ssandulak's sketch pad - diving into digital awesome (Update March 5th)

**ssandulak** · May 19th, 2011, 02:55 AM

One last update before sleep (I know, sleep is for the weak, but still

) Did a bit of cloud work...kind of want to keep the contrast I had on the ship she's standing on though, then I'll have to make her more overcast as well. Would make sense if the part of the ship she's on hangs over her as well, so probably what I'll do. Night all.

**ssandulak** · May 25th, 2011, 09:52 PM

So, more stuff done in the last couple of days. Bit more progress on my sky pirate lass. And a bit of fan art for one of my favorite mangas. Went for something a bit more dynamic than usual with the pose for the 2nd one. At times I like it and at other times it irks me...we'll see how it goes in the end

Also a quick speed paint from a Game of Thrones screen cap (and of one of my fav chars, A Lannister always pays his debts

)

Taking me a long time to go about it this way and I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to end up adding color

Perhaps I should try working in color with an adjustment layer over top to keep the values/contrast where I want them. Might save some time...who knows?
In any case, crits/comments welcome as always.

**ssandulak** · May 29th, 2011, 01:45 PM

Couple updates, bit more done on Zoro. Also a quick speedpaint (1hr) of a woman off characterdesigns.com (very cool site, check it out if you haven't). Will be posting a couple more pages of studies also, bit of bridgeman. Crits/comments welcome as always.

**ssandulak** · May 29th, 2011, 10:59 PM

Bit more done, think I've got the b&w portion of Zoro done (save for a bit of texture in some areas). Looking back...have a plan for a background in mind next time...cause trying to come up with something now is killing me

Crits/comments welcome as always.

**Bing!** · May 30th, 2011, 02:07 AM

heeey! im really liking the grayscale study of the chick off characterdesigns! i love zoro's pose! maybe try to make the hand on the left a little bigger..and his butt seems a little flat..it looks right in the sketch phases though...lol..and as for adding color...try setting a layer on overlay...or on color..maybe that will help..unless you were talking about avoiding those approaches all together.

**The_Flying_Dutchman** · May 30th, 2011, 04:42 AM

Very cool so far, good seeing all the quick figure sketches, they make for a solid foundation, so keep it up! Maybe try more opaque/hard-edged brushes on the digital pieces? This generally makes for a more assertive and less airbrush-looking image.

Keep posting!

**ssandulak** · May 30th, 2011, 11:02 AM

Bing! - Thanks for the crits. I see what you mean about his butt heh, not sure how I missed that hehe. Also made the hand a bit bigger on the left too, good call. Still might need to make it a bit bigger as it seems a little off, though I think that might be the shadow on the right hand making it look bigger than it is. As for the pose, I've scaled back the dynamic and just hoping to get a more realistic one in it's place (though One piece is all about the crazy

)

The_Flying_Dutchman - Totally agree with you there dutchman, I've been using just the standard hard round, but with transfer on for the opacity. And that is one of the bigger things I have to work on, making those large confident strokes really does add to the piece and you can see it when it's missing

How's the torso looking? Got a few comments in the critiques section that it looked a bit off so sharpened up the torso a little and moved the right shoulder in. Also added a hint of color to the face just to mess around and kind of get an idea of how I'm going to add color. Thanks for checking in though, and keep the crits/comments coming all.

**ssandulak** · June 3rd, 2011, 01:31 AM

Couple more updates. Bit more work on Zoro as well as a couple studies. Doodling my stylus stand, a magneto (from x-men first class, which I'm definitely checking out this weekend

) and various warm up doodles (so ashamed of quality, but ah well). Crits/comments welcome as always.

**ssandulak** · June 18th, 2011, 02:25 AM

Couple more updates, mostly studies (some Bridgeman and some Peck), bit of an update on my pirate girl (switched the pose around a bit and tightened up a couple of things).
Really took my time on the head/eyes and studied what I was doing so less quantity, more quality/learning

Crits/comments welcome of course.

**JFierce** · June 18th, 2011, 02:34 AM

Looks good studies are definitely spot on. Knew exactly who they were at first glance.

For constructive crits. For the Zoro piece I think if the legs are facing that way he's twisting his body around quite a bit. Probably more than would be natural. Since it looks like his chest is pointing a tad towards us I think I see. If you switched the legs to a bit more sideways I think that would be a more comfortable and natural pose. Just my 2 cents.

On the last one the perspective in the foreground is bugging me a little not sure what it is. If its what she's standing on or possibly just that what she's grabbing and how that area is a bit less defined so it's harder to tell where it stands I suppose.

But still looks good nonetheless =)

**masterpug** · June 18th, 2011, 02:50 AM

Dude, these are really some seriously cool works. The gray scales are coming along really nicely. I like the sketch work you are doing and the development for digital. You have a really strong start here! I feel like some of the poses could be a little more fluid as the people feel a tad rigid. But the application of the light is spot on. Maybe just some life drawing? Just to loosen it up a little. Either way, looking forward two what you come up with!

**ssandulak** · June 20th, 2011, 12:25 AM

So, a little more work on the sky pirate girl. Changed the pose ( I know I know, again). But I'm happier with it now. Though I really should tighten things up a bit at a time all over instead of zeroing in...cause this is taking forever

Also another quick piece of fanart I'm working on. Lord I hope I don't have to explain who it is

1hr and a half on it. Got a couple more bits of anatomy work I'll post another time (too lazy to grab the scanner).

