Helzer's Sketches

#81

Been gone for a few days.

#82

I’ve pooped my pants!!!

My eyes popped, my head exploded, and my whole body has turned inside-out!!!

What really kills me is that you don’t think so highly of your work!!!

Your work is incredible, whether it takes you 30 seconds to do gestures or 2 days to pump out a finely detailed piece of insane artwork!!!

I haven’t seen a piece that hasn’t made me drool all over my keyboard.

One question though, how do you blow through this stuff without being overly critical?

I’ve put alot of ideas away forever because of frustration or just burnt-out.

Any tips?

#83

Soiling one’s pants is a mightly fine compliment, I suppose. :slight_smile: Thanks, I appreciate it.

To answer your questions: I never mention it, but I’m critical with most of the stuff I post. I really think of them as excercises that shouldn’t require a lot of time. When a piece is done, I usually have a mental list of areas that need correcting or adjusting. If I was to finalize a piece, I would certainly execute the corrections on my list. For now, though, I say “I’m aware of them and that’s half the battle.”

Concerning tips, try to sketch every idea you conjure-up. The more you do, the easier it becomes. I also read a lot of how-to traditional oil painting books and apply the techniques digitally. A book I have read a dozen times over is Harley Browns: Eternal Truths For Every Artist. I highly recommend it.

I hope this helps. And thanks again!

Best Regards,
Dan

#84

Keep it up! Nice work once more. I am still watching this thread.

#85

Thanks danielh68,

That definately helps. I take in all that I can.

As far as the speed sketch/paint aspect goes, I wish to be able to work on that level. To be able to push out ideas on a moments notice, would help tremendously.

I have some coupons for Borders (25% off any book) I’ll look into that book a.s.a.p.

I have no traditional paint experience, so I’m also thinking of taking some classes here in San Diego. I found some that are a bit pricey, but seem well worth it.

your generosity is most appreciated,

remcv8

#86

Pushav & remcv8, thanks again.

Here’s one I did the DSG. 90mins. Note: I just realized there’s no blood on the sword…oh well, another day…

#87

I love the very last one. The man’s body is very much in proportion and his skin looks so healthy.

And I like to spot unique comps…most of your works here I noticed … the characters are almost or always facing us. The last one I like. This guy has character without the facials to tell me.

Yummy… the colours and the saturation … plus the lighting look delicious…There are no words to describe how beautiful your style is. I’m just discovering mine. But I’m scared to share it here. Oh well…one of these days…might as well join the DSG for practise and less being scared.

#88

Hey, Loulu79, thanks for kind remarks! You’re right though, I need to do more dynamic poses. I have some strewn about the thread, but they’re the minority compared to all the frontal poses I have done. Gotta change that!

Don’t be afraid about sharing your stuff:once you put one piece out, it encourages you to produce another and another and another. Eventually you will see your growth as an artist.

Best Regards,
Dan

#89

Amazing stuff, some remind me of Craig Mullins.
Keep up the good work mate :wink:

#90

Thanks Manji!

#91

Great stuff, Daniel! Keep rockin’! :slight_smile:

Cheers, :slight_smile:

~Rebeccak

#92

Thanks, Rebeccak :slight_smile:

#93

I love all of your work - post 90 absolutely rocks!

Gord

#94

I almost missed this beautiful thread ! really sweet stuff. Im inspired :bounce:
keep posting dude :slight_smile:

#95

What an inspiring thread.
Besides your obvious feeling for light and forms I really adore your brush and texture work.
Something I have yet to understand…painting with textured brushes.

#96

Gord, shyamshriram & Kyena…many thanks for the kind words.

Kyena – my brushes are not that great. 80% of the time I just use a standard hardbrush set on pressure sensitivity. A lot of the texture derives from the canvas I paint on. Many traditional artists paint over old paintings or will scruff-up a canvas just to break it in. That’s pretty much what I do, except I do it digitally. Many times I will paint over an existing painting which will create interesting textural effects. In essense, I guess, I like to destroy a canvas before creating anything. Afterwards, it’s a matter of searching for the right objective forms from all of the abstract mess.

In any case, thanks again for the comments.:slight_smile:

#97

Oh thanks so much! Your kind remarks and honesty is also helping me. You’re soooo right! In fact my artwork improved dramatically! I’m working on my very own comic book and discovering my style and … low and behold my freshest and lastest corrections are far better than my old ones…

I’ll do more practise and thanks eversomuch Daniel:thumbsup:

Edit: I gotta hand it to you…you’re really getting my message real good! The last one is becoming more dramatic! Rough compared to my very favorite one…but the composition is utterly dramatic. It’s in my face and I love it this way.

Keep it up! Your composition is improving tremendously.

#98

just found this thread today and i must sa you really have amazing sketching skills, man. that tip about over painting an already existing canvas is new to me. i guess i will give it try …
please keep up posting here.

#99

toobi – Thanks! I hope the texture thing works for you.

Loulu79 – That’s great to hear! Keep going and be sure to catalog all your stuff.

#100

Your work is gorgeous! The texturing is stunning and I love the little “cracked-paint” effects that turn up. I’ll have to have a try at that messing with the canvas first - it looks great fun.

If you still want comments on those two finished pieces you posted, I think the tranquillity is partly the reason they didn’t get much attention. There’s nice lighting, and toned-down texture, but they don’t have the life that your sketches do. It’s easy to look at them, go “Oh, that’s nice” and then pass on. On a forum like this, the subject matter isn’t unusual, so it’s all down to whether the execution manages to grab the viewers and this is a lot harder for a “still” picture to do. They are nice, but I’d guess as an artist you were aiming for better than “nice”!

P.S. Well done for finding a use for the fuzzy brush! (At least, I assume that’s the one you’ve been using in several of your sketches…) :slight_smile: