Mental-Mouse Needs to Practice

[Mental-Mouse]

Hullo, Im not really good at this entire intro thing so Imma make it short.
I use to draw but stopped seven years ago. However three months ago I decided to get back into it. I've made some progress but at the moment I just feel like I have a lot of bad habits I need to expose. I am rather keen on cartooning styles.

[Mental-Mouse]

I fear posting here. A lack of confidence amongst other maladies plagued me in such a manner so as to stifle any actual progress in this one activity I find some small amount of happiness. So, as I turned yet another year older I looked back and than forward and decided that I had allowed myself to be ruled by such terrible things for far too long. For the Past few weeks than I have been driving myself to draw and practice each and every day. I've given up my games, television and other such activities that distract me. So, after almost a year without much practice I've committed myself to find myself within Five to Six year at a level where I am comfortable with putting out a project I've had stewing in my mind for almost a decade.

My college studies are concerned with Psychology and Education. Everything I learn from the, I will attempt to apply to what I draw and improve upon me negative cognitive processes.

The Uninspired: Project Page 1



This came to me in the middle of the night right before passing out. Have yet been able to recapture the likeness and feeling to an acceptable degree as of yet.

[Mental-Mouse]

Rough Layouts for Projects

[Mental-Mouse]

Still need to force myself to get started on life drawings or atleast grabbing photos. Keep on getting distracted. Though finally being able to afford medication should help.

A simple sketch for my brother I did to warm up.



And a rather NSFW and rather offensive work I doodled out just before passing out at 3am.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...afuckwhen.jpg/

[Mental-Mouse]

Tomorrow. Thats when I'll start my studies of life...





Need to widen my facial type variety. Its so lacking...

[Mental-Mouse]

Last Few Days of Cartooning Work. Started Going over Loomis' Book over Heads. Still slowly plodding through Bridgman.


Head Practice 1 by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr


sumthan special by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr


You Kin' Clean by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr


With Your Brain by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

Work Doodles...


Artificial Reincarnation by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

And refined Design of a previously posted image.


Kitty Design II by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[kevin_]

great that you got back into it! just keep at it!

[JoeS]

You have some nice sketches. Keep hammering those Loomis and Bridgman books, and keep drawing a lot!

[Mental-Mouse]

Thanks Folks! Imma keep hammerin' away till my hands fall off...than I'll use my feet.

Sketch made during lull in work this evenin'


Outrun Designs 1 by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

Brain all kinds of off today but managed to get a few sketches out at work today. Will one day have to work on proper rendering and so forth...


Mental Reference Sheet 1 by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

Should have gone to sleep...but instead I scribbled out some things from me noggin...


Sketch Book Scribbles 1 by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

Gonna go redo that face on the ref sheet to make it less displeasing to me.

Need to crack open Bridgman again...its been several weeks since I told myself I was gonna go through Drawing From Life. Gotta get beyond the first few sections...

[AllyAlbon]

Great start. Don't let the fear thing stop you - we all feel it. I have felt like giving up on a hundred occasions, but then push though it. Just think about it - in a year's time you could either draw and be better or not draw and be no closer to your goal. The year will pass either way!

Would love to see some of your work in colour.

[FightingSeraph]

I have to admit, you have a good grasp on construction, anatomy, proportions, value, line weight, and perspective to an extent. However, I agree with what Ally has said earlier.

[Psychobuddy]

You have an awesome sense for posing! Keep doing anatomy studies, and well studies of all kinds. Keep working hard, and you'll be even better than you are now!

[Mental-Mouse]

Thanks All! Im doing my best and making sure to draw at least something each day, even if its not much. I've not yet really considered coloring yet, not sure where I would start. As of now, I am working on getting less distracted and wandering off on random tangents. I think as of now my fear of stopping and going nowhere is greater than bouts of confidence loss.



Not much done today but did manage to accomplish my goal of redoing that face.
Really need to find a scanner setting that works better for my sketches. That or I might start going over the 2H lead with some B.

mentalface 2 by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[thomasgray]

You have some nice sketches.

