Windmaker's sketchbook (updated 01.03.08 - mostly lifedrawings)

[Windmaker]

Hello everyone. My name is Yuriy, I'm 21 and I'm currently studying Applied mathematics, third year at the Technical University here in Sofia, Bulgaria. And I've also been drawing for as long as I can remember. I've never in my life attended a drawing course. I always thought they were boring and... why would I wanna draw teapots and old people when I can draw aliens and monsters?! I mean... who would? Now I'm beggining to see the disadvantages of not being able to draw teapots and old people. Still not going to any courses though. They're a bit pricy.But maybe with a little luck I'll be able to attend a live drawing course soon.

I decided to try and learn proper anatomy so I've started drawing skulls from reference. Only problem is, that with my current tempo I'll move on to the whole skeleton and then the muscles in aboout... twenty years. So yeah... I' m doomed. Or not, if I manage to become the ultimate master of time management! Still working on that though...

So here are the drawings. First one is my avatar, so it can appear on the fancy thumbnail. Next are some skull studies. Then come some face sketches. And then, there are some dwarves I've drawn during lectures in the university (so much for partial differential equations...). And finally there's a model of a dwarf I've done looong looong ago. And the beginings of the texture. And even more finally- there's a bunch of little devils I like to draw when bored. And GIR from "Invader Zim". That's all for now. Hope you'll enjoy:) Critique is welcome.

[Windmaker]

Hello, to you all:)
It finally came to me that it isn't real smart to try and get all good before showing your stuff, sooo... I decided to show my stuff before I've gotten real good. So that I may get real good. Or at least write alot.
First off are some bone studies I did in the last two or three months. Next is a page of hand studies. Some are done while looking at my own hand, and others are done from imagination trying to understand the construction of the hand. It gets more fun when you actually start thinking about the bones underneath all that skin and muscles. Some of the hands are scary.
Next are a few pencil sketches I've done while at breaks at work (I try to get as many breaks as I can... 'cause I am lazy).
And next are some digital pieces I've done in the last week.
I'm really happy about having started work (although not as an artist, but as a game designer), because now I can bug all the artists around me for advice. And since they're all good and helpful- they give me advices. Yay!

And in the next post is a tutorial and two pictures showing my workflow when painting digitally. I hope somebody finds them useful:)

[Windmaker]

I've used Photoshop with two brushes and an Intuos3 A5 tablet.
For the initial line sketch I used a regular hard-edged round brush with pressure set to control the size of the brush. I've worked with a 100% opacity at this stage.
After this is somewhat representative of the image I have in mind I take my painting brush which has the shape of a irregular coffin, pressure controls the opacity and flow. When needed I change the brush size manually with the "[" and "]" keys.
I tend to work at 100% opacity (although the pen pressure still changes it) while blocking in the first values. I set a 75% gray background to draw on so I may put in both darks and lights in the image.
When the block-in is complete I switch the opacity to around 40% in order to get some blending in the light and shadow shapes where needed.
After that I work a with with 70% opacity to get more definition where needed.
And for the final of the grayscale stage I set the opacity to 100% again to cover up the line art and put finishing touches.
At about that moment I begin laing in colors. I set the brush mode to color and put down the basic colors over the grayscale image. Since this tends to make things look shiny and... metally, I then set the brush mode to soft-light and about 20-40% opacity, pick a shadow color and start accentuating the shadows. Then I set the opacitiy to around 100% again, and while still in soft-light mode i pick a highlight colour and start accentuating the lighter parts of the image.
At about that time while in "colour" or "soft-light" mode I add colour variations to the skin... or to whatever else needs it. I like putting red at noses and cheeks, so I pick a red colour, lower the opacity to around 20-40% and add it where necessery. I do the same with some bluish hues for around the eyes, yellowish for the forehead, and so on...
For colour choices for lights and shadows I try to look at a colour wheel while painting. For shadows I choose the colour opposite of my main colour. For example- if my main colour is a bluish green I'll choose a red-orange for the shadows. Only thing is- I make the shadow colours reeeally dark. In Photoshop, I use the HSB(hue saturation brightness) sliders and set the saturation a bit higher, and the brightness- around 30-40% or sometimes even lower. I believe this gives a nice enough result where you see a hint of the shadow colour show through the main one, but it doesn't overpower it.
For the highlight colours I usually just pick a brighter version of my main colour.
After all that is done, if I haven't made my grayscale image really nice and smooth and good-looking (which I usually don't) I set my brushmode to normal and with opacity at around 40-70% begin blending things around all the while pressing the "alt" key and picking colours from the picture. After that I set the opacity to 100% again and begin putting in the finishing touches, covering up little mistakes or lineart showing through.
Here you can see the head at its original size (the whole image is drawn at 2000x3000 pixels at 300dpi).

So, to sum it up:
Use a hard-edged round brush for sketching.
Then use a rectangular hard-edged brush with pressure set to opacity for everything else.
Initial value block in is done a 100% opacity, then we lower it to 40%, then get it back up to 100% for adding finishing touches.
Then with the same brush at 100% opacity we lay in the main colours using the "colour" brush mode.
Then we switch to soft-light for adding colour to the shadows and highlights.
Keep the opacityof the brush and brightnes of the colour low when working with the shadows, so that the shadow colour doesn't overpower the main one.
Increase the opacity again when colouring the highlights to make them really pop out (when needed, ofcourse).
Set the brush mode back to normal again and while picking colours from the image and varying the opacity put in the finishing touches.

For the ornaments of the costume I made an ornament brush. There are plenty of brush making tutorials, but if somebody wants to, I'll make one and explain more about my brushes.

If anyone is wondering why I start my images monochrome- it is because I still stink at colour and usually, when I start straight with the colours I end up with a flat muddy image.

