smrrfette's Odyssey

[Ursula Dorada]

Hey girl, start putting those boxes in context. When I was doing the class on perspective sketch on CGMA it was actually very helful to draw cities made only of boxes.
Double check to see if they are not invading each other spaces, and work on the size/space relantionship to make it feel like a city/town. It becomes quite fun after a while :)

[smrr]

Ursula Dorada - hey thanks muchly for the feedback, I'll definitely apply it tomorrow! :)

Such tests. Very fatigue

Only managed to sketch some stuff on my phone in the morning...as the medical examiners positioned my arm in awkward positions to get the tests done - which in turn brought about the hurt when I got home to start working.







On a side note: looking at these... "sketches"... Its about time I actually think about what I'm going to draw instead of just fooling around with shapes and coming up with something random that I couldn't care less about.

Art for me. I.e. whatever Iwant to draw.

I need to give each piece the TLC it longingly deserves.

[smrr]

Researched a lot today and learned some invaluable things about creativity.
My favourite quote from today:

"10. Creativity is subtraction.

It’s often what an artist chooses to leave out that makes the art interesting. What isn’t shown vs. what is.
In this age of information overload and abundance, those who get ahead will be the folks who figure out what
to leave out, so they can concentrate on what’s important to them.
Devoting yourself to something means shutting out other things.
What makes you interesting isn’t just what you’ve experienced, but also what you haven’t experienced.
The same is true when you make art: you must embrace your limitations and keep moving.
Creativity isn’t just the things we chose to put in, it’s also the things we chose to leave out. Or black out" - Austin Kleon

So yeah, I'm finally calming the heck down and just working on what I want to work on :)

Some pen sketches


And wip Mirror's Edge ending redesign o:
because why not?!



Have to go to some kind of Greek festival in the city tomorrow, will see what I can learn and get done.
All I know is I can't wait to get back to this wip!

[devinn]

HELL YEAH; enlightenment...ain't she beautiful??? Make her your bedfellow, treat her like royalty because what she has to offer rivals the gifts Mistakes bestows upon us!!

Personally, Enlightenment is my main bitch. Mistakes is dat mistress thooooo! :D

[Jaik]

Nice job smrr, you are getting there.

Colours are looking nice in that mirrors edge piece. And that value study is great. I really really like it, that threshold thing is really handy. Enjoy the Greek festival, sounds like there will be a lot of food... normally what happens with Greeks or any Europeans really..

[smrr]

Jaik - hey you! Thanks man! Can't wait to finish the piece tomorrow and haha yeah, food food food... Still trying to get rid if this food baby ;_; o/

Mannyhaatz - She is sooooooo beautiful!! Hahaha I'm too happy that she contacted me - things are actually clicking into place! Gotta get DS going again soon Man!!

If I didn't watch Breaking Bad tonight when I got back from the festival... I would've had so much more work done -_-

So all I have today is a pen sketch in my a5 from on the train ride... I am ashamed. Gotta get my self-control down with this bloody(-freaking amazing) TV series!

[Birchgrove]

Hey smrr, thank you for the comment. I don't think that you will ever get how much it actually means to me, at this specific moment.

My dad just had hearth bypass surgery and I have been at his place taking care of him for the past week.

Both of my parents are getting pretty old and they both have doubts about my choice of career and future, which does not really affect me since this is the thing I want to do. But I would really want to show them the future I see for myself, and sadly time is running out.

Sometimes the art field just feels so overwhelming and its hard to find a path to follow. So it's good to hear that the path i'm walking is going the right way at least, since i'm sure we all are riddled with doubts time to time.

thanks again.

and btw you are beasting this sketch book! keep going!

[ImSkeptical]

I'm pretty sure everyone can forgive breaking bad indulgence, in fact the fact that you haven't just binge watched the whole thing front to back I think is pretty heroic :p.

[Bjulvar]

Inspiring as always Smurfsurte, I'm so in love with your traditional stuff!
I thiiink that you've been losing some neck/throat/gizzard on your characters. It's very short atleast! I'd try and stretch it out some more, even going as far and exaggerating it to get a feel of what works and what doesn't!

Enjoy the Greek Festival, stuff yo face with Gyros and Tzatziki. Den katalaveno and all that!

[smrr]

Bjulvar - And thanks as always Bjulvaaarrrrrrar! Oh that dude was meant to be wearing a high-collar-type-jacket... like all of my drawings ;_; haha but I see what you mean, especially with the sketches above! I'll take that feedback on board ty! And man, I had a big piece of spanakopita and a couple of loukoumades and that was it xD and haha you just said "I don't understand and all that" helps being half Greek sometimes :3

ImSkeptical - hahahaha oh man it's so hard not to! It's only been 2 weeks and I just saw ep 1 of season 5... I tell you, I haven't watched that much TV in like over 2 years o_o !

Birchgrove - ... I'm so sorry to hear that news, Birchgrove, really. I wish your father all the best in his recovery - and it's so good that you're there helping out, it's always important to take the time you need to be with your family in times like these.

