The Road Less Travelled

[moonstonestreet]

Here's my first post [after 3 years].

Sketchpad 01 (2003)
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The first time I didn't throw everything I draw.
I have very poor knowledge on anatomy then.
Did mainly faces and several torsos.

Cheers!

[Oranje Joe]

these are very good, and have you ever been to posemaniacs?

its an excellent site that can help ease you into the figure and anatomy

pose maniacs :D (http://www.posemaniacs.com/)

nice start keep it up

[malpanka]

poor anatomy? where? i mean-of course it's not perfect everywhere but i wouldn't call it poor. i absolutely adore the way you colour skin...

[AgentAlpha]

I really like your studies and the choice of mediums. Keep up the good work! Wanna see some more!:)

[AmontilladoAg]

Off to a great start here; show us more! :D

[moonstonestreet]

Hi orange joe, posemaniacs is heaven, thanks a lot!

hello malpanka, the torseo anatomy is all wrong, the ribs...
thanks for the comments.

agent alpha, thank you. :)

below are from several pages from my Sketchbook 02 (2004)
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Got more conscious with anatomy.
Looked at the works of Michelangelo a lot.
Still went on with pencils.

[moonstonestreet]

From my Sketchbook 03

Several of the sketches are copied from drawing submitted here at CA.
Please feel free to criticize. I'd thank you all for it.

:D

[moonstonestreet]

another batch of sketches from Sketchbook 03 (2004).

[moonstonestreet]

Several sketches from my latest Sketchpad. It's been with me for 2 years, I think. Still haven't sketched on all pages...

Some sketches are copied from some drawing here in CA.

Crits are highly encouraged. :)

[call me snake]

Hey! Thanks for your reply in my SB.

I think your sketches here are really great, I'm loving your dynamic poses and the heads and hands. You got a good style going on.
Now I want to see some complete character designs =)

Keep it up! Cheers

[moonstonestreet]

Thanks a lot snake. :)

I'm still trying to figure out a character, :)

Here are another batch of sketches (mostly face and hands studies) from my current sketchpad.

Im still having some problems with Value. My drawings need depth more.

Crits are very welcome!

[moonstonestreet]

Here are some digital portraits I did using my new Wacom Intuos3.
Its my first digital drawing ever.
God, Intuos3 is great! Should have bought one years ago...

1 - first try ever!
2 - God in "Creating of Adam"
3 - Some concept for old man that I thought of
4 - William Whitaker's. Just a try to see how good I could copy it. Didn't do the overlay thing.

I'm still working with my values. It seems that I need to adjust the values of my drawing after finishing it since I can't quite get a good value variation in a drawing.

Crits are welcome. :)

[Ty Oulton]

I really enjoy your faces and the character bodies, I hope to see lots more!

[moonstonestreet]

Thanks Ty Oulton. I'm currently finishing a Whitaker's male portrait. I'll post it as soon I finish it. :D

[DreamstateIvory]

:O that is exactly the type of drawings and sketches i should be doing. Where did you find these? They are awesome btw, i've been googling not stop for figures and reference work like these, but have been unsuccessful.

Good stuff though. love it.

[moonstonestreet]

Thanks DreamstateIvory. :)

All these sketches are from various sources - comics, Michelangelo paintings, books, etc.

As for where I found them..anywhere. Any drawing that attracted me, I try to copy from them and learn through the process. Instead of googling figures, I suggest you pick your favorite artist, or any Renaissance artist (coz they're humanists) and I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for.

If you want some good anatomical features, Oranje Joe (see comment above) recommended me this: http://posemaniacs.com/

Great site, I'm sure you'll love it. Hope that helps.

Thanks again! :D

[lennon]

Mmm great stuff, lots of evolution. One question: Why didn't you render the legs in most of your drawings? (Where they too difficult or to easy?)
Great stuff, specially with the hands studies and the upperbody.

[moonstonestreet]

Mmm great stuff, lots of evolution. One question: Why didn't you render the legs in most of your drawings? (Where they too difficult or to easy?)
Great stuff, specially with the hands studies and the upperbody.

Right, right. I never intended it to be that way. Thanks for the noticing.
Well I think its because I focused my attention too much on the upper body..

The next time around I'll complete my sketches.

Thanks!

[ohnojenny]

I'm in love with your ink work. The variation of your faces is also very nice! Such character in each face... and your anatomy studies are motivating. This sketchbook gets me excited. :D Can't wait for updates!

