The Journey of a Rookie to Pro Artist

[Blackops51]

Hello everyone
I've been looking at everyones sketchbooks for too long now
and thought now is the time to make my own.
I'm from the UK and currently studying Games Development at College.
Im applying for animation courses this year at university and hopefully I'll be able to upload to this thread on a daily basis with some feedback.

I'm following the 'Figure Drawing - Design and Invention' book so i copied some images from there. Also did a few Posemaniac gestures and copied a eye/ear/lips from my anatomy book

Thanks

[smuli]

Good start! Some of the arms look short but the eye and ear look solid. Keep them coming!

[Blackops51]

Thanks for commenting

Copied two images of arm muscle from my anatomy book
and did some doodling lol

[Blackops51]

Having ago at digital painting



Critiques, Comments and Advice needed

Thanks

[Blackops51]

Trying a pear this time

[Lior Schiller]

Hi, I have a few comments.

About the ear and mouth in you first study, I think we worked on it for a bit but I'm not quite sure, you have "line art" for the ear and lips, but real life ears and lips dosn't have lines defining them, it's the blocks of values of light and shadow that define the shapes.

About the banana and the pear - no banana's colors will be only yellow, bright yellow and greenish yellow, there are so many hues reflecting on every object, every object is colorful. Try to see the "hidden" colors.
"hidden"= your brain tricks you because you know banana is yellow, but it's not that simple

Be great!

[Blackops51]

Drawing gestures on graphics tablet came out worse than using paper and pencil lol
Hopefully i'll upload some studies tomorrow

[Blackops51]

Some studies
Drop some comments

[Meaisín]

Looking good Blackops, keep up the grind :]!

Gestures are great - try to lay down one line that defines the pose and captures the energy, then if you have time, constructing the forms around that gestural mark will preserve the life of the pose.

Nice work starting with the digital painting too, I'm just getting in that myself. Try giving this thread a look, the advice is really helpful and the images inspirational - http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=107217.

With things like your final study, the hand, try to think about the 'shapes/forms' that the hand is made up of. You can be less concerned with the vascular system, and more focussed on how the palm may be like a box if you were to simplify the planes - George Bridgman studies will help this learning.

Hope that helps!

[BHCS]

I agree with Meaisin,

Don't go into too much detail at this stage, just keep working on life drawing. draw whatever you can. a can on your desk, ipod, computer mouse, door, whatever! to help you see values a bit simpler cross your eyes a tiny bit, detail will go, but you cans till see the forms you need to draw. don't get tied down drawing detail yet!

[Blackops51]

@Meaisin Thanks for the digital painting link, Im finding painting apples hard because
theres so many values and im only a noob painter lol

@BHCS Thanks for the advice, thats what ive ended up doing in this post because I didnt know what to upload

Dropping some quick sketches on the thread

[Blackops51]

At college from 1pm to 8pm today
so not much art done because I didnt get home till after 9 and was tired

So quickly did some 30 second gestures

[DocHoliday]

Looking good man, I appreciate the fluidity of your gestural studies. Keep it up!

[Blackops51]

Some homework I had to do for college [copying an artists work]
Really do need a new scanner XD

[Blackops51]

Couldn't upload images yesterday
Had to sort out my application for applying to university
Got tomorrow off so I should be able to upload some proper stuff

Anyway heres sum 30 sec gestures I put out

[Blackops51]

Used a female reference from my anatomy book
to do a sketch on my graphics tablet

Finding it hard to think of what to do draw on a daily basis

Crits and Feedback please

[Blackops51]

First time doing a quick digital portrait
I'll have to redo on paper some time because I dont like it at all

Crits & Advice

[Blackops51]

Quick Digital Painting

[Blackops51]

Quick 30 Sec Gestures
Need to produce more life drawings to post

[ThomasM]

things are looking good man and thanks for looking on my sb. Animation eh? I know a few people who didthat and they said it was reaaallly hard work, so its great you are putting in some time beforehand to get your drawing skills up.

My main crit would be to not sketch on your tablet yet. Although it is tempting and fun to try, the basic skill of linework with a pencil is a really strong foundation for any type of artwork so its work sticking with basics for a long time. Likewise a lot of people say you should learn things in grayscale first rather than dive straight into colour. Saying that I can totally understand wanting to use colour because its just so tempting to do and few people stick to grayscale.

You say you are struggling to think of what to draw. To stop yourself feeling demotivated give yourself some daily tasks or a weekly aim. For example this fortnight I am focusing mainly on environments to keep me focused. I'd recommend picking up almost any book by Andrew Loomis. He is the foundation many people here use to get started and teaches it well.

Good luck to you!

[ladyknowles]

I agree with ThomasM. I think if you sketched in your book with a light and heavy pencil you could get some really nice things! You're already showing that you're amazing, but I think using traditional media for figure drawings would get a better outcome...although then there's that shitty thing of having to scan them in! (Terrible when you're at uni and there's like 6 scanners for 2000 people!)

[Blackops51]

Decided to draw and scan some Bridgeman sketches before bed

[Karein]

Great, do lots more Bridgman studies, they are a massive help! Set yourself a goal such as to copy 3 or 4 Bridgman pages a week, so you will always have something to draw I suggest sticking with the pencil for the time being as well, it will help you out in the long run. Your gestures are really nice and fluid as well. Good work

[Blackops51]

@ThomasM - I'm trying to stay away from the graphics tablet but since I need colour work in my portfolio, I need to practice painting. Thanks for the advice on mixing up the work I produce, definitely going to give that a go

@LadyKnowles - Yeah I really dont like taking the time to take my scanner out and set it up. To then put it away 5mins later XD

@Karein - Definately going to be putting out more Bridgeman work

I'm following 'Bridgemans Complete Guide to Drawing from Life'
So I'm trying to draw as much images from the book as I can

[ladyknowles]

Would be easier if you could just feed the computer your pictures and they appeared on the screen!

Last 2 pictures lookin' good!

[Blackops51]

@LadyKnowles - Thanks for dropping another comment

Another Bridgeman page

[Jaunay]

Great work so far, you've really improved from you first few posts. I agree with the feedback that most people have given you. But one piece that I can give to you is to make sure you enjoy the work, there's a lot ahead of you but i think with the effort you've put in you can make it for sure.

[Solsticesun]

Agreed, you're improving! Bridgeman's anatomy sketches are great to learn kinda "planar" conceptions of all the forms of the body... hmm, I suggest doing an equal amount of drawing from life... like do a bridgeman hand, then try to do a hand from life. Just to keep from getting too used to his "blocky, planar" style. Great work so far

[Blackops51]

@Jaunary - Trying to enjoy it and put the work, though sketching anatomy aint the most enjoyable thing in the world

@Solsticesun - Thanks I may give that a go

Weren't in the mood to scan pictures
so I decided to use graphics tablet to do some more Bridgeman pages [I know I shouldn't have]

[Blackops51]

Even more bridgeman work