Nquyet and Majo_Neko get mentored by Mybutterflyiris

[mybutterflyiris]

Ok guys, I'm still figuring out the best way to do this stuff. May take a little more trial and error. Anyways, after some careful consideration, I thought the best idea for me to communicate with my mentees would be to make a new thread. This is mainly due to the fact that I realized if I posted in their sketchbook thread, I'd probably be taking up a lot of space and such. However, they may end up with different tasks and such as they may need help in different areas... And then I thought this might also be good for them to learn from each other too. ...Such are the thoughts of a mentor.

Anyways, For the sake of other people wondering what's going on: I asked them both to look at some specific Loomis stuff and do a simple still Life.

To Nquyet and Majo_Neko: Feel free to introduce yourselves to each other and take a look at each others work. :) And I hope this thread works for you guys, let me know if it doesn't.

[mybutterflyiris]

Ok, so Nquyet's still life:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/pencil-still20life.jpg

So, I've got a lot of things for you to think about as well as some things for you to do.
First of all, it's not just about creating a drawing of some found objects. You must remember that you are the artist and therefore you make the decisions such as lighting, composition, etc. You have the control. I think that this still life's major flaw is it's composition. It's honestly, a bit bland. Thusly, I think you should now do 10 thumbnails of these same objects in different arrangements. :)
Here's some examples (except you should draw yours, not just ps like me):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/comp1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/comp2.jpg
You can do verticle as well as horizontal and think about cropping like the second example (you could even crop a lot further in than that). Your current composition is very central. You want to utilize strong diagnols, overlapping, etc. Also play around with being at different eye levels with the objects. If you are having difficulty thinking about the arrangement of objects anther way of thinking about it is thinking of them in silouette (positive negative). Example:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/sillouette.jpg

Quick note on structual issues. Watch those elipses. The top of the glass object looks a little skewed. And I'm presuming the bowl has a wavy top?

Alright, now about the actual rendering:
I'm comparing your drawing here to Loomis's as a referrence for what I'm going to talk about.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/critique01.jpg
You always have to keep in mind the underlying structure. I used the apple as an example (blue lines). Then think of how light reacts to that structure.
I like the glass object, I can tell that you are looking for the lights and the darks. However, it's about more than that. It's about pushing and pulling the forms in space. That is makeing some things come forward and others recede back into space. Generally speaking things with more contrast come forward while things with lower contrast go back. This is where the idea of lost and found edges come from. Lost and found edges also relate shadow information since generally speaking parts that are toward the light have a harder edge. You can also make an edge appear sharper/more contrast or more obscure by playing with the area outside of the object...making it contrast that area of the object or more similar in value.
I've made you a quick sketch based on your apple to hopefully help you understand better:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/scan0001-2.jpg

So along with the 10 thumbnails I think you should try to copy Loomis's fruit basket

[Nquyet]

Just wanted to thank you for the comments and the mentoring! I think this online classroom will work out fine and we can all benefit from it.
I'll be back as soon as I got my next assignments ready.

Cheers!

[Majo_Neko]

Hmm yes, I think this might be an easier way.
I will post my still life piece tomorrow, working it out in photoshop until I can get a scanner up and running.

[mybutterflyiris]

Hey guys!

Nquyet-no problem

Majo_Neko- looking forward to seeing yours. :)

I'm glad you guys think this will work for you. :bounce:

[Majo_Neko]

Ok, Finally managed to get something done in photoshop...I'm so rusty with this pen.

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc53/majo_neko/?action=view&current=still-life1.jpg

[mybutterflyiris]

Majo_Neko:
Okay, I'm going to be a bit harsh, but it's only because I want you to succeed.

In all honesty, this doesn't look like you spent much time on it at all. You're only going to get out of this what you put into this. I can't help you unless you are trying your best. (I say this based on previous work I've seen of yours, I think you can do better.)
I also, question whether or not you are actually doing this from life, which you should be. Why do I say this...your light looks like it's coming from polar opposite directions.

