Sketchbooks

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

AlexTooth — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:06:16 GMT

Thanks guys ^^ Nicky - yeah mostly all crimson dagger stuff these days, if not everything - supposed to be one hour a day, but I usually do a lot more - I'm quite far behind ppl like mr delicious, ok way far behind heh.

Had a family trip thing to London today, was out most the day, saw Anish Kapoor at the RA, was ok - not my interest area though. Also saw Epstein/Gill etc at the National Gallery - that was better, but still not really my thing.

Drew these in the car, was a bit shaky! Lucky it's Bridgeman.

Crimson Daggers - today photo study - used this ref

Spent some hours trying to get the colours right etc, very hard, so many hues in the skin - did my best, anatomy isn't the same either but, meh I learnt a lot, never really tried many photo studies before, maybe like 3.

Drawing - I shoulda made this better firstly. But im not good at a digital sketch yet.

Colour one^^ prefer mine, sry if that sounds big headed, I just think the original photos a bit dull :S Maybe I'm delusional, been staring at mine too long.

Cropped version.

Go critique how to improve it be my guest!

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

MeTaL-mike — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:56:30 GMT

awesome studies man. love the still lives. have to do more of these myself. keep rockin man!!

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

nickybeats — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:17:00 GMT

great updates man! are those studies for crimson daggers? they look sweet man, both sides!

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

AlexTooth — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:59:22 GMT

Studies from today, left sides from book, right sides from memory.

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

AlexTooth — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:39 GMT

Hey, thx Nicky - life painting is getting easier, also I am getting more into photoshop :)

Updated after a crit on ConceptArt.org, about not sharp enough in areas, hopefully I fixed it a bit.

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

nickybeats — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:58:02 GMT

that teapot looks outrageously good! so do the studies!!

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

AlexTooth — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:46:41 GMT

Hey Emily - yeah tbh that still life sucked from the outset, I went about it a really unatural feeling way, 100% opacity didn't really make sense, not like real paint! - Anyways I now using 100% opacity but with pen pressure^^ Work much better - I scrapped that still life and started some new ones, gonna start off with simple stuff and work my way up...

Peppers and Teapot, different lighting conditions - Both not really finished, but the idea is practice some light and colour more than anything, polishing is, well time-consuming but not very difficult - colours on the other hand are harrrrrrrd.

Peppers were like 90min, Teapot like 2hr30min (added overlay wood texture a lil^^).

Some work from Collywobbles anatomy class with the crimson daggers! Trying to catch up with his stuff before tomorrow.

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

emilysu — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:47:18 GMT

don't blend on everything, for instance metal and glass objects probably look better with chunky painting.

and yeah, dont' block in "midtones", just put in what you see, you can put in the midtones later.

looking goooooooood!

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

AlexTooth — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:53:05 GMT

Heya Mr Rockwell, it's been a while - thanks for stopping by. Glad to hear you've been doing good, ya I had a good deal of hibernating this year - trying to get back into the swing of things now, good to hear you're still studying! ...Can get a bit tedious, but I just know that when I've got the "bulk" of the understanding, foundations and knowledge out of the way, I can really start relaxing with my work, experiment and expand my imagination - at the moment I feel a little constrained, but I'm a firm believer in no pain, no gain - and I'm really feeling pain this week with this still life - but I won't let it get the better of me!! I've beaten greater a foe in my time^^

Ok, so mini-rant over - today with the Crimson Daggers, we did a bit on Composition, using thirds, what to avoid etc

I did a lil enviro thing I made up after the session.

I adhered quite strictly to the "rule" in this case, but I actually don't believe in rules in art so much - But I do like to know what to be aware of in the future for my compositions!

Tonight I continued a bit more with my Still Life - blended some, lost some of the values, but I feel much more confident with continuing now, tbh I didn't much like start with pure 100% opacity brushes, always felt too cartoony! Though I will start with high opacity in the future, but probably not 100%

So, WIP ~3 ish. - Million hours to go, lol; starting to wish I'd chosen another piece of fruit...

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

urban rockwell — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:35:28 GMT

Glad to see you grinding your way back up on the artwork and studies. Very, very good progress. I have.t posted in a while. I've been hibernating and studying as well. I'll be posting soon enough as well as sharing resources for drawing

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

AlexTooth — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:54:56 GMT

Hey Exili - Yeah try it man, it's definitely worth it - Just make sure, for everything you do with a reference do again from memory - path to win will be much shorter^^

Carried on with my Still life - From advice on concept art I used solid 100% opacity brush to block in the colours - lol looks cartoony, but hey I am learning and infact learnt alot so far, pretty good buzz playing with colour - even though it looks stupid, I broke my greatest fear and stuck with it !!! Next is blending etc etc etc shading and stuff - gonna be freaking hard, will work on this all week at least.

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

ExiLi — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:28:20 GMT

interesting study there with the boxers think I'll try that as well

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

AlexTooth — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:09:38 GMT

Thanks Nimh!

Started the Still life - line work took me like 90mins :( It's pretty accurate though I think.

Started to block in midtones, no idea how to do this, guess I'll press on :s any tips? :p

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

Nimh — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:05:21 GMT

lol (I think the "cut here" is more disturbing) Love your warrior Alex. The Loomis practice is certainly paying off. I admire your tenacity.

Re: Alex's Sketchbook 2009

AlexTooth — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:28:04 GMT

Well he's a big butch Boxer - of course he loves his mummy :p