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[Glasswork]

No worries. Gesture drawing is extremely hard to do and takes a lot of practice. The biggest thing is simply not to try to do too much all at once.

The image above is a fair approximation of where you may want to begin. It's very general but it captures the line of action of each pose, the pelvis and several important landmarks.

Keep on practicing

I timed it this time, 2 minutes each, although I used a different method because I felt I was wasting time by drawing the pelvis and just drew the angle of the hip, am I missing something by not drawing the landmarks as ovals?

 

[Keikaku]

I timed it this time, 2 minutes each, although I used a different method because I felt I was wasting time by drawing the pelvis and just drew the angle of the hip, am I missing something by not drawing the landmarks as ovals?

The ovals generally represent the proportions and position of the appropriate body parts (i.e. the head, pelvis and rib-cage).

There isn't anything really wrong with not using a particular shape. Personally, I use cubes/square shapes to represent those 3 landmarks. Your last 2 gesture drawings don't seem to have a clear pelvic area/hips. The things just sort of emerge out of the torso. Try drawing in the pelvis this time and see what happens. It may click with you, it may not but I think it's worth a shot.

That said, seeing as you only took 2 mins each with those, I can honestly say that they're at least as expressive as your first attempts, if not a bit more. I like them a lot!

 

[Glasswork]

The ovals generally represent the proportions and position of the appropriate body parts (i.e. the head, pelvis and rib-cage).

There isn't anything really wrong with not using a particular shape. Personally, I use cubes/square shapes to represent those 3 landmarks. Your last 2 gesture drawings don't seem to have a clear pelvic area/hips. The things just sort of emerge out of the torso. Try drawing in the pelvis this time and see what happens. It may click with you, it may not but I think it's worth a shot.

That said, seeing as you only took 2 mins each with those, I can honestly say that they're at least as expressive as your first attempts, if not a bit more. I like them a lot!

Yeah, I see what you mean now, I'll try that.
Thanks again, I appreciate you taking the time to help :]

 

[Keikaku]

Yeah, I see what you mean now, I'll try that.
Thanks again, I appreciate you taking the time to help :]

No problem!

I like suggesting things to fellow artists. Looking critically at other people's art is a good way to further your own development so I don't mind providing critique. Feel free to do the same to me too!

 

[Ken]

Not much time today so just a bunch of 45 second gestures and a figure.

 

[AFollowerNotALeader]

Time: 20 mins
Medium: GIMP + Wacom
Notes: Managed to sneak back to my desk from the course I'm on today and do a quick drawing despite yesterday's predictions.

 

[Groof]

day whatever.
Time: an hour-ish.
Felt like plugging my intuos in and sketching a bit, try to get back into it. Was working on a character but erased it all cuz I'm like that and just did some random sketches. Any and all criticisms are welcome!

 

[Keikaku]

Time: 20 mins
Medium: GIMP + Wacom
Notes: Managed to sneak back to my desk from the course I'm on today and do a quick drawing despite yesterday's predictions.

Pachyderms rule!

day whatever.
Time: an hour-ish.
Felt like plugging my intuos in and sketching a bit, try to get back into it. Was working on a character but erased it all cuz I'm like that and just did some random sketches. Any and all criticisms are welcome!

I like them all except for the one in the top right. I know the fingers are curled up but they still seem short given the size of the palm and thumb.

 

[CPCunha]

...keep on it...

 

[Groof]

Pachyderms rule!

I like them all except for the one in the top right. I know the fingers are curled up but they still seem short given the size of the palm and thumb.

Definitely see what you mean, but it's only supposed to be the fingertips. Didn't really know what to do with it either way heh

 

[Keikaku]

Definitely see what you mean, but it's only supposed to be the fingertips. Didn't really know what to do with it either way heh

I remember having a similar problem once with one of my paintings and one of the best teachers I ever had told me the following:

If what you're drawing or painting looks wrong, either repaint it from the angle that makes the most sense or lie.

In the case of that particular pose, maybe draw it from the side next time so that you can see how the fingers are curled up. Just being able to see that would make the image "make sense" in the viewers mind.

 

[Groof]

I remember having a similar problem once with one of my paintings and one of the best teachers I ever had told me the following:

In the case of that particular pose, maybe draw it from the side next time so that you can see how the fingers are curled up. Just being able to see that would make the image "make sense" in the viewers mind.

Damn, that's some amazing advice. Thanks a whole bunch, I'll definitely keep this in mind for next time!
Been really feeling the itch to get back into painting again, hoping it won't be temporary.

 

[Keikaku]

Damn, that's some amazing advice.

Why do I imagine you going like...

...when you read that?

It has seriously helped me out a lot when I've been stuck on a composition. Sure, I may end up completely redrawing everything but it's usually for the better.

 

[Groof]

Why do I imagine you going like...

...when you read that?

It has seriously helped me out a lot when I've been stuck on a composition. Sure, I may end up completely redrawing everything but it's usually for the better.

Well, I did sort of go like that.
I'm gonna have to print that quote out and put it somewhere. Great stuff!

 

[jujubeads]

Day 11, ~2h15m.

 

[IceDoesntHelp]

My first drawing...I'm willing to show online.

