Back to Basics: My new sketchbook.

[Coen]

Just decided to start a new sketchbook, I'm gonna try to get good at drawing following the traditional/atelier method, so I'm starting with line drawing. In the meanwhile I'll study anatomy too. Here's todays life drawings using line.

I noticed this is a very good exercise for me since my lines have always been very sketchy, so that's good :D

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/line1.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/line2.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/line3.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/line4.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/line5.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/line6.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/line7.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/line8.jpg

And a little anatomy study, copied it from 2 different drawings by Albinus.
http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-06-07/anatomy_study1.jpg

Hopefully this will be a good way to study!

[Envisor]

Nice start. Ive also been going back to basics. Studying anatomy, and life, shading, and whatnot. try doing some Loomis and Bridegman studies. They help out quite a bit when trying to learn anatomy. Keep up the good work.

My Sketchbook- C&C very welcome
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85772

[Coen]

Thanks Envisor, maybe I'll do some of the Loomis and Bridgman studies too, but for now I think I'll stick with a bit more realistic (or medical?) anatomy study, till I know a bit more before getting into more stylized stuff.

Here's todays work. I'm still only working with line, no shading yet, I only added some value for cast shadows on the ground (otherwise it just looks weird).

BTW the reference for the turd was a fake turd, don't worry! :D

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-07-07/line1.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-07-07/line2.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-07-07/line3.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-07-07/line4.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-07-07/line5.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-07-07/line6.jpg

[DARAF]

Coen, Good start to your new sketchbook. Back to basics is something that should happen often throughout your artistic development. keep it up.

[TheGnoll]

looking good so far, especially the last studies.About that anatomy study, i don't think copying alone will help.You have to start from the very basics, assemble the human body by usign basic shapes and lines first, and learn how to view them in your mind in 3d.Medical anatomy is, well medical anatomy, i really don't think it will help at all in these first step, all obviously IMHO ;)
Books by Andrew Loomis and Burne Hogart could be helpful on that side.Again, about the human body, check out this site ;)

http://the-structure-of-man.blogspot.com/

most of all, its all about not giving up, and constant exercise ;)

ciao

[Coen]

Thanks Daraf and TheGnoll!

TheGnoll, I gotta say I didn't really mean to study medical anatomy exclusively, I just didn't really make up a strategy to tackle anatomy yet, I've done several attempts to study it but I really need to make a plan first.
I was thinking about using reference from Peck's book (maybe that's not to be called medical) along with the study of master drawings and figure drawing from life, but I really don't know yet. You're totally right about copying alone won't help that much.

Thanks for that site, I saw it a while ago but didn't really take a good look at it, it looks like it'll be able to help alot.

[Coen]

Eh forgot this one, also from today, think it's time to get some sleep now. :)

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-07-07/line7.jpg

[Coen]

Just recieved the life sized skull I ordered!! This cute bald fella! (http://anatomiemodellen.nl/images/modellen/4501.jpg)
Here's some new life drawing:

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-08-07/line1.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-08-07/line2.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-08-07/line3.jpg

[Alcian]

Nice one with the skull, the studies are looking good, especially the second page. All I can say is keep doing studies (anatomy, life drawing etc etc), do lots but be consistent. Doing slow studies to start off with are good as well.

[Coen]

Alcian - Thanks! What exactly do you mean by consistent? So far I'm just trying to find diverse shapes to draw from life, that's about the only guideline I got (well besides the traditional skill based progression, why I started with just line.)

Here's a bit of new stuff:

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-08-07/line4.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-08-07/line5.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-08-07/line6.jpg

[sneegm]

Hey Coen,
Cool skull you've ordered! About the drawings: some look realy good and some others having a small issue cause of the perspective. Overall : good studies. Keep them comming.
Just saw the last posts. Great studies there. Rocking shoes, sizors and branches/leaves. Woohoo

[minjarr]

I love how you have very broad shapes both for the figure itself and the shadow, but right now they are all lacking a little of consistent flow with the shapes. perhaps drawing perspective to help or even straying away from so much line use and try to look at all the shapes, sort of like a vectored image. Anywho, good job on the variation of objects and keeping it loose. k hope to see more laterz

[Coen]

sneegm - Thanks! I can really recommend getting a skull like that, there are pretty cheap ones to buy. It's a nice object to draw from and it's white, so it's nice for studying values.

minjarr - Thanks, you're right about the consistency. The only reason I'm using so much line is cause I decided to go with the traditional way of learning to draw, which starts with using only line until you got good observational skills. I only give the shadows some value to make it look less ridiculous but it's all about line to me now.
I really dunno if this is the best way to learn to draw but I've been wandering around for so long and this method is the most structured one I've found (and that's what I need, especially cause I don't have any teacher or whatever).

