Ryuartyi's Sketchbook - [2/1/2010: The Day After the End of the World]

[Ryuartyi]

After two years of constant migraine headaches, I have finally gotten them under control which gave me enough energy to start up my sketchbook again.

I'll be posting my studies and pieces of art every day so I can keep track of my own progress, and so you can see it as well. You can't learn everything on your own.

Thanks for checking this out, and I'll take all the help I can get.

[Ryuartyi]

With a lot of time off comes a complete lack of skill. I'm suffering a lot from every aspect of art, and this will definitely change later on when I get more skilled. For the first month or so, complete newbie art is all I'll be able to provide.

That's the point of a sketchbook, right?

[Ryuartyi]

I was very busy today, and didn't have that much time to get practicing done. I did some drawings from "The Vlippu Drawing Manual" about spherical shapes. Hopefully I won't have as much schoolwork tomorrow and can get more done. I'm a little disappointed with myself today, but tomorrow can only be better.

[Ryuartyi]

Today I did some more circular studies from Vilppu, but I'm still working on more of the base of the figure rather than rendering it (I did try though, but a LOT of work is needed).

I'll be working more on Vilppu tomorrow and hopefully I can get to the box forms section of it. Once I get the hang of these concepts I'll start using photo or other references. I'm under stress because my financial aid isn't coming into my college and tuition is due on Monday. Hopefully it'll be resolved.

Still, any comments or criticism would be very helpful. As I said, I can't do all of this alone.

[Ryuartyi]

Well, I had promised myself a day off of drawing practice today so I could get ready for classes tomorrow, but my self nagging made me feel guilty so I made two pages of studies from Vilppu. I'm now to boxes!

I'm getting better at least.

[Ryuartyi]

I don't know why I'm updating today, I felt stressed and down because my tuition was due today and I'm jobless. I squeaked by with financial aid but I still owe $600. I only got one page of studies from Vilppu done today, and I'm severely disappointed with the results. I really hope I can push myself for five pages so it feels like I'm getting something accomplished. I think I still should've worked through the time I was down, but couldn't get it done. Hopefully I'll never write more words than post pictures ever again.

I'm trying digital painting soon, so prepared to see several horrible paintings in the days to come. Thanks for anyone taking a look at my sketchbook of boring studies.

[Ryuartyi]

Well, I got an apple painted... I've pretty much been making excuses that I don't have a job at the moment so I haven't been drawing because I've been worrying about it too much.

I'm figuring now that there's nothing I can do about the situation until someone offers me a job. With this, I'll be focusing a lot more on studies and paintings and hope I can get a source of income.

I'm done making excuses, and my drawing habits before have been pathetic. I apologize for the life drama, and I'll be purely focusing on my dream.

[Ryuartyi]

Here's an update since my last five days ago.

It's still really hard to keep practicing for long periods of time, but slowly I'm getting it. I've started painting more, so it's becoming a little more natural. The apple was painted from memory from Colors on the DS, and the studies are from Vilppu and Loomis. The tree is from my college that I wasn't able to finish.

In November, I will be working on a novel for the National Novel Writing Month along with my normal studies. See you all next update!

[Ryuartyi]

Alright, well here's another sketchbook update. It's small, but I'll be getting more done in the next few days.

I started doing some gestures, and will be continuing to do some until my next update which will hopefully be in two days. I should start doing self-portraits as well.

*Side note*: Wow, it's been so long that there's even copyright and genre information for pieces now? Great job CA.

[Ryuartyi]

After a while of being sick, I picked up my sketchbook again and made a quick self-portrait and a couple other sketches. I know it's a pathetic amount, and there will be more tomorrow.

To be honest even though I've been here for a long time I'm still very intimidated by the community here, but I'm trying to get over it and post more works. Sorry.

[Ryuartyi]

Just a few human motion studies today.

[Ryuartyi]

Update for today: 3 pages of studies and one lizard man from imagination. My studies are still very rough, but I'm noticing a TINY bit of improvement. I'll hopefully have more tomorrow as classes have almost come to a close. Excuse the line art on the quick imagination study, my line art still leaves much to be desired.

