Fitz's Sketchbook

[JonFitzsimmons]

Hello, I am new to the forums, but more importantly I am new to art. I have a desire to become a digital painter, but I want to make sure I'm getting the basics right before I even try something too complex. I have know about CA for a long time but I've never bothered to register until today.

I will use this first post as my introduction as well as a display for my favourite piece of art that I've completed.

I am very interested in painting landscapes and environments. Characters, figure drawings, and other types of artwork don't appeal to me. I do not have the time to be able to practice sketching faces or bodies with proper anatomies. I'm not too ashamed to say that Bob Ross inspired me to paint landscapes when I was a youngin', but not to worry, I have moved on to be inspired by Albert Bierstadt.

One thing I really want to get better at is using simple brush strokes. I find my self using a size 5 brush throughout the whole painting. I did find a process that I enjoyed where the guy blurred his base colours and then painted over top of it in small brushes. The video is here: http://vimeo.com/22174150

I hope I am able to put in enough time to actually get better and enjoy some of the fantastic artists on these forums. I live the busy lifestyle of a college athlete, so once my school starts up again I don't have very much time to paint or draw. I wish I did have the time as it's a very relaxing process for me

I am really looking for people to critique my work, so please do so! I want to get better!

My favourite thus far:

[JonFitzsimmons]

Ok so although I have already posted this , I am going to post it here again because I plan to change the image in the first entry every so often.

The first image is a painting I did from imagination. It is a very rough sketch and I used two textures. I used a texture for the dirt/grass and a rough texture on the rock. I would love to not have to use these eventually.

The second image is an incomplete painting I started last month. I probably won't work on it again, but it is what it is.

[JonFitzsimmons]

Today I decided I'd sketch an object in my room. I have seen that that's what other people are doing to help them learn how to become better at drawing.

I drew my Flonase.

[JonFitzsimmons]

I just finished a cloud study. I brushed in the shadows/base with a large brush and then added highlights with a small brush... then I smudged them.

Anyone have any input on their method of making clouds? I just did a light smudge on the edges.

Also, here are 2 versions of the study. One is the original and one has a sharpen filter, contrast, and colour balance done to it after wards. Thoughts and opinions on that?

[Trisquel]

I like your landscape work, it seems to have a calming pleasant effect. Let's see some more

[JonFitzsimmons]

I like your landscape work, it seems to have a calming pleasant effect. Let's see some more

Thank you. That feeling is the reason I'm trying paint landscapes

[JonFitzsimmons]

I just did another cloud study and a rock study.

I only work on the top left part of the cloud. I tried round brushes this time to see how it would turn out.

I am really looking for advice to painting rocks. I think I have the basics down but I want to take it to the next level. I want them to be sharp, crisp clean rocks.

[JonFitzsimmons]

Another rock study here. I'm ok with this one.

[JonFitzsimmons]

Here's a terrible mountain study I did. I forgot that mountains look like a bunch of small rocks. I wrote that note to my self afterwards.

Any advice on painting cliffs and rocks? I also want to achieve a nice rough texture.

[JonFitzsimmons]

Going to start a painting soon and just wanted to put down some ideas.