michael doig sketch thread

[michaeldoig]

Hey all, welcome to the thread. I am trying to improve in all areas, with a greater focus on my weaker environmental skills. I'd like to spend more time learning how to place figures in context, plus interesting composition/lighting. This is the year I make it happen.

Here's a selection of recent work, hope you dig.
























Thanks for your time.

[fudgeloaf]

Hey great progress here man, something im noticing is your using a lot of black or just the darkest part of 1 colour in your shadows, whether this is from the Burn tool or using soft layers/overlays, just watch out for that stuff and keep up this pace:)

[holdkocos]

i looove Your colors and the enviros! so yummy and full of feeling... ^^
subscribed... ;>

[Heavenwill]

I do dig, lots <3

[michaeldoig]

Too many black, and dull shadows, I'll keep that in mind for the future thanks Fudgeloaf (awesome name).

Thanks holdkocos and Heavenwill, here's some more, if only to keep posting.



Some 10 minute figures



Beginnings of a raven bone flute player, taking key from some lighting lessons I was watching by Anthony Jones.

[Jaik]

Nice start to this thread, I really like the raven bone flute player in the last thread. It really feels like it standing on the ground. Can't wait to see more :)

[michaeldoig]

Thanks Jaik - hoping to get back to the Raven WIP soon.

Making a start on the sickbrush assignment I'm attempting alongside some friends - caucasian portraits in line.

[TylerDonnelly]

Your movie study sketches are great you got an eye for color! Not to mention your Doctor Sketches !

[michaeldoig]

Cheers Tyler

[michaeldoig]

And done :D This was quite an awesome challenge, looking forward to getting back to colour. :P

[Craig Paton]

Very nice, indeed.

[michaeldoig]

Sickbrush assignment 1b. Landscape from reference, with limited tool set.

[michaeldoig]

Spoilers. There's Snow here this morning.

[Craig Paton]

Look forward to seeing what you do with the wooden elf girl. I like her face and eye.

[Mannequin]

Quite a lot sketches of heads, wich is great.

I enjoy wtching Your original characters. You probably trying to refine them more than other works, hm.

[michaeldoig]

Thanks Mannequinn and Craig.

I've got some ideas on where I want to take the wooden elf idea, feels like I have a whole lot to do work wise before then though. :/ Here's a collection of images I've been working on in the mean time.

Ships for a short film project




From Ref:





Work in progress portrait, would appreciate any advice on this one that anyone has to offer.



Thanks for viewing :D

[michaeldoig]

Grumpy Cat + Explosion is really fun to paint - potential there as a movie poster or print or something. I wanted to practice painting some stylised explosions.



Entry into Anthony Jones' Heaven's Hell contest - done to see what I could do when pushed to create something in an hour. Learned a lot and I'm really grateful to Anthony for including inhis submissions gallery. That alone is worth it.



Continuation of the Spider Queen / Wood Elf idea. Changing the wooden hair to a crown.



Sickbrush Assignment 2



Poster I did as pro bono for a local group, so it was painted to a brief. Kinda fun, learned a bit about soft edges being really helpful for skin.

[Veneq]

I like the looseness in your style - it would be cool to see a solid compositional mix of loose and tight rendering from you.

Keep up the good work Michael!!

[JakeB]

Not got a whole lot of critique, you've got some really nice work in here man.

Actually, with the portrait, you could get away with a bit more variation in your skin tones. Atm, it's all kinda peachy, which is fair enough, and what we'd expect I guess, but in the best portrait work you'll often see blues, greens, purples, reds. If you can pull it off (I really struggle with it lol) it can push a portrait to the next level.

Also, when thinking about skin tones, it sometimes helps to keep the colour bands of the face in mind. I think the forehead tends to be more yellow, the nose red, and the chin blue. Gurney talks about it in Colour and Light, if you've got that. And he runs through it really well on his blog here.
http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.co.uk/2008...-face.html
It's a subtle thing, but can make all the difference.

Couple of examples of cool skin tones as well, seeing as how I've already written out a little essay haha.
Bougereau Portrait, this ones pretty subtle, but you can see some variation.
http://uploads0.wikipaintings.org/images...t-1890.jpg

And this is my go to example. Portrait of Steve Jobs by Jason Seiler
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2qbJwc582Q/Tp...seiler.jpg

I think the greens and stuff just make it a bit more interesting and, I dunno, textured?

Anyway, sorry if I've rambled, hope this helps. If not hope it's at least something to think about ;).

Keep it coming man, really cool stuff so far. :)

[s-mrr]

Wooooooooooow-! Really cool art here and reaaaaally cool style! You've totally inspired me :) I honestly can't wait to see more!