Sketchbook Thread of Maladie

[vicmonty]

maladie,
do you always work with ink? great drawings. i don't always have the nerve to commit to ink. it probably wouldn't hurt me because i erase too much. I started doing 5min and 10 min sketches for my anatomy sketchbook. i'm getting comfortable. Glad you found time to draw on vacation.

[Gord-MacDonald]

pretty cool ink work!
I like the drawing of your boyfriend :thumbsup:

[mister3d]

Good works, keep it up!

[Mu]

I like the drawing of your boyfriend, too!

Also, yay! for your return to the forums. If you keep documenting your daily routine that way I will get to know how you are on a regular basis. How cool...

:)

[Maladie]

Hi guys,

thanks for the warm welcome!:)

I never worked with ink before, I only bought the pen like 2 weeks ago. So all of this is pretty new to me. What I find particularly hard is indicating the difference between naturally dark and shaded planes. All is pretty sloppy. However I still like the vibrant quality of the lines. It seems to go with my personality or something.

If everything goes well I might participate in a neighbourhood project the last weekend of May, drawing portraits of the people who live there, who are from very different origins and walks of life. It's a voluntary thing.

What do you guys think: should I do it?
Ofcourse I could always add that I'm a beginner and might f up their portrait royally:).

Okay here goes:

This week was packed with festivities for my dads 60th and work, so I didn't get many opportunities to draw. When I was home I only sketched homely things, like my boyfriend cooking for me (yes, he entertains and cooks, what a guy), 15 min. app:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/dirk_kookt.jpg

Also in the living room: testimony to my boyfriends weird habit of drying underwear on the heater (5-10 min), and our beautiful big cat Mina giving me her best bad**s look (10 m). In the last one I tried hard on the shading:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/mina_broek.jpg




Due to the busy week I spent a lot of time at the station and on trains. Three gestures above (+/- 2 min. each) are all of people looking at the train information. The lower portrait is of a guy on the train (5 scattered minutes) who kept looking skittishly at me. From his crisscross moustache (which wasn't there in real life) you can tell my difficulties with shading:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/trein_mensen.jpg

That's all folks! Have a good night (or day).

[NR43]

Hi!

Nederlandsdtalig volk, leuk zeg :)

Nice inking!
You seem to sketch without thinking all too much, which is actually the best way to draw.
The drawing of your cat is really beautiful!

Oh and btw...


If everything goes well I might participate in a neighbourhood project the last weekend of May, drawing portraits of the people who live there, who are from very different origins and walks of life. It's a voluntary thing.



Sounds like a great opportunity to draw!
I hope you'll go and post up some of the results (I know I would)

I'm inspired to do some drawing with ink now...
Cheers!

[Maladie]

Two sketches using ref material from the 15 Minute Sketchathon-thread. I know, these don't reflect my life...but they do actually. I have this health problem that forces me to spend half my days in bed - okay, 1/3:). So this reflects the boredom of today when I have no opportunity to draw from real life - no whining intended.

20 mins just to complete the picture..:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/sketchathon_1.jpg

Struggling with the planes: how to use shading in a less 'random' way and how to indicate big shaded planes without 'locking them in' like I did on the cheeck?

And, below (15 min. Jay!:)): how can I be more precise in the shapes and shading without losing the vibrancy and fluidity of the lines? Hmmm, I could spend years in bed figuring all this out...so it's all good!:)

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/sketchathon_2.jpg

PS. Johan: ja, leuk he, stiekem Nederlands praten:)

[NR43]

Struggling with the planes: how to use shading in a less 'random' way and how to indicate big shaded planes without 'locking them in' like I did on the cheeck?

Pretty tough question, that one.
Well, at least one that can't be achieved in a short time, I think.
My guess is it's about finding the best way by trial and error, no shortcuts.
Perhaps next sketches you will find yourself going the other way with your shading and you'll find it too stiff. Then the next phase might be a bunch of sketches that will be too loosely/randomly shaded for your likings, etc
Like a fading soundwave...

I am not that much bothered with the randomness of the shading in fact, but I'm not fond of the fact that you don't lift your pen from the paper when making the next stroke during shading (the sitting woman with the drapery). Perhaps it was intentional? Maybe it was because you were feeling bored as hell. Personally, I think it looks a bit sloppy this way (no pun intended).

However, I do understand that perhaps you are not into having your drawings looking too clinical.

