Journey of an Absolute Rookie: Paintings and Sketches

[ReAkshun]

dude...after looking at your progress...it's obivous that drawing is truly a "skill." Your teachers have guided you with extreme care and you listened.

But, after looking at ALL of your work...I swear, you were "born" to be a painter. The knack for values is uncanny.

imho, producing more paintings is the key to finding your voice for that "solo" you've been meaning to play.

Never stop...but we don't have to tell you that.

[bwkeough]

hey thanks for the step-by-step on the one day cast drawing. Your explanations helped me understand some things about value relationships and line quality I had been thinking about but wasn't quite hitting right on.

Your painting skills are roaring along like a freight train, wonderful colors and values in the still life studies.

[jetpack42]

that onion is filled with much badassery. kudos jon. lookin forward to seeing you in SF. you should be recieving something from nate from me in the next few days...

[MindCandyMan]

hurricane - Thanks so much man :)

jester - definitely do the color charts they help so so much...you seem to be doing well with gouache...I had a hard time with it.

the swift - What can I say...you have the drive...painting is really hard. I have a tutorial for my next painting in the works so hopefully that will help. But you have the drive and the natural ability...keep pushing and you will be awesome. Just throw me a bone when you are famous alright!

Sanby - Awesome...hey if you need any more help just private message me...keep drawing!

liam.c - Thanks so much man...your thread is so inspiring....awesome awesome

i.was.ink - thanks homie...I'm a doing a tutorial for my next painting so that should help. That onion took me about 6 hours I think...6 - 8 I think. Glad you liked it bro...keep updating ;)

jens - YOu are absolutely right...the funny thing is that I did that with an earlier painting as well...in an attempt to make the colors vibrant I made it way too light or saturated...I have to watch myself or I will fall into that.

phitch - That's the reason that I put this thread here...that is AWESOME to hear.

ReAkshun - Thanks so much I really appreciate your kind words. I'm not sure if someone is born to be a painter or not...I feel like I can't do anything else so maybe that's the main indicator hehe. It will be a while and a lot of paintings till I can play my solo hehe...but I'm looking forward to when I can. Thanks again your encouragement is awesome.

bwkeough - I'm glad that step by step helped. Thanks for the kind words man!

jetpack - Thanks bro hehe...yeah it will be awesome to see you in SF...we gotta hang out and sketch some and make fun of politicians together...nate tells me of your conversations heheheheh...the two towers...hilarious man. So what do you mean that I should be receiving something from you? What is it? I'm perplexed!

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This was my care bear redesign...it's not done yet I need to do some more to the front guy and add some guys to the back...that was fun to just sketch out hehe

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[jester]

Great job on the bear and the leg studies!

I haven't found the time yet for color charts but I am sure I'll learn a lot. I'm planning for some extensive drawing and painting over Xmas and am looking forward to it.

How's life then? Are you still working at the bakery? I really admire your progress.

Jester

[jetpack42]

The bear is cool, the face made me laugh. great expression. good to see you jumping in on our anatomy thread. thats going to be buckets of fun and learning, all wrapped up. When you drew the bear, did you use those loose lines you used at the bottom all over, then tightened it up? Also, how long does it take Hans to do a cast drawing? Bring him to SF. Him and Ron can have a fight with Bo Staffs.

Yeah, I'm getting pretty hyped up about politics man. hehe, the twin towers is funny....hehehe its true though! SF and NYC rocked for Kerry. I'm jealous of you and nate gettin to hang out and study all day and stuff. I need a sparring partner for my kung fu (translation: i need a buddy to motivate me to draw!). maybe when silverslash gets here....did i tell you about that? He's coming from NJ for the next term, going to be my roommate. You remember him?


oh, and I told nate to give you a noogie from me. he must have forgotten.


edit: also, props to you and all other South Dakotians for voting out Daschle. :cheerleader: :party:

[Sanby]

Sweet stuff. Love the leg studies, they look great.

Sanby

[cotron]

your pencil drawings are showing nice progress in understanding form and such, but crap dude!!! your paintings are just getting better with every post...! I gotta paint now that I've seen these last two still-lifes, thanks for the motivation.

[endregan]

Good to see you rocking on.

Your creatures are a step up, you all better watch out !

I noticed a lot of your creatures have hunch backs, not that there is anything wrong with it. Maybe its just the slightly above the head view. Hey if its your thing go for it, I think its cool, just something I noticed!

Your lighting is really awesome...

I am jealous ;)

[MindCandyMan]

jester - life is going good thanks for asking! Yeah I still work at the bread place but I dropped one day recently...woohoo! So I have more time to plug away at the studio! Definitely shoot me a message when you do your color charts I would be really excited to see someone else doing them! So how goes life with you...how is the business coming along?

mike - Glad you liked that bear man hehe...yes we voted out daschle woohoo! I wish there was a vote of no confidence in the government! Click yes for "A new government entirely!". Yeah with the bear I had loose lines and then tightened up later the process you can see at least. Hans probably took about the same time it takes us to do a cast drawing a month or two...but now he could tear through it I am sure...he knows exactly what to look for and do. Dude I would LOVE to see them fight with Bo Staffs...Hans fences though so Ron would have to do his homework hehe...awesome. Hey I don't remember silverslash...I can't remember anyone by their coneptart names...what was his real name hehe...if he doesn't mind you mentioning.

Sanby - Thanks I appreciate it man!

cotron - Thanks bro I appreciate it...glad you are motivated! ;)

jack - I love hunch backs...I love big hulking creatures...they are awesome ...one day I will be able to draw them well hehe. Thanks for stopping by my man...pm me sometime so I can find out how sheridan is working out for you!

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Steps 3 and 4 (skipping a bunch I think hehe) of the arm cast I am working on.

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[Jens]

Hey mindcandyman, how are you :)

I see you do a lot of structural drawings following a certain system. Since this way of working isn't very umh impulsive I would suggest getting a sketchbook and a few pens (a regular pen, a callygraphy pen, a brush pen) and just draw away mindlessly. Draw from pictures, draw from your mind draw from life, but do it really fast and fluent (for example, draw a head from life in a few seconds). Keep everything you learned in the back of your head and learn to use it without thinking about it. Say to yourself i'm gonna fill this book with utter crap and fill it up. I bought an a5 book last week, and in 8 days I had 82 pages filled. People actually liked what I put in there. It's fast, it's practice, most of it is crap, but I figure that after a while these sketches will become better. After a while you'll feel this in your pencil sketches as well.

[jester]

Hiya Jon, good to hear you have more time for drawing and painting. My business is finally getting along quite nicely (cross your fingers that this will continue!), which means less time for drawing - but I'll squeeze in whatever I can. I guess it'll be around Xmas till I find some time for the color charts and I'll definitely drop you a note.

Good figure studies btw!

Jester

[Martin de Madrid]

MCM:

The first post of yours I ever saw was the one starting the Brague series. I looked at the work you were doing then, and just naturally assumed you were a professional artist with years and years of study. . .

Today I clicked on the "My Journey" post. I normally don't run around looking at posts like this, usually searching for something specific, BUT. . .

I went to the first series of posts, way back in September of 2002 and started to read and look at your journey.

I absolutely have to say this to you:


YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING PROFESSIONAL FINE ARTISTS I HAVE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE TO "KNOW!" YOUR "JOURNEY" IS A TOTAL INSPIRATION TO ME. MY HAT IS OFF TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR REENERGIZING THIS (TEMPORARILY) BURNT OUT ARTIST. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WILL ATTAIN ALL OF YOUR GOALS IN ART AND LIFE WITH THE DEDICATION AND EFFORT, HUMILITY AND GENEROSITY YOU HAVE SHOWN ON THIS THREAD.

Best in paint,

[MindCandyMan]

jens - Doing good just busy and tired hehe hanks for that advice that will really help.

jester - Thanks friend good to hear from you! Glad the business is going well and yeah I am spending all my time painting and drawing...and working but I hate that part hehe. I can't wait to see those color charts!

Martin - Thank you so much I really appreciate it. You flatter me too much I have seen your work as well it's great! I know what you mean though it is so easy to get burnt out doing art because it consumes you and takes every ounce of you to keep going. I'm glad we are all here to encourage each other. I signed up for your newsletter by the way ;) Thanks again for your comments I really appreciate them.

___________________________

Did this one for the thunderdome with metaphysiks...the topic was "Scene from a greek mythology"...this particular one was where perseus (the guy who killed medusa) had to go to the three witches cave and steal their eye...it's a cool scene. But all the witches are blind and they all share the same eye.

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Starting this eye cast...doing them the same time as my arm...sorry for the weird angle...it isn't that far off haha

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Starting a portrait of my wife

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adding the finishing touches to this one

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[EVIL]

DUDE!!! WTF!!! the last one that arm, its comming at me, seriously its popping out like its a real 3d object, friggin insane, awsome job m8 keep it up.. fuck dammit i hate you lol, curse your thrive to improve, damn it!

[light]

As everyone has said, this thread is so inspiring. I think that very few things in my life have inspired me to this extent, because this made me realise something extremely important. People arent born proffesional artists and actualy had to practice :blah: :$ :blah: :$ . Thank you so much for this thread, it has made me really inspired.

[Jokisalo]

man you've come really really good!!!
hand looks incredible!!!!!!!! o_O

[Sanby]

Man, that hand is insane. Are you sure you didn't just post a picture of the cast?

Anyway, it's great to look at your first post and now this post, what an improvement.

BTW, are you still doing and painter stuff?

Sanby

[jester]

Hi Jon, no color charts before Xmas week I fear. You did a very fine job on the character left front on your Greek mythology piece. Have you checked out my sketchbook for my advice on gouache?

Jester

[imglue]

sup man, hope to see u soon in sf.
i wanted to tell you that greg dahler is a good friend of mine and am tt i have taking several classes with him. he tells me you two sketched together while in penn, he wishes u the best and tells me you have improved, and from what ive seen, you have. good job man.

[Burning Eyes]

That is a niccce arm cast study! Damn nice, wish I had the patience, but I guess that will come in time

[-The Swift-]

Hey Jon,
That arm cast is looking great, can't wait to see your progress on the eye. Is the portrait done from a photo reference???

Very nice update,

Becky

[endregan]

FANTASTIC JON!

Your arm cast is beautifully done......

You really have the hang of this now, eh!.

The medusa sketch... I can really tell now you can realistically render human forms and figures in an environment convincingly well, even with a quick sketch. That in itself is the greatest reward.

Are you still oil painting away :D ? Happy holidays, relax, take a breather for me, okay?!

[jester]

Hi Jon, hope you had a nice and relaxing Xmas.

Check my sketchbook, I started working on the gouache color charts. :)

Jester

[Odds]

Wow. You're level of effort and motivation is beyond humanity. This thread proves that a master of hard work and effort can truly OVERCOME a talented artist that doesn't try as hard. Like all the others have said, this thread is the most inspiring on this board, if not in the whole internet. :)
Keep it up and post more please!

[pantheon]

just linked to this thread from 3d palace, someone posted it there to inspire us all, and in my case it worked. i've not properly sat down and done any drawing for years (too many good people out there, most of my mates are artists). for ages i felt i'd never be able to draw worth a damn (i don't even do my own modeling sheets :teeth: ). i've got a couple of anatomy books (some burne hogarth 'dynamic' books and a big hardback from some prestigous hungarian art school) and i have decided to start drawing seriously, all thanks to your thread. i don't have the artistic talent you had to begin with, and i'm a little old (let's just say over 30), but you've really got my juices going (oo-er, creative, that is)! i can't believe the rapid improvement you've made. you were pretty good to start with, and the progress you've made over the thread is stunning. maybe there's hope for me yet!! for god's sake keep it up. you're an inspiration to us all.

[IanE]

Mind Candy Man, I've been a big fan of your thread since I first saw it in November. It was the big push that caused me to begin drawing. Your sketchbook is an excellent example of what people can do when they focus on something.

This is one of my favorite threads, and the most inspirational.

Keep workin', man. I can't wait until your next update.

[NobodyYouWouldKnow]

I really wish I could learn how to draw.... I've been trying for about 10 years with no improvement. Nothing I do works. I am so so sad. I don't understand. I did the same things MindCandyMan did-I drew from life, I practiced perspective, I copied from anatomy books, I did art-school... But I never improved! Why does he get better while I don't?

I wish I were dead...

[cburt]

MCM, those cast drawings are awesome, they're pretty f'n spot-on and you're getting the volume completely. the fruit paintings are really nice as well...are they just done as exercises? what other things have you been painting?

-cburt

[MindCandyMan]

Evil - hahah thanks man

lightkirtar - Thanks man...that's exactly why I started this thread. Glad I could help man...everyone starts somewhere ;) .

jokisalo - Thanks :)

Sanby - Thanks man...shhhhh don't tell anyone it's a picture hehe. Yeah I still paint every once in a while...I have been doing some crappy stuff lately. I still do some stuff in painter as well from time to time...still learning that's for sure.

jester - I had a great christmas i hope you did as well! I will check out your thread for those gouache charts...nice!

imglue (miguel) - Thanks man...san francisco ruled! Yeah Greg is the man...he is awesome. Very cool guy. Thanks for the encouragement man.

burning eyes- Thanks man I appreciate it...the patience will come in time it is a learned thing with art but you have to practice being patient. Push yourself to work a long time on a piece...get it perfect. ;)

the swift - Hey thanks for the kind words...nope that portrait is from life...looks kind of like a photo reference for some reason but nope it is from life.

jack - What's up brotha man! Hope things are going awesome for you. Drop me a line...email me or something and lemme know what you are up to.

odds - Thanks man such kind words...i really appreciate it. Yeah talent is one of those elusive things...most people achieve talent by practicing all day and all night hehe.

pantheon - Good to hear from someone over 30 getting excited about pursuing art. Don't let anyone tell you it's too late...no way. I felt like I was starting late at 21 even but it doesn't matter. Jon Foster started seriously drawing at 21...and look where he is. Keep it up man and just push hard and you will go places man. Glad this thread could inspire you...that's why it's here...in the hope that it could help people. Thanks for the kind words man.

ianE - Thanks man...I really appreciate it...you guys help keep me going.

nobodyyouwouldknow - Hey man don't give up...I would look into an atelier. They start you from the ultra ground up ...you start at the very bottom and work your way up. I would seriously consider studying at an atelier...it will help.

cburt - Yeah mostly as exercises they are done...but to have the finished piece as well to teach students with later on. I haven't been painting much I need to get back into it more...been focusing on my casts.

