Balthazarn sketchbook

[Balthazarn]

Hey everyone,

After months of lurking here without knowing where to start, here I am with my first topic (and I hope, not the last). I see a lot of really REALLY impressive artwork here, so it feels weird to post something... but hey, how can I improve if I don't try ?

So, firstly, I've been 3 years in the video game industry now, and I have a Master degree in digital art. This said, most of my digital paintings are self-taught, but I've had some decent bases in art class.

I would like to first show you a few of my paintings (I'll try to select them well for a preview).

This is a 2009 artwork, made in Artrage 2 :


Same year :


A background (2011, mix of Artrage Studio Pro/Photoshop) :


And most recent of all, these. They're speedpaintings by the way.

This took me 1H in Artrage.


This took me 30 minutes.


And last, because this was made this week (but I don't want to be posting too much either, heh) :





Critics are more than welcome of course (otherwise I wouldn't be posting you might say). I will try to keep up this sketchbook with speedpaintings/sketches as I progress.

I really hope to be faster/more precise in my digital paintings and concept in the future. I've seen that you hold weekly contests in here, that may be a good opportunity to do so.

[Balthazarn]

Other recent speedpaintings in Artrage Studio Pro.

The anatomy is completely off on the dragon goat, I think I'll draw it again someday. I've also been told on the second painting with the sky that the anatomy wasn't clearn so that will also need correction

[Balthazarn]

Current EOW on ConceptART, here are the WIPS so far...

I rarely ever do environments, so I'm hoping to get better at this. Evolved with only self-critique so far, I've heard I need to put more seaweed or something on the foreground, and I don't know how to work on the lights. Detail-wise, I'm working on this, ambiance wise, I don't know if it's nice enough so far ?

[Balthazarn]

Final of the above, plus a quick sketch

[Strilika]

I love the underwater pics. really cool

[ProxyFable]

The underwater picture looks wonderful! Not to sound rude but I hope you don't add anymore as I think it's great as it is. As for the quick sketch, I'm not exactly sure what's going on it but looking forward to finding out if you decide to continue with it!

[Balthazarn]

Thanks Well, I didn't intend on touching up the underwater picture, I prefer to move on to something new. I'll try to work up on the quick sketch or make a new perspective/composition that works better.

[Balthazarn]

Simple exercises today... canyons (reference used for both). Althought it's just copied from photos I did learn a few things by doing so. Usually hate this though x]

[Cojac]

Thanks for stopping by my sb. I like your last post, the canyons are great.

[Eulgaulois]

Hmmmm. We haven't talked for years and now we both decide to post here!!! Nice work you have. Give news, and work hard!!!

[Balthazarn]

Work in progress, fed up of working on it for now and no idea how to improve it at the moment. I will try to finish it up anyway.

[ProxyFable]

It looks good! Could work on making darker shadows? Though I'll be honest, the nose and eyes seem a bit off to me.. Anyhow, if you're fed up with it, perhaps focus time on drawing from human stock references in the meantime?? Regardless of skill level, I think it's always a good inbetweener from original pieces

[Balthazarn]

Well, I intended to have the face with a very very soft "milky" like colouring, I could make darker shadows on another one. I've had the remark for the nose and I tried to flip the picture (and I did use reference), it's majorly the eye that's a bit off, shape-wise, but not enormously. The nose, on the structure, is okay actually, after a check.

I've already corrected a few things mentionned in the critics section of the site (the ear being too pale, the shadow near the mouth that I used to contrast the nose, texture I had used on a previous version), and other things I've seen that were off.

Is this how it were an hour or so ago, and how it is now.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback I think I'll have more issue with the clothes if I don't find out if I want to put embroideries on the collar or if I try to paint a real texture.

[Eulgaulois]

Nice portrait here.
I can't give any good advice on digital painting, but to me it still has too much of that clean digital look, especially the skin and hair.
Unless this is what you looked for, you may try some more texturing or use different brushes on it.
Again, I have quite the same problem, always trying to refine more and more until it turns into something miles away from what I intended at first.
Keep up the good work!!

[Balthazarn]

Seems like I've dropped the pen for... long.

This is the only thing I've been able to put on paper, heh... lot of mistakes but I got the pose and more or less what I had in mind right. It just needs a definitive version (this is a small A4 and a quick ink).

Inspired from a scene in the Discworld books.

[Balthazarn]

No, I don't think I will be able to finish this background. It took me too long out of improvisation on both the picture and the technique (as usual, I love painting but I'm never completely sure as to how to do it).

But well, at least I drew.