Anatomy Thread of .: Mr. Mu :.

[kary]

Great thread Mu. Like the above folks I really like what you did with the piece on Martin Luther King, great man -- not a subject you see a lot today.

Now that Rebecca points it out those latest pieces are very much in the style of printmaking -- and printmaking is a fairly diverse technique, but in this case it's a block printing style. Take a sheet of wood, cut an image into it, cover the piece in ink, press it onto paper, the cuts come through as white, and the parts that you didn't cut come through as deep black (or whatever colour of ink you're using).

Looking like this:

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:Pw-lwn3PAmLmQM:www.sackville.ednet.ns.ca/art/gallery/grade12/images/print-Hall,Annie-00a.jpg

[Frejasphere]

Hi there Mr MU :)

Just found your thread and have totally enjoyed browsing through, so much great stuff here and great comments, flow of work and ideas and... well, humour too... Love this forum :bounce:

Master copies looks like a great challenge :) I just joined (as in member) to do the heads.. and can't wait for next one :)

I see hatching as a way of suggesting volume.. so direction of line can appear an abstract thing to describe... main thing is that the planes and dips and curves of a body/ face.. are described with the pen moving to allow the higher parts to lift, the lower ones recede, and suggesting volume through how the light falls... most likely I am not making sense :D but basically when you look at bone structure and curves and add light from one direction... you see how the light emphasises the "shape changes". If you were to (like in photography) reduce the greyscale to say a 3 step scale - black , grey, white) the emphasised dark/light areas could make it more obvious how the "to be hatched" areas curve with the bone structure and suggest direction of hatching...

Love Käthe Kollwitz work, and yes she did do a lot of Printmaking, mainly Lithography.. Printmaking; method of creating prints (1 print only if monoprinting) on paper from drawings/ artwork created on Stone (Lithography), Copper Plate (Etching), Linoleum and Wood block (Linocut style where the white areas are cut out of the material) and Screen (screen printing) a world of excitement to explore :bounce:

Cheers and will be back to see more of your work and how the masters come along
a. :)

[Mu]

kary - thanks so much for your visit and your nice comments. I agree, subjects like simple portraits don't come up too often at CGTalk. Unfortunately I only had 35 mins (DSG restriction for that day), but maybe the rushed energy is why people like that sketch...:)


Frejasphere - hey thanks for your popping in. Yea, it is one of the forums which can really make you laugh out loud...:scream: And also there's so many valuable threads to read, just a few of them are the ones by Doctor Bone, SpiritDreamer, Icey, ErichSchreiner, RebeccaK, zhuzhu, and... and.... argh...:argh: it's the kid in the candy store phenomenon...:D


both of you thanks a lot for the explanation. Now I understand what printmaking means and I moreover know the german name, too: Holzschnitt (i.e.: woodcut) I will try to get something done in that look again...:)

[Trunks]

Hi Muh... ups Mu ;)

I like the black-white studies you posted! They are looking very nice! Maybe you want to do some more rendered stuff?

[Ego]

Hi there Mu. I am loving these black and white drawings of yours very very much. I agree with Rebecca, you should get in a bad mood more often. :p

[Mu]

Queenie!


:bowdown:


Your majesty is back from the land of the world champions, where her highness indulged in art wonders and anatomical bliss? Looking forward to detailed reports...:D


trunks - no detailed renderíngs for some time (other than in my mastercopies, that is). I feel just fine doodling and doing mastercopies for a few months.
After that, we shall see...:)

(takin a look at your sketchbook now...:D )

[Mu]

okay, this round clearly showed me all new areas of personal suckiness, but I am gonna take the newly acquired wisdom and will try to conquer the next mastercopy with it...

...read: I am done with it...

damn italian geniuses....:scream:

overview:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/normal_daVinci_womanheadstudy_013.jpg


ugly details

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_womanheadstudy_013.jpg

folks, I wanted to thank you for pointing out where the hatching went bad... will keep it in mind...:)

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY....MR MU....Throw a couple of stains onto it...maybe coffee, or tea,...and go over it with that softener brush in the tinting section...PAINTER # 9...and no one will ever be able to tell it from the original.....:scream: :eek:

Just kidding...LOL..:) .....BUT seriously...I think it came out pretty good...captured the expression, likeness and mood nicely....GREAT JOB :thumbsup: :applause: ....next one will come out even nicer, and will
probably be easier for you.....HOPEFULLY.....:scream:

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

HOPEFULLY.....:scream:

Hey Glenn,

thanks so much! As concerns future mastercopies I think an english proverb should guide us here:

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst


:scream:

[Mu]

aaaaaaaaaand some more doodles before I tackle the next mastercopy...


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/komplett.jpg

[Trunks]

trunks - no detailed renderíngs for some time (other than in my mastercopies, that is). I feel just fine doodling and doing mastercopies for a few months.
After that, we shall see...:)

(takin a look at your sketchbook now...:D )

Ok than go and do mastercopies ;) This last b/w stuff is very nice!


Btw thanks for checking my sketchbook ;) Please read my answer because I had some understanding problems ;)

[Mu]

next one:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/detail_leg.JPG


as always the first rough quick incompetent bold daring mindless helpful and overall funny sketch:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_legrear_001.jpg

[Frejasphere]

Hi there Mu :)

flying with these sketches, I like the back leg study and the heads you did - looking good :)

cheers
a. :)

[Rebeccak]

Mu,

I really find your approach of putting down lines first that may not be perfectly accurate, and then refining them, a really good one. Part of it is psychological ~ by just getting lines on the page, you sort of get over that fear of doing something imperfectly ~ and also it is much easier to see what is wrong once you have something on the page and to correct it. I think I work this way subconciously and I think your talking about it makes it make more sense. Looking forward to seeing your refinement on this one.

Cheers, :)

~RK

[Trunks]

Hi Mu!

I wonder if you don't want to do this mastercopy with pencil? I mean the original is also made with pencil ;)

[Mu]

Frejasphere - thanks!

Rebecca - oh yes, I just needed to find a way to deal with those intimidating refs, especially since they are so perfect. :argh: So, I just erase, refine, repeat and so on. Quite relaxing to work like this...

Trunks - from what I can see most of Da Vinci's drawings are charcoal, chalk, pen and ink or silverpoint which I take to be renaissance's ballpen...:D
I created a custom palette in Painter with all the tools I need for these mastercopies which includes a fine liquid ink pen, the standard 2B pencil variant and a rubber.
Traditional work is not on at the moment, because I need the digital realm's possibilities when it comes to editing and traceless erasing and so on. I need to stay relaxed and a white sheet of paper on a table together with a real life pencil is sure to make me loose whole strands of hair.

Maybe later, when I am grown up...:D

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY....MR MU....:thumbsup: :applause:

For a first pass, I would say that looks ....FANTASTIC....don't shortchange yourself, or maybe
shortchange youself, if it determines a greater outcome....:thumbsup:
whatever works for YOU... seemes to be working....:scream:

One small suggestion....you might , or might not find it to your likeing..:shrug: ...maybe try to match the backgrond of the drawing...color of paper, texture ...looks like a light color brush wash on that leg study of his....this might enhance the drawing that you end up with, and also that
preperation of the surface beforehand might have been one of the key elements to his drawings
beauty... he gives the surface to be drawn or worked on.. air...atmosphere,...before he does the drawing or work on it.
Air and atmosphere in drawing and painting were his main goal, as i'm sure you know.
Just a thought, that might help you in some small way with your studies.
GREAT JOB so far ..MR MU...:thumbsup:
Also...those warmups are ...GREAT....Really nice way to unchain your imagination, and sharpen your inner vision...:)
Keep up the GREAT work...really like seeing this kind of GREAT PROGRESS HAPPENING..:bounce:

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

preperation of the surface beforehand might have been one of the key elements to his drawings
beauty... he gives the surface to be drawn or worked on.. air...atmosphere,...before he does the drawing or work on it.
Air and atmosphere in drawing and painting were his main goal, as i'm sure you know.

you know, initially I set up all the tools which promised me to be as close to his methods as possible while still remaining digital.

But then I found myself fiddling with the liquid ink parameters for hours on end while not putting down the damn drawing.
You are right, the end results are missing a lot of the atmosphere of the references because of my stripped down view on this drawings, but this has to do mainly with the fact that I want to focus on the craftmanship and knowledge of the subjects in these drawings.

Now, laying down washes does not seem too complicated, I know. I just wanted to let you know that copying the surroundings of these references and treating them as a whole was definitely part of my plan, but I delayed that for the time being. I wanna keep this simple for now.
But in my Painter custom pallete there are still a few tools I prepared for this very purpose - they will just have to wait a lil bit for their call....:D

THanks for watching my efforts - still means a lot to me!

:thumbsup:

[Mu]

actually still not refining, but merely trying to complete the forms present in this study.
When I got the forms down I will sort of trace my drawing to get some clean lines and then start the shading. Or do the last two steps at the same time. Or...:D


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_legrear_002.jpg

[Intervain]

sweet studies Mu! :thumbsup:

[Mu]

EDIT: Oh hi Intervain, thanks! nice to have you on the show...:D


just doodling on the last few minutes before goin to bed.
feel shitty today.

and dont ask me what it is with me and office chairs, coz I dont have the slightest clue...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/ddl.JPG

[Trunks]

Hi mu! I think the best of this 4 sketches is the flower ;) Well I like it the most ;)

Do you know www.digitalforum.de (http://www.digitalforum.de) ? I found it last week, a german forum ... maybe you want to have a look on it and maybe you are interrested in a german forum, too. Don't know ;)


EDIT:
Correct link, sorry ;)

http://www.digitalartforum.de/

btw my name there is "the-student" ;)

[Mu]

while I was trying to convince Glenn that I would not go for the same look of the reference plate I sort of got intruiged by the idea... damn!

I also had a first go on refining the most important lines, but just now I discovered a spot that needs cleaning up (more than other spots, i.e.), so...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_legrear_003.jpg

[Rebeccak]

Mu! Don't you dare feel sh****! :D

Here, I have written a poem for you, but it's secret:

Mu
Be Happy
You're a good Artist
Hugs

Seriously, you're making great progress here. Keep up the good work!

Cheers, :)

~Rebeccak

[Mu]

Rebecca...:blush:

thank you.

:huges:

:D

:love:

[Mu]

starting the real stuff... refining, shading, under the initial pencil layer which I now set to multiply and lowered the opacity to around 40%.
Wherever I feel I got the job right I go and erase the pencil lines on the above layer.

overview:
http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/normal_daVinci_legrear_007.jpg


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_legrear_007.jpg

[ytresu]

Hi Mu, I'm looking at your drawings and found it very interesting. I like expecially the ones with black background and white foreground. I will try to use the some technique.
I visited your site: well done but I can't understand deutsch language, sorry.
Ciao from Italy

[Frejasphere]

Hi Mu :)

Llike your white on black...esp the face :thumbsup: Just hoping that the plug in the wall connected to the chair... had nothing to do with you feeling shitty on the day...?

Leg study going well - you have reason to be pleased :)

take care and keep it up
a. :)

[Mu]

Just hoping that the plug in the wall connected to the chair... had nothing to do with you feeling shitty on the day...?




LMAO:scream:


...wait!...

:scream:

Nah, the point is, I am actually not to be held responsible for anything I draw with those white on black thingies... As a matter of fact, for each one I post, there's three I did not, because it's just scribbly lines, or failed torsos or the like. I just lay some random dots and incoherent lines down the canvas and look what it might become and so I never intended to plug the chair into a socket til it happened.

Hang on...does that say something about me...:D

:scream:

[Mu]

so much for the right leg. I must say that it was a good idea by Glenn to go for the background washes, because due to the bad quality of my ref image I had a hard time figuring out where he hatched and where he actually did nothing and if I would have done this black on white only it would have made everything harder still...


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/normal_daVinci_legrear_009.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_legrear_009.jpg

[NR43]

Nice leg study. Hatching in the other direction on the biceps femoris at the vastus lateralis might give the leg more 'roundness' (thus depth). Not sure if I'm explaining myself but I did a small hatching on the part where I'm talking about (I hope you don't mind):

http://users.telenet.be/nr43/images/cgtalk/bodyparts/daVinci_legrear_hatchover_resize.JPG

i'm wondering what your brush settings are? Maybe you should concider making the brushsize a tad smaller and lowering the opacity a bit...

I must say that your hatching has improved a lot already Mu. Keep at it!

[Mu]

thanks so much for your efforts Johan.

I always encourage any form of critique etc., because that's what I am here for.

It does look rounder indeed. The reason I did not change directions was that I did not discover any such lines in the ref. But it looks much better that way. Congratz, you just improved da Vinci...:scream:

Will post a WIP with rounder biceps femoris? (man, talkin bout anatomy, I don't know shit about the muscles names...:D ) soon.