___________________________________


HEY guys sorry I haven't updated for a while...my digital camera was stolen in san francisco and my brother just sent me his camera! He has saved my butt in so many ways...he rules. So now I can actually update. So here's the junk.

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[emilpaun]

:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

YOU rule :)

[EVIL]

Seriously sick, your refrenced drawings look awsome. Now try to pull up your imagination up to scratch, that is one of your weaker points I can see, trying to draw stuff from the mind.

[NobodyYouWouldKnow]

Thanks for the advice, MindCandyMan... I didn't know what "atelier" meant so I looked it up on the internet. I won't draw naked people, so I guess I can't do that. This also makes it hard to get into an art school since that is always required >:{ .

I just don't understand... I do everything I am supposed to but I never improve. Makes me so sad. When I beg for advice I am threatened to be banned. No support. I don't know what to do.

**edit** I have this 350 page anatomy book, called "Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing from Life"... And I was wondering-if I copied every image in the book with at least 80% accuracy would I be guaranteed to improve my imagination drawing capabilities of humans? I really want someone to tell me that I will definitely improve if I do something specific-because I haven't improved in 10 years and it seems almost magical to me at this point... Please Reply.

[corky13]

Improvement is something that takes a serious load of time and the secret is to never give up ;)

just dont think you actually "have" to improve <_<...
Its not good if you force yourself too much into the "I-have-to-get-better"-trip.

Success will come by time...you just have to keep on...

look at me for example...a year ago i was close to getting mad because i dont improve but now if i look back at my one year old drawings i feel like "holy sh*t...what bunch of crap is this ?!" (compared to the crap i make today -_- :D )

;)

[cotron]

Jon!

Glad to see you found a way to update, I was afeared your awesome thread would be lost! Your figure drawings are looking really nice, and the casts are topnotch as usual. I hope you get some time to paint, I think you will be doing fantastic things in that arena in the future.

It was good to hang out in SF, I enjoyed our fireside chats. I'll keep pokin my head in here, keep up the good work!

-cody

[steak-tron]

I'ma' join the chorus.. Glad you're back dude.

Those figures are sharp, REALLY sharp. Great proportions and all of the right angles. I like figures when there is a little subtle simplification of angles but not too much. Youz got it just right.

Great cast draws too, you push the rendering all the way through.

I miss you're hearty laughter already :(
Hope you got over the plague.

[jetpack42]

sup jonny.

sorry bout not catchin that bum, yo. If only I had watched more Law and Order; in truth, I've only seen about 20 episodes (and several of those twice, so...really only like 15). I'm keepin on the lookout here for him though...he'll never make his way to mexico with your camera, not on my watch!

I agree with what's been said above. I think your referenced figures are coming along greatly. Gotta start stretchin the imagination, and pushing whats stored in that visual memory upstairs. Wether or not you can post em, keep workin that out. don't get too frustrated...you gotta keep drawing the structure (so do i) until it comes second nature, and the more you do it, the more it gets ingrained. It's like getting in shape; if you run every day, you get in shape faster then if you run a couple times a week, or month, or...ever..you know what i mean!

Keep on, bro, you're doin great.

[steak-tron]

prolly the same bum that stole all the wacom drivers... we'll catch im' for you :devil:

[bwkeough]

your reference/life work seriously ownz.

to help with your work from imagination, try reversing a photograph. I do this when I need reference for a concept, like a horse, and don't want to wind up with something that stands out from the rest of the image as the "only thing that has reference." It forces you to examine the interrelationships of the structures instead of "just" copying.

now that you have the power of digitization once more, I expect more frequent updates!

[Form]

yeah we need some mind candy, man!

[dadamafia]

damn bro. these cast drawings are beautiful. the figure drawings also. i like that delicate touch u add to the pieces. your awesome man.

[IanE]

Awesome update!

I love that arm... it hurts my brain to look at it becuase it's sooo realistic!

Thanks again for the inspiration, always love your updates!

Ian

[talmir]

Wow, these drawings of casts are photorealistic. And the life drawings are very very very good. Wish I could come up with an constructive crit but youre just way beyond my "crit" level.


So, well.. Cool stuff man!

[one2hit]

Jon, Happy Birthday!!! it was reeeal cool to meet you in SF. man throw us a bone here, I'm sure you've got a painting laying around somewhere.

[Odds]

give us an update! woop woop! :yayca:

[caglisto]

nice work ,, you improve a lot

[MindCandyMan]

Kr33p - Thanks! But i certainly don't hehe.

Evil - Thanks...yeah absolutely...i suck at imaginative stuff

nobodyyouwouldknow - bridgman is very good...i don't think there is one secret that anyone can tell you to improve. You just have to keep at it. Maybe try studying some masters...both illustrators and fine artists...maybe that will help. But above all don't give up!

corky - exactly.

cotron - it was definitely awesome to see you in san francisco...i am back now i will be updating more often hehe.

steak - thanks man I really appreciate it. Yeah it was awesome in san fran...I am over that plague now hehe. It sucks cause I hardly every get sick and it had to happen there...but who cares hehe. Hey man shoot me a pm about how your doing at your new job man...no doubt awesome!!!

jet - you are absolutely right. don't worry about not catching the bum...probably would have got stabbed or something if we would have caught him...makes for a fun sotry now though doesn't it hahah.

steak - hahah...idiots...those thieves

bwkeough - Thanks man...yeah that's a great idea to reverse it. I like that a lot. I think I will have to do that.

form - hahah...thanks man

dadamafia - Thanks bro...it is much appreciated

iane - Thanks man...you guys inspire me and help keep me going...it's good to be back

talmir - haha...no one's above a crit level...be picky hahah. Thanks man

one2hit - Thanks man i appreciate it. I've got some things around hehe...i need to gather them all and scan them. I will be painting soon in my studies at the studio so then there will be many more laying around hehe. Here's the bone.

Odds - you got it hehe

caglisto - Thanks!

_____________________________


I have been devoting pretty much all my time to moving forward in my work at the studio and I took on more hours at my job since my last update because I had to to pay for everything...so I could continue at the studio. I have one more cast drawing and then I am on to painting guys! So I am excited that I am getting further along in my studies! But at any rate...I'm back now...so I should be updating often now. I missed you guys!


finished another cast drawing

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Here is the new one I am gonna be doing...this will be fun...it's huge

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some figure drawing gestures

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my imaginative stuff is terrible right now...i just need to put more time in...it's hard...but i need to do it.

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[Eew]

your casts are awesome ! dunno , it seems like you pretty much know what you have to do and stuff, so not much to crit. :teeth:

-Eew

[IanE]

How long did it take you to finish that first image? It looks incredible I thought it was a picture!!!

Great work.

[Calle_]

Wickedo. keep updating this is one of the best sketchbooks around.

[dadamafia]

whatever happened to that portrait of your wife? i wanted to see that finished.

[endregan]

Hey Jon

Looking good. So much progression!! Are you still painting away ?

The atelier has you tighten up and I think in your spare time you are almost in the same state of mind which in turn makes your free sketches turn out stiff.

I have the same problem myself. Because we are in school and learning it is hard not to apply or emulate what we learn in the work. I think though that a page or two a day that we can totally go bananas on even if it comes out terrible is what will help. Get that natural intuition going. Nothing like it :)

Keep it up Jonny boy!

[Lauren Short]

jon, it's great to see what you've been up to and that you're still sticking with drawing. that finished cast looks great! :D i hope to see more in the near future :teeth:

[(c)]

wow damn can i have the drawing of the arm??? thats perfect!!!

[TheCleaner]

http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/arm_study_final.jpg

^^^ i honestly thought that was the 3D real one, brilliant photorealism

i take alot of inspiration from you, coming as far as you have, amazing !

[Shatterdome]

Yeah, I must say you are a damned good example of how much hard work and dedication can really pay off....wikkid good job man...

[MindCandyMan]

eew - Thanks! boy there is tons to critique...if you saw it in person you would see heheh.

iane - Oh man i have no idea...a long time hahaha...weeks and weeks and weeks. The thing is that my teachers want us to not only make it look "good" but try to make it exactly as we see it in life. That's near impossible to make it exactly like it...for one because your medium (charcoal in this instance) is limited to less values, etc... but that is the goal. So that means every tiny little angle...every curve...everything needs to be in there. All those little things add up to making it look more real. It takes forever hehe...but it is worth it ten fold.

calle - hey man thanks! It was great meeting you in san fran! We need to get together and play some poker with normal size cards haha.

dadamafia - You reminded me of that! It's sitting in the corner...I just told my wife...hey you need to sit for me on that again so i can finish...thanks man!

endregen - I did some crazy weird letting loose sketches for you...hope you like heheheh

injection - Thanks man! Yeah you will definitely see more...so how are things going for you...shoot me back a private message.

c - if you have something really good I may trade you for it hehe...thanks man

thecleaner - thanks so much! I'm glad you like it...you can do one better than me I'm sure with just a little training...come to my atelier!

shatterdome - Thanks man...you guys keep me going

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This picture is really crappy sorry...i will get a better one soon...but more work on this

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This is a picture of my area...thought some of you would be interested perhaps

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This was a weird sketch I just did for fun pretty quick...haven't been in painter for a while so I wanted to try out painter 9 and see if it was better...weird maggot carrier man thing...heheh

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These were just purely for fun...no erasing...done in like 2 minutes...just to stretch the brain...i have been doing a lot of these lately...i need to get back into creativity again.

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[IanE]

Seeing those fiinished bargue drawings on the wall is a trip... they look too 3D, man!!!

Fantastic work.

[Calle_]

Yea great meeting u to, one of the funniest guys i met np =)
and i suck at crits so, draw draw draw
peace

c_

[Yaseck]

I've flown over Your whole sketchbook and I must admit that Your very hard working and very inspireing artist. When I look on Your first and last post I can beleive - it's the same person! Whoa!! Bro - keep working! :painting:

[Jeff Jaws]

nice to see that you're updating again in here. great studies. keep that up. I'll update my sketchbook later, would be cool to read some lines from you.
keep going...

Jj.

[SirGreenSock]

This is a very inspirational thread.
I absolutely love the bargue drawings. No crits from me.

[MindCandyMan]

iane - Thanks man!

calle - hahah...thanks man...great to meet you too. I will definitely keep drawing.

yaseck - thanks...you are brave to look back in the thread hahah...i disowned that stuff a long time ago hahaha. Man I have a long way to go though sheesh...overwhelming sometimes...small steps I guess. Thanks bro!

jeffjaws - The jaws...what's up man! Thanks for the kind words...yup updating again...some crazy things happened in my life that i am not at liberty to talk about...no the government didn't send me on a special mission hahah...but things got crazy. I am back though!

sirgreensock - Thanks man!...a lover of the bargue drawings alright! No one likes those except you and I...I think hehehe.

_________________________


doing some more master copies so i can figure how these guys do it

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More work on this...for all who care...take a look at how you need to simplify the shapes in the drapery and on the head, etc... If you try to go into too much detail at first you will end up really blowing it in the end...find the big shapes...get the proportions right and then move forward. I need to take another picture for where I am at now...you will see what I mean.

94132

Just crappy studies...working things out

94133

94134

keeping with the maggot carrier them I am doing a mock magic card illustration and this is my idea for my maggot carrier...I need to change a lot but you get the idea...mountains for the background?...what the heck haha...probably be trees like a swamp or something...it's a black card...don't know what I was thinking hehe.

94135

[emilpaun]

I showed my girlfriend an a couple of colleagues your arm cast drawing.
They all said it was a photo of a cast :)
Wonder what they'll think 'bout the girlie comin' up :)

[codakromek]

I read how you rag on your own imaginative work in your thread,,,,you may have, (but not nesc) a slight misinterpretation of what "imaginative" works entail...... Any thing that looks good comes from a reliable database of either stored mental images or a dependable process of application/removal..... You obviously have a dependable process,,,,,The only thing stopping you from pulling off a steaming six-eyed , four armed monster charging into a phalanx of terror stricken villagers is the disparity between your working process on the cast drawings and your imaginative works......If you want it ,,,it will take the same resolve time and experimentation as your finely (tuned) rendered peices... That means thumbnails, working from found suitable subject matter and refferences,,concentration and the kind of time you put in on your big ones...I am so positive you can do it, I am not even going to say good luck...

I will say, even tho' I said so much,, you are making alll the right choices, your patience and focus are so admirable, and you should try some other mediums when you work analog,,,,,mark making is real important,,,,when it is up to snuff with your tonal skilz, and a brush-stroke (acrylics) or conte
line, or grouping of cross-hatched lines has it's place and impact in all the drawings you will produce in the future..

happy trails, take care of your eyes.

[AmadorL]

Dude! it's been a minute since i last took a look at your thread and i must say you have come a long way. I am happy for your progress.


keep'on kill'n'em

Amador

[-The Swift-]

Whoah!
These are great! thanks for showing the begining steps on this new cast, it's really helpful and insightful!
I love the picture of your little corner! must be a goood feeling to looka t all of those knowing that you did them all! The hours that must have gone in to it all!!!!

I'm doing a charcoal still life at the minute, the problem i have with charcoal is trying to get it really really dark or just a shade down with out completely wiping it off the page!

working on it though! keep at it and thanks for showing these,

-Becky

[MindCandyMan]

kr33p - haha...thanks man...it looks a lot better when compressed down for photos and such hehe...so they don't look that realistic in real life...but hopefully this one will turn out...we'll see haha.

codakromek - can't tell you how much that helped me seriously...thanks so much for taking the time to post it...helped a TON. You hit the nail on the head and with my next post after this one hopefully you will see a difference.

amador - thanks man...it's a struggle that's for sure haha...but a fun one.

theswift - About the problem you are having with the charcoal...you may be able to fix it if you use different grades...medium grade is softer than hard grade so it will get a little blacker than the hard grade. But when you are doing fine rendering you need to use the hard charcoal unless it's in dark shadowed areas but at any rate you need to have your charcoal sharp sharp sharp...have like 20 sticks sharpened on sandpaper and ready to go so you always have a sharp point at hand. Also you need to use good paper...that is a must...i use canson mi tientes paper for what that is worth...it gets smooth if you rub it too much with charcoal but it is a good paper and you can get it in huge rolls. Private message me if that doesn't help.

