TheFallenAngel's sketchbook (just trying to learn...)

**TheFallenAngel** · January 5th, 2011, 10:00 AM

Hello all, I'm a 16 year old living in London, currently in sixth form. I feel like I've picked the wrong college, since all I want to do is draw, draw and draw, even in the middle of lessons... But anyway, I really want to get into an art school foundation course in about a year and a half, I don't do Art for A-level and I only got a rather crappy C at GCSE level, so I need to work my ass off.

Now, I've been kinda scared of posting, since I've seen some mindblowing work here on CA, but I figure we all need to start somewhere, right?

So without further ado...

**TheFallenAngel** · January 5th, 2011, 05:28 PM

Sketch of Captain America I did today, after remembering a friend's recommendation to try comic style shading. Used 5H pencil, couldn't be bothered to get a darker one so I just went with it, explains why it's so faint in a photo.

**TheFallenAngel** · January 17th, 2011, 02:00 PM

Sorry for such a long delay, been having exams, not much time to do art. So, these are my pretty much first serious(ish) attempts at digital art. Each was done in SketchBook Mobile, on my HTC Desire HD (4.3 inch screen), with my finger. Bloody hard to get used to, but hey, practice makes perfect, no?

**TheFallenAngel** · January 19th, 2011, 04:46 PM

Tried going a little further with Loomis studies, though I still need to practice the rather simplified skeleton too. Used it to make the chained guy, who was meant to be Jesus, but morphed into something else.

Also starting to look at Bridgeman's "Constructive Anatomy", this is the first study I've done from it.

P.S: do you guys think I should add a background to the chained guy?

**Velocity Kendall** · January 19th, 2011, 05:39 PM

Good work. That fist looks cool

**Brandon Pilcher** · January 19th, 2011, 05:47 PM

To be honest, the hand in the first picture looks iffy to me, but since I suck at hands myself, I can't give you a good critique that will help you fix it.

**TheFallenAngel** · January 19th, 2011, 05:53 PM

I know, but it was done 2 years ago, in the middle of my maths lesson, for a doodle, I think it's not too bad. Maybe I should have a disclaimer on old stuff...

**gurzy** · January 19th, 2011, 08:30 PM

Hey! I like your Bridgman and Loomis studies. Keep on practicing everyday! You did a lot more than I did when I was 16 ^^. Thanks for dropping by my sketchbook

**TheFallenAngel** · January 24th, 2011, 02:33 PM

Blergh... I really have got to kill this damn laziness. Got a Wacom Bamboo, so I've been playing around with photoshop for the first time. Not really drawing, but screwing with text effects and wallpaper ideas.

Here's a little ongoing sketch, just to get back into the habit.

**TheFallenAngel** · January 24th, 2011, 03:31 PM

Sketch finished. I think it may have been better in pencil, but hair, fur or such textured stuff is a nightmare for me, so I figured I'd go with pen.

Personally, I'm OK with it(though I may have screwed up the top of his head/fur bit), but please, do give some crits of your own!

**Leo_7** · January 26th, 2011, 12:06 PM

thanks for stopping by my sketchbook, your Bridgman and Loomis studies look nice. I think the lion looks great, just keep it up and try to draw everyday

**TheFallenAngel** · January 27th, 2011, 01:30 PM

My first CS5 digital... piece... thing...

**TheFallenAngel** · January 31st, 2011, 05:03 PM

Oh procrastination... Trying to get into loomis figures, man, I really need to work on doing them smaller.

**TheFallenAngel** · February 24th, 2011, 03:42 PM

Well... here's my apple, also first ever digital painting. I wasn't too arsed with the stem or shadow, as I was really just looking to get blending down, and I *think* I've got it, but hey, shoot me down if I haven't.

Also thought it was gonna come out awesome but... Baby steps, right?

**ranunkel** · February 24th, 2011, 04:04 PM

Nice anatomy studies you got here! About the apples, push the shadows even deeper to make them more 3D!

**TheFallenAngel** · April 9th, 2011, 10:03 AM

Well... it's been a while. Exams are coming up in 5 weeks, so I haven't had much time to do art (as well as laziness). Here's the more recent stuff.

The dragon, I've been meaning to scan in and colour digitally, as well as colouring it with pencils.

The woman was done from a memory of someone I saw in the street, didn't really use ref, which I think shows, especially on the jaw line/chin.

The beast thing is just something I've got planned, not quite sure where I'll head with it.

As always, please crit and offer suggestions!

P.S: I just got my first brush pen. Any tips on how to use them?

**TheFallenAngel** · April 10th, 2011, 01:05 PM

Alright, some stuff I've done today, not finished, but hey. I've started colouring this lineart, but I'm not quite sure how to go about the shading and such, can anyone offer me advice please (I want to make it a sort of realistic style)? I'm quite new to digital painting, as is clear.

(I never do manga, but used this for the sake of simplicity, didn't want to dive into something too difficult)

**TheFallenAngel** · April 19th, 2011, 08:00 PM

This is an ongoing colour version of the dragon I did earlier, my second serious digital painting, I think I might be getting the hang of it! I'm a bit slow, but I think speed will come with practice.

