Sketchbook Thread of Knilblink

#1

Hey all,

I’m a long time lurker here. I figured I might as well join in as I’ve lately been working from references and inspiration that I’ve found here. I have a decent stash to get this started, though I warn you I work pretty intermittently, I hope to change that. I’ll start dropping pieces in about 5 per post to break things up a bit.

I may add comments to some of these a bit later, I’ll be a bit longer winded as I add new pieces. Some of this stuff is quite old, you should start recognizing familiar references pretty quickly.

For anyone that’s interested, I keep a gallery at http://fnailsarepretty.deviantart.com/

Also, I’m not very attatched to the alias “Knilblink,” feel free to call me by my first name, Adam.

Here goes:

Speed Drawing

#2

Speedpainting

Speedpainting

#3

I was trying an acrylic brush on this one. I was sloppy laying down the initial strokes and was later suprised to find I couldn’t manipulate the texture of the strokes or value. I’ll have to mess with the acrylic brushes more to find out what’s up, perhaps I was using a water brush and the paint had dried?

#4

I did the original in color then desaturated the image to check the values. I did this because I had and still have practically no experience with color.

Speedpainting

Speedpainting

Speedpainting

#5

This one has a long ways to go. The bottom portion of the dress is mostly done, but everything else needs work. Not to mention she needs proper skin tones, it looks alot like mud at the moment! I’m going to start trying to do more color studies, because I really don’t have a grasp of color yet. I mess up my values and forget all of the general guidlines I follow when working with color! :scream:

Are these images too large? I don’t like to shrink them down way too much otherwise they start losing brush detail.

That’s it for now. I’ve been working in graphite a bit lately, but I don’t have access to a scanner lately. Some of these pieces could use quite a bit more work, although I have learned from all of them!

I’m trying to keep things anatomy oriented in here, should I post other studies? As I start working more and more with color I plan to be working on more objects than people!

#6

Hi Knilblink - a decent stash indeed!! Really nice stuff - I especially love the second drawing - the face of the woman in the stripey shirt - she’s beautiful!
also great studies on those sports people!

Keep going :bounce:

#7

Thanks for looking and the nice comment. I’ll keep at it!

As for the woman in the striped shirt, I found an amazing reference image of Scarlett Johansson. I thought it was a really neat photo anyways. I did that one about 2 and a half years ago, it used to be alot more crisp, but I didn’t use any fixative spray and carried it around in my sketchbook for quite some time. It even moved from Chicago to the Twin Cities (Minnesota) with me as well, so it’s a bit worn.

WOW, just took a glance at your gallery, I’m amazed how you model from those 2d master references. I’m definitely going to spend more time browsing.

#8

Heya Knilblink,

Great to see you start a sketchbook here - lots of really good work already! I look forward to seeing your progress. :slight_smile:

Cheers,

-Rebeccak

#9

Thanks Rebecca. I love what you’ve done with this section of CGtalk, my thanks to you! I’m really impressed by the talent, progress and love of art of the membership here.

Speedpainting - Was that really 15 min., I think I need a new timer that ticks a bit more slowly. It didn’t turn out too hot, I should have been able to sleep a few more dozen strokes on it. I may take another 10-15 min. for this one. I don’t speedpaint too often and when I do I usually need a warmup or two before I really get going, alas it’s time for bed! :argh:

EDIT: …It didn’t turn out too hot, I should have been able to sleep a few more dozen strokes on it…

Oh my.

#10

I’ll keep things to mostly anatomy in here, but I’m also beginning to study color. Since it’s the “Personal Anatomy & Sketchbook thread” vs. Personal Anatomy-Sketchbook thread I’ll assume this is alright. :rolleyes:

Anyways, I did this one not too long ago. I realize I missed some strong highlights on the left and the two buttons, I might try to recreate the basic lighting and work them in. Do you see the face?

I have last minute holiday shopping to do today, but I may work in some speedies as well.

#11

[left]A maddening WIP. As I said before, I have just about no experience in color. I need to change that, but it’s pretty painful! It’s an absolute mess right now as I just fiddle around with colors. The original seems to be more saturated and warm.

Any tips for from when any of you first tackled color or just dig in? I try to observe color all the time in the world, studying shadows and whatnot. My sense and ability to translate that to canvas need alot of work!

