The 15 minutes sketchbook (now with VIDEO!)

[Gilles]

Hi There,

It's been a while since I posted here. Due to the amount of work that came my way in the last year I've become more of a lurker again. Well, here's an attempt to break that silence with a new sketchbook.

The idea is that I sit for maybe two hours in a row a spend no more that 15 minutes on a sketch. To keep it simple I've picked one brush for the paint and one for the eraser. The first sessions I will do in black & white, when I become more comfortable with the time restraint I will try to add some color.

Hope you like my initiative and I appreciate your feedback.

Here's the first batch; They took more around ten minutes each (I was more strict with myself in the beginning)

[Steveland]

They took you 10 minutes....blimey, that's some quick work going on.

Is the top one from Killzone?

[Gilles]

Thanks mate! That's not from killzone, might have some similarities now that you mention it...

Here's a bunch of new ones. This time I wanted to practice my environment skills. I had to throw away quite a few but here are the ones I'm happy with.
I spend no more that 15 minutes on each.

[Hunin]

impressive, I especially like the bottom two environments

[Gilles]

Thanks!

Here's another bunch with a WW1 theme.

[Windmaker]

Awesome stuff! I feel that your character work is stronger than the environments though. Ssoo... would be interesting to see more of how you tackle the environments in order to improve them.
Regardless- thanks for the inspiration!

[Gilles]

Thanks, I took your advice and spend some more time on environments.

Do I need to practice more or what?! It's really hard to finish a scene in 15 minutes. I have to admit that not every single one of the sketches was done in under 15 minutes. Some have a couple of extra minutes on them... not much though. I also changed my brush, I needed something a bit more clean. Please let me know what you think of them.

Cheers.

[kischi]

great idea! great sketchbook,
I'll be watching!

[FightingSeraph]

Excellent values!

[Gilles]

Thanks guys!

Here's a new batch, this time I went for color... and that's not easy to do in 15 minutes. I also tried to capture a 15 minutes session on video but CamStudio slowed my PC down so much that painting was no longer possible...
I'll try it again on a faster PC.

Cheers.

[Jangmai]

Great idea for a sketchbook, I could really learn something from that approach. Looking forwards to more :3

[Gilles]

Thanks Janmai,

Here's a new color batch, again no more than 15 minutes (okay, I spend five more minutes on color corrections)

[Stantz]

Are the last ones took 15 minutes each too? Cause damn, that is impressive work you got here.

[Benjaminba]

Thanks for the comment in my sketchbook! You have a really strong sense for dramatic lighting; something which will always be very useful to you. Your ww1 stuff in post #5 is stunning.

Your colour work is much weaker, though, and I think you will benefit from focusing on painting from life. The colour overlays look very artificial. Do some simple still lifes (an object on your desk or something) at first. The best thing of course is to paint outdoors, but that's difficult unless you know how to handle traditional paints.. Photos are a decent substitute.

[Tomoran]

Very cool stuff. I particularly like the black and white stuff. Beautiful sense of contrast and great atmosphere.

[NickyBeats]

wow, nice stuff dude! love that japanese courtyard sketch. great stuff man, ill definately be coming back!

[Mackin]

I love your environment images! My favourite has to be the small white silhouette on approach to the huge castle-like structure!

Amazing that you can produce such things in just 15 minutes!

[Gilles]

Stantz< yes they're still done in 15 minutes, thanks

Benjaminba< Thanks for your honest opinion. I think you're right and I will see if I can find some nice reference images to paint from. Haven't done that for a while.

Tomoran< I'm glad you like to B&W stuff. I've gone back to it again. Color is just too hard in 15 minutes anyway

NickyBeats< Thank you, I'll hope to see you here again

Mackin< I'm glad you like that image. When I have an idea of what I want to paint then 15 minutes are enough (mostly) but it's still a fight against the clock!

[Gilles]

Time for a new load of 15mins sketches!... ehh yeah, this time it's a bit of everything. I also started doing some more line art, which is hard to keep clean in under 15 minutes!
I hope you like them and you feedback is very welcome!

[Rotor]

You got some great creativity going on in here!
15 minutes, damn...

[Gilles]

Thanks Rotor!

Here's a couple that took a bit more than 15 minutes. I think it was about 20 to 25 minutes each. I wanted to give myself a bit more time to finish them.

[dan liimatta]

For 15 minute sketches some of these are just wonderful - I'm very impressed, and honestly a bit downset as well given how much time I'd take

If you work at Ubisoft-Massive you might even know some classmates of mine (but not certain how the company looks at all nowadays since I have hardly spoken with them since Massive changed hands).

[RyanRyan]

Makes me want to work harder.

[Gilles]

Dan< Hey, thanks! Yeah, I work at Massive and I think there's a good chance I know the guys you know. Massive has grown a lot in the last year or two but many of the old guard are still there.

RyanRyan< Good to hear

[Gilles]

Oh, and I was supposed to post some new images too...

Here's one that took me a bit longer than 15 minutes... about 30 minutes I think.



This one was done well under 15 minutes again.

[dan liimatta]

ah nice again - really like the contrast in these two and especially the iconic strength the first - beautiful indeed.

& probably, last I heard few had left but that was awhile back, anyway if you run into Skareteg/Skaran say hello ~

[Vaejoun]

Good practice idea. I will try a time limit on my works too.
You have some very nice line- and brushwork.

[Hav0cc]

Damn, How do you manage. most of the stuff I see in here would take an hour, if I can do it at all. (I can't paint like that yet haha. practicepracticepracticepracticepractice....)

[Gilles]

dan liimatta> Yeah, I know him But I just left Ubisoft Massive to venture on to a new adventure. Will say hi to him for you if I bump into him though.
Vaejoun> Thanks, I'm glad you like the idea!
Hav0cc> Thanks, how about you give it a try? Four sketches in a hour? I would be curious to see what you come up with!

Here's my first 15 minutes sketch captured on video... and I find it hard to watch. So many things I want to improve and adjust but I have to let it go...
Let me know if you like me to make more. http://youtu.be/T9M2CVApo3M

[Samuel Gray]

thanks for sharing man. fun stuff.