Spartan Camp #99 - 50 gestures + Optional Study of "Foreshortening"

[Anthis]

Spartan Camp #99 - 50 gestures + Optional Study of "Foreshortening"
The aim is to produce 50 gestures by Sunday the 9th of August.

- The gestures can be of anything, human, animal, cavorting capybaras.... You can draw full figures, but you can also go for heads, arms, eyes, or anything specific. All media can be used, both digital or traditional. Coloured or black/white. Quick scribbles or long studies. Imagination or referenced. Clothed or nude. Specifics are up to you!

- In addition to this, participants can choose to do an Optional Study of "Foreshortening", in any medium.
Additional notes on this weeks’ Optional Study: Good reference image is important. You can go for anatomy, but a still life is fine too. You could even use your own hand for reference. Foreshortening can be tough. Draw as if in 3d! Colour, medium, time frame, any specifics are also up to you!

50 poses is a challenge, but don't hurry or stress yourself reaching it! Focus on drawing, as practising is the main goal of this exercise.

Critting each other is highly encouraged!! Share constructive criticism, reference and resources!! Let's help each other get better!

:muscle: Come on soldiers! Flex those muscles!! :muscle:

HALL OF FAME - SPARTAN CAMP #98

bakadoodle
Mindbendermind:star:
philzero
adamp
Outis
Anthis:star:

[Anthis]

Something else:

- I'll be on vacation from about the 6th to 11th of august. So I will not create a new topic next week, and there may be no crits or figures from me this week. If someone else feels like creating the new thread next week: you can just copy the text and change the dates!!

- I intend to continue the Spartan Camp once I get back though, for as long as other people are interested too! See you then!

[bakadoodle]

Oh sure, bail on the really hard optional :P Foreshortening = pain. Have a great vacation, be safe. (but do come back yeah??)
[edit]
I think I fixed the images from the last stc

I keep getting caught up overworking a doodle, end up spending what little time I have on just a few gestures. Going to try to keep the rest after this post simpler... I hope.
First one there was something I saw on a gymnastics show, tried to copy it as best I could remember but it didn't quite come out the way I saw it. Got a bit distracted rendering hair :p Others are no refs.
More soon, I really want to hit 50 this week :)
http://syndisc.googlepages.com/stc99_1.jpg

[Mindbendermind]

Looking good, Baka

Have a great vacation, Anthis. This practice really has me drawing much more than would otherwise be the case. Never have to wonder what to draw next - it's just to keep those gestures coming. (Great since I enjoy doing master studies so much).

Waiting for the LOTR sketchbook to arrive I've begun this week with returning to Bridgman. Realized his "Complete life drawing..." was more advanced and have started on "Constructive Anatomy". Hope to have time for the optional as foreshortening is something I struggle with. Wait with posting until I've filled another page though.

Thanks for all c&c last week. Apologize for not always having the time (or knowledge) to give as much feedback as I would like.

[bakadoodle]

Been in a bit of a funk this week. Creativity well is a bit dry :) it happens.
So yeah, this is crap, but...
http://syndisc.googlepages.com/stc99_2.jpg

[Mindbendermind]

No, it's not. Remember that every single line is part of the practice that will lead to perfection (as Van Gogh said :-D)

Kicking off this week with the Bridgman studies I talked about:

[bakadoodle]

Looking great Mind With just what you posted the progress can really be seen. Keep up the studies! Excited to see how you progress.

Ran across an old doodle I had started years ago, thought I would give it some love and use it for some value practice. Thought I would share and see if you guys had any advice. he head looks out of proportion to me at this point.
For some reason I made the canvas on this massive.. 1st image is scaled down to 25% of original.
http://syndisc.googlepages.com/rebuild.jpg
http://syndisc.googlepages.com/rebuild_close.jpg

[edit] a little progress, added the other eye, and some hair, need to fill out her right eye some though I think..
http://syndisc.googlepages.com/rebuild_002.jpg

[Morgan_R]

Nice stuff, folks... I'm kinda embarrassed to post, but hey. Can't get better if you're not willing to draw crap. First twelve:

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/5706/gesturesset01.jpg

[bakadoodle]

Morgan - 3 things :down:
1. Welcome! Glad you posted, hope you continue to do so.:cheerleader:
2. Never be ashamed to post your stuff. It shows your own dedication to getting better, it gives others the chance to help you, and you never know when something you do will inspire someone else.
3. As far as getting better goes.. You're way ahead of the game. One of the most important (imo) things in this drawing stuff is the ability to capture the personality of whatever you are drawing. Your doodles have tons of character, especially that snail, which I think you should work up a full sheet of , name, and copyright! It's adorable! The technical aspects will come with practice, just keep at it!:scribble::lineart::)

