JJacks Sketchbook - 11.27.12

[comixnut]

some very nice stuff here indeed both in regards to colours as well as line. Hope to keep seing more!

[JJacks]

Thank you comixnut!

Well, long time no post (in my sketchbook). I just haven't been drawing. My grandmother was very ill for a lot of the later part of the year and she passed away on New Years Eve so I just haven't been in the mood to draw or post. I'm getting back into it though and next week I'll be back to normal as far as art production goes. Gonna be depressed for a while though.

Here's a couple things.

A mermaid from my sketchbook. Drawn from imagination.


Work in progress.


Partial lines of a drawing


Drawing for a challenge on deviantART.


Closeup of her face.

[Black Spot]

Your SP on page 2 is very good and the bright white conte just makes you look glowing after a workout. I like your flat pieces as well as they are pure design. The latest figure looks tough and I wouldn't want to mess with her. You have a great eye for design.

[Bosatsu]

Interesting variety of work. I liked the pieces in post #44. I'm afraid to comment on the lady in the red stockings though - looks like she could kick my ass! Oh and love the beakgirl concept! I have an avatar just like it (kinda) lol.

[JJacks]

Black Spot - Thanks. I've never really gotten a compliment like that (good with design) so it's encouraging.

Bosatsu - Thank you for visiting. I'm glad the pin-up looks tough heehee...I like tough girls. I am actually planning a series of drawings around girls that wear beaks and bird masks so I hope others will like them too.


Quick post before Valentine's trip. Hope everyone has a happy love day! I am combining two posts to reduce clutter.

A landscape in progress. I think I am getting better at backgrounds.


Colored Pencil Sketchbook Pages - I am doing small 5x7 drawings and trying to sell them for $20 to make some change. These are just thumbnails really.



I am also working on illustrations to help my boring portfolio. Perhaps I may post some of those in the Finally Finished section if I have the bravery to do it.

[Black Spot]

The outside line of the nose on that last one might be better with the purple colour you used on the cheeks. Try it in PS first.

Black Spot - Thanks. I've never really gotten a compliment like that (good with design) so it's encouraging.

That annoyed me. Why hasn't any one encouraged you in that direction before? Without design even the best rendered pictures in the world would do nothing. It takes an inner eye to see it and you have it. It doesn't get taught in books because it's either there or not. Sure I've read some fine high-faluting writing on it, but that's not what art is about - we are not machines or computers would be doing it. Keep feeling it and go with it.

[Swampdigger]

Hey, thanks for coming by my sketchbook. You've got some cool stuff here. I actually really like how you're handling the colored pencils, I can definitely see stuff like that selling. Keep on going!

[LtPlissken]

aWesome paintings, drawings and a great color combination. I enjoyed going through your sketchbook. The positive orientation of your work just brightened up my day. Keep it up like this.

[JJacks]

Not much to show since I haven't scanned sketchbook pages yet.

Ink drawing


Charcoal and ink drawing edited in Photoshop


Process for my most recent finished pic


Will have a substantially larger update soon.

[JJacks]

I forgot to reply to comments

Black Spot - Well, thanks for the encouragement! Now that I think about it...I was never really encouraged to do much in school at all. I was a pretty average student, not judged by my effort but there were many more talented students than I. So, I guess that's why.

Swampdigger - No problem and thanks for stopping by!

LtPlissken - Aww, thanks. I'm glad my little sketchbook make you feel happy.

[Seage]

Holyyy, that last one looks insane! I love it!
And the charcole/ink/ps picture is really nice too. Wooo.

[HolyBovine]

The last piece looks really promising. Stronger lighting on the head?

[Black Spot]

Really like your latest and that charcoal and ink is very nice as well.

[JJacks]

Thanks everyone for the comments.

HolyBovine - I like the lighting as is but maybe in the future I will go back and edit it. I just don't viewers to get stuck on only the head.

This update may be a little pathetic since I haven't been doing real studies but I've been working hard to make new portfolio work and revise older drawings so I can find work.

These sketches were done just for my own enjoyment.







ACEO cards done for club activities at dA.


Character belongs to ladyghostduchess


This was one of the things I revised for my portfolio. The finished version has flat colors.


Remember this drawing. I experimented with painting techniques to see what kind of things I could use in an actually finished one.