I can relate with your parents doubting you, as I get that a lot as well. But what you commented afterwards is exactly right... both statements. Hopefully you can take the negative and turn it into a positive - turn it into a driving force, a force so strong that shoves you out of bed at 6AM and gets you working without question, without distraction.

I tend to find it's the negative energy that motivates me the most. I think about failure (in general and in pursuing an art career), about what I'm sacrificing, among other things that gets me working harder. But everyone's different - it's all about finding that pure motivation.

Yeah, no doubt, art is overwhelming. I've recently been so overwhelmed by it that I completely burned out. I've never felt that amount of stress before in my life. My head felt like it had a pounding heart of its own.

The thing that is so important here (and in many instances) is *balance*. What are you going to let in and what are you going to leave out? Don't think about studying everything at once, one step at a time is the way to go! For example, studying structure for 2-3 solid months or until you've got a really grasp of the concept before moving onto values and so on.

Anyways, I'm rambling D:

I do believe in you Birch, I've seen how you study and apply and like I've said before: you're on the money. Just continue to push yourself, live outside that comfort zone and learn to love the journey if you haven't already! Thank you dropping by and sharing your thoughts, it meant a lot to me <3

I'm so slow when I work on personal pieces, damn! But I guess this is what I get for not doing many personal pieces in the first place *facedesk*



And another a5 pen... thing.


So much is off in this sketch it brings a tear to my eye.

After watching the link Hypnagogic shared through the shoutbox, more pieces are fitting together in this puzzle. Will Terrell nailed thoughts I've been having about my (sketchbook) work in particular. Feels good. So as I look at this pen sketch, all I can do is smile because I know this isn't the crap I'll be drawing in a month or two.
Seriously, I love a good slap in the face and kick up the butt!

Night daggers!

[smrr]

Worked on her more,


Still having to take it slow and blah, blah.

Does anyone know if the Cintiq range of tablets are more ergonomic than regular tablets?

[Jonas Jerde]

Nice sketchbook Smrrfette, you have made a lot of progress over the lifespan of this sketchbook, and that's only a year! keep it up. The latest sketches are neat, the perspective and point of view on them is interesting.

I'm not sure about the fixed Cintiq's but I heard Daarken mention that having a portable tablet pc helped him with his arm issues. He says it gives him the option of sitting on the couch or anywhere he wants, which allows him to put his arm in a more comfortable position. So if you planning on getting a Cintiq you might want to check the Wacom Companion out.

[JakeB]

Awesome stuff! This last piece is looking solid :) Really cool angle, and I love the brushstrokes so far. Keep it coming (But not too much if you've got a bad arm - don't wanna make it worse!)

[crackedskull]

Faith illustration is lookin' good. Push it to the max!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[constructicon]

Hey smrr
good illustration - such a crazy foreshortening. :-)

With your hand/arm issue:

Maybe your tablet isn`t the problem. Your rendering a lot with pencils. Make sure you
don`t press to hard! Soft smooht lines ok?!

Hope all is well on your end.
greetings
constructicon

[ApolOllipop]

Take care of yourself. :)) great sketches and loving the details.
I've been curious about Mirror's Edge cuz the OST is good. Great job with the perspective.

[smrr]

ApolOllipop - Definitely need to ~
Haha Solar Fields are one of my all time fave bandssss! Thank you ApolOllipop! :)

constructicon - Hey you :) thanks muchly! Hmm, Idk, I don't get the same pain when I draw in my sketchbook - when I draw on my wacom, my shoulder and arm freaks out after a while, so I need to take a ridiculous amount of breaks while using it :/ Idk getting the results of some tests on Friday, we'll see how it goes :) thanks again!

crackedskull - Hahaha dood! You kill me xD gonna tryyyy my best to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JakeB - Thanks Jake--! Yeah haha, gotta try my hardest to actually finish it and to a standard that I'm proud of... Without my arm breaking off .-. Thanks againnnn!

JJ Aaron - You sir, are a magical person--!!! I've been looking at the prices for the 22 and 24hd cintiq's and damn. They're just a tad (read: incredibly) expensive! I mean sure, when I actually have decent income coming in but right now?! Pah!
Definitely looking into one of these, spent a large amount of time researching the companion, watching reviews and looking for the best prices available. Seriously, can't thank ya enough :D

Watched a couple more Will Terrell vids today and well, shite.
Yet another realization this week!
I've got to stop being so constricted by the fundamentals. Sure, It's invaluable understanding them... But I've got to stop letting the rules take away who I and what I love.
Its like when I hear the word "rule" . In relation to art, I am just such a panzy - like some art police are gonna arrest me for molding the rules to suit me. Haha. I can be so square sometimes.

I'm sick of the stiffness and lifelessness in my characters... Ugh.

Anyway, here's to trying to loosen up and be me while sketching




Worked on Faithey as well, but I figure the next update will be when she's doneskiez :)

[Fedodika]

as always, really like that girl on the right; SO CUTE AAAAGGGG :3

[Ursula Dorada]

Will Terrell has been my listen-to playlist too hehe. So much to still grasp!

Rock those sketches girl :) waiting for the next big update!

[razvanb08]

Those sketchbook pages are fun to see, I bet they are fun to make too :).