Oh man Glenn I want you to correct me. The truth is you have a lifetime more experience than me 
I don’t want to tell people things that don’t make sense
1 finger eh wow, and your posts are always so elaborately illustrated
anayway,
apologies for highjacking your thread here HladekStepan
We are both really looking forward to see an update!
Hi Spirit
No need to talk of hijacking my looserthread 
at least it looks longer. No, really, I’m pleased, honoured and encouraged by your kind attention. Same goes for NR43:).
I’ll definitely try to make most of your advice on sfumato (is that what it’s called?), edges and all that. Update coming soon, I really need to tackle that anatomy monster
As for your thread, I come back to it now and then, but don’t feel like posting any comments - for obvious reason:)
Thanx once again,
Stepan
Hi…HladekStepan…
LOL… …There are no losers, or loser threads in this forum…everyone in here is a winner…
We are all at different stages of developement in our knowlage of art. The only loser that I can think of, would be someone who thinks that they know it all.The more a person knows about art, the more they should realize, that they know nothing about art.
It’s that realization that keeps the journy alive, and makes it an adventure worth traveling, and exploring…:bounce:
I like what you did with that hand…now, if you want to take it further, you could do what Caravaggio would do to it…bring the parts that are closest to the viewer into focus, by bringing out the details,…harder, more defined edges, and interior surfaces, ect. and leave out more and more details as it recedes into shadow, and becomes vague and softer.
I also like the way you painted that Goya painting…my favorite artist of all time, or at least one of them for sure.
If you like his work, you might want to take just a small piece of one of his paintings to start with,…maybe a hand, or face even,…and see how close you can come to reproducing it.
This is a GREAT way to learn and advance your knowlage…just take your time, and really take the time to see every little detail that he put into that hand or face.
When you do these exercises, all that little information gets recorded and trapped in your memory, and will show itself in your future works, making them better as you go forward.
There is no magic to it, …It is just a matter of learning to see, and using what you have seen, on what you are creating at the moment…
Hope these words help you, …and don’t ever or even be intimadated by anyone on this forum…MYSELF INCLUDED…We are all in the same boat here, and we are all here to learn.
You and everyone in this forum, are always welcome to state your opinions, views ect. concerning my work or whatever in my thread…I DON’T BITE, MOST OF THE TIME ANYWAY…LOL:scream:
TAKE CARE
Glenn
Hi Spirit
thank you for writing this - it pretty much sums up the reasons why I like this forum so much. btw I wish I knew there was something like that a couple years ago… I don’t think I’m all that timid, just trying to be polite - maybe I overdo it time to time.
yeah, Goya rocks :buttrock:
thanks for tips, I’ll definitely give a try that Carrvagio detail study.
Later, Stepan
2 sketches / portraits done in ArtRage; each took less than an hour (it shows); first one is my roommate Zdenek and done with live reference, other one I sketched down in a cafe in Budweis and copied with wacom later. well, speedpainting at last!
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p234/stepus/zdenekbarva.jpg[/img] [img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p234/stepus/herecka.jpg[/img]HladekStepan,
Very nice to see your progress here, the figurative study you have on page 1 is particularly nice - I think when you really buckle down and concentrate, you produce some lovely work.
Really liking the skull so far, my recommendation if I may would be to create a few swatches of color, tints (lighter versions) and shades (darker versions) of the existing hues you have so far, and then directly paint to build up the lights and darks and give emphasis to the areas where you want to lead the eye. Liking the moodiness to your tones and handling of the shading, and looking forward to more.
Happy New Year!
Hi Rebeccak 
Happy new year to you also. Thanks for advice (very much welcome indeed), I’ll try to stick to one piece for a longer period - I always feel like I’m done too soon (probably general laziness :D)
I’ll go swatches then, update coming soon…
As for the New Year, I played around with C4d and Photoshop a bit… here’s the resulting PF:
and some ballpointpen sketches from the train to Budweis:
(finally I got me a scanner, so I’m still pretty much overwhelmed with the new possibilities:))
well, posting sketches seems quite addictive 
this time it’s my grandparents - I hope to paint a nice portrait for them later…
the story goes like this: the female character has discovered a secret passageway behind her dresser, leading into a sort of secret underground base (how original :D).
I tried to capture the moment she enters a commandroom and is confronted with it’s long dead occupants…
Used a pencil drawing for the character; still in a very sketchy stage.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p234/stepus/skeletalparty1.jpg[/img]
worked some more today :bounce:- only a small update though.
quick sketch (not really a study - got no reference - wish I had a nice polished skull in my room:scream: ) for the wip:
Hey
Nice work HladekStepan
One thing I might suggest is when you draw a head, skull or anything else, to try to see it as a 3D object. Try to create mass, almost as if it can be touched. It is up to us artists to create the illusion towards the viewers they are looking at a real object/person, not just a sketch on paper or (digital) canvas, which is only 2D
Why not draw a few real life objects as an exercise? Use traditional media if you can. Pencil and paper is ideal for this. Carefully observe, then simulate where you want your line to be drawn a few times, then draw the line and move on to the next part of the object you want to draw. This will show you what I am trying to explain above.
you’re doing great, keep going!
edit: forgot to mention… I think you would benefit from doing some perspective exercises as well… think about it… no work/studies you do are a waste of time… they all come in handy later on… 
hi nr43
yeah,guess you’re right - it all looks kind of flat. I think I got spoiled by 3d sw :D. Really, haven’t done anything like stilllife study or anzthing with a lot of perspective in it for ages… well that’s next. as soon as I finish this one:scream:
and I’ll straighten it up a little…promise.
I hope for the lightning to save this dull interior a bit too.
Thanks for droping a line.
worked some more on the background, I guess I want it less smudged out (and more sci-fi, yes:D)
this is what i did for the OFDW20.
[size=2][/size]
Choice 04:
[size=2]Lord Frederick Leighton (1830-1896)
Clytemnestra
[/size]
Your OFDW piece came out really nice
well done. (I still have to finish myself argh and i only have a couple of hours on jan 10th left )
hi Johan
thanks, guess it’s not all I’ve expected to be 
I’m looking forward to seeing yours finished, looks a lot more elaborate than mine. :drool:
Anyway, no more effort till the deadline from here, bussy 
still quite a lot left to do, but I’m finally done with the basic layout. :arteest:
