Journey of an artist (traditional and digital stuff)

[merl1n]

Hey guys,

I recently changed my attitude towards art - significantly. I started working more traditionaly and less digitaly. I started going out and most importantly I finaly started studying nature in person. God, I have never done anything more clever in my life.
And that was one of the reasons why I wanted to make a new sketchbook thread. This fresh one will be filled with my newest oil, watercolor, ink, pencil, pastel and whatever comes to my mind works. I will post digitals as well.
I would be really greatful if you could give me whatever advice, comment and opinion you have. Even simple "I don't like this and I like this helps". But if you can help even more with a sincere advice or critique I will be in your debt.

Check out my old sketchbook here. I hope I don't break any rule by starting a new sb.

And finished digital paintings in this thread.

I will update this thread once a week.
And now, let's get to look at the stuff.

First comes a bunch of plein-air watercolors done during summer:


















And few drawings I have stored on my computer. They are a year old.






And couple of oil studies and we are done for today:












More is coming in next posts.

[merl1n]

Alright, let's add some digital sketches I did during last year. Check out also finished paintings here:

[Random_Hobo]

Really nice i like the black and whites and the digital is just awesome.But since you are just getting into oils try to experiment more and try different styles,anyway i like the first two oils posted.The second one has some really nice warmth in it.

[witcrack]

Good traditional pieces! as well as the digital ones. I really like that "colossal thinker". Overall, I like your mid to low key and limited colours sceneries better than your bright and colourful ones. Not much of a crit, but I hope that can be of some help. I still have a lot to learn myself.

So, how is it? Did your traditional studies had more impact to your digital pieces. Or was it the other way around? Either way, it's something I must do myself, you know, not only working in one medium. I often got scared doing art traditionally other than pencils. Tried a few... not much of a success, 'twas fun, but I really have problems with the setting up again (you know like preparing a board, painting materials and stuffs). It's the exact opposite from the digital counterparts, where all you need to do is open up a software and wait for it to load. Mess free... Did you have the same problems? care to tell how you get rid of it?

I will enjoy this thread, so keep it coming merl1n

[merl1n]

Random_Hobo: thank you, I'm only at the beginning of the artistic adventure. but I hope soon I will be able to share with you some great traditional works.
witcrack: thank you very much man! I think both traditional art and digital art have impact on each other. They are, all in all, the same in core.
Concerning your "problem", I know exactly what you are talking about. What you just described were exactly the reasons why it took me so long to kick my ass and start doing it. It's very difficult to go and paint with oils at first, but later on, you don't even think about setting things up, you just go and do it without any repression. In fact I enjoy the process now and I kinda miss it when I work digitaly.

Cheers man and come back.

I installed a new set of woderfull brushes today. I think I'm going to use them from now. And this piece is what came out when testing them.

[maths82]

Beautiful : )

[witcrack]

I better start kicking then. This time soon. No, right after this job I'm currently doing. Tonight it will be! but probly some watercolor or some pastels first (I bought them months ago, waiting for a "good time" to use it), since i've no canvas or board ready. Thanks for your answer man. You're awesome.

Now to your recent update. It looks nice, everything is seems to be in order, the lighting, aerial perspective, value range, focal points and the dynamics. To think that you are doing this to test your new brush set make it even more amazing. It shows that you know what you are doing. As I've stated before, you are good at moody sceneries but I'm looking forward to see a more bright and colourful scenery from you. Not meaning to interrupt with what you are doing or anything though

Cheers and keep sharing mate. I know I'll come back here when you do

[merl1n]

maths82: thank you
witcrack: thank you for coming back.
Yes, watercolors are quite a good start - they are ready in seconds and yeah, there is nothing like them However I highly recommend painting something live instead of imagining things. For me, observing, studying and trying to understand actualy helps in so many levels, it changes your perception.
And show it in your sb! I'll gladly check it!
Thanks again for kind words. I'm glad you like my work.

I wanted to share several "out of my window" watercolor studies I did few weeks ago. I hope you will enjoy them, because I loved doing them.

[merl1n]

Hey guys,
Few digital speedpaintings and two older oil paintings for today.

[witcrack]

Good update.... I really like this one. Nice layers of objects

[Mawh]

Hey,

these watercolors and black inks are super-super-cool. Your landscapes are nice and the first one in your last post actually looks like an oil. That brushset tryout on post #5 is really nice, it has an atmosphere ; also, the brushwork (thanks partly to the brushes themselves, I guess) is nicely sharp, if you see what I mean. Care to share that brushset's name ?

[brand2017]

My Reactions-
1st water Colors: These are really good. Your great with paints!
Reaction after painting with giant:...........Well F_#$....You make a mockery of me as well.... MORE!!!!!

[merl1n]

witcrack: thank you again man!
Mawh: thank you, I'm especially glad you appreciete my watercolors. These are min's brushes, you can find them here: . Second post.
brand2017: thank you, I will keep this thread updated even if noone likes it.

Anyway I wanted to share few 30 minutes oil studies I did during November. Well, I have lot to learn, don’t I?

Anyway I paint only on small canvas and I use only kadmium yellow pale, ultramarine blue, kadmium red and titanium white. I was advised to use this limitted color pallete to learn color relationship better and yeah, these three colours are only ones you really need.

