The Velvet Revolvers

[Jeso]

~Welcome fellow Art Noobs, welcome, to the Velvet Revolvers~

This Study group, is very much fueled by the original motto from the Crimson Daggers:

WAKE UP, WORK HARD, STOP BEING A LOOSER. 

-please read below-

The mission of this group is going to be to try to become the 'professionals' making machine, this whole forum was on its heyday, by following the original mentality of the Crimson Daggers of working super hard, I believe we can achieve this.

This group is open to anybody, to all of you and you all, of any skill level. From complete noobs, to the people who are almost grasping that first published freelance job, to High Level artists.

This group will be active, Everybody helping each other out. If you see a member posting work, PLEASE comment and critique honestly. This group is -NOT- a collective art dump, I'd appreciate it if people don't just hop in here, drop their latest study and then step out with out a word. Lets Engage one another, carry each other forward into success and triumph.

We are to give critique to one another, be it in studies, and finished work. There will also be events in this group. Such as group challenges, hangouts and streams of sorts. I will try to incorporate live critiques as well for people who might want them on my stream.

SO! Join me in this journey, I am a noob like you, come get better together.

VELVET REVOLVERS! ASSEMBLE!

[Jeso]

Ill start with some studies and finished pieces I just did in the last few days.

The Indiana Jones/Half life dude was a commission for somebody. Turned out shitty, but the client loved it apparently.
The forest-ish looking girl is a new pieces i just finished for my portfolio. Trying to nail freelance from Paizo!

[Bookend]

I'm in.

Love the idea of keeping the Crimson Daggers philosophy alive.

Sooo, Jeso: Hey, nice studies, and coool commissioned piece!

Something I can definitely critique on is your heads-- You're lacking depth and dimension to them! In short, they're looking kinda flat. My suggestion is to draw spheres and 3d shapes, and check out Loomis for his great techniques on drawing heads.

Other than that, keep up the great work! I hope to post something here at some point. Right now I'm working on my deathline (Well, haven't been the last few days, because I've been filling in some knowledge with khanacademy.com -- Namely, geometric shapes. Which is totally conducive to my drawing aspirations.)

What I think I'll post up here at some point will be perspective work that I'll be doing. I think I'm a complete and utter perspective noob, so I'll love to get help on that if I can.

[Olooriel]

Love the idea, let's see if we can get this going :)

You've got some great studies for a start! I agree with bookend about the lack of dimension in the heads (though it's something I still struggle with myself), maybe also do some studies of the facial planes? Like this thing:
https://warosu.org/data/ic/img/0016/87/1...599047.jpg
And maybe some studies of lips, I noticed that you paint them very flat, and with very sharp outlines separating them from the face - they actually blend in a lot more (unless there's loads of lipstick on them, I guess).

I'm working on the very basics at the moment... drawing boxes. I struggle with the perspective quite a lot, anyone got any tips? I'm not even sure how to tell if these are correct - I only know that #99 is definitely wrong.

[Bookend]

Olooriel: My only tip for drawing boxes is what I've heard offhand, because this is something I need to do as well.  Try drawing basic lines for perspective-- Horizon line, and... Stuff I don't know that well yet.

Then draw boxes going off into the distance.  This is something I'm probably going to do, as soon as I've finished going over basic geometry!

Here's a couple of examples I found using google images:






Keep up the great work!  They look a lot better than what mine are gonna look like, haha.

[Jeso]

Something I can definitely critique on is your heads-- You're lacking depth and dimension to them!  In short, they're looking kinda flat.  My suggestion is to draw spheres and 3d shapes, and check out Loomis for his great techniques on drawing heads.

Hey Welcome to the group Bookend! Thanks for the feedback! Ill definitely try working on that ASAP. I totally agree, now more than ever I would love to lvl up my head drawing skills, I feel like its been dragging me down for a while.

[Jeso]

Love the idea, let's see if we can get this going :)

You've got some great studies for a start! I agree with bookend about the lack of dimension in the heads (though it's something I still struggle with myself), maybe also do some studies of the facial planes? Like this thing:
https://warosu.org/data/ic/img/0016/87/1...599047.jpg
And maybe some studies of lips, I noticed that you paint them very flat, and with very sharp outlines separating them from the face - they actually blend in a lot more (unless there's loads of lipstick on them, I guess).

I'm working on the very basics at the moment... drawing boxes. I struggle with the perspective quite a lot, anyone got any tips? I'm not even sure how to tell if these are correct - I only know that #99 is definitely wrong.