[bakadoodle]

ok last set for this week. hand is cramping up like mad. that's a good sign right?
tried to do quickies, I know they are craptastic, sorry.
http://syndisc.googlepages.com/stc99_3.jpg

[Morgan_R]

Thanks, bakadoodle. :)

Another set:
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/5749/gesturesset02.jpg

[adamp]

Hi Morgan, I have to agree with what baka said, definitely post more and never be ashamed of your art. Great stuff so far, use it as a stepping stone to improving!

baka: great gestures. Your page of heads inspired me to do a few as well :)

Most of these are from reference - even tried a few Andrew Loomis heads (he makes them look so easy). I may do a few more later.

http://www.gesturebox.net/img/09/spartan99-1.jpg
http://www.gesturebox.net/img/09/spartan99-2.jpg
http://www.gesturebox.net/img/09/spartan99-3.jpg
http://www.gesturebox.net/img/09/spartan99-4.jpg
http://www.gesturebox.net/img/09/spartan99-5.jpg
http://www.gesturebox.net/img/09/spartan99-6.jpg

[bakadoodle]

Morgan - It would be a crime for you not to continue developing your art. You even make the disproportionate look good :) I'm so jealous. The perspective on the cat is so good! I have to ask what medium you are using? pen/tablet, mouse or what? Also, I've been wracking my brain trying to think of something to say to help you but I don't know what direction you are wanting to take your art. IMO you would excel as a cartoonist, but that may not be what you are after. Let us know there are a ton of free resources for just about everything :)

adamp - It's always a huge boost to hear that you inspired someone. Thank you very much for that.
Great sheet, a lot of difficult and interesting gestures. Love how you kept at 11,16-17. Looks like we have some similar problem areas. Next week I think I will do a foot/ankle study as those give me fits.
45 ... hardest head perspective ever ;P One thing I notice is your eye spacing is somewhat hit or miss and maybe a little squashed brow to chin.

[adamp]

Thanks baka. Yeah foot/ankle studies would benefit me as well. I will also brush up on my head / feature proportions. When things are at an angle, 3/4 view, for instance, I have the greatest trouble. So much to learn!

[Mindbendermind]

Okey, last gesturedump of the week. Welcome, Morgan. Keep drawing and keep posting.

First some unreffed (starting to practice finding the correct "simplified structure" beneath the figure) then beginning of a Frazetta and two Alan Lee studies. Then two reffed drawings for the "30 min sketch thread" over at IFX that I thought would fit in nicely here.

EDIT: Really bad resolution, maybe I'll find time to rescan them...

[Armobot]

Hey everyone, this seems like a good challenge! Allow me to post some sketches also.

[philzero]

a lot of figure practice this week. some of it is reffed from imagine FX's figure drawing workshops (the stuff thats just arms or torsos), the full figure stuff is from imagination except for a couple i refed from marko djurdjevic (labeled those)

Some of it i like, some of it i don't like, but its all practice so im happy with all of it.

[Outis]

Wow, great turnout this week!

Reference for the gestures is Posemaniacs. I got some markers this week so I had some fun trying them out.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_iSDCULVn510/Sn-L78Y6n4I/AAAAAAAAAMM/ne01PF33fZc/s800/InkGesture1C.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_iSDCULVn510/Sn-L8HlW77I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/JQ1KWuYBbo0/s800/nkGesture2C.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_iSDCULVn510/Sn-L8I4MirI/AAAAAAAAAMU/4opko2FXm5o/s800/InkGesture3C.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_iSDCULVn510/Sn-L8cyQ3uI/AAAAAAAAAMY/cW1kVKKCe2I/s800/InkGesture4C.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_iSDCULVn510/Sn-L8fQYAoI/AAAAAAAAAMc/AeBejwXCtnI/s800/InkGesture5C.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_iSDCULVn510/Sn-L8o5rPII/AAAAAAAAAMg/Hm6u_6J4jHw/s800/Foreshortening%20Study.JPG

Bakadoodle: Great poses yet again! You really pulled off a lot of great foreshortening this week, especially the figure with the big hammer. The cyborg was what really blew me away, though. The red blood on the monochrome was a nice touch. I also like the contrast between the hard crisp lines on the armor, with the soft blending on the figure. The hard white highlights throws the balance off a bit- my eye goes from the the head armor to the blood to the leg armor, missing the face, a real shame since the features are so well rendered. Maybe if you drew some attention to the eyes it would work better. The woman with the octopus on her head and the elephant looking head with the eyestalks were great as well.