Thanks for the feedback!

:thumbsup:

[Mu]

quickly incorporating johan's suggestions.

I will have to think about opacity and size of the charcoal variant, too...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/normal_daVinci_legrear_010.jpg

[NR43]

Will post a WIP with rounder biceps femoris? (man, talkin bout anatomy, I don't know shit about the muscles names...:D ) soon.

Lol don't overestimate me man. I took the names from "Anatomy, A complete Guide for Artists" by Joseph Sheppard. It's a great book to use a reference book for human bones and muscles (allthough I'm not very fond of his drawing style)

Looking forward to seeing your updates
have fun!

[Mu]

final - thanks again Johan, your hint on opacity and size was decisive for getting the altogether much lighter shadin on the left leg right..:thumbsup:

overview

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/normal_daVinci_legrear_013.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_legrear_013.jpg

[Mu]

more doodles, before the next mastercopy...

btw, as concerns the overweight superman... it's the same as with the occasional office chairs... I just don't know...!

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/doodle20060812.JPG

[Mu]

doodled a bit...

still trying to figure out which mastercopy to do next...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/snow.jpg

[Mu]

I think I will do this one next

Da Vinci study for the last Supper - James

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/normal_Leonardo_da_Vinci_Study_for_the_Last_Supper_James.jpg

[Mu]

first quick and rough sketch

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_LastSupper.jpg

...few minutes...15-20...

[shyamshriram]

Nice studies Mr. Mu :)

will come back to check ur progress, keep working !


:thumbsup:

[Mu]

:bounce:

Hey Shyam, you are one of my personal drawing heroes around here, so you taking a visit in here means a lot to me...! :bowdown:

thanks!

:bounce:

[Cyanid]

yo neighbour,
good studying here, I think the DaVinci one is good to study. Looking forward to the progress.
From your recent work I like the legstudy. Its very good, you really studied on it (something I should do more often :\ )

-Cya

[Mu]

thank you, Cyanid!

Yea, I really went as far as studying all the lines of the hatching, but Johan Derycke pointed out some things which were not contained in the original and which improved the drawing, so all the feedback is really important for me.

:)

[Mu]

I don't know what I am doing. I sort of got bored of the hatching and I must say that I could not recognize the way it was done anyway as the resolution of the ref image was awfully low anyway...so...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_LastSupper_001.jpg

[Mu]

here are some older sketches from the playground when it was still summer around here...someone please bring the sun back!

:cry:

playground:

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/sketch3.jpg


open air bath:

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/sketch2.jpg


http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/sketch1.jpg

[Mu]

yesterday I bought a pen (actually to write things down), but then I started doodling with it and it turned out to be real fun...

The OFDW19 topic is really inspiring... "the awakening of the underground giant". But I still remember the last CG Challenge... my sketches were fun and worked, but the attempt to fully render everything turned out to be a total nightmare.
So I don't really know if I am taking part, but here's a sketch...

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/sketch4_1.jpg



A friend of mine said "Draw me!" yesterday, and I told her it's not going to be resembling her, but she insisted. She did lose patience after a few minutes, while I was swearing that it did not turn out the way I wanted and complaining that she kept moving around...:D
And it lacks likeness indeed, but I liked the result nevertheless, somehow...

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/sketch4_2.jpg

til laters, y'all...:D

[NR43]

It's really challenging to draw someone from life in a couple of minutes isn't it?
I sometimes try to draw my kids as they are playing but they don't sit still for a single second it's driving me nuts lol!

I like your OFDW19 concept.
Had something simular in mind but you beat me to it :)

[Mu]

Hi Johan,

yes, I repeatedly close my eyes and take snapshots of poses of people moving about so I can keep it in mind and sort of come back to it when I close my eys again.

But, well... I sometimes just wish I could stop time for a few minutes til I got the gesture jotted down...:D

[Mu]

I think I will call this done. Firstly, I can't make out too many details on the ref I am using and secondly I realize I did not like this drawing too much to stick much longer to working on it. Will move on to the next master drawing...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10002/daVinci_LastSupper_003.jpg

[Frejasphere]

Hey Mu.... :)


Cool, like those last 2 sketches... :thumbsup:
keep them up :)

and the doodles... you might be on to some intuitive subconscious thing... ;)
take care and cheers

a. :)

[SpiritDreamer]

Hi....MR MU....:thumbsup:

Just saw that giant of yours.....you know,...I think those DaVinci studies are paying off big time...I can
really feel his influence on you ,in the giants arms, shoulders, and chest muscles...you are really defining the forms with your lines....GREAT JOB...:applause: :thumbsup:
You might want to define the back of the neck, as you move this concept further...When it is
extened out and down like you have it,...there will be three or four vertabre exposed,..creating
the center, and leading up into the base of the skull....also the side neck muscle that ties in behind the ear, will really be under stress,from being streched out...you might want to show that by adding more shadow along it's bottom edge.
Put your fingers on your own neck when it is in that position, and you will feel the vertabre
of your spine, and how the different muscles of the neck are actually working...contricting
on the bottom of neck, and streching out on the top of neck...also get that clavicle or collar
bone exposed a little...like where it ties into the shoulder muscle, and curves down below the chin.
You might want to search out christ on the cross paintings, drawings ect. from the old masters, for this pose...simaler muscle action at work.
Really like this one MR MU...would like to see you take it all the way...would make a fantastic painting...You can count on my help, and many others I'm sure, if you decide to go with it...:)
One other thing.....have you ever tried the negitive setting found in effects in painter, out on your black doodles....I tried it .....really nice effect....shows off your linework nicely..:scream:

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

Hey Glenn,

yea, the neck and throat are parts of the human form I never really studied. I tend to draw them in the same way I drew hands when I started... wild guesses, cheating and hiding...:scream:

excellent hints on neck anatomy and also to explore the neck muscles with my hands (how come I always end up groping myself when reading the anatomy forum...? :scream: ) and the jesus depictions... will do so regardless of wether I follow this painting through, because it will help my knowledge about neck anatomy a great deal...

as concerns inverting my black doodles...I am afraid...:D

*finger hovers over the mouse button*

ahh, I don't know...

:scream:

[paperclip]

Wow Mu, you're really improving! I really liked the leg sketches, you're slowly growing in confidence and it's great to see... must keep a closer eye on this thread!


I like the sketches at the playground as well...all I can say really for now is just keep going. :D

[Mu]

Hi clippy,

ah, you're pushing at an open door... I will keep it coming anyway...:D

today's doodle in Painter's airbrushes.... while at first it was interesting how you can fire your imagination with the vague forms a large airbrush creates, I am now a bit reluctant to use it again because I find it hard to model clear and distict forms with it...

so for now it's back to drawing for me - chosing the next master reference right now.

doodle:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/20060818.jpg

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU...:)

About airbrush......I took a class in airbrush years ago at OTIS PARSONS ART INSTITUTE IN L.A. Was tought by a guy named Barry,...he worked at the Burbank movie studios, painting
huge background scenes ect....What he taught me about airbrush, was...to cut out curved pieces of plastic or paper can't remember, but anyway the curves were used to creat the
sharp, crisp edges....giving the painting wonderful gradations, that can only be gotten with an airbrush. I painted a skull sitting on a piece of golden silk cloth, using just a few simple curves
laid down against the canvas...heavy rag paper....Sprayed on the inside of the curves, moving the curves around as I progressed within the skull and cloth...then sprayed on the outside of the same curves, to creat the background around the skull and cloth...this method of just using a few simple curves, allowed me to get great detail, with very crisp edges ect....in the skull, and the cloth....teeth and all....down to the smallest details...That skull and cloth painting,was one of the first paintings that I sold. Air brush can make
beautiful paintings when using that technique of laying down simple curves, and spraying against them.
I don't know how you cold achive that technique with cut out curves using the computer doing digiital, but there is probably a way....would be worth exploring, to find out if it is possible or not....just a thought, after seeing your air brush painting, and reading about
your frustration with it's lack of clarity and defined edges ect.
Hope this info helps ....you never know..:)

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Talaria]

Mr Mu, you have great drawings in here, your last doodle is great O:! And the giant is just amazing.

[Mu]

Talaria,

thanks so much for watching and commenting. Glad you like the sketches...:)


Glenn!

Glenn!

You are one never-ending source and well of ideas! It is totally amazing. When I read what you described about your experiences on airbrush techniques (By the way...: is there anything you have not tried out so far...??:scream: ) I had to think of selections, so here's what I did.


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/screenie.jpg

I found me a picture of french curves templates in the internet and saved it to hard disk.
I made a rectangular selection of one of the templates and pasted it onto a new black canvas.
Luckily it was black and white only so the magic wand selection tool easily selected the template.
I saved the new selection under the name of "test" into an alpha channel (for every picture there's a Red, a Green and a Blue channel as well as an alpha channel which contains info on transparency)
then I told Painter I only wanted to paint inside of a selection I did and then I could airbrush with hard edges!
It's even possible to turn and transform the selection, so it's very much like the digital equivalent to those templates you described!

I will give this a try and if it works out I will do a tutorial on it!

Thanks a lot again,
Glenn
Loves
Epiphany
Nourishing,
Naturally

...:D

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY ...MR MU.....:bounce:

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION ....:scream:

Knew that if anybody could figure it out, it would be you ....:applause:

HAVE A GREAT DAY ...MR MU ....:)

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

hey there, everybody...


make sure to check out my tutorial on using french curve selections for clean edges with airbrushes... (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=395521)

[razz]

I was wondering through this thread. Why haven't I left a reply?

Just dropped by to say that your OFDW image showed up. I think that the idea can be pushed further. Watch the composition, you'll have to do a great thing. Think before you draw a line :thumbsup:

[Cyanid]

nice tutorial! I think I'll give it a try...seems to be usefull for designing buildings too.

[NR43]

Hey Mr Mu,

Great tut man! I'm a bit busy studying other stuff at the moment but I'm gonna give it a try sooner or later. Seems that with a bit of practice some great results could be achieved using that technique
btw, looking forward to an update on your OFDW19! loved the concept from the moment I saw it...

[Mu]

Cyanid - thanks for reading. If you ever give it a try and like the results post them on the tut thread...:)


NR43 - thanks for reading, too. :) And it means a lot to hear that you liked my concept, even if I don't know if I'll do anything with it...:D

[Mu]

Hi there,

I don't know how it is with you, but everytime I pass by my favourite art supply shop I stop, hesitate and consider spending all my change on pencils, charcoal or other stuff...:D

yesterday I treated myself to three water-soluble pencils or, to translate directly from German: (Aquarellstifte) watercolorpencils... The store clerk was very helpful and she found three colour variants which she hoped would help me mixing any colour I liked. I got a magenta, cyan and yellow variant.

I also got me some indian ink, seeing that the ink I used til then was water-soluble and would mess with the colours.

I had used watercolor several years ago, when I actually could not really paint or draw at all. When I say at all, I mean it... it was horrible and the chaotic hard-to-handle watercolors did their part in helping me mess up.

Now, after a year of digital work and slowly filling up a traditional sketchbook with pencils, charcoal and pen and ink drawings I thought I should try this as it promised control together with the chance to let chaos break loose whenever I wanted to.

first tests on a flower subject (mixing reds and greens) and then thoroughly mixing different patches of colours and values.

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/water3.jpg


Here, I have been trying to control various greens...

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/water2.jpg


trying to colour a crappy pen and ink drawing... actually still trying to figure out the mixing part...

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/water4.jpg

[Mu]

Then I thought: "how about making the entire sheet of paper wet before I start?"

The result scared and surprised me. The pencils show the line I drew for a split second and then totally dissolved. It was very much like watercolors though with a slightly higher amount of control. Again, the drawing is pretty crappy, but it was amusing, so here you go...

(the text says: "less lines! Less colour! Dépouillement." I am trying to hammer it into my head...:D )

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/normal_water5.jpg

[Mu]

then I tried to follow my own advice and did less of everything and really liked the result.

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/water1.jpg

[Mu]

here I have been trying to work the same way with Painter...

rough sketch with liquid inks, back to the canvas and laying down a few colours with the coloured pencil variants. Then I lifted the canvas to a watercolor layer. Now, I used a watercolor brush with resaturation and bleed set to 0, so it actually acted like a brush without colour, carrying only water.

pretty much the same feeling like the water soluble pencils. The main difference is speed. If the watercolor layer acted with lightning speed then it would be much more like an actual simulation, but it lags like hell. I wonder if this can be remedied with more RAM or more CPU speed...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/solublepencils.jpg

[Mu]

btw, today I did these (still following my mastercopy schedule) with watersoluble pencils.
But for now I can only post the ref, will have to scan it tomorrow.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Leonardo_da_Vinci_Study_of_hands.jpg

[razz]

Interesting thingies...those water soluble pencils. Looks like watercolor paint, but different in the same way. Great to see a bunch of these. The one where you made the whole sheet wet before starting looks really nice.

Looking forward to see the Da Vinci study :bounce:

[Mu]

hey razz, really enjoy your presence here...:)

my sketchbook is too small so I had to paint those hands separately....

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/sktch2_lo.jpg

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/sktch3_lo.jpg


the advantage of digital media is obvious in this last study, as I saw when I was just finished that the middle finger and ring finger protrude too much when compared to the reference.

I could try and edit both sketches in Painter to make them match the ref even more...we shall see.

I fell in love with this new medium and will study it in depth - that is for sure...:D

here is a doodle I did yesterday...


http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/sktch1.jpg


What I like about it:

- the mouth / nose area.
- the general colour temperature

What I do not like about it:

- no contrast in values. I forgot to leave some areas white for extreme highlights and the darks are, well, not dark. It looks like values of a shot in the shadow of a sunny day, only I did not include any hints on environment, so it does not work.

- I did not use the colour to indicate detail on the skin or of the masses. Will try to do so in forthcoming doodles.


I think I am taking a break from the digital black/white doodles and will just use up those pencils...:scream:

[Mu]

damn!

I just discovered that I should have chosen the digital version of the hand ref, because in the book I have you can't see half the detail of what you can see in the digital (and coloured) ref I posted above....

this is what I referred to...

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4571/screeniepa4.jpg

might do those hands again...

:rolleyes:

[Intervain]

really love your study of the hands, especially the first one :bounce:

[Mu]

EDIT: Hi Intervain...thanks..:bounce:

workin in Painter with the scanned images for fun...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/daVinciHandStudy.jpg

[SpiritDreamer]

Hi....MR MU....:thumbsup:

GREAT job on those hands....last ones posted ....really nice experiment..strong results..:applause:
Fantastic to see you exploring watercolors....really a magical medium...has that unpredictable
element to it....always exciting...and an adventure...:)
Keep going MR MU...REALLY ENJOYING THESE...:bounce:

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[trainee]

Hey Mu!

I like your recent studies, especially the black and white ones and your latest hand studies.
Keep the good work coming! :applause:

Cheers,
Julian

[Trunks]

Hi Mu!
Your last work looks fine to me... nothing to crit, except: I don't like the colors ^^

Keep it up ;)

P.S. Hast du dir das Forum das ich dir geschickt hab mal angeschaut bzw dich da angemeldet?

[Mu]

Heya trunks!

thanks for the reminder. Yea I checked it out once, but then forgot about it... you know how it is... one thing drives out the other, like Butterbur said (ever read Lord of the Rings?...:D )

Anyway, when you mentioned it now I checked it out again and really liked it, so I think I will be starting another webexistence there, too in the forthcoming weeks...

:thumbsup:

[Talaria]

Those are great hand studies sir Mu, I like the last one, where you played with them in painter, they look somehow more artsy :)

[Mu]

just a quick mentlerism with watersoluble pencils and pen/india ink is all I got done over the last few days which is a shame. I feel guilty. But I feel a little burned out, too. Maybe I just need a little break.

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/sktch_mentlerism.jpg


How about you folks - do you take breaks form drawing? I ask because I realized that I started to really learn drawing pretty much one year ago in summer (joined CGTalk in autumn last year) and I think that for the most time I drew something every day. Yesterday I opened Painter and all I did were totally random scribbles. Never felt that way before. Got nothing done.

Maybe I let other things slide too much in the meantime...namely writing and music...so I will probably take a short break and return with fresh energy...

I ordered Anthony Ryder's figure drawing book the other day, so I will have something motivating to come back to and work on...

your feedback on these question as always much appreciated, dear fellow forumites...:)


EDIT: Oh, Talaria, sry I overlooked your post... thanks a lot... I like the Painter composition, too... have been trying to turn it into a mosaic. When it works out I will post it!

[NR43]

do you take breaks form drawing?
argh I wish I had more time to draw/paint. Mainly only during the weekends until now. Then again, during these weekends I draw/paint constantly in between my daily domestic affairs :)

If you feel drawing is becoming a source of stress... remember that it's not what you create that's most important... as long as you have fun creating ... allthough a short break never hurts ... test yourself. don't pick up a pencil or start painter for a week... you'd be surprised how much you missed it once you pick it up :D

In my case, I just can't wait until next week, where I'll be drawing at school 3 evenings a week, without playing, shouting, crying children around meh :bounce:

Nice hand study btw

[SpiritDreamer]

HELLO....MR MU...:wavey: :)

ONE DAY AT A TIME
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON
AND ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER ...:)

A year among the forumites....might be enough in there for an interesting novel....LOL..:scream:
I bet that when you sit down to write, you will be able to visualize, better than you could a year ago...:)

SELF EXPRESSION IS THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS THE TREASURES IN YOUR CHEST ...:thumbsup:

HAVE A GREAT DAY.....MR MU ...:bounce:

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

In my case, I just can't wait until next week, where I'll be drawing at school 3 evenings a week, without playing, shouting, crying children around meh :bounce:




LOL have fun! I am a father myself and I can say that it benefits your children if you know how to mind time for and by yourself!



I bet that when you sit down to write, you will be able to visualize, better than you could a year ago...:)



Yea, I have been thinking the same! We shall see...:D

thanks folks!

:)

[Talaria]

heheh Don't worry about having overlooked my post It was a very small post so I guess it was normal that you overlooked it :P

By the way I do take breaks from drawing, I also have that problem that sometimes I sit to draw and nothing comes out :/ in those cases I do something fun like playing a videogame , or reading a book :) or simply watch some tv.

[Trunks]

Hi MrMu !

Great to hear you want to start in at the forum ;) Tell me more when you are there :)

[Mu]

hey trunks,

I already posted there, in the watercolor section...:D

[Mu]

just a nightly doodle with a nightly theme.

I installed three scanners last week just to find out now that usb scanners do have problems with my SiS chipset. I am pissed off. Needed to calm down. That's why...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/rose.jpg

[NR43]

yeah damn scanners bah
I've got mine for months now and I still can't get a decent scan

Anywayz, it's great that painting works well for you to blow off some steam
Does this mean you're back? :twisted:

[Mu]

not yet actually. My plan was to work through Antony Ryder's book on Figure Drawing and draw from a live model traditionally (eek!)...

That's why I wanted a scanner, to get feedback on those attempts in here and to be able to unify my traditional and digital efforts.

We shall see...

thanks for the feedback...:)

[Mu]

I got my scanner to work and now I scanned in some of my old photos of trees which I really liked.
Think it fits well into an anatomy thread. Hope you think so, too.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0001.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0002.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0003.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0004.jpg

[Mu]

continued....


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0006.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0007.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0008.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0009.jpg

tried to quickndirtyly erase an ugly lens flare on this last one. Maybe I'll give it a try with more time again someday.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/trees0010.jpg

[Oluseyi]

Hello Mu,

I just registered so I could post a reply to your thread to say how impressed I am with your progress, your consistency and your enthusiasm. I read through all the pages - yes, all 23 pages of updates, critiques, celebrations and commentary - and I picked up a lot of useful tips in the process that I've already put to use in some sketches made this evening. More importantly, it's shown me the importance of drawing consistently (read: all the time). As someone who's trying to "get back to" drawing after a lengthy break, that's perhaps the most important thing I take away from this thread.

Great work, and keep it up. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this.

Tchau!

[Mu]

Oluseyi,

wow, that is really moving to hear and a great motivation for me to not loose momentum.

Thank you very much.

It's true, as long as you draw everyday you can't really go wrong. At the time being I am trying to digest the huge chunks of information contained in Tony Ryder's book. I can say it already changed the way I look at things which is awesome.

So, I will do some traditional drawings next and scan them in, before I return to mastercopies.

Hope to see some drawings or anything by you. Why not create an anatomy thread? It will surely get you started with all the great feedback in here.

[Mu]

IF YOU ARE MISSING THE IMAGES FROM MY THREAD: MY WEBSITE GOT HACKED AND IT WILL TAKE ME ANOTHER WEEK TIL I CAN RELAUNCH THE IMAGE HOSTING SOFTWARE...


Hello forumites!

I am back from my break.

Let it be known that while I did take a break from my online activities I did not stop drawing altogether.

Since my Ryder book arrived I concentrated on learning the lessons it contained. There's tons of things I'd like to say about the book, but for now I'd like to let the first image do the talking.

Here's a first self-portrait, following the Ryder method of figure drawing.

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4384/selfportraithp6.jpg


EDIT: that's a wip, of course...:D

[NR43]

Hey Mu

now that's some good news to see you back from the dead :D
will you be posting a few images of work you created during your break?
lovely start on the SP...
Well, here's to a year full of creativity and joy :beer:

[Mu]

prevous scan was too crappy somehow...:D

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/6154/selfportrait2hx8.jpg

Hi Johan,

my exercises are much too boring to upload them. Lots and lots of spheres, light and dark ones in different lighting situations...

Your signature below your CGTalk username is new, isn't it? Totally rocks...:scream:

[Knilblink]

Hi Mu,

NOW THAT is a scan. I know it's never the same as seeing it in person, but this one does a really good job. As for the self-portrait, I really like it! Great contrast in this image and though it may be a WIP, there's something attractive about the varying degrees of completeness, some parts finished, others just roughed in.

Is this one from a mirror or picture? Last time I did a self portrait from a mirror my facial features got reversed in the translation, Lol! :scream:

Keep up the good work.

-Adam

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU....:thumbsup: :applause: :bounce:

GREAT TO SEE YOU ......:scream:
Very intense self portrait,....I like the lighting you have chosen, with the main shadow not reaching the edge...really giving it a great sense of volume and atmosphere....those DaVinci studies really paying off, looks like...:thumbsup:
I am really looking forward to seeing where you go with your studies...giant leap forward with that self portrait, which is a FANTASTIC thing to see....:applause: :)
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

hi Knilblink (lol what a name...:D )

yea, I am afraid my features are inverted, too...:D But once I have it scanned in I can safely mirror it back. Which means, yes, I used a mirror...

about the varying degrees of detail... with Ryder's method you spend hours on getting the contour right before you do the slightest bit of shading in the inside. After that you merely care about defining the terminators and only then you really start to actually shade everything and then you're practically free to start where ever you need to.

I darkened down the darkest bits first, before I'll take care of the lit side of the head in order to key the shades/drawing.

I feel like giving a synopsis of Ryder's great book, just to be able to talk to someone about it... I learned so much in these last weeks...

thanks for the reply...:)

[Knilblink]

SpiritDreamer mentioned Davinci studies. That portrait of yours reminds me of my first master study ever of the "Drawing of the Face of an Angel" with its strong contour and varying degrees of detail. I know he did a bunch of studies like this, but this is the one that comes to mind.

First page, third row on the right:
http://www.geocities.com/davincigateway/drawings.html

Thanks for the description on the Ryder method, I wasn't familiar with it. Soon I may start with Loomis and move on to Hogarth as many people around here seem to advocate. Anyways, can't wait until your website is back, I can't wait to look through your gallery/sketchbook more. :)

-Adam

[Rebeccak]

Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!

Wow, suffice it to say that I am *really* impressed with your progress on your SP - it's testimony to what hard work and dedication can mean in terms of one's improvement, and I imagine that if you stick with this kind of focus and concentration, you will be driven far. :)

I really look forward to your updates. Keep up the excellent work my friend! :)

Cheers for '07

[Mu]

Rebecky...:D

cheers to you and I think that what is happening right now to my drawings is a wonderful conclusion to my first year around you and the other crazily dedicated and helpful pro forumites who helped me out and pushed me.

Thanks everyone...

Have you decrackified your wüstenrennmaus?

errr,... are you alright?
You dont have to make it on your own... get professional help...:D

__________

I just discovered that I can no longer pretend that the right eye is ok...:D

Will have to do something about it soon

What freaks me out is that I see no way to make the scan less sharp. On paper the grain does not hit you like a hammer like it does here in the scan. The transitions look much less smooth once digitalized...

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/6195/selfportrait0001mp8.jpg

[Llynna]

hey mu :)

great that you finally picked up your selfportrait. as you figured out the disturbing point is your left eye (right eye on the drawing). the angle is a bit off and its too near to the nose.

to get the scan and the sahading ebtter try to check your scanners options, only scan for greyscale and sometimes there are other options that greatly improve the scan. also you might want to temper with the curves in photoshop ;).

waiting for an update :D

[Rebeccak]

Really astounding work, Mu. :) I'll try to stay off the crack. ;) The one thing I might check are the ellipses for the eyes - don't overdo, with drawings sometimes you only have so much wiggle room - but maybe just gently round the areas of the ellipses that seem a bit sharp. Also on the far left eye in the sp you might add a bit of shadow beneath the upper lid - that will really set the eyeball back in it's proper place.

