Eärendil's Sketchbook - Cast studies!

[Earendil]

My sketchbook.

I'm so excited to see how much I can improve in the coming months, and it's great to share it with this community!

So without further ado...

[Earendil]

Here is a 60 minute sketch from CGS Daily Sketch. I like how the concept and values turned out. I don't like how horrible the terran looks. My reference was watching the Starcraft 2 trailer, and looking at how they assembled the dude Some areas the texture strokes just destroyed the forms.

Painted in PS CS2 w/Wacom Intuos 2.

OLDER SELF EDIT: Yeah and it just looks like CRAP!

[Billtcm]

I like the starcraft sketch a lot, good stuff for 60 minutes. Besides that I would just say keep up the excercises(haven't done any Ron Lemen ones) and keep updating.

[ped454]

lol man i remember doing those shape shadings in grade 9...smuuuuuuuuudge....and then the teacher told us not to n we were like...f-u haha. i like the starcraft...i can't draw landscapes very well so respec7

[Earendil]

So, I just started Riven Phoenix's series on drawing the human figure. "The Structure of Man". Someone complained that it was too technical, but I'm loving it so far.

I've always had trouble with proportions, so I've usually avoided drawing people because they look so disfigured when I draw them. However, using math, ratios, and "constructions" from this program, I'm already seeing a huge difference.

What's going to make this even better is this Gottfried Bammes "Artist's Guide to Human Anatomy". MMmm, tasty!

So here's the latest batch! Er...the last one I got kind of lazy. I think it's evident I can't render hair very quickly.

[Windmaker]

Hey You're right to start with studying anatomy. Understanding the aforementioned ratios and the construction of the human body will greatly improve your drawings. It's one thing to just copy shapes, but as alot of other people have said you should aim to understand what it is that you're drawing.
Try to thing in 3D shapes instead of 2D. For example- when trying to draw a skull or a face don't start with a flat oval, but think of a 3D ovoid shape. Imagine spheres instead of circles and cubes instead of squares. Then try to understand how the lines wrap around their surface. So don't just draw straight lines like you did with the collar on your last drawing but think how they wrap around the object you're drawing them on. Think of the neck as a cylinder and of the collar as a section of that cylinder, not just a 2D rectangle shape.

Good luck and have fun

[Earendil]

Thanks! Got to remember...3d masses/shapes! O.o Again, I can hardly wait to crack open an actual anatomy book because right now I only know maybe...3 muscles. The rest is

And because I love this smiley so much, I'm putting it in right...here.

[Earendil]

Another update with the next few lessons...I not going further until I fully understand these constructions. Also, while it's fun to go further from construction and actually try and add skin/muscle, anatomy knowledge helps.

[Earendil]

And the first gesture drawings evar! I hope to one day look back and laUGh at these...LAUGH...with...with MIRTH!

Actually, it's kind of cool because even over a few days...I think I'm getting it, but I'm going to keep consulting the book.

[AmontilladoAg]

I'm diggin' your gestures, Earendil

Why are they so dark, though?

Keep drawing!!!!

[Earendil]

My strokes have been pretty light so, I usually up the contrast so you can actually see the lines. I may start using something softer than HB.

More gestures! More anatomy! O.o Maybe a more complex shape arrangement with single light source...

[Earendil]

And a 1 hour study...Using...more than one pencil! HB and 6B soft! We're moving up in the world!

This jug was a challenge! Soft edges made it hard for me perspectively...It was lit during sunset, had a neutral grey tone, and it was plastic, which made the definition of the forms tricky, and surface lighting was crazy. So many subtle indentations etc because the whole thing is soft-edged, and lit on both sides by a primary source (sunset), and secondary reflection from the porch and house.

That being said, I've never been more relaxed in my life! I was so into it, both my legs fell asleep and I nearly died when the blood flow returned.

In short: This is fun!

EDIT: That ground shadow was added after the fact, and ...blech.

[Earendil]

My computer mouse. Really happy with how the values ended up relating to each other. If anybody notices anything that doesn't look right, let me know. I was trying to capture every little thing.

[Zirngibism]

It already seems that it you've improved through this book- keep studying anatomy!

Those skulls look great compared to some of your earlier faces. Perhaps drawing skulls means the left-brain doesn't get in the way. Try "fleshing" one of them out and seeing how it ends up.

The gestures are nice- (they're something I really struggle with). - I don't think I've ever done lines like that without resisting the temptation to "scribble-shade".

Oh, do some more Painter stuff.

[Earendil]

Thanks Data! I realized after watching Vilppu, that I probably should try gestures with fewer contour lines. "Feeel the shoulder pulling down..."

Here's my pre-requisite drawing for Betty Edward's "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". 2 hours staring at my left hand. Sooo many tones O.o Skin tone vs, shading vs....EE! I still need to do a self-portrait, a memory portrait, and something else, I forget.