I'm working on the preview avatar for the sketchbook, inked and painted. It'll take a while though.

[AlottaMulatta]

Your basic forms are pretty solid, but I think your biggest problem is that you seem to make small, tight, uncertain pencil strokes. I think it would help if you worked on a larger format, and used looser strokes. Lock your wrist, even, and use your whole arm to make broad, loose, confident strokes.

Don't worry too much about making perfect shapes at first, just focus on technique. Learning to draw this way helps you to have a more confident line quality, which will drastically improve your work overall.

Keep it up, hope to see more!

[Ryuartyi]

@AlottaMulatta: Thanks for commenting. I had heard about the using your shoulder to draw, but during my studies I seemed to have forgotten about it. Thank you for the reminder.

I didn't do much, I tried working with my shoulder and no wrist but found it to be very awkward. Today was more if a short experiment day, but I felt as if I didn't have as much control over my pencil as I used to. It'll always get better over time I suppose.

[Ryuartyi]

Update today! I finally decided that I don't need financial security to start up my sketchbook again, so I'll be letting the chips fall where they may and hope for the best.

Enough personal stuff. I decided to work with 'Bridgman - Complete Guide to Drawing from Life' and work through all the sections. Don't know how long it'll take to finish it, so I'll be doing some different studies and imagination drawings to go along with it.

It's good to be back.

[Ryuartyi]

I did a few more pages from Bridgman today. I didn't get as much done as I wanted, but it'll get better over time.

I noticed today I really need to work on my observation skills. Figures are winding up too narrow or elongated. More tomorrow.

[Ryuartyi]

Only two pages today. I’ve been very preoccupied with my graphic novel details so my concentration on my artwork has gone down a bit. I’ll be working on balance tomorrow from Bridgman, and hopefully some drawings from imagination.

I’m really hoping to get more pages done tomorrow instead of every two days. I feel like I’m skimping out when I do that. I’ll see to it tomorrow.

[Ryuartyi]

After a week of a freak heat-wave, it was finally normal enough to start working on my sketches yet again. Today I worked solely on balance, in-fact the whole section of balance was done in a few short hours.

Tomorrow I’ll be working on rhythm, which may take me a day or two. I’m still not comfortable yet about showing my works from imagination, but I will in due time.

Two days until new update of sketchbook pages.

[Ryuartyi]

.....

[Ryuartyi]

Finished up the "Rhythm" section from Brigman's "Complete Guide to Life Drawing" and will be starting the "Turning and Twisting" section tomorrow. I've found a few songs that have made me need to draw my graphic novel that still needs a name.

So far my job search has been okay, I guess. Still no job, but at least it's not interfering with my studies now.

[Blythe]

Cheer up! It looks like you are getting alot of work in on studies. Yes you have to practice a lot to improve but there is no point beating yourself up endlessly over it. It'll come to you, just keep working and don't be afraid to screw up--we all do.

[Ryuartyi]

@Blythe: I don't think I'm being too hard on myself. I do think I'm not doing anywhere near enough drawing and painting at the moment but over time I'll be able to do more each day. I was hard on myself late last year, but I at least think I'm being a bit more positive. Thanks for checking out my sketchbook out though.

About the update today, this is my first update the day after in a LONG time. I worked on turning and twisting from Bridgman. I'm still not very good at drawing what I see, but hopefully it will come before I head off to California. Update tomorrow? Who knows?

[Ryuartyi]

I woke up extremely late today, so I didn't have enough time to paint the apple I was going to. After drawing today my jaw started to hurt and I got a headache, so I will start up again tomorrow.

I finished up the 'Turning and Twisting' section of Bridgman, and will be doing 'Light and Shade' tomorrow. I'm dreading this because it's my weakest area, but the only way to learn is to push through it. Hopefully my apple will turn out better tomorrow because of it.

