Ninsei's Sketchbook - 'Draw Better' challenge accepted

[Ninsei]

Let's get the party started then.

I'm a beginner. I have some skills in PS painting, and I will probably show some of my 'finished' paintings but I'm not that proud of them. I need to learn and PRACTICE with basics. I draw quite well from photographs, not bad from life, and poorly from imagination (too little practice I'm afraid) but that's only my judgment and I will appreciate any criticism, suggestions, anything that could help me draw and paint better.

I have a problem with 'too much too soon' attitude, I just hate thinking that I cannot make my imaginary visions come true, due to my skill limitations I easily give up and don't do anything, making excuses like no mood/inspiration/time, thinking 'I'm too proud to show my weaknesses, I'm too proud to HAVE weaknesses'.
I change this attitude here and now, with small kick in the ass from you, I hope (not that I'm addicted to such pleasures, but I need it now).
I seek motivation. And I will find it!

I've done some anatomy sketches recently (for my humble portfolio for Visual Effects course), everything drawn from photographs.
I shall be posting at least every two days. If not, then me. [Edit: I would be dead some 100 times by now ].

[Ninsei]

Some face sketches, from photographs.

[Ninsei]

And few animals, from photographs as well.

Next sketches soon. My main aim right now is to do some very thorough human anatomy training.

[maolaosan]

I'll be glad to be the "ass kicker"!! and after kicked enough times,ass will become engine.Actually I have same problem with you(used had)--too lazy and too easy to give up.So ... let's kick each other!

[OakLeaf]

Nice start!

[Ninetales]

Hey there I like your attitude now. I had the same problem as you: Being too proud and ambitious and always wanting to show my best. So I didn't practice anything that I wasn't good at because the result didn't look good and so I easily gave up.
I've overcome that now to a certain degree and it's really liberating.

I like your anatomy sketches, but for further studies I'd recommend starting from zero, with the bones and individual muscles. The heads are nice but try make them symmetrical, they tend to be a bit akew

Go go go! Nice start! ;D

[Naidy]

Hey, mate! Not a bad start. I think your torsos are looking good, I'd pay more attention to legs/feet and the planes of the head though. Some anatomy studies would really help you out there.

Oh, and Loomis! If you've heard of him. His books are brilliant for begginer artists like ourselves. I think the "Drawing the head and hands" along with "figure drawing for all it's worth" will help you out loads.

Another thing; Some of your portrait studies look a little like you've rubbed the pencil to shade it, try to abstain from that as shading gradually with pencil will ALWAYS top smudging. It's hard at first but you can have goes at shading spheres softly to tackle that.

Anyways, hope I haven't been rambling. Like I said, you're onto a good start. Keep up the studies, mate. And good luck!

[Ninsei]

maolaosan thanks, I already feel a bit more motivated if you ever needed some kicking going on, I would gladly help!
Bunrt-Ice Thanks!
Naidy Thank you for your help Yes, I've heard of Loomis, I think I have both of books you suggested. I was a bit afraid to use them though, probably I'm not used to old books, especially art ones, but I will definitely give them a try!
I did use Barber's 'The Complete Book of Drawing' and 'ImagineFX Presents Anatomy' but I didn't go through all topics and exercises.
And about smudging - I must admit it's hard to stop! But I think I understand why gradual pencil shading is better - it's easier to control for sure. I promise I'll stop smudging and work on proper shading technique

[CarbonBased]

Thanks for stopping by. Naidy pretty much summed up everything you need to hear right now, from what we can see. I'll just say that when it comes to anatomy books don't just read them or look at them, copy everything. Names of bones or muscles don't matter, copying does.
Keep on posting.

[Ninsei]

Just to show you I'm not lazy bum.
Quick sketch of my bf sitting with his laptop plus a cup (both from life) and face from photo reference.
More to come.

[Ninsei]

And now some work with Loomis' 'Drawing the Head and Hands'.
I start to realise how little I can! I cannot shade properly, neither draw anything. Or maybe it's just a bad day? I feel like I didn't manage to do even half of what I would like to do today. Well, anyway I can see there's a long journey ahead of me
I hesitated to upload these but hey, 1. it's just exercises, they weren't supposed to be pretty 2. I can't fool you, so I will just get over it.

[Ninsei]

Just a quick update!
It's hard to explain but today I feel I've learnt something! It appears this knowledge needed some good night sleep.
I'm learning face planes. Yesterday I kind of thought that it's pointless but today I see the point very clearly. How dumb was I, eh?
I guess I will be doodling all day today, I feel good energy flowing through my veins, thanks to this little progress I made!

