Semester 2 Week 12

This posts a little late. I wanted to do it on friday, but I didn't have anything to really show. It sucks being behind. Every second I feel like I'm about to catch up, I get pushed back a few more. Oh well. The more work I do, the better I become in the end.

Media class image is first seeing as I just finished it. Overall it took about 8 hours to do. I probably could have done it quicker but I second guess myself. Started with some photo ref, sketched it then inked, and last night I did the watercolor. It was really difficult. Two parts really. First was picking the correct colors (too often did I choose the wrong thing I wanted... but ended with interesting effects). While the second was letting it dry. I feel like I rush myself all the time in my art (it shows a lot). Sometimes I made a mistake for not waiting long enough. Overall though, I'm quite happy with the results. I want to do more and get better.

I pushed the forms a bit for some lines to link.

Figure drawing... oh figure drawing. I'm pushing myself and soooo close to catching up with the hw. Now the only problem? Scanning and compiling which I really do hate. Its probably the least artistic thing to do at tad heh. However, it is nesecessary. So I'll get it done soon. In the mean time, check the in class work I did. Working on shadows now. I feel comfortable with the muscles... now I just need to start applying what I've been learning in Light and Form or Cast Drawing. The other thing? I need to LOOK at the correct shapes. I sometimes get too fixated in one spot. Other times I'm just rushing through.

Uneven tone, and correct shape needs to be applied. However

I am improving on my muscles

Attempt after Crit. Still needs work... I dont know what I was thinking with those

waves.

Cast drawing is the last of it for now. I'll be working later today on it. For now as you can see I've been working those dark vales which really give my form some depth. However, I will need to clean this up some more and adjust the values. This is getting very close to done. The only problem is that the next hurdle can be very big. I feel like sometimes I go through an hour of clean up (aka taking out those dots and making an even tone) and not feeling like I did anything. The postivity on the the other hand is that I am going to have one impressive piece by the end of the semester. I'm already fired up to start another over the summer.

Paper really makes a difference. Now I just need to keep poking at this till it looks

right.

Semester 2 Week 11

Haha I'm falling a bit behind on some parts. Figure drawing is demanding but worth it. I think I've push in more hours into that then I have in a while (by that I mean before the semester). However, I'm becoming well accumusted to the different muscles. Every week or two feels like a huge challenge in the beginning, but then it all clicks in the end. Sometimes it feels almost too simple. Sadly I dont have any figure drawings to show yet.... they need to scanned.

What I do have is the watercolor still life for Media class. This took a little while getting used to. I've never done anything serious with watercolors in my life. Not to mention color has been the furtherst from my mind. So this was an excellent project for me. I need to do more... I dunno why but it was kind of fun. I kind of want to advance so I can start doing some kind of plein-air paintings.

Done on Cold Press Illustration board, took around 6 hours.

I'm a little upset with my cast drawing or better yet my judgement. For the longest time, I have been using a certain paper hoping it would work. Sadly, the charcoal was just not adhering to it very well. All that time spent and I had to transfer the image over. I feel like some time could have been spent else where because of that. Then again, this is all just a learning process. Even now the paper is a different quality and will take some getting used to.

Took about 7 hours to get it to this level. I was able to fix certain mistakes.

Blockhead is at this level right now. I have been neglecting it since figure drawing and cast drawing eat away my time. The reflective areas are a bit bright and this needs occlusion shadows. I was a little confused with them but I am starting to get the principle. Its one of those things that by observing I get a better sense of what I'm doing.

Struttura Uomo Review

I'd like to start by saying I will try doing a review of certain things I like or items I use from time to time. Hopefully I can make this a weekly thing. I know my previous week was not added, but things have been hectic. I dont have lots of stuff uploaded (or done for that matter).