____________________-

I have been doing at least two of these cards everyday like flash cards of a sort and i am going to keep doing it till i can identify everything by name...it may not help some people but it helps me knowing everything by name ...it helps compartmentalize the info for me and helps me understand the anatomy books a lot better. There are a ton of these...too many to scan

94137

An attempt at a bouguereau study to understand how he did it...i didn't quite get it...i will try again with one of his

94139

More work on this bad boy...as you can see i am strating to "key" the drawing (as my teacher calls it)...where you find your darkest dark and lightest light and put them down strongly...in order to be able to judge the other values off of that.

94140

This was an attempt to paint that other sketch I did.....bleh bleh bleh bleh...I hate this one hate hate hate it...I will try again with a different sketch...I will post that one soon

94141

[one2hit]

hey mcm, are you doing that flagellation of christ study off the painting or the drawing? there is a high res drawing of it somewhere in the arc with all the details and stuff. I like the card idea. Maybe you should try to draw anatomy from the imagination while labeling the parts so you can make it more permanent in your mind, and then check the cards for accuracy. ttyl

[endregan]

Jonner!!!!!!!!!!

Wow that cast drawing is coming along really fine. Getting values has been tough for me and I think finding the lightest light and darkest dark is an excellent way to do it.

Now you know what im gonna tell ya. Gesture gesture gesture :). 10 second scribbles on loose computer paper, no committment, just practice :D.


Keep er up Jon!

[MindCandyMan]

one2hit - off of the drawing...but I really screwed it up though haha...yeah I got the one off of ARC...their section for bouguereau is amazing isn't it. Yeah you are absolutely right about the anatomy...once i had everything written up on cards i was going to do exactly that...great minds eh? Hopefully anyway hehe.

jackdregan - In two weeks i will be attending a drawing group where they do gestures...i feel the need for them as well...for the conceptual stuff that's for sure.

___________________________

step one getting the idea and pose, etc...

94142

more developed drawing....my brother and I are doing magic cards for each other and we are acting as each other's art directors...so the magic card I am basing this one on is "meddling mage" . The anatomy is a bit funky...bleh...got a lot more to do on this one

94143

[endregan]

hey man the art direction idea is great... I think it will go great.

Is that your first idea? Normally I suggest doing 10 or more ideas, diff poses, concepts and ideas. But even if it is your first idea it is a good one. The character reads well.

I actually like the high contrast more scribbled one on the first page, it has a lot more movement to it!

Have fun with the gesture group, youll be glad you joined, thats great to hear... :D

[killing.people]

i'm so proud, *sniffle*

[jetpack42]

who do you think you are, doing studies from Bernie Wrightson?!

I don't know how I feel about that...

[MindCandyMan]

endregan - You are absolutely right...the composition and pose stink on this one and that's why!

killing people - Hey what's up man!!! Long time no see! It means a lot to hear you say that man. So what is going on with you lately? How goes the art? Thanks for stopping by man.

jetpack - /m\ scorpions are cool

_________________________________--

94144

94145

This was a full size drawing but I ran out of time with the model so I just focused on the torso (as per instruction from my teacher) so I only included that portion here. I'm gonna cut the physical drawing soon.

94146

Just having fun with these...I don't often have time to just have fun in my sketchbook...weird stuff i know haha

94147

94148

Next two steps of this illustration...i don't like it but I will finish it...finish the figure and add something to the background, etc...if you have any ideas lemme know.

94149

94150

94151

More work on my cast...I have been working pretty hard on this to get it done so i can move to painting....this one has been really fun...I have really had a good time getting it to look 3D.

94152

[Carnifex]

boy you can say that aloud! that is on the level of an insane visions and the like!
well,and you know what i think about the rest of the stuff.have i commented here before? can't remember.
oh yeah,drop by my sketchbook if you have time.

[darkos]

Man I don't really like the asspating thing usually but you fucking RULE dude. If only I had all the devotion you put in your art! And you should change the name of the thread cause you're not a rookie anymore!

Keep it up!

[theartguy]

i love the progression bro!

your a MADMAN!!!

keep up the good work

-S

[deez]

those drawings look so 3D is scares me...confuses me too
which one is the Drawing?!

[SirGreenSock]

That cast drawing is amazing. Some of your best work yet imo.

I have a question though; How do you go about doing these studies without smudging/smearing? Do you use fixative or a mahl stick or are you just really careful and don't touch the paper with your hand? I tried searching the thread but couldn't find any mention.

[~Faust~]

the proressing shown in this thread is AMAZING! Well, it's 3 years of development but still I'm speechless. <3

[endregan]

jon ya bastard!!!!

Awesome update on your character I like where you went with your colour scheme. Good to see you playing with your colours, warms cools and such. Definitely I would enjoy seeing more of this in the future.

The cast is pretty much finished. Get er done!! I like to see your sketches that you have fun with.... good stuff.

[sixBlade]

hey MCM, I'm back after a erm.. long "vacation" -- and I'm gonna bring back the dancing vibes of the 'happy bouncing horizon line' as I start to draw regularly again!

However, it seems you've been taking a bit of a vacation lately also! You should really sketch for fun some more..

Anyhows, back for good this time, and lovin' that guy with the fireball/blindfold!

[blankslatejoe]

yo mindcandy! I can't believe I've never checked in here.. your progress and improvement has been famous across these boards, and after a quick zoom through your pages, I can see why.

Inspiring man... truely inspiring!

oh, and that cast drawing is particularly nice!

[OrangeCatNinja]

:teeth:

your dedication and progression makes me feel ashamed of my comparative lesser growth, and inspired to rectify that.

you f*****g rock dude =)

[Pixeldragoon]

Dilligence is the only word that comes close to celebrating your journey. The only excuse I can come up with for me not being so diligent is that I don't have (nor am I allowed to drive) a car, and I don't have cash flow, so resources are sparse. Your journey is nothing short of inspiring, and you should be very proud for how far you have come. Those cast drawings- Excellent. I saw your finished thread and Honest to goodness, though you took photos. I ahdn't even seen the originals. It's simply incredible, I think you need some sort of a prize, maybe a fully paid scholarship to somewhere or something like that. Truely, unbelievable, If I ahdn't seen it all here, I would have never beleived it. If only there was a language called awesome, you would surely speak it.

[BLX]

OMG...Jeez, this is what i call true inspiration. Shit, I need to fucking get my lazy ass off and start something. Been convincing myself to start on what I like...arts, but lazy without bound. Checking out what you had done, shit i want to slap myself. From the beginning with craps till now with awesome drawings and paintings. Just another smash at the fact that "Everything is possible if you are willing to try." Thank you for this dilligence and hardwork to constantly improve yourself on what you love. Truly amazing stuff. You just completely zapped me from my eternal laziness. I now need to fucking get on with my life and do the shit I wanted to do...Arts.

[JARhead]

This has to be one of the greatest threads Ive ever seen. Took a while but i eventually went threw this whole thread, and Ive never been so amazed. I agree with BLX, I need to get jumping. Some inspiring stuff youve got going on here.

*tips his hat to MindCandyMan*

[Icey]

one word!

subscribeing

[sixBlade]

Glad I posted now.. while I haven't woken the apparently dead (where is MCM now?), at least this thread lives on to inspire everyone :)

[nicrad]

jon, we met at San Fran and spoke about the wonderful worlds of aetlier training... but that was ages ago and since I never post I thought I finally would and mention that I too have drawn the david detail cast of the eye and mouth... though I can never post them now because you owned me. Maybe I need to get back to an aetlier. Great work though, can't wait to see you hit the paints.

-Nic*Rad

[MindCandyMan]

carnifex - Thanks man. I replied in your thread ;)

darkos - Thanks...oh but I am still a rookie...sheesh...so much to learn....not enough dang time!!!! hehe

theartguy - Thanks! I am definitely a madman hehe...sometimes I wonder about myself hehe.

deez - hehe...if you saw them in real life they look a lot more like drawings...reducing the size works magic on an art piece hehehe.

sirgreensock - Thanks for the kind words! Yeah I use a mahl stick and I sharpen all my charcoal to points using sandpaper...sometimes I smudge with my finger (*gasp*) but I usually go over with a bunch of small charcoal strokes. It's approached like pencil except with charcoal...you have to be careful though...inevitably my hand always brushes against some part throughout the drawing...just part of working with charcoal I suppose hehe.

Faust - Wow 3 years...sheesh been that long huh...man. Thanks for the kind words. I agree...heheh...yeah three years is a while hehe...doesn't feel like it though hehe.

endregan - thanks for the comments...I'm glad you liked that guy...I hated it heheh...but what can you do heheh.

sixblade - Thanks man heheh...not on vacation I just don't have time to scan everything and post it all and such...I will do my best for you guys though hehe.

blankslatejoe - Thanks man...I honestly don't feel like I've improved that much...I can't do so many things sheesh hehehe...but it's easy to look like you've improved when the first drawings are SO horrible hehehe.

orangecat - Thanks! Don't feel ashamed...we are all growing...I have my bumpy roads just like an artist...you get stuck sometimes...just push harder than ever when you feel that way...pain means you are growing. And if you can't make sense of anything...just keep drawing cause it will work itself out hehe.

pixeldragoon - Thanks for the kind words...luckily though between the paper and charcoal...for each cast drawing it cost me about 3-4 dollars. So that's not too bad right? heheh. Seriously though don't worry about cash flow...don't move to oils right now...just stick with pencil and a sketchbook for now...that is really really cheap and you can do pencil still lifes...draw the figure in pencil...etc...everything translates into everything. Learn to control value, edges, etc... and you will be good to go. Don't let lack of money control you...fight it.

blx - Thanks man heheh....Don't be too hard on yourself...just draw draw draw!

jarhead - *tips hat back* ...thanks man I really appreciate it. I'm so sorry...I can't believe you went through the whole thread haha...sorry for all the crappy art. Hope it wasn't too bad hehe.

icey - Thanks man hehe

nicrad - Hey thanks for stopping by man...hey what was your name at the workshop and what did you look like? I just want to remember our conversation if I can. Definitely go to an atelier if you are able you will love it...but I suppose since you did the david eye that you were at one before. If so...which one were you at? Thanks for posting man.

____________________________________________--


Hey guys...Sorry I haven't been posting all that much lately. I have been doing art but I just haven't been posting all of it cause I haven't had time to scan it all in and everything but I will try to be a little more on top of those things...sorry for the lack of updates.


Ok guys I haven't scanned everything but here are some updates you may or may not have seen:

Don't ask me to explain hahahah...my brain is twisted

94153

94154

this unfinished figure drawing was laying on my desk so I decided to scan it real quick...the model left I think right as I was starting to render...so I just decided to focus on the torso

94155

[nicrad]

Well, my name is Nic, and I look like a mix between jonny depp and tom cruise. Ring a bell? heh.. but seriously.. I'll try to dig up a self portrait and stick it up on my thread. I spent a few summers at the Florence Academy of Art with Daniel Graves and some of his pupils, I think I asked you about Bargue drawings, etc... at San Fran we met one evening on the lower floor and you, Ram Bhat and I discussed studio Pantera, among other things. Wasn't that long of a conversation, and that was ages ago... so no worries, I just retain random tidbits like a ship taking on water. I could be wrong, but I might have showed you my sketchbook--- check it out, maybe it will ring a bell.

[nicrad]

damn, forgot to mention that the gluttony character at the top is hotness. reminds me of cutting weight for wrestling--except i'd be bone thin. But I swear the food circles your head like that.


Nic*Rad

[the_allejo05]

very impresive.. I admire you ,truly an inspiration for becoming a real artist...I also was accepted to pantura studios..had plans to go this sept 05, but i have problems with cold weather..im south american so i chickened out hehe....but I would love to visit pantura studios sometime definetely in the summer!!..they are doing awesome work over there....hehe..but anyways..im going to a realist school in north carolina in three months!!....i will stay there for a few years..and i will be doing very similar student work..this is my site: www.artwanted.com/the_allejo05 if you wanna see some of my stuff..
anyways man..cant wait to see your finished works of art :)

[Flatuloso]

It's definitely awesome to view all your work from start to finish - it almost looks as if you knew what you were doing all along! Very, very inspirational - great work on your progress, at this rate I can't even fathom what you'll do in three more years!

...that's it really. Sorry for the butt kissing. I'm keeping my eye on you.

[endregan]

Jonner

That imaginative sketch is great. Thats the stuff I want to see more from ya.

Good ellipses on those floating junk food and I am diggin the classical pose.

Halo of junk food!!! Now get painting or Im comin to get ya.

[Mavrick71]

:bow: You are an inspiration to me, and everything I stand for. I went through the first page of your sketchbook and then went to the last, and I can honestly say you have improved so much, it's not even funny. I have always wanted to do what you have done, and I think I'm going to do a sketch a day from now on. If I only had your determination. :bow::bow: I start tomorrow(I'd start today but it's 11:04 PM, and I'm getting tired).

[morcheebix]

the meddling mage has a really neat pose. I think it would look neat if he where twrilling the energy ball with his index finger on his right hand...might cause to much revision though...

[fakeraaven]

You've made such a great progress since i last visited these boards, it's unbelievable.
Mcm, you're awesome.

[MindCandyMan]

nicrad - ahhhhhhh oh yeah I remember now! Yes I remember really liking your sketchbook too...I could instantly see that you studied seriously at an atelier or something similar. Your work is very good man. So what are you up to now...what plans do you have? My wife likes jonny depp so stay away hehehe.

allejo - Oh man you should come to Pantura...it's warm in the studio hehe! Would be great to have another conceptartorgian in there with me...and a male for that matter. I am around women all day long and it would be nice to have a guy in the studio once in a while ...Hans doesn't count cause he's a teacher heheh. What is the realist school name that you are going too. Good luck man! You should come to pantura if you can though...let me know what I can do to sway you hehe. It's good that you have done so many master copies...learning from the masters is the best way. Keep it up.

flatuloso - hahah...that's hilarious...I had no idea what I was doing the whole time hehehe. I still don't...putting things together piece by piece...it's tough that's for sure...but nothing is more fun. Thanks for the kind words...I really appreciate it.

endregan - I've been painting haha...thanks bro...how are things going for you?

mavrick - Thanks for the kind words...so have you done a drawing every day since you wrote that note...if you haven't get going! hehe. But seriously you can do better than what you see in this thread...if I had a stronger work ethic I would be even further than I have gone. Push hard and you will pass me that's for sure.

morcheebix - I will probably leave this sketch as is but I really like the idea...really good things to keep in mind for future ones. I think that's something I need to work on...working out these sketches a little further and pushing the ideas like you suggested.

fakeraaven - Thanks so much...don't make me blush :bashful:

___________________________________________


I don't have time to scan my sketchbook drawings right now but I will sometime soon...sorry hehe:

Been painting...I started with a charcoal drawing of the cast and the shadow shapes, etc... and then I transferred the drawing to the canvas and now I am painting it...shouldn't be too much longer and I'll be done...lot's to do left though. It looks different in real life than this picture shows but you get the iidea.

