L4xord's Creative Journey (23th February)

[L4xord]

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Hi all, I'm still in high school so I still have a lot of time for improvement. This is going to be my sketchbook. I'm kinda new at this serious art thing. I'm trying to get better since my skill level would be considered. Anyway I'm a beginner, and I'll try to update my sketchbook once a day (most likely once every 2 days).

[Prototypt']

Hey,

the basics in that sketch are quite correct. Maybe the shadow on the ground should be more behind the object as the highlight is in front of it.

I'd recommend to use more contrast, especially for sketches and studies. The shadow can be much darker, this way it's easier to blend and it creates a more 3d feeling. Also I personally don't like to use textured brushes for studies in b&w but that's of your choice.
You could try to use the eraser tool to get your object into the correct form and to eleminate these ugly strokes that go out of the object. For studies I would not really recommend to use the eraser, but if you want to paint actually you can use it to create sharp shapes.

[L4xord]

Thanks for the advice.
With these one I had more issues with the shadow. Should go traditional for a bit, since I'm getting addicted to Painter's blending...

[Prototypt']

You have to imagine the light. At your picture it comes from the right if you look at the highlight of the object, but the shadow is on the right site too. Why would there be shadow? It should be on the left site.

For now I would recommend to use refference. And try to understand how light acts.
Here is the same object you used with correct lightning. You should be able to tell the difference.



Don't get down now, you are at the really start but it's all about training!! If you have the possibility try to do sketches on real paper for now. You will safe a lot of time if you don't allways have to worrie about the programms functions. How about doing 10 objects with different lightning. Find photos on the net or use some of the stuff on your desk and sketch it. If you look at your work from about 30 minutes before you will see how you improve a little bit with every one. Also with each finished object you will need less time to render it

[L4xord]

Thanks Prototypt, going to do some traditional sketches. Coming soon!

[L4xord]

Trying to understand cube shapes and its shadows. Used a another sketch for reference.

[L4xord]

Just got some excellent advice from someone on Twitter who saw my above study! So many mistakes!

[L4xord]

OK, after receiving that criticism I'm going back to the drawing board (heheheheheh) and focus on the basics (mostly perspective, for me).
New pic coming soon!

[L4xord]

Started a bit of anatomy. Drawing hands. Not going to most one yet, as mine currently look like a witches hand (they're out of proportion). I'm having so much trouble one shading them. Though I must say this is my very first every try at drawing hands. More pictures will come as I get better.

Currently I'm copying my hand (mostly fingers), though looking at drawings of hands, they look really fun and easily copy.
What do you think I should use for reference?

[Artimatum]

Diagrams of the hand that show the bones,and ones that show the muscles under the skin(study these closely)

Also your best references are your own hands.

[L4xord]

Diagrams of the hand that show the bones,and ones that show the muscles under the skin(study these closely)

Also your best references are your own hands.

Thanks, I've been using my hands as reference. I will study the muscles and bones of my hand as that's where I think I'm going wrong.
My fingers which I drew look like bones rather than fingers. I need to get thought muscles in.

For example

[Prototypt']

For now you got to focus on shape!! Don't do shading yet. And try to draw it not that big, or is it just the scan that had a high resolution? Also you have to draw a lot more of these. Draw 20 fingers!!
If you do that, scan the page you draw them on and put it in here so I can see how you progress.

[L4xord]

For now you got to focus on shape!! Don't do shading yet. And try to draw it not that big, or is it just the scan that had a high resolution? Also you have to draw a lot more of these. Draw 20 fingers!!
If you do that, scan the page you draw them on and put it in here so I can see how you progress.

Just a high res scan. Will post more fingers, and attempt a hand!

[L4xord]

Need some more finger studies. Did a copy from sketching book, the rest is from using my hand as a reference. I can definitely see I'll need to work on my anatomy.

[L4xord]

Also, does anyone know any books for drawing anatomy. The book which I used was Everyone Can Draw by Barrington Barber. Strangely he has also written a book called Anyone Can Draw...
Found another book by him called Drawing Anatomy and numerous other books. Thinking of buying 'Drawing Anatomy'.
But what are some anatomy classics, that would be good for me?

