&&&!

[birdsatemyface]

Just a few things to get started. I've clearly got a long way to go.

Icon?

http://i54.tinypic.com/i6vyuh.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/2w3z43t.jpg

[birdsatemyface]

WIP, is it just me or is the head too small/hips+legs too big?

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb20/grammarnazi/NooseWIP.jpg

[kelly x]

great start!!

[birdsatemyface]

Portrait of Davey Havok from the Love Like Winter music video.

Hm. The jawline is a little odd and the head seems like it may be a little too big for the body, but painting without lines is coming much easier and it's got a bona fide background, so there's improvement on that front. Hair shading is supposed to be flat.

[Lakka]

heyhey, good stuff, about that question in post #2, I'd say the torso is a bit too small and the hip might need some checking anatomy wise.

Anyway, good start, got me interested! :)

[Lateman]

wow! looks realy nice!

cheers lateman

[birdsatemyface]

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb20/grammarnazi/gypsy.jpg

Full resolution:

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb20/grammarnazi/gypsydetail.jpg


First semi-sorta-kinda realistic face I've been able to make without a reference.

[birdsatemyface]

Much thanks for the kind words so far guys.

Something from in between the last two pieces that I forgot to put up. The anatomy is off around the head/shoulders area, but I made some headway with shading and working in B+W.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb20/grammarnazi/dita.jpg

[birdsatemyface]

WIP, I'm really enjoying this one so far. Reference is of the cutest old lady I've ever seen.

[kidult]

The one in post #7 is very nice - try some proportion studies maybe. Seem to miss the mark on a few. Keep em coming! oo and great colours too!

[birdsatemyface]

Kidult: Thanks! Proportion is one of the many things I need to study up on, haha. :]


I drew these two about a year and a half apart, the first one shortly before high school graduation, and the second just recently. Mainly just to see if I've improved.

[RandAlThor]

Hey Christian, huge progress between that old and recent female face. Its always good to look back to see how far you've come. keep posting ;-)

[Clochette]

OOOh she (http://conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=482788&stc=1&d=1223189281) is SO cute! :D
Really nice and original work!
Your volumes are clean, I'm curious to know if you ever tried vectors? Your stylization seems to fit this media!

[FightingSeraph]

Spectacular stuff from another Louisianian! As for the anime-styled drawings,
whose particular drawing style was the influence?

[JailHouseRock]

Hi Christian, I bloodly love your style!

Great rendering and great use of colour, amd nice skeches as well.

keeep up the good work,

matt

[Night Snake]

And i was going to say that most of your portraits/ faces have that Davey Havok thing =))

I love AFI!!! and ur job :)

[birdsatemyface]

RandAlThor: Thanks, seeing progression/improvement of other artists has always been fascinating to me.

Clochette: Thanks! I've never tried vectoring, but it's something I hope to experiment with in the future.

FightingSeraph: Slidell, huh? That's rad. :] I don't know if there was any particular artist who inspired them, I'd say the biggest inspiration I get on that front comes from a slew of different artists on dA, I spend a lot of time on there looking around. When I'm not working from a reference my style tends to evolve/fluctuate all the time, really.

JailHouseRock: Thank you, very much.

Night Snake: Haha, yeah, I'm a huge AFI junkie, they're a constant influence on me.

[DoubleThink]

Just gave you 5 stars.

For this, I want to see the granny finished ;)

[birdsatemyface]

DoubleThink: Whoa, thanks! It's coming along, promise. :)

Still working on it, the sketch of the tiara looks something terrible, haha. I need to work on the eyes more, too, they're starting to creep me out.

[birdsatemyface]

Finally finished it. Overall I'm really proud of the face, etc., but the tiara looks absolutely shiteous and I didn't want to do anything else to it for fear of fucking it up more. The background also feels bland/impersonal. Ugh. :dead:

[Utopia]

This princess is adorable :) Very sweet little granny.. I like the softness of the lighting and the shadows :) Nice job!

[ethan karnopp]

Your work reminds me of a dude I used to talk to Pac, you should check him out (http://pacman23.deviantart.com/) if you haven't seen him already, I definitely dig so far.