94159

I hated hated hated the head in this drawing so i took it out in photoshop...headless woman hahah

94162

still experimenting in pencil...I need to get way better...this is sloppy plain and simple...not controlled enough...I added the sword later of course haha

94163

[EmmDoubleEw]

Holy Christ!

I created an account just to comment on how amazing your current art is, and how much you've improved! I'm so f cking amazed, and even inspired!

Wow wow wow...

EDIT: I want to make a chain-email out of this :rendered:

[AndreasM]

The latest life drawings are amazing! Are they drawn by using the sight size technuque? How ling did they take?
this is sloppy plain and simple...not controlled enough
I disagree, but feel free to prove me wrong:)

[MindCandyMan]

emmdoubleew - Thanks man heheh...oh man a chain email hahahaha...if you think it would be worth it I guess hehe

n0fish - Thanks for the comments...yeah the life drawings are sight size but with pencil once you get the figure blocked in a gesture you kind of work off of relationships and just use sight size to check things if that makes sense. If you saw the erratic shading that is on this drawing you would see what I mean...if I can overcome that you will notice the difference.


More work on this tonight...here is a better photograph that shows "more" like what it looks like in real life:

94174

Thanks guys you keep me going I really appreciate it.

[L. Scott Knight]

MindCandyMan...

I just walked through this wonderful museum that this thread. I have to say it was truly inspirational. Further I'd like to qualify that by pointing out that while there are many great artists on CA and it's easy to say "That's inspirational" I don't REALLY feel inspired by them. Yes, I dream of being as good as they are and sometimes they provide a door for my imagination but this thread is different.

THIS thread shows the journey from Wonky Doodler to fine artist and shows how dedication, passion, and practice can carry one so far and it won't take forever either. It doesn't make me dream of being so skilled it makes me believe I CAN be so skilled.

THIS thread should be a tutorial. New artists should be told to start at the beginning and follow every word posted by every member.

And you made sure the entire journey remains available. From post #1 all the pictures show up. Given the way they load up I assume it's because YOU continue to provide them via your own host. AND THAT'S the gift you give to us. Thanks!

Keep on rockin'!!!

[ayame]

Thank you for giving me the inspiration I needed to continue drawing.
=)

[Kittywolf13]

wow! this is simply stunning! its amazing to see the progression from page 1 to page 23! i skipped around the pages, so i saw glimpses of your imporvement in chuncks rather then in gradual steps...and its simply amazeing. if i were your wife i'd be so proud of you! :) its really inspireing to look at. keep up the excellent work! i can only wish i had your dedication.

[endregan]

my boys all grown up and painting now :'(.

forever my hero

[damdischink]

Hey man,,,,
I just check out your performance from 02 to today,,,, woooowwwww, wwoooooowww,,, something very interesting to see. You improve sooooooooooo much and become really good.
I'm totally new here and U r the first comments I give in conceptart.org!

[CleptoCat]

Unbelievable transformation. awesome

[Arctis]

Hi,
It's the first time I watch (almost) the whole thread, and I came to 2 different conclusions :
- Maybe you have never been a rookie, so it's a good joke, playing for 3 years ;)

OR

- You really were a rookie, and so it's the most incredible progression I 've ever seen in my life : I understand now why you make Manley cry in front of such an evolution...
You've got all my respect and congrats.
Keep it up !

[the_allejo05]

Mindy nice painting!..I can see that cast popping out..your life drawings are great..your skill is improving a lot..the name of the school is Mims studios, just south of Charlotte in NC, and yeah we start on bargues, cast,charcoal,etc ,etc. I visited the town and is very tranquil just the way i like it. I start in October and from what i see most of the students over there are also women. Mr Mims is a muralist too and that is what i would love to do in my far far future hehe...keep showing your progress..

[MindCandyMan]

L. Scott Knight - thanks for your words you are too kind...I'm blushing behind my computer screen.

ayame - anytime ;)

kittywolf - Thanks for your kind words...my wife always tells me how proud she is of me...but seriously...I have no idea how when I brought her that first drawing she didn't say "Just give up! You stink!" ...cause those drawings at the beginning were so rudimentary hehe.

endregan - right back at ya bro...how're things goin for you at school?

damdischink - Thanks for honoring me with your first post. Your words are very kind I appreciate them so much...thanks!

cleptocat - Thanks! Your user name is awesome I love it.

arctis - I kid you not...I was THAT bad at the beginning...sad I know but it's true hahah...Is manley crying over me! Artists are always so pansy hehehe...just kidding...I should talk I am a cry baby myself...at any rate thanks for the kind words I appreciate it!

allejo - Thanks! Yeah I responded in the bargue thread about that school...you are going to do awesome there and you will learn a ton I know...congrats to you on acceptance...push hard and you will do really well and keep me updated.

_______________________________________________


Finished this the other day...I will post a picture soon of my other new setup for hopefully my last cast !!! Woohoo! Plus I get to do a skull painting in natural north light at the same time pretty soon so that should be really cool.

94175

close ups of my crappy work...I failed in a lot of areas on this cast that this picture won't show...the temperatures of the shadows, etc... are way way way too yellow and the cast was too narrow overall...etc...lots of things to work on in the next cast...painting is hard...I am struggling with cools and warms for the first time ever...it's hard!

94177

94178

[Jason Manley]

youre neglecting your hands and feet. death to all who oppose good hands and feet!

your hand is beginning to show some level of proficiency in the oils...i look forward to watching this all unfold over the next bit of time.

i might suggest time out at dennys or ihop with your pencil and an attempt to capture gesture. your imaginative drawings are suffering from the rigid training of still subject matter. more observation of subtle gestures..body language...tensions and relaxed parts of the body as people think or communicate or go about....more time spent thinking about gesture might help too. focusing in on still parts of the body in rendering and allowing for softness or looseness in the parts gesturing can help capture that which you currently are not showing in the imaginitive stuff gesture wise. I do think that your learning to render has helped your imaginative stuff...as much as i hate saying this...animators will act out what their characters are doing. it might not hurt for you to act out the gesture you are drawing from imagination to feel where the body weight is as well as muscle tension and gesture is.

keep it up man...in no way is what i am saying negative toward your work ethic or talent...just some things to watch for.

also...its about time to start thinking more about design and content in your free time so that you have a leg up when it comes to doing that in your scheduled training.




j

[MindCandyMan]

dang jason you are right I just realized that...man....gotta nip that in the bud that's for sure. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

[Jason Manley]

i spent some more time thinking and added some words to my post above.

Im sure you will nip that in the bud as you say...i have no doubt.

spend some time with mucha, lalique, and other rather famous designers and see how they are using elements of design to construct from imagination

rhythm
pattern
emphasis (complex vs simple)
variety (shape, marks, content,)
economy (simple vs complex)
movement (across the page and into space too)
balance
repetition
unity or continuity (underlying structure that allows for the image to seem whole as well as allowing the eye to move through and across it..ie implied lines, linear composition, tonal pattern)
and appropriate shape design for mood.

find examples of these words in the design of the paintings you study. these words are the foundation of the history of design.

[jetpack42]

Yo Jon, that cast is looking fantastic. I don't know what the original cast looks like, but around the ball and wings of the nose it looks like a couple minor drawing errors, a few of the areas look off. The temperatures don't bother me really, though they might be off, because the light is consistantly cool, and the shadows are consistantly warm, and both are used to a believable degree. My eye is just starting to pick up on this stuff though, and I can't see the reference, but unobjectively, it looks fine. Dimensionally, it reads very well. When my roommate was looking at it, I saw from across the room and said "Is that the photo of the cast?"

Oh, and Manley is right about the gestural stuff. I am taking Figure Invention with Ron this term, and he really opened my eyes the other day teaching us about gesturally and rhythmically drawing the figure to begin the drawings. I'll explain more later...

and if you can, maybe check out reading "The Art Spirit" by Robert Henri.

you the man.

:cheerleader:

[MindCandyMan]

thanks tremendously for the help you guys...it's great getting critiques! I love mucha and lalique and I will revisit them with a purpose now. I definitely haven't delved into that side of things and I need to start doing it. That book looks good to jetpack I gotta get that. Gotta go...gonna do some hand and feet anatomy studies....let the frustration ensue haha.

[OleOlsen]

hey man!!! the progress you made, is just mindfucking awesome man!!!! really!! like supercool. this thread is an example for everyone, how one can leran and achieve better skills!!!
simply great!! keep it up...
cheers!

[kefenatorjr]

I have been looking for a sketchbook group for a few days now and I came across this one and started looking through others sketchbooks. Not only is your progress amazing but it's my inspiration to get started now you have come so far. I would like to start my sketchbook tonight the only problem i am going to have is that I need space to upload my scans....anyone have ideas or know of places that have lots of space. 1gig min would be ideal.

keep drawing and keep up the good work man
I'll edit this post with my sketchbook link once i get it up and running
gotta go draw now!
peace
Chad

[Magic Man]

I too am blow away by the improvement since the first post, amazingly inspirational.

m

[omni1]

loves it...LOVes it!

[Slash]

I've said it before, and im gonna say it again. This thread, your dedication, and your progress is a constant source of inspiration to me.

Thank you.

[Stevie D]

Yo, Jon. I've been peeking back at this thread every now and then and I figured today I'd register and sign on so I can actually post and stuff. I was just comparing your 2003 stuff to your 2005 stuff and dang, bro, you've come a long way! haha. It rocks...your current stuff is off the chain.

Anyway...just checking in ;)

For everyone else, I'm Jon's brother in-law :) I'm also an artist...but a different kind. I'm an Associate Creative Director for the interactive team of an Ad Agency in Dallas.

[Monolith]

I am new to this site, and I have been poring over this thread for the last couple of days. I have recently decided to draw more. I have a BA in Fine art, but it was from one of those schools that did not teach realistic drawing at all. It was more gestural, and abstract stuff. But I did learn a great deal from it as far as Design goes, which is the field I want to get employed in. Anyway

I must say this is really an amazing thing. 3 years. I am so inspired.

MCM - You are in Sioux Falls still? That is pretty funny to me. I am a native son of that area. I lived in the NW corner of Iowa, about 1 hour away. Ever hear of Sioux Center, Iowa? I went to a little christian college called Dordt there. Some creative people over there. If you ever see it, tell an art professor that Ryan Snieder sent you. I recently moved to Fort Worth Texas though, my wife is from here. It is too bad, I would make a special trip to the studio you attend just to see it. It sounds awesome. Anyway. cheers and keep at it. Looks like you inspire a lot of people.

[cchuckry]

your work ethic and dedication to your art is very inspiring. Thanks for wanting to improve so badly, and for sharing your journey. Definitely an inspiration.

[GordMacDonald]

my first time on this thread, I checked out a couple of pagesbeginning-middle-current - what an incredible amount of effort and impovement, very inspirational!

Gord

[Moysturfurmer]

Woah.
I just saw this thread for the first time, and feel compelled to congradulate you on kicking all sorts of ass.

[Art_Addict]

It really is a joy , looking through this sketchbook, page by page... I know it's been said a lot but i'll say it again damnit, man you are an inspiration to all of us.
I wish you all the best on your journey and may you overwin all obstacels.
It's nice to see Jason's replies in here, the guy is full of 'drawing wisdom' :) Damn, i wish he'd critique my sketchbook too..
Keep it up man
Tom

[MindCandyMan]

oleolson - Thanks so much man I appreciate it :teeth:

kefenatorjr - Hey man...thanks for stoppin by and for the comments they are greatly appreciated! check out creationstorm.com that's who i use for my web provider...they have been really good so far.

magic man - Thanks hehe...when I look back at that first post I realize...you can only go up from there hahahah. Thanks for the kind words man.

omni1 - Thanks hehehe

slash - Thanks man that's awesome to hear...that's my goal to inspire others as I have been. :yayca:

that fat kid - Thanks man I appreciate it! I love your name on here...hilarious hahaha. Thanks for the kind words man. Power to the fat kids of the world! :D

Stevie D - What's up bro!!!!! How's it goin man...you sneakin peeks at me without tellin me? hehehe. There is one big difference between your art and my art right now...you are bringing in the cash...I am just merely spending it on oil paints heheheh. Thanks for stopping by bro...awesome to see your name come up on here!

Monolith - I think if it's possible...we are mirror images of each other. I do live in sioux falls...which is weird...that another person lived here at all hehehehe. But I also went to a bible college in philly (Phila Biblical University) and my wife lived in Dallas TX...her side of the fam (immediate) still lives there and after I am done at the studio I will be moving to dallas so you can visit my studio there if you want hehe. I know where sioux center is I have driven through it a couple times I think. Small world! Thanks for the kind words man!

cchuckry - Thanks man...you guys have given just as much to me as I have given to you...you guys keep me going. It gets frustrating all the time! But you guys always help me keep going.

GordMacDonald - Thanks! Yeah...be careful looking back there at the beginning...you may die from fits of laughter heheh

moysturfurmer - Thanks hahaha :P

art_addict - Thanks so much man I really appreciate it! Jason is definitely the wizened drawing sage of our time.

