Journey of an Absolute Rookie: Paintings and Sketches

[rybeck]

MindCandyMan,

Great passion that I cannot pass by without giving you a word... One thing I appreciate (and this is my general appreciation for all over things on the earth) is that the effort that I can see from your work...
Pencil milage won't trick us, all we need to do is more drawing, and you are my hero tonight... Thanks for your deligent and hard working...

*P.S.: Can anyone help me how to put a little picture under username? Isn't it called "avartar" or something, right? I tried a couple times but it didn't work...

[Smeagol71]

That robot is great! I love it...fish bowl in the stomach. Good idea. I might have to steal it from you bro. LOL! Keep up the good work!

:nana

[MindCandyMan]

I tried to do a speedpainting last night...it was a horrible disaster. The theme was "the child who saved the world" so I tried to draw this little boy with a helmet on with all these wires coming out of it. I had imagined sort of a minority report...boy with his mental powers saving the world type of thing. I wanted it to have a greenish hue to have a laboratory feel...was so awful I closed the file without saving. It was so awful. I realized then that I have no idea how to utilize color...none. So it was fun last night. Three hours of hitting brick walls...oh well.


__________________________________________

Smeagol - Hey thanks man...I stole the imagery from imphead so I guess if I steal it from him and you steal it from me it will end up being something pretty cool and unique hehe. You could actually do the idea justice too. Thanks for the encouragement bro.

Rybeck - Thanks so much for the encouragement. I am trying to work hard I feel like I am not working hard enough and need to push myself more. I get frustrated at my inability a lot...so thanks for the encouragment it really helps to keep me going. To give yourself an avatar the picture has to first be 80 x 80 pixels and under 15k I think. You have to upload that file to an online server of some sort...then when you have the "link" straight to that picture online go to the "user cp" section up at the top of this site and click on "edit options" and then at the bottom of that page you will see a place to put in the url to your avatar. Have fun.

[carpal]

Been lurking since back on page one, thought I would give you a little post now though. Ever since the first page I have been able to relate to what you are going through perfectly. I started drawing 2 years ago because I was inspired by those over at sijun.com. I have sketchbooks that I swear look EXACTLY like yours. I have pages of loomis heads and anatomy studies.

The thing is, is I really never thought I was getting better. For those 2 years I really only "dabbled" in my sketchbook. I was almost from the viewpoint that art was something that you had or you didn't. It was so hard to get myself to draw when I knew that when I put the pencil to the paper. Nothing cool was going to come of it. You have come further in the last 16 pages of your journey than I did in those 2 years because you are forcing yourself to do it.

Be careful though, don't get too down on yourself. You have to realize that EVERY single thing you read or see is going to affect your work. The fact that you are learning so much makes you MUCH more critical of your own work. That is great, but you have to keep it in check and not let it get you down. if you take in too much at one time you will get disillusioned.

just curious, how many sketchbook pages do you try to do a day?

And please keep all your sketchbooks, I still have my first one and trust me, you will get a kick out of it in not too long.

[MindCandyMan]

Hey PZ...yeah you are right on...does no good to get down on yourself anyways...you can't make it happen quicker or anything...just have to push and push. Yeah I am saving all my crappy work to look back later and laugh hehehe...I was showing somebody some of the stuff I have done the other day and boy was I embarassed hehe...I hadn't looked back through it before really and boy the stuff was awful!!!! hehe. All part of learning though I guess. I haven't really set a daily goal for myself in the sketchbook area but I usually end up doing about a page and a half of sketches every day...I eat my lunch during my work hours slowly so I can draw over my lunch hour...and then I draw on the train so it usually ends up being about an hour and a half of drawing...when I get home I, recently, have been working on a cast drawing and a master's copy. But two days out of the week I go to figure drawing class and I don't get back till like 9 o clock at night when I do that...but the time spent is well worth it that's for sure. Figure drawing is probably the hardest thing I have done so far...so so difficult. I am having a blast in that class though...frustrating that's for sure though hehe. I have a drawing class coming up in the summer where for about 5 weeks I will be going to class and drawing from 4:30 - 7:30 monday through thursday so that will be awesome. Thanks for posting and thank you so much for the encouragement...it's good to know that there are others like me around hehe...so much talent on these boards that you forget that there are people that feel the same as you. Thanks again man and I will definitely keep updating.

p.s. - It's funny that you mention drawing loomis heads and stuff like that...there is this guy in my class doing the same type of thing as me and he pulled out his sketchbook and as he was flipping through I said, "Loomis right?.......Oh that's definitely bridgman.." etc..... hehehe. He started laughing at how I knew them all but I told him it's only because I have looked at those books so much hehehehe...