[purb36]

hey dude. nice works you have here. a suggestion for your faces, try to mix some different, non-standard colors into the face to add some visual interest; itll make them come alive even more. skintones are usually not monochrome. work the warm and cool areas. g'luck with the chow dude!

[birdsatemyface]

Utopia + ethan karnopp: Thanks! Checked out the link, he has some great stuff.

purb36: Thanks, that's some really sound advice. I'll definitely try and add in different colors from now on.


First completed CHOW entry, definitely not among my best but a good learning experience nonetheless. Ffff unexpected JPEG artifacts.

Also some WIPs thrown in for good measure. Left is me forcing myself to try and experiment with bright colors (lolcleavage), upper right is a portrait in progress of Eternal Sunshine's Clementine, and bottom right is an unfinished CHOW I'll never get around to completing, but I liked the expression she had.

[birdsatemyface]

Better WIP shots of my current project.

Had to change most of the original red around the face 'cause with the path I had her on, she was looking like some grotesque lovechild born of Ronald McDonald, Jeffree Star, and a hooker, haha. I think I may need to fix those crazy eyebrows too. :dur:

[myjkolada]

the old lady is awsome...
I want to see more pictures like that one...

keep on workin' :)

[birdsatemyface]

myjkolada: Thanks, it was really fun to do. I'd love to do more like it if I come across the right subject matter.

Two sketchbook pages from today. Various nonsense and an unfinished portrait. These are actually pretty lame. I'll make it a goal to have interesting sketchbook pages from now on, haha.

[birdsatemyface]

I really like this face on this, but everything else makes me cringe. It could use more tentacle. Also, I hate my scanner for making it look grosser than it already is.

[serio]

Great faces! Granny rules

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks, that seems to be a popular one.

So I thought it might be a fun idea to try doing small environment sketches, as I've never tried environments before, and it turns out I'm embarrassingly awful at them. I'm convinced that were you to give a second grader a copy of Painter and a tablet they'd churn out something better than this, haha.

Anyways, much more practice is certainly necessary in this department.

[wookiedabo]

nice pencil sketches man. I'd suggest doin the environment sketches in grayscale, work on values and shapes first, before embarking on colour choices. just a thought. good stuff.

[Wykin]

I like your women :) Granny included :P So cute

[DStraX]

nice gallery :) but now i want to see some anatomy studies and some enviroments ;)
keep posting

–Tim

[birdsatemyface]

DStraX + Wykin: Thanks. :]

wookiedabo: That's some really solid advice that I'll definitely take to heart, thanks!

Boring update.

[arsanik]

Amazing start! I especially like your first sketch... can't wait to see what else you upload!

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks, arsanik. :]

Unfinished sketches from tonight. My scanner is something awful and just uneven. Eugh.

[birdsatemyface]

I like what I've got with this so far, but I don't really know where to take it from here aside from finishing the legs, etc. Maybe I'll take it into Painter and do something.

[FightingSeraph]

Regarding that "Cecaelia" Pic, I acually enjoy that mermaid. However, that doesn't mean I don't like your other, newer stuff. I say "keep practicing."

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks, FightingSeraph. I'm definitely going to keep practicing. :]

I stopped working on this as there were a few things I just didn't like, but I worked with the face a little and fleshed everything out a bit more and I think I like where it's going enough to have it finished soon. I'dve used the attachment manager, but apparently the file's too big.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb20/grammarnazi/Conceptart%20org/medusatestX.jpg

[birdsatemyface]

My sketchbook's regrettably gone neglected due to personal issues and general craziness, but it's a new year and things are looking up, so hopefully I'll stick to a resolution and work hard with drawing every day.

blahblahblah.

Anyways, just a WIP of this weeks CHOW. First time I'm attempting to paint a male torso, so that's exciting.

He looks like a tranny. I don't know what's up in my subconscious with my girls looking like guys and my guys looking like girls.

[birdsatemyface]

WIP of a portrait of Natalie Portman

[birdsatemyface]

Finished.