If you have any questions or comments- feel free to ask or just... comment.

[alesoun]

Wow! That's an impressive body of work! As a general rule, the more often you post; the more likely people are to comment in your sketchbook,- so keep posting!

[fantasyartist]

Nice studies! I really like the way you handle those values. Looks like your anatomy is hurting you in some of the drawings though. Keep working at it!

[Windmaker]

Hello again:)
alesoun - thanks for the reply. You're right about the frequent posting. Now if I could only stop being lazy...
fantasyartist - rightly noted. I'm aware of the anatomy problem and I'm trying to resolve it somehow. Drawing models seems to help:)

I've been experimenting with charcoal pencils this last week, and that's what I've come up with. Not much, but I like it.
They're in chronoligal order- the last one is the newest.

[Solon]

nice bones. I like thoses small deamons...you could make a living with thoses:) see ya at sofa

[Windmaker]

Solon - Glad you like the bones:) I'm starting to earn a strange reputation drawing bones all day at work... And the little guys rule:) Someday I'll make a comic with them.
I did some upper arm studies today. So here they are. Along with some bones.

[ped454]

i like your bones. your skill at shading is impressive.

my suggestion to you is to research lifedrawing n see if theres any lectures. its like 10 bucks for 3 hours of drawing..makes you super good super fast haha. its true.

hope to see more of your imagination drawings. i like your monsters. respec7

[Windmaker]

ped454: Glad you find the shading impressive:) I'm still working on it, buuut... I'm always working on everything. Damn! I've got sooooo much more to learn...
You're right about the lifedrawing. I hope I'll start attending some sessions in the coming month.

I continue being slow as... something really slow at updates, but still- here's one.
First are a few renders of a skull I modeled. Basemesh was done in 3DS Max, details were sculpted in ZBrush 3. Sculpting really helps one understand the form of an object. I thought I understand the form a skull. Turns out I don't:)
Next are a few drawings done from photos. The first two are done with a mechanical 0.5mm pencil and the others are done with a charcoal pencil. I'm still trying to get the hang of charcoal. It's tricky, but nice.

Have fun now:)

[BMunchausen]

Your squatty little monsters are a hoot! I love those. They have a quirky, effortless quality much of the other stuff doesn't.

[bbassir]

Great work man! I agree with BMunchausen, your little monsters are a riot! As far as a formal art education. . . I don't know that you need one. A lot of brilliant artists haven't had formal art education. With that said- study, study STUDY! Start building a library of art books from how-tos to bargain bin books with large reference images. AND of course, going consistently to life drawings sessions are an education in and of themselves. Keep up the good work! Math!? Who needs that?! Best of luck.

[Uziel]

The poses feel more natural compared with your first posts. But then again dwarves aren't easy with their difference in proportion.

your pencil rendering is pretty good but your digital brushwork could use some improvement.

great progres

[loveandasandwich]

Gir!!
What adorable little monsters! :D

Your anatomy studies are very nice, keep at itttt

[Windmaker]

BMunchausen: Glad you like 'em:) About the effortlessness...ness... Would be nice if everything came to me as effortless as them, buuut... I'm still working on it:)

bbassir: Thanks for the comment:) I AM trying to study and am reading lots of books. Also, I'm slacking. And also, I'm trying to find a place where there are lifedrawing sessions. Have to wait a few days for answers though.

Uziel: Hey:) Glad you see progress. That means there probably IS progress! Whodathought?:) And the brushwork does need more... work, but everything does. I'm still a looong way from where I want to get.

28chelseaslater: GIR rules!
Studies are sometimes hard to do. I just sit there, staring and the books doing nothing. And surprisingly, no studies come out. But I'm glad you like them:)

And now for the update. First are some imagination drawings. The big dwarfish looking guy with the hammer is supposed to be Thor. God of thunder! Apparently he took a shower, shaved his armpits, decided to scratch his backside with his hammer and became a dwarf-like person.
The other things are reffed drawings and a bit of arm studies.

[Mosthorribleyet]

Along with everyone else I do like your little devils, but I think your character work is very good (especially the way you sketch digitally), I can't get over how interesting the character with a T shape for the eyes is, and the last dwarf is great! Keep it up.

[lefran]

Hey, great anatomy and figure sketches especially the skulls imo, i love those little creature sketches- so cute :), id love to see you draw one up as a full illustration
Fran

[Windmaker]

Mosthorribleyet: Thanks:) Character design is something I really want to excel at, buut... I have to do lots and lots of studies before I become all that good. Anatomy, costume design, good ol' drapery studies... When I think how much more I have to learn, I start feeling kinda small and insignificant. So I try not to think about it and just do it:)

lefran: Thank you kindly:) I'd love to see me draw a full illustration too! Maybe sometime in the near future. Right now I am focusing on random studies (anatomy and whatnot...) and just sketching away:)

So here are the sketches from this week. Damn! I had hoped I'd do so much more... Maybe next week:)

The sketches are in chronological order from Monday to Thursday. The last one is still a work in progress. A 3D anatomy study of a skull.

Have fun now:)

[Ex Nihilo]

Awesome sketches, and you use your space so well. I like the way you rendered the helmet on the second page.

[Ink_Monkey]

Haha I love the little monsters man those rock. The anatomy studies are looking really good, keep at em they help alot :) I like the last update some really good rendering going on. Later.

[Wixxi]

Wow man at first when i began at the top of this sb I tought...LOL little monsters.Then I went down I watched you draw those incredyble nice monster and char designs..and than it was...WOW!

Cool models as well,nice skull.Almost perfect in my oppinion!