[Maladie]

Hmmm...lifting the pen...there's a thought:). Thanks Johan that's actually an eye-opener!

[sanpaiya]

hey maladie. .
nice SB . . i really like the way you captured the feeling in first sketch of the sketchathon thread , ,
keep posting

[Maladie]

Hi sanpaiya - thanks! I like your work a lot, so yay!:)

I did a very interesting - if confronting - excercise today. I set a cooking alarm to 30 minutes and drew myself in exactly that time. Sorry guys, I didn't bother to comb my hair:D:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/zelf_13-5-09.jpg

Positive: even if it's not very flattering, it does look like me. Plus I didn't erase anything, except for one shadow over the left (your right) eye.

Negative: shading! Aargh! I have two drawing moods: fussy or sloppy. This is a nice combo:).

Actually this happens all the time with me. I start out really intuitively - come across my mistakes - tighten up - become really rational - start hating my work...This time I really want to keep the fun and flow going. I might not progress fast that way. But at least I'll keep trusting my instincts!:)

Thanks everyone - good pointer Johan;) - and goodnight!

[Maladie]

Added bonus:): some old PS work from Sketchathon, practice and OFDW's. Just nice to have it all in one thread.

All these are from somewhere in 2006/7.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/practice/10min130406.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/practice/jake5.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/practice/10min060506.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/practice/15min120506.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/practice/portrait200606copy.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/Rembrandt/closeup1.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/challenges/man1.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/challenges/2eman.jpg

[greenpizza]

You have a good work with ink and lineart, I like the post #8 and the last one paint of the man, keep posting.

[NR43]

Really nice SP Rinske!

Actually this happens all the time with me. I start out really intuitively - come across my mistakes - tighten up - become really rational - start hating my work...This time I really want to keep the fun and flow going. I might not progress fast that way. But at least I'll keep trusting my instincts!:)
Coincidentially, I was just thinking about this as I am having a bit of a similar phase with my recent life drawing sessions. These phases tend to come and go with me but it can be pretty ennoying sometimes. I guess the only solution is to keep drawing and we shall overcome! LOL

Nice color studies too!

[Maladie]

Johan thanks, I'm really glad to hear I'm not the only one! BTW this is also the reason I don't draw bones, arms with bones or in fact anything to do with skeletons:). If I make it too 'studious', I quickly lose all interest.

I drew another self-portrait tonight (30 mins). Corrected the forehead/hair, nothing else. I don't know what went wrong, I even combed my hair tonight!, but looking at it now I shudder to think this is me...

BTW guys please don't think I'm self-absorbed; I'm the only one who'll sit still long enough for these and won't be offended afterwards:D.

Good night!

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/zelf_14-5-09.jpg

[Mu]

Maladie!

I recommend all the self-absorption you can muster up. In the end, doing self portraits are not only work with the help of the one person who can understand your strife and is patient enough, but they will also help you get whole picture about yourself! I definitely learned not only something about drawing, but also about myself through the selfs I did.

What I wanted to tell you:

The contradiction of loose and strict work needn't bother you. Instead of feeling guilty or confused I recommend going all the way in either direction - which one depends on learning schedule and/or personal condition on a specific day.

Loose work:

- gets the art juices going...:D
- improves flow and line quality
- enhances understanding of energy/feelings of a given pose
- is fun doing

You can do gestures:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=199&t=253289&highlight=Gesture

You can do quick life drawings in cafés, subway a.s.o.:
http://janabouc.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/doodleheads-subway-sketching-patience/

You can tackle copying photos or other ref in a gesture oriented way. Also, in gestures, who cares if you lift your pen or if one can follow your thoughts over one continuous line through the whole drawing? Check out alenah's thread here, first post:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=200&t=635850&highlight=alenah


Strict work:

- serves as the foundation for your observation
- improves recognizability and credibility of what you draw
- supports the loose work with a steady frame
- is fun to have done

Any Hogarth study will help with "strict aims".
Any Loomis tutorials will do.
Any mastercopy will do.

You can focus on:
- facial planes
- proportion charts
- Lighting/Shading exercises (cf. the notorious apple!)
- Skulls
- even more skulls
- maquettes
- self portraits


What we all strive for, I guess, is this magical oneness of loose energy and a strict foundation of knowledge which the masters display (Curse them all!)

A good exercise to bring the two worlds willingly together is drawing opposing curves:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=199&t=255700&highlight=Gesture

Fun, girl, fun!