____________________________________


Hey guys I have more to post but just wanted to update you on teh current painting I am working on...sorry will post more later (hopefully). OH I have great news as well...I will be cutting down my days at work to commit myself more to the studio work! So you will see things ramped up a lot more soon. No more working 6 hours in the morning breathing in flour at my bakery job and then putting in 8 at the studio feeling like a zombie! In a month I will only work 2 days a week (spending about 6-8 hours a day at the studio)and will be spending about 12 hours a day at the studio on the days that I don't have to work....wooohooo! I will really feel like an actual artist now hehe...doing art all day hehe. I can fool myself can't I? hehe

Anyways here's the painting...my last cast painting!!!!!!!! After this it will be on to color and still lifes! Woot!

step 1

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step 2...I've done a lot since this picture...It's a little grainy sorry but you get the idea

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[Kittywolf13]

HOLY! My mind simply cant wrap itself around the fact that those are paintings, and not real sculptures!!!! your improvment is so serious and inspireing. OMG! thats all i have to say! beautiful and keep it up!!!!

[endregan]

yeah man congrats on not having to work as much. I know how much that hurts when your energy gets drained by something else no matter how much you want to put into the art. You go girL!

I cant wait to see colours and things. Dont forget to keep your mind going and sketching things.

[Bojee]

Jon , congratulations bro, can't wait to see where the extra time and energy takes you, also can't wait to see your gesture work, I'm biased but gestures are the source of it all for me so I'm looking forward to seeing your take on them. Thanks for the inspiration. :D

Oh yeah, Jetpack mentioned "the art spirit" by Henri, Also check out "Hawthorne on painting", it's along the same lines and super cheap. He and Henri were contemporaries of William Merrit Chase. Easy Reads but very dense information.-A

[Victor B]

fantastic update jon! great to see new stuff from you and ever better to hear your going to be spending MORE time in the studio I hope it brings you to even more progress. Sorry I haven't emaild you back I'll get on that today just been busy but Im sure you know how that is!

[Jeff Jaws]

hey jon,
great to hear that you have more time to spend on the things you love. cant wait to see your color stuff.

Jj. :)

[van]

MCM, long time no see! Not that you haven't been around...I just haven't seen you! =) Anyway, your stuff is really looking great. You are growing. Keep going.

[Sedig]

MCM-
From looking at your posts, I can tell you get this a lot, but I say it again- YOU ARE THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST ON THIS SITE. I saw you very first works, and thought that you had a lot of work to do. I was right, but dang, dude, it shows. You are a million times better. How many years have yu been doing this? You make me want to draw. NOW. I think I will.
You give hope to everyone who thinks they can't draw. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I BOW DOWN.
-Sedig

[Blahm]

for the love of god. your a machine. it wont be long before you surpase your teachers. lol. keep up the good work.

EDIT: buy the way, what do you paint on? canvas, canva-paper, illostration board....? And if it is canvas, what type? Thanks in advance.

[Bojee]

Waiting for an update Jon, You got people to inspire. ;)

[Art_Addict]

Hi,

Allways a pleasure, seing your stuff. Great cast drawing. However....
There's something weird about it. From wich side did you painted it? How you set it up for the photo, can't be it. Your canvas is on the left side of the sculpture. But if you painted it looking at it from therr, that can't be your result. You must have painted it from the right side, right?
Pfff , doesn't really matter man :) just strange if i look at it like this..

Keep up the nice work!

[B-Man]

This thred is totaly wicked and i love the canvas work. You are mad! :}

[crimsoneye]

MindyCandyMan your earlier stuff show that anyone starting off can really improve their skills. But I see some good stuff and improvement in your artwork, from what you are doing today and in the past.

[bod]

MindyCandyMan,

That is quite the develoment into a very accomplished artist and an achievement to be proud of. I also take my hat off to you for following your dream and throwing everything you have at it. I am hoping to start my own sketchbook thead after 3 years away from being creative and will use as a journal of the journey from where I am now to where I want to be. Thankyou for the inspiration.

Bod

[Master 25 Days]

wow, what can i say that hasn't been said about this thread. Amazing progress! I'm still early in the learning process myself and looking through thsi thread has imbued me with a greater motivation to carry on my studying. I mean it.

[Flaskpost]

One of my absolute favourite sketchbooks on CA! It´s amazing to see you develop through the thread. VERY inspiring!
Much love! /Flask

[Qxzi]

This work is ultra-great GREAT great :O ! ! ! Your work here is fantastic, and it certainly shows from 24 pages of work!!! You have inspired me to draw even more !!! Not to just sit here on my computer doing nothing, to actually do some drawing and improve like you did...and i dont know where you got your motavation from, but it worked for you my man, KEEP ON POSTIN!!!! :teeth:

[Shylone_Breath]

hi Mcm , i like to follow your thread since the first page because your improvement is always inspirationnal for me.Now my inspiration-energyco- creative is back , thanks a lot and continue your way.

[Kosmic]

Just another guy saying how much I love to look at your thread.

Today was the first time that I have ever seen it. It is absolutely amazing to see someone develope the way you have. I guess its amazing just because it shows that hard work and years of patience is rewarded.

Very inspiring. Im going to frequent this thread whenever Im in an artistic slump, and try to remember to stay confident, and patient.

Thank you for sharing your journey.

/Kosmic

[RenegadePogo]

Wow...... Dude.... Man.......

You went from straight sucking to being an extremely talented artist. Wow, you are just wow. Thats just all i can say. Seriously you inspire us. Monday im gonna show this topic to a friend of mine at school(OMG he's gonna freak!).

I have to admit i looked at the first page of this topic and skipped over it. Now that i looked a little more of it i have to say something(i think "wow" sums it up). I still havent looked it and read it completely yet but after i get done posting this i'll be sure to check the rest of ur topic out.

final note: you own.

[Snowsfall]

I'm just dropping in to say....
Good work :)
you are an inspiration to us all

[Rohan]

Hey MCM
havent been round in a while...quite a while. Great to seeing you going strong! That last painting is exceptional. I see the benefit of working from these casts, you have to really define the contours and separate the shadow areas from the light. since the casts are a homogenous surface you are left to solely concentrate on the form, which I can see would be great for core drawing skills.

It looks as though you have been using different hand/drawing technique for your imaginative studies. Do you mostly use arm/wrist technique (from the shoulder) for your observational studies or combination- wrist/fingers?
I apologise in advance as this question may have already been raised, problem is your thread is so massive now!

I myself am finally back in study after a bit of a regressive period and various distractions including my eternal love for drums and playing live music, which has now been temporarily sidelined for my art. I got accepted into Visual Arts at uni mid year. (Finally got a nice place to live in too.. with broadband! woo no more wet stables or sheds for this artist! )It's a very 'contemporary' course, but we just started life drawing, and I'm gradually starting to sink back into drawing, getting a bit of glow back in the coals, finding a little time for my personal stuff too.
It is always encouraging to see you working hard, and improving, and keeping a sense of humour!

keep up the momentum!
best wishes

Rohan

[emilpaun]

Incredible, as always. Great work, MCM.
Makes me want to get back on track, too.
Thanks!

[MindCandyMan]

kittywolf13 - Thanks :)

endregan - thanks man...yeah you said it...my imagination is waning I can feel it. I have more time now though heheeh.

Bojee - Thanks man...great book suggestion...gonna get that I think. Sorry for the lack of update haha. You will see why when you read further down in the message hehe.

vctr - Thanks man...no worries about the email. Yeah I will spending a LOT more time doing art now hahaha. No work at all.

Jeff Jaws - Thanks man...I am gonna take a picture of the pear I just did...I will post it up tonight if I can. Good to hear from you man.

van - Thanks man! I have been fairly absent recently too hehe. Good to hear from you man.

Sedig - Thanks so much for the kind words...that is awesome that it inspired you to draw that's what I want! Work hard and you will pass me soon enough. Thanks bro.

Blahm - Thanks man. I paint on canvas. I got it from italian art store I think...lemme find the link. I use the AC260 found HERE (http://italianartstore.bizland.com/store/Canvas_and_Linen_Rolls.html )

that fat kid - I still can't get over your name heheh. Thanks man...here it comes way late hehe.

art_addict - Thanks man. Not sure what you mean maybe explain a little more. The perspective does look a bit strange in places I think...if that's what you are talkin about?

B-man - Thanks! :vodka2:

crimsoneye - Thanks! I don't look back at the earlier stuff that often but when I do man...it is painful heheh. We will see if I can keep the improvement...I will do my best to keep it up hehe.

bod - You work hard and in three years you will pass me...I don't doubt that. Keep me updated with your progress.

Master 25 days - Thanks man...that's the whole reason for the thread's existence hehe. Really glad it helped motivate that's awesome. Now draw draw draw!

flaskpost - thanks so much man. You guys are embarassing me ;)

Qxzi - Definitely don't sit at your computer doin nothing....get to drawing!!! You will get better if you just spend the time. thanks for stoppin by ;)

shylone_breath - Thanks glad to hear that the thread helped...that's awesome!

Kosmic - Thanks...what can I say...the best compliment someone can give. Glad it inspired!

renegadepogo - Thanks man hehe...so did your friend freak? Maybe just freaked out at the earlier drawings heheh

snowsfall - Thanks for stoppin by I really appreciate it. The encouragement helps keep me going for sure.

Rohan - Hey man a fellow musician...I was a guitarist in a band for about seven years before I got into art. We should jam with Android at one of the workshops hahah. (he was in a band as well) That's awesome you are settling into drawing. Set yourself a pace and really work hard...keep up the pace no matter what and you will get better. Just keep workin and you will be awesome in five years. As far as the technique for my imaginative stuff that is part of the thing I am trying to work out. It's hard to translate the knowledge from life studies to imaginative stuff but I am working that out as we speak hehe. Hard stuff that's for sure.

KR33P - Thanks...Get back on track...don't want to get back on track...do it!

________________________________________




Ok here is the big update everybody...well a couple weeks ago my teachers brought all the students into a room and told us all that they had to close the school down in three months for a bunch of reasons. They are moving overseas so I am being pushed out of the nest a little earlier than I expected heheh. So my wife found a job in Texas (near her family) and we are moving in under a week to the dallas area so things have been insane as you can imagine for the last three weeks. I am still painting and drawing and stuff too. I will have all day devoted to it now as well hehe. I put in my two weeks with my work so that is done hehe. But my plan is to start off on my own now...I will be continuing my education with workshops out the wazoo and many other things...so that is my plan for now. Got a william whitaker workshop I will be going to very soon. So that's the scoop...things are crazy right now but it is also very exciting...I guess we'll find out what I'm really made of in the next couple years hehe. I am gonna be a hermit of sorts doing art like a madman all day. So I hope I don't go crazy hehe. Maybe that would help with the imaginative side though hehe.

still sketchin...trying things out

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This is the finished version of this...the picture is way too dark sorry...you can see the base a bit more in real life...or my monitor is screwy hehe.

94189

quick drapery study

94191

These are some of the things I have been doing lately but I will post more tonight...sorry. I just finished a pear commission for someone as well...color...so I will post that tonight after I get a picture of it today. At any rate things will be crazy but I will keep you guys updated...take care. Thanks so much for all the encouragement...I can find strength in that you guys seriously...I need it now hahah

[Profil]

Awesome man.
Do more imganitive (spell?) stuff :D
Im sorry, for not holding what I said in the PMs to you, but now when I´ve been to the workshop and saw all the good people, I will start to draw as much as possible when school isn´t in the way:P I unplugged the TV also and just watches 1-2 shows per week that I really like.
Im not sure about doing the Bargue drawings yet, but I probaly should do them. They seem boring though :/
Keep working man, and keep working with your imagination.

[endregan]

Yeah well sorry to hear the studio closed early but thats not necessarily a bad thing. Now you have a little more freedom and can use all those skills you built up and apply it to CONCEPTS!!! Work that brain, idea idea idea. u have the skill now u just have to apply it and Ill know you will do a good job... your definitely one of the most motivated people i know.

go for it

[Art_Addict]

Never mind man, you propably just set it up like that for the photo. Never mind. The end result is fabulous. Always a treat. Do some more imagination stuff :)

Cheers
Tom

[Bojee]

Jon- Wow, sorry to hear about your school, In the long run hopefully it'll turn out to be a good thing. You've been training your mind to be disciplined now you can focus it on anything you want. Go Get'em. ;)

[That fat kid]

hey mindcandyman, phenomenal stuff, and your imaginative is crazy cool, can't wait until that you post that pear

the fat kid

[fishw]

on fire. The temperature control is just outstanding

[MindCandyMan]

profil - Yeah I am definitely gonna be working a lot more from my imagination in the upcoming years. I really want to work on that side of things...starting to apply everything that I have learned. Glad to hear you are drawing! Keep it up don't give up!

endregan - Thanks bro...yeah don't know if you got my message on msn...but yeah the studio thing. I feel the same way...well...it has to be the right time to leave regardless hehehe. No real choice in the matter hehe. I'm definitely not motivated enough hehe...thanks though bro...you are kickin some booty yourself there...I saw that new portrait...oh yeah

Art_Addict - Too many mistakes to be a photo hahah. Thanks man I will definitely be doing more imaginative stuff!

Bojee - Thanks bro I really appreciate it. Yeah we'll see what I'm really made of I guess hehe.

That fat kid - Thanks man. Yeah this last drawing was one that scared my wife...she said, "You aren't gonna post that on conceptart.org are you?"..."yeah why?"...."all those boobs...disgusting" hahahaha. So that's a snippet from my life hehe. More of that in the years coming I'm sure heheh.

fishw - Thanks...It's gettin hot in here! :bounce: The temperature shifts in that one were really fun to render...good stuff.

_________________--



Hey guys don't have much time but here's the pear...already sold so this crappy pic is all I have of it...bleh.

[AndreasM]

Thats a damn nice pear!

[endregan]

that IS a tasty pear. very realistic. One thing that bothers me is the dead center composition! That being said though it is beautifully rendered. Talk about patience :D.

[styler]

amazing

[shyamshriram]

Great SB ! im inspired ! thanx :D

More pls :)

[That fat kid]

hey mindcandyman, holy crapola can you paint!! the only thing rivaling your skill is your imagination...keep us updated!

the fat kid

[Qxzi]

That last update was great, that texture on it is amazing! More more more ! :)

[Victor B]

Hey Jon, I tried to post a reply earlier but connection problems! anyway its great to see your updates the final cast painting looks fantastic and the new pear also looks amazing. Its great to hear you can focus on just your art now. I just got to my atelier this week and actually just finished my first bargue so I'll try to post it in my sketcbook this week.

