Mikko's sketchbook with things and stuff init.

[Myllys]

Hi all.

I haven't been drawing for long time and I just thought I start again. I guess the best way to try to improve my self is keeping a sketchbook for crits.

Anyway this evening I drawed one study from reference (http://pixelles.deviantart.com/art/Erotica-3-71832803). Took me about2 hours ( think too long) to draw it. I think the line drawing was ok, but the shading sucks.

Second one is a self portrait from mirror. It took about 25 minutes or so. I'm pretty satisfied with that one. It's actually the first self portrait by me.


I also attached a step by step of the first one and also a Photoshop paint over to see the errors in proportions

(I edited post and moved the pictures, so I can change the thumbnail)

[Myllys]

pictures from last post:






This evening I did some exercises. First I did some 30 sec poses from posemaniacs.


Then I sketced a picture of Tony soprano from reference upside down.

Here flipped

Also made an anatomy study of back muscles from reference. As well as one of skull.


And a digital speedpaint of footballer from imagination. I tried to concentrate on pose and colors because I think especially colors are difficult for me. I'm not happy the way it turned out, but here it is anyway. I also attached progress animation.

[Myllys]

This evening I tried more digital. I found Randis's great photoshop tutorial videos and tried first the shading and then speed paint. (My speedpaint took 1,5 hours though ) And I'm not satisfied with the result at all.

The reference can be found here:
http://images.fanpop.com/images/imag...39_720_936.jpg

[Myllys]

Yesterday evening I did a couple of valuestudies. I used Pixelles's photos from Deviant arrt as reference. I'm pretty satisfied with the second one.

[Myllys]

Today I drawed a lot of stuff, but heres two last ones. First a few poses, references from posemaniacs. I drawed these without time limit. Maybe a few minutes each.



Secondly I wanted to try digital. I drawed a female nude from reference (www.kindgirls.com I think). I'm pretty happy with the body but the head sucks big time. Even if it looks like something done in a minute, trust me it took a lot of time Anyway, here it is. I need to practice digital way more.

[Myllys]

I made a couple of speed (read: slow) paints. Took a long time and the results are far from satisfying. Especially the coloured one. I feel very limited with digital, so I guess thats what I should improve.

[Myllys]

Trying to improve ability to draw with my right side. I have absolutely no idea if I'm doing it right though. I made a couple of self portaits, using mirror. First one with pencil and second one with Photoshop. I tried to just draw darker spots and use lines as little as possible. Is this the way to do it? I dont know.




Then I drawed two pictures from reference upside down. I guess this is also good practice??? I understand that doing these practices you should think of the object as little as possible and just draw the shapes and values that you see. But how do you get the proportions right? Do you measure? Or does it just kind of develope? Especially in drawing Davids head, I just completely lost myself with the hair and got frustrated and rushed it through. Are you supposed to measure or how do you get all the dark areas in right places?



Here flipped



David:



Flipped:

[iambanana]

Well first off your lines are a bit grainy, and it seems there are no shades of grey anywhere here. So maybe add some more values to your drawings. It may just be a choppy scanner though.

[Myllys]

iambanana - Thanks for the reply. Yes I think it was because of the scanner. I changed the settings a bit and these new ones look better.

Today I wanted to continue practicing drawing more intuitively. I used posemaniacs as a reference and draw various poses drawing only the outline and without looking the paper before I was finished. Like this I rarely end up to the same point from where I began but I think it may be a good exercise??

After that I drawed a couple of pictures from reference way I've never drawn before. I didn't do any measuring for proportions and i kind of drawed them the similar way I did the exercises (drawing the outlines) but this time I of course I checked on the paper where I was going. I actually started drawing the weightlifter from his ass. As I usually first draw the head and check proportions. And theres 245 kilos on his arms so the weight must be evenly distributed Afterwards I was pissed when I noticed the reference has no legs

And finally I did a selfportrait (yes once again) speedpaint as photoshop exercise.

I'm just not sure where to go next with these exercises.

[GoGoJojo]

I love to use that flipped method, in fact I just did one of my legs and boots. It really helps with not getting bogged down with the shape you KNOW and lets you draw the shape you SEE. It's true that it's kind of a developed sense, at least in my case. I think my favorite of yours so far is the one of the wrestler, but try and get his body to have the same energy and stress you got in the weights, that will take it even further.

[Myllys]

Today I didn't have too much time but still I wanted to do something so I tried using colors again. Its way hard and still everything, I do with colors, more or less sucks. Well I hope with time and practice it'll get better. It's just kind of difficult to even start anything when you know it's doomed before you even pick the pen For this one I used a little bit green for the left side shadows and warmer tones on the right side.

[Myllys]

A random character sketch from imagination. I'm having a hard time inventing the light and the shadows. I guess I should practice geometric shapes from reference?? Blaah.

[Myllys]

I made a still study of my wrist watch, using only hard edged brushes without any pressure sensitivity. So I tried to evaluate all the colors. Actually it wasn't such a good target because most colors are basicly different shades of gray. Damn, I should've thought about it before going at it. Well, it was still hard for me to pick the colors. I should do more of these stills to get the hang of it. The perspective is totally off, because I just focused on the colors.

