Pou's Sketch Snap

[Minella]

Lovely sketchbook! I would love to see some traditional stuff like still lifes. Try to focus more on values, your digitals look like they need more polishing.

[Pou]

YEAH BOIIIII
2nd page of sb! Thanks for hitting it with your comments guys :3
Man only one page a month... not good enough!
I'm in a really good mood today though heehe.
---

Ramalooke: WOW! THANK YOU. I'll take your advice
I haven't really done any long period drawings/paintings because it's painful.
( I've got no patience at all!! )But that's probably why I need to do it! Haha
Thank you thank you thank you!! I won't be able to focus on only that for weeks, but I will definitely work at it.

adyM: awww you like my style?? thank you for your interest

Minella: Your advice is similar to Ramalooke's ( above ) and I appreciate it!
Two people commenting about this topic means I definitely need to improve on that.
I don't know how to do traditional still lives.. how does that work?
And yes they definitely need polishing!! Thank you!

---

Some sketches today. Realized I draw all my women pretty much naked... erk
But then that made me realize I've no idea how to even draw clothing.
So I attempt hoods and a little folding.. not much

Also a couple of leg and arm/finger studies
Sorry for bad quality :I



2hr photo study...
tried to work on refining...
It's very difficult and I don't know how to approach edges!
I need to study eyebrows and lips, but I like her nose



---

OKAY I DONT NEED SLEEP TONIGHT. RAWRRRRRR Time to work on some still life ^ ___ ^

[Pou]

So I realized today that my camera doesn't take crappy pictures... I've just had it on the wrong setting for awhile..probably by bumping it maybe...

A couple of studies and a nonref'd head & girl with messed up arms.
I quite like the head




5 hr still life. Ughhhh how am I still alive?? I don't know. That was the most painful thing I've experienced in art.
I'm just a big baby though hahah
Mannnn mine doesn't even look goo
HOW CAN PEOPLE DO STILL LIVE STUDIES FOR A LIVING

[Ramalooke]

Hey, nice banana =D and it allready looks much better than your previous one! it has some nice color variations, i also like how different hues shine through te vabirc. great job Do more of these and take your time. You learn how to render nicely and get rid of this slopy feel it has right now. Looking forward to see next updates

[Minella]

I think the banana looks great It was definitely worth the time At least I think so And you asked what I mean by traditional still lives, well just draw stuff from observation like your digital studies but use pencils or charcoal or watercolors or whatever you feel like using that day. Make different compositions of things you find in your home or outside, and draw away~ (That's what I should be doing too xD) I don't know if that was any help, sorry ^^;

[BillW]

Hi!! I saw your comment on Kat's Sketchbook(-10hours/day eat, something something.)
And I thought your comment was very precise and hit the spot for his/her major flaw. Fantastic advice
So I decided to stop by on your sketchbook...

And wow your hogarth studies and other ones are so great. They are almost exact copies.
I also think that your choice to study individual anatomy/parts is wise.

However, something I don't see much of in this sketchbook is your imagination.
I would prefer to see some of your personal/ creative artworks along with studies
... I want to see what you create with all this knowledge of anatomy.
Part of being an artist is to be able to take what you've learned and make new things. Plus it's interesting


Also #44 Post scared me because I thought you had rendered the gun it'self ( all colors and etc ). I was amazed for a second haha

But anyways, I have a question. How are you able to take the time to render and copy every detail? In other words... how do you learn patience? Like Kat I am very bad at finishing artworks because I get bored of what I'm working on. But it's in those finishing touches where alot of learning happens. Argh
Any advices/critiques you could offer for me? I would appreciate anything very much. Thanks!

You know you have some pretty cool stuff in here. Your sketches have a lot of life to them! You also have some really nice still life's, portraits and studies.

You could take anyone of your more refined figure sketches and detail them out. That would help you learn that patience you were asking about. What I like to do is rough out my sketch then work from the top down and get as close as I can get at my current level and detail them out. Dark lines and all over the rough sketch. Then I will actually go over it with a knead eraser to clean it up, then take another eraser to clean up the junk. Then I will render the drawing the best I can. A lot of work for a single figure drawing? Maybe, but I also look at it like this. I could draw 100 shitty drawings in an hour or perfect 1 figure in an hour and go over it twice. Why? Well why teach yourself to draw a 100 shitty figures (or anything?)? Why not teach yourself to improve by fixing the mistakes on those figure drawing and teaching your eyes and hand how to draw the correct version you want?

That's the way I look at it at.

And I did do a drawing from imagination


ETA: in no way was I implying you have a hundred shitty drawings lol. I just realized that could be misinterpreted! That was just my general thinking on why I practice the way I do and not directed at anyone in-particular.