Time: 30 mins (probably longer, wish it was shorter)
Medium: Pencil + Paper
Notes: I used the Pokemon Fire-Red Kakuna artwork, and the sprite from Red/Blue to help me out. No tracing though (as is obvious by the eye).

I tried. :/

 

[User 73706]

Just some Livechamber campaign character doodles for today. Took about 20 minutes on and off in an OpenCanvas session with friends.

 

[Glasswork]

Time: ~30 mins at about 2 minutes or so each (took a bit longer for some)
Medium: CS6 with Bamboo
Notes: More gestures, took Keikaku's advice and tried working a pelvis in but I kinda forgot halfway through :V (the top ones are newer)

Kinda off getting the feel for this but still having trouble with foreshortening and stiff postures, the first and seventh ones in the image are especially bad.

 

[Black Door]

Cheating a bit: I actually drew this a couple of weeks ago, but life stuff got in the way of messing with it. General idea behind this is a Diesel Punk 1930s setting and she's an inventor who thought that a flying Automat is an omgawesome idea, so she took an old hi-rise construction mech, modified it for foodservice, and now floats around the world selling people overpriced replicated food to fund her R&D.

 

[Simian]

30 mins

 

[Ken]

Time: ~30 mins at about 2 minutes or so each (took a bit longer for some)
Medium: CS6 with Bamboo
Notes: More gestures, took Keikaku's advice and tried working a pelvis in but I kinda forgot halfway through :V (the top ones are newer)

Kinda off getting the feel for this but still having trouble with foreshortening and stiff postures, the first and seventh ones in the image are especially bad.

cylinders help me with foreshortening

coils too although i much prefer cylinders since it's just quick 4 lines lol

Wasn't too happy with the first figures I did during the day. Took a break and tried a different process that seems to work well.

 

[Anteater]

day33, I still scribble a bit too much out of habit.

 

[Yonafunu]

First time posting in here!

These took me about 30 mins each, I think. Just scribbles though.

 

[Groof]

First time posting in here!

These took me about 30 mins each, I think. Just scribbles though.

Looking good! Try to stick around longer than me!

Here's mine for the day, which is one thing I ignore way too much; basic shading. For every 100 sketches I do I try my hand at shading maybe once or twice. I was gonna scrap this buy I figured I'd get some proper tips and critiques on what I can do to try and get better.
clicky for ultra mega size

 

[jujubeads]

Day 12, ~2hrs.

...buy I figured I'd get some proper tips and critiques on what I can do to try and get better.

When shading it helps to break down the form into planes. Loomis has a good section on this in Figure Drawing For All It's Worth (somewhere around page 70).

 

[Keikaku]

Looking good! Try to stick around longer than me!

Here's mine for the day, which is one thing I ignore way too much; basic shading. For every 100 sketches I do I try my hand at shading maybe once or twice. I was gonna scrap this buy I figured I'd get some proper tips and critiques on what I can do to try and get better.
clicky for ultra mega size

For shading, here's what works for me.

• Start big and then work your way small. By that I mean that you should first create a palette that's composed of around 6 different values from almost-black to almost-white. Since you're doing digital work, you can use the slider settings to create something that goes like 10-20-40-60-80-90%.
• Once you have your initial palette, block in your value en mass. Work from the middle of the value spectrum outward. You'll want to work in the lights and darks last.
• Once you have the big blobs of value down, then work in the finer values in 5-10% increments.
• Think of absolute white and absolute black as "emergency values". Anytime you use either of them, they'll instantly draw the viewers eye, so deploy them sparingly or not at all, if you can help it.

 

[Keikaku]

Sorry for the double post but this is my contribution for the day and it deserves some explanation.

One of my teachers once gave us the exercise of only making one mark for each part of our drawing. This is a way for you to stop making marks over and over again which can lead to "hairy" lines in your drawing.

For a few people, the lesson takes easy but for me...it didn't. I've resolved to try and do that from now so, from this point on, expect my sketches to be very, very, very crude. I'm trying to retrain myself to be more accurate but it's going to take a long, long time.

That said, here's the first atrocity of many. Like before, a master study of M.C. Barrett

 

[kage]

.

 

[Groof]

When shading it helps to break down the form into planes. Loomis has a good section on this in Figure Drawing For All It's Worth (somewhere around page 70).

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out when I get back home tonight!

For shading, here's what works for me.

• Start big and then work your way small. By that I mean that you should first create a palette that's composed of around 6 different values from almost-black to almost-white. Since you're doing digital work, you can use the slider settings to create something that goes like 10-20-40-60-80-90%.
• Once you have your initial palette, block in your value en mass. Work from the middle of the value spectrum outward. You'll want to work in the lights and darks last.
• Once you have the big blobs of value down, then work in the finer values in 5-10% increments.
• Think of absolute white and absolute black as "emergency values". Anytime you use either of them, they'll instantly draw the viewers eye, so deploy them sparingly or not at all, if you can help it.

Thanks yet again for the great, great tips man! I'll try my hand at this maybe this evening or tomorrow, depending on when I get home. In the meantime, I'll sketch a bit on the train.