[SirGreenSock]

The texture on that pear is absolutely stunning. Damn tasty! What size is the painting?
Good luck with your studio! I can't wait to see what imaginative stuff you come with!

[ogar555]

I'm impressed. i mean, it's one thing to see alot of good pictures in a row, or slight improvement over time... but this... holy hell!
three years? from rookie to pro... i'm gonna seriously read through the whole journey, and... KEEP IT UP! :D

[mitch]

MCM- you have gotten a ton better since your first page and some of oyur paintings are stunning. keep it up!
(please check out my page)

[Profil]

I think you will take understand this quote, it can be aplied to anything you want to excelt at:
"In order to excel at anything, there are always hurdles, obstacles, or challenges one must get past. It's what bodybuilders call the pain period. Those who push themselves, and are willing to face pain, exhaustion, humiliation, rejection, or worse, are the ones who become champions. The rest are left on the sidelines." Neil strauss

You proved it.

[mitch]

the only thing that I can see that you have a problem with is your proportions.

[asoir]

I went to the first page wondering how this got 5 stars, then hopped to page 24 and HOLY SHIT! This is incredible inspiration for us all. Wow.

[anti-]

Wooooooooooooooooooow. In only three years, you've come such a long way it's unreal.

That finished version of your last painting... You could tell me it was a photograph of the cast and I wouldn't doubt you for a second.

Very inspiring.

[sone_one]

im speechless... and thats a quite rare condition for me...

your dedication is the best proof that you can get everywhere if you just want it hard enough and work as hard as possible for it. i admire you (and somehow im jealous) for that.

i bow down in respect.

[MindCandyMan]

nofish - Thanks hehe ;) :vodka2:

endregan - Thanks man...yeah the dead center thing is kinda funny. The whole painting was kind of a joke really. My boss said to me one day when I was telling him I liked classical style art...he said, "If I see one more pear painted I am gonna puke"...so when he asked me to do a commission...it was, of course, of a pear. So I made it as generic as possible hehe. Kind of the joke but anyways...you are right hehe.

styler - Thanks :)

shyamshriram - Thanks...comin up!

that fat kid - You said it man...trying to work on it...It is growing closer...ateliers push it away slowly hehe

qxzi - Thanks hehe...sorry just boring color charts now but more real painting soon!

vctr - Awesome that rules! Yeah definitely let me know when you post all your stuff! I would love to see it. Yeah it's sweet to be just doing art now...it's awesome...so so great.

sirgreensock - Thanks! The pear is 9 x 12. My imaginative stuff is horrible as of now :( ...but I'm practicing hehe.

ogar555 - hahah...good luck reading through that whole thing sheesh...huge and nasty to look at. I'm definitely not a pro at this point hehe...not makin any money at all doing it hehehe. Well some money...but it goes back into supplies, etc...

mitch - Thanks...keep updating your sketchbook man don't stop drawing!!!

asoir - Yeah that first page is a killer hahahah...horrible

anti- - I wish I could have just taken a photo...that would have been a lot easier heheh. Thanks for the encouragement!

sone_one - I bow down in respect to your skills sone_one...no one can deny you have talent already...I'm just trying to get where you pros are. :painting:

__________________________________

Ok I need to work on my imaginative skills...pencil control...anatomy...everything. So much work to do...Here are some pages with various anatomy and fun sketches on them. They are a mixture of feet from my head...from anatomy books...etc... I need to work on feet and hands...so I have been focusing in. I am learning but it is slow getting into my brain...gotta beat it in hehe. The small thumbnails are for the creature design thread that mikecorreiro is heading up...it's very cool and simulates the real world. Check it out if you get the chance.

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94197

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94199

94200

Working on color charts to learn my palette and learn more about color. I hardly got into color at the atelier and now that I am on my own I don't know how to mix certain colors so I am doing these color charts. Time consuming and boring for other people to look at but they are really really helpful in my opinion.

My Palette is currently...almost like Schmid's...I like a simple palette and TOR and Terra Rosa are really nice colors that I added to my palette:

Ivory Black (Gamblin)
Ultramarine Blue (Gamblin)
Cobalt Blue (Rembrandt)
Viridian (Gamblin)
Raw Umber (Gamblin)
Transparent Red Oxide (Rembrandt)
Alizarin Crimson Permanent (Gamblin)
Terra Rosa (Winsor Newton)
Yellow Ochre (Gamblin)
Cadmium Yellow Deep (Rembrandt)
Cadmium Yellow Light (Gamblin)
Titanium White (Winsor Newton)

colors straight out of the tube.

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ultra blue + others

94202

cobalt blue + others

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ivory black + others

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_____________

This next stuff is color theory practice that I am doing for this thread found HERE (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=53517)...I would recommend if you are a newbie like me or need help with defining color...solidifying it in your brain...come there and help out and learn.

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[RenegadePogo]

Studies... Amazing.... How do you do it.

[Kittywolf13]

you never cease to amaze me in your improvments.

[Brall]

Those studies a friggin great....friggin:needle:

[osgoon]

wow.

started from rock bottom and you got to this. youre an inspiration.

[MindCandyMan]

renegade pogo - Thanks hehe...studies are fun for me cause I feel like I am learning a lot the whole time.

kittywolf - Thanks so much...I don't feel like I'm improving fast enough...it helps to have enouragement from otehrs. It really does. Thanks.

Brall - Thanks man :blah:

osgoon - Thanks man...you guys are gonna make me cry!

___________________


What I did today:

viridian color chart

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Creature Designs for the Creature Design 101 class held by the famous Mike Correiro...found http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=56875 (HERE)

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[Victor B]

Wow I somehow missed an update, what can I say Jon this stuff looks great you already know your weakness and are working on improving that, looks like you're doing great I've no doubt that with your drive you'll excell at this aswell, I love the color charts you're doing I myself want to do that in a couple months after I get some of the foundation atelier stuff out of the way. I've posted just a little with Horrible pictures so if you'd like to check them out please go ahead, I'm working and sketching alot but don't have a scanner right now so I'll probably go on only showing my cast work for now. I am working through some illustrations for the fundamentals part of my training focusing on compostional elements & I need to start on some sequential (comic) basics soo yeah I'm busy! Its difficult I need to find a balance for all the things I want to do as well as things in my spare time! But I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you! so a Huge thanks Jon! you continue to be an inspiration not just to me but countless people.

see ya around (ca.org) campus!

[Pixeldragoon]

I posted before, and I ahve to say thank you for responding to everyone so well! The last cast paint looks GREAT. Kepp it up! (Like you wouldn't >_>)

[Diego]

hey man, great progress with your imaginative stuff.
Can you explain more of these color scales?
Cheers

[nanyacura]

When they say "everyone is an artist", I believe you are the sole example of that. Only 3 years and you have gone so far. I don't even know you, yet I feel as if I should be proud of you for what you have accomplished these past few years. Amazing. Never stop learning, you could become something astounding, and that is not too far off.

[That fat kid]

hey mindcandyman, hope you're proud of yourself, you've inspired more people on this site than anyone else.....very good studies, and clever creatures...keep working!

the fat kid

[van]

WOnderful colors, my friend. I really like your concept stuff, man. :) Keep rockin!

[Lukias]

Hey man.. I swear(I know) I posted a comment here the other day but it sure aint here now. Anyway.. as you've heard a thousand times, you're progress is amazing aswell as your dedication.
Is that colour chart from Schmids book?. If so.. why I was reading over that just last night.. and contemplating whether or not I have the patience to do it. Well worth it you think?.

[MindCandyMan]

vctr - Thanks bro...I'm glad to hear things are going good with you...and being busy with art is a good thing hehe. Yeah....I definitely know my weaknesses...there are too many to count sheesh. Gotta kill em all one by one hehe.

pixeldragoon - Yeah I can't stop now...I'm definitely committed heheh...I don't know what I will do if I fail at this hahah...works some stupid job I guess. Just the thought of that for the rest of my life is keeping me going haha. Thanks for the kind words man...I'm glad I could help inspire you to keep going. I want nothing more than for people to never have to work a stupid job they hate ever again. We can all be artists!!!

Diego - Thanks man...the color charts are basically a way for you to learn your palette. But also they are like a color theory lesson as well. You see things when you do them like...when you add white it always cools something. Or...colors are most vibrant in their midtones. It's richard schmid's idea...and you basically take each color and make a chart for it...and add five values of white. Then when you are painting you look at the charts and in a year or two...after looking at the charts A LOT...you learn your mixtures perfectly. So you can see something and diagnose it very very quickly...then you can really paint alla prima and kick some butt.

nanyacura - Not sure about astounding hehe...I'm just trying not to suck at this point hahah. Thanks so much for the encouragement though it means a ton to me!

That fat kid - Thanks man...I don't know if I'm proud of myself. Don't really think about it that way ever. I am just looking at the pros and trying to do what they do and I keep failing heheh. If I can inspire anyone though...I'm happy about it. Thanks for the kind words man.

van - Thanks bro...so what's been up with you lately?

lukias - Hey bro! Thanks for stoppin by man. I looked at your website and man alive you are gaining skills fast. I had only seen your sketches up to this point but man your paintings are started to look awesome as well. You are becoming a powerhouse hehe. Yeah I would definitely do the color charts if you want to be painting from life or want to do a color study of some sort. You really learn how to mix the colors you want and need. Eventually it makes you get really fast at it. And even now with this first painting I am doing with them...I find myself thinking about what my palette is capable of...thinking about mixtures and how to achieve them in the quickest and most efficient way, etc... I would definitely say to do it. Takes about 6 hours a chart (If you really work on the values and get them right) and I did about one a day...a couple days I did two but you will get them done fairly quick...and they are your foundation for painting from life..

______________________

creature designs for mike correiro's thread...gonna paint it next if it gets approved...this was really really hard for me...my brain is malfunctioning I feel like lately hehe.

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setup of new painting

94222

Step one of the block in...normally I would have toned the canvas first but I wanted to get back into painting again...I haven't painted for a couple weeks so I was dying to get something on the canvas hehe. Before I would block things in with charcoal and that worked fine but I really just don't see the point to it. As soon as I would start painting the drawing would be all but destroyed and I had to make new measurements anyways. So now I am starting with painting straight onto the canvas with raw umber for the marks.

94224

More of the block in...as you can see lots of problems...normal for this stage though. I will have to move a lot of stuff and shift and change things. But that's where I am at.

94225

I have my color charts that I just finished laying around my area for constant reference while I am painting. If I get stuck on a mixture I will hold up the chart and try to match the color to what I see. I then make a mental note about the object...what color light is on it...etc... So that I can use that info to my advantage later in imaginative or stuff from life.

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94228

Ok guys this is my palette that I am using...here is the key for the numbers:

1 - Ivory Black
2 - Ultramarine Blue
3 - Cobalt Blue
4 - Viridian
5 - Raw Umber
6 - Transparent Oxide Red
7 - Alizarin Crimson Permanent
8 - Terra Rosa
9 - Yellow Ochre
10 - Cadmium Red (Yeah I know...the picture screwed up the color hehe)
11 - Cadmium Yellow Deep
12 - Cadmium Yellow Light
13 - Titanium White
14 - Maroger's Medium (The best medium ever known to man...thanks to William Whitaker I am using this now. It is awesome...I will never go back to anything else. It makes the paint flow like butter and it's dry the next day. Unbelievable. I love love love this medium...and no stupid palette cup to carry around that I would constantly spill all over everything. And the greatest part...I now never use any turpentine...I don't use it to clean my brushes or for anything. I don't have that stupid stench everywhere or any headaches. I got this maroger at http://www.studioproducts.com/
15 - My finger
16 - hole

94230

I have some more sketchbook stuff that I need to scan...but I need to go to bed now so I will scan it later. I am copying the whole bridgman...every drawing to get it in my head. I read that frazetta did that...so I thought I would give it a try...we'll see how long it takes me...I'm hoping only a couple of days hehe.

[Diego]

great dude, thanks for answering my question, you're too nice, i think i'll try these charts, it looks like a lot of fun.
Looking foward to see the still life.
Cheers dude, and keep working hard, like you always do, and inspires all of us.

[Victor B]

jeez another post JON?!! looks like that creature thread is really pushing you, thats awesome man the charts ! wow great stuff I know i need to get there , I want to focus on cast/ get back to some loomis barrel through the books, then get to painting by march-ish I don't think thats tooo crazy a goal!Great tip on the medium I'll have to bookmark the link. Cant wait to see more of your sketchbook stuff! The still life's lookin fan-bloody-tastic! take as many progress shots as you can Jon, and good luck with bridgeman lol a couple days

[jkior]

holy fantastic jon you're really rockin with that still life - it'll be awesome to watch your progression on it! also. . .man that's a lot of little color boxes. . .they look great though, I can't wait to do them myself.

man, we shouldn't be using electricity to talk - we should be working so fast we talk in smoke signals. . .my bad! *trundles off back to the studio w/ fire-retardant charcoal*

mike

[incolorinred]

you have a really nice chiaroscuro technique going on. Good stuff.

[That fat kid]

hey MCM, if you love that medium, its gotta be good, i'll have to rustle some up...that block in just looks terrific, but i'm sure it'll only get better....and believe me, its completely impossible to be uninspired by you....keep it up!!

the fat kid

[Lukias]

I should probably wait untill after the next step to hear the explanation but I'll ask anyway. Especially after using the thinning/drying medium your paint will be dry by the next session. So over this base coat do use a particular method, ie a thousand perfectly placed mini paint daubs/strokes that for the most part hide the undercoat because of their opacity or more of a transparent overlay/s that lets the undercoat come into play?.
Maroger's Medium.. what were you using before.. Liquin?. Why no turps?. Do you wash your brush constantly so the paint never really gets embedded in the.. err farrel(sp?)
Thats Schmids palette eh.. I was thinking of swapping over to it, as opposed to the random mix of brands, quality's and excessive colours I have.
Wicked shit man, knowing you it'll look like reality in no time.