[Sluggie]

Yeah pal! Granny pwns all! xD

[birdsatemyface]

Sluggie: Haha, thanks.

WIP. Going to be based loosely around Eve / the Garden of Eden. Also, antlers ftw.

[birdsatemyface]

Progress. I work at an agonizingly slow pace.

[birdsatemyface]

Got a new sketchpad. Starting drawing in ink, which I was a little apprehensive about what with the lack of erasing, but I actually really enjoy it so far.

[JailHouseRock2]

Oh God I love your work!

[birdsatemyface]

JailHouseRock2: Aw, thanks!

Worked on some animals today.

[DARAF]

I like your lines man, keep posting.

[localfatheaded]

really liked those colored pencil studies, and drawing from life, looking great.

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks guys.

Some more sketchbook pages. I'm pretty unhappy with them, save for piercing man on the lower left of the first page and the roses on the second. :[

[birdsatemyface]

Today's page.

[UCT]

Dude, this is a really fun sb. I like your style and rendering. That owl squid caused a real LOL. Keep posting

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks, UCT!

Quick old woman sketch from today.

[birdsatemyface]

Sketchbook page (scanned with a different scanner, so it's far more washed out than I'd like) and CHOW work.

[birdsatemyface]

Tried to speed paint, to a disastrous result. Took about three or so hours, which is embarrassing considering the turn-out. Reference was of the lovely Sara Bareilles.

[birdsatemyface]

Another sub-par speed study. About three hours again (does that even qualify as speedy? Haha). I definitely need to practice this more.

[birdsatemyface]

Speed paint of a lion. I'm a dork.

[birdsatemyface]

WIP. A few ideas are bouncing around in my head about where to take this that I haven't settled on yet, but I think it'll end up being something a little more unique than just a figure study.

[phucci]

wow!! the figure drawing looks so good.
i cant wait to see it finished!

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks phucci!

Some touch ups. It's an odd feeling to stop in the middle of a painting and remark on how much of an improvement it is over something from just months ago.

[birdsatemyface]

Finished, I guess. I'm not sure how I feel about it anymore.

[FOYLE]

You have nice skin tones and i really like the way you handle light on some of the faces. The old lady is full of personality. Very nice.

[MattGamer]

i like your rendering style. detailed and exciting to
see... pro level... study study study, and if you get
stuck use reference! like on the teirra for the old lady,
get a tierra at a dollar store and set it up and use it as
ref. ;]

keep working hard! it's great to see your art. ;]

[birdsatemyface]

Foyle: Thank you!

MattGamer: Thanks! I'm definitely no stranger to reference, haha. That portrait was actually worked from a reference, but I think it was more a case of a lack of skill of being able to render the item in question properly. I'll get there someday though.

Sub-par sketchbook page. For the past few days it seems as if my hands don't want to cooperate, and nothing I do seems to turn out right. It's frustrating.

[birdsatemyface]

Second is some from-imagination bullshit. Looks godawful. Doesn't help at all that the scanner butchered the color on both of them.

Anyway. Enough self-loathing for tonight, haha.

[birdsatemyface]

Spongebob Handsomepants is a fine southern gentleman.

[birdsatemyface]

"A Murder"

[Eugie]

haha your sponge bob cracks me up, nice update you definitely have a knack for old ladies.

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks Eugie! Old ladies are very fun to draw.

Character design for a friend. Supposed to be a half-elf druid mage, but seeing as I know next to nothing about D&D, I don't know how well I pulled that off. The scanner seems to be getting progressively worse with every scan. I'm almost positive it's out of spite.

[birdsatemyface]

WIP. I'm not very satisfied with the face thus far. Kinda seems like the face of someone who's had a little too much plastic surgery. Eh, we'll see.

[birdsatemyface]

Progress.

[Zorcron]

i really enjoy your work it has a certain sense of personality

i think you should render out some charcoal studys perhaps really get the range of values in to a whole drawing and more Color Color Color !

keep it up !

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks Zorcron, I definitely am interested in expanding to other media, charcoal for sure being on the list.