You have some major structural issues. So I want you to go back and focus on this. You should have already read the Loomis material regarding this. (You can go look at it again) I can only present you with the knowledge, it's up to you to apply it. if there is something you don't understand...ask.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/still-lifecomments.jpg

So overall there is a lack of structure. Remember that an ellipse is a circle in perspective and that we can construct an ellipse inside of a box by understanding how a circle fits inside of a box. Thusly, remember how to construct a box in perspective. Find your horizon line, which in real life is your eye level. create a vanishing point where all lines will recede to. Also if you have a vessel that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom you can line them up by finding the center point of one and drawing a straight verticle line which will be the center of the smaller one. To find the center simply divide your rectangle along the diagonals...where they cross is the center.
Be sketchy, you are probably not going to get the exact line on one pass. Keep refining: step back from your work, look for errors and fix them. Keep doing this until you are satisfied and can't see any more problems. If you get stuck, where you see a problem, but don't know how to fix it, then ask about it.

Some possibly useful photoshop things:
There are guides that can help you create verticle and horizontal lines. Go to view>New Guide and either pick horizontal or verticle. A bright blue line will appear to the side of your canvas, you can click and drag it wherever you need it and use it to draw along. You can also use the shift key, which is probably a better way. For horizontal/Verticle lines that are perfectly straight, click and hold and hold down shift and then move in either direction. For a straight diagonal line single click and hold down shift (then let go of your click) and click somewhere else while still holding down shift and you will get a straight line between the two points.
Also, utilize the layers!

Here is a real quick process animation:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/psstilllifejugstructure.gif

And here is what I would like for you to do. I want to see the still life done structurally. Draw as if the objects were clear. For example, I want it to look like this Loomis page. Structure is the foundation you build the rest of the drawing upon, and knowing this will improve your drawing of any object be it an inanimate object or a living creature.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/028.jpg

[mybutterflyiris]

So I thought you guys might need some inspiration. So I found some images for you to look at.

Not really a still life, but gorgeous construction lines! (Leonardo Da Vinci):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/davinci_drawing.jpg

very creative still life (cat figureing with skull on top of it, with a cowboy hat) Beautifully executed...amazing atmosphere. Notice how under the hat on the left side there is less contrast between the hat and the skull but there is high contrast between the edge of the skull on the rt side and the hat.(charcoal, adam scott miller):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/adamscottmillar.jpg

This is Jill Harrington...very precise...really took her time to find those values. good solid elipses and perspective construction. (another charcoal):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/jillharrington2.jpg

Also, take a look at this CA thread. It has an awesome still life in it with a walkthrough.
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=99413

[Majo_Neko]

No problem in being harsh, I appreciate it and welcome honesty.

I haven't really used the tablet to actually draw anything in a long time, I use it mostly for digital colours, but yeah this was very half assed, I know I can do better.

I'll give it another go this weekend.

Thank for the comments and the inspirational images, really gives me some greater perspective on things.

[Nquyet]

Huff, puff! Late again!
I'm sorry Melody, but I had a terrible week, fighting off a terrible cold. I have yet to recover completely, but I'm feeling well enough to draw, so here are the thumbnails you asked for :^^:. How did I do? Be harsh if you must, I need to improve!

You were damn right about my still life's composition. Its boring as hell. I think we should pick one of these thumbnails and use it as a basis for a new still life. What'cha think?

Oh! I have a few questions as well: what kind of pencil should I use to blend tones successfully? And what kind of paper? Should I learn to draw with a pen tablet or stick with traditional media and just use PS for coloring?

I'm still working on the Loomis fruits basket copy. I'll post it as soon as possible. Can I post anything, besides my assignments, in this thread? I'd like your opinion on some personal stuff as well.

I was thinking a grading system could prove useful in the long run, allowing us to monitor our progress. What do you think?
Also, it would be nice if you could explain the goal of each assignment. For example: 'doing this will help you understand the use of line in drawing' or something like that.

I'll be back soon. Thanks in advance!

