Journey to illustration *updated March 14th*

[kennygeeze]

Hello!

My name’s Ken and I have a portfolio due in just less than a month. I’m applying to the illustration program at Sheridan (currently I am in art fundamentals)

The portfolio itself consists of a 4-part drawing test and a selection of 15 various pieces from my “previous” “art-training”

I’m trying to get as much input as possible so I can improve my success-rate, as I’m really trying to get in. Any help would be appreciated as my competition… as far as what I’ve seen looks really tough.

I’ll post some life-drawing, painting, and a few select assignments below .

Thanks.


This painting was an assignment given by my painting teacher so we would have at least one long-term sustained drawing in our portfolio… the drawing course I’m taking focuses on much shorter poses, rarely anything more than a half hour pose.
This piece in particular is a measured drawing done over a 3-hour studio session (in pencil crayon) and then washes of extremely diluted acrylic paint were applied over-top.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/womaninchair.jpg


Here is another painting I did later on which is currently unfinished… done through the application of acrylic washes of diluted umber, achromatic value, and then local color put overtop.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/painting3.jpg

This is a painting that was done before Christmas… there’s quite a few mistakes with the initial structure of the drawing, but I like the face… so yeah….

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/painting2.jpg



These are some pieces from my 2D design course. These are worked at quite a small scale, mostly only several inches across for any of them… no more than 4-6”


We had to pick a concept and then design a composition that resembled the shape of the first letter of the concept. For example, I chose ‘lust’.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/2design1.jpg

This was a design for a CD cover.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/2ddesign2.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/designposter1.jpg

I was experimenting with guache in my sketchbook and came up with this… I might do a final from it on illustration board if I get time at all between now and when my portfolio is due.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/guacheexperimentation.jpg


Last year I took an art class and the teacher suggested (having the intention of going on to illustration) that I draw an architectural object of some sort… I drew this from a plastic reproduction made to look authentic. It was done in graphite pencil on brown paper with white guache overtop.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/pillar.jpg

This semester our work in that course is much more conceptually oriented rather than focusing on technical grids and T-square work. This is my first project… unfinished, it’s breaking down a realistic drawing into iconic representation for the purpose of a logo. I figure I’d include something graphical.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/logodesign.jpg

Our ideas and images course required the submission of a final work of art that held some sort of meaning to one of the lectures we experienced during the year. Fantasy or sci-fi aint allowed in the illustration portfolio, but I might just photocopy into my sketchbook where my process work is.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/robots.jpg

Here’s some various life-drawing… anywhere from 40 second gestures to 1-hour studies…. Mostly done in sticks of conte. (continued in next post)
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/box.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/box2.jpg


I’m currently working on the 4-part drawing test for the illustration application… I’ll post that as well as I finish it.

I’ll continue to update as I complete more pieces.


Again, thanks for any help!

:beer: :chug:

[kennygeeze]

a character study
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/characterstudy.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/gesture2.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/gestures.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/quick1.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/quick2.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/quick3.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/quick5.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/animated2.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/animated1.jpg

20-minute study of a figure in a chair done on brown paper with black and white conte.
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/brownpaperlong.jpg

Drapery study done with a sharp pencil and conte… I’m currently finishing it.
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/draperyandfigure.jpg

[kennygeeze]

Here’s few pages from my sketchbook… a few illustration proffessors told me that a sketchbook is probably the most important piece in my portfolio as it represents roughwork, conceptuals, and daily drawing practice. This is pretty much what my book in particular is filled with… I didn’t bother scanning in the pages with roughwork or hand studies on them as there are quite a few, so I just posted some public sketching, character studies, and media exploration… (takes up a good half of the book) while the roughwork and anatomy studies occupy the rest. My book is 100 pages… still have a bit to fill.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/sketchy1.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/sketchy2.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/sketchy3.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/sketchy4.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/sketchy5.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/sketchy6.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/sketchy7.jpg
http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/sketchy8.jpg

[bigmonkeynuts]

Well one thing Sheridan really likes is structure. A lot of your life drawings are outlines of the figure without very much indication of structure. Of course you can only do this with some serious anatomy study and you don't get that in your fundies drawing classes. But yes, emphasize the anatomy as much as you can. I'd suggest studying some foot anatomy first because those popped out to me as something that needs the most work in your drawings. I see you're using a light thick underdrawing before you go over with final lines... this is good. But when you start putting in the more final lines, don't use the same all over the figure. Try darker lines on the shadow side, or darker sharper lines where there is bone and lighter softer lines where there is flesh. Mix it up... line quality is a very important part of life drawings, and although you really don't find quality lines until you've done a LOT of drawing, it's good to try and mix them up now. I guess after feet you could look at the pelvic area because is some of your drawings i don't really get the feeling that there is a pelvis under that flesh... think of the pelvis as a bucket, learn how the forms of the upper torso fit into it and how the legs exit at the sides/bottom. Knowledge of anatomy is really key in improving your life drawings. When I applied to animation last year, sometimes i would draw in the actual muscle shapes and where they attached in my rough underdrawing in the lifedrawings i submitted... honestly I didn't see the whole muscles above the skin on the model I was looking at, but who cares... by doing that I showed them that I knew the structure and how to draw it accurately. They just want to see that you know what your doing with the basics. Now, I DON'T mean draw an anitomical map every life drawing you do! All I really mean is, don't be afraid to impress them with your knowledge :D

[kennygeeze]

Thanks very much for the lengthy response, Big Monkey, I'll keep that in mind next time I go to an open figuredraiwng class.