**APW** · April 19th, 2011, 09:05 PM

16 year olds unite!!! haha cool stuff dude!

**bWorx** · April 20th, 2011, 09:29 PM

aye mate, thanks for droppin by at my sketch book.
Not sure if Im seeing it right, but from the the first post, compared to your last update, I see great improvements mate.
Keep it up and keep drawing and doing what you love to do. Can't even remember if I can draw that good when I was 16

**AlexTooth** · April 21st, 2011, 06:06 AM

Nice practice, all looks good progress, be nice to see some more colour studies, life, photo etc.

**mike butkus** · April 22nd, 2011, 06:05 PM

Great job Alex, i an really impressed with your drawings and dedication, again good job.

Cheers
Mike

**T_Marasà** · April 22nd, 2011, 06:45 PM

I can definitely see improvements just in this first page,your drawing from imaginations are coming along nicely and your anatomy studies are progressing well (do as many as you can of those), I'll be sure to drop by from time to time to see your artistic growth!

**TheFallenAngel** · April 23rd, 2011, 04:36 PM

bWorx: Thanks man, I always end up thinking "Crap, I need to get good before I get old!" lol

Alextooth: Thanks. I'll try some studies when I can, but exams are looming so...

Mike: Name's not Alex, sorry lol

T_Marasa: Thanks man, I really appreciate the support! Though I must warn you, I am a notorious procrastinator lol

Been working the dragon for HOURS now. Had some slight issue with the sketch layer being shifted slightly so I had to clean up all over again. I'm having some trouble with the fur, can anyone give me some advice?

Here's how it looks so far

**TheFallenAngel** · April 23rd, 2011, 04:47 PM

Also, for shits and giggles, here's something I did with a mate on the whiteboard in my English Literature class lol (Yes, it's a copy of the NightMare from my first post, and yes, those are our signatures)

**TheFallenAngel** · April 25th, 2011, 04:39 PM

Been swamped with coursework and exam prep lately, which seems to be putting a dampener on my inspiration and motivation to work. Here's the only thing I've done recently, a copy of a silhouette by Quigleyer, as I've heard great things about starting designs with this approach. Hope you don't mind, Quigleyer, but give me a shout if you want it removed.

Also I've heard people telling others to focus on traditional mediums before going digital, so should I?

**TheFallenAngel** · April 28th, 2011, 01:31 PM

Just a quick eye study. God, drawing with my tablet is so hard!

**Partisan** · April 29th, 2011, 04:01 AM

just keep it up its a long and hard road to go but since youre only 16 you got all the time you need , a real advice .... no matter what you think that could be cooler than practicing drawing in the next years ... it isnt ! believe me I wasted years doing other stuff just to realize that I should have practiced drawing. To be real good at art is just a killer experience and there a few things in life that can live up to that ( being a astronaut or a formula 1 driver ....maybe ) so stick to it even if your friends might talk you into partying or stuff like that .....yeah for the moment it sounds cooler and you even might loose some of your friends during this but believe me the friends and acquaintances and skills you end up with when you stick to art are more than worth it . So...keep it up man !

so long
Seb

**skMOP** · April 29th, 2011, 10:47 PM

Here's a tip for drawing with the tablet:

Turn off the pen pressure for opacity, it'll force you to try and get the values right instead of guessing with pressure. (adjust the opacity manually by pressing 2 for 20%, 5 for 50%, etc.) When you're first starting out with a tablet, the pen pressure can make your values look "muddy". It may seem worse to have no pen pressure for opacity at first, but it'll help you improve. Just experiment with it.

Just a tip, other than that, you gotta just keep practicing with it and you'll adjust.

**Rhubix** · April 29th, 2011, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by Partisan

a real advice .... no matter what you think that could be cooler than practicing drawing in the next years ... it isnt !

I semi agree. Better then shutting yourself in a basement and drawing yourself into a crazy hermit I recommend taking your drawing with you.
Draw your friends at the beach, at the bowling alley, the park, the pub. Be that guy that is always drawing. Draw on the bus, when your in the bank line, sketch whatever's around you.
Having a sketch partner is even better. Me and a friend hang out at the park or at a coffee shop once a week to sketch and compare notes- it's very motivating.

In the mean time, I had a little fun with your dragon.
1.) When your shading the key is to know exactly what your light source is and the shape that your trying to shade.
I always draw an arrow as a reminder and visual guide and I like to do a quick wire frame (2) over my drawing to determine what areas are facing the light and then block in quick areas- the lightest, middle, darkest areas and refine from there.

3.) If two areas are facing the same direction they should have similar tones.
Another super big help is to look at your painting in black and white.
Here you can see the two pieces of the tail are facing a similar direction but your rear piece is darker.

4.) Hair /fur should also be treated in a similar way. Areas that are facing the light are brightest, away from the light are darker.
Weather you use a simple 3 tone manga style or a fully rendered realistic style the basics are the same.

You've got lots of fun stuff in your sketch book. It needs more not so fun stuff, like studies. Perspective / lighting /rendering / life drawing -
The loomis stuff is a good start. I really like Bridgeman for anatomy myself.

Hope this helps a bit. Keep on toughing out the studies

. When I was 16 I was pretty terrible but I make a living in the animation industry- so it's 100% doable