Cabbage Caterpillar's Sketchbook

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Thanks Teapo! The hard brush really forces me to get the correct values, it's still looking pretty rough but I'm starting to get use to it more.

Here are some logos ideas for commission work: Yayy to pandas!

Value study

[BenjaminJL92]

Hey man great work on breaking down your values in these latest studies, loving the gestures too
Regarding the Aiken Studies in my SB, this is the guy:
http://underpaintings.blogspot.co.uk...ald-aiken.html
Scottish painter (born 1880) from the early 20th century, won the Silver prize at the Paris Salon in 1923, love his portraiture work.
Underpaintings is well worth the look if you haven't checked it out.

[Samszym]

Thanks for the comment dude! The value studies look helpful, but I still think you should apply what you learn to something from imagination to help stick it in your mind.
pandas ftw

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Ben:
Thanks for dropping by again and for posting that link! I didn't know this painter until now - I wonder why I haven't heard of him.. He is very good!! His work reminds me of Sargent combined a bit with Loomis. It's great looking at his work cuz he makes the form/planes really clear and they're really good to study from. I love the way he paints hand and clothing. I love looking at Sargent's work too but sometimes I can't see the value changes as clearly. So... thanks again for introducing me to another awesome artist I can add to my library!!

Samszym :
Hahaha.. well you certainly got me thinking about doing things from imagination.. so here they are!! I wanted to do some enviros too but ran outta time. :/ Hopefully I can get some done tomorrow.

Guess these aren't really character designs.. more like clothing/chair designs...lol

This is the ref I used for the lady's face: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9...rksjo1_250.jpg

Some really crappy characters:

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Value study from today. Reference used: http://walkingthruafog.tumblr.com/po...vintage-glamor


Afterwards, I wanted to try something from imagination and thought 'why not imagine what this whole place look like'? It ended up quite fun to imagine it! And much easier than trying to come up with something completely out of the blue. I think I will try this again with another scene

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

A really terrible study from today. @@

[vices]

hey man your studies are all looking nice. That environment from imagination is looking great I'd like to give you a comment but I haven't started doing landscapes yet, and I just barely know about atmospheric stuff for distance.

The study you did here: http://conceptart.org/forums/attachm...4&d=1362293165
has very dark values in the background even though the structure seems to be far away

Whereas this one from imagination: http://conceptart.org/forums/attachm...5&d=1362293181
the background is very far away, but has too much atmospheric noise?.. and the closest object to us still isn't very dark.. I'm not sure, just food for thought

One other thing is that your value studies are awesome. You said the last one you posted didn't seem very good. I do find for myself too that after blending the image has a much better feeling. Since you almost never blend your values I whipped this up to show you what 5 minutes can do, if you choose. (lol hope you don't take offence)


Anyway, the way you sharply define your values without blending is cool. It gets me looking at the whole composition and they read really well.

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Vice Thanks so much - when I saw your paintover instantly I got so much more motivated. I was feeling like facing a block with my results and you really helped shine light on it. Really really appreciate your advice and for dropping by. Please don't ever feel offensive - in fact please feel free to be as harsh/critical as you want. I really appreciate and want honest feedback - No need to be rosy lol
Your advice on that atmospheric noise raelly helped beef up my study today. Man it makes the environment so much more realistic looking. Thanks so much for the tip!

[vices]

Thanks so much for the comment you left in my sketchbook It totally made my day!

This last work is looking awesome, the building is totally popping out! Again I'm not sure, but since the tops of the other buildings are closer to us, having less atmospheric pressure at the top than at the bottom would make them pop out too? I don't know which effect would be stronger.. the values and chroma at the ground or the A-P

I'm excited to see your next environment

[Rhubix]

Doing some good looking studies latey .
for atmospheric perspective- The real lightbulb moment for me was standing in the mountains and seeing things fade as they got further below me. It was a bit more obvious with things getting further away- but it never occurred to me that altitude would cause the same effect.
Now I try to think of it as a sphere that radiates from the viewer in all directions - so even the building would loose value as it got lower. It such a neat effect.

oh- and I really like panda #2 too cute!