Anyway, here's some of todays work. It's not much cause I hardly had any time, so I think it's gonna be late tonight. I think these skills are better in proportions than my previous skulls cause I used a kinda different approach, starting with just a few straight construction lines. Seems to work better.

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-09-07/line1.jpg

[Alcian]

Hi Coen, by consistent I meant that its important to do studies or just draw everyday. But it looks like you are doing that :).
I like the fact that you are drawing different things.

[Envisor]

You're doing great on these studies. And as everyone has already said, just keep practicing and drawing everyday. Keep posting.

My Sketchbook- C&C very welcome
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85772

[Coen]

Thanks Alcian & Envisor! :D

Here's a very little update cause these days are busy days, and I gotta learn theory for my driver license too.. Anyway, more to come.

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/01-10-07/line1.jpg

[Dizon]

Back to basics, indeed! I like what you're doing with the objects and their cast shadows. Nice and simple.

Thanks for the comment!

[Coen]

Fuck it, neglected my SB for way too long.. Next time I screw up again I'm inviting everybody to kick me in the stomach!

Some very quick nude figures from reference, I didn't care too much about details. Right now I'm trying to find some place to draw from real models not too far from home.

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/nude1_.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/nude2_.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/nude3_.jpg

Some random stuff:

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch1.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch2.jpg
Very very quick sketch of my room :S
http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch3.jpg

[Coen]

Had little time to draw today *pissed* (really pissed). Here's 2 very quick and small drawings, first is a 'study' of an awesome creature by Puddnhead, second a skull drawn from life (from my plastic skull).

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch4.jpg

[Coen]

Little update, just some crappy sketches. Bweh.
:P
http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch5.jpg

[Envisor]

Nice to see your posting again. If nobody else takes your offer to kick you in the stomach for not posting, then Ill be glad to do so my dear friend. The figure studies are really good, only thing Id suggest would be to use some cleaner lines(less scratchy). And the hand and skull studies turned out pretty well. Keep it up.

[Gunther409]

Hey, haven't seen this sketchbook yet. I like the shadowing, that's pretty cool stuff right there. Oh and the sketch of your room was awsome, it looks just like my room!

[Coen]

Envisor - Thanks for your stomach kicking! You're right about my lines, it's something I'm working on but I seem to keep falling back into it.

Gunther409 - Thanks man, you should make a sketch of your room too :D

Here's a little more stuff, the skull is very skewed.. should've used an easel or something, didn't notice it till I saw it on my monitor :P

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch6.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch7.jpg

[Banshax]

That skulls looks pretty cool if you ask me. Try and work your construction skills. Draw it from funky angles in a quicker way so you really understand it. Try and simplify it, draw it from your head and then comeback, make it a playfull experience which you visit once in a few drawing sessions.

You`ll find out that construction helps LOADS with everything you draw . Heck, try a few of these and then come back to your skull. It helped me tons. http://www.animationarchive.org/pics/pbanimation08-big.jpg

keep it fun and relaxed, dont push yourselve if you dont have your day.

[Coen]

Thanks Banshax, I should've paid more attention to construction indeed, mostly I get more of these kinda errors when working bigger (small drawings are so much easier :D)

Here's a little weird sketch, pretty messed up but I'll post it anyway :P

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch8.jpg

[Envisor]

Nice updates. I really how the skull turned out in your last couple of posts. It is a little skewed, but it turned out great. Ive been studying Kevin Chen for construction, very good figure studies and life studies he did. Heres a link to some of them.
http://www.characterdesigns.com/index.php?sitepage=tutorials

Keep it up.

[Coen]

Oh yea Kevin Chen's stuff is awesome, it would be awesome if he wrote a book or made videos like Vilppu does, I like his stuff as well (got his book in front of me now). Thanks!

[Coen]

Some new sketches from ref.

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch9.jpg

[Coen]

Weird. Bla.

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch10.jpg

[Coen]

Some new stuff..