Sketch for a new painting.


Something pretty to send you off.

[bopx]

On your last post, first picture, the girl's right forearm seems too short.
For the third picture, her head is too far back on the neck and her chin jutts out just a bit too much.

Other than that, your stuff is really great so far

[Black Spot]

Please finish the horse hair one, it's looking great and that last one - so sweet; I love the colours and the lighting.

[JJacks]

bopx - Thanks for the crit.

Black Spot - I don't think I can take that one any further. I'm so tired of it lol.

Eeeer, just some scans today.

Done with reference




Face from memory, hands were referenced


Experiments with simplifying my style.


WIP

[JJacks]

I just thought I would update with a speed-painting and the finished watercolor. The painting is on sale at my etsy shop if anyone is interested - http://www.etsy.com/listing/50537661/mask

[Black Spot]

I like both. Maybe on the watercolour her right eye could be a bit darker to match the rest of the shadow on that side of her face.

[JJacks]

I'm going to try and update this bi-weekly....

Ink ATC


Watercolor sketch from life...I had totally ruined it and then I let it dry to try to see if I could save it.

[Black Spot]

You've just given me a crick in the neck. I love the colours on that last one. The ink one is interesting as it takes time to actually see where the other birds are.

[zou]

nice sb !
the girl with horse hair is so cool

one suggestion: when shading, why not try thinking by planes. look for asaro head planes in google, to get the idea.

good luck

[JJacks]

Thanks Black Spot. That bird one was for a weekly activity I do at dA. So it's an exercise in taking a prompt and doing something interesting with it and an exercise in composition, which is my weakest point.

Zou - I do try to think in planes when I color and shade. If you could point me to some specific examples in the thread that could benefit from this, I would appreciate it.

[JJacks]

I don't think I will update this sketchbook anymore. But thanks everyone for all of the kind words and advice. I'll still be lurking and look at all of your wonderful books.

In all honesty I just don't feel like I fit in here and I'm really tired of feeling "odd."

CA is unnecessarily stressful and I am a self conscious idiot.

EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT
I am editing this because I don't want anyone to assume I am mad at CA or anything. What I mean by feeling odd is that I do a lot of studies that are real abstract in nature and it would make me feel weird to show them. I experiment and make messes a lot and these messes are not necessarily pretty. I also feel sooo low on the skill level chain here. So until I get over it, I think it's best for me to continue to keep these things to myself instead of filtering what I post.

But I still have very much appreciate everyone who came on by and I think that the feedback and encouragement got me through a rough year. I still like CA enough to be a part of it.

[Black Spot]

You aren't odd and I get fed up with seeing the same studies and the same finish time and time again.

Edit: I meant from everyone else as you're a breath of fresh air.

[Vinicam]

that's odd.

D:

[JJacks]

Ever since leaving this sketchbook I got really disappointed in myself. I honestly do have anxiety and it took me 3 years of lurking on my old account before I had the courage to post anything since this. So I am upset that I let these feelings get to me. I mean how am I going to be a pro if I am scared to show people what I do?

I like what I do. I am proud of myself but I'm just so self conscious.

So I am going to try again and I won't quit this time. I'm sorry for leaving.

(This isn't meant to be dramatic but I really do feel bad).

Old sketch that I never posted. I was brainstorming compositions and ideas for paintings.


Messing around with layering marker and color pencil.


Sketch for an upcoming painting. I have to finish a lot of digital stuff this month before I get to it though. It is a diptych.


Watercolor experiment.


Watercolor ATC that had an accident and this had to be hastily and poorly doctored in photoshop.


Birthday card for my boyfriend. It is supposed to look like a kid drew it but only slightly better. I'm proud of how I drew him (looks just like him).


Random page from sketchbook.

[Black Spot]

The diptych looks right up your street. Like the water colour experiment. Cute card.

I'm glad you're posting again.

[Arshes Nei]

I like the watercolor studies. I get a feeling you're fighting your scanner on these (I know the feeling as I own a canon scanner lide and often get that blurriness you are getting because the binding won't stay flat on the bed.)

[AliceA]

I like the...surrealistic-conceptual mood that many of your works have...at least to me.
And I like post #69 much much much for both concept and realization!