~Cheers

[mybutterflyiris]

Nquyet:

Sorry to hear that you haven't been feeling well. I've actually been in finals all week...sleep deprived and jacked up on caffeine. So no sweat. And your post makes me happy, so all is forgiven...lol. :)
I think you are really starting to think along the right path, which is great, keep thinking like that. And I am glad you are asking questions. I have had every intention of asking you to do another still life based on one of the thumbnails, but I want you to finish the Loomis copy first. And by all means, feel free to post personal stuff here. About the grading system thing. I'm not so sure about that as I am kind of an A for effort kind of gal :teeth: Also, the goals for the assignments are kind of included in my long rants/critics and such. But I'll recap for you, just to cover the bases:

Goals:
Basically, we started off with a still life because it addresses a lot of fundamental skills (which is why it is looked for in portfolios for college as well). Each assignment should build upon the last one. So the first assignment was kind of a basis point to see where you are and what you need to work on. The thumbnail assignment was then based off of the first assignment and should help you start thinking about composition more. The Loomis study is to help train your hand and eyes in the skills of rendering form. In particular how to push and pull form in space by paying attention to how light falls on an object and using lost and found edges. So through doing these last two things I am hoping that you will improve on your compositions and rendering skills. You can understand something mentally, but until you do it, it can be hard to apply it. What you learn here with the still life you will be able to apply to other subject matter later on. Think of it like creating a house, you start by pouring the foundation and getting it all nice a level and smooth before trying to build any walls or a roof. And you don't get to any of the fun fancy stuff like picking out paint colors and door nobs until you address all the afore mentioned things.

Now on to your questions concerning materials:

tablet vs. traditional: Because you are trying to work on your portfolio for college, I would advise sticking with traditional material. However, this isn't to say that you shouldn't learn how to draw digitally as it can be a good asset. But if you can't draw something traditionally, you can't do it digitally. It took me a long time to figure out the value of the pencil. For a long time I focused on painting and hardly did anything in a sketchbook. Later, I figured out that by improving my drawing skills I could improve my painting skills. I won't go into the details of this conclusion unless you really want to know. But I highly value traditional materials for the learning process especially.

Pencils and paper and such:
The thing about pencils and papers is that it has a lot to do with individual artist's preferences. Your almost venturing forth into the realm of pc vs mac. lol. That being said I have some information from other artist's preferences as well as my own.
First of all. There are some basic things you should know about pencils and paper.
Pencils:
Pencils come in a range of hard to soft. The harder the pencil the lighter it is and the softer the pencil the darker it is. Pencils are classified as a range from 9H through H, HB, F, B through 8B. H stands for Hard and B stands for soft. A 9H is the hardest pencil and an 8B is the softest. Generally, speaking I like to work in a range from HB to 6B. I rarely get out an H or a 2H. Working with these you generally want to begin with a harder pencil and layer up to a softer pencil.
Other things I use is a good kneaded eraser and a white plastic eraser. I also find tortillons useful. As far as brands go, I'm really not that picky but I do seem to use Staedtler and Faber- castell.
Paper:
There are many different kinds of papers. Definitely more than I've tried out. Most papers are designated as having a purpose. And there biggest distinctions are weight, texture, and what it's made out of. Papers made of wood pulp are acidic which will eventually cause the paper not to last. Acid-free paper has buffering agents that neutralize the acid. <-strongly recommended. Some paper is made from cotton fibers and are called rag papers. They can last for centuries!
Personally, I have quite a few different paper types laying around so that I can choose something depending on the project. Generally, when working on white paper with graphite any paper designated drawing is fine, then it is just up to your preference for size, weight, and texture. I also, like using Bristol board which comes in a couple different textures. I have both smooth and Vellum (which has more tooth). Because of my background in painting I like to work large, generally 18 x 24 (not normally smaller than 14x17). Toned papers can also be nice as they lend themselves to using white as well as black. For this a pastel paper or charcoal paper is good. i really like the Canson Mi Teintes papers that are a middle value in color...something like a sand or a steel gray.

So here's an article out of an Artist's magazine (Jan 2007) that I found useful so I thought I would share. I hope it's legible enough.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/artistarticle_01.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/scan0014.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/scan0015.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/scan0016.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/scan0017.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/scan0018.jpg

Also, I made you this which is different materials on Bristol board (the smooth one):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/P1010039.jpg

After I did this I realized I forgot conte, which is a really good one too. It's more waxy. Again, this comes down to preferences. I think it's pretty self exclamatory, but I'll still try to elaborate a bit. Vine charcoal is something that I was introduced to in the past yr. and I find it really nice to work with. It's really easy to move around and blend and also erase. It's not as dark as some other charcoals but you can always enhance your darks with a regular charcoal pencil. I also have pure carbon on there which is much more messy than charcoal. I haven't used it a lot though. I also just recently acquired a water soluble graphite pencil which I am still currently playing around with. It seems interesting.

