18 Year old rookie -Help me progress? (updated 21.11.12)

[Likes2doodle]

Hey basically I'm a 17 year old from Manchester in England and I'm here to try to become a half decent artist. I am currently doing my alevels but I'm not studying art (I dropped it at GCSE) and i'm looking into getting back into it! I'll need something to do over summer now my exams are over and I used to quite enjoy art even though I was never particularly good.

Enough with the BS!







Warcraft was a bit of an addiction of mine last year so here's a Deathknight I drew from memory. I'll definitely do some fantasy based concepts and eventually design some characters so keep checking if this interests you!



Couple randoms and a hand-pose I found really tough (think it was the foreshortening)



It convinced me to recover structure:



Pretty happy with this sketch, simple anatomy practice:

[Likes2doodle]

Also just started dabbling in photoshop! Here's some extreme basics I did in the last few hours (some crap/unfinished just getting used to the tools etc)





Couple with reference (Am I allowed to post them like this?)

[Ghast]

In reference to the ballerina, really think about 3 things when it comes to the human body: the direction of the spine, the angle of the shoulders, and the angle of the hips. Then think about where to limbs are going. The torso looks pretty solid btw. other than that, keep up the studies!

[Enigmasflame]

Nice start, if you're not doing anatomy studies you're probably going to get responses such as "Look up Loomis, Bridgman....etc" so let's get that over with.

Critique: Your shading has room for improvement, there's not enough contrast, you need to increase your value range, don't be afraid to go darker, almost black in a few areas, it'll help your drawings "pop out" so to say.

Don't worry about correctly posting references, some here actually encourage it so we can give more in-depth critique.
Other than that, don't stop.

[jcpahl]

My advice would be to not worry about rendering (shading) your sketches until you can nail the line work. Good drawing is more important than good values, and if you can accurately describe the 3-d form of what you're drawing with lines, the rendering will come pretty easily anyway.

Same thing for the Photoshop; I think you'll improve faster if you put the drawing on the front burner.

[Likes2doodle]

Ghast - thanks for the reply, may try a better, slightly more detailed study of a ballerina taking your post into account soon

Enigmasflame - thanks for the post, i'll look up some of these asap I assume they're artist/thoerists kinda? As for the value range i'm currently using a load of old lead-broken pencils and printer paper so I hope that'll definitely improve quickly.

Jcpahl - thanks, i'll try some shadeless studies for you soon

[Likes2doodle]

downloaded a book by loomis going to get some figure studies from that done tomorrow just a little update! Working on a photoshop version of the deathknight and just waiting to get my new pencils/paper/b.stump so more studies inc

[Likes2doodle]

Sorry for the short inactivity, end of year coursework getting me down! This took me actually quite a few hours but it's my first fully rendered photoshop image also updated my drivers etc for tablet so I got pressure sensitivity, rendering much easier now

[Likes2doodle]

Been away a long time A2 at college is kicking my ass atm but I set aside a few hours this week and did a few concepts, hope you like them

5 minute tattoo design, unfinished and obviously would look pretty stupid at this stage but i'm thinking forearm with some design below it from the inside of elbow toward wrist.



Angelwing concept I hope to work into a character later along the line



Aaaand an oldschool stormtrooper I did via youtube video, more to come soon!
p.s ignore the background enviro I've never done environments before

[Likes2doodle]

Couple loomis reference drawings incoming later

[Likes2doodle]

Loomis!



Random features again



Wing of a demon I spent an hour or so doing, trying to widen my value range but staying in those lines where the 'bones' are was hard.



Few more inc later

[Likes2doodle]

Random Values:

[Likes2doodle]

Quick update;

Randoms:



V.Quick feather for later concept:



Ranger:

[Blunderguffer]

Looking better and better! If I'd suggest anything it would be to get a book on the basics, "Keys to Drawing" by Bert Dodson has really helped me out for example (and still are). Helps getting some overview of the basics and the techniques. It's also good that it suggests some good practice exercises to help you grow. Getting some structure to follow and a study plan helps too. Keep up the work!