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Damn you've come a long way. Really awesome anatomy studies. So much good looking sketches and studies. You've been working hard and it sure shows! Keep it up Moonstonestreet! Oh and very cool style:)

[Murido]

such an amazing studys mate! the energy im felling in ur drawings! really rocks!! exellent lightings, and penstrokes...i can learn a lot from u :p

[moonstonestreet]

Hi all,

ohnojenny, YuZa, Murido, thanks a lot. Actually, I can't say I've evolved a lot. In the past 3 years, I've been busy with architecture school. All my time is preoccupied with buildings and readings. I've developed real slow. Finally, I now only have 5 subjects left so I get to draw quite often than years before.

Here's a finished portrait from one of Whitaker's paintings. This'll be my last copy from a painting itself. Perhaps, my next step is to copy from photo (not another painting) or from life. And simultaneously, I'll try to draw all the pages of my current sketchbooks with anything that pops out of mind.

More soon.

Oh, here's a link to Grinn's Watts Sketchbook. His drawing have been my favorites lately. You should go check his drawings out.

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26116

[alffla]

wow that last post was like an exactt copy! great work youi've imrpoved a lot since your first post wtf.! mad skillz yo.

[Grafguy]

awesome studies+portret, no crits at all from me! :D

[ohnojenny]

Great job on your last portrait! Black and whites are always a great studying tool... I should get into it. :3 How long did this take you? Keep it up!

[moonstonestreet]

dlquddnr, thanks a lot. Well, my first post was a sketchbook from 2003, I should push myself to improve by now. :)

Thanks Grafguy. :)

ohnojenny, thanks. Yea, B&W are good take off point to start final drawing...initially gives idea on values. The second portrait took me about 5 hrs.

Here's another portrait. Took me approx 5 hrs straight. 11am to 4pm. Exhausting but relaxing. lol I've included the whole process so y'all could see it. and perhaps you might have some suggestions/crits.

I've added some specular reflection in the eyes although it's not really in the original photo. Wanted to make it more interesting by adding more depth to that area of the drawing.

Oh, she's my sister. :)

[sinsimon]

That's very cool.Your basic skill is very good.I admir you!hehe.

[moonstonestreet]

That's very cool.Your basic skill is very good.I admir you!hehe.

Thanks a lot sinsimon. :)

[DAVEZILLA]

Absolutely beautiful artwork. Your work with color is elegant and your work with inks and leads are precise. You've mastered your medias. You're work is brilliant~ I truly admire your studies and artwork.

Could you give me some tips in my sketchbook on how to improve as much as you have in 3 years?

*Subscribes to thread* :)

[clanlord]

Hi there moonstonestreet ! I will mark your skills of shading and rendering, they are looking good! Love the sharp and solid body and arm forms, really good studies on the dynamic figure! But I think it's time for you to start inventing your own characters and models!

[IanE]

This is seriously some of the best colour and anatomy work being posted on here. Definitely inspirational. Your hand studies alone just blew my mind!! Excellent linework here. Please keep us updated! I'll be checking in often.

[call me snake]

These last paintings are awesome =D
I especially like the Whitaker-copy.
It's really good that you've put up some goals and methods for yourself. Just keep it up! And thanks for your kind words \¨/

[moonstonestreet]

Hello all,

Davezilla: 3 years is looong enough for you not to improve, you've got to. I should say that the major influence to my improvement is this site. There's plenty of tutorials here that you could read and learn from. See forums on FINE ARTS, STUDIES, & DISCOVERY. You could also learn a lot from grandmasters here where they show the progress of their work, that alone is a very good learning ground.

For me, the most important factor towards self-improvement is self-critique - to be able to look at your drawing from various perspectives, compare and contrast it to others' works, and criticize it yourself for the sole purpose of perfecting it based on your own beliefs towards what is beautiful. So its important not to appreciate your drawings every time, you have to say you hate it, then you have to perfect and make great whatever that it is you that hate about.

I'll browse at your sketchbook soon, goodluck!

Clanlord: thank you for the kind words. Maybe after all the piled up portraits I have to do, I could move on towards inventing own characters, I have some ideas in mind. Thanks again.

Iane: Thanks a lot, I wouldn't say it is one of the best though... The best are those posted on the main page. :D

Hiya Snake, thanks again, keep up the progress in your sketchbook.