Struttura Uomo: Manuale di Anatomia Artistica volume 1

http://www.amazon.com/Struttura-Manuale-Anatomia-Artistica-Volume/dp/8873056113

I'd like to start by saying that this is an anatomy book written in italian. I cannot read italian. This does not stop me from looking at all the gorgeous pictures that are clearly drawn and seperated. This is a handy tool both in doing some copies but it gets a lot of use from when I'm doing figure drawing. A lot of times certain muscles aren't developed enough to see, and its good to have a few things handy to know what you are drawing. I have some other books, ipad apps, and handouts from Ron Lemen to help as well. 

This book is not the end all cure. I stress this because I always thought I need to buy the perfect book or the one that will teach me the most.

I don't think there is any anatomy book that will just make you a genius. I've gone through Loomis and Bridgeman before diving into constructive anatomy. Many people reccommend those two a LOT (and for good measure) They are good at what they do.

This book really breaks down a lot of bones and how the muscles attach to them. My favorite are the guides with the different views (especially if they are colored). The book itself has about 180 pages printed on some nice paper. The binding on mine is starting to come apart at the front cover.

Overall this book is priced at $60 on amazon. I think thats a rather fair price seeing as its an import. This is good for the beginner or the advanced in my opinion. I would say though if you are just starting out (or early in your drawing progress), you should buy a few other books. http://www.noahbradley.com/blog/2011/8-great-anatomy-books-for-artists/ Here is Noah Bradley's list. Bridgman's complete guide helps you understand 3D volume fairly well and Loomis' Figure Drawing has a lot of nice poses (mostly women) to draw upon. If you pair those two with this book, a TON of photos and real life drawing, you will be well on your way.

Semester 2 week 9

A little late in the posting, I've been doing pretty well with the friday/saturday upload for this blog. Whats nice though is that I get to show all the things I did over the weekend.

Media class. Oh what a trip. I went into this project with such vigor but down the line I made quite a few mistakes that I wish I had changed. As you can see below, a bit was changed, but for the better of course. I really enjoyed inking the original drawing but I had to make some changes. That was not so fun. Inking is not pencils, you have to paint over it and reink or with the hands you can scrape it off. I'm not good with either, but I'm getting better. Also all those lines? I'm not sure if I like the look (especially with how long they took...). Never the less, its finished. I want to do more inking in the future especially if I want to draw comics.

Less than 8x11 on strathmore, sumi ink, pen nibs.

The piece can be taken literal or figuratively in my opinion with hints

of the pain of rape or the cornering during stressful times.

Light and formm.... I had to draw some blockheads. Those were cool. BUT oh my god... I feel like the perspective was some crap. I dont really like building up vanishing points... I want to free hand because it can be a hassle. Sadly, I dont practice enough to have it come out correct. So I rigged it up in sketchup, which was kind of fun. I got to try out some stuff, and I may play around with that program some more... yet I dont want to rely on it. So the best thing I can do? Draw more than just figures from life!

The cool thing was creating from a thumb than adjusting to find best

possible pose (no tangents is a big plus)

Figure drawing is now focusing on arms. The mapping of anatomy is staying in my mind pretty well. I just need to start applying this to what I do. Oh also! I must draw bigger. This is okay for some of the shorter poses but for the longer ones its harder to get those nice details. 

Each took about 10-20 minutes. Its nice to have notes while doing these.

Cast drawing is really taking some shape. It really is starting to look closer and closer like what I see. Its funny, I've never really tried to make things look accurate. I would always fake it till it looked about right. Doing this has really set a lot of guidelines. Plus I am pretty stoked, I want to try doing more of this over the summer. This type of work is really helping me with light and shadows, something I neglected for a lot of my artistic development.

Every week I seem to put in about 4+ hours. Seems like a good pace.

I'm finally starting to crackdown on color and composition. While doing these in pencil they would feel like values are semi close, but on closer inspection they are quite off. I think I have a hard time committing that its a dark value versus lighter. I will do lots more! Oh also, I feel like when I can distinguish what the object is it distorts my perception a little. They come out too big or in a weird angle. I might try blurring these before starting with the next one to see how well I can get the shapes down.

Thumbnails done in sketchbook.