Well, I will post back later about your thumbnails as it's after 2 am and I should sleep. lol.

[mybutterflyiris]

Nquyet:

Alright I have returned to discuss your thumbnails. I think you did a pretty good job with this. These are much better arrangements. And I like how you included the cast shadow shapes in these as well. I do think you can still push these further concerning cropping. I don't know if you were just putting these on a page or if you actually composed them inside a rectangle. As they are, some of them still look very central. I would suggest going through these and putting a bounding box around them or cropping them in ps.
Here, I did one for you as an example:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/cropping.jpg
There are a couple reasons why I did it this way. First of all your still life in this instance is taller than it is wider which lends itself to a verticle format more so than a horizontal one. I have also composed it so that it is off center being more on the rt side of the page. I chose the right side so that the apple would lean slightly inward. Your eye tends to follow angles and if it was on the left side the apple would lead your side outside the picture plane which is not what we want.
Some classic compositions include "c" curves, "s" curves, the rule of thirds, and the golden section.
"c" curve and/or "S" curve:
http://aradergalleries.com/paintings/images/136_America/ao_bi_mtrainier.jpg

rule of thirds:
http://www.soulofharmonyphotographics.org/Macro/Honey-Bee3rds%20mys.jpg

the golden section (used a lot by the old masters):
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Images/ATGoldenSection/golden_section_image_2_rectangular_division_and_sp iral.jpg

Just some things to think about.

[Nquyet]

Thanks a bunch for all the feedback! Its incredible how I've been taking drawing classes for two years now and no one's ever bothered teaching me some things you mentioned right from the start-like the value of good composition.

Well, here's the fruits basket. I don't know if its any good, but I must admit I didn't really feel like I've learned anything. I guess I need more practice to actually benefit from this. What's next?

Oh, about the scary-looking guy...a friend of mine asked me to draw this, but I guess I overestimated my anatomy skills for I've been struggling with the drawing for days and still, I feel like there's something off about his body. Its still unfinished, so there's plenty of room for improvement. Any ideas/advice? Plz?

Question:
-what's best? Struggling with a picture until its polished to the best it can be or settle for something less perfect and invest your time on a fresh drawing?

PS: good luck with your exams! Just so you know, I'm feeling fine now.

[mybutterflyiris]

Well, I don't know what has happend to Majo_Neko....

Anyways,
Nquyet:

The Fruit Basket is nice. :) I made an animated gif of corrections:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/fruits20basket.gif
Hmm...not sure it uploaded correctly...I'm on non-highspeed internet for the holidays and it hasn't been liking me too much.... Anyways....
I think the orange is the part that is lacking the most in this. It is a deceptively simple object. Also, make sure to pay close attention to the shapes of shadow areas and different value areas. They are like different puzzle pieces that fit together to create the whole. The back part of the banana laying down should be more blended with the background.
Overall, I think it could be a bit softer. Try to stay light with your pencil and build up to the darks gradually in layers. One thing I forgot to mention before is that when rendering I like to hold my pencil at the back and make long back and forth strokes. Like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/P1010087.jpg
You have to keep your pencil sharp for this to work and it gives you a nice texture excentuating that of whatever paper you are using. Your pencil should be slightly loose in your grip and lightly carass the paper. You can layer with the same pencil by slightly changing the angle...like if you created perfectly horizontal marks the first later then change to a slightly angled upward mark for the second. Then when you need a darker pencil just change to a softer one and repeat the same layering. You can build nice almost seamless gradients this way. You can always choke up on your pencil later for finer details and it's really easy to erase highlights this way as well.