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch11.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch12.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch13.jpg

Edit: Forgot this quick sketch:

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch14.jpg

[Coen]

I made a schedule today cause I really need it. I divided it in blocks of 2 hours per subject over a week and found out I can draw way more than I thought:

6 hours of still life/cast drawing
6 hours of drawing from imagination
6 hours of anatomy (allthough I'm still not sure how to study this well)
6 hours of digital (speed)painting
9 hours of life drawing (outside)
A bunch of hours less sleep

Tell me what you think about this plan! Think these are good subjects to study? I'd love to get some opinions or suggestions cause I don't feel that confident about it yet. It's like 33 drawing hours a week and I'm combining it with work, piano and guitar so I don't know if I can handle it, but we'll see.. Here's some new stuff, all from imagination..

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch15.jpg

[Brendan N]

Hey Coen, thanks for stopping by my book man, really appreciate it.

There is visible improvement with every update and your headed in the right direction, and getting there fast. Pay some more attention to line. A good exercise for line is to 1-line drawings - that is put your pencil down and start drawing but do not lift it until the drawings is done. This forces you to think more about your line and what you want to do with it.

Nice sb, rated. Keep going!
ciao!

- d.

[Coen]

Hey Brendan, thanks so much man, I really admire your work! You're totally right about the lines, I find it hard to get that right but your exercise seems like exactly what I need, will try it immediately. I'm not sure how the rating thing works yet, I see stars behind some of the sketchbooks on the forum but when do they appear (dont see any at mine)?

Anyway, I got some new but crappy drawings of people, from life. It was really hard cause I had to be fast since they kept moving..

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch16.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch17.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch18.jpg

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch19.jpg

[Coen]

Little update, a sketch I just did in Sketcher:

http://coen.3d-sea.nl/March/sketch20.jpg

Any comments on the schedule yet? :P

[Coen]

This may not even be worth an update but I couldn't scan the rest cause that shit scanner came up with all kinds of errors and won't scan shit anymore, so I gotta fix that first. Here's how far it got, made this while watching some fishing program on tv, had to draw way too fast!

111098

111110

Bwah I'm stuck.

[Jens]

your schedule sounds pretty heavy, if you can handle that it's great.

for your life drawings, try to be a bit more confident, pick up a pen and draw with loose strokes, don't try to scribble so much. A line that is wrong can look better when it's put with confidence. I'm not saying that you should draw wrong of course.. I mean drawing with confidence and loose strokes correctly requires a lot of skill so your first attemps may fail horribly. But it will really pay of in the end.

check out these brushpen drawings from jonathan wayshack, not very detailed but really dynamic
http://www.scrapbookmanifesto.com/journal69/journal2nd/wayshak_journal231.gif

[Coen]

Thanks alot for reply'ing Jens, it really helps me. The schedule is pretty tight indeed, maybe I should loosen it a bit. Also I still find it pretty difficult to figure out how I should fill in the hours (I mean, for example anatomy, how to study it etc.)

Your totally right about my lines, always been a problem for me but I'm working on it. The lines in that drawing are very dynamic indeed, reminds me maybe I should study some Vilppu again too, almost forgot about that.

Here's a little update, still not able to scan so it's just some weird digital doodling I guess.

111460

111461

[Coen]

Changed my schedule a bit, I took 4 drawing hours a day as a basis:

2 hours of 'traditional' training (master copies and cast drawing)
2 hours of anatomy study, life drawing or imagination drawing

Gotta play around with my schedule a bit, to find something that seems to work well, it's pretty hard to figure out by myself I guess. Anyway, I fixed my scanner, here's some little skull studies.

112434

[Brendan N]

Good to see you subscribing to a schedule mate, always helps to push oneself even further.

There is definite improvement to be seen here, very impressive. It would be cool to see some master studies - they're a great way to learn anatomy, colour, composition and just about everything else in one go. Repeat the same study a few times - even in different media - to make it truly sink in.

This is a pretty cool thread over at cgs if you want to get into master studies:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=199&t=375031

Rebeccak is master study crazy - with good reason. You can browse around there and you'll probably find more links and master study related material.

Have fun, and keep posting dude!
And thanks for stopping by my book!

[Serpian]

Good skulls, but if you look at the one from beneath you can see that the cheek bones are in completely different positions. When you start drawing a skull like this, be sure to make enough guide lines to see that stuff lines up.