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Vices:
Thanks for that tip which I totally missed hahahaha!! I will try to think of atmospheric pressure in a more well-rounded viewpoint.
I added some of fades on the bottom of the building and I think it's looking more effective:


Rhubix:
Thanks for visiting!! Man I would've never thought of this if it wasn't for you and Vice's suggestions. Ahh - I see what you mean by sphere, that sounds like a great way to think of it cuz it's like... 5 point perspective? All points closer to the VP should have looser values... I will try to incorporate that especially for these types of environments.

Studies from today and yesterday. Tried some textures but ended up looking pretty terrible, hahaha


Sketching from a coffee shop:

[MrFrenik]

Gah, your SB makes me want Chinese food now.

Great work so far, man; it's especially nice to see someone who's just starting out to work hard on the fundamentals as you are as well as mix in a healthy amount of imagination. You keep that up and you'll be where you want to be in no time at all.

[vices]

Man you are rocking.. It's inspiring me to hurry up and start doing environments too..

These last studies of your people in the vast outdoors are awesome.. the people pop, the background looks huge, the feeling is great. Everything is excellent..

The only issue with the textured one is probably the rocks on the upper right. They are far away but have dark values so the effect is awkward. When I cover them up with my hand the piece looks perfect

Keep it up man! I've gotta try sketching outside sometime @_@

[kingkostas]

These value studies you are doing mate, are both really important and well done. Thats definitely the way you should start a compo at least for now, however these need the introduction of edge play to further add realistic depiction of form in space. You are doing really good work focusing on values. Dont worry and keep up!!!

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

MrFrenik:
Thanks for dropping by! Haha I always feel like Chinese food whenever I see pandas. Especially noodle related items..yumm...
Thanks for being encouraging, I'll try and keep up with the sketchbook updates

Vices:
Hey man, for the rock on the upper right are you referring to this one: http://www.conceptart.org/attachment...8&d=1362976809
Just wanna make sure so I can fix the right one LOL
Sketching outside is tons of fun!! And Actually it REALLY helped for my imagination, to sketch from life. I don't know why, but the image seems to stick more in your head when you are drawing from life. (Especially in coffee shops with people moving around all the time) It works very effectively!

Kingkostas:
Thanks so much for the tip. I will try to focus on the edge more. I started to use lasso tools for painting buildings and that seems to be working pretty good. The soft edges are hard but I will pay more attention to those. Thanks again for dropping by!!


Stuff from past few days:


Practicing Sketches from imagination:


Been Watching Scott Robertson's Gnomon DVD's on perspective. It all looks so easy when he does it but it's totally not @@ I cannot draw eclipses...

[Rostas]

I dig all the studies and the sketches. Also saw some of the sweet movie/painting studies from the other pages. Very nice.

I'd however suggest in working in smoothening the edges of the brushstrokes you're making. If you're intent is to make solid forms that you can tell apart with the non-transparent brush , then it's ok but they look way too frisky and rough. I'd suggest at least smoothening out between the edges or parts that are softer in comparison with objects that are hard or texturized of nature.

You can press from 1 to 9 or these numbers combined in Photoshop to change quickly between the opacity so you can smooth out or just turn on the Opacity on a brush.

Hope it helps. Keep it up

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

RostasThanks for visiting and for your comments!! The shortcuts you pointed out is a really useful one. I haven't tried using your technique yet as I've been just sketching the past few days, but I'll definietly give that a try when I get back to painting. You're right that the edges of my brushstrokes really kinda eats away the look of softer objects. I have been trying to challenge myself with full opacity brushes but I think now it's at a point where I better start using some softer brushes lol

Tried to do some sketches/designs...
This one is using from magazines

This is after Scott Roberson's video (C =copied from Scott's designs; imag = trying to draw one from imagination without looking at his work) It was very hard and discouraging whenever I try to do anything from imagination. Even when I try using reference (and then try not to look at them and draw something) My Samurias looked terrible eventhough I was using google ref.... I really need to do a lot more imagination stuff.

[kingkostas]

very interesting studies again mate. These value blocking really is solid but you really have to introduce some edge play, but its very good what you do with the limited value range, so keep it up . Very nice drawings also, keep up the good work

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Kingkosta Thanks for dropping by! I'll definitely try focusing more on getting the edges when I do value studies tomorrow. Appreciate the comment!!

