Sketchbook Thread of JDPinto

[Maladie]

Hey JD, nice work! Good for you that you started this.

You seem to use lots of little 'furry' strokes for the outlines of your figures. You might find you get more flow if you force yourself to draw long continuing lines. I find using a (ink) pen is a good cure for any fear to 'mess up' with this, because with a pen you're sure to mess up in the beginning:). Once you've overcome this fear you start making bolder strokes and 'firmer' shapes. Just my two cents.

Now go draw, draw, draw!:)

[vicmonty]

JD,

I'm still learning to draw, and a lot of my older sketchbooks are filled with unfinished pictures with short strokes as mentioned above. Try the pen method. Become comfortable with your skill. Keep on with the studies that you are doing. Oh, something that has helped me is setting assignments for myself daily. I like to participate in the daily sketch group. I just started recently, but it keeps my fresh. Keep posting.

[Gord-MacDonald]

your drawings have a nice sensitive line in them.

[JDPinto]

Thanks guys for the comments and responses.

Maladie - I know exactly what you mean about the furry lines, I always feel like I'm going to mess up really badly when I try to do long continuous lines in one stroke. I'll definitely try using a pen and see how that goes. Thanks a lot for the advice!

vicmonty - Yeah I really have to overcome that tendency to use short strokes. I will totally take a look at the daily sketch group. You will soon start seeing me around there :thumbsup:

Gord - Thank you :D



Here are some of my latest sketches. BTW, please be as harsh as you can on crits. I really need it!!


Woman with an umbrella I saw rush by at the train station:
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/umbrellawoman.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/dudespower.jpg

I couldn't get the guy shrugging his shoulders to look right. He just ended up with really big shoulders.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/dudesrelax.jpg

Big forehead...
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/womanbowandarrow.jpg

No forehead...
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/womanflyingandpoorguy.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/scaredboyonrope.jpg


I need to find more references of people in fun, stretched poses. I always draw from my head but really need to start using references or I'll keep getting those crazy strange proportions that pop in sometimes =/

[vicmonty]

JD,

If it's reference you desire, wander over to this 15 MIN SKETCHATHON (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=199&t=295498&page=1&pp=15). Browse through the photos, pic one with the pose you like and do it. Also, Rebeka recommended this routine or something like it: find a reference then do a 2min sketch, then a 5 min sketch, and then a 15 min sketch. I did it using a victoria secret catalog. women of many different poses.

[JDPinto]

So I took up the challenge of using a pen and tried drawing people at the train station as they passed by. Drawing with a pen is hard! I tried taking the advice I've been getting and used long continuous lines as much as I could. I found myself barely looking at my paper at all, just quickly moving my hand while keeping my focus on the subject itself. Although the results are way out of proportion and very sloppy I enjoyed it. Here's a few samples.


http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/inktrainstation.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/inktrainstation2.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/inktrainstation3.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/inktrainstation4.jpg



Vicmonty, I found your link and advice very helpful. I did a few sketches of 2, 5, and 15 minutes and also printed out a lot of the pictures found at that link for reference. Here's a couple done with charcoal.

reference:
http://www.dancesalad.org/images/gallery/2005-festival/kiki08-big.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/pointingballetgirl2and5.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/pointingballetgirl15.jpg


reference:
http://www.yogabound.com/yoga/images/BaliTraining_Shannon%20in%20Scorpion%20Pose%20Yoga%20Room.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/girlonarms2and5.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/girlonarms15.jpg

[JDPinto]

I found that my scanner has a major problem picking up the blue lines on these, so I just ended up taking a picture of them instead.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/bluedivingdude2and5.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/bluedivingdude15.jpg



Here's a couple of older drawings:

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/bigmonster.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/dudeswingingarm.jpg



Some more quick sketches of people at the train station:

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/bluesmoothwoman.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/bluewoman.jpg

Construction worker. Came out VERY stiff and robot-like.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/blueconstructionworker.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/blueconstructionworker2.jpg

[JDPinto]

I've been reading up on The Illusion of Life which I borrowed from the library. AMAZING book that really teaches you about the struggles that early animators at Disney went through. I also recently bought the newly published notes by Walt Stanchfield, Drawn to Life , volumes 1 and 2. :buttrock: They're really teaching me the importance of gesture and how to go about showing it on paper. Although his advice is mostly for animation, mostly traditional 2d animation that I've never been too interested in, I've been becoming really interested in it as of late thanks to these books. I've decided to draw and learn what a traditional animator would be learning as I'm sure it will be of much much much use later down the line.

I've taken some of the tips on there to heart and I'm really loving Walt's enthusiasm and character. Here are some sketches inspired by this great man, focusing mainly on perspective and gesture.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/bluedudewitharms.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/bluedudewithlegs.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/puntisimo/bluepointingdude.jpg



I don't think I ever realized the impact that lines alone have on an image. Clear, easy to read lines are critical to having an appealing drawing. I'm trying to focus on that more now since I tend to draw very sloppy and unclear lines.

I also found one of the tips Walt gives to be of tremendous help. He simply says that when drawing it's important to visualize the entire image on the paper as you draw. So while drawing the head you visualize the other parts of the body, when drawing the torso you visualize where the legs and arms will be, etc. Although simple and quite obvious, it's helped me a lot so I'm also trying to focus on that.

I've got my work cut out for me :thumbsup:

[Maladie]

Doing great! It's lovely when you find something that really motivates you, isn't it?:) Keep going!

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