[MindCandyMan]

updates

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This was a speed painting with the theme "Vehicle: three wheels" ...I know the railings are REALLY messed up along with some other stuff but I have to go to bed hehe...it's a speed painting so I guess that comes with the territory hehe. I know this has a lot of screwups in it but this represented a big mental step for me. I was able to choose some colors and set up a scene and actually make it not TOTALLY HORRIBLE...like my speed painting was the other night. Oh well enough blabbering here it is.

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[Smeagol71]

Nice! Good idea dude, I like your take on the assignment. Here's my advice on small points...

You already mentioned the rails (I went to bed about the same time as you still working on that freelance job!). Of course be careful with your perspective and pay close attention to bending the rails with the tunnel. That goes for the curve in the rows of lights as well, along the tunnel wall.

I like the light coming from around the corner, you're giving me a sense that something's back there. The ambient light on the walls could use some work, but I like it. Remember as well that anything close to that light at the end of the tunnel will lose a lot of detail and become completely silouhetted (sp?) against that light. The rails would probably be almost lost in that light back by the vehicle which you indicated a bit I can see. It would be like that for the rail in the foreground shadow as well.

Great stuff man, I know you didn't have long with it, but my comments are made with the intention that you might go back to this one at some point. Very cool! See you tonight!

:nana

[MindCandyMan]

Thanks bro that's exactly what I like...a breakdown of all the mistakes so I can do it better next time. Yeah there was a bunch of crappy things but I just left it...I was tired at that point heheh. It all just comes down to good drawing as well...which I am not so good at yet hehe. Got to practice practice practice.

[MindCandyMan]

updates

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I am trying to turn over a new leaf in the way I am drawing based on the nudging of a friend. I am approaching it with a different perspective. Might take me a while but we will see how it goes. Just trying to move to the next plateau.

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This is a really preliminary sketch for the next upcoming thunderdome. I am going to try to come up with a unique frankenstein...we'll see what happens.

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This was an impasto test that I was doing. The colors mix like real life...that's right folks this was done digitally hehe

[MindCandyMan]

Frankenstein painting step 1

I hope no one else does Frankenstein although it's probably inevitable that half of the people will do Frankenstein and/or Dracula or something heheh.

[R_M]

hi MKM
your charcoal number 5 in the previous post is really cool! the one with the guy falling backwards..
it has drama movment and somthing I cant put my finger on..

[jester]

Hi MCM,

great new approach to try shading with the flat side of the pencil. This took me to the next level and I'm sure it'll take you there, too. Was it I.was.ink's advice? Take a look at my sketchbook (hands and feet studies) and you'll see what I mean.

I really like the first post and the way the spine comes out of the thorax, also the wooden manikin shows that you understood the new approach.

Your digital impasto study really shows that you though a lot while doing it, however I suggest that you do this with the real stuff first.

Do you want to draw Frankenstein himself or his monster? It isn't clear yet. And watch out the head-hand relation, the hands seem much too large as yet.

I always enjoy coming to your place and see how much you improve - keep pushing!

:thumb:

Jester

[Runcible]

Good job my friend. I'll be doing some of the same to see how it progresses. Here's to constant learning! :chug: No megalomaniacs here...except maybe for the one who gave you the advice! LOL!

[MindCandyMan]

Runcible - I don't have anything to say to you...your name summarizes you perfectly in my opinion. You runcible Megalomaniac.

jester - Hey thanks man. Nah it wasn't iwasink just a friend that I visited over the weekend. Talked some sense into me. The impasto thing was actually just a test to see if the impasto in painter actually worked. I was reading a book on painter and it was talking about getting "3D" looking strokes with impasto so I tried to do it. I just thought it was cool what painter could do...no real thought or anything but I'm glad it had signs of that heheh. This is Frankenstein's monster too not the man. I always just call the monster "Frankenstein"...it isn't true to the book but it's a habit from childhood I guess hehe.

R_M - Hey thanks man I was trying for that when I did that drawing and I thought I failed miserably so I'm glad you were able to pull that from it. Thanks man.