[cricketts801]

andrew loomis figure drawing for all its worth is a good one

[L4xord]

Thanks, going to have a look!

[L4xord]

Feeling board, copied to photos into a still life. Well, it didn't really turn out that well...

[JulieSS]

Don't be discouraged if it doesn't look "right" the first few times, I think we are kinda at the same stage where we know what we want to produce, but it doesn't come out the pencil the way we want it too! More practice needed I guess, hehe

I find that I do better if I really focus on the lines, where they are placed in relation to each other, how they curve and bend, what directions they go in, is it straight or a little bit off etc.. and then I also read a task in one of my books that tried to teach me to "draw blind", where you look at your object and try to "follow the line" of the object while not looking at the paper. Do this very slowly! It's hard, but interesting. Maybe try it with a little object on your desk and try to get a better feeling for lines.
You will also soon start to trust your hand and your lines more, and that will help

[IntoTheVoid]

As has been mentioned, Loomis is a great resource and is available for free online: http://alexhays.com/loomis/
This should help you tons

Don't go overboard trying to draw every single nook and cranny you see. Try to get the big shapes in before thinking about the smaller shapes. If a building's foundations are tilted, anything you build on top will also be tilted, right? Same idea here. Keep it up

[Kanda]

Hey, I thought I'd return the favor and have a look-see at your SB. I agree with Prototypt' in that you should focus more on the shapes before you get into shading. Seeing as you're focusing on hands at the moment a good book to look at is Drawing the Head & Hands by Andrew Loomis, this one is also available online for free.

I also recommend the following websites if you want to try out some gesture drawings of the full figure (I've found them really helpful):

http://www.pixelovely.com/gesture/figuredrawing.php

and

http://www.posemaniacs.com/ <---this one shows a lot of muscle detail which is pretty helpful for learning too

Anyway, good luck and keep up with the sketching

[L4xord]

Thanks for all the replies, school is nearly over for me so I should have far more time to work on drawing hands and overall anatomy!

[L4xord]

Felt like a haven't drawing in ages! Been SUPER busy with school, but I'm on holidays now, so I should updating daily.
Here is some stuff from a book we all love!

[JulieSS]

Ten points for starting off with the basic studies, hehe :p
How big are your circles and shapes? Try to draw a little bigger than your arm and hand "wants" to, that way you force your arm and shoulder into working and don't just use your wrist.
Try to practice simple things like straight lines in different directions, circles and triangles to become more confident in your lines. I have this issue too.

[L4xord]

Ten points for starting off with the basic studies, hehe :p
How big are your circles and shapes? Try to draw a little bigger than your arm and hand "wants" to, that way you force your arm and shoulder into working and don't just use your wrist.
Try to practice simple things like straight lines in different directions, circles and triangles to become more confident in your lines. I have this issue too.

Thanks! I've been practicing a few straight lines, (kinda though it was too insignificant to post in my sketchbook) I'm try to draw with my shoulder more rather than my wrist, though it can feel weird but I try.

[L4xord]

Experimented with perspective again (I find it so boring sometimes). I can say that I've definitely improved from this: http://TheNinjutsuArtist.deviantart....tion-292154621
So I'm happy!

[L4xord]

Thanks Prototypt, going to do some traditional sketches.

Did you post in the right thread...?!

[L4xord]

Currently practicing shading with a pencil. Pictures coming soon!

[L4xord]

Yikes! Doesn't look so good up close!

Tried to find put the differences pencils can make when shading.
What I learnt was that as much as equipment matters, it's generally the technique that matters for. For example with 2B pencil, my technique and the way I held the pencil must of been really good. I guess I expected (because they are softer and darker) the 3B and 4B to do the work for me so I ended up not doing so well. But still it was interesting.
Actual shading exercises to come!

[L4xord]

Yay! On to page 2 at last, my sketchbook is getting bigger and I can see some improvement!
Did some shading exercises that were very challenging, I skipped the last two exercises because they look pretty hard.
I struggled a lot of the spherical shading exercise (last one a did).
Going to do this again to see how I've improved.

Probably will put up some more Loomis when I get the chance.