Your figure has really great lines and musculature. I think you should definately have a few things like this in your portfolio. The main issue I have with this one is the head. Firstly it is way too small and secondly it doesn't quite look attached to the body. It looks like you were having some issues with the feet. I'd suggest turning the one on the left out. I've done a draw over for you...perhaps the foot doesn't need to be turned out as much as this...but here you are:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/hunter01.jpg
The head seemed close to impossible to be in a profile setting like you had it. I'd suggest grabbing two mirrors or setting up your camera and having a go at it. From my experience, the only way to do it is completely uncomfortable and requires your shoulder to be pointed in toward your chin. Here is something to look at for you. This is a drawing by Raphael and the back is at a similar angle as yours even if the rest of the pose isn't.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/Raphael_Nude_Study.jpg

I also found this. I think it's a drawing by Prudhon, if I remember correctly. Notice the shoulder is dropped and angled. The head is also angled downward. This is not comfortable.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/6nude.jpg

One other thing you could do if it was important to you, is twist the torso more. Here is a quick sketch over:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/hunter02.jpg

I thought this might also be beneficial to you:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/Picture021.jpg

And lastly, I'd love to see you try to render something like this. :devil: Here's some inspiration:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/105.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/0021.jpg

So finish cropping those thumbnail compositions and pick one to render out.
And good work so far! :sungod:

[Nquyet]

Ok! Here are the cropped-and hopefully improved-thumbnails. Sorry I took so long. I just got myself a second job and currently I'm working 12-14 hours a day, 7 days a week.
It can't be helped, I need the money if I'm to go to college. Its not like I'm gonna give up drawing, though. After all, art is the very reason I'm doing all this. So, I'll do my best with whatever time I have. *Rawr*

Thanks for all the anatomy tips. Seems like I'll have to scrap the scary-looking guy picture and remake it, but it doesn't matter. I need to improve my figure drawing skills anyway.

The pictures you posted are great inspiration. I'll make sure to study them carefully.When it comes to figure drawing, who's work should I study?
(besides Raphael's and Da Vinci's)

As for the still life, I think I like compositions #1 and #7 the best.

Stupid question: What is Tortillon? Never heard of it. :bashful:
(Most importantly) is it something I can find in Greek art supply stores?

Another question: when we'll be getting to coloring? I'm looking forward to it :drool:

[mybutterflyiris]

These are looking good. I think you should just go with the first one. Although the 7th one is a creative arrangement, I think the first one is a better composition. But this is just my opinion. It also matters which one you feel more motivated to do.

I can't imagine tortillons not being where you are...they just may be called something different. They are also known as blending stumps. It's basically tightly rolled paper, sharpened to a point which is used to blend and smudge.
Here's a picture:
http://z.about.com/d/drawsketch/1/0/h/blendingstump.jpg

They are reusable as you can simply sharpen them with an exacto blade once they are dirty from use. They also come in various sizes.

As for who else to study...there are many artists out there you could benefit from looking at and studying. Many of the old masters have something to offer. Michelangelo, Bouguereau, Peirre-Paul Prudhon are all good to look at for figure study. As far as instruction, Bridgeman and Anthony Ryder's books have been of great help to me. There are also some brilliant people around here that can be beneficial such as Michael Mentler. Also, if you haven't seen this thread yet, you may find it useful: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1503742#post1503742

I was planning on diving into color next... that is after you finish doing the still life based on the thumbnail. But I still need to know what color mediums you have access to. As color can act differently depending on medium...for example some mix strangely, others dry a lighter color, and some can be limited in their color range. So let me know.

[Nquyet]

Weee! I'm back! Hope you had a very merry Christmas!
Work has kept me extremely busy these days. Good news is I somehow found the time to finish the scary-guy-drawing. Yep, I didn't have to scrap it anyway. I kinda like how he turned out. What do you think? Should I consider coloring it? Should I put it in my portfolio?
The still-life is on its way, btw. I'm working on some figure studies too.

As for coloring, I have Photoshop CS2, Painter IX, colored pencils and gouache available.

Question: can I achieve the same effect as tortillon by using my fingers to smudge pencil?

[Nquyet]

Little update: a back study I did yesterday. More on the way!

[mybutterflyiris]

Hey, sorry for the late reply, but I didn't have internet access for a good while. But now, I'm back on fast internet. Woowhoo...

So anyways...your proportions are still a bit off on your character.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/Richter-editcorrection.jpg

Basically you need to shift your joints down a bit: Elbows and knees to make the upper arm and the upper leg in proportion. You also need to shift down the lower part of the buttocks. And I still think how the head connects to the torso is a bit odd.