Whats up Oloriel! Welcome to the Velvet Revolvers, I can feel form those shapes you are drawing that its all out of whack. Because you are eyeballing the perspective? try using a Horizon line and vanishing points to get that perspective down to the T. Just like in the images Bookend posted.
If you have no idea how perspective works or its terminology, try watching some tutorials on youtube, just search for "Perspective tutorial" Im sure you'll find tons of info on the topic.

[Jeso]

Hey! So here are some studies, addressing the given feedback by you fellow Revolvers, Damn where those planes hard to nail. They look like shit, but hey, studies ain't supposed to look pretty. Gotta keep grinding!

The last one is a thumbnail for a portrait I wanna do for the RPG focused portfolio.

[Jeso]

Now, I wanted to ask you guys, to kind of introduce yourselves, and share your goals and dreams in here, get to know each other a little better. Allow me to start,

So I'm Jeso, Which is not my real name, my name is Jesus Oscar Flores, 'Jeso' is like a combination of Jesus and Oscar, I've been called Jeso by some family members since forever, figured why not, because fuck being called Jesus, as in "Jeezus" happens more often that you'd expect. And Oscar sounds like a Mexican cartel Boss or something.. Anyways, I just graduated Art school, which I think was a damn waste of time and money, but fuck it, Parents want degree, you obey, cause they feed you lol.
So, as you can see after 4 years of "Professional training" I ain't quiet good enough to even get basic freelance. I get a couple commissions here and there by regular people who want their shitty characters painted now and again.

GOALS~ I just wanna get far you know? I just want to grind it out, and become a top dog, I want to get freelance from the top RPG games, I want to make advertising art for games and movies, but the ultimate dream, and this will sound familiar, is to make my own IP, and one day see it done in the big screen. Just the fantasy of seeing my own creation, my own world in like a movie theater, will a tons and tons of people pumped to see it, man that's just, that would be the best, I'd just be a fantasy man, I dont know how to describe it, but there it is.


What about you all, If you dont mind sharing?

[Bookend]

Hey Jeso! Your heads have already improved. Keep at it!

And good idea.

Well, I'm Bookend! (I'll keep my real name out for now-- I don't know if I'll ever share it. Names aren't that important anyway. ;D)

I grew up in Canada, but ended up moving halfway across the world for love of wifey.

I've been drawing/painting/writing/creating since highschool. I was never the kid that excelled in art-- I just thought it was fun, and I believed in the idea of 'talent' until I hit highschool.

Then I had that period of time where I was copying from anime one summer. Ironically, it wasn't any special anime or anything, I would just look up the anime style I liked by finding archives of anime characters, and I'd print them out and draw them.

And when I came back to highschool in the fall, my art teacher was so impressed at how much I improved in my work that she gave me an award.

So, I had art in the back of my head ever since, but my dad wasn't crazy about that idea. In fact, he saw it as being a pointless pursuit, because, 'There are millions of people who are way better than you. Going to school for art is a waste of time.'

He suggested I go into Journalism, because I've always been rather good at writing, even before I took up art. So, I took his suggestion and went into a 3-year journalism course.

It was fun, and I met some interesting people and had some great experiences. The first semester of the second year, though, I had started going to these life drawing sessions that were being held weekly, and this is what really sparked my passion for drawing.

I was hooked, and I started looking up things, starting to despair at the idea of being a journalist. (They scared you quite a lot about journalism in that school-- It's not an easy and secure career path that my dad might've been hoping for. I probably would have decided to be an editor.)

But, I started having trouble at the second semester of journalism anyway, and it looked like I would have to take an extra year just to get the credentials for one class. And that costed money, I figured.

So, I decided to drop out and go to art school. Well, not art school exactly, but Foundations in Art and Design. A one year course to find out which direction I'd end up taking (But, at that time, I had already found conceptart. I don't even remember how-- I think someone in the life drawing class gave me the link, so I knew the general direction I wanted to go in.)

Well, my dad was pretty furious. He said he wouldn't support me financially with this choice, and that I was on my own. And I said fine. And I went to art school.

And it was the best fucking year of my life, haha. I was on the honour roll, and my painting won best in show at the end of the year.

When my dad saw the painting, he was shocked. The man who'd hung the paintings went to chit-chat with him, and told him about how he had to put the 'best' one in the focal point.

Shaken, and beyond proud, my dad came to me that night and said, "I don't know much about these things, Book... But, you. Can. Paint. And I'm so proud of you."