 

[triplestation]

i did this in one hour!

i started off as usual, not knowing what the heck im doing just spontaneous doodling and i came up with this spider machine that specializes in difficult terrain and looks for enemies in the dark and it can also turn into a submarine!!!!!

Keikaku ur tips on shading is fucking awesome!!! I'm gonna apply them from now on I never really thought of it that way!!

 

[Ken]

confident strokes are hard

 

[Anteater]

day 34

 

[Jhoan]

Massive drawing dump from the last several days incoming. Still owe a few more days so I'll do another digital drawing today before heading out and finish several other unfinished ones. Expect at least 2 subway drawings to be done today as well since I'll be taking the subway:

Process of this personal project I did of a volunteer (he doesn't know I did it for him since I'll be mailing it to him along with a book I promised to give him), his wife and his daughter. Did it on Tuesday. Took me about and hour in total across 3 days. Tools used were a red string pencil, a pen to ink the outlines, make the sun, the horizon/perspective lines and the sidewalk, color pencils, and a highlighter. Done on a standard 9x12 drawing paper:

Before:

After:

Subway drawings from 6/28-6/30, 10-25 minutes, blue and black pens. I showed them to Amy Reeder (co-creator of Rocket Girl) and she liked them a lot:

Digital drawings that I've been working on ranging from 1 hour to 25 minutes (the one I did yesterday):

Yesterday. I guess it was inspired by Micchone from The Walking Dead since I saw the San Diego Comic Con poster for it in the OT so I was in the mood for drawing an African looking person with a head band and dread locks:

Have been working on this one on and off for much of last week until I had a busy weekend so I wasn't able to get back to it. Worked on it some more yesterday. Will continue working on it until I'm completely satisfied. Inspired by Max Payne:

Did this one Monday night into midnight on Tuesday. I was in a sci-fi mood so one thing led to another and I ended up drawing this mysterious masked spaced dude who's going after a creature. About 35-40 minutes. Pencil (maybe 2B; not exact), Pen, and color pencils:

This was a drawing I never posted at all. About 2 weeks ago or so, I saw an attractive in the street that was wearing some interesting colors so once I got home I drew the details that I could salvage. It looks very crude but that's because most of it with the laptop's touch pad until I retrieved my Wacom tablet pen:

Also if anyone lives in the NYC area, there's a Dare 2 Draw coming up on July 25th. It's 15 bucks for 3 hours of nonstop drawing live clothed models doing dynamic poses and you get mentored as well (boy do I need one). I've never been to one before but I do plan on going to this one for sure to network and what have you. It should be fun.

 

[Groof]

Here's mine for the day. Did these on the train ride to and from Stockholm. Was a real shaky ride so I wasn't able to do much and just gave up after a while.

 

[jujubeads]

Day 13, ~2hrs.

 

[Keikaku]

Medium: Pen on sketch paper
Time: 13.5 minutes
Notes: Continuing on with my quest to get less hairy lines, this was again done with as few lines as possible. The perspective is definitely off but I already feel faster. It's quite liberating to just have to live with a line once you've made it. In case you can't tell, it's my phone on top of my wallet.

 

[triplestation]

i just did this!!

1 hour

 

[FiRez]

That's really impressive bangladesh

1hr.

Kind of looks like Locke with thicker eyebrows or so I tell to myself.

 

[TCKaos]

I haven't posted in forever, and I feel like shit about it. I've only done like 4 more frames from the GIF in the meantime.

I want everyone to know I'm still alive and I'm still here and doing things.

Day 12:

I still don't like any of these swords. Anyone know of some cool looking giant swords I could look at?

 

[Sushigod7]

Ok so first post in this thread I'm going to try and keep up posting. I drew this in my I Draw Comics sketch pad I have a little trouble trying to draw realistic or "cartoony" features. As in what my style should be, when looking at this sketch it seems hopelessly bad. Hope to keep up so I can improve. Anyway here is my Snake I did tonight in 15 min or so.

 

[Black Door]

1st time using GIMP. Tablet is acting finicky so I left it as a simple doodle. +/- five minutes.

 

[Simian]

Did this one with charcoal, im not really sure how much it took, id say around 3 hours...

 

[Keikaku]

Did this one with charcoal, im not really sure how much it took, id say around 3 hours...

Do you go to DigiPen, by any chance?

 

[sorakirosaki]

has anyone here ever heard of a site called posespace.com? its a really good site for artist where there are alot of pictures of models of various sizes and physique its extremely varied in a lot of poses as well and also has some clothed shots and also has all the poses in a various angles and turns its a neat site but it is nsfw since most of the models are nude

http://www.posespace.com/posetool/default.aspx

check it out if your interested

 

[jujubeads]

Day 14, ~40m.

 

[Ken]

.

 

[Glasswork]

Medium: CS6 with Bamboo
Time: 40 minutes
Notes: shading practice, I have no fucking idea what I'm doing ._.

 

[Spacebar]

Man of Steel WIP

 

[Anteater]

day 35, kind of quick and sloppy, didn't have much time thanks to ffxiv beta

 

[Psychological Intellect]

more crap. 20-30 mins each

art sure is frustrating.