[kinnas]

truly... I have nothing to say. Just know that today another little learner joined the praising choirs of the inspired

[MindCandyMan]

Diego - Glad it helped man...if you need a more thorough explanation lemme know or buy the richard schmid book "Alla Prima: Everything I know about painting" from his website. That book is expensive but it is INDISPENSABLE...I am really looking forward to buying David Leffel's book for christmas which I think will be just as good but Schmid's book is the best text on painting I have ever seen...(in my limited art "career" heheh).

vctr - Thanks for the comments man. Don't worry about getting to painting too early because painting really is drawing. If you are rock solid in drawing from life the transition will be a lot easier because you won't have to learn both at one time. It sounds weird I know...but really push your drawing skills. Spend more time there than you really think you need...you will move ahead in painting a lot faster than you would if you didn't spend that extra time drawing. And NEVER stop drawing...you have to keep drawing from life. (I am talking to myself right now heheheh...have to remind myself to keep drawing!)

jkior - Whattup mikey. Glad we are keeping in touch my man. I need to know you when you hit the big time...you are gonna pass me in no time that's for sure hehe. I mean that too. I don't think the neighbors would appreciate the smoking pile of logs in the backyard...but maybe I can sway them. Maybe I can send you a message by pigeon carrier. I'll tie my painting to it's leg and send him off heheh.

incolorinred - Thanks! Yeah I agree with David leffel (who agrees with rembrandt) when he says that paintings are more interesting when there are large masses of value...chiaroscuro is the only way to go...gotta love it. I love anything in the dark...always have been attracted to darker paintings. Not sure why maybe that says something about me??

that fat kid - Yeah that medium is really good. Just make sure you have a little film canister or something to keep the medium in...so you can put it in the fridge or something. It's expensive so you wanna save it and not waste any of it. It's way more expensive than paint but you don't use probably 20% in your color mixtures so it isn't used up too fast. Thanks for the encouragement man.

lukias - It's a good time for the question no worries. It's an interesting question you have. I would probably say yes to both of the things you listed. It just depends on what you are doing...for instance I was working on the grapes today...in some parts I scraped away the upper layers of paint to reveal the red stained canvas underneath...then I painted lightly over those areas so give it sort of a transparent look. I did that on the side of the grapes where the light is shooting through them...where the light is coming out I mean. I scraped away and then mixed a transparent oxide red (dominant) and alizarin mixture to get the orangy look of the light going through them. For the darker part of the grapes (the part that the highlights are on) I used a mixture of alizarin crimson (dom) and viridian to create a nice subtle purple. For some of the grapes I did that...not for all. That's one thing you really need to keep in mind. You can't just mix one color for ALL the grapes...you have to look and evaluate each one. They are all different. Similar but a lot different...like for instance...the one on the upper left sitting on the wood...second from the left i should say hehe. I had to use a yellow ochre transparent red oxide mixture to get the orangish...exiting light...so you can't just mix one color and use it for all the grapes. You have to discipline yourself to take it slowly and systematically. Most people just aren't as purposeful and patient as they should be and that's why their paintings are that good. They don't want to take the time to mix every little color and clean their palette knife between every mixture (so that the colors on your palette don't become contaminated, etc...). Some people work different than that and produce amazing work but it's just not the way I work...doesn't make logical sense to me. My palette is a modified schmid palette...I add and subtract some colors to my liking. But his palette can produce virtually every color...it's actually considered by a lot of people to be a limited palette...even though it has 12 colors hehe. As far as the medium...I used to just use linseed oil thinned down a bit with turpentine...I would put it in a palette cup and dip my brush into it before I grabbed the paint but one thing I really didn't like was that when I dipped my brush in it would contaminate the medium. So if I had red...a tiny bit of red would be in the medium and then everything i used that brush for would have a "warm" look that I had to compensate for...I hated it but didn't think there was an alternative. I wash my brushes after every painting session...I paint for about 8-10 hours a day but it shouldn't matter how long you paint...wash them after every use or you will pay for it hehe. I don't recommend using turpentine to wash with...even if you are doing that just to get the excess paint out before you do the real washing because if any turpentine is in your brush after you wash them (and let's be honest...not every cleaning is the best one...sometimes you are rushed hehe)...then your brush will deteriorate a lot faster. I just wipe them off in a paper towel when I am done and then use ugly dog soap (a linseed oil based soap...same thing that's in oil paints) and water...and they are good as new every day. Thanks for taking an interest in my stuff bro...I have been a huge fan of your work for a while. You inspire us all that's for sure.

kinnas - Thanks...you guys keep me going!

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Sorry the colors are so screwy...more work done...gonna go back to it some more today but wanted to update with what I have done. Had to take a break so thought I would answer the questions and give a little update. Been workin on the grapes and some other stuff. See how some of the painting has "sunken in"...the blacks become dull. When everything is totally dry I will use retouch varnish to bring the luster back out and make the darks (especially) more rich and deep. I have noticed that Gamblin's black really really sinks in as opposed to other blacks I have used for some reason. Not sure why or even if I am right about that...but after this tube I may switch to another company I think just for the blacks.

94231

Just a reminder too...when you guys are doing these color charts there is something to keep in mind. DO NOT do your mixtures half/half . You want to make sure that when you are doing the ultramarine blue chart that ultramarine is the predominate color in all of the mixtures. If you don't...then you won't understand the relationships because you won't see a difference in a yellow ochre + ultra blue mixture and a ultra +ochre mixture ....there is a huge difference in color depending on which one is predominating. My suggestion is to always (when mixing color) put down the predominating color first. That way you can easily judge how much of the other color to add to it. Also for some reason it's just easier that way...you will naturally grab a lot when you first dip into your colors to make a mixture...and you want the large blob to be the dominate color. Also use your palette knife for the whole chart...everything. Don't use one brush. #1 it's easier to clean and #2 you need to learn to use it. Also when you grab one color (from the piles on your palette) and put the blob down...when you go to grab at another color to add to it....CLEAN your palette knife first! Have a rag setup near you that you can quickly wipe off your palette knife or you will contaminate the straight tube colors that you have on your palette. By the end of your painting session you will have an ultramarine blue blob of paint from the tube that is no longer ultramarine blue...it's ultramarine with a little cad yellow...and a little ochre...and a little viridian. So then you take it all and try to make a mixture from it and everything looks gray and muddy...too many compliment colors in there. Keep your tube colors clean! Also make sure that your values are right on when doing these charts. Check out schmid...he has a great discussion on it. But getting the values right is key. Glad you guys are doing these...they are a fantastic reference for when you are painting.

Just so you guys know too...they have been ULTRA useful so far in finding colors...but they also allow me to remember EVERYTHING i have put down in this painting. I can tell you exactly how I mixed every color on the canvas and that's very important...you will realize when you are painting. Sometimes later on you have to remix the same color and I used to be confused about what color I used there...and I would have to remix and remix till I got it right. Most of the time I would just go back over in a little bit different color and the painting wasn't as colorful as I wanted by the end. Schmid knew what he was talking about that's for sure...his paintings speak for themselves hehe.

[BrentM]

Just had to say you are a big reason for me starting my own "journey" Your work is amazing man. I've been drawing for only a couple months, but you are a true example to follow and emulate :) Thanks man

[Victor B]

Fantastic Update Jon, the paintings coming along nicely,thanks for the tip on drawing , sometimes its hard not to get excited by the prospect of painting! But I'll try my best to focus on drawing first and foremost. Also great overview on how you work and how the color charts help.

[Profil]

So inspirational to see this. Thank you for sharing this, and replying to everyone. It's very nice of you.
Btw, nice creature design. It was awesome of Mike to start it and of Emily to take over.
Keep fighting.

[MindCandyMan]

brentm - Glad to hear you are following your dream man...I started when I was 22 as well...played guitar, etc... Same sort of deal...my brother was awesome at art and still is. I know exactly how you feel hehe. Check your thread I responded ;)

vctr - Yeah I know...painting is the ultimate goal hehe. It's really exciting and it should be that's ok. I did paintings on the weekend for fun when I was at the studio and I thought it was beneficial...just make drawing your priority for a while. But yeah I know...it's the pull of the paint hehehe. Then on your first painting you will want to go back to drawing heheh...cause it's hard hehe. Glad the color charts stuff helped.

Profil - You keep fighting too. I like your designs as well. We gotta stick together in this creature design thing. You guys on here know that way better than I do. I am flying by the seat of my pants...I have no idea what I am doing with imaginative stuff haha. It was definitely awesome of them to make that thread.

____________________________________-


More work in the past couple of hours...

94232


IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHY I HAVEN'T RESPONDED IN THIS POST...CHECK THE POST ABOVE THIS ONE...WAS JUST A FEW HOURS AGO SO I PROBABLY RESPONDED THERE

[van]

van - Thanks bro...so what's been up with you lately?


Well, working, family, drama, school, painting, drawing, drama, family, school, school...need I say more?

Anyway, thats a helluva palette. I have my palette down to Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Cad Yellow, Cad Orange, Tit White, and Ivory Black. It amazes me when painters can use that broad of a palette. Awesome work.

[Floris Didden]

You make me want to paint with oils right NOW. But my bed is calling to me, has been for the past 2 hrs, so yea. Glad you're with us in the Creature Design activity, it's good that you're pushing to improve your design skills and I'm looking forward seeing what you'll create in the future.

[Hyver]

amazed!

[Matt Smith]

hey mind, im diggin these still life paintings alot. i was also wondering, is the marogers medium toxic or non toxic. keep up the good work.

[jkior]

wow. . .certainly can't argue with the results of the painted block-in! Having used both the charcoal method and this, do you have any thoughts/regrets/tips. . .or dare I ask (hehe), told-you-so's?

[Victor B]

Fantastic another update today, that still life's coming along nicely! Yeah I know what you mean Jon about wanting to paint I think I'll definetly do some "weekend" painting once summer hits a little plein air ahh can't wait for spring, I can bike everywhere I need to go do some plein air painting *sigh* looks out at snow...

[koroshiya001]

Damn fine work with those oils, man. This thread is inspiring!

[Blahm]

wow, your painting skills are just amazing now! And i guess franzetta copied and entire anatomy book one night after work! cant wait for the next update .

[MindCandyMan]

van - Glad to hear you are doing well. Sorry about the drama :( ...but then again...all the great artists had drama! Something to tap into that allows people to relate I think. At any rate I'm glad to see you posting. Keep me updated.

floris didden - Thanks...yeah my imaginative skills have been neglected for too long that's for sure. I need to catch up with all of you guys! You should definitely do some oils man...lemme know if you post them.

hyver - Thanks ;)

matt smith - it's toxic...definitely hehe. Has black oil as one of the components...lead lead lead hehe. So be careful with it. Thanks for the comments!

jkior - hahha...not really told you so's....hehe...more of just a different way of working. Some people work that way and they do great...just doesn't make sense to me personally to work that way. I've had to move things all around as well...but you just scrape it off and reapply the paint.

vctr - Thanks man...yeah I just moved from south dakota...they are covered in snow bigtime. It's warmer here in texas and I have been contemplating doing some plein air as well...maybe I will.

koroshiya001 - Thanks! :^^:

blahm - Thanks...yeah frazetta copied that whole book...but I think he only copied ONE of bridgman's books. Like the structural anatomy or whatever...I want to copy the big book with all of his books combined. Still though....even just one of those books in one night is insane. He was a madman...that's why he was so insanely good hehe.

________________________________

Final design for the creature design thread

94233

More work on this...worked on the cork on friday and some other things...sorry for the blurry pic :( ...I am gonna be a doing a big painting commission and I am gonna use some of that money for a new camera hehe. If you have any suggestions lemme know.

94234

p.s. - Don't count me as starting the bridgman copy until after this painting is done...gotta get that done first hehe.

[blog]

Mincandyman, I wanted to ask you an important question. You have came a veeery long way, yet recently your stuff is starting to look the bit more pro if you know what I mean. Would you say that the atelier has had a lot to do with how you have developed recently?

[Dan.v.D.]

man i'm stunned by the stuff you do. i remember the first pages of this thread so well it could've been just 3 months ago. but your work suggests that it was more like 10 years haha.

do you have any plans for figure paintings or portraits already?

[Victor B]

Jon wow, that paintings coming along very nicely can't wait to see the completed image!lol yeah artist or people rather are dramatic. The creature design came out nice. Great to see you working on your imaginative skills. Keep is up to date on that nice big commision you got, not only do I (we) find the techinical aspects of your work helpful but also knowing you got a commision (i.e. the business side) Nway enjoy your sunday!

[Sergeant]

WOW! I looked at your first page, then I went to the middle page, and then to this page. WOW! maybe it IS possible for me to be a good artist someday!

[Icey]

your paintings are wonderful!!
i can't belive my eyes... you've captured every aspect of them.. every shadow... every ray of light...
i wanna see more

[MindCandyMan]

blog - Hey good question. I would say yes definitely. The atelier style of learning teaches you to start from the complete bare minimum and build up from there. It teaches you the right way to go about things. There are people that have gone through the atelier system and that really stink...so it isn't a sure fire thing...but if you work hard and if you really concentrate and do things the right way you will learn really quick. I think it's the quickest way to learn...but my experience is limited hehe. I have just seen the work that people are producing in three years...you get sooooooo much better so much quicker and you learn how to really see how light works. All this...everything we are doing...it all comes down to knowing what light is doing. Light is why we see...going to an atelier...doing cast drawings...etc...this teaches you how to understand light. It's the quickest and best way to start in my opinion. But of course I'm biased hehe ;). But I will say this...lots of people don't go ateliers and are awesome...so it really is personal preference and what your goals are...like most things in the art world it isn't a black and white thing hehe.

Dan v. D. - Thanks hehe...man ten years..I can't imagine...I can only HOPE I can still be doing this in ten years. I am gonna give it my everything. I loathe the thought of going back to a desk job hehe. I do have some plans for figure drawings/paintings. But right now my studio is this converted bedroom in my in-laws house...till my wife and I get a place...so I will start doing those things when we have a place of our own. But...oh yeah I have plans hehe. That's when the crap will begin hahahah. Hope you guys won't laugh at me hehe.

vctr - Thanks man...I will definitely keep you guys updated on the commission stuff. I am new to that too though hehe...kind of learning as I go I guess heheh.

Sergeant - hahah...thanks man. You can DEFINITELY become an accomplished artist. You don't have to be "born with it". Work hard....work harder than me and you will pass me. That's for sure hehe.

icey - Thanks hehe...don't worry more paintings are coming. From now till I die!!!!!

_____________________________


Might not look like many changes but at this stage all the little changes matter. The bottle is screwy...the proportions...gotta change a lot of that. Gotta clip off a lot of the right side I think. I had to stop today cause the light is different...I think I may go back and just fix that though right now hehe...i can't stand it heheh.