[Mental-Mouse]

Thanks! Though I need to eventually start to work on going beyond sketching and get into more proper cleaning up and rendering. I just am not sure how to start getting myself to do that.

More Nogging Scribbles. Was at work for 11 hours and was a tad too tired to get much else done.


Nogging Scribbles by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

And Forced Myself to atleast draw something in a different way than I usually do. (For The Most Part)
I gotta love of bad bad habits to break.


Ekaterina 1 by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

Buncha Sribbles Today...

Something a Friend Requested. Done on formerly discarded pad O' Paper.


Feed Me! by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

And Some More Noggin Scribbles...


More Noggin Scribbles by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr


Even More Nogging Scribbles by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Caio Chagas]

Man, you already made a good decision. Getting back to drawing, posting on SB, these things will make you better. I would recommend you some books by Andrew Loomis, "Fun with a pencil" for you first , it deals with many aspects that could help you. After that, you just can researchon the topics you feel you have to improve, etc. Just keep doing and don't give up ^^.

[Mental-Mouse]

I know rights. Good Decisions, Need to make more of those! Like remembering to use skeletons and actually finishing going through a book. Maybe getting a physical copy of one. Staring at my laptop for readin' is all manners of annoying to my eyes. I might have some spare cash soon...I'll take this advise and grab that Loomis book and others from Amazon!

But before that...Gotta fix this in the morning. I keep on failing to use an skeletons or guides save for the noggin. Gotta Break that habit...and the entire going to bed at a responsible time too.

Hows the View by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

More Late Night After Work Noggin Doodles...


Yes, More Nogging Doodles by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

Blah...damn Diabetes actin up on me. Makin' it hard to think long enough to draw. Still trying to squeeze something out each day though...


Kitty Head 2 by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

NSFW: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2705077...in/photostream

Made the mistake, as I cannot seem to stop myself from making, of doing the body first and than trying to fit the head on. Which is to say...I got everything body wise done quickly and than spent seemingly forever to scribble in head that I am largely disappointed in. Gonna have to like smack myself each time I start that mistake.

[Mental-Mouse]

O' Hackmaster, How I love thee. Gotta get my game started soon...especially after hitting up that Reaper Miniatures Kickstarter. Just gotta hype myself up for it...so doing a few sketches to help with that!


Why do you play! by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[amaranthxx]

I really liked your sketches,...and I also liked the different style you tried in Post #18...and I liked the pose you did post #21....I would love to see a more cleaned up finished piece, but looking forward to whatever your next post is. Sorry, I can't critque much...I am jsut starting out myself...but you can get a copy of that Loomis book that was recommended mentioned for free in a pdf from Save Loomis

[Mental-Mouse]

Mwhahah! Awesome and thanks. I gotta find me some of those PDFs that lend themselves to being printed out. I find that it is quite impossible for me to concentrate on going through a drawing book if I gotta also read it off of my Laptop Monitor. Too many shiny Distractions.

As to cleaned up/Finished pieces. Blargh, I still have not looked into the previously suggested "Fun with Pencils" and still stupidly pretty much neglect any and all construction frameworks. My old doodle habits are freakishly hard for me to overcome. Just keep on throwing stuff down without much forethought or layout. D8!

Damn Noggin. I will defeat you one day!

[Mental-Mouse]

Dang Health Issues. They've been making drawing at all extremely difficult. So...really haven't done much at all in about a month now. Which sucks as I got an offer to do some concept work for some Fantasy Miniatures.
Though for some good news, I've gotten to trying out some new shadin' things. Just gotta find time and ability to practice for a prolonged period of time.


Scan-120908-0001 by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr


Ain't Nothing More by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

Mmm...forcing some stuff out during migraines. Yum...


Rat's Ass Scan resized by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr

[Mental-Mouse]

College studies pretty much taking up all my time at the moment. But still I find a few minutes to draw each day...

I was pointed to a book by a friend titled "The Natural Way To Draw" Gonna go try it out this Sunday. Give up some of the time I spend each day procrastinating.


Bang Resized by Mental-Mouse, on Flickr