nates sketchbook [09-18-05][pg. 266-278]

**nmcleod** · July 5th, 2004, 05:30 PM

i thought i would start a sketchbook so i'll draw more often. here are some old and some recent drawings, lots of nudes here, but i do try to do a bit of everything. any c&c would be appreciated, and i will try to use any suggestions given to me.

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* i decided to bump all the images in this post down to the next one to make it easier to edit the title of this post whenever i update my sketchbook.
-nate

** also from now (09.06.04) on, for every note i have at the end of a post, i am going to fill a page. since most of them are like "do more of this" and "study that", it should work out ok. any that i've finished i'll just check off with "*done". also, any crits i get i will add a note for, to ensure that i actually get around to doing that. im just going to focus on getting caught up on this stuff for a while now. oh and with notes i have posted more then once i will need to do more then one page for, its not just one page per same note.

**nmcleod** · July 7th, 2004, 03:09 AM

first post:

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had to work all day today, only had time to do one page.

-nate

**nmcleod** · July 8th, 2004, 04:33 AM

another page of sketches. i'll try to have more then one for tomorrow.

-nate

**Jeff Jaws** · July 8th, 2004, 07:23 AM

hey, just realized that we're using the exact same nude ref pics. that made me laugh. One of the best tips I got here is not just to copy stuff, when you draw from ref, but try to understand the pose and anything that's behind it, lighting, too. Keep up your good work.

Jj.

**ccnick** · July 9th, 2004, 01:03 AM

Really sweet sketches you have there. I look forward to seeing more from you. I don't really have many crits, just keep playing with the lighting and different perspectives...it will help you out a lot in the long run.

:afro2:

**nmcleod** · July 9th, 2004, 02:52 AM

jeff jaws: thanks for replying. yeah, haha, good refs. i'll try more to think about what im drawing rather than just copying it, i'm going to start doing more anatomy studies too.

ccnick: i'll try to do some still lifes, etc. to work on perspective and lighting a bit more.

again today only had time to do one page, been working so much lately. should be able to do more than one tomorrow. i thought i should do a bit of work on hands.

-nate

**cotron** · July 9th, 2004, 03:40 AM

cool stuff, keep drawing from life and references, it'll help you along the way. also, don't be afraid to spread out your sketches, if there's too much on the page, it will make the drawing difficult and distorted as you try to cram it into a specific area.

keep it up!

**nmcleod** · July 10th, 2004, 02:51 AM

cotron: hey buddy, thanks for posting. i did what you said about drawing from life, did a still life tonight, and will probably start doing them more often. also tried to spread things out a bit more and it did help for these ones since i was rendering them more.

today i got a still life of an apple, banana, and a napkin. and i did a full page of a face. although i think both of these turned out lookin like crap, they were good to do, i think i'll have to do more full page drawings.

..nate..

**waronmars** · July 10th, 2004, 08:52 AM

That still life is pretty spiffy, despite the slightly demented fruit. Keep it up! :scared:

**nmcleod** · July 11th, 2004, 01:16 AM

waronmars: thanks, im working on another still life right now.

here are a couple quick digital sketches i did using references from the "Drah'n Time 8" thread. i'll post a few traditional pages later tonight.
-nate

**nmcleod** · July 11th, 2004, 04:01 AM

here's another one, a still life of an onion, a glass, and a napkin. this took me crazy long to do and i dont really like how it turned out, oh well.

-nate

**nmcleod** · July 12th, 2004, 02:25 AM

another page, charcoal and chalk pastel.
i actually drew three faces for this, but the first was too small, and the second didnt work after i covered up the first, so i just scanned it and screwed around with it in photoshop.

**nmcleod** · July 13th, 2004, 03:35 AM

here are a few more pages. i decided that every day now im going to try to do at least one page from life, and at least two pages of studies. i wanna do some paintings each day too, but didnt have time today.