[cotron]

Man, don't you know you can get digital cameras on the street here for cheap? Five finger discount! ...bad joke, haha

that painting's looking beautiful man. and the waterlope makes me smile :)

hope you're doing well, jon!

[MindCandyMan]

hahahaha...awesome dude haha. No worries all in good fun. I still laugh when I think about mike and I trudging through san fran looking for this bum who was LONG GONE hahahahah. Mike indulged me hehe.

[Zebz]

Waterlope... heh, that's crazy. Looks like one of Napoleon Dynomite's favorite animals or something. Nicely done tho! That painting is mucho kick ass, bro. Really loving how realistic it's turned out. Man, you've improved so much it's sick. Love the progress in this thread. Can't say it enough. Keep postin' for us!

[Victor B]

Fantastic update Jon, the still life's looking nice excited to see what the corrections you mentioned will do to it. So you have some figurative work planned? cant wait to see what you do with that. I had some questions about your still life set up and/or your thoughts on a cast set up but i think I'll email you about them. Thanks for posting as always being a guide for soo many of us

[mert_yavasca]

You are my hero, absolutely.

[Profil]

Everything is awesome :)
Man, I got all my high school years left before university/attelier. So I planned to go abroad, but wtf, what is this:
http://www.atelierstockholm.se/

It's going to open in Stockholm, 15 mins from where I live, maybe you can say something about it? Btw, isn't that you on the pictures?:O
I'm stoked, I want to visit that place right now:D

edit: I emailed them to see if a visit would be possible when they have all their equipment up.

[MindCandyMan]

zebzfree - hahah...that's hilarious. Napolean dynamite hahahah. It's an antehorse (antelope and sea horse) bred for it's skill in magic heheh.

vctr - Thanks bro...yeah still a lot of corrections to make on this. Yeah email me whenever. I will respond as fast as I can. It's easier with email cause I have been pretty busy lately so that's the best way to catch me.

mert_yavasca - hahah thanks bro...I'm just trying to do what my heros do...all the guys/girls on this site...sargent...zorn...repin...schmid...leffel... all of them. You gotta shoot higher than me ahhaha...but seriosly though thanks for the encouragement. ;)

profil - hahah...yeah that's me on there hehe. I wasn't sure if the site was totally live yet. Yeah my teachers are starting a school in sweden...it isn't open yet though cause they aren't over there yet. They are gonna move probably by summer of next year I think. Oh man all my old terrible work is on there hehehe...horrible hahah. It's like dirty laundry you just to expose it. hehe. Yeah shoot them a message and they will get in contact with you. You will get the same training you saw me go through on here...bargue drawings, cast drawings etc... They both went to the florence academy of art and they teach in the same style but with some positive changes. This is school is gonna be bigger than it was when I was in there too...more students...more models,etc.. more room hehe. Yeah shoot them a note to get all the details. Did you find it online or did they post on here. I am hoping they figured out how to post on here.

______________________________________

I hate this composition...you live and learn hehehe. More work on this...it's been a learning opportunity for me this painting. There are some things I HATE about it...some things I like. I will discuss them more on here when I am done. Whenever you do something it's good to figure out what is good about and really come up with specifics (edges are good...texture etc...) and figure out WHY specifically it is good...and do the exact same for all the stuff that is bad about it. Helps you learn quicker that way. I have more bad than good with this one heheh.

[Profil]

They actually posted here, in the art education thread. A thread about sweden art schools.
I still got three years up to that point if Im going there, but do you think it's worth it? Or should I got to a school with more concept based scheduel?

[MindCandyMan]

it depends what you want really...if you want to learn straight up illustration and nothing else at all than go to art center or somewhere similar or something. But if you want to learn to paint and draw in this style than you can go there. I will say this though...that I really feel like the atelier system is a good solid foundation for anything else you want to learn. All these principles and knowledge transfer directly to illustration. You have to work hard to incorporate concepts, etc... But if you do you will have a really full knowledge of everything in my opinion. There are lots of different paths to achieving what you want though. I love ateliers though hehe...so i am biased hehe.

[Pantura]

Hey MCM and everybody!
We asked our former student, mindcandyman, if he could post an announcement about our new school on his forum but he suggested we become members so we could do it ourselves, and so here we are and very slowly getting the hang of it.
It has been exciting to see mcm’s progress in the studio. He’s done great, and we look forward to seeing his future work. Keep it up!
Yes, we are relocating. What happened was that our landlord gave us three months notice to vacate the building because he was converting our studio into his personal apartment. Pretty shocking! We had a meeting and told our students the very next day. Everyone knew we had been thinking about moving back to Europe for a long time, so now just seemed like the right time. Pantura Studios is relocating to Stockholm and will change its name to Atelier Stockholm. Check out our new webpage: http://www.atelierstockholm.se.
Don't think of the "before" pictures as dirty laundry, you should just be proud of your progress! That student progress page is our favorite part of the website. You have all been following mcm’s progress on this thread, but on our student work page you can see examples from a few other students also, and we’ll be adding more. Thanks, mcm, for letting us plug our new beginning on your thread!
One more thing. We have had a lot of interested people contact us from conceptart.org, and several were waiting to hear back from us but, unfortunately, in the switch from Pantura to Atelier Stockholm we lost all our e-mails, everything, from before Dec. 9th!! If any of you are waiting to hear back from us, sorry, and just contact us again.
http://www.atelierstockholm.sehttp://www.atelierstockholm.se

[TristanR]

Hey MCM, I know you've heard it alot but this thread is sooo inspiring. The new painting looks great, the colours are so accurate! I've been doing a still life of a couple of cow skulls and i just cant seem to get the colours right. I think I'm going to do some cast drawings/paintings before i try colour again, gotta work my way up. I called my local art store though and they dont have or know where to buy casts, do you know a place to get them online? thanks and keep it up! :teeth:

[Victor B]

Wow such good/bad news great news taht pantura's moving to europe for those who can go , sucks that their leaving thou! The still life's looking very nice I just wish I could see it in person I feel i'm missing alot of color and edge work, maybe you could post a larger version? I was actually going to ask you what you thought of the comp. it seemed rather "centered" I wait to hear your personal critique of it! still great stuff, hope you get a "good" digi-cam shop around before you choose one. I'll shoot you an email later this week.
see you around campus

[That fat kid]

hey MCM, i showed your lastest painting to some of my buddies and they wouldn't believe me that it was a painting...I love your stuff and how humble you are about it, it makes your abilities that much more astounding that you'll never stop trying to improve and grow as an artist and a person....keep it up! you have all our eternal support!

the fat kid

[AndreasM]

Oh my, this is great news!!! I have been frustrated with the lack of good education up here in the north, and suddenly, an atelier of this caliber suddenly moves up to Sweden! Just had to get that out of the system :)

MCM, I just have to thank you again (umm, did I ever thank you?) for your love for art and the efforts you share. I don't think I would even have considered attending to an atelier if it wasn't for you. I'm sorry to hear that you had to stop your studies at the studio, tho. Do you plan to attending to another one, or will you work more on your own? I'll enjoy watching your progress either way.

Andreas

[MindCandyMan]

Pantura - Hey! Glad to see you guys made it on here! I was wondering if it worked for you but I see you are creating quite a presence your yourself on here already. ;) Hahah...yeah the dirty laundry...haha...It's definitely good to see my progress just painful to see those earlier images hehe. I don't look at the beginning of this thread for the same reason hehe. You guys are gonna be rockin the stockholm scene and I've seen a bunch of swedish users on here talkin about it. So looks like the Stockholm school will fill up soon!

tristanr - Hey...thanks for the comments. I really appreciate it. Well there are a bunch of places to buy casts... http://www.statue.com (in the drawing cast section) is a good one...although some people have been unhappy with their casts but I have ordered two and have liked both...both of mine were small though. If you want the best but the expensive ones go here http://www.giustgallery.com/ That one is good as well. That's the extent of my knowledge hehe. Yeah local places don't even know what they are hehe.

vctr - Thanks yeah...composition sucks. Live and learn though right hehe. Yeah I need to get a good camera...badly hehe. Other things come first though...like paint hehe. Pantura leaving is good for them bad for us. But they will do well in Sweden I think...and they will be near family so that's a good thing...besides who wouldn't want to be in europe hehe.

that fat kid - hehe...thanks...it's definitely a painting...many many flaws hehe. You can't ever stop growing...not in the beginning...not in the end. When you live in an isolated world (can be easy in a studio) you start to think your stuff is awesome but if you venture out you start realizing you lack a TON of things that other people are offering...That's why I constantly talk to other artists, etc... because the respect for others' work keeps you in check and shows you the gaping holes in your own skills. I am like swiss cheese haha.

nofish - Awesome! Yeah contact them about going to school you will learn a ton. I am gonna be attending a buttload of workshops over the next 2 years...William whitakers is first in february...have a bunch next year as well. Buying dvds of david leffel working...schmid working...getting books, etc.. And, of course, painting and drawing like a madman. That's my goal over the next couple years...we will see what happens hehe. Don't thank me man...I should be thanking you guys. You know how I found out about ateliers at all...Jason Manley posting a link to the one in Canada. It's how it works in the community we are all here pulling for each other. It's hard enough being an artist on your own...we gotta work together!

_______________________________


Well I'm calling this done only because I touch it anymore I will probably ruin it even more than it already is heheh. Ok here are the self critiques I have on this:

The bottle doesn't turn as much as I wanted it too and part of the reason is because the value relationships needed to be adjusted and weren't...the values of everything else needed to be darker to compensate for how dark the bottle was so that when the highlight was placed it would look a lot brighter. I did lighten the area around the bottle which made it look darker but it wasn't to my liking. Also the lighting setup should have been different to create more interesting reflections on the bottle.

The grape stem used to be more straight up so it would lead the eye into the bottle a little more...the stem fell and I left it...should have fixed it.

I think the paint application was a little too contrived as well. I need to be more direct and intentional with the amoun tof paint, etc... So that caused some of the textures to suffer I think. The stems were painted in literally 15 minutes. I felt very comfortable about the texture and color I was putting down. Some may not like them I guess but I was tapping into something when I did them.

My number one gripe with this is that the composition is BO - RING . The triangle thing isn't working for me. Lame lame lame...too much empty space. But that's what learned when you paint. I won't make that mistake again (hopefully heheh). I felt rushed on this one because I hadn't painted for a couple weeks and I was going crazy so hopefully the next one will have more thought in it hehe.

Sorry for the crappy pictures...

94237

94238

94239

94240

My bridgman copies are officially starting right now! So give me three days to copy the whole book hehe.

[Profil]

It's still a nice painting though:)
Are you serious about the whole bridgman book in three days?:P
Good luck:)

[blacky]

bridgman copies are officially starting right now! So give me three days to copy the whole book hehe.

3 days? You lucky B..., have fun.
Can't wait for you to start lifedrawings. Don't let your imagination catch no rust though, too.
So long...

[Victor B]

fantastic close up shots! best of luck with the workshops/book personal training journey. I thinkyou handled the reflections on the bottle rather nicely. Great to have you posting so much, good luck with the bridgeman copying I bet if you renounced sleep you could do it in 2 days...

[SpiralSpirit]

This is my first time visiting this thread, and going through it I just wanted to congratulate you on your amazing progress. The contrast between the first and latest works is incredible, and you are an inspiration to everyone struggling to progress in making art.

SpiralSpirit

[endregan]

hey jon. nice to see you painting away. awesome rendering for sure.

One thing you already mentioned is the composition, its ass boring. Dead center, I think you could have mixed it up a bit maybe even cropped in closer.

That wood is unreally realistic, really nice attention to detail. You know its all about process, set up something your gonna like painting that is interesting and then go for it like you did with this painting. If you had better compositions the paintings would be that much better...

[Flynt]

MindCandyMan,

I enjoyed seeing this last painting in progress keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing future paintings.:teeth:

-Flynt

[mitch]

awesome work on the painting. I really like how you showed all the different steps of the process. great job.

[That fat kid]

hey Mindcandyman, I wish I had your experience and eye for detail and composition, its superior....the mere fact that you can more expertly critique your painting than almost all of the people on this site is a testament to your self understated abilities....I can't wait until your next endeavor into painting...good luck with bridgeman
and I don't think you're all that alone, you have all the support of the people who ever seen your sketchbook or been graced with your advice...:yayca:

btw, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your advice and critique in my thread, I'll get to work on that bargue right after christmas! heck, hopefully sooner!

tfk, truly inspired! ....Hope I didn't talk too much....

[jkior]

hey man, is your email working? could be on my end though. . .

you mentioned that you felt super confident putting in the stems; it really shows in the finished painting. . .my eye is immediately drawn to them whenever I look at it so whatever you "tapped" into was for sure the right place!

[Blackhawk]

Hey Jon, regardless of the problems, I think this one turned out pretty well. The composition is a little boring, but you still did a solid job man. What do you plan on painting next and how much did you reference to your painted square boards to find the right colors? Just interested in knowing how much you've used them thus far.

[Jeff Jaws]

hey jon,
I gotta say I'm stunned by your color work. damn nice paintings you have there. gotta take some time now and read through this huge pile of information on this page.. let me just wish you a merry christmas for now, I hope everything is going well for you..
take care
Jj.

[gmags]

Watching your work is truely inspiring. I'm in awe. Sweet lookin waterlope. :teeth:

[Magic Man]

Awesome awesome awesome. nothing more to add.

I think you've also inspired me to attend an atlier...dammit, one day I will attend one in Florence baby.

[guggemmaneuver]

wow MCM, you #1 stunna with the outrageous oils! the lighting scheme and colorization is frigging amazing! great work!

joel

[daqu]

wow your progress and the "progress of the students" page on the site...








FREAK ME OUT .......in a REALLY GOOD WAY!

[sydni]

so candy man - painter to painter, you are amazing and serious inspiration. keep posting!! color charts are insane. starting color theory this semester - so i can only imagine the charts i'm about to lose myself in.
cheers.

[shyamshriram]

WOW..that character is great...and the last still life !!!! Man...supercool stuff...thanx for sharing the process...RESPECT !

[Pixeldragoon]

You made it to over 1500 posts. GREAT JOB.

[Robolus]

You´re my heroe!!!!!!!!!