Keep the engine running dude!:confident

[coldrum]

Nice work mate... sketching bones out is something I still need to do... which I've put off for years. Love the animal pics

[Magic Man]

Your sketches are awesome! you have a beautiful grasp of tone that really makes your work pop for me, I'd say that there is more work to do to make them really really zing, as in pushing values further, but hey that will come in time.

btw, the paintovers of 3d models, imo you shouldn't do them, you don't learn a whole lot - its a valid tool when you're in the industry, but for learning, it doesn't teach much so try not to do it too much unless you're looking to render a design or panel work on the 3d model and its not your prerogative to practice the object form anyway.

Keep well and have fun, m.

[Windmaker]

Ex Nihilo: Thank you:) I like how the helmet turned out too. About the space usage - I decided to try and set up a goal for myself - fill one whole page with sketches each day. I'm so undisciplined, that's the only way to get me to draw regularly. The only one I've found so far anyway...

Ink_Monkey: Thanks! I'm really glad you like the rendering. It's been a big problem of mine and I've really tried to improve it in the last year. Glad to see it's working:)

Wixxi: Thank you for the kind words:) It's always nice to hear someone likes your work:)

coldrum: Hey:) Yeah... bones rule. You gain so much more understanding of the human figure and it's actions when you understand the skeletal structure. It's great! Glad you like the pictures:)

Magic Man: Hey:) Thanks! I'm really glad you like the sketches. And especially glad you like the rendering! As I said, it's something I've worked on alot. Now I just have to work on everything else alot... A lifetime should be enough to get good at it.:)
About the paintovers- I'm not sure what you mean. I haven't done any paintovers. The skull models are done completely by me. I've modeled the basemeshes in 3DS Max and the detailed them further in ZBrush 3. The pictures here are screengrabs from ZB3. And if you're talking about the unfinished dwarf in the first post- it's just the model I've done with the textures I started (but never finished). Although I have been planning on using quick 3D models as base for future illustrations, but that's still just wishful thinking.

And now, here are two more pages of sketches. I'm still a long way from becoming the King of All Productiveness... The first one is the one from Thursday, which I've only finished at Monday. The second one is from today (Tuesday).
Sooo... have fun now:)
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[Dreamworker]

Wow great stuff here! I like your inventive. Very nice studies!
Keep it up, cheeres :)

[Windmaker]

Dreamworker: Thanks! Glad you like my stuff:)

I still haven't become the most productive being in the whole universe... But still, I thought I'd update. Here they are, two pages of sketches! I need to do more studies... Also, I need to do more 3D studies, and also I just need to draw more.
Have fun now:)

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[Peter Berkovski]

hey bud, thnaks for visit my sb, i'm glad to see your sb mate, you got some realy good stuffs here, i like the little monster and the dwarfs.Good anatomy practice, keep it up and keep coming!

Имаш много интересен стил и подход към нещата ти,мерси за съветите - оценявам ( ще ти драсна после в icq-to ) един съвет и от мене - на последите ти фигури а и на някои от по - горните забелязах разминаване в пропорциите на тялото - налагането на главата спрямо тялото, ти си знаеш колко трябва да е :) но ако поработиш малко над това тогава фигурите с тоя детайл дето правиш ще изглеждат много яко,респект и ще се радвам взаимно да си помагаме с квото можем ( и аз съм самоук) а и в артлайн форума съм ти писал комент на твойта тема там съм "berkovski"
Cheers and Успех

[mentler]

Looking good here producer of wind <> like the Bird Headed dude....

Thanks for supporting my thread here and at SoFA

5 Bones

[Windmaker]

atlantik: Hello:) I'm glad you like the drawings. And the monsters. And the studies:) Thanks alot:)

Mentler: Hello, mister Mentler:) I thank you for the bones:) And am also glad you like the drawings.

And since I'm lazy as hell, and also have alot of work at the job lately, I've only managed to produce two unfinished pages. But I thought they're worth showing. And also, today is the day I went to my very first life drawing session ever! Damn! Life drawing is awesome! But since I got there an hour late I didn't have so much time to draw. Still, here are my very first life drawings ever.

I suddenly want to eat waffles for some reason...
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[Ex Nihilo]

Zim eats waffles.......

Nice figures. I'm sure life drawing will take you far. I like that tree, too. Keep it up.

[Iudex]

hey, that's what I call a Sketchbook

[Windmaker]

Ex Nihilo: That's my most favouritest episode of Zim ever. Damn! It's awesome! I'm glad you like the tree creature. Someday I'll draw one on a separate picture.

Iudex: That's what I call it too!:)
Really now, I'm very glad you like it:) Thanks:)

And now, to drawings! They're both as far as I'll take them (I think). I had some faint hopes of producing atleast three hundred pages of quality artowrk, buuuut... Whadayaknow! Alot of work came up. So there. Only two pages of... stuff.

There is stuff. Have fun now:)

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[Camara]

MMMmm...sweet pencils here!I see a lot of improvement!The last one is full of details!Keep an eye on those hands!

Cheers!

[Peter Berkovski]

heya buddy, the lst one is freaky good, dwarf is just amazing i love these details
Keep coming
Cheers

[_andreas_]

good update!
nice to see you doing some finished things.

apart from anatomical issues, both figures are kinda stiff.
maybe try to loosen the pose or draw with more swirly lines.

BUT
this could be a matter of your preferred style
so screw my comment =)

[StarbonesCoffin]

Whoa, this is some serious hatching you got there, great skill, i love it, more please !

[Lake]

wow - well you obviously have some serious rendering skill - and I'd assume you're pretty good with value.