[shockowaffel]

I cannot sop myself but wonder if there is originally a bigger time gap between the watercolour- and the digital works, since the digital ones seem so much better to me.

Or maybe you just had different approaches.

[Ricardo Robles]

that one is excellent, and I love all your watercolor work. Very loose. Indeed it helps a lot, keep doing it!

[merl1n]

shockowaffel: there is no gasp, the only difference is that I've been painting digitally for four years, and with watercolors only for four months. And another thing is that most of the traditional stuff somewhat looses it's magic when viewed on a screen.
Ricardo Robles: thank you very much man! I saw your watercolors - great!

I want to share with you today few sketches I did during past week. As you might know, there is a wonderful view from my studio and I often benefit from it in many ways. One of the ways is that it keeps me inspired. When I feel out of energy, I look out the window and bang! I feel fresh again. And the other and most important thing is that I can paint it!

Following sketches are directly inspired by that view of shining streets drowned in the sea of darkness.

All are pastel and egg tempera on cardboard. Small dimensions.

[marko markovic]

you got beautifull work man....bravo! love t palette

[takashmen]

i just scrolled down tour SB and i think i must do it all over again and again

great enviros, esp digitals, some a bit dirty
also trad paintings are nice like them all

@Edit
read your first post
can you explain why you decided to focus on trad paintings? except studying nature, you've got powerful skills in digital

i hope i make sense

some links and tips if you know them just ignore them
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=98647

http://conceptart.org/forums/showpos...&postcount=324

i can provide some more tips gather from diff SB if you like

for watercolors try not to paint with them as oils and don't mix colors on painting

ehh, hard to explain

[merl1n]

marko markovic: thank you dude!
takashmen: thank you, I didn't know there is such thread and I really apprecieate you took time and listed them.
I focus on traditional media for several reasons:

• Digital painting is not enough for me
• One must try new techniques in order to grow adequately
• Painting nature directly, with sky and clouds above your head, is so much strong experience that I cannot simply ignore it and spend my time digged in front of a computer. It's big fail when one gest comfortable and stays attached only to digital painting. You only realize what you miss when you break out of your comfort zone and try something new, in this case, working traditionaly and in plein-air.

So my advice: Dudes, work also traditionaly, otherwise you restrict yourselfs.

And to support above statement, I attached two recent digitals, the second for a client with kinda unusual tasks.

[takashmen]

thanks, i see your point and i will try to do the same

no problem about list, i'm always willing to help

and what was so unusual in the second pic?

and if you are interested in oils check
Richard Schmidt "alla prima"

[witcrack]

Hmmm pastel... I just tried that couple of days ago. I cannot yet tell if I like it or not. It's so powdery and the colours are muddy. I see that yours are too (though somewhat more enjoyable than mine ), is that how it should be? Cuz I saw some pastel by masters and they got a quite vibrant colours. I think I'm gonna do more pastels after this painting I'm working on. Still curious. heheh. Good updates by the way.

[Alrap]

Great paintings

[dave117]

You probably already know this but I think your innate ability to channel a sense of atmosphere into your paintings really shows. The abandoned snowy wasteland is definitely my favourite piece!

The pastels are also really cool.

[Damien Levs]

Enviro candy I love your work here! Going to be keeping an eye on this thread. You have some really nice work! Keep going dude...

[Saran09]

very inspiring work, loving the colour palette...!!!

[Jamie Romoser]

beautiful sketchbook you have going here
dig your outdoors watercolors
keep it up and have a good one
-Jamie

[merl1n]

takashmen: you are welcome. The foreground is flat and cartoon-like, which is kinda unusual for me. I will check that out. For now, I'm busy reading great book called "Fill your oil paintings with light and color" by Kevin Mcpherson. Up until now, it seems to be the best book about painting I've read!
witcrack: Who knows how it should be? I love about pastels the most that you can make beautiful and very soft color transitions. I tend to use palms to spread the powder so everything is usualy very dirty.
Alrap: thanks!
+dave: Ha, never mind. Atmosphere is what inspires me the most, so that's probably the reason why it always comes first.
Damien Levs: Thank you man!
Saran09: I'm glad to hear that, thank you!
OmertA: Thank you for kind words Jamie. I'm especially pleased that you pointed out my watercolors.

And today, I’d like to share with you several pastels I did about two weeks ago. I strive to capture atmosphere every time I create something and this time was no different. I painted only air (as I saw it) and light. No ground, no trees, no buildings – just pure atmosphere. I also get fascinated over and over by that glow around street lamps when there is a fog outside. I always feel like if there was something behind the fog and that something was far beyond understanding.

[takashmen]

love them all!

also will check the book

keep it up.

[merl1n]

takashmen: thanks again man!

Let's get back to beginning and paint some still-lifes. These were pretty quick, all under one hour.
The watercolor was painted at night, only under warm light of a candle. It was damn suprise when I saw how the colors looked the next morning.
The last one is oil, the rest is old egg temper. I don't have proper red, so I have trouble mixing some colors. But it's still fun.

[wasabi89]

The variety of stuff going on your thread is awesome!
These watercolors taste yummy
but this is spot on bro!

Keep it up!