[Pou]

Wow thanks for the positive feedback you guys! Honestly I was a bit scared to see what you guys would say...or if no one would say anything. Which is usually a bad sign D: luckily you guys are awesome and kind.

Ramalooke: Thank you!! It's pretty difficult, but I will carry on
I'm sure you've gone through more struggles to get to your skill lvl. Gotta cut out my baby whines
Looking forward to your posts as well!!

Minella: Ohhh that's what you meant
I had thought you were referring painting traditionally hahaha ( I don't even know how to do that yet. )
I've gained some chips of charcoal some friends thought were too small for them.
They're missing out and wasting >:0 Lucky for me though!
I will try some traditional still lives sometime in the future.
Nonono! You were of great help and yeah! let's strive together~

BillW: DUUUDEE Thanks so much! I'll have to try that method for rendering with pencils
Also I tend to go inbetween the 100 and 1 drawing, usually about 5-10 an hour... I'm slow and get distracted
And ah I didn't misinterpret it! Even if I did I would take it to heart in the good way and slow down even more
But I agree, longer period drawings are definitely important...so I'll concentrate on those more anyways haha
I like your outlook and I'll check your imagination drawing out right after this post

---

Sorry guys I'm all talk and barely any bite today.
Currently working on a still life and it's kicking my ass so much. Owchie.
I'll finish it by tomorrow and upload it then
Gonna have to keep it to one still life every two days
Time constraints

So just a couple of anatomy, cloth, gesture studies and unref'd people.
I love drawing women so I forgot about men hah.
Hadn't drawn any in a long time, besides anatomy body parts
Still as boring to draw erk



Oh and I tried some more watercolor today



Also a quick nonref'd doodle I forgot to upload yesterday



Man I suck today...and am really really talkative?

[toshi13go]

Hey pou thanks and thank for commenting as well. You got some sweet figures going on here! Looking forward to your uploads as well! Haha, yep time to grind!

[Pou]

Toshi13go:

---

Oh man right after I say let's grind, I slack like the sock in my still life
I wish I could just art everyday as much as I want. Priorities suck
Just a tiny bit amount of studies. Agh this is embarrassing.



Here's finished still life...
Yeah I don't like it. I played around with a blur filter too
4-5hrs ( I kept redoing everything. )



oh and also tried out this for the first time on this piece.

Uh I don't know how I feel about it honestly. My tablet doesn't have much pressure sensitivity to begin with

---

8 more days until I get to begin learning color theory and anything related to color besides still lives! Yeah!

[Wavenwater]

Sup there!
Saying there is no need for compliment on the first post is kind of... well, I don't give a damn, I'm gonna compliment you anyways, cuz that's how I am haha!
You've got some really sweet stuff here mate! Really liking your productivity and energy in your work, lines going everywhere but still making sense is cool! So yeah, There is a great flow in the work!
Also, attractive girls are always Great for selling your stuff, good job haha!
On the Critique part, since it's what you are really trying to get, here it goes!
Once again I really like your productivity, I just want to make sure you don't "copy" the stuff you draw in your studies, you really gotta disect what you see and simplify it so that you can recall it anytime you want when it comes to drawing from imagination!
Also, really tonal work, your black n greys works really well!
That being said, I would really like to see more of structure anatomy (yeah that borring stuff with cubes and sphere in 3d space) it's really gonna help you later on I swear Cuz when I Look at your anatomy study I see lots of lines going everywhere but I don't feel like you got the 3d shape of this, you get me? yeahhh!
One last thing, about photoshop painting, be carefull about your edges! many lines are lost and that take away the good look of a painting really quick! Also try to do lines that follow each others, As I see right now, it's much more of somepatchy almost sponge painting work. Feel the flow of the contour and try to understand how light is working on the material and ultimately, keep the same image as ref, but change the lighting to an imaginated one, that's where you are gonna bang your head on the wall to understand how it works and that's where you are gonna realise thing !

Well well that was my thoughts on your work! I can feel lots of determination, so I hope you are gonna keep working on as hard as you've been working!
Great work, keep it up !