[Likes2doodle]

Blunderguffer -I appreciate the reply and I will definitely look into doing that. Being on here makes me wish I studied art at college now, feel like I'm 2 years behind average since I stopped at GCSE!

[Likes2doodle]

tried a speedpaint of Elrond from a paused screen ref while watching the first LotR, not the best but I think it's alright

[Likes2doodle]

Can someone tell me if the Elrond speedpainting in the above post is showing for you guys? It's not for me...

Also stayed in tonight cause im pretty ill so decided to read some of the book 'Keys to ' I managed to get on PDF and also spent my first 40 mins ever on posemaniacs.

Results are below





(painting tinted glass was f****** hard)



(Plan to do more of these but this page took me way too long, gotta practice doing them fast also)

feedback of any kind is madly appreciated

[Likes2doodle]

The start of a biomech concept im working on, far from finished but I needed an update. I'm really struggling to get a metal effect so tips appreciated... I plan on finishing this rendering and then detail in later similar to the head

[Likes2doodle]

lack of posts is discouraging but I'll continue to do my best, keep an eye out anyone who's viewing

[liquorbleu]

Most important thing is that you draw as much as you can! I think it would be really helpful to you to try and sketch some things from life, or try sketching some stuff of other artists you like that have a good sense of anatomy.

[Likes2doodle]

thanks mate, i'll do some stuff tonight if I end up staying in

[iamthefers]

Hey i did a quick paint-over of your metal Guy, this is the way i draw metal. Hope this helps you. I think you need to look at metal more often and try to paint it not from your thoughts but from some reference

[bringer]

You got some good stuff working here. My suggestion is that you practice your drawing more before you move on to values/color. Also, it is way harder to learn if your going to only use a tablet (Personal experience). Work more on your basic drawing and linework and eventually you will get to paint awesome knights and robots, practise is key.

[merl1n]

Hey, you are on the right track. Do live studies - the more the better. I'd also suggest to apply to some local figure drawing class. You will get feedback right away, while you are drawing.

keep it up

[Likes2doodle]

Iamthefers- paintover is a massive help and seeing you go the extra yard means a lot, will definitely keep a ref pic boxed up when i continue my mech )

Bringer- regular line drawings bore me to death but between your post and reading some of 'keys to drawing' about what you see instead of what you know, shapes etc I'm gonna do some asap

merlin they're on the way mate
also I'm from Manchester I don't even know if any exist here, regularly at least...Nor would I find the time but i'll definitely keep it in mind for maybe over xmas hols

Keep it coming lads

[Likes2doodle]

while i'm here throwing up a few very average sketches I did while watching Inglorious Basterds, scanner didn't do them justice imho, particularly Lt. Raine :3

[Likes2doodle]

MORE UPDATES since you guys just want me to practice (:

an unfinished ref of a frame from Inglorious Basterds trying to learn how to guess colours (not going so well)



and an extremely femenine and unproportionate Frodo from Lotr, also from still frame.



Note to self: Practice hair LOL

[lemming-clone-]

Nice studies so far! Definitely heading in the right direction in getting a solid foundation. (I gave myself a foundation in anime cause I'm dumb and I spent years trying to reverse it.) Anyways, I have one question: Have you been introduced to the magical art that is sighting/measuring?

[Likes2doodle]

Nice studies so far! Definitely heading in the right direction in getting a solid foundation. (I gave myself a foundation in anime cause I'm dumb and I spent years trying to reverse it.) Anyways, I have one question: Have you been introduced to the magical art that is sighting/measuring?

What do you mean by 'solid foundation'? Just the style I draw/paint in?

And not that i'm aware of? I'm definitely all ears if you feel obliged to teach me

[ezekrialase]

this is a good start, keep it up and you will be great!