For now, just more drawings:
Bammes

Practice drawing from imagination (First blob copied from Scott Robertson's video)

Bedtime sketch

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Sketch

Shitty attempt doing imagination

[maths82]

Hey man, good good, you're putting in the hours : ) Your loose pen drawings/observation studies are very cool, keep that style! With your last characters from imagination, try building them a little skeleton pose underneath to start with, then you can build the main design on top of it, their anatomy will hang together better, I promise

[lupre]

hey.. nice progress. funny enough, the value-study in post #1 is my favourite, such a cool image, i really love your value-studies, gotta do more of those. =)
what about colors? peace

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Maths82:
Thanks for your encouragement and for your advice. I'll definitely try that with the imagination character when I repaint him. Tried
drawing just random people as skeletons as practice today, and that was pretty fun. I'm sure this will come in handy when I build my design on top..
Thanks for the tip man!

Lupre:
Thank you for dropping by. Hahaha I sure hope I'm not getting worse since post#1. lol... Haven't dig into colors much (mostly just master copy)
Still feel not very confident with values, I think I need to get more of those done before moving into colors...


Been out most of the day today. Since I don't have my tablet with me I just drew random people in my sketchbook. It's a pretty small sketchbook so
in terms of drawing enviornments it kinda makes my arm really stiff. But the size is good to carry so... blah.

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Trying to build on forms before painting... Maths82 Thanks for the tip on building a skeleton first, it really helps my eye to see in 3D!
Been trying to work on edges as well, still looking pretty bad but starting to get more used to transparent brush. Don't really like how some parts are looking kinda muddy/dirty. Will keep working at it.. One thing I'm really happy about today: the Color layer trick works like magic!!!! learned something new Thanks to tip from FengZhu's episode 6 video. XD


Trying to build it first:
Value: Color:

[lupre]

nana not getting worse since first post =) its just such a nice image for a studie and you nailed it down i also like your post 91. pandas and values. the value study with the jumping chick is on my desktop.. to remind me working on values.
the color-trick from feng zhu you are mentioning is about first making a layer with values and then another layer with overlay color? i'm also working a lot like that .. but want to get away from that workflow .. but actually i dont know why its just, that it feels like one step too much. hehe. peace!
really good and clean study this coffee-mill. peace!

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Lupre Thanks for dropping by! Hahaha very honored to have my jumping chick on your desktop XD Values is definitely one of those things where the study never ends @@
Yes for the color-trick from feng zhu that's exactly as you said. You make a layer but it's set on "color" (instead of say "Multiply") then you can paint away with all the values you already painted. It's much quicker I find (less scary than painting straight from color)But for someone who's confident with colors I can imagine it would be one step too much! Hopefully one day I'll get to the stage where I don't need the color layer.

From today.. some fuckedup legs for sure

[vices]

Ahhh man great work! Your anatomy studies are too good.. they made me jealous bc the forms are too good.. lol

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

Vices Thanks so much.. you're too kind! My anatomy is actually pretty bad.. that's why I don't render the painting lol otherwise everyone will see the mistakes haha. Just taking it slow, and studying one part at a time. Today is feet

I took a picture at a dam and the perspective view was really cool, so I just painted on top my photo and imagined some stuff on top. The idea behind this is supposed to be some kinda really doomed jail, but it's also surrounded by military base and high buildings for the really high-up general/government agents blah blah (and of course they would all be corrupted and live in a really nice highrise that shows a high contrast to the jail beside them) All the sizes of stuff are really fucked up though, I think the bird is way too GIANT, but I wanna keep it at that size expect make the perspective work (the people seemed to small?) ahh... that is the hardest thing right now... figuring out the right size for things


Here is the photo reference:

[Cabbage Caterpillar]

finally got a chance to join a life drawing session. The model had really interesting poses, but I couldn't catch them all :/

Trying texture...

[Niam]

Hello! : )
You're off to a good start!
keep those studies up for now, maybe try to mess around with some brushes
maybe try some brushes that are not so solid
I find the fine art brushes by ditlev pretty useful (but that's just me)
you can also make your own brushes : )
keep up the good work!