Sanby - Sheridan Portfolio stuff, I need Help!

[Sanby]

Ok, here is my sketchbook, following in the footsteps of the all so mighty MindCandyMan. He has inspired me to take initiative and learn how to draw/paint. I will sketch at least one sketch everyday and hopefully more. I will always post them here, no matter how bad I think they are. Please tear them apart, as it's the only way I will learn. I look forward to reading comments about the sketches so that I can move forward wit my ability. I have officialy started this daily ritual as of Oct. 4, 2004. So, here are my first sketches.

This is a doodle I did in english class. I was working on perspective. It was really light, so I amped up the contrast, it is acctually drawn with a pencil. BTW, this was done before Oct. 4



A tank I drew while hanging out with some friends. Done in pen, again, working on perspective.



Another tank, done in my sketchbook. Working on perspective. Damn scanner cut off the top and bottom though, O well.



These are the first sketches in my daily routine, done on Oct 4.


Sanby

[liam.c]

cool mate keep going do it every day no matter waht !

[Sanby]

liam.c : thanks for the reply and encouragement.

Ok, here are todays sketches.

This first one I did realy quickly to see if I could get the shape down fast (1-2 minutes)


These are some more hands. I enjoy drawing hands even though they are very difficult, I'm not sure why. I started drawing the hand on the right, a little too close to the edge, that is why it is cut off, it wasn't the scanner. The other thing is a pot that a plant is in.


I have a few questions also. Such as:

What are some good books to get a hold of?

This is a wierd one. When I draw, the pencil always get dull so quickly so I end up with really fat and furry lines. What do you guys to do to prevent this?

I am intersted in 3D modeling and animation, that is why I want to get a solid foundation in drawing/painting. I am in grade 11, so I need to start looking to the future. I am thinking I would like to go to sheridan, but I am not sure exactly how to go about it. I saw another thread about something similar. If I take art fundies in my first year (years?) then I don't need a portfolio to get in? Then I can build one and move on to more advanced stuff, or the 3D thing? Anyway info would help, thanks.

And, as always, please comment and give me some tips.


Sanby

[Sanby]

My internet went down yesterday so I couldn't post. So, here is yesterdays and today sketches.

For some reason, every time I scan and image in, I feel it looks less impressive then the actual drawing. Anyone else find this?


These are from 10/6/04. Two hans, and a sheriffs badge (I do know how to spell sheriff, but I ended up with not enough room, so I just left it)


This is from today, 10/7/04. It's a gameboy colour. I want to continue on this, bu I didn't have anything but my mechanical pencil, and it is a pain in the ass to try and shade with.


I would love some comments and critique, to know what you think, and so I can improve.

Also, if people could answer some of the questions from the previous post that would be awesome.

Lastly, I bought "Drawing on the right side of the brain yesterday", and so far it looks great. I haven't had a chance to try any of the exercises cause of school stuff, but I hope to do some this weekend. And, I will for sure post the results.

Sanby

[liam.c]

good choice on the book ... every one i know that has acutly done the exersizes has progressed verry quickly ! so make shure you do them work on those basic shaps and perspective <i know kinda boreing but doesnt take long > and grab up an anatomy book ... do studys from that as thay are then try it your self with soem thing fun with waht you just learned for me ,i find that works pretty well

[Sanby]

Yesterday I was gonna post, but it got very late, and I needed to get up early. So, again I am posting two days worth of sketches.

This is a drawing of my hand. It is the first little exercise in "Drawing on the Right side of the Brain" It is a vefore picture, so that once I have finished the book, I can look back and judge my progress.


This also is from the first exercise of "before pictures" It is a portrait from memory.


Lastly, this is a self-portrait, still from the first exercise.


BTW, what is a mech sharpener. Someone on the forum said they were good, but I don't know what it is.

Sanby

[Sanby]

Here my sketch for today. I am steadily going through that book (Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain) This is the exercise, wher you draw the image upside down, so you cannot recognize what you are drawing. It is supposed to help you become familiar with what it is like to be in "R-mode"

I found it very helpful. When I really got into the mode, things just started to click.The hardest parts I found were the hands and head, because I could recognize them to some degree, so I switched out of "R-mode" I was pleasantly surprised wit the results, especially the legs, they are quite close to the actual drawing in the book.



Sanby

[Sanby]

I have infact been drawing over these past few days that I haven't posted. I have had the modt hectic week probably in my life, so I haven't been sketching until late. That is why I haven't really had the time to scan and post. Hopefully I will put up a big batch of sketches after the weekend. I'm going to algonquin on a hiking trip this weekend, so I will be able to sketch and post some photos as well, if people are interested.

BTW, I still haven't had my previos quesitons answered. If anyone could help me out with those questions, it would be really appreciated.