But it looks like your linework is a little weak. Do some contour and blind contour drawings and post those-++

[Windmaker]

Camara: Hello:) I'm real glad you like the pencils! And the drawings. I'm going to devote more time on anatomy studies any day now... So that includes the hands too.

atlantik: Hey:) I'm glad you like 'em.
I'm a sucker for details... :)

_andreas_: Hello:) Could you please elaborate more on the anatomical issues you have in mind?
You're right about the poses. I don't have much experience in drawing dynamic poses though... I guess I should do more studies of such poses.

StarbonesCoffin: Yay! I'm always happy when somebody likes the pencilwork:) More of it will come soon... I hope. As soon as I manage to get some serious sleep. And the work load diminishes a bit.

panda: Thanks for noticing:) I believe part of the problem with the linework stems from my not-so-careful rendering. A few lines always cross over the contour and they give it this messy look. They make it more messy then it originally was. Here are the contour drawings:)

Today I went to life-drawing! And was an hour late! Yay! I mean, not yay... Anyway, I managed to draw some stuff. So here it is. This time I focused mainly on the contour and using as few lines as possible.
Some more sketch pages are also on the way. Should be ready for posting around Christmas or so... Unles I become the ultimate master of time-management that is.
Critique now:) Or just comment.

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[ccsears]

since you've gotten to the point where you're drawing light and shade in your figure studies, i think you should now start paying attention to edges. for example, don't use the same outline for the figure on the interior shadow shapes. if you're using a linear medium, use multiple lines or broken lines and don't box in something that should blur softly. in other words, the shadow can't wrap around a round form if you've boxed it into a rigidly outlined shape.

staying within the lines or rendering messily is not a big problem. just work on figuring out an approach to distinguishing a hard and soft edge, and organize your linework.

I highly recommend Chromosome's sketchbook as far as blocking in light/shadow shapes. some of my old moleskine sketches might helptoo.

[AmontilladoAg]

Rockin' some crazy bone studies, man, and your 'little guys' are teh coolness 8)

And I really like the movement in these figure studies of yours! :)

Draw draw draw! :teeth:

[Peter Berkovski]

nice figure drawing buddy, i realy like them, keep study and i'll waiting to see more of these :D
Cheers

[Lake]

mm. I wasn't so worried about the messy look - I was talking about the general shape of your people. The silhouettes look wrong. If you run them through photoshop and black out the figures, you'll see what I mean.

Anatomy's just off. Do some more anatomy and contour studies (and I think BLIND contour drawings will help you more here)

[The Whistler]

I like the way you shade and draw faces, there was this sketch of an old elf guy with moustache that gave me a laugh because elves are usually drawn as strong and tall and such.

As for your problems with anatomy, they're nothing you won't be able to take care of with practice, at least judging by your SB :)

[Windmaker]

ccsears: Thank you for the comment! I'm trying to take all this into account now, although I'm still not satisfied with the result... I just need alot more practise I guess. Tomorrow I'll be trying to study Chromosome's hatching technique. So much to learn still... :)

AmontilladoAg: Hello:) Thanks! I'm glad you like the little guys. I'm planning on drawing alot more of them soon... and doing alot more anatomy studies too...

atlantik: Hey:) Thanks for posting here! I'm trying to keep up the studies, sooo... we'll see what comes out from all that.

panda: I see what you mean. Thanks alot:) I'm planning on doing anatomy studies during the weekend, and maybe tomorrow if I manage to ignore my work for a while:)

The Whistler: Thanks for the kind words:) Also, thanks for the confidence in my abilities:)
As for the elf - Tolkien described them as quite similar to men. Only stronger and taller. But broad showlders and beards, and such were all there. Nothing about pointy ears though... :)

Thank you all for the comments and critique! Critique away now:)
Here are more lifedrawings. The first two are from yesterday (Wednesday) and all the others are from this evening. I still have a whole lot to learn, but I have a feeling my hand-eye coordination is getting better with each lifedrawing session. That's a good thing, I believe. Tomorrow I'll post some sketch pages and studies.
Have fun now:)

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[Peter Berkovski]

wow you surprise me with these i love em :) more please :) nice shading btw
Cheers

[Lake]

hm - the second one. The figures are obviously very good, but there's no way to differentiate them (other than the fact that I already know that they're figures). Add some context. Negative space consideration. Remember, the ABSOLUTE FIRST DECISION you make upon beginning a piece of art is: which way do you hold the paper?

There are no accidents.

[loveandasandwich]

Man I love how these are broken down into shapes & nice clean lines. These are the kind of life drawings i want to be able to create!

[Windmaker]

atlantik: Hello, I'm glad I managed to surprise you:) More will come from this week's lifedrawing.

panda: I see what you mean. When I showed the drawing in question to a friend his first thought wad of a small mountain range. I'm so happy! I can draw mountains! Anyway, I'll focus on negative space and accentuating the main forms in this week's lifedrawings. Keep the critique comming:)

28chelseaslater: Thanks! I'm glad you like their look. It is the product of countless sleepless nights of high-tech engineering and... uhm... yeah. Glad you like them:) And I'm sure you'll be able to do stuff like this. Even better. Have you tried yet?

Ssooo... on to the update! Obviously I am a very lazy person. Once again I managed not to create a hundred and forty seven pages of... stuff. I did three though. So here they are.
Somewhere in the middle of doing the first page I began studying the way Tensai (http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54982&page=27) and Chromosome (http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=83802) draw. From that point on I've begun trying to define the planes of the object more. I hope that technique change is in a good direction. I'm pleased with it anyway:)
The faces on the second page (except the guy with long ears and the little dude with the spear) are drawn from National Geographic photos.
The third page is some lazy leg bones studies. I have to do tons more of these...

