Sketchbook Thread of Gotahale

[gotahale]

Here is a quick sketch of the famous tony ryder image. I just did it with a regular mechanical pencil, so i couldn't get all of the darks, oh well. Hopefully this can kick this
can kick things off, and bring in some critiques.
http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/tryder.jpg

[Rebeccak]

Welcome, nice work! :) Are you a Brigham Young student? They seem to have a really strong art program there.

-R

[gotahale]

Haha wow you guessed it! Did the swimsuits give it away? I am a freshman at BYU, and I just switched a couple months ago from the studio department to the illustration. I decided representational was the thing for me. Lets hope it is.

[gotahale]

are you familiar with BYU?

[Rebeccak]

Heh, I've just seen drawings online in that style, and they're all from BYU. :) Out of curiosity, who is your life drawing teacher? I like the style and am curious to know how your life drawing courses are taught.

It's great that you're using Tony Ryder's book, it's fantastic. :) I can see the influence of the block in method in your drawings, which is great.

I think you can take Ryder's studies farther - this (http://mirrorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/02/irvine-valley-college-spring-2008.html) may be helpful, these are examples of some of my former students' studies from Ryder, which are on 18" x 24" paper. You can really take his studies to a far degree, and as a consequence, really hone your eye to the small nuances of form. I love that he breaks his methods down so simply, you can't really go wrong with the block in. Keep posting!

[gotahale]

The teacher I had when I drew those gestures was Chad Barksdale, who teaches the same way as his father, Ralph Barksdale. You can his work paintings and drawings here (http://www.ralphbarksdale.com/), and i think he is currently writing a book. My current life drawing teacher is Robert Barrett, and you can see his work here (http://www.ralphbarksdale.com/). He has written a book show his technique and style, and its posted on his website. As far as I know, they have both been very good teachers. I enjoyed and learned a lot.

As far as the tony ryder's book goes, I actually don't have it, i just referenced his image. But my teacher was using it today, and it definitely seems worthwhile to get.

Any ways here is some life drawings from today and yesterday.
Both on 18 x 24 newsprint pad. The first is a bottle green nuPaster, and the second is conte. As always, comments and critiques are greatly appreciated.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0205.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0206.jpg

[Rebeccak]

Thanks for the info. and the links. :)

Nice to see more drawings - I like the tonal structure and the general approach you are using. Watch the proportions on the legs - in the second image, the legs are a bit short for the upper torso. Something I like to do for my own drawings is to establish a light block in with graphite first, before approaching a drawing with charcoal...then I can check major proportions and correct my errors before going in with a less easily erasable medium, such as charcoal or conte. This would be particularly helpful in areas like the feet, where for a more finished drawing, you'd want the feet to be more firmly established in terms of shape and proportion before finalizing anything with charcoal. Hope that helps. Good stuff! :)

[lessthanhumanz]

Those drawings are quite good. I like the style and the approach and I think its hard to go wrong with that approach. Coincidently I actually borrow a few weeks ago Robert Barrett book. Its definitely good

Thanks

[gotahale]

Rebecca, thanks for the critique. I can see what you mean about the proportions. I think a big part of my problem is I am drawing way to heavy handed. Usually you can erase conte and nu pastel pretty easily off newsprint. I do quickly block it with light strokes to get the main directions, but when I work off of the I draw to hard and than when I try to fix I want erase. haha I better work one that. thanks again.

LessThanHuman, Thanks for the compliment, I appreciate it. Barrett is a great teacher as well, very nice man as well.

Anyways, I have started to study loomis' head book in my sketchbook. It is very interesting and I have learned a lot. Here are some studies from the first section, some ref from book, some ref from else where, and some from my head. All done with his style of construction.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/loomisstudies1.jpg

[Coyotee]

you have very nice style keep it going man :)

[batte812]

Great studies! I like to see more.

[gotahale]

Thank you very much Bartovan and Matthias. You asked for, and so here is more. It is probably my best figure drawing to date. Done today hurray. The hard work is finally paying of.

18 x 24 newsprint. Bottle Green NuPastelhttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/june1.jpg

[Heozart]

Hi, I love how you simplify shapes in your figures.

[gotahale]

Thank you Hezoart. I'm just doing what my teacher tells me to do. haha

Here is a new one for today. and 1 and half hours.

18 x 24 Newsprint. Bottle Green Nupastel.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/june2.jpg

[Rebeccak]

Very nice progress! :)

[vshen]

i really like your studies specially the first one. Looking forward to seeing more.