Cheers :)

[Frejasphere]

Hi Mu :)

Good to see you back :)
Nice work on your self-portrait :) it's an interesting way to work with a mirror and then reverse the image once scanned, sort of puts that extra check on your composition and drawing. I like the softness too, that you are getting with your shading :)

take care and cheers
a. :)

[Gord-MacDonald]

Hi Mu - your drawing is really improving - good stuff!


Gord

[Mu]

Hi folks,

first of all...thanks for all the hints!

rebecca - added a lil shading there on the eye, but don't know if it's enough...

frejasphere - thanks for taking a look. About the softness: it's much better than it used to be, but I see how I could improve it in the next try. I did not crosshatch really, most of the time. Just used one direction and varied pressure. I should try and layer various directions to get a deeper shade going.

Hey Gord! As you know I really admire your abstract photography and paintings as well as your sophisticated traditional portrait drawings, so your compliment means a lot to me...:)

So, I changed the eye... I took it out completely, stared horrified at the blank white space for a few days and then went for it.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2958/selbstbildnis0001lofidq8.jpg

in case you wonder what the changes were, actually, I did an animated GIF (don't we just all love those little animated thingies?...:D )

before/after...

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2811/speyechangeshf9.gif

[Kosmaty]

yep! Looks much better :)
good job btw.
The new scan makes thew image look better because of the contrast!
Scanning images always leads to bad mood (in my case), because the scanned ones look not as good as the original!

[Rebeccak]

Lovely work Mu. :) I'm truly impressed with this. Maybe you can draw your own author image for your new book. That would be really cool. :)

[Mu]

because the scanned ones look not as good as the original!

hi kosmaty -

yea I never knew until I started scanning that drawing in. I think it has to do with the paper grain. Maybe I will try less grainy paper some time in the future... when I used up that 80 sheet block I bought, that is...:D

Rebecca - ah, the novel, when I manage to find a publisher, could show a silhouette of me, for all I care, in a tiny corner of the jacket as long as it only gets published and I earn heaps of money with it...:scream:

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU...:thumbsup:

GREAT and SUCESSFUL CORECTION ON THE EYE... maybe pop a highlight in that eye..will give it more depth...make the highlight a tad darker than the other one,...if you put it in there..:)
THE FORUMITE TALES... BY MR MU ...BEST SELLER....:scream: :bounce:

HAPPY NEW YEAR...MR MU...:thumbsup:
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

well, 'tis done...

things to improve:

- I started much too late layering hatching with different directions to smoothen gradients. Note to self...:D

- get a model without bad hair days... or at least a model whose hairdo is basically the same over a few days... My hair looks amazingly different each day... it has a life of its own...

- measure tilts and locate terminators more carefully so I dont have to correct major features later on in the shading process...

Can you think of anything else?

here's the result:

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/sp_final0001_lofi.jpg

[reaveress]

Hi Mr Mu, i`ve looked at your work in the colour tutorial section the flower was really well done! :)
I think that the portrait looks great, it has this warm fuzzy feel to it :) One thing-why does the right eye have no highlight? It looks a little flat because of it.
Great work nonetheless :)

[Mu]

hi reaveress

thanks for taking a look and giving feedback.

actually, there's no distinct highlight, because I did not see any. There's a slight lighter area to the left of the iris of the right eye, though.

But as SpiritDreamer also suggested pushing that highlight a bit more I will try it and post the result.

My first goal was to stick to what I could see as close as possible. Now that that's been done, I feel I can try whatever I want to (or you tell me...:D ) with the portrait, cause it's scanned in and it can't be destroyed...:)

[Rebeccak]

Mu, I think you did a terrific job on this - I'd love to see you do another pencil piece. Perhaps a portrait of a family member, or even another self portrait. It would be great to see you continue to refine the principles you've really put into practice in this self portrait.

Congrats on this, you've really made a ton of progress here. :)

[Mu]

Hi Rebecca,

thank you so much and yes, another pencil drawing is on my schedule...

Actually, a lot more pencil drawings.

:D

[Mu]

mirrored the whole thing to bring things back on their actual side, and added a little lighter light on the eyeball in the shadow side of the face.

don't know about it...

(lol the sig...:D )


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/sp_final0001_lofi_mirr.jpg

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU....:thumbsup:
Give yourself a big pat on the back,...from me...:)
Strong selfportrait...has MOOD, FEELING, EMOTION,and STYLE..ALL THE RIGHT INGREIDIENTS..:applause: :thumbsup:
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[NR43]

Hey Mr Mu

I'm really pleased to see this... a pencil portrait... a Self Portrait even.
Now I know you're not such a bad guy after all :D

And what is that I hear?

Actually, a lot more pencil drawings.

That just made my day :)

[ErichSchreiner]

Heya Murat, your self portrait looks really great. Good job :)

[Ravmaster]

Hey Mu, i love your pencil sketchs, you catch every possible shade ;) also the studies on the first page are awesome, i didnt get to read the whole thread (stupid school) but i will when i have the chance

[Mu]

Hi there,

Today I went and bought an easel so I could rest my drawing block somewhere while drawing. I feel totally painterly now, even though I don't paint, but only draw...:scream:

I also bought a portfolio which is a very peculiar feeling for me, because part of my enthusiast status was based on my staying in the virtual realm somehow. With the portfolio beside my bed I sort of entered the real world. But seeing as I still basically suck at drawing all in all I sort of keep my enthusiast/hobbyist status even though I put my self portrait into that portfolio...:D


So, I created a setup which I could (hopefully) easily reproduce (lighting, pose etc..) and started another drawing, closely following the Ryder book and his method. First stage is the envelope stage, a vague approximation of the outline, nowhere near a block in. Basically it is like writing "I truly don't know what my model looks like" over the whole sheet with lines. From there you can start an unprejudiced block in... after a few hours...:D

45 mins... rough envelope

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/portrait_envelope.jpg

sorry for the quality, the sheet is too big for my scanner, had to stitch it together from two scans in the GIMP.

If you think you have any hints for me, go for it! That's the reason I post this stuff in here, you know?

BTW, I am totally in love with Anthony Ryder's method and his book and if I manage to put together a half-decent drawing I would like to write a tutorial to it so I can have a thread to talk to others about it.

:)

[Rebeccak]

Mu, this work and your thoughts on it are really motivating - I am really looking forward to that tutorial! :) Please put all of your good writerly talents to use, I really think you do such a great job of conveying how much you are learning through this whole process. Who knows, maybe you will end up as an art writer! :D

Cheers to you :)

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU...:thumbsup:

I can see all kinds of visions floating out of that new portfollio case of yours that's laying next to your bed...they look like whispers of smoke filled dreams,..seem to be entering your head, enveloping your minds thoughts as you sleep...better sip up that case, maybe put it in a safe, if you plan on getting a good nights sleep...:scream:

Just stopped by to say hi, and admire that self portrait of you, that you just did...really came out GREAT...:thumbsup:

SLEEP TIGHT :scream: ... YOU'LL NEVER LOSE SIGHT...CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON A DREAM :)

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[anandpg]

Hey Mr Mu! awesome work on the self-portrait!!:applause:

[Mu]

hello folks,

Johan - yea, I don't know why I neglected as simple and beautiful a tool as a pencil for so long... or wait! Could have been the 400 variants in Painter IX...:scream:

Erich - thanks for drive-by-posting :thumbsup: always a pleasure for me to check your thread.

Ravmaster - well, if you are going to read the whole thread better get some provisions... I tend to be rather talkative in my posts, you know...:D


I can see all kinds of visions floating out of that new portfollio case of yours that's laying next to your bed...they look like whispers of smoke filled dreams,..seem to be entering your head, enveloping your minds thoughts as you sleep...better sip up that case, maybe put it in a safe, if you plan on getting a good nights sleep...:scream:
Man, I laughed so hard...:scream:
But it is indeed a fact that most things creative which I do sort of obsess me. :eek:
I can't walk past the guitars without giving them a short chord or something. And I have these notes on my desk and elsewhere, little sentences which were meant to remind me of chapters or stories and when I read them the whole thing gets triggered.

I need a brain repair...:cry:

anand - thanks so much! Means a lot to me coming from such an accomplished artist. Your portfolio rocks!

[Trunks]

Hi mr.mu, nice work on your sp ;) Looks quite ok ;)

I don't like the way you did the background ... just ... well ... I don't like it ^^

Anyway keep it up !:D

[Frejasphere]

Hi Mu :)

You've done well with your sp :) :thumbsup: Great to see it finished; nice thoughtful expression.
Seems like your break has brought you back with a new exciting direction :) looking forward to seeing more pencil drawings from you!

cheers and take care
a. :)

[AztcFireFlower]

Hey Mu, the words you left in my SB were so kind and encouraging. I thank you for taking the time to peruse my stuff. I appreciate any and all comments.
You have a nice amountr of good work here. I like your SP alot. There is alot of character that you've captured. Can see that you are conscientious of a stroke or line being put down for a reason. There is a sense of not wasting strokes. Good tonality. You're handling the values without overworking them, which in itself is an accomplishemnt and shows sensitivity to what you are observing. You are keeping values where they belong according to the light or dark families. Good job.
Will post more here in your SB, just need time to look through it more slowly. I like the dedication to your work and effort to learn. It's good to be surrounded by like souls striving for similar goals: To gain knowledge and apply it.

[warpy]

hey mu,

look at all those 25 pages,.. jeesh. it seems like the pencil is your best friend. most of the stuff at the begining was at the same level until you did the portrait :)

bah could have told you that on icq..

laters :)

[Mu]

Hey,

don't think I forgot about that drawing. Alas, I need to make strict appointments with my model... :D ...because time is an issue with that approach.

I think it will be worth the wait.

In the meantime I played with a variant in Painter which gives strangely organic colour patches. It makes use of the distortion engine which some variants belong to. It's a bit like pushing clay...

til soon (then with a bit of traditional goodness):

http://www.muratkayi.de/downloads/values_009.gif

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU...:)
Your images are going by kind of fast, for me to tell for sure,...but is that the liquid lens drawing brush that you are using on those images in your last post...if it is, check out how you can use that brush in a face...I used those liquid lens brushes for the last portrait posted in my thread,..last page..highlights on cheek,beard ,the whole nose, mouth ect...those brushes push around whatever is already there just like it is clay...then you can blend, soften, or whatever you chose to get the effect your after...that face might give you some more ideas for what you are experimenting with. Was just curious if those liquid lens brushes are what you are using for your last post..?
I really like the feel of that one with the figure laying on the floor, back up, stomach to floor, coming at the viewer with the head laying on, and between the forams, dark background ..strong piece, and style...:thumbsup:
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

Hi Glenn,

the brush I used is not the liquid lens (liquid lens comes with a special layer, doesn't it?).

It's in the same category where you'd find the default 2B pencil. In German it's called something like oil-pencil, but I think it might be different in english. Don't know the translation. Anyway, it's a normal brush and it pushes color like the liquid lens plugin layer (if you change the size to something sickeningly big you see the effect...erm... in full effect....:scream: )!

Thanks for approving comments...:)

[Frejasphere]

Hi Mu :)

Without the technical knowhow of the appl. you're using... I really like that last post :) :thumbsup:

The way these patches create an animated effect that ends up telling a story -simple yet very effective. Sort of feels like there are different stories; depending on how you look (or which image you see first). cool.

cheers and take care!
a. :)

[Mu]

Hi Mu :)

Without the technical knowhow of the appl. you're using... I really like that last post :) :thumbsup:

The way these patches create an animated effect that ends up telling a story -simple yet very effective. Sort of feels like there are different stories; depending on how you look (or which image you see first). cool.

cheers and take care!
a. :)

Hi Anette,

lol, funny. I did not have a connection between those images in mind...:)

[Mu]

from the sketchathon, again the smeary Painter variant and a bit of round softedged brush for blending...

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/lokey.jpg

[Rebeccak]

Heya Mu,

This sketch is definitely a leap! Would love to see you do more great things with the pencil though - I think that's really suited to you, and I would definitely encourage you to explore that more.

[wasker]

Nice values in the last picture Mu :) good job!

[Mu]

Hi Rebecca,

to quote myself..:D

don't think I forgot about that drawing.