Here's some stuff to refer to.
http://www.fineart.sk/show.php?w=896
http://www.fineart.sk/show.php?w=898

I would suggest doing some gesture drawing to help learn proportions... and I would start off any figure drawing with the gesture first...work out the proportions with simple quick dirty lines then build on top of it once you are sure that they are correct. You can measure out the proportions too by dividing up your paper by the number of heads and memorize the points on the body where each head corresponds. For example know that 2 heads down is the nipples, 3 heads down is the navel and so forth
For example, these 2 are based off of 7 1/2 heads: (p.s. also notice one of the first things i draw is the curve of the spine)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/gesture.jpg
You could also do gestures like this loomis page:
http://www.fineart.sk/show.php?w=908

The back study is very intriguing...very stark lighting!

[Nquyet]

Finally! The long-awaited still life!
Sorry, this one took me ridiculously long to post. I don't work as many hours no, so I promise it won't happen again.

I really like how the apple turned out, but the bowl looks kinda weird...
Bah, I'll do better next time. I can already see some improvement here, this one looks more lively than my last try.


Cheers,
Aoi

[mybutterflyiris]

This definately shows improvement. I am loving that apple. I agree that the bowl could be improved. But i think You did really well. We are going to move on to color. I am getting things together for that. So, I'll post that when I have things organized.

[mybutterflyiris]

Hey,
Sorry, I've been covered up in school work as of late. In fact, I've been hardly sleeping.

First of all, here are some nice links for understanding color:

some nice basic definitions: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76955

This has a little more definitions: http://www.colorcube.com/articles/theory/glossary.htm

It's important to know these terms in these links in order to communicate and understand color better.

There are also a couple of key things that are not in these links that you should be aware of.
First of all, color is relative. That is to say the way you percieve a certain color is effected by the colors that surround it. One can take the same color and surround it by two different colors and it will create the illusion that it is not the same color. The phenomenon is known as simultaneous contrast. Here is an example: The 2 middle squares are the exact same color
http://personales.upv.es/gbenet/teoria%20del%20color/water_color/IMG/contrst3.gif
Another thing to know is the difference between addative and subtractive color. I'll save you the long explanation, but in short: Subtractive color refers to how color reacts when using pigments while addative color is how color works pertaining to light. In pigments the primary colors are red, blue, and yellow, but in light the primaries are red, green, and blue. This is also why monitors use RGB colors (since they give off light) and thusly RGB sliders in Photoshop and the like.
Addative color mixing (Light):
http://www.csusm.edu/iits/trc/training/lessons/graphicDesign/d5color1/Additive.gif
Subtractive color mixing (pigment):
http://www.csusm.edu/iits/trc/training/lessons/graphicDesign/d5color1/Subtractive.gif
And lastly, there is color harmony which refers to colors that look nice together.
http://www.communitymx.com/content/source/2E9BE/figure1.jpg
The black arrows indicate complimentary colors which can be any two colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel. There is also, the split compliment (the light blue lines), which is taking any given color and the two colors directly next to it's compliment. A triad color scheme are any three colors equally spaced on the wheel (orange lines). There is also analagous color which uses any 3 colors that are side by side on the color wheel.

So this isn't all inclusive, but it's probably enough for now. And really, the absolute best way to understand it is to play around with it. So that's basically what I want you to do. Create a small simple composition (it can be anything for subject) for each of the things I just mentioned (complimentary color, split compliment, triad, and analagous). You can use a few tints and shades of each of the colors you pick, but don't get over zealous, keep it simple. I just want you to try out these different ideas. So even if you just create a complete mess, it's fine as long as you learn something from the experience. :p You can use whatever media you like...I'd even recomend doing each in different mediums so that you can see the differences between them as well. But I'll leave that entirely up to you.

[Nquyet]

Ok! I decided its time I got real serious about my portfolio, so I quit working in general (in order to make more time for drawing), signed up for a life drawing class and got myself a fast internet connection.
I plan on giving up tabletop RPGs for a while as well, since DMing tends to consume my time. Heck, I even gave my Nintendo DS to a friend to keep myself from playing Trauma Center.