Thanks

Sanby

[Sanby]

Well, It's been 4 days since my last post, and I feel bad about that. I Have however been drawing as much as I can. Last week was probably the most hectic week of my life, and on the weekend I had a most unpleasent hiking trip in Algonquin. So, now that thins are relatively back to normal, I can continue posting.

These are just a collection of quick sketches I did, with the little time I had.


And, this is a page of drawing I did today in English class (ack othello, bla bla bla, skakespeare). They were acctually done in pen, but I scanned in black and white and didn't realize till now, so I will just leave it. The profile, is the guy that sits next to me. It acctually kind of resembles him so I am quite happy with it.


BTW, Drawing on the right side of the brain is an incredible book, I am not even through the exercises with line yet, and I am already seing things differently, and am able to start to put them on paper better.

Sanby

[Sanby]

Well, it as been way to long since I last posted, or for that matter, sketched. But, I bought Bridgeman's book yesterday, so hopefully I can find some new inspiration and learn a bit at the same time.

Anyway, here is sketch I did at school, out of an anatomy book they have.



Sanby

[Sanby]

Here is the next installment of sketches. I am looking through that bridgeman book right now, and I am sketching some stuff out of it.

Anatomy is really detailed though, and it is way more complicated to learn then you guys make it seem. What is the best way to learn anatomy do you guys think?

Here is some brdigeman stuff.


This is more bridgeman stuff. Arms this time.


Lastly, this is a sketch I did in art class. We had to make a sketch of a gargoyle that we are going to make out of clay. (This isn't very gargoyleish but I like it anyway. Any pointers to make this better?


Sanby

[Sanby]

I've posted a bunch of sketches now, and it is getting a bit frusterating that no one replies to give me some advice. What do I have to do to get this thread a little attention?

anyway, if anyone would reply, that would be great.

Sanby

[Sanby]

Here is some more stuff from the bridgeman book.



Sanby

[Joeslucher]

Studying Bridgeman and reading Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain are the right way to go. With the Bridgeman drawings don't be afraid to just trace them. If you traced each of his drawings three times imagine how much more ingrained that knowledge would be in your head.

[Yoell]

draw draw draw

pick up magazines and draw the people in them, spend time studying each litle part of them slowly and lightly sketching them out, the flesh them out adding darks n such, draw the same pic over and over if you have to.

practice practice.

doodle all the time, draw all the time.

FORCE yourself to draw things you dont want to.

best advice Ive found on the site, draw from life, it can only HELP you.

Drew

[Mike Frank]

Keep practicing man. I would suggest to keep working on basic shapes and perspective in conjunction with all that you're doing. You want to get yourself comfortable with these basic tools as they can be incredibly useful for you. As far as anatomy goes, first we want to break the body into masses. These are the areas which for the most part have a steady relationship within itself - head, rib cage, pelvis, upper leg, lower leg, foot, upper arm, lower arm, hand. You can use simple shapes like boxes or cylinders or whatever you want to get comfortable with this idea. Then you want to study the skeleton - get a good idea of how the bones are shaped and how they articulate with one another. From there, try to find a reference that'll show you origin and insertion points of the surface muscles. This way we can attach these muscles in whatever poses we like. We want to break the body down into units of forms, so we can pose it however we like and have a good idea of how it will look. I am hardly done studying anatomy myself, dunno if I ever will be hehe but I think this is a good approach.. Sometimes all this stuff will make your head spin but dont give up, I've noticed that sometimes on the first day of a new study I might have a hard time picking anything up at all.. but then I wake up the next day and some of it has sunk in, looking at the drawings again it starts to make some sense. Each time you do these studies, really try to grasp the form and volume of the subject - always analyze when drawing, even when copying others drawings, or else you will be stuck using your eyes and not your mind. Here is a little bit of a demo I made for StudioPC a little while ago, not really fleshed out was just sort of trying to convey the type of knowledge we are after http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../anat-demo.jpg . Anyways, just keep it up man. Hope this is some help to you.

[Madoliane]

This post made me smile because I started out a couple of months ago with 'drawing on the right side of the brain' too and I recognised some of your earlier exercises.
Keep up the good work and draw, draw, draw - and as earlier advice said, draw from life. I find this very difficult but coupled with drawing from photos etc: its beginning to make more sense.
Good luck on your journey.

[Sanby]

Thanks for the posts everyone, it's very encouraging.

Joeslucher: Thanks for the tip about just copying the drawing from bridgeman. I was kinda doing that, but I would only to it once and then move on. I like you idea of doing them over a few times.

Yoell: I am gonna grab a few magazine and sketch from them, thanks for the tip. I am not very good with shading either, so maybe this wil force me to do it a bit. I also like the idea of forcing myself to draw things I don't want to.

Some_Guy: Thanks for that explanation, and the link. I am going to practice getting those basic masses down right, and then I'll move from their.

Madoliane: Yeah, that book is great. I am going to start drawing from life. I am kinda scared of it right now, so I don't do it. But, as Yoell said, I have to force myself to draw things I don't want.