Expect updates on pencils/traditional on sundays...:D

Really, that world I just tested with a toe of mine and I want to dive into that head-first and get soakin wet, if you know what I mean... or if I know what I mean. LOL

So, yes, pencils. Fo'sho!

wasker-

I havent checked out your thread yet, I think? Will do that in a minute. Thanks for checking out my sketch and takin the time to reply...:thumbsup:

[Frejasphere]

Hya Mu :)

:D You know.., I was thinking that there may not have been a connection between the images; that you'd posted them for easy viewing - but I got carried away by the effect that the viewing produced and stories formed as I watched them. :rolleyes: Oh well, I'll just have to keep hounding you for more of these patches treats ;)

and agreed: looking forward to more pencil work from you!

cheers and take care!
a. :)

[Mu]

another sketchathon ref based study

meh, how come I can always manage to come up with something that seems like a step backwards? Anyway...

some 50mins:

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/man_elbow.jpg

[Mu]

Hi there,


no art this time, only a link to a wonderful and funny article:

http://www.portrait-artist.org/attitude/accept.html

keep on rockin

:)

[NR43]

Hey man,

it's great to see that you are experimenting with variant brushes in painter, but a pencil fits in the pocket of your jacket and there are too many things in the world (away from painter) on which can be drawn with that pencil, to name them all in this rediculous post lol.

Anyway, you get my point ;)
I'm thrilled that you are getting back into visual art!

edit: just saw that site you linked in your last post... funny but oh so true!

[Zephyri]

Hey Mu! I had to laugh at "how come I can always manage to come up with something that seems like a step backwards?" which you then answered with that link in your next post. I guess the thing is that you're man enough to post it and admit it! Mine would have gone straight in the trash can!

I'd agree with Rebecca that the humble pencil really seems to suit you. For all it's wonderful tools and gizmos, Painter is still a long way off that trational feel and the subtlties of pressure you can get with a pencil, and it seems to be that which really brough the self portrait to life. Would like to see you give it another go!

[Mu]

Hey folks,


thanks for checking this out and YES! I have not forgot about the benefits of doing away with the 400+ variants of Painter and getting back to a pencil and a sheet of paper.

I had begun work on a fully fledged figurative drawing (check a few pages back, after the self portrait), but I had to fix a few dates with the model in order to get that thing done. After all, with the Ryder approach, he himself states that he sometimes works for full 30 hours on a figurative drawing.

I won't reach that level of dedication just yet (I find it an accomplishment to know what to look for in a model for so long a time!), but I think I'll need round about 10-15hours.
Yesterday I continued work on that drawing, expect updates on that drawing on mondays, maybe a few in between.

Haven't scanned that stuff in yet, but it's wonderful (really, so wonderful) to know that there are people out there actually tapping their feet, waiting for the drawing....:scream:

see you soon.
:)

[Mu]

Hello folks.

Another hour spent on that life figure drawing following Anthony Ryder's book and method.

Fixed sundays as drawing days with the model who can keep herself in the same position for an hour max (which is much, I guess)

reminder: this is what I had before:
45mins:
http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/portrait_envelope.jpg


here's what I did yesterday

1h 45mins total:

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/figureWIP2.jpg



I am still very much in the envelope phase of the drawing, continuously doing tilt measures and narrowing down the envelope (next stage would be block in, then contour and only then I start to shade, so we're sort of on square one still...)

While this image does not look like much has happened it feels different for me.

- I established a series of points which I measure other points from,

- doing tilt measures,

- checking and counterchecking intersection of lines I measured and

- consolidating the figure envelope more and more.

Considering that Ryder himself says somewhere that he spends up to 20 or even thirty hours on a full figure drawing (and keeping in mind that my level of concentration I can reach is, erm, well.. somewehre in a gutter far below him which means I will probably only spend some 10 to 15 hours on it because I wouldn't know what to focus on for so long a time) I think that I can finish this drawing somewhere in June if the model and me can not push in some additional appointments in between sundays (which might be the case however).

[Aviva]

Hi Mu,

You have some great pencil work in here! Thanks for posting the amusing article. :) What is Anthony Ryder's book called? I really don't know much about the art world. The models shape in the last image you posted is really starting to emerge nicely. I look forward to seeing your progress!

[Gord-MacDonald]

MR mu

that selfportrait is very good congratulations!!!

Gord

[Mu]

Yea well...

the model has a stiff neck and naturally can't lie in the given position for longer than, say, a few seconds.

Not that I made her try...:D

So, no update on the full figure drawing today. Thought I might as well take a look at what's happening at the DSG... hadn't been there for ages.
This is for the topic: "The Monster of Antarctica"

Tried some of the texturing hints by Gangus, even though he explicitly mentions you should have a strong drawing to begin with. Seeing, though, that I won't have a "strong concept drawing" for another five years or so I silently neglected that hint.

This started out as a pencil/paper drawing, btw.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/antarcticMonster.jpg

[anandpg]

Hey Mu! the monster looks cool! I like the texture on the background, too!

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU..:thumbsup:

Just stopping by to say HI...:wavey:
Like that critter:thumbsup: ....maybe a white buffalo, or a musk ox would look great with that textured background...just a passing thought..and some food for your imagination :)
I for one don't think you will have to wait five years for a decent drawing to work with,...you already have a bunch in your thread already to play with using that textured background technique...TIME FOR SOME EXPERIMENTS I THINK...JUST THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND, AND SEE WHERE IT LANDS..:eek: :scream: :)
And YES, as Rebecca says...MORE DRAWINGS FROM LIFE...I really liked those kids in the park ones you did awhile back...you were on to something really nice there..those are the kind of drawings that can be taken really far with just a few refinements, and even turned into beautiful paintings, and are also the things about life, that caught your attension, and pleased your eyes...just my opinion though..:)
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Rebeccak]

More drawings from life! ^-^

[coochaki]

Nice works on your forum man!
Keep going!:thumbsup:

[Mu]

oh folks,

I did not get a notification of your replies, don't know why...?

Glenn - yes, playground sketches will be coming again when the weather gets warmer again, coz right now it's so rainy and cold that we don't spend too much time outside anymore, unfortunately...

Rebecca - sure, atm the model is ill, but I decided I don't need to rush things and will do those sessions when it's time (that is, when the appointments work out) and other stuff in between.


coochaki - thanks for takin teh time to reply
*off to check your thread*...:D


bought markers and doodled around with them... before you say it... I know.. more life drawings. It will happen. Be strong and patient... just like me....:D

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/markerdoodles3.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/markerdoodles2.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/markerdoodles.jpg

[pushav]

Nice work on the hand. I dont know why I keep looking at it.:)

[Mu]

Hi,

managed to squeeze in another 40 mins for continuing my block-in. So many mistakes, argh!

anyway, review of the WIP steps. Third one is the newest one...



http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/portrait_envelope.jpg

http://www.muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/figureWIP2.jpg


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/nudefigure_WIP3.jpg

[CgIcecube]

Knowing this block-in method works like a blessing!..
I was just reading Anthony Ryder for block-in and envelopes...and here i can see how perfectly you are following it:thumbsup:

[Mu]

HI Richa,

thanks for commenting!

Yea, it is as if you are being taken by the hand and walked through all the intimidating stuff, lol...:scream:

But it takes me so long, basically I only started to block-in on the arm in the foreground while the rest of the torso and the legs are still in envelope stage.

oh, pushav - thanks for replying. The hand is a da Vinci mastercopy, that's why...:D Can't go wrong with that ole italian pal...:scream:

[Gord-MacDonald]

the studies on the last page are very nice - they kind of remind me of Henry Moore's drawings :thumbsup:

Your supine figure is coming along very nicely.

Gord

[Mu]

Hi,

:D

food apple study:

Did this after supper tonight til wife was crying out "Stop playing with the food and take the daughter to bed!"...:scream:


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/PICT0009.JPG



Materials:
caramelised chirory, sirup

brushes: croquettes, wooden spoon, fingers

recipe :

pick chicory apart, fry in butter.
add sirup and let it fry.
add raspberry vinegar and salt.
reduce everything and lay some slices of parmesan over it, turn off the oven and let the cheese melt.

croquettes you can normally buy frozen which you have to simply put into the oven for 15mins.

I find that a bit of crayfish nicely complents the bitterness of the chicory.


no food was wasted in the making of this study. But I do fear that wife is considering to get professional help for me...:D

:scream:

[Rebeccak]

BAHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA :D - nice work on the Ryder method drawings...any slower though and I will have to come to Germany myself to get you to finish it...:rolleyes:

[kary]

Awesome apple Mu, can't help but grin at that :)

[Mu]

any slower though and I will have to come to Germany myself to get you to finish it...

Tell me about it!

I can't hurry the model more than I do... but I will post more frequently, you will see :deal:

kary, :D

[Eiki]

AMAZING!!! Wow! :)
On the first look, I didn't catch the apple and I was quite confused :eek::rolleyes:
But then I realized this apple, and it's great! ^^
Very peculiar idea ^^ I think it's very strong :)

[Rebeccak]

Hmm, but is the reflected light a little strong? I think it needs more chocolate. :p

[NR43]

lol great stuff!

a perfect example to show us that we can create art with absolutely anything!

so are you gonne cover it with a 2mm layer of hairspray and attach it to the wall or...? :D

[Elliepower]

Hi Murat,

:scream: try Labskaus (http://www.marions-kochbuch.com/recipe/0244.htm) the next time... *örrrgs*

Funny idea.

Ciao,
Ellie

[Mu]

BapKe - lol, thanks..:D

Johan,

seriously, man, I still remember the art course at school where a few people had a long and feature rich breakfast and when they were finished proceeded to glue everything like it remained on the table from the milk bottle to the eggshells and everything. Then they nailed the table cloth to the wall at school in the art classes hallway...
After a few years(!) people got scared when they had to pass that table (imagine the milk leftovers in that bottle and what it looked like after a few years!) so volunteers had to be found who would take that table down...:scream:

so, errr... no... I am not going to keep that thing. It will be gone with the next washing up!
:D


Ellie,
I have not thoroughly researched all available materials, but I think I will found the international school of err... Foodism and participants will have to bring their real messy portfolios and anyone who can't create a sci-fi environment out of a lump of bread and mustard will be sent home...

.. or rather not...:argh:

[Frejasphere]

Hi Mu :)

Bit like Ratata... the delayed reaction, as I've been away I got to laugh later than most at your culinary creation :)
I like the way your apple comes with a complete recipe ;) Now you'll have a partner in crime if your daughter "plays" with her food... Todays food - tomorrow's artist statement :D

Keep the marker studies going too :) The figure studies? lying down? are a bit too light for me to see (probably because I'm not viewing in fox.. :shrug: ) but still looking forward to seeing more!

Take care and cheers!

a. :)

[Mu]

Hi everyone,

I have started to practise 2D animation with Painter to be able one day (one far away day...sigh...) to do full 2D animations... for fun, like anything I do in here...:D

here's my first walk cycle


http://www.muratkayi.de/downloads/walkcycle1.GIF

and here's an improved second one:

http://www.muratkayi.de/downloads/walkcycle2.GIF

[SaraD]

Hi Mr :) long time no seen (on my part)

Did you do that in Painter? Didn´t even know you could animate in the program... U learn something new everyday.

I love your dinnerpainting. And, as we all teach out children - do as I say not as I do ;)

[Mu]

Hi Sara,


yes you can animate in Painter! If you create a new file you can see a radio button to choose wether the new file should be an image/painting or a film. If you choose film, you get a so called framestack which contains all of the frames of your 2D animation.

Here's more information on tutorials to Painter's animation framework:

At PixelAlley (http://www.pixelalley.com/), look in the right column and click either the link to ...All Issues Painter X Newsletter... or the link to ...All Issues Painter IX Newsletter... and you'll find the Animation Courseware info at the bottom of either page.


do as I say not as I do ;)

LOL


Hi Frejasphere...:wavey:

[Dreamy Kid]

mu, i'm just curious what software do you use to make the animation. I would love to experiment with it one day

*edit : oh nevermind, found out that you're using painter :scream:, i should start learning using painter soon

[erilaz]

Mu, your food-based stylings are genius.

[Mu]

argh

the front view is much harder I think.

beyond suckiness, but beginnings never look fine.

http://www.muratkayi.de/downloads/walkcycle2_front.GIF

[Dreamy Kid]

talking about food based drawing, i saw someone paint using fries and ketchup in youtube, not so long ago. check it out if you can, pretty interesting

[Gord-MacDonald]

Mu

good to see you getting into animation - You might want to check out Richard Williams "Animators Survival Guide" - even if you are not pursuing Animation, the insights are invaluable. Also - and I am sure you are aware of this one - Muybrige (Dover has just published a book cd combo which is dirt cheap - really good stuff)

Gord

[NR43]

Hey Mu

great anims
did you do these just from imagination?
If not, what resources did you use to guide you?

I really like the improved sideview walkcycle, particularly the movement of the arms...


The front view anim... shouldn't the hands go a little inwards? (his right hand to our right side and back and vice versa for the left hand). I think this is implied in your sideview anim as well...