[Pou]

Wavenwater: Oh. YES. You've hit all my weaknesses

I don't like compliments because my head gets inflated and so fat. It's not good for me,
but it is nice toreceive them every once in awhile I suppose thank you

AHHHHHHHHHH YOURE RIGHT. All my digi pieces have a spongy look to them
Now this is the best kind of critique. Telling me what is error in my art and then giving me advice.
I'll definitely try what you've suggested about switching up the light...
but I have no idea how lighting works right now
should I still try it now? Awh heck why not, haha I'll try it soon.
Okay I will go to 3D shapes. I never really studied them to begin with
but I have been trying harder lately to imagine form.
Going to 3d shapes might just be the simpler way to learn it for now though...obviously derp XD


---

Okay I sucked today also. Got to get my head back into it.
Today was a really bad day for art

WIP of Unref'd graphite sketch. I will be adding more
Hey BillW I tried what you recommended and it worked well!
I think it improved my traditiional lines a whole bunch



Some studies, towards the end I tried to keep my lines simple



A photo study of myself. UGH SO BAD. Dang.
Guess it's good I'm practicing on myself so I don't offend anyone else
Oh and I didn't like my other eye...yeah
kept redoing everything and just couldn't get that one to not look horrifying
bad excuses for bad quality art
2-3hrs



Another sad excuse. I tried to see how I paint faster now and it's just way to soon for that.
Also I just suck at this
3hrs



Sometimes art is just so difficult to me and my patience is nonexistant

Also I think I'm going to upload only every other day... I don't want to be flooding the front CA sketchbook page

[Ramalooke]

Those life studies are getting stronger. But you can do better. Push yourself and render hell out of those studies. This bone you painted is on completly new level. Good job!

[yuniken]

POU YOU INSANE! KEEP ON GOING HARD AND YOU WILL WIN! dont forget to have some fun and put the studies away for a day or 2, just paint some beautiful stuff like butterflies, flowers and zombies ¦D PARTY HARD, PAINT HARD! EVERYTHING HARD! haha

[Vodoc]

Hey, nice work! That portrait from 1.12.2013 is awesome!

[Pou]

Ramalooke: Thank you for your faith in me!! And yeah I liked the bone
perhaps my interest in the subject matter helped me pay most attention to the details
I'll push myself MORE YESSS yeaaaaaahhh!!!

Yuniken: NO YOU INSANE....LY AWESOME!! YEUH.
Well my edges really really suck and I can't think of any other way to improve them other than still lives...but I'll try to do more personal work. I like drawing naked people
I hate butterflies :c. I'm actually creating a short story pertaining to that hatred and I'll upload each update as I create it here. GOIN HAM UP IN HURRE yakyakyak

Vodoc: Thank you! I'm glad you think so

---

I ditched my responsibilities today and worked on art a little more. heehe
Anyways now to art related stuff.

I've decided to start learning color a week early. And it's a good thing too. I HAVE NO IDEA OF ANY OF THIS.
I would appreciate any advice and help on this subject (colors and light/shadow)!!
Anything besides complimentary, tertiary, and secondary colors since I just learned about them and what they are today.
Lol such a noob here

But before I attempted any color learning/studies I did a nonref'd chick to see where I'm starting at.
2 hrs. So slow and bad. Don't know how to refine anything below her face



I wanted to get a feel of what colors look like ( The bare basics)
5 min each



A color photo reference. I had no idea there were so many hues in skintones o _ o
about 2 hrs, can't remember exactly



The completed jellyfish drawing from the first post in my sketchbook.
Finished it awhile ago...just too lazy to take a picture until now
The camera kills it. Gonna touch up the drawing a little bit in the future



Some sketchbook pages. Tried to draw boxes 3d. And made me realize I don't know how to do that D:
Gonna work on that



Lastly a still life!!
I despised my last still life of the same subject so I chose to redo it. It's a mini orange
Man I know what I'm going to buy myself as a present for the holidays. It's going to be a magnifying glass
I had to practically put the little orange peel to my eye to see anything
Also grossly the peel looks like human skin and you can pop the bubbles it has
Uhhh not that happy with the result of this one either.

4 1/2-5hrs

[Xiliuv]

I love those traditional studies, I need to learn from them P:

I really want to see some paintings a little bit more detailed.. maybe you should
do one but with more time process C:
And that style is really nice!!

[Ramalooke]

Your doing great! It's ok to fail now and then. Good thing about failed studies is that they teach more than those succesfull ones =d so stay at it and keep on rockin'. I love to see a hard working person, it will benefit sooner than you think. Peace!

[zou]

hi pou
so many updates

if you keep in this pace you'll be awesome in no time.

studies are very good , keep doing them

for the values don't forget to squint your eyes

i know it's a bit annoying to stick to one thing at a time, but you should work more your proportions and drawing before doing colors (wich are pretty good in your case)

i guess i should visit more often here since you're updating

keep it

[Charmer]

Heyhey, there was just one thing I had to criticize at first but as I scrolled down I saw you got better at it:
just working out the silhouettes better. All In all I'd say you're getting better in no time, like Zou already said.