Thanks for looking and commenting:)

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[Peter Berkovski]

hey, nice to see you posting again man, thanks for stoping by, realy nice stuff you got here i like yout characters design keep them up

Браво последните неща са наистина много приятни, фаворит ми е монстера от първата картинка в дясно и главата преди него, пробвай да раздвижиш малко позите - забелязал съм че повечето ги правиш от един и същ ъгъл :) ше чакам следващите
Have fun!

[Windmaker]

atlantik: Hey:) Glad you still like the stuff. Yeah... I should definitely try to draw more dynamic poses. I just don't feel secure enough in my abilities.

Hello everyone. Today was a weeeird day. I felt like I was back at the starting point with drawing. I had the feeling I can't draw anything right. And the lifedrawing felt hard as hell. I had the intention of thinking about triangulation and negative space while drawing. Instead I just drew without alot of thinking involved...

I'm trying to figure out if it is better to make more less detailed and accurate sketches in the lifedrawing sessions, or try to make one super accurate sketch per pose, but without doing any rendering, so I have time to concentrate on the aforementioned accuracy. Or try to reach a compromise between the two?

Also, is it better to try and draw finished pieces and learn anatomy, composition and perspective on the go, or just stick to studies until I get good enough to do better finished pieces?

And stuff like that. On to the drawings.

First one is a page of studies for a 3CH (http://www.hydropix.com/3CH.htm) illustration I'm hoping to do someday. The topic was something like "A goblin hypnotizes a shark amongst the clouds".
Next are today lifedrawings.

Comments and critique are as always appreciated. Thanks:)

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[AmontilladoAg]

Hey, Windmaker :)
I like how you're defining planes and structure -- lookin' good! :teeth:

Your life-drawing is inspiring, makes me wanna go find a life-drawing class to join :) Keep at it!

Cheers :}

[Peter Berkovski]

Your life-drawing is inspiring,
Cheers :}

i think that too and you my friend give me a motivation to make my stuffs better
Thank you! :D

[Windmaker]

AmontilladoAg, atlantik : Yay! Me, being able to inspire someone is a great compliment! Thank you:)

Ssooo... here is an update.
Today's life drawing didn't go quite so well. For some reason I seemed to draw veeery slooowly. As if I was being careful not to make mistakes. I made them though... I blame Photoshop! I've been playing with it throughout the weekend and now I feel as if I've forgotten how to draw with a pencil.
Anyway, here are the drawings. The critique is worth posting them.

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And now, the paintings!
Soo... they were done in Photoshop. The dwarf took about four of five hours I guess. I need to speed up. (Would any of you say this is a portfolio worthy piece?) The face was done in about forty minutes.
I have no idea if the process pics'll help anyone, but here they are. For some strange and mysterious reason, I really enjoy doing them.

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[bbassir]

Wow! Impressive improvement. You've really been getting after it. Masterful life drawings great sense of weight and dimension. Keep it up.

[Peter Berkovski]

great improvement my friend, try to work digital more often :) This baby in your life drawing class is cute :P
Cheers

[Lake]

cool dwarf! looks badass! A couple of crits (and after you fix these I think it WILL be a portfolio piece)

the left foot is sticking at a right angle to his right foot. However, it's further forward. It'd be really awkward to stick your leg like that. Turn his foot to face us a little more. Also, his right hand doesn't really look like it's gripping the parchment. There are no shadows to indicate this. Paper will bend to accomodate it's grips.

[loveandasandwich]

I like the way you do figure studies. All nice n' crispy clean. I tend to take them too far & dont learn much. =( Where do you find all these lovely pictures? I use deviantart's artistic nude photography, & a lot of its just gross & you can't find many good photos.
Can I make a plushie out of one of your monsters!? I promise to send you one. =)

[Iudex]

First the pencil sketches, then the lifedrawings, now the photoshop paintings... this is really motivating! :painting:

[AztcFireFlower]

Like your critters. Cute! I can see them animated or even as stuffed animals.
Your fig studies are coming along nicely. Think of the body as simple blocks to convey the feel of an understructure and solidity. Helps to use this idea to figure invent.

[Windmaker]

bbassir: Thanks! I'm very glad you see improvement in my works:) I guess it's a lot harder for me to judge, but sometimes I just don't see it:)

atlantik: Wooo! It's so cool when people tell me I'm improving! You gotta do it more often:) Thanks!

panda: A big thanks for noticing those things, mister Panda! (I just imagined a panda in a business suit... Do you, by any chance, look like a panda in a business suit?) I'll fix the painting and post it again for approval:)

28chelseaslater:Weee! I'm really happy you like the figures. The last figure drawings are done from life, but when I use photo reference I usually go with Virtual Pose (http://www.virtualpose.net/). It's quite nice in my opinion.
As for the free alternatives- there are a couple of nice places I go to check photos out.
This is a thread over at CGTalk.com (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=202&t=400770) where they request poses and a male model... poses. It's nice and useful.
This a link to a collection of photoshoots of models (http://www.characterdesigns.com/index.php?sitepage=photosets)(nude and non-nude) which is also veeery nice.
And this is just a huge site with lots of photos of everything. (http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/browsecategories?typeId=1)
And a plushie of one of the little devils would be soo awesome! I'm all for it! Feel free to do as many as you like:) And thank you:)

Iudex: Yay! I am motivating people! Glad you like all the stuff:)

AztcFireFlower: Hello:) I'm really glad you think the figure studies are coming along! And a big thanks for the advice. It seems obvious enough, but for a time I seemed to have forgotten about simplifying the figure like that. I'm trying to reintegrate this to my approach now.

