AztcFireflower's Figures 'n' Stuff

[Call0ps]

exelent oil works! thx for sharing

[Diego]

wow, great batch of paintings, i really like them, i don't know how you get that range of colors and skin tones with a 4 colors pallete, hehe, i'm such a noob in oil painting and skin tones. Could you expand on that subject a lil more?
Anyways, always love for your book. Keep on postin'

Cheers

[aprat]

Really nice portraits, especially the last two.

[oma]

wow massive oil update. i love them!!!!
Great, how long are you doing @ one oil?

yes i was one of the winners .

but i thought it was just obvious that you where a gal, because your response sound really girly to me, and yeah > that's a good thing. i think girls are more developed. by emotion and on a social aria. and girls are more beautifully than man . but that's a personal opinion . ^^.

[saa]

hey aztc, those oils are great! i truely like each of them.

i just wanted to stop by and thank you for all the inspiration you have given me, i noticed it today at lifedrawing that i was beginning to use some of the techniques i saw in your drawings. so thank you and cheers!

[Chance.]

Waha. That's a lot of paintings. I commend you on all that great work. You make me want to try oils.

I'm going to check those links later, and then come back and rant about how much better you are than them.

Aww nuts. Do you know how hard it is to find snarling dog photos? Google works great for everything but photo reference. As soon as I can get some reff I'll launch my mutt at you.

[shidoken]

are you using bristol, weasel hair, or synthetic brushes for your oils?

[AztcFireFlower]

bhanu These are not great, but the best to my abilities thus far. I see the mistakes, but I need more experience to correct them. I need mileage, too. Check out Edmund Dulac and William Russel Flint. Flint especially, blows me away. http://www.russellflint.info/ He is INCREDIBLE and I am in love with his work.
seth1 Vanderpoel's book is found on Amazon. Was a turning point reading him. He made my understanding solid.
vigostar Thank you. We all have to keep striving for that next prize of mind-clicking knowlwdge.
call0ps Thank you.
Hey Diego So glad you enjoy this thread. I get more out of it with the feedback from all you artist folks out there. As for the oil info 4 color info here, I'm still a noob as well. Not consistent with my results for skin tones. I'm one of those people that has to make every mistake out there, and even invent new ones before the process gels.
aprat Thank you
oma Thanks for taking time to see what new stuff appears. Girly? LOL Hmmm, well, I like your description and opinion, but does that still apply if I'm a 299.9 lb. Orc?
saa Thank you for stopping! Wow. I hope I have been helpful with info on my approach. That's good to hear. Thank you for letting me know it works for you. The Reilly/Fixler method of drawing is what made me understand how to translate what I see onto paper. It is not the best and only way, but for me, it meshed with how my brain is wired.
Hey Q Thanks again. You may come back all poker-faced and then disappear from this thread forever when you see their work.
shidoken I use the softest bristol filberts I find in the store. And combo natural hair. Only use weasel for super fine touches. Still looking for the perfect brush.

Might as well throw these in here as some of the not so confident work I have around my HD. These are thee 1st digital portrait experiment, done B4 any of the other digitals. I keep saying that. But these really are the 1st digitals I've done.
The 1st is Photoshop brush try-outs. The Banderas is my venture into Painter. How I wish my machine was a bit more powerful. Painter exhausts my system and I spend more time waiting for the #$% brush stroke to load. Anyway, here B the digistuff as a hall mark of where to improve from.

[hurricane]

very beautiful paints!

love em all!

cheers

[Chance.]

I looked at those artists and you want to hear my absolutely honest oppinion?

Assael had amzing pencil rendering and Dan Thompson portraits in fully rendered envornment were amazing. You are right on a level with everyone else though. I was surprised to find that most of them were not far ahead of you. Especially after you talked them up so much. The biggest thing that any of them had that you didn't was their grasp of lighting. I'm beginning to think that once an artist has mastered everything else, lighting is what takes them to the next level. I think of m@'s work. He has a good knowledge of all the fundamentals, but what makes his work really stand out is his lighting.

I think that if you broaden the scope of your work and try some new subjects you will begin to improve tremendously even from where you are now -- and I still think you are completely amazing so that's saying something. Also break it up and have some fun. You do lots of realism, try some stylized stuff.

these most recent portraits are jawdropping if they actally are your first digi attempts. I can't even comprehend that.

That dog is on the way, I'm workin on it.

[seth1]

THat dudes and awesome actor and you captured him prefect...

Seth

[bhanu]

thanks for the links man, yeah If you look close you see faults in the work.
I am viewing his work and thinking , what the hell am I dong with my life , I should work harder.
thankks for the lik again, take care.

