Lale's Traditional and Digital sketches!

[StardustLarva]

Ah, lovely work with those figures, Lale! I'm also more curious about that project you mentioned, is it by any chance that one we talked about on Skype? Good luck with it, I'd be interested to see the outcome.

[LaleAnn]

Thanks Declan! Yes it is the one we talked about on Skype ;P Hopefully I'll have some heavy stuff to show until July e.e Going to be a challenge but I'm sure it's going to be worth it! ..i hope.. xD

[Kimonas]

Hey good work man! Thanks for the comment on my SB - i will try and sub-scatter the shit out of my skin tones :D

Lookin at your figures - Sometimes you still focus a lot on the outlines. I guess you will hear a lot of opinions about this, but try to focus more on the masses. Every time you do a gesture put down the mass of the head, then the line of the spine, then the mass of the chest and pelvis. Then limbs BAYM. I think its better, because focusing on lines and contours means you can overlook the bulk of a figure. This is important because when doing things from imagination, its more convincing to render something as a bulk, rather than a series of lines. That doesnt mean, of course that the silhouette should be ignored.

Take everything i say with a pinch of salt though, i might be talking shit!

[LaleAnn]

@Kimonas: Yeah absolutely dude, thank you so much for the advice! ^^(by the way, imma ladeeyy xD hihi)

i still struggle to find the right technique to do figures, especially from imagination. I found that the "bean" method (as you said, drawing the spine/"energy" line first) and adding the chest and pelvis mass as two intertwining ovals works best for me so far. Although it seems that drawing down the head first confuses me every time, so I'm keeping it for the end most of the time xD
I really need to keep that in mind more, also trying to consider the chest more like a "tube" shape etc..

If you have any other advice or example for this, just go ahead, I?m taking all the advice! :) Thanks again!

[Adam Lina]

I just want to add that a similar technique I found that accomplishes the same as what Kim said. Glenn Vilppu does this thing where he'll ride along the contour for one section then he'll find what ever convenient area to switch to form mode and wrap a line across the form. If you watch the New Masters Academy videos where he does demos he talks about it a lot. He calls it "going with and then through". They also use a similar technique at the Watts Atelier.

You slap a place holding oval shape in for the head come down the connection point of the mastoid muscles of the neck to the pit of the neck and cross the clavicles. Now you have the neck and shoulders then find the center line down the body to the crotch. Drop rhythm lines down from the sides of the neck to to the sides of the corresponding greater trochanter. Then lines down from the acromion processes to the the crotch. Using the diamond shape those 4 lines form as general guides place the ribcage oval and indication for the pelvis bones. And wallah! Instant head, neck, shoulders and crotch.

With those techniques used in conjunction you constantly jump between thinking about contours, form and rhythm automatically. Something else thats helpful for doing this is to try to draw the whole figure with one continuous line without lifting your hand or stopping. It keeps your stream of thought one continuous flow without all the stops and starts of placing individual lines. Hope thats helpful.

[LaleAnn]

Thanks a lot Adam for taking the time to help!

Yeah I love Vilppu's technique! I should go back and study him again, get that way of working in my fingers again ^^ also, for the continuous line, it actually is the way i sketch people the best xD I have no idea why, as it takes away all the construction, but I usually get my likeness much better than with the construction.. e.e

Thanks a gain for the advice!

[Adam Lina]

No problem, I mostly use the Watts/Reilly method but I combine it with Vilppu and Loomis. Its really best to see the Reilly method being used but unfortunately I dont know of any good free tuts out there. Well other than on Jeff Watts youtube channel theres a video of him doing quick sketch. I learned a ton from the Watts online figure classes. If you've got a month to spare I'd definitely try to power through the drawing program they've got. My figure and head drawing skills made a significant jump from doing it.

[LaleAnn]

Oh yeah, I actually have the Watts class' paper version, filled with Reilly's method etc. That did help me tons as well. In the end, as you said, it's really all about finding the methods hat suit you best and mixing them together.

[LaleAnn]

Hey guys! Did some color thumbnail studies this afternoon :) gonna do s few thumbnails next!

[LaleAnn]

Hey guys! Forgot to post this little Mad Max fanart I've done 2 days ago!

Went to see the movie and made an article about it on my blog. You can check it out if you'd like and tell me what you think (shameless self promotion, sorry, it won't happen again ^^) I'll be posting there a new article about gaming, movies etc on a weekly basis. :)

Cheers!

[LaleAnn]

Hey guys! ^^
I've been away for over a week but not slacking! I was just very busy (and still am) with my ongoing project!
I have no idea if I'll be able to take it to the end or if it'll even look decent at all... but I'm doing it seriously and posting every single day (except on weekends) my progress on my Tumblr page. :)

I've also been sick for the past 3 days but except letting myself sleep longer, I haven't stopped drawing. :)

Some early style exploration..





First batch of thumbnails to choose my scenes to paint from...





Later, cleaner thumbnails, trying to get the idea right.. Not sure about the dragon one yet :/





Also, accompanying all this (you can see all this on my Tumblr in context) I made a simpler version of my project's schedule/plan ^^

[wla91]

I really like the look of this project, the characters, thumbnailing and the planning look pretty sweet!

Can't wait to see more :D

[KurtJeremy]

yo lale great stuff ! i thought youre doing a storyboard or comics or something ? or are they thumbnails for a painting.

anyway i always admire people who do hard work , but sometimes its good not to take yourself too far. take enough sleep and youll kick ass 2000x better.

[LaleAnn]

Thanks guys! It's nice to have some support! ^^

Don't worry Jeremy, I'm getting enough sleep, just forgetting to eat now and then xD Couldn't really work yesterday cuz I got pretty sick this time and finally feeling better now! :)

And yeah, they are thumbnails for 4 paintings. I know they should be cleaner to better please people who look at them..But I didn't keep that in mind while doing it and just did it for myself xD

Working on the character development now, hopefully will come up with something nice! :)

[LaleAnn]

More character development from this evening.. More more more to come this week! e.e

[wla91]

I'm loving the style of it, the character is already showing some of his personality!

[LaleAnn]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm really starting to "get" him... Hopefully by the end of today I'll have the hang of it and a whole nice sheet to present him :)

[LaleAnn]

Time for a tiny update! More on my character development... Gonna be doign this pretty much all week long! e.e




You can check out how my project's progress on my Tumblr if you want to know more about it! :D

Also, after asking around people's opinion on different names, this little guy's is gonna be Adrian! ^^

[Zearthus]

If I may as, what exactly is the project? Is it some sort of comic, or brainstorms for a finished illustration piece at the later date mentioned on the timeline?

Looking forward to see how it turns out :)

[LaleAnn]

Of course you may ask! Sorry I didn't make that clearer.

It's basically a visual development/illustration project to set myself a goal and deadline, as if it was actual "work" (be it animation or game), so I can produce artwork, challenge myself and have a better portfolio by the end of it! ^^
That simple. I just needed something that helps me focus and move forward, produce stuff.. I didn't think it would work that well but it's actually making me work everyday! ^^ and I'm posting on my blog everyday as well, just to keep the pressure high enough..