Thank you all for the comments! Keep coming:)

And now, on to the update!
Firstly some lifedrawings. I've been having a lot of troubles getting to the studio with lifedrawing lately. And when I did manage to get there I always seemed to draw sooo hesitantly and sloooowly, and the drawings didn't come out all that good. But in the last two times I've went I made a great revelation... of doom!!! And excitement. I have to work a little faster so that I don't allow myself time for hesitation. And when I start shading, I just have to grip the pencil by the top end (instead of at the bottom where one would normally hold it) and just scrible away light and quick. And now I'm happy. And want cookies.

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Next are two pages of sketches which I've been working at for the last two weeks. I have yet again managed to be even less productive! Yaay!:)

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And last are some digital pieces. First is a work in progress I painted in a hour or two... and then forgot about in the last two weeks. Next is my character for a contest over at a Bulgarian art forum. The last on is what I did yesterday while at work. I'm so sneaky... and not working:) And there's a process pic if somebody's interested.

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Have fun now:)

[The Curehead]

nice sb, i really like the tenticle mouth guy, and the old character designs
of the lisard like guy with the spear.
all the character progressions are cool,and helpful, ill be looking at them again

[IvkeBG]

Nice stuff and a lot of improvement. Love your values! Deffinitiely keep going to life drawing classes, it'll help you tons. I also love those little beasts. Keep it up dude :)!

[chenga]

Hi there! Thanks for dropped by my little sketchbook and your valueble insights for pointing out my bad habit in drawings.

Your stuffs r great. It is hardly to believe ur a an applied maths student...
Btw, I specially fond of that low poly character, and I hope you would finish it.


Cheers!

[Windmaker]

The Curehead: Hello:) I'm really happy the step-by-steps were helpful to someone! If you have any questions - feel free to ask:)

IvkeBG: Yay! It's always nice when somebody says I'm improving. Thanks:)

chenga: Hey:) Thank you for the nice words. If I can help with anything - just ask. About that character - someday I'll get back to being more serious about modelling. But I've made the mistake of trying to tackle too many things at once so right now I'm just concentrating on drawing.

Thank you all for the comments:)

Lately I have the feeling there's not a whole lot of improvement in my skills. I decided to ponder upon that. So I pondered. Then I decided I need to do a whooole lot more studies. Both from life and from photos. And anatomy books. Right now, I guess I just don't have much diversity in my visual library so I'm always drawing, more or less, the same thing. I'll try to forget about drawing from imagination for a month or so. And draw only studies. We'll see how it goes.

Also, lately I've been thinking about drawing environments. That and the fact that I have absolutely no clue on how to start learing to draw environments. Does anyone of you have any advice on that matter?

Anyway, here are the drawings for this update.
First are some sketches I've made, mostly during work time.
And after them are this week's lifedrawings. I've started experimenting with charcoal again. It feels weird. But nice. But weird. I think I smudge too much. Next time I'll try not smudging at all.

Here they are now. Thanks for looking:) Critique and comments are very appreciated!

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[Windmaker]

Here's the first ever... ehm... longer life-drawing I've ever done. The pose was held for five hours. But this drawing was done in four. I spent the first one hour doodling with charcoal. I still have no idea what to do with that thing...
Anyway - here's the final drawing. Four hours, 0.5mm pencil HB mostly, 2B in the end for adding the really dark... darks.

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[Evxyza92]

Nice figures man , they a got some nice value to them man. Heh I don't know how you draw in charcoal, I can't stand charcoal.

[Camara]

Hey!!!your pencil work is very beautyful!!!Good job!!Stars from me!!!

[Peter Berkovski]

mmm very well, very well my friend, nice shading,watch your construction more, overall excelent job, keep do your best :)
Regards

[Windmaker]

Evxyza92: Thanks! I'm not yet a fan of charcoal, but I know I should be. I mean, people do such awesome drawings with it! It must be good:)

Camara: Thank you:) I'm very glad you like it. And thanks for the stars!:)

atlantik: Thank you too:) Glad you like the shading, but yeah... if the construction stinks no shading in the world can improve the drawing. I'll keep it in mind:)

Yaaay! I got stars! Thank you all:)

I'm trying to draw from life and reference only now. So far I've only drawn from life. And when I'm not drawing from life I'm either too tired to draw or have too much work to draw. So reference will have to wait. I do hope I do some anatomy studies soon though. I've neglected them real bad...
That is also the reason why I haven't commented in any other threads lately. I shall start commenting again tomorrow! When I have had sleep! For sleep is good! And I like it.

Here are today's life drawings. I've experimented a bit in them. I'm trying to come up with a new approach for rendering. A combination of the one I've used in my earlier posts and the one I've been using lately in my liferawings. I think I like the results.
After them are some other lifedrawings. I did them while on the bus or on the tram. It's kinda hard to draw when everything is wobbling around. I'm not sure I like the drawings much, but I really want to reach a level where I can look at the things and people around me and just draw them. And capture likeness even! Kinda like James Jean (http://www.processrecess.com/index.php?uid=F9BB99) does. He's awesome. I wonder if he adds the shadows while he draws or does he add them later when he's not in contact with the model anymore... How do you people who draw from life on the street do it?

Here they are. The drawings I mean.

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[RandAlThor]

Hey windmaker, you have some nice value studies here. I like some of your creature doodles too. keep up the good work and try some of those ref pictures you mentioned. :-)

[tensai]

it's all about milage and you are gettin yours. great figures in the last post..
keep at it man.

[Windmaker]

RandAlThor: Thanks! I'm glad you like them:) I'll soon be drawing more stuff from reference. If only work wasn't getting in the way...

tensai: Thank you! Coming from you, this means alot:) Your drawings are always a huge inspiration!

I bought a book with photographs today! The North American Indian (http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/photography/all/01879/facts.edward_s_curtis_the_north_american_indian.ht m?flash=TRUE). I'm so happy! The pictures are great! So now I have tons of reference. Which I should draw. And I hope I will.

Other than that, I drew another five-hour pose today. Same as the one before - 0,5mm HB lead in the beginning, then 0,5mm 2B lead for finishing touches. I got the likeness in the first ten minutes. The killed it. An hour later I raised it back from the dead. Then killed it again. I did the same thing an hour later again. Then I decided the paper can't take much more abuse. Then I killed the likeness for the last time, and decided to draw fluffy boots instead.
Here it is:
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[Howie]

Your figures look great, i like how your lines feel very loose and gestural and still maintain order.

[_andreas_]

SIR!
doing a 5hour pose is something i admire, i tend to loose interested after half an hour.
that said, i do think that someone at your stage should rather do more quick studies than such long ones. there are still to many obvious things to learn from quicker drawings.
its like writing a 5hour music piece before doing a pop song.
first do some quick great songs before one huge opus.

the last update and the ones before show a great amount of progress.
great to see!

[Windmaker]

Howie: Thanks:) I'm glad you like the linework. It's something I've been trying to get better at for the last couple of months.

_andreas_: SIR yourself:) I'm happy you see progress in my works. Its hard for me to judge wether or not I'm progressing.
As far as the songs and opuses go - I agree, there is stil a ton of stuff to learn from quick sketches. That's why I don't intend on stopping them. However, I don't think that longer poses get in the way of sketches. I'm just trying my hand at it once a week:)

Here are today's lifedrawings. As usual- these are all fifteen minutes poses. Drawings were done either with a 0,5mm mechanical pencil, or a regular pencil. Or sometimes- both.

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[Windmaker]

Hello:)
More lifedrawings today.

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Also, here's a pencil drawing tutorial sort of thing I did for Quicksilver, thanks to the magical powers of the Mentoring forum. Go visit it and see if oyu can offer help to someone, or maybe get help from someone.
On to the tutorial now. Keep in mind that this is just the way I work. It may not be best for you, but feel free to try it. An artist learns best from experimentation.

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Here are a few examples of all of the above applied.

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[RandAlThor]

Hey Wind, Thanks for stopping by, i appreciate the comments; after all thats the best way to remain objective about your art.. I've just looked thru your SB from the start again and i can see a definate improvement of late. Excellent progress shots btw, i learn so much when some one takes the time to share a painting session. Anyways, excellent pencils, good tones and solid forms. Keep up the good work... :-)

Oh yeah, could you explain the 'dark tones against flatening forms a bit further'? cheers, Rand...

[GetiX]

Wow You Sure Like Your Dwarves lol
But Its All Excellent 9/10 :)

http://http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=108104
Please visit my skethbook :):):):):):):):):):):):):)

[tensai]

great new life drawings man. again - if you have any questions feel free to mail me any time. perhaps i'll even know how to answer one or two... ;)
keep it coming man

[AmontilladoAg]

Sweet stuffz :teeth:

Keep on keepin' on! :)

[Windmaker]

RandAlThor: Yaay! My stuff is liked!:) I'm always glad to hear that somebody found my things helpful. If you have any questions - feel free to ask:)

GetiX: Dwarves rule:) Ever since... I don't remember when I decided that. Anyway, dwarves rule. And I'm glad you like my work.

tensai: Thanks for the compliment, Tensai:) I haven't had much time for lifedrawing lately... and any kind of drawing for that matter, but you can be sure I'll start bugging you with questions about perspective and cityscapes:)

AmontilladoAg: Glad you like the stuffz:) Thanks! And I'll keep on keeping on.

Thank you all for dropping by. It's always so nice to get comments in one's thread:)

I haven't had much time for drawing the last two weeks. A lot of work at... work. Even my weekends were busy. So no new lifedrawings. But here is what I've been doing the last two days. Torso studies!

I remebered that besides wanting to be a professional illustrator, concept artist, fine artist, famous explorer and a chef, I want to be a modeller. Or a sculptor. So I spent a few days working on a basemesh at home and during free time at work so I can use it for all my studies. I then cut off its head, arms and legs, and took it into ZBrush for further detailing.
The following sculpts were all done in between one and two hours and were veeery helpful in understanding the male torso. Once again I was reminded how helpful it is to do something in 3D (wether digital or in clay) in order to understand its form. I encourage anyone who wants to learn anatomy to try and sculpt the body (again - digital or clay). It helps tons!

Now I only have to remember all that I've learned...

First one is the basemesh for the torso.

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[depict]

Hey dude,
You've got a cool sketchbook here, love those wee cartoon creatures they would make cool tshirt prints! Some pretty slick lifedrawing to, keep up the good work and I'll be back to gobble up more later!

Cheers.

[tensai]

holy crap! - did you do those bodies from scratch or was it started from a template? the overall proportions and separate parts and the detailing all look really spot on man. wow

[Windmaker]

depict: Thanks! A T-shirt would be pretty cool:) I have to try making one sometime.

tensai: Hello:) Wow! I'm really glad the bodies look good! I was buried in reference material while modelling them. I used a few anatomy books and lots of photos (a big thanks to Google!). The torsos were all made from this model (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=222184), which I've done in 3DS Max. Starting from such a basemesh saves you tons of work.

Here is a pencil value study I've done as part of the first assignment of mine and Quicksilver's mentoring... thing.
Go to the Mentoring forum (http://conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=137) and help people out! Or find help.

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Here is a Hi-Res version of the step-by-step (http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7017/stepbystephrgd2.jpg) in case somebody wants to see a close-up of the hatching or something... It's pretty big though - 1,2 MB and 1374x10075 px.

Have fun now:)

[Peter Berkovski]

definitely you geting better, i love last one it's so prety :) nice model btw. keep the good work up my friend, see yo soon!
Regards

[Windmaker]

atlantik: Thanks!:) Start drawing again too, you hear?

