Nika's Sketchbook

[Nika]

Today is my first day of Daily sketch, a new personal project ! The main purpose is to draw daily a new character or a creature, influenced by my mood.
Check for more info here: http://nicoletastavarache.blogspot.com/2...ction.html

[Nika]

Today's Daily sketch is a dwarf. I hope everyone enjoy it!

[Adam Lina]

Nice idea with the daily sketch. It sounds like something you could easily keep going for the long term without getting burnt out. It made me think of the recent Scott Robertson video with Chris Ayers whos been doing an animal sketch a day for over 7 years! Its pretty inspiring heres the link if you want to check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw_Fqj5qx5Y

[Jaik]

Nice job. With character sketches, especially ones with more of a simple background it can be very beneficial to block in the horizon line first, even if it is just to create the background with. Like the ground on your dwarf, you could have transformed the texture to recede back in perspective and it would have instantly created more depth.

Really good idea to do a daily sketch though. I like the texture on the axe handle, had a very nice table top rpg feel to it. Keep up the good work :)

[Nika]

Jaik : thank you, it's nice to hear that.
Hypnagogic_Haze: thank you! Actually that video inspired me to come out from shell and draw more.

Today was zombie day! Sorry for not posting here day 3 but all Daily sketches can be found on my blog. Thanks :)

[Lyraina]

Nice idea, doing a daily sketch, influenced by your mood! Love that first one especially :)

And yes, it can be really overwhelming to learn all those concepts you mentioned at once. But that's exactly what studies are for - pick one topic you want to improve on, and see what you can do to get better at just that... than apply the new learnt knowledge in a painting, trying to get just that area right (whatever it may be - values, a certain rendering style, etc). If repeated over and over again, it will become second nature and you won't have to think as much when painting something.

The panther is cool!

[Nika]

Thanks Lyraina, you have no idea how much this means to me. I'm usually afraid of trying new stuff. Loved what you did lately! This video is so good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lv1rJFH2mM

[Nika]

Sorry guys for not posting daily but, I had a really bad flu. Now, I am fine and ready to restart my journey in Sketchbook.

[Lyraina]

That video is good indeed.
Good to hear you are fine again.
Watch your legs ... they are on the short side especially in the left character design. The crotch should always roughly be in the middle of the body - that rule makes for a quick & easy check :) The water in the first environment of your last post looks nice!

[Nika]

Thx my friend for the comment, I will have it in mind next time!

[Kaycee]

Those landscapes are so dreamy. It feels like you're in a fairytale when you look at them. Absolutely love them!

[Nika]

Kaycee, Thank you very much, I'm really flattered!
Here's some random stuff I'm working on...

[Lyraina]

Creepy kid is creepy >_<
The forest looks a bit cluttered - so much saturation and detail going on everywhere! But the entwined roots are lovely :)

[Nika]

Sooo some stuff.

[Nika]

More things

[Jaik]

Been a while since I popped in here, and I must say I am shocked by how much you have improved in that time. Its almost like a completely different artist. Your rendering of eyes have improved tenfold. You still are a bit weak on your values though inj your imaginative work. Compare the zombie piece for example to the master study you did in this last post and take note of how dark the eyes are on the face, how the hair frames the face with a darker value and then the wall is lit to make a gradation of light so that it reads dark-light-dark-light. Keep this in mind when you work on your pieces from your head and nothing will stop you :D Keep killing it Nika!

[Nika]

Jaik, Thanks man I appreciate you stopping by! I'll make sure to keep it in mind for next time.

Ah, just have to keep practicing. I wish to see further in the future. :D

[Nika]

I've trying to get into sf design. Critiques are very welcome !

[Adam Lina]

The placement of the arms in the last piece is some what confusing at first glance. I couldnt tell at first if the arm with the gun was in front or back. Id move one of the arms so the elbows arnt both lined up. The character design looks good though.

[Nika]

Hypnagogic_Haze, yea!, I can see what you mean. Sometimes happen to draw like that, but for that piece I kinda rushed through because of the new painting style. Thanks for stopping by!


I switched from Environments to creatures.