:D

yours
Mu

[Maladie]

Are your good looks making you overconfident? Here's the cure: draw a self-portrait from a low perspective, preferably when you're in bed sick:D.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/zelf_onderkin.jpg

Mu - believe it or not, summing it all up logically like that is a HUGE help. Thanks!! I do get intimidated by art theory, wondering if I do it 'right'. Like I could wake up one day and realise I've practiced the wrong kind of lines (or used the wrong tipp-ex) for 15 years, and as a result have learned nothing. HA HA HA. Sorry, had to have a hearty laugh at myself there:). Thanks again.

One with Sketchathon ref, in my signature vague shading. I actually discovered something today. I really try to draw what I see, but I see 'blocks' of the same value as closed shapes. So I have a tendency to encircle them, which makes it look weird. I think if I don't do that it'll be much better. 15 mins. Bye!

http://www.vraaghetdeschrijfcoach.nl/rinskeverberg/tekeningen/figure15mins.jpg

[vicmonty]

you're going strong!

[Maladie]

vicmonty, thanks for your visit!

This weekend I drew my boyfriend while he was gaming (tip! They don't pay attention!:)), 10 min:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/dirk_game_quick.jpg

After that quick studies of his hands:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/dirk_hands-1.jpg




And face (poor him! This has absolutely no likeness...he does have quite compact features though, which makes it hard to draw him):

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/dirk_game-1.jpg

Today, I'm finally back behind the computer, and I've decided to do a value study of an Ingres painting (out of OFDW - hands). About 45 mins into it:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Ingres_value.jpg

I'm inspired to do more 'basic' study - greyscale, perspective, anatomy, gesture. I kind of like it even. Maybe I'm ill:). Bye guys!

[Maladie]

Ingres, hail thou and thy insanely complicated values!:)
About 2 hrs into the face.

(a bunch of hand studies and SP waiting at home, will scan them asap!)

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Ingres_face1.jpg

[Rebeccak]

Nice work on the face, Maladie, keep going. :)

[Maladie]

Thank you, Rebecca!

Once again in bed, I can't paint but it does give me time to upload a bunch of hand studies I did. Have this sketchbook laying next to the couch and everytime I have nothing to do I sketch my left hand. All between 2 - 10 mins. My new book won't take ink so I've switched to ballpoint pen. I like the more detailed ones, but as I gain momentum I lose accuracy. Just takes more practice I guess!:)

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/hands.jpg

Quick 'gesture' portraits of Madonna, 2, 7 and 15 mins:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/madonna_gesture.jpg

[Maladie]

Another one from the bed. Nice double chin, huh? And ignore the weird torso. These are my, erm, boobs, as I was lying down:). Much as I hate to admit it, the ballpoint pen seems a little easier to control...Done in about 1 hour:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/self_20-5-09.jpg

[southparx]

hi Maladie,

i love the cat you done in ink - very mysterious and the stare looks alive

also the ingres painting - it's coming along really nicely - looking forward for an update :)

[Maladie]

Hey Southparx, thanks!:)

Some 2 more hours - might be a bit longer. Focused on general values, all the fun detailing begins next time! Also, this is the time, would you feel so inclined, to point out any errors:).

And WOW! I just can't contain my enthusiasm about this painting. The insane detailing is so lovingly done - here is someone really LOOKING, you know? Really, really blows my mind...it's nice to think that copying a painting like this makes you actually see it and love it.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Ingres_value2.jpg

[Maladie]

Whoo! This was the weekend I portrayed people for a neighbourhood project. My colleague Merel asked them questions while I took (about) 30 mins. to draw them. We went from home to home, directed by each person to a next person they were proud of. So it really is a chain of neighbourhood heros. It was immensely intense and impressive to do and I'm thankful I was able to participate!


Name: Naima
Is a hero because: she helps out everybody without ever having her own agenda.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Naima.jpg


Name: Oumaima
Is a hero because: she always tries to prevent fights and is an excellent cookie-maker.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Oumaima.jpg


Name: Nawal
Is a hero because: she's great in school and always sticks up for the other kids, even against big boys.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Nawal.jpg


Name: Arife
Is a hero because: she raised five kids and is now looking to open a restaurant.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Arife.jpg


Name: Bahar
Is a hero because: after her husband died she raised three daughters all by herself.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Bahar.jpg


Name: Derman
Is a hero because: he made his mum happy again after her first child died at birth.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Derman.jpg


Name: Rosa
Is a hero because: she's been a lawyer, translator, cook and mother to her neighbours for over 20 years.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Rosa.jpg


Name: Merel (my partner)
Is a hero because: her interest in people comes straight from the heart.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Merel.jpg

[NR43]

Great project Rinske!
Would be lovely to see these portraits continued as paintings.
You could use color to accentuate what makes them such special people in your color usage.
Just thinking out loud ;)

Excellent job on that master study btw...