So, that's how my journey began. I decided to self-teach. And I'm still striving for excellence. But, I'm proud of myself for earning my dad's approval, which I didn't really think was possible, lol.

[Olooriel]

I know the basic perspective rules and I can do it if I draw the lines, but the point of this exercise is to visualise  the vanishing points, and I just get lost without them.

To the right is one I drew with a ruler:


And here to the left is one I drew without a ruler, but with the horizon and vanishing points visible in the scene:

[Jeso]

Oloooriel, Honestly I dont see the point of visualizing vanishing points. I think that's just gonna really hinder whatever it is you try to draw haha. For example, the second set of pictures you posted, on the left, with the horizon line and vanishing point, you didn't use rule, so there isn't really guides in the composition, but you laid down a horizon line and a vanishing point. And it turned out pretty well I think! Generally speaking you shouldn't just "imagine" where the vanishing points exactly are when you working. Unless you are doing really quick speed paintings, or just sketching for fun, and if that's the goal here, if that's the application for this study, then i guess, good job :P and keep going bro.

[Jeso]

Hey Jeso!  Your heads have already improved.  Keep at it!

And good idea.

Well, I'm Bookend!  (I'll keep my real name out for now-- I don't know if I'll ever share it.  Names aren't that important anyway. ;D)

I grew up in Canada, but ended up moving halfway across the world for love of wifey.

I've been drawing/painting/writing/creating since highschool.  I was never the kid that excelled in art-- I just thought it was fun, and I believed in the idea of 'talent' until I hit highschool.

Then I had that period of time where I was copying from anime one summer.  Ironically, it wasn't any special anime or anything, I would just look up the anime style I liked by finding archives of anime characters, and I'd print them out and draw them.

And when I came back to highschool in the fall, my art teacher was so impressed at how much I improved in my work that she gave me an award.

So, I had art in the back of my head ever since, but my dad wasn't crazy about that idea. In fact, he saw it as being a pointless pursuit, because, 'There are millions of people who are way better than you.  Going to school for art is a waste of time.'

He suggested I go into Journalism, because I've always been rather good at writing, even before I took up art.  So, I took his suggestion and went into a 3-year journalism course.

It was fun, and I met some interesting people and had some great experiences.  The first semester of the second year, though, I had started going to these life drawing sessions that were being held weekly, and this is what really sparked my passion for drawing.  

I was hooked, and I started looking up things, starting to despair at the idea of being a journalist.  (They scared you quite a lot about journalism in that school-- It's not an easy and secure career path that my dad might've been hoping for.  I probably would have decided to be an editor.)

But, I started having trouble at the second semester of journalism anyway, and it looked like I would have to take an extra year just to get the credentials for one class.  And that costed money, I figured.

So, I decided to drop out and go to art school.  Well, not art school exactly, but Foundations in Art and Design.  A one year course to find out which direction I'd end up taking (But, at that time, I had already found conceptart.  I don't even remember how-- I think someone in the life drawing class gave me the link, so I knew the general direction I wanted to go in.)

Well, my dad was pretty furious.  He said he wouldn't support me financially with this choice, and that I was on my own.  And I said fine.  And I went to art school.

And it was the best fucking year of my life, haha.  I was on the honour roll, and my painting won best in show at the end of the year.

When my dad saw the painting, he was shocked.  The man who'd hung the paintings went to chit-chat with him, and told him about how he had to put the 'best' one in the focal point.

Shaken, and beyond proud, my dad came to me that night and said, "I don't know much about these things, Book... But, you. Can. Paint.  And I'm so proud of you."

So, that's how my journey began.  I decided to self-teach.  And I'm still striving for excellence.  But, I'm proud of myself for earning my dad's approval, which I didn't really think was possible, lol.

Awesome Story Book! Yea you dont need to disclose your real name by any means ^.^   In my case Jeso is like my official artist name so I figured I'd just say that.

Yeap, that anime phase brother... We've all been there. I think I started drawing, like, the very beginning of it, was me at 4 years old, filling my kindergarten notebooks with Dragon ball Z characters.. haha, Teachers would give me shit for it all the time. And that story repeated it self all the way to high school. 
Even these days I still watch anime and study it sometimes, because if there is something anime does REALLY fucking well, is getting feelings a cross through well done character expressions. I like to study anime stills where a character is giving a really over the top facial expression. Its a cool exercise.

Wow Journalism, not the best alternative to art when talking about job security lol.
Nice ending to your story, glad your Dad finally came to accept your love for doing art. My parents were always supportive of whatever I chose to do, but, they still have their doubts, haha and my dad keeps telling me that I'm gonna be rich one day.. well, hopefully, but doing art ain't the best way to achieve that.