And now for something completely different, I've had an idea for a shirt in my head for a very long time, and I finally got around to attempting to design it. It's an homage to Palahniuk's Invisible Monsters, which is a favorite book of mine. I think I'm going to outline the font so that the line thickness meshes more with that of the face, and will probably add quotation marks around the words, as it is a quote. I tried it out and it looks alright, but I'm still on the fence about that.

[birdsatemyface]

Finalized shirt design and started a portrait of Rihanna. I get to work with some interesting colors in that one.

[birdsatemyface]

Update.

[birdsatemyface]

Have to put the portrait on the back-burner for this week as I've got something I want to do for father's day.

Also working on an (attempted) art nouveau-esque Fleur-de-lis for some family members.

I noticed it's been about a year since I started this sketchbook here, and while I haven't gotten as much done since June of '08 as I'd have liked, the pace has certainly picked up as of late, and I like to think I've made some improvements art-wise. It's heartening to see, at least.

Oh look, and I'm rambling.

[DKHutcheson]

In a lot of your pencil sketches that I assume you aren't referencing from something, you tend to make the head too large and the neck too short. It almost has a bobble head effect.

You really have a wonderful rendering style. Very smooth and touchable.

[patrickdeza]

That painting of the nude body is awesome.
I like the way you painted all the wrinkled parts.
And I can only agree to what DKHutcheson said.
Keep an eye on your proportions when drawing from imagination.

[birdsatemyface]

DKHutcheson Thanks! You're absolutely right about the proportion problems. I used to make my necks crazy long, and in an effort to reconcile that I've created a new problem in turn. I'll definitely fix it in further sketches.

patrickdeza: Thank you!


The earring is shameful, but I like the rest. Just glad to be done with this, and the colors were a fun change.

[birdsatemyface]

Ehhhh.

[birdsatemyface]

I really need to get the hang of Alchemy.

[birdsatemyface]

Silly environment speed from tonight.

[birdsatemyface]

Speed study from ref.

[birdsatemyface]

Sketch.

[birdsatemyface]

I would watch this.

[JoshDArtist]

awesome friggin work.

words of advice:
don't beat yourself up over every sketch. we all make pieces we think are shite... yours aren't. keep kickin' ass, do what you do, and don't think every piece has to be a masterwork of art...

that's all. keep it up! don't be hard on yourself... :D i love it all!!!

[birdsatemyface]

Thank you for the kind words, Josh. I'll definitely try to keep positive about things more often.

Speed from ref.

[birdsatemyface]

So this was for a contest, but I couldn't get it in before the deadline. I literally was in the process of submitting and was mere seconds too late. I guess it's just as well, parts of it are rough to the point of being unfinished, but this is as far as I'll be taking it now regardless. I really liked this idea too.
Crying myself to sleep tonight.


Kidding.

Maybe.

[zou]

hi,

nice style.

but there is something disturbing, your heads are a bit chopped off (or the eyes is too high).
some heads are ok but many are like lacking some cranium in the top

cheers and keep improving

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks zou. I see what you mean, and I think it's an unfortunate combination of both. I'll definitely keep it in mind from now on.

Team CHOW stuff and a WIP of Kate Winslet as Clementine from Eternal Sunshine. I can never can seem to get likeness down. Plus the features all seem too elongated. Oh well, one of these days I'll get it right, haha.

[birdsatemyface]

Really quick speed studies. I think I managed to get across a pretty good likeness, so there's that.

[birdsatemyface]

Anatomy speeds with random poses from posemaniacs.

[madsamuri2240]

nice, especially like the the portrait in post93 good use of value

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks!

WIP. I'm not too good with scary looking monsters, but I'll figure it out.

[B-Man]

I like your SB lots of nice stuff! Only crit atm is hands. And from the looks of it you know it to. Just grab that bull by the horns. Do studies,lots of studies. Simplify the schapes and dont overthink it. Cheers!

[birdsatemyface]

B-Man: Thanks! I enjoy doing hands, but I usually procrastinate and get down to them further along in a piece. I'll definitely step-up on my practice with them.