[MindCandyMan]

HAHAHHAAHAH We look exactly the same...same avatar same signature hehehehe

[MindCandyMan]

I'm going to bed hehe...sleepy

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[MindCandyMan]

I've started the slow process of re-uploading all the pics from the beginning of this thread. Eventually they will all be updated. I am going to try to re-upload about 3 pics every day. I'm also workin on revamping my website to have the "journey of an artist" theme. I am going to be sectioning it off into groups of three months. So that will be a catalogue of my progress and will be another way for people to catch up with me and my work. I will do little write-ups telling what I worked on in that three month period...etc... More updates coming soon I forgot to scan my drawings in last night.

[MindCandyMan]

Update

Dracula Sketch

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The speed painting from tonight...the topic was "Organic Alien Ship: A lot of weird shapes"

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Sketchbook pages

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I am trying a lot more experimentation in my sketchbook lately...it's frustrating and it isn't coming out good a lot of the time but I want to keep trying new things with it and keep pushing myself...this page was darkened and then the eraser was used to pull the highlights out...turned out awful...gotta keep experimenting though.

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Frustration hehe

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[MindCandyMan]

Whoops I forgot this one...I am ditching it because the pose is very non-dynamic...thanks for the tip novacaptain! I need to come up with a much better pose and setup. The sketch was to prepare for a painting for the thunderdome contest...this was a remake of the main character in the Castlevania game.

[StephenC]

just wanted to let you know that i look at this everytime you update...

[Runcible]

Sheesh! That Dracula concept is shweeeeet! What are you? Some kind of megalomaniac or something? :nana

[MindCandyMan]

I forgot a couple sketches

These were done during a meeting at work...I was holding my pad really far in front of me heheh. Don't worry I wasn't going to get in trouble if they saw me...the meeting was just boring and we all knew it. I stamped the guys chest with my "confidential" stamp hehe.

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Runcible - I won't reveal your true identity. I am NOT a Megalomaniac. Thanks dancing banana man.

StephenC - Thanks so much man. I know this thread doesn't have the greatest art but I appreciate you sticking with me and going through the journey with me. It helps me keep going it really does...to know that people are interested.

[julien]

it's really nice to see your work here... for a while all i saw was this really awesome but very imposing work from phenomenal artists, and i felt so terribly below their level, so i'm glad to see that you're working where i am, and that you're posting it. that's awesome.

[MindCandyMan]

Update


The them from last night's speed painting was "Guard/Sentry Robot"...I started late and couldn't finish it...bleh

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julien - You should definitely be posting. I felt the same way at first but then I realized that looking at this awesome art should motivate me and not make feel dejected. Thanks for stoppin by.

[MindCandyMan]

I was doing these charts that richard schmid suggests in "Alla Prima"

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When I did the Burnt Umber chart I decided that I want to try to paint something on a piece of bristol board. I messed around with the paints one other time just to get the feel of them but I actually tried to paint something this time and this is what came out...it's a self portrait...this is what I stinkin feel like every day at work...trapped

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I am reworking some concepts I have for the thunderdome contest...I changed my mind I am doing q-bert now hehe

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[jester]

MindCandy, the thunderdome pre-concept of the chicken-like being is just great! Absolutely funny!



Jester

[Runcible]

:mad:

Well, I think it's just shameful what you've done to Q-Bert. My goodness, he was always a symbol of everything cute, innocent, fuzzy...I think I'm going to cry. I while we're on the topic, I hope you're going to take out that awful cursing thing he used to do!

LOL...just jokes! Looks good. The more "hobbles and knobbles" the better, eh?!?

:fruit:

[MindCandyMan]

Runcible & Jester - I am having fun distorting q-bert heheh. I hope it turns out funny and interesting as a painting...we'll have to see hehe. Thanks guys hehe.

[I.was.ink]

Hey MCM can you give me some insight on the "Alla prima" book you're talking about. I'd like to give that one a read, it seems like you're starting to know your stuff on oil paints.

Good job man!

[MindCandyMan]

Hey iwasink...yeah it's an awesome awesome book. Costs 104 dollars total (I think) and you can get it from richard schmid's website. Just log on to www.richardschmid.com and look for it on there and you can get it. Foster turned me on to that book...he said it was invaluable...and it totally is. I have learned a lot about just good drawing in general from it as well and I am only through the first chapter hehe. Check it out it is a purchase well worth it...definitely.