Nexgen's journey to being an artist.

[Nexgen]

Hello everyone! I have looked around on these forums for months to get inspiration and motivation. I've been really wanting to start posting stuff, but I've been too busy with school this semester to do so.

I've been a long-time musician, but recently made the decision this semester to change my major to Artistic Studies. I've always loved to draw, and doodle as well as appreciate all art pieces. I enrolled in my first classes this semester, and loved it, so hopefully I can keep it up and progress more! I'm still not good at all, but I'm hoping to improve and get critiques on here to help me prepare for next semester! I've only taken art seriously for about a month or 2 now because I wasn't really all that motivated half of this semester.

I'm sorry for my cell phone-taken images, but I don't have a big enough scanner to work right now. Hopefully I'll get something soon to take care of that!

This is an art piece I did my Senior year in High school with graphite. I smeared a lot, but I didn't really know all that well how to do much then.




This is a piece for my Art Appreciation class I took this semester. I chose to do the Constructivism movement so I decided to do it about genocide in Africa. It was my first time using Canvas, and I'm not really happy with it, but I received an A somehow on it.



This was an Additive/Reductive piece were suppose to do of Still-life this semester. I didn't achieve photo-realism unfortunately, but I feel like I learned a lot while doing this.



Finally, this is what I just started working on. I bought Bridgman's Drawing from Life book and started working with it. Didn't have much time, but just a few little studies I started tonight.



If anyone takes the time to read/look at this, thank you very much! Any Critique would be so helpful! Hopefully I can keep this updated, and show progression

[Nexgen]

Did some more studies today, just trying to learn the basics for figures. It's tiring, but I'm glad that I'm sticking with it.





Hopefully I can update this daily, or regularly. Final exams are next week, and after that I won't have much to do, but prepare for next semester and just relax.

[Nexgen]

Haven't had much time the last few days due to studying for finals, but I've been trying to work on some studies of environments. Also trying to work on more expressive linework in my studies.





References came from Xbert's sketchbook on here( I love his linework) and a few observational studies from around my house.

Also, I just got photoshop CS5 and a graphics Tablet for my upcoming birthday, so if anyone could point me in the direction to a helpful tutorial to get started for digital painting and what not, I'd be so appreciative. Hopefully some people will start posting here, because I really want critiques and help. Thanks to anyone who takes a look.

[Nexgen]

Here's another quick study I did using photoshop. First time really using photoshop, so I'm still trying to get used to it.

[Nexgen]

Tonight is my last night studying for finals! After tomorrow I'm free and I'll be posting up a lot more stuff. I'm trying to do at least 2 pages in my sketchbook a day, but I feel like I'm still not comprehending everything well. Hopefully I can get this stuff down.

Some value studies and poses from reference/Bridgman. I can't seem to get crinkles in paper very well, as I tried to draw a crinkled package . Hand is just continuous Contour practice.

[Nexgen]

Haven't got much done lately, my grandfather has been in the hospital, and I've been having to deal with a few things, so it's been a little rough. Went to the Kimbell art museum in Ft. Worth today, and it was amazing. Did a few quick sketches of some of the environmental paintings there. Really quick, and not great, but I just wanted to see where they put their vanishing points and how they put contrast into their paintings.





I'll be getting back to my anatomy studies asap. I just get so distracted by environments, because they're my favorite things in the world. Would it be bad to study environments and Anatomy at the same time? I'm not sure if I should just 100% dedicate myself to anatomy, or if I could put a little time into environments as well.

Anyways, maybe someone will reply soon, and if so, any critiques/comments would be awesome!

[tronrobot]

Yeah bro, do both anatomy and environments. Dont ignore what u love drawing...ther will be no point. U gotta hav fun!

- studies will pay off, dont u worry. the trick is to keep going no matter what.

[Nexgen]

Thanks a lot for the reply! I'll definitely start trying to prioritize myself! I'll be doing a lot of anatomy, but I'll do a few enviro studies everyday too.

I'll be posting some more later today!