Right now, I'm trying to draw everyday. Here's the results:

A sketch I plan on turning into a painting
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/2460/deathsbridesz1.jpg

Character concept. My characters are usually the result of careful planning. For once I just decided to loosen up and just draw what was coming in mind. Turned out kind of interesting...I think.
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8800/dragontamerda9.jpg

Life drawing sketches (~15mins)
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1029/figure1ry7.jpg

(~10mins)
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3324/figure2jy8.jpg

(~5mins)
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/98/figure3ba6.jpg

(~10mins)
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3064/figure4wf7.jpg

(~10mins)
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/7977/figure5ty6.jpg

(~10mins)
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/3765/figure6bh1.jpg

(~2h)
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2374/pencilhumanstudy7tp2.jpg

A sketch of my hand I did waiting for my boyfriend
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5883/handff3.jpg

Ink drawing I did at work. Wanted to try something different
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5776/shadowmanck3.jpg

A few sketches I did to decide on a still life's composition...
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6222/stilllife1we1.jpg

...and the final result
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/7156/pencilstilllife2gh5.jpg

My best friend (he's fond of Mickey Mouse)
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2241/pencilhumanstudy5jx6.jpg

I, on the other hand, am fond of Audrey Hepburn
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7808/pencilhumanstudy6yo4.jpg

I've been walking past that statue for some time now and suddenly felt an urge to draw it
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/2660/pencilstatue3xc5.jpg

Another statue I got in my room
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/397/pencilstatue2ej3.jpg


I'll stay unemployed for the next two weeks and do my best to keep drawing at this pace.
As for your painting exercises, in order to try out different mediums like you suggested, I think I'll start with Photoshop and move to gouache, then oils or watercolors.

I greatly appreciate the fact that you make time for my mentoring when you have so much to tackle already. Good luck with your school work and thanks for everything! :yayca:

[mybutterflyiris]

I'm so excited for you and glad to see you drawing so much. These are nice. I like seeing you loosening up as well. It can help give more vitality to your drawings that will still be there when you clean them up. I think the still life looks better than the one you did before as well. Overall, I think you tend to use a darker limited value range in your drawings. There are a lot more subtle lighter values you could incorporate. The ink work is interresting. It's a bit anime-ish but I love the effect at the bottom.

You said you are taking a life drawing class...is it an actual class with assignments and teaching or more of a life drawing session where you come and draw people from life and you are somewhat on your own...or is it some combination there of. ...just wondering
When working with the figure try to build them from the inside out. This will help you with proportions. It seems like you are just focusing on the contours a bit. Also, make sure you are paying attention to the angle of the shoulders and hips and how they relate to one another. In many of these figure sketches the upper bodies look very rigid and stiff.

P.S. What size are you working?

[Nquyet]

Glad you are happy for me! I'll keep working as hard as I can :yayca:

I like seeing you loosening up as well. It can help give more vitality to your drawings that will still be there when you clean them up.
I've been struggling with stiffness for a long time. I'm trying real hard to loosen up and I can already see some results. I still have a long way to go, though.

I think the still life looks better than the one you did before as well. Overall, I think you tend to use a darker limited value range in your drawings. There are a lot more subtle lighter values you could incorporate.
I think so too. Its true its very dark. I noticed at some point that my drawings look very pale, so trying to fix this I kind of overdid it. I'll do my best to balance things out.

The ink work is interresting. It's a bit anime-ish but I love the effect at the bottom.

I really like working ink and I'd like to add some ink works in my portfolio. Any ideas?

You said you are taking a life drawing class...is it an actual class with assignments and teaching or more of a life drawing session where you come and draw people from life and you are somewhat on your own...or is it some combination there of. ...just wondering
Well, actually I'm kind of sneaking in a life drawing class in my local Fine Arts college department. Its supposed to be an actual class with assignments and such, but things are so dissorganized that students end up teaching themselves and even bringing along people who are not supposed to be in the class (like myself). I have yet to see a teacher in these classes. Usually its just students and the model, each trying to figure out their own way to do things.
Anyway, its not like I could afford a model so I'm not complaining.

It seems like you are just focusing on the contours a bit.
Sorry if I sound stupid or something, but...does 'contour' mean 'outline'? :bashful:

In many of these figure sketches the upper bodies look very rigid and stiff.
Could you point them out for me? So that I can understand better? :)
I guess I should make some construction exercises...

What size are you working?
Pretty small actually. Usually A4 or A3. Should I include original size along with completion time in the future?