Mindbendermind: The proportions on the Bridgeman studies look great. I think figure proportion is next on my list.

Morgan R: Welcome! You're drawings are great; definitely keep posting. The dinosaur and the girl feeding the mouse are some of my favorites. I like the expressions on your characters as well.

Adamp: Very nice poses. I liked the heads at the end as well, especially the expression on #46.

Armobot: That is an incredible number of gesture drawings! Great job!

Philzero: You've really managed to convey a feeling of motion and action in a number of your drawings, especially the guy firing the two guns while jumping.

[Morgan_R]

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/4351/gesturesset03.jpg
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9151/gesturesset04.jpg

Whew. I think I need to build up more artistic stamina...

Bakadoodle: Heh, thanks. I'm using a tablet (and still getting used to it). My goal is to develop a 2D style for the computer games I want to make. Some of my inspirations are Kay Nielsen, Amy Sol, and Stephanie Pui-Mun Law... thinking about it, I may try some good old-fashioned imitation and see what I learn from it.

Probably won't be back here for a few weeks, at least... but thanks for the exercise & the encouragement... and kudos to all of you who do this on a regular basis. ;)

[bakadoodle]

Armobot - damn son! You have way too much free time :P *kidding* That's a boatload of gestures. So many my eyes started to cross after the second page. A++ for stamina.

Phil - great stuff. I took a lot away from your sketches. Thanks!

Outis - looks like you are enjoying your new pens. Propotions are looking good and the hand study is very nice.

Considering the next Spartan Camp would be a milestone #100 I really think we should just wait for Anthis to get back from vacation to post it. :)

[philzero]

bakadoodle - you've got a good grasp of proportions in your figures, however, you seem to draw the foreshortened limbs too long. You are approaching it the correct way by drawing the figure from a side view first so i've just added a couple of arrows onto your sketch to illustrate how you can use that side view to get the proportions for the front. From centre of the knee to centre of the ankle joint, those lines should be the same length.
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/7532/paintoverbakadoodle.jpg

mindbendermind - love the bridgeman studies. I'll have to look into getting some more of his books - i just ordered his 'book of one hundred hands' a couple days ago
Morgan_R - really nice work! I love the animals, each one has so much character to it!
adamp - great gestures, you've captured these poses very well.
Armobot - Man that's a lot of gestures, you've really packed those pages!
Outis - awesome stuff, i really like the way youve rendered them differently going down the page.

[bakadoodle]

philzero - Thanks, that really helps put foreshortening into perspective (no pun intended) I dropped by your DA site, hot ninja is sooo going to be my wallpaper this week :)

[philzero]

hot ninja is sooo going to be my wallpaper this week :)

i really wish id given it a better name :[

[Armobot]

Outis - Great marker drawings. I really dig the ones with geometric shapes; the shading is also very well done! And thank you for the complements.

Bakadoodle - Thanks! Actually, these are 15 second poses, so I only had to spend around an hour a day to draw each page. (the last page took a bit longer though..) Your figures are getting there, keep it up!

Morgan R. - Cool animal caricatures, I can see their characteristics through their facial expressions. Good work!

Philzero - Yeah….I really wanted to pack as many poses in one page as possible lol. Your muscle studies look good, seems like you’re learning a lot about the human arm and hand, something that I should really work on…

Adamp - Good gestures. One thing I would suggest is to exaggerate the poses a bit. Feel the energy in each pose and try to bring that energy into your drawing.

[Mindbendermind]

Hey everyone, this seems like a good challenge! Allow me to post some sketches also.

That's really an impressive amount of gestures. Are they from posemaniacs?

[Mindbendermind]

a lot of figure practice this week. some of it is reffed from imagine FX's figure drawing workshops (the stuff thats just arms or torsos), the full figure stuff is from imagination except for a couple i refed from marko djurdjevic (labeled those)

Some of it i like, some of it i don't like, but its all practice so im happy with all of it.

Nice studies. Just found those workshops on the IFX site. Will print all three of them. Thanks for reminding me about that resource.

EDIT: Just kicked off STC #100 since Anthis is away this week. Hope as many as possible feel like joining. :-)

[Armobot]

Mind - yup, they're all from posemaniacs

[Anthis]

You people are amazing!. Seeing everyone's progress......new people joining in... But the best of all is the constructive criticism and tips. You make this site a better place. Thank you!


Seems like I've missed one of the best rounds so far. Back for the next round though!