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Here's another portrait of my other sister, Pauline.
Took me about 6 hours. The hair specially made me wanna stop, it;s just too hard, especially considering that its not in the original pic.

Crits are very much welcome. :)

[ohnojenny]

You know? I have never seen anyone execute braces in a believable, unmocking way. :3 Nicely done!

[moonstonestreet]

Thanks ohnojenny. I actualy made them smaller than reality. :)
I still have a lot to improve on my colors...

[Frankie Boy]

Lovely Sketchbook. I'm so happy I clicked this sketchbook instead of another one. I absolutely love the comic book like style, I'll be watching this Sketchbook.

Bookmarked.

[moonstonestreet]

Frankie Boy, thanks!

Here a new one. This really took me a lot of time in studying colors. Its a new approach for me...the background, the contrast, the color, the style.

I was so excited to finish this piece I forgot to save progress drawings through out the process...

I still have to study and explore color schemes. But at tis time, I gotta sleep. 5am....

zZzZzZzZzZ!

[JailHouseRock]

Hi moonstone, love this sketchbook man.

Bloodly awesome sketches I really dig the way you draw hands mate, and love the comic-style going here.

Really nice portrait as well, great colour and great form,

Cool sb man keep at it,

matt.

[BubbaGump]

Awesome braces!

[thrilafrommanila]

i love the way you do portraits, you handle them as if you really were holding a brush!

subbing because i want to see more :D

[moonstonestreet]

JailHouseRock/Matt, thanks a lot. Yea, Ive done a lot of comic-drawing back then. But now, I have to make money of what I do. I had a hard time going into comic or any related stuff considering the fact that I have a main work, and I do these drawings only on my free time (passion, hobby, relaxation). So it compelled me to focus on doing portraits...

BubbaGump, quite interesting coz in the Finished Drawings forum, one commented negatively on the braces...haha

Hi thrilafrommanila, are you pinoy (Manila)? Im in Quezon City. :)
Glad to meet you here!

[thrilafrommanila]

I'm half pinay, i got the username from my brother, but i usually shorten it down to just "thrila." most of my family lived in manila and tondo.

glad to meet you as well :D

[the ANGRY filipino]

Hi Moonstone!

I especially love your sketches on the first page..nice value range and stuff.
Keep on posting man!
and you have the "painterly" touch on those portraits.
P.S. BubbaGump is filipino too, see, i told you there's a lot of us here at CA.

[moonstonestreet]

thrilafrommanila,ANGRY filipino, thanks a lot, keep in touch. Im busy with work lately so get to draw less. Anyway, Its nice knowing both of you. ;)

[QETALIVAN]

Nice...This is what I should do more often...copyng old masters and from reality.....why am I so lazy?
Good portraits, but try to find photos with a more natural lightning, you seem to copy bad quality photos...with their mistakes, specially in colour.

keep going!

[the ANGRY filipino]

waiting for an update man!
hope to see one soon!

[Justice Von Brandt]

I love your studies :) very beautiful

[Nadesican]

Wow, Your sketches are amazing. I wish I could shade so well!

[moonstonestreet]

Latest work. Anyone knows of a good resource on what colors to use for portraits? Personally, I just looked over a number of portraits here and those by Norman Rockwell. Anyhow, hope to here your crits. Thanks.

[UlyssesIII]

You have some really nice work here. I really love your portrait progression. Your jump in color knowledge truly shows in your last painting. It's also nice that you didn't copy exactly what was in the photo.=)

[George Abraham]

Yeah, that was quite impressive. Didn't expect it to be a non copy. Great work and exercise.

[moonstonestreet]

ulysses, zaor, thanks a lot men. been long since i was here in CA, nice to be back. :)

i'm currently doing a new one. a friend. I posted a WIP here (http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=133551) in the Critique Center. you all might wanna check it out and give your deeply needed insights. :D

ill sleep for now. tomorrow, ill start to make it perfect. tiresome day. gydnyt all. :)

[Nkristian]

Bwakanang galeng ah!!!!

[moonstonestreet]

Hi All!

Its been a looong time since my last visit. I figured I post the latest drawings I did which were actually done last year!

Here are my attempts to copy and therefore understand the colors of McGinnis' nudes. I learn a lot through this process of intimately looking at grand master paintings.

Robert McGinnis' nudes really blow me away. They are sensual, voluptuous, and naughty. They tell stories with their facial expressions, their environment, and their colors...

Please do comment and help me evolve. Thanks a lot. :)