrew Loomis' Figure Drawing for All It's Worth. http://www.fineart.sk/index.php?s=0&cat=12
Check it out, it's well worth the time.

**Spirit** · August 24th, 2009, 09:23 PM

I definately agree with Monkey on the Loomis book, he has a lot of helpful information about drawing the face. It's great that you are studying each part of the face, but you would also benifit if you studied the whole of the face, that way you can learn how to do each part of the face, and the whole face, such as proportions, planes etc. I think this would work well if you wanted to focus on that area.
Good work Morte, keep on updating

**Monkeydominator** · August 27th, 2009, 01:32 PM

Well? Where's our update?! D8<

**jatherip** · September 24th, 2009, 08:38 AM

1. updatee!
2. study anatomy

keep goin!

**Morte** · January 10th, 2010, 01:27 AM

I'm back! Sorry i've been gone, i actually was dealing with many issues and now im trying to get back into the groove. I finished my first year of art and now im getting ready for the next season of classes i've been sooo busy that i've been becoming lazy, unmotivated and *GAASP* doing the dreadful, putting my ART TO THE SIDE!!!

Gosh, but im back and updates are going to be coming.!

**Spirit** · January 10th, 2010, 01:29 PM

Morte! It's good to see that you are back, and that you are ok!

Don't worry about putting art to the side, sometimes other things just creep up which means we have less time to spend on it. Congrats on finishing your first year of art, too!

Good luck with the next year, I'm sure you'll do great!
I look forward to seeing these updates!

**Morte** · July 31st, 2011, 02:34 PM

well i'm back again! I just got my appendix removed because it reptured, so now i have time to update all my art on here and show all the work i have done. I'm about to start at SJSU in about 3 weeks, I'm majoring in animation!

So i started to mess with photoshop and have two pieces that i have sketched up.

**Morte** · August 7th, 2011, 02:06 PM

This is the pre-painted line art of my new concept, its of a girl who was captured at a young age by a group of activists who are trying to bring a new "knowledge" to the wasted earth. All the nations suffered an unexpected nuclear "blow-out" that ruined everything, and now in this post apocalyptic world, the murders have came to the top in nearly all metropolitan areas. In this case, this girl was captured and her parents were killed. She is now a slave dancer, trying to earn her freedom.

**dan liimatta** · August 8th, 2011, 09:20 PM

Since I won't do an other paint-to-post image tonight I might as well answer
you here.

Few things comes completely natural to anyone early on - even at something
as basic as sex it takes awhile to get good at it - same with thinking or being
creative.

People have aptitudes that vary obviously - but to get free usually requires
you to collect a certain amount of experience for it to happen - for example if
your criteria is just random shapes you probably need at least some rendering
skills, if you freely want to create characters you need anatomy etc.

& you need to practice at drawing from your mind as well - so don't run into
the hole of only doing life/still-life studies - or rather I would consider free
improv painting sessions almost as studies in themselves - were you can let
loose and not care too much about the result as you only see it as a lesson.

Pacing is the same, but generally try to slow down.

I'm horrible at this and thought that a good character was a 1 day deal at
most - now I'm at 3-5 days per character when I'm at a much higher level
than I was - so take your time and don't rush - rather I would see
speedpaints and the like personally as studies or rough sketches for final
pieces (or foundations).

A friend once spent 6 months on a small series of images of a car - he built
and rebuilt it - and he felt crazy - 6 months for 3 images? but it was really
good for his career and portfolio.

& in the end take your time and have fun

**Morte** · August 9th, 2011, 02:15 PM

this is very helpful, I have read it a lot/heard it a lot by teachers/professionals/peers/my mom/and etc, that you need to study still life and such, but if you get caught up in it... You'll be engulfed by it and your imagination will get damaged, not permanently but it makes your drawings sooo strict with little exaggeration.

I'm telling you that i've heard it a lot, not to dilute your feedback but to thank you for it, because i always need to hear it. And as for you taking longer than you previously had, really helps me a lot. Because an old teacher use to tell me that i take too long to finish a piece, mostly because i get caught up (i have perfection issues, and make sure each thing i produce is PERFECT.)