Sanby

[Floris Didden]

Just because you took all the responses in the "How to get noticed thread" so seriously and cool, I'm commenting as well. It's true, with so many DSB it's hard to keep track.

Good studies, keep em comming. Drawing with the right side of the brain is the shit, keep it up man ..

If you haven't already, try get a copy of Loomis for the anatomy studys. Yoell's advise is too true, draw stuff you don't want to. I am still constantly catching myself on drawing too much of the same stuff which I, or my peer-group/audiance, think is cool. It makes you stagnate in your developement, be diverse!

The arm/hand studies are comming along nicely. The portraits still need a lot of work. Don't be discouraged though. Do them from ref first before you try doing em all from you're imagination. Skull studies are important for this as well, it's so much easier to draw a head when you know what lyes beneath.

Try to find life drawing classes in your area, it helps tons.

[Sanby]

Thanks for all the advice Floris Didden. I have heard a lot of people saying to look at loomis and bridgeman. I have the bridgeman book, but I think that I will look at the loomis stuff as well, just because it is constantly being mentioned.

I am going to look at those skull studies like you mentioned. I saw a bit in the bridgeman books, but I don't think the sketches were very detailed. I'll see if maybe it's in the loomis stuff.


Sanby

[Helium Macaroni]

Hey man, here's a tip about your tanks and drawing vehicles/objects in perspective generally. If you are going to actually plot your vanishing points and draw from them, space them much farther apart to achieve a more realistic look. Where your bottom guidelines intersect coming from the vanishing point there should be no less than a 90 degree angle where they join. Infact, the wider you make that angle, the better and more realistic it looks, but don't make it too wide or else it will distort the image. Later on when you get your perspective work down you can play with moving your vanishing points to force certain perspectives. Also, normally when designing such vehicles and whatnot, you really don't even want to plot your vanishing points, as they are usually so very far apart. Work instead on doing freehand perspective guides that aren't plotted but yet are accurate.

Here is a perspective grid you can lay under a piece of paper and draw on top of. Blow it up or shrink it depending on your format. Most everything in the frame is within the cone of vision, so it should come in useful. Good luck.

[Sanby]

Sweet. Thanks for the tips, and the grid. I am going to work on what you suggested.

Sanby

[Sanby]

latest sketches. I had a busy night tonight, so I didn't have time to work on everything suggested. This weekend I am going to work on some of what you all suggested.

Sanby

[Sanby]

These are some quick sketches out of a Skate Magazine. Some Gestures and trying to get the masses right. The Skate Magazine is great because their are many different dynamic poses from lot's of angles. (Plus skating just kicks ass) Top left corner is from a picture of bucky lasek


I've drawn this arm now 4 times and it is just starting to have the right proportions.


Sanby

[Sanby]

Well, I have a week off school, so I'm going to Florida I won't be on for the next week, but when I get back I should have a big dump.

Sanby

[Brall]

Good stuff man, I like what your doing. Keep up the good work and I'll check in on you again sometime soon to see whats new. Just keep hammering away at that anatomy!

[Kondor]

i'll also be checking in on you to see how much you're improving since it gives me inspiration

[Sanby]

Ok, I am back from Orlando, florida. I had a great time. I went to Universal and gator land, saw The Incredibles (Great movie) and went to the Vans Skatepark twice (sweet). Amongst all that, I didn't have very much time to draw. I did however manage to find a bit of time every morning before other people got up, and things were in full swing. Most of the time I sketched and started shading this skateboarder, out of a magazine. It still isn't finished, it's takeing me a really long time to shade, but I figure I'll take my time.

Anyway, enough bla bla bla and more Pictures

Bridgeman arms. Still drawing this stuff, it' s a lot of fun to do.


This is the skateboarder. (Thought it was bucky Lasek but now I don't think so)


This is the result of absolute boredom in math.


Man, I really need to learn how to scan stuff in right. It looks much better on paper. O well.

BTW,
Kondor:Thanks for the comment, and it's great to hear that I am a tiny bit inspiring

Brall: Thanks for tip, I will keep at the anatomy. Arghh, so much to tackle.

Sanby

[Craig Houghton]

Yeah! By the time I got to the last post I was thrilled to see the progress. You're thinking in terms of what you actually see, not what expect, and it's inspiring to see that transformation.

Keep up what you're already doing, draw more from life, and keep hitting the books.

Well done. I'll be watching the thread.

-Craig

[Undertow]

Bridgeman arms. Still drawing this stuff, it' s a lot of fun to do.

as long as you stick with Bridgeman you can't go wrong! My recommendation to you is to not just study line use and study more volume in life. Think about each individual shape of the body. I was taught to think of different parts of the anatomy as things like cylinders, spheres, footballs, triangles etc. once I figured out thinking in 3d on paper my work improved at an incredible rate. Either way, keep at it man, your work will imrove with time, it doesn't happen over night
-Mike