EDIT: One more thing. I started a black and white study a long time back of this painting then eventually I did one of the old lady from the same painting. I need to pay more attention to my references, because I didn’t know until recently that they were cutting off that guys head in the most recent head study I did! I was truly shocked, I never expected that. I felt alot of emtions the day I discovered that to be true. :eek:

Oh and, Merry Christmas!
[/left]

#12

Knilblink, I love your sketches of faces and especially the action you convey in the speed paintings – those are great poses. And I do see the face :slight_smile: How long have you been doing this for?

Abby

#13

Thanks for the compliments, Abby!

How long have I been doing this for? Good question! I’ll give you a little history, probably more than you would like to know. :rolleyes:

Well, the first post contains graphite drawings from between about 2 and nearly 3 years ago. 3 years ago I was a freshman in college starting general courses and studies in film. I took a drawing course as a freshman in highschool and one that year in college. I learned a bit in college, but really didn’t have much focus for my drawing course, because I spread myself too thin and my sleeping disorder went out of control. Sleeping issues started with adolescense and continued to grow worse, it’s in the genes! I really didn’t draw throughout highschool as I was more involved in the performing arts (choir and especially theater).

After college I didn’t do too much art work, instead I looked at alot of pieces and read about art on sites like CGtalk. I “observed,” that’s the word. I really haven’t been too active aside from some odd attempts here and there until a few months ago. I’m currently disabled due to those same sleeping disorders I mentioned (Chaotic Circadian Rythym disorder and Chronic Fatigue), but I’m hoping to find a treatment that allows me to function day to day and get back in school to study art. I’m really trying to devote myself to my art and continue progressing. I’m generally pretty happy with even more poorest of results, I always learn something which is important to me.

Sorry if that’s too long winded!

#14

15 min. speed painting + 2 min… 17 min. speed painting! I used the same image size proportions of my reference, realized I didn’t use a good portion of the canvas and cropped a big chunk off the right. Anyways, thought I’d end a nice evening with a little painting.

#15

Thanks, Knilblink - not too much info. I’m attempting to teach myself so learning other’s backgrounds is helpful. Your drawings and paintings are all so expressive though - that’s the word I was looking for yesterday. I really like them, if it’s not from lots of experience drawing, maybe you just have a particularly good eye for that kind of detail. :wink: Looking forward to seeing more of yours (I like the latest one too!)

Abby

#16

Abby - Thanks. :slight_smile: I think observing the work of other people and when I can’t do that lighting in whatever environment I’m in has really helped me, but absolutely nothing beats just digging in and practicing. I probably shouldn’t be just observing the lighting, when I can, I should be sketching it! I’m not quite as loose with a pencil or charcoal in hand on most occassions, so I really have to remember not to neglect the traditional side of art. I suppose speed paintings kind of force you to loosen up, perhaps I should dig out the old newsprint and do some gesture drawings! :eek:

As for speed paintings, I think I often sit too long in midtones before jumping to dark and light values, which makes for a kind of flat image. It also gives me a less time to further define the images, kind of like the last one and the eagle. I remember darkening the eagle quite a bit from his original form, but from the reference he should be way darker.

Anyways, time to prepare for seeing relatives. Be sure to keep practicing, it’s alot of fun to watch artistic progression in these threads. Heck, it’s also fun to continue progressing!

#17

Hi

love the subtil shading in the first pieces
your (speed)paintings are quite nice and will pay off for sure.

I agree: mixing up color and value is easy.
I’m looking forward to see your color studies

#18

NR43 - Thanks! I’ve started browsing your gallery, you’ve made really significant progress over the last 6 months or so, wow! I’ll be keeping an eye on your sketchbook. :slight_smile:

It’s been fairly slow going, but not too rocky. Here’s a color study I’m working on. It’s not as warm as the original, but I think the colors are somewhere in the ballpark and the values aren’t too bad. The focus is on color, but I’m trying to keep anatomy in mind as well.

Also, can anyone tell me how long this tea bag has been in my mug? I forgot about it while working, I reckon this will be a strong cup of green tea! :eek:

#19

LOL was it supposed to be green in the first place? :wink: or has it started to grow LOL

great study - cant’ wait to see you go further with this one!

#20

Oh gosh, I’m pretty sure it was supposed to be green, otherwise I’m going to be having issues!

Thanks for the support, Intervain. I’m absolutely terrified of color, I just need to dig in. I’m trying to study more saturated references, I have a harder time picking out colors with less saturated pieces. I haven’t done too much more work yet, but I did bother to cut her right leg (the raised one) down to size. My main concern isn’t anatomy, but I can’t slack too much!