[Mu]

Hi Johan,

you are totally right and I will include your observation when I do a corrected front view normal walk cycle.
As reference I used this link (http://www.anticz.com/Walks.htm)where I just kept the webiste open and alt-tabbed to and fro between Painter and firefox.
EDIT: As you can see in the ref the inward arc of the hand in the side view is not included so I did that on my own...woot! I rock...:D

:rolleyes:

good to see you getting into animation - You might want to check out Richard Williams "Animators Survival Guide" - even if you are not pursuing Animation, the insights are invaluable. Also - and I am sure you are aware of this one - Muybrige (Dover has just published a book cd combo which is dirt cheap - really good stuff)

Gord - apart from sucking in as much as possible over the web I am actually aware of nothing. In my local bookstores there's only one book on 2D animation. So thanks a lot for your hint. Are you doing animation, too? I did not know!

At the moment I am just trying to get things to look right with stick figures and basic shapes. Here's another web resource the examples of which I plan to blatantly and slavishly copy...:D


http://www.brianlemay.com/animationexamples/animationindex.html

DreamyKid - thanks for the tip I am going to check it out! I also checked out your sketchbook which rocks!

Oh, eh, hi erilaz... thanks ...:blush: bon appétit...:D

[Mu]

a knee, anyone?

from imagination, without ref... just wanted to see how exactly I remembered the looks of a knee.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/knee.jpg

still not happy with how the pencil looks in a scan. I use Vuescan, set a white point, adjust low and high curves and then scan. In GIMP I adjusted levels and curves, then scaled and did an unsharpen mask to compensate for the scaling fuzziness... still, like I mentioned, not happy...:curious:

[kary]

Even for an unsatisfactory scan it's a fairly easy read. The planes show up very well, and the anatomy seems solid to an uninformed viewer -- I definately know it's a knee ;). With the bounce light on the bottom of the thigh the absolute black at the back of the calf seems a bit odd. As it's in the center the extra dark brings the eye to it often. It seems like solid "brushwork' too, good stuff.

I like the little animation tests, the shoulder bob in the front view is a bit odd, but that seems great results for the first shot... the memories of mine (that I haven't managed to block out) wasn't nearly as successful :)

[Mu]

Hi kary,

yea, the calf and the bounce light on the thigh sort of don't fit. Maybe I'll post a corrected version.
And yea, the front view looked awkward in general.

here is an improved version...:

http://www.muratkayi.de/downloads/walkcycle2_front_new.GIF

[Mu]

Hi,

atm I am taking part in the Character a fortnight cafe for which I did the following concept sketches/mindmaps.

I am also doing a few bouncing balls and other animation exercises following Richard Williams's great book (Gord! Thanks for that tip, man! :bounce: ) but those are so non-anatomic that I collect 'em for an upcoming animation thread mainly.
When I start doing walk cycles in depth I will post them in this thread again.

Also I have a little update on the Ryder-esque full figure drawing (don't think I forgot... it's just hard to make the model ly down for an hour...) That one needs to be scanned in... prolly tomorrow.

text-only mindmap:
http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/mindmap0002.jpg


fleshing out the ideas:
http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/paragons_lo.jpg

usage of crab traits for my machine:
http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/crabtraits.jpg

[Mu]

Everyone and their daughter is havin fun going 3D so I thought I could refresh my memories about modelling once again.

I had tried Blender 1 or 2 years ago, but modelling just wasn't fun. Maybe I'll get the hang of it someday. I will have to stay comfortable with Blender anyway for compositin purposes once I have drawn any useful 2D animations... again... one day...*sigh*

anyway, here's two views of a knee (similar to the drawing I did a while ago...)

used a cube to start out extruding away, then switched on subsurface and then switched to sculpt mode. I might have better transformed the subsurface thingy into a real new mesh before I started sculpting because where I added the future calves I ran into strange creases which I can't get rid of as there are a few vertices stacking up and I go nuts trying to select them... I at least refreshed my memory as to why I came to hate modelling...:D

but it would be fun to be able to do it one day I guess...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/3Dknee2.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/3Dknee.jpg

[default-rol]

Hey Mu,

Checking out your thread, some good stuff going on here. Keep going with the 3D side though, you'll get the hang of the workflow quickly I reckon, (there is loads less to learn about basic modeling than basic drawing for example,) and then you'll be away! :thumbsup:

Good luck, and hope to see 3D on your anatomt thread and the workshops soon.

MIKE

[NR43]

Ha Mu great to see you are learning to appreciate Blender3D :D

I haven't used it ever since I started drawing though and there must have been a zillion updates for blender by now...

Is it not possible to name a group of selected vertices and then pick the particular group in a dropdown box? I know 3dsmax had a feature like that but I'm not sure about Blender (long live the swiss cheese memory)

What if you select all those nasty vertices which are too close too eachother and weld them?

The sculpting mode sounds interesting. Didn't know blender had that feature at all.

[Mu]

Hey Mike,


thanks for checking the thread out, man. :thumbsup:
Yea, I hope I can tune in to 3D a bit quicker than I do to drawing coz I am slooow....:cry:

Johan,

I haven't heard about this dropdown box for vertex groups yet, but I am learning new things about Blender everyday. It's fascinating, you think you know a bit about its workflow and then you stumble over a new feature and go "Wow, where did they bury that piece of information in the manual?", lol.

The sculpting tool is actually pretty advanced. It started out as a plugin, IIRC. Definitely check the new version out. The amount of changes only the last year has brought is amazing.

[SpiritDreamer]

Hi....MR MU...:)

Just stopping in to say hello mostly.....good to see you experimenting and playing in the world of the 3d....throw that manual away, and just go for it...LOL...:) What did that old guy say to Luke Skywalker...
CLOSE YOUR EYES..USE THE FORCE..and TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS :scream:
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

Started over, new approach:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/newKnee.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/newKnee2.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/newKnee3.jpg

[Mu]

Hi,

as I decided to take part in this month's animation challenge (ack!) I will post a few of the character thingies I am making for it...

trying to keep things as simple as possible, here. I will have to draw the same freakin character umpteenth times for the short snippet I will have to animate so no fancy stuff...:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/animchar.jpg

Also,

here's an update on the Character Cafe's concepts (based on the Kraken anatomy studies I posted earlier on:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/chain_tentacle.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/frontview.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/sideview.jpg

:wavey:

[Mu]

my preliminary result of the first Character a fortnight Café of the anatomy forums...

did not get over the sketch phase with this as I am tired as hell, but the solution finding process over the last two weeks was a major eye-opener.

Join the next Café! Starts on saturday!

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/finalpaintingWIP3.jpg

[NR43]

argh!
wish I had time to do this kind of stuff
so many things I want to do (I know you know what I mean)

looks like a nice fella you got there for the anim challenge :)

[Mu]

so many things I want to do (I know you know what I mean)


LOL,

yea, I know exactly what you mean...:scream:

I take these weeks as an opportunity to just fool and play around a bit before I will have to get back to proper studying and stuff. That thing you do... you know... getting better and better... rocking the house and all...:D

[Frejasphere]

Hi Mu :)

cool concept this last one.. definitely has an eerie feel about it with the little person (being watched?) in the background...

I like the legs up the top of the page too! :)

cheers and take care

a. :)

[Jho]

Moin Mu!
The knee is startting to look really good. I also love the submarine, the shape is very unique, but looks terrific :D
I'm sure all the crits I could give have been already given by people far more experienced than me, so I thought I'd just drop by and say hi, and that your work is looking good as usual :)
...So keep it up! :thumbsup:

[Mu]

thanks for the encouragement, Jho!

[NR43]

Hey how's the animation going? :)

[Mu]

Argh, don't remind me. I have a short loop walk cycle pencil test which I then tried to loop with a nozzle in painter which nearly drove me mad.

I will post what I got for now, though. Just so you see where I was.

At the moment I am trying to practise environments in the Environment Support Group over in the WIP2D forum, because I realized I can't draw them when I was thinking of a suitable background.

Again, I tried something way too difficult too early. It's basically postponed, though, not cancelled.

Apart from that I am preparing a new set of mastercopies by my favourite illustrator which I will try to do in traditional media. :eek:

So, updates to follow. You can't see it, but I am soooo active. *cough*

:D

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU...:wavey: :) ....I figured you were out lazin in the grass playing your guitar in the park,...but I guess I was wrong...MAYBE..LOL..:scream: :)
So now you have me curious...who is your favorite illustrator..?
TAKE CARE and TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES..:)
Glenn

[Mu]

Hi Glenn,

my favourite illustrator is James Gurney.

:)

[Mu]

Okay.

What you see here is the result of one extremely disciplined visit of mine at one of germany's biggest art supply wholesale.

:D



http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/artSupplies.jpg






that's (top down)

- a plastic pallette
- cardboard
- primed and stretches canvases
- a set of synthetic oil brushes
- a plastic tube which now contains all of my previous drawing materials
- 12 tubes of artist grade watercolors
- a 200g/m² watercolor paper block
- watercolor brushes
- a box of 24 full-mined watercolor pencils
- a pallette knife
- and N&W water soluble oil colours!

What I plan on doing...

I wanted to do a set of mastercopies of James Gurney's wonderful illustrations for his Dinotopia books.
When I was kind of clueless as to the mediums he used on those and on the method/approach with which he painted these, I did the most logical thing...:
I asked him...:scream: (thanks to culpin for the suggestion)

James Gurney answered and described his process in detail! What a wonderful and amiable behaviour. I mean, I am just a total noob and my mail was a bit like "OMG, I am not worthy... Is that watercolor or liquid acrylics you used there?"
And he took the time to explain and all.

So, he basically did it all in oil colours. And I knew that I couldn't use oil colours in my living room (got no studio, duh!) what with all the terpentine and stuff. But then I discovered water soluble oil colours! They are genuine oil colours, only the binding medium has been altered so it does not repel but mix with water. You can use water to thin the colours and warm water to clean the brushes!

So, the plan:

- For the next two weeks I will be working mostly in the Environment Support Group

- holidays (woot...:scream: )

- Then, I will start with a few small very very simple studies of small objects in oil to get accustomed to it all

- then I will do a self portrait in oil

- and then I will start working on close mastercopies on some of my all-time favourite illustrations!

I will need your help along the way, so if you know something about oil colours and the way to use them I'd be really grateful for any helpful comments and all.

see you

:wavey:

[Ego]

Looks like you had a blast. I am quite jealous :)
Hmmm I don't see any derwents there. :p
Visit Scott Burdick for some nice demos. I look forward to seeing what you do with these.

[Mu]

Hi Ego,

they had no derwent aquatones, but the Koh-i-Noor are full mine watercolor pencils, too, so I figured I'd just grab a pack of those...:D

thanks for the hint, will check it out!

[NR43]

Hm... I would like to see what happens if you go to an art store and totally let yourself go :D
looking forward to see your experiments / studies

[Frejasphere]

Hi Mu :)

What a great project you've set yourself - and with the support of the artist too :):thumbsup: that's really great.

I hadn't seen his work before, but have now thanks to your inspiring posts :) good luck with the adventure, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun delving into the imagery and colours of his world :)

I haven't tried water-soluble oils, but have used turpenoid - an odourless turpentine-like thing that I guess sits somewhere in the middle - trying to save braincells and environment :D
I can imagine how hard to contain and restrain, visiting the art-store :) you came away with some exciing things though and I'm sure they'll serve you well :)

Oils - fat over lean, meaning the thinner layers go on first in order to let them dry before the thicker or "fatter" more medium based or thicker paint layers are applied. There are several approaches; as with everything. :)

Look forward to seeing updates, and the self-portrait as well!

take care and cheers
a. :)

[Mu]

Hi Annette,

thanks for the visit.

Oh, I remember you are one traditional art mediums expert - great!

Here's a question:

fat over lean... I had heard it before and thought I got it, but something confused me...

I thought, it means that the fast drying glazes or layers have to be put down first, because the slow drying ones won't crack when the lower layer changes surface torsion when drying?

So, in application, the thinner the paint the lower it has to be on the canvas...

But, in the leaflet which came with the oil colours it said that fat over lean has to be applied by using more and more mediums in the colours!

That confused me, because it was practically the opposite of what I thought I had to do.

[Frejasphere]

Hey Mu :)

You are right and the leaflet is right :) Nice when that happens - I don't know if I'd go as far as calling it serendipity - but being on the magical whale tour I guess I can :) (really liked the info about their age you posted thanks)

So:

fat over lean, just like you said: the thinner layers need to go on first to allow them to be drier as the next layers are added... the idea of adding more medium to the paint as you go; means adding more linseed oil or other "fat" medium that doesn't dry as fast as thinning the paint with turps. Traditionally you might have your straight turps, then a mix with turps and linseed oil or similar that is still quite "lean" and then gradually on to a mix that is more on the oil side than turps side.

Hope that makes some sense - time has flown and sleep is calling, but more than happy to be back with more as long as I don't end up confusing you :)

cheers and take care
a. :)

[Mu]

Hi Annette,

you definitely help to clear things up, thank you!

So, if I got that right, then adding medium does not increase the "leanness" of the oil colours, unlike adding water (water and not turp in my case, as I am using those water mixable ones) which would add to their "leanness", letting the colours dry faster?

There's another thing that confuses me:

In the colour chart of the leaflet there are colours which are marked as O for opaque and colours which are marked as T for transparent.

- I thought any oil colour could be used opaquely? Or does that depend on how much medium or water you add?

- And does adding linseed oil only change viscosity and keep opaqueness whereas water changes both?

thanks for all the info!

:bowdown:

[Frejasphere]

:)

Hmm I can't say how the mediums work with the water-soluble oils, as I've never tried them... My immediate guess would be that you'd use special water-based medium (not the Linseed oil), but I may be wrong... seems in this article
http://www.artactiveonline.com/Articles/ArticlesRead.asp?ArticleID=36
that you can in fact use pretty much the same as with regular oils.

As far as colours go... Transparent and Opaque colours are the way they are based on their chemical make-up. An Opaque colour will offer more coverage than a transparent one, whereas colour-strength and permanence has nothing to do with opacity/transparency of a colour.

So to put it very briefly: use opaque colours for your underpainting, base colours and scrumbling effect (application of opaque colour to add body, highlight or textured detail to glazed areas of painting) - and the transparent ones for your glazing (transparent washes allowing the underpainting or layers below to show through). You cannot make a transparent colour opaque using medium alone - through adding a reasonable amount of titanium white, you will naturally create an opaque colour. Transparent colours have in modern times been developed purely for glazing and to offer the artist more freedom when it comes to painting. Certain colours are by nature so opaque that they are hard to form a glazed (transparent) stroke with: Cadmium yellow and Cadmium red just to mention a few.

A small rundown of Opaque versus Transparent in a palette: :)

Opaque
Raw Umber
Cadmium Red
Cerulean Blue
Chromium Green Oxide
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Yellow
Titanium White
Mars Black

Transparent
Burnt Sienna
Alizarin Crimson
Phtalo Blue/Ultramarine Blue/Cobalt Blue
Viridian/ Phtalo Green
Perinone Orange
Auerolin (cobalt yellow)
Zinc white
Transparent Black (Holbein)

hope this puts some things in place :)

cheers and have fun!
a. :)

[Mu]

WOW


thank you so much, Annette, for your efforts in explaining this all to me.

:bounce:

[gahpe]

Hi Mu very inspiring your thread ....
Very nice work you have ...=)

[Devised_Poly]

Hi Mu,

I love your sketchbook. Full of diversity in different ways of making art :thumbsup:

I especially like your walk cycles. For your first walk cycle its really good! I agree with Gord about the Richard Williams book. It has everything you need to know about 2d animation. And remember to exaggerate those positions. You can't know where the limit is until you cross it. Have fun!

[Mu]

Hi Devised-Poly,

glad that you had a good time in here. I did indeed get Richard Williamses book and the good thing about it is that it's also just a good read. I just love his stories about when he met all those classical animation heroes.

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU....:thumbsup:

WATER BASED OILS...:bounce:

You might try just painting in the alaprima method at first..straight from the tube...mix colors on the canvas type of thing/ limited palette...just use water to thin areas where you want transparent glasing effect...I don't think you have to worry about cracking...water evaporates quickly.:scream: ....that's the whole point of water based oils...:scream:
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR FIRST EXPERIMENT..:bounce: :thumbsup: :)
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

another round of playground sketches.

today two new water hoses toys have been introduced on our playground and all the kids were running around wildly, so each pose was gone the second I put my charcoal pen down. I tried to complete and shade from memory, but the more successful ones were the seating poses of some of them.

When I came home I additionall yshaded them with a black watercolor pencil and a wash of water. The last one in this set I like best which is the reason I have been thinking I will do only outlines on my next sketching visit on the playgound and do all the shading with wc pencils back home.


Charcoal + watercolor pencil + water(wet brush)

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/playgroundsketches.jpg0005.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/playgroundsketches.jpg0004.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/playgroundsketches.jpg0003.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/playgroundsketches.jpg0002.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/playgroundsketches.jpg0001.jpg

[Mu]

Hi there,

been testing my new artist grade watercolors and new brushes...:D

first a few mentlerisms with pencil and charcoal which I then colored (monochrome burnt siena)

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/watercolors0002_lofii.jpg

I did feel they were kinda stiff, though and so I went back to using reference. As no nude models seemed to be going to knock on my door any time soon I decided to do another Da Vinci mastercopy.

First, the quick sloppy pencil sketch to see what's going on. I am using the Ryder envelope and block in technique to find the contours. While this is much easier and lightyears quicker than using this approach on a live model, because someone else (by the first name of Leonardo...:D ) already translated from 3D to 2D for me, I still managed to mess up a few angles - in hindsight. Damn.


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/watercolors0001_lofi.jpg

Then I dabbed the pencil lines away slightly with a kneaded eraser and drew curves for the contour with charcoal.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/watercolors_cont000_1_lofi.jpg



Then I colored it in several washes (4 or 5 or so) with a mixture of Deep Green and Crimson Red - I had hoped that by mixing two complentary colours I would achieve a sufficiently desaturated grey tone. Only it did not work out. Does anyone know a reliable method of mixing a grey tone?

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/daVinci0001_lofi.jpg


EDIT:

I quite forgot: l'original

http://www.artrenewal.org/images/artists/d/Da_Vinci_Leonardo/large/Leonardo_da_Vinci_Head_studies.jpg

[NR43]

Hey man

I think any monochrome color scheme will work with this kind of study...
keep em coming...

[Maladie]

Whoohoo Mu! I just read your whole thread. I wanted to check on your progress:) (while I was away), which I see mainly in the traditional media. Great work!

How's the novel going? I finished my first short scenario!

Kissie:)

[Rebeccak]

Rather nice studies! :) Good to see you drawing again. I'm looking forward to doing that myself as soon as my stuff actually gets here from the moving van - sitting on the floor, no desk, really sucks. :D

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY....MR MU...NICE START ON THAT DA VINCI...:bounce: :thumbsup:
You might want to buy a tube of panes grey, and then just add whatever color you want to it...yellow and some other color I think gives you grey, but I can't remember what the other something is,...maybe black, or is it..a little black added to your white, or white to your black,with a dash of yellow..:scream: ...must be getting old..LOL:)
TAKE CARE, AND HAPPY PAINTING..MR MU...:thumbsup: :)
Glenn

[Mu]

Hi Johan, thanks for checking it out!

Maladie - woops! it's been a long time. Friend of mine will bring me his final suggestions for redoing passages and then I am done. I will be free again! Free to write other stuff, I mean... although then the marketing time will come and I am kind of scared...LOL

too bad I don't understand as much dutch as you do with german, but let me know what yo are doing/writing. Would love to hear from you.

Rebecca - does this mean you are typing this from the floor? Did you care to set up, say, a kitchen or a toilet at all, woman?! :scream:


Glenn,

:scream:

LOL, that must have been the funniest post you ever posted... reminded me of Peter Falk in inspector columbo... "I have it here somewhere, hang on..." :scream:

but you're right... payne's grey might come in handy for me, but I will do more color mixing tests anyway. Basically everything I do atm is one little step on my way to be able to do a mastercopy of that Gurney stuff. It includes a wide range of topics I will certainly be able to profit from both traditionally and digitally.

Here's an excerpt of things I want to learn in order to copy that stuff in oil.

- learn how to handle oil colours in general. Doing simple studies

- color mixing (huuuuuge topic!)

- grisaille or verdaccio technique, preferrably doing both at least once or twice... successfully, I mean. It's underpainting the traditional way so I can separate values and color. I will suck. Bad. Close your eyes when I post that stuff...:D

- making use of a limited pallette (Gurney uses only 3 to 5 hues... I was shocked to read that!).

- Learning how to imply colours

and then I will start. I am shitting my pants with fear already, but I will do it... :scream:

[SpiritDreamer]

:scream: HEY...MR MU...I'm patting myself on the shoulder at the moment...I just copied and pasted something for you that I posted in RAZZ'S thread awhile back,SOMETHING THAT I THINK WILL BE OF A HUGE HELP TO ..YOU,... AT THIS POINT IN YOUR PAINTING JOURNY...:)
HEY, and I didn't even have Jessica's help in the copying and pasting. Only because she is at work at the moment, or else I would have said Jessica..I don't know how to do this, can you do this for me..then she would have grumbled and said..WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO LEARN HOW TO DO THAT, I'M GETTING TIRED OF DOING IT FOR YOU..THEN SHE WOULD HAVE DONE IT ...SUCH IS LIFE..LOL..:eek: :scream: :)

Anyway here is the book that you should get..pretty cheap on the internet I think...He paints, starting out in greys and silvers, just like the old masters, and goes step by step, explaning the tints, color mixing, ect. explaning and demonstrating in a wip fashion, WITH PICTURES AND WORDS using his own models in an easy and pretty direct way.
He ends up with a modern model painting in each example, that was done using the technieques of the masters listed below. REALLY GREAT BOOK AND TEACHER...WILL MAKE YOUR JOURY A WHOLE LOT EASIER...FOR SURE...:thumbsup:

...HOW TO PAINT LIKE THE OLD MASTERS BY JOSEPH SHEPPARD.....He shows step by step the painting techniques of Durer, Titian, Veronese, Caravaggio, Rubens, Hals, Rembrandt, and Vermeer....ALL DONE IN WIP FORM, USING OILS, AND HIS OWN MODELS...The guy is really a MASTER PAINTER.:)
If you are able to, check that book out...That one book will enable you to take your oil painting skills to there highest level I think..:thumbsup:
REALLY AN AMAZING BOOK, AND ARTIST...:bounce:
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

Hi Glenn,

I basically bought it five seconds after I read your recommendation...:scream:

thanks a lot and I am looking forward to when it arrives!

:bounce:

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...MR MU...:thumbsup:

It's great news to hear that you bought that book...I think it will save you from having a lot of frustration, and also from needlessly using up alot of expensive paint while trying to reach your goals in painting..:)
Can't wait to see your efforts with the painting techniques that are tried and proven, and all contained in that one book...HAPPY PAINTING MR MU:bounce: :thumbsup:

TAKE CARE
Glenn

[Mu]

Hi there,

preparatory pencil sketch for the next mastercopy, a Velazquez this time.

This will be done in watercolor again, using only the primaries yellow, blue and red (a suggestion from the "Primary Color Challenge" over at wetcanvas.com's watercolor forum). So, I hope to be able to make a transition from greyscale to colour - after all I have been doing greyscale for nearly two years now and while I still have the feeling I could do values for another two years and still not fully understand them I think it's no use to delay working on colour forever.

just a block in:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/velazquez0001_lofi.jpg

one free reproduction scan of the original can be found here:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Diego_Vel%C3%A1zquez_048.jpg/498px-Diego_Vel%C3%A1zquez_048.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Diego_Vel%C3%A1zquez_048.jpg/498px-Diego_Vel%C3%A1zquez_048.jpg

cyall

[Rist]

Do a Francis Baken with the Pope screaming! Go on I dare ya!

Do some of your Oil paintings already, i wanna see the progress :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Mu]

hey Fl3k,

lol, no screamin popes yet... hang on... that's a mighty cool band name!

The Screaming Popes!

Gotta keep that in mind...

as for oil: like I said... after my holidays... patience young padawan...:scream:

[Mu]

I am having trouble scanning this in fully... but this is just in accordance with the difficulties I am having with this in general. So many corrections and still mainly feeling the differences and inadequacies.

His left thumb - I must have drawn and erased it for about twenty times at least. There was a time I was laughing hysterically and girl-friend stopped complaining about why I am always cursing when I do the things I claim I enjoy and just shook her head.

Another correction pass to follow and then I will lay in the watercolor washes.


http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/velassquez0001.jpg

[Mu]

always when I am doing mastercopies I get this urge to just fool around with quick things from imagination in Painter... has to be some kind of Pawlow counter-reaction or something.

pastel variants in Painter over textured backgrounds which are quickly done in Painter, imo.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/doodle.jpg

[NR43]

always when I am doing mastercopies I get this urge to just fool around with quick things from imagination in Painter... has to be some kind of Pawlow counter-reaction or something.

lol as long as you don't start drooling all over your keyboard/tablet it's ok :scream:

that torso looks a bit deformed in some way (the last one I mean)... make sure not to forget all that you learned just because you are drawing from imagination ;)

The master study is looking good sofar. The thumb's cushen at the 2nd phalanx seems to be too big. Other than that the thumb looks fine to me.