Your latest banana piece is SO MUCH better than the one on page one. Go on!

[Dennis Kessel]

Pou, the way you approach art and getting better at it is simply amazing, the way you're drawing like 3 hours a day or more it seems, is just insane. Are you taking a few years off from school at the moment? Because I can't imagine you drawing this much when your in school or university or whatever. All this practice is resulting in you improving rapidly. Seriously your work has actually improved alot in 1 month!!!! Your characters are looking really good already. A tip for drawing hands because I saw that that in your study of a realistic hand the fingers were to short. Remember that the longest finger from top to the third knuckle is about the same length as from the third knuckle down to the wrist. You learned to draw anatomy so well in such a short time I think it would also be good for you to practice landscapes. Since that is a whole different story and takes time to learn. If you can keep drawing as much as you're drawing now ( or even a bit less ) then I think your well on you way to become a professional artist in 2 years or less. Good luck and I hope you keep updating like you are now!!

-Dennis

[SolitariusScriptor]

Wow, Pou, I leave for a bit and you take off skyrocketing. Amazing stuff. I need to get my butt going and start my sketchbook already. -_- I'm enjoying observing your improvement, it's motivating.

[Pou]

Oh hi everyone! Thanks for commenting



Argaelie: you are correct. Okay I'll crack down on that with fierceness.
and learn from my studies?? Acghhh I don't know what I'm doing D: noooo
but if it will help you I suppose all well. Thanks!

Ramalooke: You are so kind with your comments.
You know how to chipper me up all the time :') thanks buddy ahhh
You are inspring to me really

Zou: So your comment makes total sense after me trying some color today.
Unfortunately I'm running out of time (portfolio due in 1 mnth)
So I will try to balance it out ... and learn both anatomy and color at the same time? oh gosh
Ugh I've never studied color before now so I don't think theyre good at all,
I think my major problem with colors is understanding lighting and shading
Thank you. It is very annoying. AND YOU. YOU UPLOAD MORE ALSO THEN
but I always love visitors. Let me return the favor on your sb too sometimes! hehee

Charmer: Oh what do you mean silhouettes? Ah do you mean my edges?
I fail so much at them so yeah I'm trying to improve them.
Yeah I have a hate war with bananas since it was the first thing I studied still life
...but now I think it's with mini oranges grrr
Thanks for your comment charmer!

Dennis: Well.....
-Currently I'm working a fulltime job and taking one GE class at a comm college. I've just applied to a CSU art program, but if I don't get accepted then I'm going to quit my job for a year or so and just art the whole time.I've been working my butt off and saving so I can afford a year of real college or a year to study art all day haha! Either way I plan on losing lots of money though o __ o
but saturday is my day off from work. I get time to draw lots on that day
Weird that it's saturday isn't it...at least I think so.
-WOW YOUR TIP. CRAP THATS AWESOME. How did I not realize that?? Thanks dude!
And...oh man. I'm scared to study landscapes seriously. But sure I'll try them.
It'll have to be after I get a grasp on basic color though..they are a whole diff story aren't they D:
Thank you for your motivation.
Sorry for all the text ^ ___ ^ haha no I'm not sorry bahah

Solita: I'm glad I could help motivate you! I'll have to check out your sketchbook when you make it

---

Phew okay onto art

FAILDAY TO THE MAX.

I do a self portrait of myself. I think this one has many issues because I have no sense of form.
So I will be concentrating on that instead of all this hubub.
I did however learn that nostrils aren't just black holes that go into another dimension
2hrs



A quick still life
How do you do straight lines in photoshop? Besides holding the shift button... I can't use that >
Took me so long because I can't draw straight lines lol
1hr



Discovered loomis today. Phew think it'll be just what I'll need.



Did a pencil sketch and then colored it in PS
Once again problem with form
1 hr 30min ttl



From now on I will be uploading every other day.
I don't think it's practical for anyone if I upload daily D:
I feel bad if my posts are so small

Also I'm going to stay up a bit and work on form.
Thanks everyone! Sorry for my sucky suck day today,
color was just something I had to try and get a grasp on and now I know I'm not ready for it yet :X

[zou]

hi Pou
some crits:
try to practice a bit jatching lines before shading,
hatching is harder than doing the flat shading with pencil (when u do parallel lines that mix into one flat value)
when doing another layer of hatching, don't make squares (no 90° angle)

you're right about values and lighting, but when it comes to colors choosing (u know, taste and those things) you're pretty good . this last girl have rich colors

ok i'll update more often

[michellehiraishi]

Wow, just looked through your sketchbook and your progress is so inspiring to me. And I have mad respect for someone who works full time on top of all your independent art studies. I noticed that in your Loomis studies you started shading the figures more, try to keep that up with future studies as it really helps with establishing the volume of the figures. Even just using a piece of charcoal or the flat end of your pencil to block out your dark areas will work. Best of luck!!