JFierce - Ya, the Zoro pose I've been struggling with. His pose is definitely possible (did it a whole bunch just to make sure). Just seems my rendering of it is a little lacking as I get that comment a lot. As for the perspective on the sky pirate I think you were right. I extended the canvas and drew out what would be there and it seemed off. Ground still a WIP but the pose should look more natural now. Thanks.

masterpug - You're absolutely right, the pose is one of the things I struggle with to be honest. Been doing a ton of gestures from posemaniacs while I look into finding a local life drawing or sketch group

Thanks for the comments folks and any crits/comments welcome.

***Complete side note*** Check out Game of Thrones if you haven't already, so good

**ssandulak** · June 27th, 2011, 01:09 AM

Updates updates! Some more work on my sky pirate and finished the linework on megaman. Also going to be starting on the latest Chow (getting in nice and early so I can actually finish one).
Crits/comments welcome as always, thanks.

**ssandulak** · July 4th, 2011, 08:04 PM

More stuff, started on the last CHOW very briefly but didn't get far. I'm just going to have to dive in as by the time I finally settled on a pose or basic setup that I wanted the week was over. So I've got a couple more bridgman studies with the start of this weeks CHOW.
Crits/comments welcome as always.

**ssandulak** · July 10th, 2011, 06:20 AM

WIP of my entry for CHOW 251, almost finished the greyscale. There's a bunch of things I'd like to add, but the deadline is coming up so I'm just gonna have to polish off the greyscale and get started on the color. Crits/comments welcome (for all 1 of you who browses CA at this time of night

)

**ssandulak** · August 8th, 2011, 11:54 AM

Alright some new stuff, mostly unfinished (whats new right?).
Have a couple hours I spent on the wasteland wanderer CHOW. Doing my usual greyscale first. And about 5-6 hours on Eye-gouger the Orc (CHOW 255).
Just kind of dove into color with eye gouger as I was curious to how it would go. Can't say I'm completely satisfied but I learned some new things and that's what matters

Also attached a step by step gif for those who like those kinds of things (me me me).
Crits/comments welcome as always.

**ssandulak** · August 16th, 2011, 01:21 AM

Felt like doing a random zombie (Walking dead ended a while ago and I've always been a huge fan of the comic itself so

).
5-6 hours or so. My coloring is certainly a long ways off, but I'm liking doing the detailing mostly in color, seems to save quite a bit of time.
Have like, half a sketch book of stuff to scan, but scanner crapped out so ah well (mostly studies and various anatomy gobbly de gook so you're not missing much).
Values seem...really off on my monitor, compared to what I'm posting, let me know if the contrast is wonky. I am dual screening with my tv being my main so that's likely the problem. Anyone know of a good way to calibrate to a sort of "standard" everyone can see properly?
Crits/comments welcome of course. Thanks.

**ssandulak** · August 20th, 2011, 03:06 PM

Another update, mostly stuff in my sketchbook I can't scan. But did some more work on the zombie. Crits/comments welcome as always.

**ssandulak** · August 22nd, 2011, 08:47 AM

Alright, calling the zombie done. Time to move on. Crits/comments welcome of course. Included a detail shot and a progress gif (I love these things). Just another morning tinkering away with the wacom...and drawing stuff too. People who get to do this stuff for a living are really living the dream. Someday!

**ssandulak** · May 28th, 2012, 09:03 PM

New piece I did a little while ago, 12-15 hours. Trying to get back into the swing of things. I really need to get some kind of calibration tool as this looks crazy different on both my monitors

Anyone got any suggestions?
Crits/comments welcome as always.

**elephant´s stroke** · June 15th, 2012, 08:30 PM

Hi there, great studies and your concepts are good too. keep practicing i see a lot of potential here.

Cheers.

**ssandulak** · June 18th, 2012, 01:43 AM

Thanks elephant, everyone needs a good ass pat now and then

Any ways, here's the latest. Didn't make it in time for the finals thread (CHOW 292) because I was stuck at work but figure I'd post it here for the heck of it.

The background is meh and it could use some more polish overall, but overall it doesn't make me want to kick a kitten through an electric fan...so that's a step in the right direction.

**Capt Surge** · June 18th, 2012, 01:46 AM

Your art skills kill mine, keep going I wish to see more ^_^

**ssandulak** · June 19th, 2012, 11:43 PM

Couple of studies using a different way than I usually use to try and render it. The other is my start on the weekly for this week's CHOW, the keymaster.

**ssandulak** · June 24th, 2012, 01:20 AM

Finished the keymaster for CHoW 293, not super happy with it but glad I finished. Painting the water was pretty fun though.

**ssandulak** · June 26th, 2012, 05:30 PM

A couple of random studies (materials and using only the lasso tool) and updated the keymasters face...I submitted the other one but it just bugged me too much

**TYPH0NI5** · July 6th, 2012, 07:23 PM

Epic work! Really liking your character design shows a great understanding of form and value. You haven't posted in a while and im eager to see more

**ssandulak** · July 9th, 2012, 11:57 PM

Couple of random heads doodled, with a new piece I'm working on. Trying a new process to see if I can perhaps speed things up. Just laying down the basic lines with a rough value and doing most the heavy lifting with the color. There will be a lot more foliage on Ivy herself and I plan to have Batman pinned down by plants also. Always been a big fan of the Sirens, maybe I'll do Harley or Catwoman next

Still pretty early (6-7 hours so far), but crits/comments welcome as always.

**phoenicorn** · July 11th, 2012, 08:56 AM

Nice sketchbook. I hope you don't mind but I have featured it on my blog http://www.artfreck.com/wp/art-revie...aks-sketch-pad
Just PM me if you want it taken off.

**ssandulak** · July 11th, 2012, 08:31 PM

Nah that's cool. Pretty awesome in fact. I do agree with you in that I need some color theory work. I'll have to look into some books on the subject.
Figure I'll post a bit of an update on the Poison Ivy pic, should be done relatively soon, mostly just tightening things up now.