Oh, and that little blotch near the thumb knuckle, is what happens when you blow on your sketchbook and accidentally let fly a little spittle. TMI? You bet!

[Cwn Annwn]

Not bad, my deary Eary. One thing to try is a greater variation in value and also when putting down value to remember to define the different planes of the object you're drawing. You're improving well. Keep it up!

[Earendil]

Here's my first self-portrait. I tried to take the advice about variations in tone etc, and read a bunch of Ron Lemen's tutorials on the head. I'm pleased with this one, but there's always room for improvement!

3 hours and 15 minutes-ish.

[Earendil]

Roommate's portrait.

[GaussianRaider]

About the Starcraft sketch: try to use hard brushes more, tell me if you feel the difference!

[Windmaker]

Hey
Good progress! Nice to see you're drawing from life. It's good to train your eyes to really see what's infront of them. And by doing anatomy studies, you'll also be able to understand what you're seeing which is always good
What I would advise about the rendering technique though,is to try to put less pencil on the paper. Look at Wesley Burt's or Marko Djurdjevic's drawings. They put hatches very sparingly, but still manage to convey the volume of the object they're drawing. This way your drawings will look "sharper" and cleaner.
And about your last portrait, the outline of the face looks like it's in profile view, but the eyelashes showing from behind the nose and the mouth (the pit above the upper lip) give the impression of a three quarter view.
If I were you I'd try to concentrate more on the linedrawing and capturing accurate proportions (whether drawing from life or just doing studies) and leave the rendering for later. This way you'll be able to do more studies in the time you would've used to render things, thus gaining better understanding of the construction of the object in a shorter time.
Also try to practice rendering by doing stilllives of simple objects (cubes, spheres and so on) so that you can concentrate on gaining finer control over your hand without getting overwhelmed by trying to recreate all the complex details of a face (for example). With a little practice you'll be able to see the planes of the objects you're drawing no matter how complex they are and using the skill gained by drawing cubes you'll be able to render them properly.
Good luck

[Earendil]

1 hr Value study. Guess the camera model!

[AmontilladoAg]

Hey E,

I notice that your latest portraits seem to have a bit too much in the cheek/jaw area (I've actually been having the same problem lately ).. Anyway, just something to think about.

Keep up the cool drawz!

[Earendil]

Here's a recent hand study.

[Earendil]

Wacom Tablet, CS2. 3-4 hours I kinda zoned out. I'll have to study smiles and facial expressions some more. Value wise, I think I'm getting better. Might have something to do with studying, better observation, and practice...hmmmm!

[Earendil]

1) A concept sketch that I'd like to develop when my skills are a little better. There will be a nice foreground L3 character as well. I'm thinking a long-haired, robed person mounted on a horse.

2) The earliest version of a painting I did for my dad's birthday.

3) The final version roughly 8 hours later.

Continuing to work on values, however, I'm beginning to add some color stuff as well.

Anatomy and proportions == Argh!

[Christian223]

Wow, that sea looks just awesome, really awesome, but it has some little problems, you did get betterm , i can see the progress, but there is something that doesnt look really good, there is not a clear definition between planes and their values, for example in your hand practice, it looks very muddy, try understanding where each plane of an object is facing and according to that draw their value, this value should be in relation to everything else, so that a plane facing an equal direction should be in an equal value. Try lighting boxes first, get their value relationship well, then do cylinders and then spheres, it will increase your understanding of values ,uch faster since you wont be bothered with proportions or details of an enviorement. And good luck!.

[Earendil]

45m 1 point perspective practice. Not quite Ryan Church.

[JBuRRkE]

wooww.. that last painting for your dad looks great

the portraits look a little off though, try doing some more studies on proportions.. for example, on the last one, the eyes are way to big.. and on the one before that the nose is big while the ears and mouth are both to small..

maybe try using photo references, that way your subjects cant move :]

you're definitely improving, keep it up!

[Earendil]

My first color environment (that crappy Starcraft sketch doesn't count). Done for Form's environment class. Our focus was color, but I was also niggling about other things. I restarted because I felt I lost what I wanted originally, which was more eerie, mysterious, and had a larger sense of distance and scale. Basically, the environment more of a character. Oh, and because stevekim said so.








Learned a little more of where I need to progress. Better linework, better form and textures...and of course color and composition and lighting...Hmm..yea, same direction as before.

I'm happy because I really pushed myself this time, but there's a loooong way to go still. Thanks Form and stevekim and my classmates.

EDIT: Added recent task to give piece more rhythm and visual flow. Changed a few things.

[Earendil]

Week 4 Concept. Liked the pose of the figure, as I didn't really believe I could do it, and then I did it, and then I ate cake.

I think it reads pretty well, but I'm pretty sure it could've worked better. And obviously I'm still a ways away from..ohh....koshime.....ryan church....m@ et al. Moar studies!