-nate

**nmcleod** · July 15th, 2004, 02:14 AM

a couple more pages. i finally have a day off tomorrow so i should be able to get a few pages done. i plan to hit up a nice little art shop then go to a cafe and do some drawings there. might post a little more later tonight.

peace

**nmcleod** · July 15th, 2004, 01:57 PM

another page. more to come later today.

**arghmisfit** · July 15th, 2004, 07:19 PM

Nice stuff u got here, the still life are looking goooood! I like that eye page also :nod:

**nmcleod** · July 16th, 2004, 12:29 PM

arghmisfit: thanks, the brown paper that eye page is on is really nice to work with.

yesterday i went out and bought some watercolor stuff, and i've never done it before, so i read up a little in a painting book on technique. damn its a lot harder than i thought it was going to be, but anyways heres my first watercolor painting.

peace
-nate

**nmcleod** · July 18th, 2004, 03:39 AM

here are a few pages i did today, i wish i could do more, but im so tired, gotta work in the morning. peace
-nate

**nmcleod** · July 19th, 2004, 01:52 AM

couple pages from today. i also started a big portrait tonight, i'll probably have it done to post tomorrow or the next day.

peace
-nate

male nude from ref:

shit:

**nmcleod** · July 21st, 2004, 01:41 PM

heres a drawing i did over the last few days, took me a really long time and there is tons wrong with it, jsut gotta keep drawing.
peace
-nate

**nmcleod** · July 22nd, 2004, 11:10 PM

07-22-04/pg.34

**nmcleod** · July 26th, 2004, 03:16 PM

07-26-04

havent really had much time lately to draw but i got a couple done today.im going to start using this more like my actual sketchbook and putting notes in of what i have to work on and all that, just so i have it all in one place what i need to do.
peace
-nate

notes:
-more anatomy
-more faces, facial structure
-work on connecting body-neck-head

**nmcleod** · July 27th, 2004, 04:53 AM

07-27-04

did some anatomy studies today from some loomis books at fineart.sk
peace
-nate

notes:
-more anatomy
-bone structure -> muscle structure -> surface characteristics

**nmcleod** · July 28th, 2004, 02:08 PM

07-28-04

i've really liked using pens lately.

notes:
-learn facial structure
-more anatomy, always more anatomy
-more from life

**nmcleod** · July 30th, 2004, 01:26 AM

07-29-04:

a couple pages for today. i went out tonight and bought a new sketchbook that im just going to leave with me all the time for doing sketches on the bus, in cafes, etc. i felt extremely uncomfortable about doing this, but after trying it tonight for the first time, it wasnt so bad, anyways, i'll start posting a page of bus drawings every night starting tomorrow.
peace
-nate

notes:
-more pencil, stop working with pen so much
-more studies
-more from life

**nmcleod** · July 31st, 2004, 01:06 AM

07-30-04

a couple pages for today. will post drawings from the bus later.
peace
-nate

notes:
-do still lifes
-face studies

**Zebz** · July 31st, 2004, 01:10 AM

Keep it rollin' dude! Keep pushin' for the studies and life drawings too. You'll get where you want to be!

**nmcleod** · July 31st, 2004, 01:35 AM

ZebzFree: thanks, i'll keep workin hard. thanks for the reply, after ten updates with no replies i was beginning to think no one was even looking anymore.

here are a couple more, drawn on the bus. this is really hard, and i have tons of respect for anyone that can do it and even more for those who can do it well.

notes:
-more bus drawings
-try to get less sloppy, even if the bus is bouncing 6 feet in the air..

**Zebz** · July 31st, 2004, 02:09 AM

No problem, bud. I feel your pain! LoL I don't get many replies on my sketchbook posts either so don't worry about it! If it helps you then that's the key, right?

Those bus sketches are pretty good and yeah, it's tough to draw in a moving vehicle. Something I wanted to maybe say is to make sure you're "forming" the form of the figure or whatever it is you're creating when adding value. Sometimes when you shade it may help to think of the yourself as a sculptor. Sculpt that drawing! Think about how light and shadow would wrap around the figures. Nice work overall though. You're kickin' butt on those studies. I'll be lookin' for more!

-Ryan