[Mrkolsyrad]

Great stuff you've got here! You're making great progress .
Id like to see you take something to the max OVER 9000!!!! *cough*. As in, even if it takes like 8 - 10 hours, let it take 8 - 10 hours .
There's a lot of 2-3 hours stuff, but I think that you could push it more if you really want to!
And I agree with the earlier comment about building things in 3d, it helps A LOT. It helps to see things in a more simplified manor and build things from scratch from imagination.
Keep it up .

[Pou]

Zou: Hey buddy! Thanks for the crits
I'll def give hatching a try, thanks for the compliment
And you'd better!

Michelle: YEUH fistbumb ; _ ;b You know my pain. Read that you work also in your sb
And thanks for the tip! I'll try to keep my shadng up in the future to help define the volume

Mrkolsyrad: SOB SOBBBB. Okay, I can see my soul flying away from me
I know I need to do it. SO.....I will I'll just die a little on the way there
Sorry I'm a bit dramatic bahhhh. Thank you for your advice and I'll attempt that length with a photo study

---

Hey guys, I'm trying to get my vision to stop tripping and see objects as 3D
So this weekend I worked on improving the volume of faces.
But something came up sunday in my free time, so I didn't get much accomplished dang
No still lives this time. Gonna concentrate on other things for the time being
Here's some sketches of studies, phtos and imagination



A photo study
2-3hr



I then attempt a B&W unref'd...improved tiny bit but still crap
2hr



So I do another photo study concentrating on not making it flat.
Improved but now I need to learn how to render in addition to better volume,
because it's still crap



Ugh. I wish I didn't suck so much. Dammit frustrated
I'll try what people suggested with longer studies. That's gonna be painful

[SolitariusScriptor]

Pou, thank you so much for checking out my sketchbook. I also like the name Solita, :3

For some sort critiques, your face drawings and studies are very nice. I enjoy the monochromatic paintings, and how you are taking your time to refine them. I can learn more than a thing or two from your patience. Those long studies should be very helpful to you in the long run. Memory plays a pivotal role in accordance to what we want to draw. You seem to have a very nice repertoire already, no hurt in improving it, which you're already doing Keep it up! I need to run and do some.

[Ramalooke]

For sharp edges don't be afraid to use lasso tool, or polygonal lasso tool. Its ok to cheat like that from time to time Nice updates, keep'em coming :>

[Uiriamu]

Hey Pou! The way you render your digital work is unique and interesting, me like!

[Pou]

Solita: GOOD. I'm glad you like the nicknm :3 O-oh no way.
I've got patience?? XD Okay thank you and for the advice.

Ramalooke: Ugh noooo I would just feel wrong about doing that, since that is my most challenging area D:
But thank you for the tip, it has actually helped me and in the future I'll try to get them super sharp in the beginning myself~

Murderotic: Oh you think so? Thank you

---

Hey guys! It's the most terrible time of the year again~ Finals Week. Dun Dun Dunnn. Okay okay there are alot worse things out there, but not to a procrastinating student who pretty much relies on the finals for the outcome of her final grade. Hah what a loser

anyways what I'm getting at is...this is my excuse for not pooping out much these days ( and prob not until this weekend )! Uhhhh my final apparently has two parts, so two days of finals. WHO DOES THAT SRSLY. Apparently my class. Oh well deal right XD


First up:

I did something I probably should not have attempted at all. But I attempted it anyway yayyy rebel. So right now, I do NOT want critique on this piece ( DO NOT WANT ). I know there are a few things wrong that I can see and it's prob 1/6th done at this stage. I will keep posting updates, and at that time I will ask for critique because I do love it
Up until this point it has been unref'd but I will soon start using reference
3hrs so far



Some sketches ref'd and practice. Oh also a clay bunny I'm working on. A friend had left over clay..but not much so that's why it's FRIKKIN TINY. First time working with clay and I suck hahuu




Annnddd some more stuff I did instead of the things I needed to do.
Should have probably done these before my imagination piece above. Ah well w/e
Gotta say doing these has prob been the most fun since I've started drawing.... I'm not kidding * u *
They were really really fun. I think I love copying color haha
These are just to understand color, and stress relief
Color studies:
1 hour,10min,30min,30min





ANNNNDDD that's all I got. Was gonna show some of my old stuff but there is literally no improvement shown until the first page of this sketchbook o ___ o. Ego bruiser