[Ninsei]

Well, I should have posted on Thursday but I just couldn't make myself scan... But fortunately that doesn't mean I didn't do anything. I did a little bit of work every single day since the last post, I'm really proud of myself! I have a problem with persistence but it seems that I can overcome it!
Some of my sketches look horribly slanted, I need to remember to sit straight when I'm drawing

[Lagarto]

interesting studies keep them up. be careful, when putting the head in perspective, you don´t mess up it´s structure --> http://conceptart.org/forums/attachm...1&d=1328968460

[Ninsei]

Lagarto Thanks for a visit Yeah, as you can see I'm still having trouble with heads in perspective But I hope it will come to an end soon, I'm practising every day!

[Ninsei]

In the meantime, some of my 'finished' Photoshop arts.
What do you think?

[REONIN]

nice studies, keep it up!!!

[Ninsei]

Studies continued.
Intending to draw a little bit more than I do every day. I have huge amounts of free time, why to waste it?

[SaiVix]

Nice stuffs. Keep up the good work.

[Ninsei]

SaiVix - Thanks for a visit!

Yesterday I realised how little I know about pencils and how to use them. I usually sticked to 2B wooden pencils and didn't put much thought into it. I hate marks remaining after erasing, but I didn't think I could just use lighter pencils to put first lines on paper and then finish up gradually with darker and darker ones. It's that simple, why didn't I think about it?
Well, you learn new things all your life. That's my excuse (poor one).

Waiting for my new pencil and kneaded eraser! I bought Staedtler 925 Drafting Pencil, so I will be trying mechanical pencils/lead holders now. I suppose it may be it as I hate pencil sharpening, and I used to draw a lot with pens at school, so most probably I'll be more comfortable with something more pen-alike. Apart from that, of course I love what I've seen can be achieved with mechanical pencils.
Anyway, now I'm collecting money to buy some proper sketchbook! For now I draw on printer paper...

[Simian Icthys]

Love the eye and mouth studies! What do you use for reference?

[Ninsei]

Simian Icthys - Thanks! I use photographs of actors, models, random people, everything found on the internet Good to have nice big library of these on hard drive!

[Ninsei]

Self-discipline fail.

But at least I came across some useful stuff.
http://art-help.tumblr.com - some tutorials and quotes
http://chronicdoodler.deviantart.com...rites/41008996 - Expression Reference Project - looooads of face expression references
http://www.faceresearch.org/demos/average - face average maker
http://www.artnatomia.net/uk/artnatomiaIng.html - REALLY useful tool for artists to learn facial muscles and their functions!

Full determination from now on. I can't let this three-day long uselessness happen again!
And sorry for lack of symmetry.

Edit:
AAaaah they've just accepted me at uni! Yaaay I will be making monsters for films very very soon!

[Ninsei]

Hand studies. Starring my crooked hand.

[bobtail]

Those hand studies look very good - I need to push myself to do more life-studies >.<! I think a lot of people (including myself) have the same problem of wanting to do too much too soon. Awesome to see you putting in the effort! Keep it up!

[Ninetales]

I started to study Loomis "Drawing the Head and Hands", too
It is so important to get the basics right and you are doing well. Now we only have to do a thousand studies more to get really good at it ;D

[Lagarto]

nice hand studies! keep doing those studies and working this hard!

[Greenhouse]

Good work on your body sketches! It gives me inspiration to work harder.
I’m just about to learn the basics in body sketching.
Keep posting!

[Lulie]

You already pointed out the main thing I was gonna say, namely "eyes too high, mouth too low". Chins are larger than you think, and noses are shorter (that's the thing causing the eyes to be too high -- the forehead is okay, but because the mouth is too low, it's pulling the nose too low, which makes the eyes look high by comparison).

Keep at it!

[Ninsei]

Greenhouse - Thanks! But it's nothing difficult when you draw from photographs. I need to work harder too, to be able to draw like that from imagination.

Lulie - You see, I sometimes can't be bothered to improve what I've drawn, I just get bored/I don't want to ruin some details that came out nice. I probably start to detail and shade my drawings too early, not paying enough attention to construction. I'll try to work on that!

I have nothing to post today, I did some random things like practicing drawing circles(!). I've worked a little bit with Loomis' 'Figure Drawing For All It's Worth', but for now I only managed to draw male and female ideal body proportions.
I'm useless.
But I'll try to draw some more today.