Matt's drawing

[Matt_JP]

Hey, so... what's up? Just some background- been drawing for a couple years, decided to get serious about learning to draw a year ago. I just took a figure drawing class for a few weeks very recently. When I obtain a digital camera, I will post that stuff, but until then, here's my most recent thing- a self-portrait. Clearly, I need help... so... HALP!

[Vaei]

Hello, welcome to CA.org!

That's a nice little sketch - can't tell if it captured your likeness coz I don't know your likeness :) Good use of values to suggest form (many folks started out with just lines, which is much harder for portraits than using tones).

My suggestion, on the other hand, is to (i) cut down on the unnecessary lines - what does not add meaning to the work detracts meaning from the work; (ii) use a more consistent direction for shading - some parts in your picture uses surface contour (form-hugging lines), whereas others are just lying down the tone. That makes it ambiguous for the viewer to read (amidst all the other lines).

Happy drawing,
Vaéi.

[Matt_JP]

I've been damn neglectful of my own thread, geez. I've finally scanned a few sketches and drawings so you guys can tear into them.

First, a drawing from Seedling's awesome Concept Art 101 thread. One o' my shoes on top, and on the bottom changed and added a couple of things and now... it's a shoe monster. I'm still a kid, I guess...

Next is a quick thumbs-up. And after that... Another hand drawing. The second one came out way too bright though, so it's bad-looking on a computer screen. Dang.

Lastly is a sharpie sketch I found in my sketchbook from the figure-drawing class. Ultra-fine sharpie, I guess it probably only took me a couple of minutes.

Thanks for looking.

@Vaei, thank you for the advice. On both the hands and the shoe drawing I tried to cut down on unnecessary stuff. Also tried to stick with one direction for any hatching on the hands. For the shoe I tried to shade in a way to suggest texture... I think I failed, but I tried I guess. Thank you again, very much.

[throtailer]

Well man, u 'fail' on shading. Practice on it ;)