Are you too lazy to look at my Sketchbook? Of course Not

[Ekul]

Hey, what up?!? Im 15 from Wisconsin ... Ive been drawing for a very long time but only started to actually take it seriously since about January of 2008.
Ive been a member here for a while and I posted a sketchbook thread a while ago, but thats long gone. I also decided to try out digital stuff, so I downloaded the trial version of Corel Painter Essentials 4.
These are my first few pieces using it. As you can tell, Im a total newb at this so any and all help is needed! Thanks alot!

I am also wonderin how I can improve the picture quality of my drawings because when I look at them on here, they're crap. I know. So if you have any ideas that'd be great.


EDIT:
I bought a tablet so any new digital stuff (including the eye below) is done with that not the mouse anymore.

[Christian223]

Hi, you may want to leave colouring in computer for a while since it will hinder your ability to learn faster, since the computer is another medium to learn from, you are adding the dificulty to learn to draw an paint in the computer plus the dificulty to actually learn to draw and paint well. You are just making things harder for you, stay with pen and pencil until you know very well what you are doing there.

www.fineart.sk read andrew loomis books starting with "succesfull drawing", it will teach you how to correctly light and shade what you draw. For example, in the back and white face, its not very clear what is in shadow and what isnt, since there is not that much difference in value of the zones in light and the zones in shadow.

Keep it up!.

[Ekul]

Thats probably a good idea, to stop the coloring/painting of it and work on the lighting. I don't seem to have that big of a problem when Im shading using pencil and paper though. Do you think I could just practice drawing on the computer and leaving out the coloring part?
Thanks alot for your tips, I'll have to look into those books.

[Christian223]

No problem.

Do you think I could just practice drawing on the computer and leaving out the coloring part?

I would recommend you to leave the comptuer, and just concentrate on pencil, thats what i have done, i have the wacom in a safe place, its been months since i have touched it. The thing is that pencil is more inmediate, easier than the tablet or computer, do you have a tablet or mouse?, if you dont have a tablet then i would say dont even try to practince on the computer, you are making everything harder for you, its just something else to master, just stick with pencil, i know its hard to forget about the tablet since its such a nice tool, but really, its so much easier to learn to draw in pencil rather than tablet, the teacher that teaches me illustration tolde me the same.

[Ekul]

That makes sense, especially since I was using a mouse.
Thanks for the tips!

[Ekul]

Im going to be putting up some sketches soon, so look for em!

[Ekul]

Ok so heres some sketches from my book, I really do apologize for the crappy quality (I dont have a scanner)

[Ekul]

Heres a little demon, imp thing I started. Not finished. Obviously

[Ekul]

Not sure what this is, I just got bored

[Ekul]

Some random doodles and face study

[Ekul]

Again not exactly sure what this was supposed to be. Alien/human thing I guess

[Ekul]

A zombie!!! un-finished

[Ekul]

Randoms with a slightly humorous one =)

[Ekul]

Your friendly neighborhood Spiderman!

[corupt_german]

I like your sense of humour.

[Moftah]

nice start keep it up :)

Moftah's Sketchbook

[Ekul]

Thanks :)

[Mr_White]

Not that i'm an expert but i have sold a couple of paintings and things in my time...i'm not shooting you down i'm giving you free advice. The dude who said you should refrain from using the pc was correct, mess around with it but dont try and refine your technique with it, it will only slow you down for now.

Get an anatomy book and copy it, draw each and every picture in that book, if you can get one specifically meant for artists i would recommend using that.
I mention this because i notice you have the same problem i used to have and thats per portions!! They are a right bastard to master but once you got them under your knee you wont believe how it will improve the quality of your work.

What works for me is when i'm sketching from a model or reference picture i dont draw what i think i'm seeing, draw the lines and only the lines, its a difficult concept to get your head around, i'm having some difficulty explaining this idea to you by just typing. When you draw a tree for example or what ever, dont think "ok i'm drawing a tree, a tree looks like this etc etc etc" draw what you SEE, follow the lines. The same goes for lighting, lighting can make or break your piece. Light is just lighter and darker lines. Everything is about lines and placing colours in the right places.

The most important piece of advice anyone can give you and i'm sure everyone here will agree, is DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW untill you get SICK and then draw some more. That is the only way anyone can improve. Be creative, keep painting, drawing, sculpting what ever tickles your nasty and dont let anyone shoot your work down ever!

I can see you have a natural flare for art but you HAVE to work work work work!!!!

Keep drawing and keep shining!!

PS. the budgie is cool :-D

[Ekul]

Thanks for the tips! I understand about the computer thing, but its so fun to use! Im getting a tablet soon so that will be a bit better.
Im goin outta town for a few days but will bring a sketchbook along. Then Ill show ya some stuff I made while there. So keep an eye out!

PS anyone know how I can improve the quality of my pictures without using a scanner?

[Frogisis]

Mr_White's right about staying analog for now. Tracing's the watchword, I think, at your current stage of art development. Keep plugging away, and notice every little line or patch of light and dark the underdrawing forces you to put in, no matter how small - and notice why, because it'll all become part of your vocabulary for drawing anatomy.

[Smoke]

I agree with mr White. But also try to draw from life, or failing that, a picture. Do it at least once a day. It may help to take an image or scene and draw it as accurately as possible. Take hours doing it, don't stop until it is perfect, but don't get angry with it.

I look forward to seeing improvements!

[DANKA]

Nice start, you should work on volumes, more exercise with draw without render the light/shadow, keep the volumes with the lines at first.
And (very important)...copy copy copy...from photos, or best from real life.
Keep it up! :-)
Sorry for my english...

[Ekul]

Thanks for input :)
I never really like to copy from real life, not sure why...
But while i was out of town I tried it and was surprised
I'll post it tomorrow

[Ekul]

kinda let this get a way from me for a few days so heres some new stuff
these are some sketches I did while up north at the cabin

[Ekul]

Heres a robot/cyborg that I drew in my last week of school
I got in trouble for drawing it haha

[Chris_Grisham]

Here is a free online book for anatomy called Constructive Anatomy (http://www.scribd.com/doc/334333/Constructive-Anatomy)

You should save it and give it a go... it is a fantastic book and it WILL help you become a better artist.

Keep practicing and posting man! Good start!

[Ekul]

Heres my most recent drawing. Another robot! Ooo how exciting! :D

[Ekul]

Thanks!
Is CA file manager just the 'manage attachements' button? Because if it is I already use it

[Chris_Grisham]

Oh and the master chief is pretty cool -- I used to play halo all damn day -- it really kept me from getting any drawing done though.

Now I can't stop playing GTA 4, but that's about to change while I'm out of the country for a month. But now I'll have lots to draw (not to mention the all the sketching I'll get done on the 20 hour flight to singapore).

I'm kind of scared of the flight... especially now because I leave tomorrow (yikes!)


But for real though, have a good look at that book I posted in that link (it's totally free, but trust me when I say it's priceless!).

[Chris_Grisham]

Thanks!
Is CA file manager just the 'manage attachements' button? Because if it is I already use it


Yes, I edited my post because I saw you used it, I don't know why it's not showing up on the forum list though. Try editing your very first post and just upload one image to it. Maybe that'll do it.

[Chris_Grisham]

That robot reminds me a lot of an owl. T

ry sketching some of those pics in that book. It will be very helpful to you I swear. Just about every good artist has used that same book. If you ever find it in a store you should seriously buy it. But having it in a free PDF is still very useful too.

[Ekul]

I will try it thanks for the source

[Ekul]

Have fun on your flight then!

[lilnebo]

heyio :),
thanks for comment on my sb, your work is pretty good :)
only advice i can give is
1. do some life drawing of objects around you
2. do anatomy studies
3. In photoshop try not to use smudge tool and just blend with the brush
And btw lol i was not born with talent LOL! (:P)
btw if you ever wanna chat or something just add my email, cool and glad to see you started a new sb
keep at it

[Ekul]

Thanks lilnebo
I really should do life drawings but I feel it limits my imagination, lol
And with photoshop I dont use the smudge tool I stick with the brush. But I must be doin somthin wrong cuz it still looks kinda choppy right? I dunno, it might be because I use a mouse. Im lookin to buy a tablet soon though, yay!

Thanks for stoppin by

[Ekul]

Guess what? I just bought a tablet!
Heres an eye I just made. Its supposed to look surprised incase you cant tell....

[Oranje Joe]

When you are drawing from life, as i assume you were doing for the dock and tree plants etc, it seems like you would make much better drawings if you worked more slowly and looked at the subject alot more than you seem to be,

it helps keep the left side of your brain from categorizing and giving you symbols for the dock and lets the right side of your brain actually see and translate that to paper

cheers

[Ekul]

wow thats a good idea, never even considered that. Thanks!

[lilnebo]

Well first
Less comments on your sketchbook and more updates with art!
And i use photoshop cs3
Keep at it

[Ekul]

Been awhile since my last update...I really need a scanner. So for now, enjoy looking at... An alien!!

[Ekul]

It is with great pleasure I now present to you....


The Big-headed, Tiny-winged, One-legged Bird with and abnormally shaped beak!!