Also, I'm hopin you've not started painting on it yet:
the back of the chair is on a wrong angle (check the angle of the upward line at the most right side of the chair backside...)
Also, with the arms (both the chair arms and the pope arms), check your perspective there mate ;)

Here's hoping you won't start swearing me to hell now but if you cannot resist... I will end up there anywayz :D

Looking forward to the next update Mu
grtz,
J

[Mu]

Hi Johan,

the back of the chair is on a wrong angle (check the angle of the upward line at the most right side of the chair backside...)
Also, with the arms (both the chair arms and the pope arms), check your perspective there mate ;)

As concerns the chair I just noticed that I scanned the whole thing in slightly tilted when I was trying to get both hands on the flatbed.
But I think you're right, I was starting to mistrust the hands and the chair, too.

So, no swearing at you...:scream: Quite on the contrary...

[Maladie]

Hi Mu,

good work on the pope! Was that last doodle done in digital? I could have sworn those were traditional media!

Don't be scared of the book people. They'll recognise a good manuscript when they see it:thumbsup:. They're humans too. It's okay:). (totally know what you mean by the way - now calling total strangers to ask if they want to be in a no-budget video:)...)

[Mu]

Maladie,

Hello my favourite dutch-ess...:scream:


They'll recognise a good manuscript when they see it:thumbsup:.

Oh Rinske, I will take this statement with me into my holidays to encourage me for afterwards. Thank you.
And yes, that was done in Painter.

corrections on the pope (though he is actually infallible, of course...:D )

nose wider
right hand will get a re-do (bigger, angles)
angles on the chair

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/velassi0001.jpg

[Mu]

quick practise in local value...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/locval.jpg

[Mu]

Hi there,

As concerns the Velazquez: I am taking the pope with me in my holidays.... poor Innozenz the tenth... we'll be looking at each other full of contempt, no doubt, but it needs to be done...:scream:


New Topic: Pastels...


The other day I read something at wetcanvas which made me unpack my pastels again after some four or five years or so (which means, I have been trying pastels before I came here and really started to learn and study things... no, you don't want to see the old stuff...:D )

The suggestion in that article was to give your pastel box a re-sorting through...

here's what I did...(nvm the sharpness, 'twas the cheap digicam):

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/PICT0019.JPG


Looks like a mess, doesn't it? The idea is to not sort them by colour, but by value!

That seemed so logical to me now, with all the value/monochrome studies I did over the last erm,...one and a half years, so I tried it. Lightest to the top, middletones in the middle, darks at the bottom.

I actually only today did a test conversion into b/w to check wether my eye was right...:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/PICT0019_BW.JPG

As you can see I got some of the middletones wrong and there's a rather light pastel which I sorted in far on the bottom... that's the darkest yellow I have. Also, one orange could go up into the middletone area.

With this new world order I tried a self portrait, using my pastel chalk for the first time in years again.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/PICT0020LOFI.JPG

I know it has its weaknesses (I have been doing this in about three or four hours... considering my pencil SP in the CGportfolio took me twelve hours I was really rushing things on this one)
However, this looks much better than anything I did in pastels before, so I highly recommend re-sorting your pastel box, if you have one. Your whole approach to any painting changes when you go "I need a dark..." and grab for it in the box, instead of... "this is a light brown... so let's be careful with the pressure with this dark pastel."

Here's my setup and a goodbye-going-to-holidays-wave for you folks..

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/PICT0017LOFI.JPG

See you soon!

:wavey:

[NR43]

That's a nice collection of pastels you got there!
good idea to sort by value if you ask me.. (will keep that in mind for once I get a lot of pastels meself)

The SP may have taken you less time, but I think it's better than the pencil one ;)

enjoy yer holidays!

[Mu]

Hi Johan,

I am glad you like it, but while it has its own charme with the colour and all I just think that the pencil one is stronger because the forms are just a bit more coherent. Or just... less wrong...:scream:


few Painter doodles without ref or anything before I'm off to bed...:

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/doodle%7E0.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/doodle_001.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/doodle_003.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/doodle_004.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/doodle_005.jpg

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/doodle_006.jpg

[Mu]

Hello Everyone!

:wavey:

I am back from a mostly rainy holiday, so I spent many an hour drawing and painting these last two weeks. Bit tired atm, but here's the first in a row of scans.

This is my finished Velazquez mastercopy, done in charcoal and watercolor. Following a suggestion in the primary color challenge of wetcanvases watercolor forum I painted this using only lemon yellow, red and phtalo blue. The orange, purple, green and the brown and grey hues were mixed from these.

See you all soon with more...

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/primaryColors_velazquez0001_LOFI.jpg

[Mu]

Hey,

Muhammad Ali. The Greatest.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/ali0001_LOFI.jpg

Unfortunately, I messed up his right bottom jaw line, so he looks more like Harry Belafonte, now...:scream:

Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay, was more than just a boxer or an athlete. In a time where afro-american athletes, especially boxers, had to follow certain stereotypes Ali totally invented an independent character and followed this thing through.

This is more than I could possibly sum up, here, so if you're interested...

watch: When we were Kings (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118147/)

[Mu]

More Ali, watercolor pencils and watercolor this time. I noticed that with the mastercopy (of course, I might say) and also with the Ali portrait I was trapped in a quite intricate style of working which produces watercolor paintings which I am not actually into as a viewer.

I prefer the looseness and the partial chaos of watercolor.

However, being a noob and all, I just can't deal with that aspect of watercolor, yet. But I tried to keep me from being too caught up in the technical details of applying glazes by making use of the watercolor pencils from time to time.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/ali_nu0001.jpg


There's more boxing oriented stuff to come so I thought I had better mention that I am not a boxing fan per se. I don't stay up late to watch the fights or anything.

With Ali, it's similar to Bob Marley. I don't like Reggae, but I love Bob Marley. In my opinion, there's Reggae and there's Bob Marley, just as there's boxing and Muhammad Ali.

Watch this following clip: Total domination! That's a world championship fight... the other guy is one of the best in the world. Make sure to watch Alis legs at the start of (and actually throughout) the clip!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD99VbFzqAg


Or this one, the speed of the punches is breathtaking. That man changed a whole sport, reaching an unprecedented and never again accomplished peak of this sport. With him, it's rather a martial art.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU2YPXghFkU

In the sixties, the sport of boxing and the american society (civil rights movement and all) went through big changes and it's kind of fascinating how the two intertwined with Ali at the focus.

So, that's a bit as to why I am fascinated with Ali and two other boxing athletes, the paintings of which I will post in the following days.

Cya.

:wavey:

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY....MR MU....:thumbsup:

Great to see you focusing in on something that inspires you. Will end up producing great work every time when that happens..:thumbsup:
Boxing scenes are a great way to practice two figure action compositions, which are the hardest to get good results in...The key in that type of composition, is to have one figure as the dominent focus, and the other as subordanent to the main focus, or else they compete for the viewers attention and cancel the action out...A great way to do this effect, is with lighting, focus, detail, ect...Hope to see a two figure action composition from you in the near future...will put your new found skills and inspiration to the test for sure..:eek: :scream: :)
GREAT JOB ON THOSE ALI WATER COLORS BY THE WAY...:thumbsup:
I really enjoyed those links of the fights that you posted..just got done watching them...FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A BE...same thing applies when you paint ...:)
TAKE CARE, and KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND PROGRESS..MR MU...:applause: :bounce: :thumbsup:

Glenn

[Mu]

Hey Glenn,

when you mentioned the two figure composition I had to immediately think about that iconic photo of the Ali-Liston rematch knockout with Ali towering over Liston infuriated because he was afraid nobody would believe that fast knockout to be for real...:eek:

pretty much the only image that pops up if you enter Ali liston into google, btw....

http://images.google.de/images?hl=de&q=ali%20liston&btnG=Google-Suche&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

Here's a watercolor pencil and watercolor painting of Floyd Patterson, the first man to ever re-conquer and regain the heavyweight world championship after having lost it before.
He was also outstanding in regards to integrity (insisting on fighting Liston when the whole management was afraid of him and wanted to arrange for weaker candidates instead) and honesty (talking about the immense fear of losing before fights and all)...

check him out here, leaping through the ring like an angry snake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9pOAk6pulo

He lost his title to Liston who in turn lost it to Ali. Patterson was later cast against Ali, playing the role of the socially accepted christian "good negro" vs. the pseudo-muslim bigmouth "bad negro" Muhammad Ali.
Ali later claimed he deliberately delayed knocking Patterson out in the ring so he could continue punching him.

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/floyd0001.jpg


BTW, have to stitch these things together as the scanner is too small, so sorry for that strange line...

[Mu]

the last boxing hero in here for a while...:scream:

Sonny Liston, the champ that noone wanted. Criminal record, giving a damn on (white) public opinion, stigmatized as the "bad negro", he was in fact a antecedent of Muhammad Alis independance of white america's opinion on afro american boxing pros, albeit he couldn't free himself of the rejection and its influence on him.

final recommendations:

read: "King of the World" by David Remnick
listen to: "Song for Sonny Liston" by Mark Knopfler

http://muratkayi.de/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/liston0001.jpg

this was done with pencil and charcoal (to push the dark tones), but initally I wanted to do a watercolor painting of the photo ref I had. I realized that I wouldn't be able to do it in watercolor and then I was already halfway through with my shoddy style of doing pencil sketches for watercolor (which means I had to erase half of it when I realized I would be doing this in pencil only) - bottom line is... I would have gotten a better result had I known that I would be doing this in pencil from the start, but Alas! It wasn't meant to be...

:)

[NR43]

Hi Mu
Good to see so much activity here lately.

I think the last one looks a bit pale though :)
You're not gettin NR43's disease are ya? (being afraid of going too dark)

[Mu]

Hi Johan,

always nice to read replies by you.

You're not gettin NR43's disease are ya? (being afraid of going too dark)

LOL, I don't think so... I didn't know you were affected. Hard to tell you are, given all these mindboggingly beautiful studies in your thread and all...:rolleyes:

But as for overall contrast: I did notice that the darks weren't dark enough and tried to push them further by adding charcoal to the pencil drawing. The problem, however, is that the very coarse tooth or grain of the paper was meant for watercolor and kind of repelled the pencil graphite as well as the charcoal. You can still see paper structure very clearly even on his chin where I literally broke a charcoal mine trying to press that damn stuff into the drawing...LOL...:scream:

thanks for your visit!
:)

[NR43]

get yer fingers dirty :D

seriously, I do that with charcoal and with a bit of training it's possible to get nice values when you use your thumb (or another finger if that suits you better, but I use my thumb), rub the charcoal, add a bit more, rub again... until you get the desired value

[Mu]

hand->forehead

*slap!*

that should do the trick, LOL!

thanks.

[rdsarna]

Hi Murat!
I admire your work...alot!
Your self portrait is beautiful....the lose look of it adds to its appeal....

The Velazquez mastercopy is very good....I shall try and use your technique of using limited colours coz I feel the result is quite fresh....

The charcoal drawings are also very impressive...I like the last one's rendering though it looks smudged at some places....

Anyways I'm a beginner myself so my comments might be wrong....but i told what I thought....

Post Soon...

Tke Cre
Ratul

[Mu]

Ratul,

thank you so much for your warm compliments. I am glad you like the stuff you see here, but keep in mind I am also a beginner - just trying to get my stuff straight... so much to learn...

see you...

:wavey:

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY ....MR MU ...:thumbsup:
A good and cheaper way to loosen up before you use that expensive paper, is to get a large pad of newsprint paper at your art store, or a roll of butchers paper at your local hardware store or house painting store,...and a few sticks of conti crayons..redish brown...use the whole side of the conti crayon, will give you a nice broad stroke and CRISP edges...work big, and fast, throwing cautions to the winds...just to loosen up your shoulder muscle and mind muscle.LOL :scream: :)
That conti crayon is harder compressed and less messy than charcoal, and will give you beautiful results with a little practice, plus it last a lot longer than the charcoals, and can be used in combination with a charcoal or pastel overlay, or underlay ..EXPERIMENT AND EXPLORE ..:)
This sort of drawing technique will prepare you for the painting approaches that you are entering into..underpaintings ect.
HEY, have you gotten that book on the MASTERS painting techniques yet, ..just curious ...CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHERE YOU GO WITH THOSE TECHNIQUES.
Work big in your drawings, and small at first in your oils, just a suggestion that might help in the messey department ..LOL..:)
I'm in the same situation myself,..no room for fumes or the mess.
LOTS OF ROOM FOR DIGITAL THOUGH...:bounce: :)
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK ...MR MU :thumbsup:
TAKE CARE
Glenn