[Myllys]

I made a photostudy with colors. I suck at skin tones and drawing faces. I don't know why but I have a tendency to make all the females look like transvestites. Maybe it's because of low resolution, so details get difficult. Anyway, also the tones on the face are all screwes up. Its very discouraging and frustrating.

[GoGoJojo]

Let's see the photo you worked with. Until then, the problem could be that there is not enough contrast in the contours of the face (trannies do tend to pancake on the make-up).

[Myllys]

Gogojojo - Here's the link to the foto. http://babeaudit.com/image.php?img=j...na%20Margulies

The references resolution is propably fine but the the resolution I work with is propably too low (698x1829 pixels). At least it is in face area, any where else its enough. I tried to paint with big, hard edged brushes with opacity 100% so I'd have to find the colors my self and actually learn something. But then with the face, I have lots of problems, because thats difficult to do without going to details. i dont know...

[Myllys]

Today I made a value study using photograph as reference. I used again only hard edged brush with 100% opacity without blending. Trying to improve my eye for lights and shadows. It's difficult like this but still trying to get the hang of it.



A speed paint without reference. ( And it shows)



Couple of hand studies from reference (Hogarth). Actually biggest challenge is to draw them digitally



Then a landscape speedpaint from reference. The colors are bit off. Still practicing this color stuff.

[GoGoJojo]

Okay, so for now my highest tech illustrating device is MS paint, but I tried. What I think your problem is is that the nose and mouth were placed to low, and that was what was making it look more masculine. You can have me delete this post if it's too bad.

[Myllys]

Yeah. Thanks JoJo. It's so weird that I didn't see it myself. Now that you mentioned it, its obvious. The long nose and the wrong placement of the mouth gave her the "horsey" look Maybe I should give her another go later.

[GoGoJojo]

Phew! This makes me happy that I was able to help. I'll keep looking in to see what your doing!

[Myllys]

I started with 90 sec poses from posemaniacs. Immediately when I take longer time for these, I start drawing slower, and actually get the same amount done as in 45 secs. Weird.




Some Loomis studies with perspective. The stance of these guys is sloppy. Especially the two left ones. The last one is a little better, at least I think. But the feet are so hard. Better next practice some feet.



I also started a new portrait as a practice. I use this as a reference: http://www.pbase.com/likuohui/image/116042306
Couple of hours now used. I'm actually pretty happy with colors, but the face is killing me again. Especially the eyes, placement and shape. Also it doesn't yet have the recemblance, but I know I'll get there. Oh well, maybe a little break will help see it differently.

[GoGoJojo]

You're doing a lot better with this one! All it really needs for the face is the make-up around the eyes and more of the darker shadows, like under the lips. Good job!

[Myllys]

Hey, Thanks. After the Christmas holidays, when I get back home, I'll continue with this one.

[Myllys]

Ok. The christmas break is over. Today I made couple of digital color studies.

First one is a still drawing from life. Done only with hard edged brushes with no blending. And no, the level of the liquid didn't get lower during the process. Is that even a sentence??!




Second one is a color study. It's a portrait with a photo as a reference. Even though I'm not pleased with the likeness, i'm very happy with the colors. This is so much fun I think I may be slowly getting a little bit hang of digital. Scary...

[GoGoJojo]

Mr. Myllys, I'm happy with the colors too. Although his pupils kind of worry me, he could be having an aneurysm! I think I might just try your exercise of using only hard lines, that's a good idea!

[Myllys]

Today I didn't have time or energy to draw, because of a huge hangover. So I just did a quick self portrait using mirror. I seem to have always that same expression whene drawing. hmmm.. maybe I should try smiling sometimes. And worry not JoJo (or do you prefer GoGo?), there's good medication nowadays, so I think he should be fine.

[GoGoJojo]

You can call me Betsy if you want, that's my name. If not, anythings fine(I think). Hopefully there's medicine to help you feel better too, all I did last night was eat too much pizza. And nice Eyebrow.

[Myllys]

Today I tried this straight line drawing exercise I found somewhere here. It's not much to look at but I guess the purpose of this sketchbook isn't to show pretty pictures but to act as a journal of exercises and hopefully progress.



Also made som loomis exercises. I want to everyday try to learn at least some anatomy.



Using kindgirls as reference I drawed couple of nude studies and after them, tried to do a couple from imagination.

From ref:



From ref:



From Imagination:



What I noticed is that my shading sucks big time. I should practice it way more. Also I have hard time drawing small faces.

Also everyday I try to get something done digitally to learn color stuff. This is a landscape from reference. Actually this was very boring colorwise. And I'm not good at rendering stuff fast. So I don't know, I think for example a forest with a lot of trees and stuff would be too much. Never know how to like "suggest" leaves and branches without actually painting them all.

[Myllys]

Seems like today only carbage comes out. I started making hand studies from Burne Hogarths references, but it feel there's no point. It's just copying what I see and I don't feel I learn anything there. There's no way I can do it again from memory. I also started a landscape study with a little bit more interesting ref. But it gets too overwhelming. There's just too much stuff if the image; rocks, branches, leaves. I'd like to be able to simplify. Just to get the colors and atmosphere down, but I just don't yet know how. Aaargh! Frustrating..

And by the way, that's not snow in the bottom images. Its supposed to be holes between the leaves...

[veronica84]

tosi hyvin kyllä piiretty!!