[wareagle]

your work is outstanding, you have such a good knowledge of form and value, simply awesome

I would also like to thank you for your suggestions and kind words you dropped on my sb a while back,...thank you

[Brendan N]

Hey Aztec!

Real real real great work! The latest ones are great, specially the painter one. Can;t get my head around that program though lol

As for post 207, it's awesome! There is absolutely nothing wrong with that one as far as I can see (maybe more bulky musculature? just a thought!). I would however recommend that you start putting these designs into events, making them do something means its easier to come up with interesting comps and then you start to play around with some more dramatic lighting and motion and whatnot, lots more fun! I'm really anxious to see more of these types of pieces from you, seeing how well you handle things already.

so great work, and apart from some idiotic suggestions, no crits! hehe
ciao!

- d.

[Envisor]

Great works here, Alot of improvement. Wish I had your enthusiasm about portraits. Keep up the sketching.

My Sketchbook- C&C very welcome
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85772

[maxetormer]

http://conceptart.org/forums/attachm...1&d=1169118468
WOW!! great lighting, its Antonio Banderas Right?

[maxetormer]

Oh and sorry for the doble post but heck!! this guy made me
scream every profanity I know.
http://www.danthompsonart.com/portfolio.php?category=4
DEAR GOD!! this man its probably the most amazing draftsman
Iv seen, shit his color use, his edge control, his values
are just to dam good, some times after seeing this kind of work
I feel utterly depressed... then I pick my baggage up and keep
hacking at the paper, I don't know how to get to that level,
but I hope to figure out, by working as much as I can manage.
The rest of those guys you posted are amazing too, but
this Dan Thompson guy, just hited the right cord in me,
FCKING IMPRESSIVE.

P.S. Oh and just for the record, you are well on your way to be as
great as those guys, just keep working at this pace and
your will be there sooner than you imagine

[M.A.L]

I'm in love with your oils ,hope I'll improve because they make me want to(I can't figure out how to say what I want in english there)...great post!
Kipitup

[Helzon]

Please tell me you are in the industry or have a book out, or at least submitted something to spectrum...or at least garnered a few medals/honors....oh my mercy you deserve them. And consider me happily subscribed to your
SB....i should have been long ago. Shame on me.
Best to you and can't wait to see more.
Mike

[Sonaj]

Thank you for visiting my humble SB. Made me find this one here and now i feel so small
everything in here is just beautiful and you seem to be able to master every "tool" you are working with. I'm subscribing and i will take some more time to look at all this often. 5 star thread
Keep updating here

[Fureatenshi]

Hahaha.. OCD in drawing. I wish that can happen easily. Lol. I get too easily discouraged. Once I get disappointed with the product, I trash it... Haha. Well if you ever have time. Can you give me some pointers for my life drawings. I'll send you a link to them when your able to help me out. That'll be awesome

[Mitchell]

HOLY WOW! those oils are quite impressive. I am dabbing in oils myself, I hope they turn out half as good as yours. and of course the figures are gorgeous. I'll be coming back to this book. 5 from me.

p.s. post more oils! hah

[hardsoapscum]

Your work is fantastic! Bookmarked! I am keeping an eye your SB...

[AztcFireFlower]

hurricane I am so taken by your concepts and wonderful pencils. Thank you for stopping by.
Hey Q Assael is frickin awesome. Thanks for your generous appreciation of my work. You are quite right. Values is what sets the mood and where an artist can really evoke something out of the viewer. That is exactly what I'm working on presently. That is the next phase for me. Yes, trying out new subjects, like still lifes may spark something new in this area. You're quite perceptive. Fun, is what lacks sometimes, with constant worrying about form, etc. Must work on light and easy attitude more often. Also thanks for pimping my thread in your signature, young friend.

I hear barking but no bites. Fleas don't count.