Did some speeds based on stills from this video. It was really fun, so I'll probably do some from a few different videos. More work on the girl/monster piece.
0dBi_aYXjuE

[birdsatemyface]

Tonight's was The Leaving Song Pt. II by AFI. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g48BtaKt6X8)

[birdsatemyface]

Sleeping Beauty WIP and a failed environment study. Shouldn't have told Jesus to suck-it.

[birdsatemyface]

Finished the Sleeping Beauty picture. Maleficent is HBIC.

I cleaned out some of the stuff I had over on deviantart the other day and there were a lot of things from three and four years back when I was about fifteen and started doing digital art I find funny now. Thought I'd toss them up here for kicks. (It is also a cheap ploy to get the rest of my sb to look better by comparison.)

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb20/grammarnazi/Rikku_Final_Fantasy_X_by_Shortkid.jpg http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb20/grammarnazi/Pantene_Pro_V_by_Shortkid.jpg http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb20/grammarnazi/Sunset_Gradient_by_Shortkid.jpg

[birdsatemyface]

Janelle Monáe.

[birdsatemyface]

Watched a Planet Earth marathon on the Discovery Channel and had the urge to doodle something silly and vaguely animal related.

[birdsatemyface]

Trying to learn to paint with PS after using Painter for so long is confusing. I'm used to harder brushes and blenders, not so much the softer opacity ones. I do miss the color wheel from Painter; I don't like how PS has you choose colors.

Anyway. Have some Beyoncé.

[birdsatemyface]

Sketchy WIP. I've never really done automobiles before, and it shows, haha.

[birdsatemyface]

Band contest.

[birdsatemyface]

Things that'll stay unfinished.

[birdsatemyface]

WIPAFKDSLF.

[birdsatemyface]

Sketch for the Nibru thread (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=171264) over in the lounge, and another WIP. The fuscia is not working out, haha.

[Flaskpost]

really cool work in here! love the more finished illustrations.
you really need to use bigger brushes imo. stroke economy and efficiency! :)
also, line quality is something good to practice. fewer lines cleaner drawings!
btw, Eternal Sunshine is a lovely, lovely film. great studies you´ve got going.
keep working hard!

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks! I agree about not using large enough brushes, it's a bad habit I need to break. I think the line quality goes hand in hand with that, as the brush I use to sketch is very small, and it takes a couple of passes to get the line I want.

CHOW entry and not so good environment speed from imagination. It's...some kind of hospital?

[birdsatemyface]

(Jingle bitch)

[birdsatemyface]

Fancy crab.

[Lakka]

I knew I'd enjoy it here when I saw your threaimagethingthumbnailavatar

You have got a good one going on here! :)

[Moosh]

Your SB is looking great! Can't wait to see more.

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks for the kind words Lakka & Moosh!

[birdsatemyface]

I don't even know, haha.

[birdsatemyface]

The virgin Mary and Cthulhu are good friends.

[birdsatemyface]

Quickies.

[birdsatemyface]

STS inspired.

[birdsatemyface]

Angie.

[ceriously]

Wow. I ended up looking through all five pages of this sketch book and it's just fantastic to see how much progress you've made. I know everyone else has already said it, but I was lured here by the old lady painting as well and that one is just awesome. Love the glasses. I really like the Sleeping Beauty piece as well, though, along with how you draw eyes and just your general painting style - it always looks so smooth. I'd love to see a WIP of your painting process. I can't really suggest much in the way of improvement, but I do feel as though you could try out a greater variety of poses. I think the majority of your pieces here involve girls in very basic (standing, sitting, etc.) poses, often facing the viewer. It might be interesting to see if you could pull off an action scene or something, or just someone running, diving, falling? I don't think you have to go to any extremes, it's just that in images like the girl in the white dress & the monster, I feel like the piece called for the girl to me in a more engaging posture than the idle stance she in fact adopts. It just seems to me as though your characters are always aware of the viewer, and that it might be nice instead to try a piece where they're aware only of themselves & the story around them. If that makes any sense at all.

That all said, I really love your sketchbook. I'll definitely be back to check for future updates. Your work makes me want to confront colour myself. Merry Christmas. :teeth:

[Serpentwitch]

Heya, nice SB there. Your posts are quite interesting. The older posts shows that you have a bit problem on drawing face, but your newest face drawing is very perfect. Nice progress I'd say. :)

[birdsatemyface]

Yikes - It's been about six months since I've checked up in here. I don't know if you'll see this, but thank you, ceriously, you've said some really kind and helpful things and I regret coming here so much later and only seeing it now. I really need to get off my ass and work on more dynamic images.

I'll try to dump everything in this one post for today.

[birdsatemyface]

Never been camping.

[Ivan Turcin]

such an interesting use of colors. well worth to analyze. keep it up!

[Ravendell]

Excluding gender generalisation, some heavy feminine influence in those characters. Though i feel a some sort of hollow disdain in the eyes, i take it you practiced more on the feature of the eyes? Could be the dopamine ;) Carry on!

[birdsatemyface]

Ivan Turcin: Thanks! To be honest I just wing it 99 percent of the time when it comes to color; I'm never sure if I like them or not.

Ravendell: Hahaha! I find it much easier to draw females than males (and it's something of a hindrance that I draw them much more often), probably why all my figures are influenced by it.

[birdsatemyface]

:coke:

[birdsatemyface]

Special Tramp Dana Scully.

Girl in the dress was done for a group project by Harvey James (http://www.harveyjamestm.com/) where you take one of his cartoon cats and draw it as a girl. You can see all (534!) lovely girls compiled here (http://harveyjames.livejournal.com/166317.html#cutid1). (Image heavy)

[surus]

nice, clean lines! Thanks for sharing!

[birdsatemyface]

Rough stuff.

[Aryeh]

i really like the way your apply your brush-marks. looks like you have an exquisite sense of design.

[rachel26]

The 'head too small hips too big' scetch is my exact shape, Love It

[birdsatemyface]

Aryeh, rachel26 - thanks!

Junk

[n1frit]

Here all is excellent, I wish that and further so was!

[kidman]

the tentacle girl is very beautiful it's great

[Telephonoscope]

Great stuff! Please tell me that was Amanda Lepore you drew

[birdsatemyface]

Telephonoscope: Thanks! Haha, that's definitely Amanda Lepore!

My grandma, y'all.

[birdsatemyface]

Madame X

[FUSHANDCHUPS]

Word, good work man, nicely executed and refreshing to see something other than elves and trolls

[birdsatemyface]

Haha, much thanks!

[KumoriKiku]

AMMMAAAAZZZIIINNNGGG.... I love the "Birds Ate My Face" shirt design and your mastery of drawing the female face is superb. I think of all of your work though I like your pencils and ink drawings best. They seem to convey the most and I tend to want to see them as finished pieces. Waiting to see more :)

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks! That's too kind.

Some stuff. Sort of coming out of a block so maybe better, worthwhile things soon?

Blanche is my favorite.

[samoscratch]

Great line work and colors!

[bogan]

The one of the lady in the grass with the food made me laugh :) llolololol

I like what is happening in here.

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks!

Scissor fight.

[Revidescent]

I really like the design-y way you present a lot of your work, incorporating text and colour... and I love your dynamic, angular female figures. They've got buckets of attitude. =D

One crit - your skintones have kind of a plasticky feeling to them. I don't know if it's just the lack of texture, but I think it's also that you're focusing a lot on the local colour, and there's very little sense of transmitted light and colour variation - there's some reds around the cheeks and nose, but they feel more painted on the surface than anything. The last one on your latest post is much better for this, so you seem to be getting a handle on it, but just putting that out there. Some deeper shadows and bolder saturation might also help.

[birdsatemyface]

Thanks! I definitely agree with your crit - it's something I'll push harder at correcting.

[birdsatemyface]

Buh. Don't like this.

[bouroune]

yo, just discovered your thread, really interesting work, i like the text work in your images,
it really add something to the drawings which are already very nice. Also like
the way you paint only with hard brush, keep sharing