Anyway, here's a still life for the triad color scheme: yellow, orange and dark blue. I used a gray background in order to minimize its effect on my perception of the colors.
Its still unfinished, but I thought I should post it anyway. Just how polished should the final picture be?

[Nquyet]

Here's the final product.
(I just noticed there's not enough orange in the composition. Darn!)

[mybutterflyiris]

Ack! I'm so busy. I'll be in finals for the next two weeks. But I'm sure I'll procrastinate a little and pop on here some.

Alright, first of all, here is a really really good tutorial about light, color, and form...very in depth: http://itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm#table_of_contents

ink:
I think there are a lot of ways to explore ink, so go for it. Do some research for artists who work in ink. There are many different methods from stippling to ink washes. One of my favorite ink artists is heinrich kley. You can find some of his work here. (http://www.coconino-world.com/sites_auteurs/kley/mng_kley.htm)

Life Drawing:
I would encourage you to work bigger...like 18x24 inches. I think that might be A2, but I'm not really sure. But working larger gives you a greater freedom of movement. You want to draw using your entire arm, not just bending your wrist. Think long lines. And yes, contour basically referrs to the outline. However, it can also include things such as folds or other surface elements. And it should not be confused with cross contour lines which basically describe the volume of a surface. :)
Here is an example by Andrew Ley to show working from the inside out.
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1747/zombie7em.jpg
And if you haven't been there yet, you should check out mentler's thread: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1159293#post1159293
And for further study, you could explore Bridgeman...you can download his constructive anatomy book here (http://www.archive.org/details/constructiveanat00briduoft).
Quote:
In many of these figure sketches the upper bodies look very rigid and stiff.

Could you point them out for me? So that I can understand better?
I guess I should make some construction exercises... Well I would but 1/2 of your images aren't showing up at the moment. But I think it's mostly an isue of having the back follow the curve of the spine and paying attention to the angle of the shoulders. Even though, I can't see it right now, if I remember correctly, I think the man you had was the most stiff. Another factor in this...again trying to recall image....is that it seemed like you weren't working over the entire image (working from the broad shapes, to the more specific). Instead it seemed like you were going from one element to the next.

Color:
Well, you shouldn't have gray in there for this exercise. You don't have to use an absolutely correct yellow, blue, and orange...as long as your audience thinks it's yellow, blue, and orange it doesn't matter if it really is or not. I've had paintings before that I have had to use a very pinkish violet on the sky before to make it appear to be blue to the audience due to the other colors in the image. Don't be afraid of the color. Just stick it down and see what happens. Here's your image with an all blue bg...it makes the colors sing a bit more:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/mightyevilbunny/lamp.jpg
These don't need to be very rendered at all, unless you just want to. :) And I think you did a lovely job on rendering your final.

And now I will leave you with some inspirational Turner paintings: :)
http://www.galeriacanvas.pl/sklep/images/obrazy/do91/60.jpg
http://www.londonisfree.com/Images/turner3.jpg

[Nquyet]

Hey Melody! Its been a while, hope you doing well!

I received an invitation to present my portfolio from Glasgow and Dundee. Didn't have time to consult you (and I'm sorry for that), so I quickly summarized (what I believed to be) my best pieces, wrapped them up into a (hopefully) nice PDF presentation and mailed it to them.

Here's the result: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=08TAYZJ

I'm not 100% happy with it, but since I'm applying for a foundation year in Art and Design, it should be enough. Any feedback is, of course, more than welcome. I'll be sending this to Abertay soon, so there's still some room for improvement.

[mybutterflyiris]

Your link doesn't work

[Nquyet]

How about this one? http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8NO0266C

Just so you know, I just received my confirmation letter. I got accepted into both Dundee and Abertay :)
You have been a lot of help. I wouldn't have done so well without your help so, once again, thank you.

The deal was to help me prepare my portfolio, but you have been a great mentor, so I'd like to ask you:

Would you be interested in checking out any of my future art works?

[mybutterflyiris]

Hey, Sorry I've been away for awhile.
Anyways, I don't mind at all checking in every once in awhile to critic some of your work. Just shoot me a PM or something if there is something you would like me to specifically look at.
Time is slipping away from me more and more as I start to work on my Thesis, but I will still try to be around.