seth1 I like Banderas. A charming personality that comes across well in his roles. Thank you.
bhanu Glad you like. What faults!!! He's perfect! JK. I just think he's genius with the medium. I hope one day to control it as he has.
wareagle Thanks for coming by. I still have much to absorb. You've got some good stuff going in your SB. Keep at it!
Brendan, Yeeeeeessssss, You are so right! Hence the enviro class.
There should be a back story to all designs to help the thinking process. Lighting is the key to my jumping to the next phase. Will take awhile, but i am working on it now. Velasquez, Rembrandt, Caspar David Friedrich(amazing!!!) and Craig Mullins is the marker for me, here. Waaah, so high to reach.
Never idiotic. As always, love when you pop into my book. Thanks for your encouraging words.
Envisor This is why this SB is here to see my own progress and get feedback on such. Thank you.
Hola Max Yes it's Antonio. Dan Thompson is awesome. Check out Anthony Ryder as he's a great step in that direction. Eres muy bondadoso con tu evaluacion de mi capacidad. Quisas un dia llege a esa altura.
M.A.L. You practice, ya can't help but get better. I know you have it in you, so keep going.
Helzon You embarress me with your kind and generous words. I want to do them justice and only way is to continue with the fire to succeed what goals I set. The journey there is made so much more pleasant and wonderful with support from folks like yourself. Thank you so much for being you.
Sonaj Thanks for stopping by and for the star love. You have a great start in your SB. Keep adding to it. Want to see your progress.
Fureatenshi that's really what it takes.....obsessive focus on conquring each task. No trash. Not too many anyway, I learn from the baddies as much, if not more so than from the good. Will be checking in on your figure work.
Hey Skeiff You have amazing things happening up in your SB. You have a handle on the media and your paintings are beautiful and thoughtful. You work at it and it shows. Oil is my favorite medium. Most satisfying and therapeutic as a process for me. Richard Schmidt's site has some thoughts and Whitaker's tutorial on CAorg helps alot.
Thanks for ckecking in and for the stars. Much appreciated.
hardsoapscum LOL If I encounter it while cleaning, i live and let live and go paint instead. Thank you for stopping in. Thank you for your comment.


I have a ways to go, if, when I get off my lazy @$$ and get on it. It's been kinda an effort to stay focused. That is a lesson in itself. But, with such warm support on this web, in this thread, I won't let myself slide too much.

These are recent, as in last month, stuffs I've leaked out at a workshop in L.A. Haven't drawn any figs in (sigh) 3 months. Personal crap is fighting for space in me head. The 1st became kind of a big value thumbnail. After I realized it wasn't going to get a decent finish or comp I focused on big washes of tone. Just don't have the experience to just nail it on the 1st run. Next 3 weeks I produced a couple more. And am now working on the value studies as much as possible, too. The last one of Marissa I like. This is exactly where I'm at.
I do love describing profiles. So much character in every curve and corner.
All were done in space of 2 -2.5 hours. N...E...E...D....... M...O...R...E...........T...I...M...E......!!!!

[Brendan N]

That burst of prolific names in such close proximity you mentioned makes my head want to pop. A good friend of mine particularly loves Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, the first time he saw it he just about freaked out. I love almost all the romantic painters, particularly Friedrich. The romantic has such good poetry in their works, it wasn't just another goddess or messiah. Especially Blake! He seems to always touch the dark side of things. Saw "Hannibal" tonight, not as good as the Silence of the Lambs but it really had me thinking of Blake for some reason lol.

k, before I wander off and end up at the ridiculous shortage of baked beans in cafes during the 1930's, back on topic:

The drawings are really fantastic. Lighting is absolutely great, and I like the edge control in these. Your draftsmanship is, as far as I can see, not very far from that of those you have named here, think you have enormous potential because your technical skills is already right up there.

Thanks for sharing these, wonderful images!

- d.

[AztcFireFlower]

Hey Brendan, Thank you for your kind words. Lighting Is the current issue I'm attacking.
Friedich is amazing, in fact I'm going to do a value study of one of his paintings, tonite. I so love the romantic, Pre-Raphaelite movement and the beautiful work that came out of that influence. Poetry. That's what I'm talking about, mood, atmosphere, epic drama. Emotion. The ability to put what's in your heart into your painting.
So glad you came by, B. You are the first person I will promise to uphold the statement below.

I just saw the work of someone who has less experience than I did 2 years ago and that dude is leaving me in the filthy dust. That tears it! #$%^& Sigh, lit a fire under me, and I'm going to do studies of everything! WTH! am I waiting for??!!! I'm making a promise here to do and show all the fig. studies, master copies tonal studies that my free time can bear. No more slacker, I want to be concept/character, portrait, oil/digi painter like the best of them. I need to get it out! Need to work hard! I've had enough of the personal sh%^ intruding on my life. Have just bloody, f#$%n had it! Time to force the space I need for myself. Everything else is taking a back seat for this period. I NEED to grow.

I'm declaring this and I want all those who visit this sketchbook to please hold me to this. Please. Even tho I am posting some older work, will post tonights studies of.........something, dammit!