[AlexTooth]

hey good practice man. I am doing similar studies. If you want some advice from someone starting also; try to mix up your work and try different materials and different studies and some colour stuff in photoshop or painter is always nice to try out.

going into town and drawing people walking about it great practice - the drawing's usually look terrible, but it doesn't matter because you're capturing a mood, some action. and this really carries on into your studies and they will look better and better.

also I think working through bridgeman or loomis start to finish kinda makes it almost become a chore, not to say it's not useful or good practice. but I have found just trying different things out, and doing bridgeman or loomis or hogarth one night a week each. though I do like posemaniacs most days because of the timed poses, you can get a lot done in a short amount of time and it's great training.

anyway, do what you feel is best and what works for you. I don't want to tell you what you should or shouldn't be doing, because I am only starting myself; I can only pass on my own experiences - and that is I find it all more exciting, fun and interesting trying different things out - even if it's just doing your studies in chalk and charcoal, or ink and brush etc.

anyway good luck, you have improved a lot so far. remember drawing from life is a lot more challenging and at the same time more rewarding when you get it right!

remember everything you do, no matter how bad it is or how difficult you find it is a positive step in the right direction. I used to just want everything to look great, but found they lacked soul. so I loosened up and they didn't look as good at first but now they're getting better, and looser with more emotion!

anyway feel free to ignore ramblings from a noob, just practice and you'll be great in no time =0

[Ryuartyi]

After being sick for a week, I've got a small update for today. I'm dwelving to the extremely hard part (for me) of drawing. First light and shade, and perspective.

These two pages took me two days to finish, and it feels as if my brain has just shut down. It's hard work, but when I get used to doing it and get it down my art should improved exponentially. I'll probably update once every two to three days now for when I have something substantial to show. I want to also start digital painting, but I think I need some sort of formal painting training because I have no idea where to start. If anyone reads this, any help would be nice. I tried painting apples, but I'm still at a loss.

Thanks for reading.

@AlexTooth: I never saw your post, I'm sorry. I'm not used to people posting in here...

Any help is good. I know from previous experience that drawing people out in public is a great way to practice, but since all I have been doing is job hunting and getting ready to move, it's been kind of hard. I'm trying to get some money for some different materials such as vine charcoal and block, but I'll probably be able to get those once I head off to California.

Thanks again for commenting. I'm trying to get some drawing from life done, but it's not the right weather. I've wanted to go outside and draw the forests around my house for a while, but it's still winter. I'm rambling, but I'll get better over time and spring is coming so I'll have a lot of inspiration coming.

[Ryuartyi]

I found my drawing supplies, so I did a few pieces. I didn't go into Bridgman today since I really need to do something new. I drew a chair in the college common room, tried to draw my monitor and drew a little Game Boy game that's on my shelf. I also tried to do two quick poses, the first being someone kicking in the air, while the other an extreme perspective punch. I've been feeling quite horrible this week, but I'm hoping to get a little more done than I have been.

Plus I started reading again.
Really I have.

[Ryuartyi]

Random sketches, will be trying photos of CA.org members tomorrow. Might be nice enough to sketch outside.

[Ryuartyi]

I decided to draw things around the house and outside today. The first one is supposed to be a plant (I don't know how clear my sketches are), the second page has a budding plant surrounded by emerging grass. The third page... let's just say it's the first sketchbook page I've ever ripped out.

I don't know why I put that page in, maybe to show I falter way too quickly. Maybe it's to prove I'm still very pathetic. Whatever the case, there it is.

I found some great places in a local forest to draw, so I'm going on a run tomorrow with my backpack. I wish I could find a way to stop smudging my pages. Oh well.

[Ryuartyi]

Here's the front of my previous high school. I've been wasting quite a lot of time with new games my brother just got, but I should be back on track tomorrow.

Oh well. Five months until the move.

[Ryuartyi]

After my own little spring break, I found a book that my brother had bought called “The Human Figure” by John H. Vanderpoel. Because of its extremely simple process and accesibility I decided to start working on that instead of painting.

I really needed this drawing session today. Instead of looking like a poorly drawn piece of work done by a three year old, I finally have something that looks like what it is supposed to; eyes.

See you in a few days with a bigger update.