[Maladie]

Hey Johan thanks! Cool suggestions too. I'm just gonna have to leave them alone though; for the moment I'm sticking to drawing and B&W, to learn more first before I try my hand at colored paintings again:).

Small question: in his youtube vids, Bobby Chiu speaks about the order in which he approached drawing, starting with 'linear shape'. Since English is not my first language I'm wondering what he means - stuff like Loomis, gesture, or drawing blocks and such? Hope anyone can help me out.

My boyfriend gaming again (sigh *lol*), 30 mins:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/dirk.jpg


I'm trying to learn more about shaping and shading. This took over 3 hrs. As you can see I'm quite uncertain about some of the facial planes, e.g. the cheeks. If you have any pointers feel free to crit! Ref from the 50 faces-thread (and no, I'm probably not spending 147 more hours on doing the other 49 - I'll do a few:D)

Edit: done with a Bic pen; I did a ten minute gesture, then put in all the hatching in about 3 hrs.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/water.jpg

[Mu]

Hi Rinske,

your portraits are coming along really well!

About the Chiu video: IIRC that was the part where he talked about focusing on one aspect only, wasn't it? So, if you want to improve line quality leave out shading or colour. If you want to improve on structure leave out values, lines, but concentrate on facial planes (e.g.) or bone studies. If you want to concentrate on value then leave out all the work on lines, colour and so on.

I have been following this, I think.

When I do structure work I mainly refer to Hogarth plates/reference and do his sort of exaggerated scultping of anatomical structure.

When I want to focus on flow I do gestures and life drawing

There's work on values (mastercopies lend themselves for that, imo) which can also be done in longer self portraits for example.

[NR43]

I kind of agree with what Mu says here.
Linear = made with lines
Shape = 2D area that has lines as boundaries.

I also have a linear approach when drawing from life.
It's the best way to quickly establish a pose with the right proportions (imho).
I think it's a phase that takes quite some time to grow out of (years, rather than months).

It doesn't mean you have to limit your studies to such an approach though.
Variety is a must.

EDIT:
Perhaps I could add that when thinking in terms of shapes, there are distances, negative spaces and angles that play a dominant role during the sketching.
When thinking of forms, it's really thinking 3D, trying to feel the form (eg the roundness of a leg), light and shadow are dominant tools to create the illusion of form. Quicker results can then be achieved by leaving the linear approach and use media like charcoal, conté, bistre, paint etc

[Maladie]

Thanks so much Mu and Johan for helping me out! So if I understand you correctly, 'linear shape' can mean either a structural approach (without shading, lighting etc.) or gesture drawing, also concentrating on lines? Blegh, I might have to check out one of those 'study-approaches' like Loomis/Hogart after all. Don't know why I resent this so much, sorry, I mean no disrespect. It's just that I like looking and drawing - I dont like thinking.

Thinking, bleghhh!:D

Also I saw some excellent master copy drawing in Mu's thread, that might be a good way of finding out the masters' approach to hatching the planes! Though if I'm honest I also just want to copycat guys like Razz...masters on CGtalk...hihi:)

Hey but Johan, when you say 'it's a phase it takes years to grow out of', do you mean I'm wrong in trying to shade (hatch) my portraits? You think I should concentrate on something else first? Not that I'm brainlessly gonna follow up, but it never hurts to hear what you think!

[NR43]

Nono, I mean we evolve in our ways of approaching.
No matter how much you dislike thinking while drawing, there are definitely some processes occuring in the brain while drawing. When looking at a subject, we receive certain signals from the eyes in our brain, it is the brain that shows us what was projected onto the back of our eyes. They way we draw what we see is only an interpretation of the information.

The way we interpret the information changes constantly.
This has to do with our improving capabilities to measure distances, reading shapes, distillating values (we see in color but everything we see has a tonal value), recognizing color in all it's aspects (hue, saturation,...), but also our motor system will be more refined after years of routine.

I tend to experience this as phases...