These are oil paintings done when I was screwing around with every color on the palette. Was in Sergio Sanchez's wonderful class. He taught me how to 1st paint in oil 3 years ago. Was a completely different vein than what I am doing now. His influence for the approach is Steven Assael. Google this guys painting work. It is off the charts. His methods is to mix the greys from compliments on the canvas which, funny enough, I took to without much brain fight. But I consider it an advanced style. One I will return to when I have tackled the traditional first. So iz why I am forcing the 4 color palette til I can do anything with only that. The last portrait of my cousin is of my first attempt using 4 colors that I talked about elsewhere in this thread.

Will continue to post what's left of my old work throughout, among the new, just because I need to see it myself as I process new info and progress.

I am done with mediocre work and half-assed attempts. I'm revving up this SB!

[Chance.]

We all need more time I think. Deep down inside every artist wishes that he or she could devote all of their time to the art that they enjoy. We would all be perfectly happy scribbling away all day long without a care in the world.

Then reality sets in.
Refocusing, we must organize our priorities. Of course, staying alive is the first, but make art the close second. Don't let the tv or laziness get in your way. Spend every free moment on your art. That is how we will achive our goals.

You know, this advice applies to me more than anyone. Sorry for self evaluating in your thread, but it does really apply to everyone. How much do we really love our art? Then what is stopping us from putting our all into it.

Not that you aren't. I'm just ranting. Trying to get myself motivated I guess.

Great work like always. The last one has a lot of character.

The attack dog is coming. He is. He really is.
As Billy bones in treasure planet said. "He's a'comin. You can hear those cogs and gears a'turnin..."

[edit]
I was in the process of posting when you wrote that. GO AZTC!!!!! Me to I'll join you in that challenge. Tell you what I'll get in here almost every day and BUG YOU. I'm good at doing that. Actually, would you be interested in joining our SSG? I want to see every scribble from now on! I'll be holding you to that.

[AztcFireFlower]

Hey Q I wish it was TV and lazies. Lately escape in movies and such has been the means. Reality is something to be managed because it can't always be controlled at times. Not been prioritizing me and it's wearing. Things blowing around here are not going to get better. Won't load your young self with details, but, I am now focusing my mind on what I need to do and want to achieve. The means is focused study! And I expect you to hold me accountable along with all who visit these pages. Bugs are welcome. Even dog-shaped ones.
Thanks as always for hanging out here a while.

This is what it's all about, master copies. Hundreds more to come. Re-starting my studies of design and values. Am going to make design bleed from my fingers. Shape, anatomy and form must become intuitive, instinctual.
But only by feeding off of masters like Velasquez, Rembrandt, Sargeant, Leighton, MUCHA, Dean Cornwell, Dana Gibson to start........

1st 3 images are value comps of Casper David Friedrich all done in 30 minutes this evening, as an ongoing study of masters of environments for my enviro design class.
Next are Cornwell design studies to understand aesthetically interesting shapes!
Last few are from ref, very last is a life study of my sister-in-law.

[Amazing Action Ape]

I stumbled upon this a few times, and Im really wowed by your marvelous skill with planes and tonal values. Some of your concept stuff is awesome! but a few things I felt were a little out of place and not up to par with the rest. Namely the super cartoony animal cat panther cheetah? things. I definitely think you could have done a better job pushing those. Anyways, glad to read youve decided to reprioritize and make art for you your number 1 focus Hope it all works out, looking forward to seeing progress.

[Brendan N]

Hey Aztc!

This surge of energy and determination is really very inspiring, especially coming from an experienced artist! One usually sees this enthusiasm coming from someone who's just started out - a sort of schoolboy zest. It's really awesome to see this coming from a veteran! And yes, I'll definitely give critique wherever I can! Promise.

The oils are lovely! I am also trying to get into the four colour palette, but I am in dire need of classes hehe. Man I need to start doing more traditional stuff - stumbled upon nicolas' exclusive sb the other day and couldn't believe what he was pulling off traditionally. Same here - even the dated oil paints are great. Love the selective highlights, especially in the first oil. I always tend to go overboard there. Particularly like the colour harmony - all the colours so well weaved into them, really fantastic work.

Something I find works well for environments is losing control. Whitaker said your best work happens when you are at the edge of control. Environments do not need to subscribe to some specific structure like the human body. So do some scribbles, throw some paint around and then try to make sense of the chaos. This usually works best for me haha.

On poetry. You asked in my sb who Manu is - Emmanuel Malin (or Manu is Malin as he is known on these boards). He has an exclusive sb here and holds a throne in the banner above. This man probably has more poetry in his work than any other artist I've seen - very inspiring work, very unique, and he is an irreplaceable talent. Check him out if you have not done so!

Thanks for sharing! Very inspiring work as always!