So i like hearing that i'm not that only one that spends days sometimes, because i almost beat myself to make me go faster so i can show him that i can work fast.

Another question, when you do your paintings, i've realized that if the amount of pen pressure is too high, it makes the painting look very... bland? Should i decrease the pen pressure so more color is painted down (more like an actual painting) it feels that i'm painting with water color.

So i guess the question would be more simply, how hard do you press to paint, and what is your pen pressure?

**dan liimatta** · August 13th, 2011, 06:58 AM

Well its standard from the Wacom settings in intous 3 - but I don't use Photoshop much and I can play with the settings in Sai - and there I mostly use the setting that allows for the most range between hard and soft.
But the brushes differ from each other and sai differs from say Photoshop.

In general I prefer brushes that can paint easily with 10 to a 100% opacity depending on my pressure. (and then I can cut the roof myself and get 1 - 10% if I press 1 etc.

& Time obviously is relative - a ChoW piece I do I should take 3-4 days for - some sketches should be able to be done in less than an hour if you are looking at pro work.
In general though I'd say that you want to be able to paint things easily and quickly but that you can still take time to experiment and play around - find what's right and then give each element the love you think it deserves.

**Morte** · August 13th, 2011, 11:31 AM

quick sketch before i made breakfast, working on my figures and expressiveness, so i did a nice value sketch real quick, GAHH MY STOMACH!!!

So hungry, well ill post some work today! Crits are welcome!

**Morte** · August 13th, 2011, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by dan liimatta

Well its standard from the Wacom settings in intous 3 - but I don't use Photoshop much and I can play with the settings in Sai - and there I mostly use the setting that allows for the most range between hard and soft.
But the brushes differ from each other and sai differs from say Photoshop.

In general I prefer brushes that can paint easily with 10 to a 100% opacity depending on my pressure. (and then I can cut the roof myself and get 1 - 10% if I press 1 etc.

& Time obviously is relative - a ChoW piece I do I should take 3-4 days for - some sketches should be able to be done in less than an hour if you are looking at pro work.
In general though I'd say that you want to be able to paint things easily and quickly but that you can still take time to experiment and play around - find what's right and then give each element the love you think it deserves.

Wow i thought you used ps a lot. Sorry, i thought i read it somewhere. Oops! That was helpful, because I was having issues with painting a good skin, and now i understand, you need to block in the skin/color in with pretty much full opacity and then start to shade. I would always start to shade from the beginning and just build up layers, and it seems like it just turns out pasty and very flat, no matter how much contrast.

And ill consider the time thing, i do know that in the industry, that its important to produce fast work, but also to have good work. I guess i'll just have to find my balance, like you said.

Thank you again for helping me out!

**dan liimatta** · August 13th, 2011, 01:26 PM

When you mix colours digitally they often desaturate ~ I do this as well, but you can avoid it by using less transparency over compensate a but by adding more colours and then tone it done - I normally do the later and when I fail colour wise its normally because I then overwork said area shading wise and have forgotten to add back colour.

but yeah early on lay it on thick - it makes it easier most of the time and saves you time as well ~

**Morte** · August 13th, 2011, 06:55 PM

Ha! Sweet deal, i'm glad that you have the same problems as i was running into!

I was doing a self portrait the other day and i noticed my skin went from a nice tan/red pigment to a gray/brownish pink color/white/black.

And that makes sense that you over compensate, because it did happen in your orc painting, you started very bright and went to a less bright/not as thick.

Thank you again for the help, i'll try and post some more work and perhaps I can show you examples.

**Morte** · August 16th, 2011, 10:32 AM

Ok, a little update... I really need to work on my figures, it seems i have an issue of not making very interesting poses. Also, i'm working on my side/rear view of the figure, I've noticed, i have an issue drawing in multiple positions because I have a poor understanding of the human anatomy from the rear/side.

Ive been studying a lot of from life figures and I dont feel that its necessary to post that kind of crap in my SB. Not satisfied yet.