On another note...
Loomis has helped me a lot during my initial phase, my first steps into drawing so to speak. I first started drawing his heads etc from his book "Drawing the head and hands", but my eyes reallo opened when I started reading what he wrote. So if you dl his books, do yourself a favour and read the books first, then start to practice his methods. You will save yourself a lot of time doing so.

Hogarth has a different approach, perhaps his methods will suit you more than Loomis, or the other way around. I only started to understand after I was already out of my Loomis phase. I would not advise to study both at the same time, because there is a risk of mixing up things and losing it all due to that. I'd say pick one, get it in your bones, then let both on the shelve for a while and then pick up the other Master's methods.

Oh and... chances are you're gonna be throwing tomatoes and eggs at me for this, but doing some anatomy studies will also seriously boost your skills.

Looking forward to your next steps :)

[Maladie]

Ha ha, okay: I, Rinske make a solemn promise to you, Johan, that I will study anatomy in some form in the near future.

WHAA! Need to hide in a closet now:). That's almost a binding promise ("Define 'near'"...)!

(seriously: thanks for all the encouragement!!)

[Maladie]

"Mum, why does my hatching look like hair? Leo's never looks like hair! I hate you Leo!"

"Children..."

:)

Done in 2 hrs (and haven't even really dug into the REAL hair...); then my drawing time was up. Things I learned about hatching:

- it doesn't have to literally cross to 'crosshatch'; a little variety of direction is enough to indicate shape;
- you have to be neat with the strokes or it looks like hair:);
- you can indicate value by some straight hatching; not all the hatching needs to follow the contour;
- the hatching has to have the same spaces in between throughout the drawing to make it look like a unity.

Might finish this (so it really is 3 hrs. per head...).
PS. I know about the gesture - I tried three times just to get this:).

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/davinci.jpg

[Maladie]

More work on the Ingres... (2 hrs.)
I think I'm done with the face, not because it's perfect but because I think this is as far as I can push this right now. The last hour or so I did have an epiphany (:)) about the way he uses slightly darker shades to build up shape...hard to explain I'm afraid...you had to be there:).

Now, on with the insanely complicated vest!


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Ingres_value3.jpg

[Rebeccak]

That's looking great Maladie! :) Awesome to see your progress on this.

[paperclip]

The Ingres is looking wonderful! Can you post the original alongside so people don't have to flip back and forth between the two?

http://www.stellamaris-edu.net/divers/images/Ingres_Louis_Francois_Bertin.jpeg
Well...If you look at it, it seems that you're getting the values quite closely, but there's a bit more contrast in the face than in your portrait, especially around the forehead/nose. The waistcoat too has rather more contrast- but I know you haven't finished that yet. It'll be great when it's done. Keep going!!

[Maladie]

Hey Paperclip,

thank you very much for these efforts! In the following posts I'll make sure to always put a small version of this alongside my interpretation.

You're definately right about the contrasts/values compared to this coloured version, but I work with a desaturated version in which somehow it doesn't seem this far off (not to sound defensive, I know it shouldn't make a difference:)...)? Anyway I'll post that one too for comparison. Next monday I'm back on it yay!

Thanks again, and Rebecca thanks for your visit as well!:)

[batte812]

Hi Rinske, you're doing some good studies. The Ingres really looks impressive! I'm curious to see how it will turn out!

[Mu]

Rinske,

there's many ways of converting a colour image to greyscale and simply desaturating an image is just one of them (and depending on the sw used it's not the best way either).

I don't know what app you use, but a search on converting to greyscale should give you starters.

EDIT: I forgot: different methods result in different values, that's why I point this out!

[Aviva]

Hi Maladie, you've been very productive! I also have to force myself on the anatomy front (although I'm focusing on animal anatomy); it's a slow process. I have found listening to music while studying anatomy helps keep me focused.

Great work on the portraits! The Ingres is comming along nicely and the neighbourhood project was facinating to see and read through. I look forward to seeing more! :)

[lessthanhumanz]

Your Studies is simply awesome! Love it

[Maladie]

Hi batte812, Mu, Aviva and lessthanhumanz, thank you all so much for the visit!:) It's really encouraging to come back to these responses. Good tip on changing the img to greyscale, Mu. That might make a difference.

Especially for Johan - no I'm kidding, it's a subject I've been tired of avoiding for some time now - I dipped a first toe into the pond of anatomy today. Worked on a lot of Loomis drawings ('Drawing the head and hands'), but my scanner doesn't pick up on light pencil...Anyway I'm at plate 3. It's very hard; I tend to make my heads far too wide.

Here's one Loomis head and a 1 hour copy of a human skull (Google ref). But how exactly will I learn? Is just looking at it enough or should I know what all the little bones are called and what they're for?:)

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/skull1.jpg

[Maladie]

Work on the sleeves and fixed some gesture issues...was a real struggle today...blegh:)
(the different method for grayscale works well though!)

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Ingres_value4.jpg

[NR43]

Hey that man keeps looking at me... awesome master study Rinske!

On Loomis:
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRead his words I tell ya! Then start drawing.
Do it!!

[Maladie]

Thanks for the ever-encouraging visits, Johan!
And yes, I RRRead, I dRRRaw, but I forget to PPPost my Loomis stuff:).

This is kinda...done, thingie? I'm scared now...:) Comments ofcourse welcome. NB. My screen being right under a rooflight might account for some weird values. Now I'm off to do some silly stuff from imagination yay!!

Edit: Edited some values at home with Image Reader, laptop and mouse - it was that bad...

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Ingres_value6.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/Ingres_Louis_Francois_Bertin_REF_kl.jpg

[Maladie]

I finally stopped crying over the 0 comments on the Ingres long enough to upload again...

:p LOL - been busy.

Here's some work from the last week or so!
Some very humble Loomis-studies:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/loomis.jpg

Some anatomy studies and Dr. Bone studies. Still unsuccesfully trying to overcome my fear of anatomy:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/anatomy.jpg

The portrait drawing is going strong, I practise on stylization and technique. A quick John Malkovich with ballpoint pen, and trying out a new drawing pen with variable point thickness...

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/monkey_john.jpg

Last but not least: neighbourhood hero Gijs.
In spite of claiming to have a deathwish and hating all foreigners, Gijs builds free bikes for all the neighbourhood kids (most from foreign origins) and makes the rounds on his self-made 'ambulance bike' daily, to see if they are okay.:)

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/rava1981/CG2009/gijs.jpg

Have a great summer y'all!!

[SpiritDreamer]

HEY...Rinske....WOW...FANTASTIC JOB done with that Ingres study..:bounce: :thumbsup: :applause:

Don't be afraid of anatomy..Just pretend and see all of those muscles and tendons ect. as electrified rubber bands that when given a jolt of juice, bulge in the middle and shorten when constricted, and then lose that same buldge when the juice is turned off, and lengthen when stretched.
Practice their funtion, which is to create motion and to allow for it to take place..by allowing the bones to move.
Memorize their attachment points to the bones.
No real understanding of motion can be understood until those points of attachment are memorized.
Looking forward to seeing lots more of your works..GREAT STUFF..and PROGRESS..:thumbsup:
TAKE CARE
Glenn

[NR43]

Ok better late than never... About your Ingres study:
the pants and the back of the chair (the side closest to the viewer) can use a bit lighter values.
(I strongly recommend getting a monitor calibration device)

I also think that some of the fabric folds are too hard-edged (or too sharp, or whatever you call that). I can't remember if you are doing this in Painter or PS, if you are using Painter, you can soften some folds with the just add water brush in the blenders category.

Great to see these pencil sketches as well!

[Maladie]

Thanks for the visit, Glenn!:) Your description of how muscles work made me laugh...and I'd never thought of it that way...that's really helpful! I found that great book, Anatomy for the Artist, in the library. Yay! I think that might also help me a lot.

Johan, thanks for the ever-helpful tips. Yes, calibration, but also next time avoiding working under a rooflight might help...:) I think I'll just leave Ingres now. You're totally right about the folds though...but I'd rather start on a new (grayscale) portrait!

Suggestions anyone? I love Ingres' style and have also taken an interest in Rubens lately...

[Maladie]

Hey all!

I just got back from a GREAT couchsurfing trip to Ireland where I kept the portrait spirit alive! This one I was the happiest with; a style seems to be developing here, though I don't know how or why:)

Hope you're all having a wonderful holiday.

http://www.vraaghetdeschrijfcoach.nl/rinskeverberg/tekeningen/me-by-rinske.jpg

[NR43]

Hey Rinske, glad to hear you were having a great time in the land of the Clover (and Guinness) :)

Irish people are so funny! Well I love their sense for humor anywayz.
That portrait, it feels like he could use a bit more cranium at the back of his head.
Maybe add a bit more hair at the right (his back left side) and the top of his head, that should do the trick.

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