I don't know why I started with those big thick contours... my drawing teacher keeps telling us that animation and illustration want to see figures drawn with an emphasis on line and contour..... do you agree with this?

I know in another thread I posted before christmas you posted a couple examples of your work and talked to me a bit about 'plane breaks' or something like.... I've been trying a bit with that as pretty much all my life-drawing from before christmas are really over-worked, over-shadowed value drawings. :(

So, I'll keep what you're saying in mind.

Thanks again.

[kennygeeze]

I went into extra life drawing today. Here's several of the results.

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/2ndday1.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/2ndday4.jpg

and... that's it for now.

I think I'm a tiny bit better than last time. BigMonkey, I'm trying to rely alot less on the big thick contour line around the outside of the figure and display a bit of inner structure.

I had a thread before that you talked a bit about 'plane breaks'? An animation student was tutoring a fundamentals student beside me and he was talking a bit about that... I was trying to listen in and ... well... mimic as best I could.

[::EPIC::]

hey kenny, just came by your thread here, really like your gesture drawings they are coming along nicely.

[Sleepi]

Hey, kenny, I don't know who you are but I remember that painting with the kid and the robots from Jack's class, quite nice.

About the whole line quality and contours thing, I really have trouble with that too. The problem with it is that in reality those lines aren't really there so you have to sort of theoretically interpret them. The basic rules I try and use are lines which are in shadow are a little blurrier or thicker, lines which are in light are crisper and thinner, and boney areas are more defined, fatty and fleshy areas are less. Or atleast that's what my drawing teacher tells me, they all seem to work in different methods.

[kennygeeze]

Epic: Thanks man.... it's sorta funny my drawing teacher when going around the class for critique always compliments my work in the gesture stage... but then by the time she comes around again to see how I'm drawing.... my drawing has really declined in quality since the gesture.

Sleepi: Hehe, so I guess we were in the same art history class last semester? That's cool.
Thanks for the advice I'll try it out.

And I signed up for a lifedrawing tutor yesterday who I am apparently meeting today (someone in second year illustration) So hopefuly that should help me quite a bit.

[kennygeeze]

Ok, so I met my lifedrawing tutor last thursday... she's second year illustration and really nice.

She helped me out alot as well as I was able to watch her draw things as she explained.... this is what I can do after about an hour of her help and a couple hours of practice.

These are from extra life today.




http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/life1.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/life2.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/life3.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/life4.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/life5.jpg

[kennygeeze]

Originally posted by Sleepi
Hey, kenny, I don't know who you are but I remember that painting with the kid and the robots from Jack's class, quite nice.

About the whole line quality and contours thing, I really have trouble with that too. The problem with it is that in reality those lines aren't really there so you have to sort of theoretically interpret them. The basic rules I try and use are lines which are in shadow are a little blurrier or thicker, lines which are in light are crisper and thinner, and boney areas are more defined, fatty and fleshy areas are less. Or atleast that's what my drawing teacher tells me, they all seem to work in different methods.

Sleepi, I've been experimenting with the stuff you suggested... thanks for the tips... what you're saying is a little easier to grasp than what my drawing teacher has been telling us.... (near lines dark far away lines light)... it doesn't always work when the figure is just standing straight up and down and there's really no contrasting distance of anything.

But yeah.... I'll experiment more with those type of contours as I get more practice. Thanks.

[kennygeeze]

Done some more life-drawing lately. I have about a week and a bit until my portfolio is due.... I'll likely be going to life-drawing at least 3 more times between now and then.


http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/like1.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/like2.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/like3.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/like4.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/like5.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/like6.jpg

[hastyle29]

hey kenny, did u get a paper listing the things you need for your portfolio, to get into the illustration program?

well anyways. here are some things to keep in miind when your giving them your portfolio.

1. only show your best work, just because a drawing may have some meaning for yea or it was your first good drawing, its no reason to put it in. get some advise from others on what you shoujld include and exclude.

2. cartoon style, and fantasy style drawing .. do not include them , i remember it saying that somewhere in the paper.

3. in your portfolio, the best of the best drawing should always be in the front. and it may sound funny, but the should also be in the back. i read my books and mag starting from the back. so whos to say the person looking at your portfolio wont start from teh back, and see's a crappy picture and passes your portfolio. they have alot of portfolio to see so u need to grab there attention right away with your work.

now as for your work. your line work is kinda solid through out. you can say just as much with less lines, also try using a variety of lines in your drawing to pull parts of the body out, like your first drawing, the picture is pretty flat. just darkening the line on the foot work can help bring out the foot.

[kennygeeze]

Hastyle29, hi, thanks.

Yes, I did receive the portfolio requirements for illustration. I've been working on the required drawing test pieces quite a bit lately.

Thanks for the advice, especially about the line quality. That'll probably help alot the next time I go to figure drawing class.

[kennygeeze]

Ok, now it's the post-period of my illustration application. As in... it's done, it's been submitted, I've gotten it back, and I should find out in a at least 3 weeks how well I did (as in whether I got in or not)

Here's some of my latest life-drawings that went in the portfolio.





http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/1gesture.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/1sickle.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/1portfoliohighlightpiece.jpg

http://www.graphitesemantics.com/Graphics/images/portfolio/1portraitofanoldguy.jpg

Again, thanks for the input everyone.