[krispee]

yeah, good work on the studies, keep that up, will pop back again.....:cool:

kris

[SpiritDreamer]

Hi Kevyn..:)

I like your life class drawings..Strong technique..:thumbsup:
If you haven't gotten it yet, you might get Dynamic Figure Drawing by Burne Hogarth...GREAT BOOK...It will be very useful to you at the point where your at now..Lots of information in it that you won't find elsewhere..:)
Looking forward to seeing more of your work and progress..:thumbsup:

[KarthikAL]

Hi Kevyn:) I like your life class drawings:thumbsup: keep them coming.

[gotahale]

Hey thank you everybody for the complements on my life Drawings! I really appreciate it.

Glen, Thank you for the suggestion. I got the book a couple of days a go, but I haven't had the chance to look at it yet, but I will make sure to do so today.

Here is a couple more drawings and a gesture from today and yesterday. I don't think they are as strong, but hey, I'm learning!

all are Bottle green NuPastel on 18 x 24 newsprint.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/june3.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/June4.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/june4gesture1.jpg

[anandpg]

Hi Kevyn! Awesome drawings, man! :thumbsup: Love your shading!

[gotahale]

Anand, thank you much! By the way, your modeling is incredible.

Umm, I've been thinking lately that I am getting decent enough at copying and rendering from life and photos. But what I really struggle at, currently, is creating stuff from "my imagination". I can sort of draw the figure from my mind, but I don't know clothes, costumes, stories, hairstyles, etc. I have no experience with animals either, so I was thinking I would build up the database in my head, and start observing a little more than i do. I think it was in Bert Dodson's book that in summary he said if you want an imagination, use it, and the more you use it, the bigger it will be.

So there you have it, Here is a page of some randomed reference drawing and some stuff drawn from my mind based off of the references! Any advice or crits are always appreciated!
http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/study.jpg

[Mu]

Hey,

I really love the sleeping figure in the bikini of the previous post! Great clarity in your understanding of values. I envy you.

Looking forward to what happens when you go into the realm of imagination...:D

*bookmark

[gotahale]

Mu, I appreciate that a lot. Identifying whats light and dark is what i've been focusing on! As for the imagination, well see how that goes haha.

Today I had to do an out of class draped figure. It was my first one ever, and i had no clue what I was doing. But come monday, we will be learning what to do.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/june6.jpg

[gotahale]

Well I found a tablet pen today so I decided to have a go at digital painting. I don't really know what I'm doing, so please giving and advice or critiques you got.

I chose to copy a masters from the head work shop, #64, a painting by anthony Van Dyck. It is just a wip, but hopefully i will be finished soon.

064:
DYCK, Sir Anthony Van
Porrtrait of the Sculptor Duquesnoy (?)
1627-29
Oil on canvas, 77,5 x 61 cm
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/wip1.jpg
And Here is the orig...
http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/copiaed.jpg

[itayg]

nice sketches. i like the draped figure sketch.
about the Van Dyck portrait my only tip is to try to look at the painting
in big simple shapes before you go into details.
try to match the geometry structure of the original shape (like the face and the big white shirt collar).

keep it up,

itay

[gotahale]

Itayg, I see what your saying sort of, but looking at my painting really makes me feel like I want to restart. I think I better start with the bigger simples shapes. I guess I better give it another go, anybody know of any tutorials?

For some more work, I am making some watercolor postcard thingys as thank you notes to some people who helped me get ready to serve my lds mission, which will be in baltimore, Maryland. Hence the post cards are locations of MD.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/mdb1.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/mdb2.jpg

[NR43]

Really nice life drawings!
Definitely an American style :)
Nice to see you are studying European Masters as well hehe.
In the end, we're all in the same boat.

Looks like you're having fun drawing.
Good luck with your studies!

[gotahale]

Thanks a lot Johan, and yes, Life drawing is a blast!

I am still trying to digital paint, although I don't have a lot of time to do it. Here is a wip.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/yoga1work.jpg

[lessthanhumanz]

Nice painting! keep going

[gotahale]

Lessthan, thanks you very much, and hopefully I find the motivation to finish it!

Today I am going to just dump the last week of life drawings here. I only have one more class left and I am very sad... but hey learned a lot. The first day of class our teacher made us do a sustained pose, so when we get that back I can show you all the improve ive made in a month and a half. Anyways here is a bunch of life drawings 5 min, 15 min, 1hr and 2hrs...
not in order.

Please give the best critiques you can haha.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0318.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0317.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0314.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0310.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0309.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0306.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0307.jpghttp://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86/gotahale/IMG_0303.jpg

[NR43]

Wow!
What size are these drawings?

I think you could use the pelvis/waist area more to show that your subject is female.
This was probably a skinny model, but still, wide hips symbolize fertility, making your subject more attractive ;)

These are beatuiful sketches though!
I particularly like the bold strokes and how you integrate your figures in the background on the longer studies.

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