Now Book, what about your future goals? where do you wanna get to? What do you want to accomplish?

[Bookend]

Now Book, what about your future goals? where do you wanna get to? What do you want to accomplish?

Oh yeah, I forgot that part.  Lol. 

I'm hoping to become a concept artist, maybe for video games.  When I've got my 2d fundamentals down, I'll also try working in 3d and sculpting.  Always will be nice to get my personal ideas down, too.  Maybe start a webcomic, but not too sure about that. 

My ideas always seem to capture one thing that encompasses a general idea.  This is why I'm not too good at writing books.  (Although I have written one during NaNoWriMo, an interesting take on a zombie apocalypse-- Hint:  The cure for immortality.)  So writing a webcomic would just have to be a place to put down an idea for a day, rather than have a story line-- But that might change.

Once I've experienced lots of fun and interesting things, and I've found that my journey's at a point where I can share my knowledge, I think I'd like to teach. 

I've always been really good at teaching, and I like to give and receive feedback.  I've always been really good at taking complex concepts and making them simple and easy to understand.  Also good at understanding what someone needs at an individual level.

Learning is like my meaning of life, so it makes sense that I'd want to teach (you learn as much as your students when you're teaching, I think), and I've always been weird and loved going to school.  I've always said I'd live at school if I could-- Especially that year in art school.  So much feedback, so relaxed and nice.  That's bliss, man.

But, we'll see.  There's a lot of things I know I could get into, that drive me forward.  Art's a lifelong journey, and I'm in it for the long haul!

[Bookend]

Here are some thumbnails for the CHOW this week: The Rusalka.

I'm stoked about it, but I'm not sure which direction to go into, or if I should fix anything...  Any tips?

I'm kinda leaning towards 1 or 2.

[Olooriel]

Oloooriel, Honestly I dont see the point of visualizing vanishing points. I think that's just gonna really hinder whatever it is you try to draw haha. For example, the second set of pictures you posted, on the left, with the horizon line and vanishing point, you didn't use rule, so there isn't really guides in the composition, but you laid down a horizon line and a vanishing point. And it turned out pretty well I think! Generally speaking you shouldn't just "imagine" where the vanishing points exactly are when you working. Unless you are doing really quick speed paintings, or just sketching for fun, and if that's the goal here, if that's the application for this study, then i guess, good job :P  and keep going bro.

The point is that the vanishing point isn't generally going to be inside my picture, like it is there. It's usually going to be far out, or everything would be ridiculously skewed. And yeah, the application is sort of to be able to get a somewhat ok looking perspective in a quick sketch, thumbnail or speedpainting. It wouldn't have to be 100% correct obviously, because I could clean it up with a proper vanishing point later, but it still shouldn't be as far off as some of these are, because this can create problems for me in the cleanup phase that I'd like to avoid. Obviously I'm not familiar enough with perspective yet. I'm not sure these studies are helping though, I might just leave them be for now. Or maybe I just have a really low frustration threshold because I'm sick atm., I don't know.

[Jeso]

yo Book, right now #3 could work best, although I recommend you do more thumbnails at this point. Because the composition in most of them is working against you a bit. Think about the balance in the piece, rule of thirds, angles, focal points and back ground mid ground and foreground .

[Olooriel]

Oh, and uhm, about me...

My name's Christina, I'm from Germany, and I'm a biologist, but I want to be a fantasy illustrator. I've been drawing all my life, but I believed in "talent" until... pretty much just a couple of years ago, when I had already got my degree and a job. Spent a couple of years working half-heartedly on my improvement while regretting that I hadn't pursued art, until about a month ago when I decided to just try to go for it.

[Jeso]

Oh, and uhm, about me...

My name's Christina, I'm from Germany, and I'm a biologist, but I want to be a fantasy illustrator. I've been drawing all my life, but I believed in "talent" until... pretty much just a couple of years ago, when I had already got my degree and a job. Spent a couple of years working half-heartedly on my improvement while regretting that I hadn't pursued art, until about a month ago when I decided to just try to go for it.

Thanks for sharing Olooriel, Wow, Biologist, that's a massive change to art. Glad to hear to were bold enough to pursue your passions!

[Jeso]

Man Today was a looooooong ass day, I couldnt get a lot done. Had to go to the doctor to get checked on something, run some errands about my visa, buy the groceries... D: Anyways, here is today's stream study, and my progress on that piece im making for the portfolio.