Sketchbook: Version 1.5

[Damien Levs]

Study Update...

[Damien Levs]

Study Update...

[serdar]

Those comic book portraits are very impressive. I love the simple shading and how details disappear into the shading.

Looking forward to future portraits in pencil

[cgmythology]

Great updates here, your linework looks great. Only thing I would recommend is to take pics at better angles of your sketches to do them justice!

[darktiste]

For me my comment would be to use a pencil that can produce a better range of value right now i find your value scale to be kinda missing the darker dark.Which can create flat looking face rather than just enough contrast to create the illusion of volume. 

I joined to picture by frazetta to illustrate a few thing to create volume there one where i would describe the value range as incomplete and there the other one which i would describe as a piece with a full value scale.Let me know which one you find as the best volume.

I would recommend a mixture of graphite and ink wich would probably get you closer to range that is full.

[Damien Levs]

serdar - Thank you. Comic style is really doing it for me right now. I think it's a direction I'd like to venture into. I even have a bit of my own story forming in my mind.

cgmythology - Thank you very much. I agree. It's really awkward with the lighting in here to get decent shots from my phone. I really want a scanner.

darktiste - YES! I love Frazetta...I mean, who doesn't? Right? I completely agree with you. Hence this update from last night. Working with a 2B. Only a single page though.

I call it Funsketch Friday. Basically, do whatever I please at the end of the week.

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[Damien Levs]

Not much from last night unfortunately. We have a sick child. 

A little bit of Loomis and a Crow/Raven. I'd like to study these more as there's a crow or raven that takes place as a character in the story I have in mind. I'd like to start trying to lay out an opening page where he is flying through the landscape of the land. Cliche I know...but still. Fingers crossed. More Studies first though.

[darktiste]

I like the sketchyness of that crow but i am sure he would also look cool with those darker tone.

[JosephCow]

Nice loomis heads! they are starting to feel 3D

[darktiste]

I recommend trying to dissect the part of that skull into there individual section and drawing them in new angle this way you are not stuck to a ''formula'' which would only help you to draw certain angle but instead by learning to draw simple geometry you build from a simple understanding to a complex one.One other exercise is probably to beginner for you but still i recommend is tracing over photo magasine or other paper publication that is cheap just to better understand proportion and facial difference between sex.

[Damien Levs]

darktiste - Thanks for dropping by again. I really appreciate it. I really need to study crows/ravens more. I can't shake an opening page I have in mind for a story. I don't get a lot of time to study or practice much. I really do kick myself for not sticking with it a decade ago. But, it is what it is. However, I'm using the 2B more now. 

I know the heads are drawn in similar directions, I'm just making my way through the Loomis book to start me off when I begin drawing in the evening. You're right though. I should be doing more regarding direction and angles on my own by applying the Loomis method. 

The tracing method sounds interesting. Maybe do that, then try to replicate it freehand? Like building muscle memory.

JosephCow - Thank you for stopping by! It's my main concentration at the moment. I'd really like to get portraits down as a main subject right now.

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Ok...junk dump >>>

[Damien Levs]

Junk dump...

[Damien Levs]

A few more from last night...

1. More Loomis (I feel I'll be going through this book a number of times).

2. Random Copy Sketch

3. Thumbnailing a page idea for my story. It's a bit rubbish, but the idea is there.

[Damien Levs]

After Jason Fabok

[darktiste]

There alot of what i would call stripping which is when you create short section of hatching but there a large overlapping of two section of hatching meeting creating a in between darker tone.Sadly i would say that the sign of rushing the process.The problem is mostly where there is large section of value going in the same direction it where your hand is probably not that train in term of control as you would try to draw add more speed to maintain the line but you would end up actually overshooting the line creating that overlap.

I am not experienmented with hatching enough to give advance technical tips.All i can say is something that more of the realm of common sense which would be to take the time and to pay more attention of how much speed you put in each stroke as that overlap could be reduce with a little less speed and attention.What i would also say is before going into drawing mode it not a bad idea to do warm up hatching.

Also for comic tutorial i recommend Robert Marzullo on youtube he as also paid tutorial.

Here he is drawing a batman pretty similar to your.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVl02iLQjZM

and here some example of hatching exercise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8yw1ov3hjI

[Damien Levs]

darktiste - Yeah I know what you mean. Definitely should be using longer strokes in the larger areas. Something to bear in mind for next time. Thanks for the heads up.

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Just some crappy scribbles here from imagination. Trying to bring something together for this month's CHOW. I'm hoping I can develop from these into a piece. That's all for now I'm afraid. Mainly posting just for documentation.

[Damien Levs]

Just a few portrait studies from photos last night

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[cgmythology]

Nice updates here. The shading on your latest studies is real good, really gives the heads a three dimensional look. Keep it going!

[Damien Levs]

cgmythology - Thank you. I intend to keep on. I'm really wanting to improve. 

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Here's some studies, and I'm trying to develop the thing for this month's CHOW. Felt a bit discouraged this week. But, pushing through it. I need to do more still life and master studies I think. Along with carrying on with Loomis. 

[darktiste]

More loomis then master study that early they are kinda deceivingly hard but do them anyways just to test your full range of skill from time to time.Copying other comic artist in your case i would argue is important to develop your own simplification tactic.