Well... I, once again, fail at updating. Also, I fail at figure drawing. Haven't drawn anything figurative since... a lot of time. But I'm learning to paint environments. That, combined with the limited free time doesn't really help anatomy studies an' all, but here are environment studies. And step-by-steps, so the update looks bigger.

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[Windmaker]

And here is my first ever finished environment painting! At least as finished as I can get it with my current skills... And a few close-ups at about 50% of the original size... and a step-by-step of the landscape. I wanted the accent of the picture to be on the titanic battle between dinosaur and UFO... but changed my mind at the last minute.

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[Camara]

Thanks for the tutorials!!Man,your rendering with pencil is awesome!!I wish I draw with pencil like that!

[Weetbix]

Amazing sketchbook, your work is very inspirational.

[Windmaker]

Camara: You're welcome:) The rendering just comes with alot of practice. So it's nothing unachievable. Just keep drawing:)
Anyway, don't get too caught up in rendering!

Weetbix: Thank you very much:) It's always so nice to know I've inspired somebody! That's a really great compliment:)

Yesterday and today were devoted to figures. I'm trying not to fall behind on anatomy and figure drawing sooo... I painted some figure studies in Photoshop. Each one was done in about 15 - 20 minutes. Far from perfect, but I like them. I'm hoping that If I do a couple of hundred (or thousands) more of these, and manage to learn how to paint environments, I'd be able to put together a few good paintings so that I show them around to people and they start offering me jobs:)

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[tensai]

figures looking really really nice man. way to go on focusing on the bigger light shapes and planes of the body. i would see if you could push the darks a bit more, and not just around the edges. but i don't know - these look very good the way they are.
I'm hoping that If I do a couple of hundred (or thousands) more of these, and manage to learn how to paint environments, I'd be able to put together a few good paintings so that I show them around to people and they start offering me jobs
exactly man, i'm sure it will pay off.

[IvkeBG]

Dude, your latest 20min figure studies are excellent, those atelier sessions are starting to sink in. The greatest benefit are the gesture studies from the atelier, they really help to increase speed and accuracy. I'm really lacking that stuff, so I'll start going to a local atelier in a few weeks. As for the environments, even if you do stuff from imagination it won't look convincing if it's not based on the natural laws, so the safest bet might be to make a lot of quick outdoor studies with watercolors. The mood and atmosphere in a landscape are only achieved with proper value and color effects.
It would be really nice if CA people from the region (balkans, southeasteurope) could get organized and could bring experienced concept artists for workshops once in a while, on different aspects including environments, character creation etc.
Anyways, keep up the good work :)

[Windmaker]

tensai: Thanks! You're right about the darks. I think I have a problem with contrast in general. I'll have to work on that:)

IvkeBG: Thanks for the compliments and advice! You're right about the workshop idea. It would be great if it happened! Sooo... now all we need to do is get good enough (and wealthy enough) to organize a workshop of our own. Then we'll become famous and take over the world!

Ssoooo... here's an update from me. I had alot to do in the last month. Both university and work related. So I didn't have that much time for drawing. And I seem to be falling behind on my studies. So I decided, that instead of not doing studies the whole day, I should maybe try and paint something. Which doesn't mean I don't have a huuuge gap in my knowledge about stuff that I need to fill with studies. I need to study hands and feet... a lot.
Here's what I've been doing the last few weeks. I have this crazy idea that maybe some of that stuff is good enough for a portfolio which will get me a job should I show it to anybody who's giving jobs away.
What do you think?

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[Peter Berkovski]

hello dear friend, nice to see you around again,:) like i've sayd before the first dwarf is my fav. but now when i look at your stuffs again i can say my fav, is no more the first dwarf it is the second - this is super kick ass battle general dwarf fighter i love it :)
Cheers and keep up the great work man!
cu around

[RandAlThor]

oi, lazy bitch.. get posting again dude... you have some serious skillz, but without the milage you wont see the intracies.. post dude, loving the doodles
..

[CUBICcube]

Awsome charactors man!.. :sungod:

[copperfire]

Wow, interesting style! Your marks are nice and loose, it gives your work a nice look, post more! :)

[Windmaker]

Hey!
Thank you all for the kind words! I wish I could say I wasn't slaking all of that time, that I was making kick-ass artwork and whatnot... but I haven't been making kick-ass artwork, and, also, I have been slacking. Also I was sick, had university and work related troubles, battled evil mutant-zombie-dragon-ninja cyborgs from the dimension of pure and unimaginable horror, and also... something else equally exciting.

So here's everything I've done in chronological order (minus the evil-mutant-zombie-biscuits of doom and horror). Both paintings in the post are supposed to be a kind of self portrait. I used this photo of myself (http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/2928/img1283iz9.jpg) when doing the second one. So anyway, have fun watching:) I hope you like them.

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[Ex Nihilo]

Looking good. I'm loving your figure work. I was beginning to wonder when you were going to update again. Glad ya did. Sorry to hear about your sickness... and the zombie-ninja-things....

[Peter Berkovski]

wow I'm more than impressed,you kick some asses man :) great update and great studies,keep em up my friend!

[Whitevillage]

You have a very cool sketchbook. Those nude life drawings are very well done and I like your pencil drawings a lot, they look very confident and smooth.

Thanks for showing how you used to work with the pen grip. It's helpful.

[luness]

Hello Windmaker!

It's very cool to see your improvement throughout your sketchbook. Your character designs on the last post are awesome. Please post more little cartoony creatures, they are hilarious!!!

Peace!

[Maidith]

Your character designs rock. and you're so productive. I love your sketchbook