07-21-2014, 10:43 AM
Couldnt agree more with monkeybread about the portfolio.
Also about anatomy. I'm looking at your figure studies and some of your other work done in line for the most part, and I'm wondering if you're more comfortable working in volumes (ie paint, broadside of the pencil etc) rather than in contour. I say this because even on the first page, the quality difference between, say, the first portrait and the study of the helmet is quite large. Jump forward to this page and I see the same sort of difference in these last figure studies done or at least started in line for the most part. And its not even a question of quality necessarily, but it feels like youre more confident going straight in with paint.
If thats the case, there is absolutely no reason not to work in volumes if you are more confident that way. You do not have to be a good draftsman to be a good artist. You yourself even seem more satisfied with the result! I speak from experience when I say this. I got real fed up of going through the tiresome process of linework, only to cover it up with paint or have to live with just an "ok" line drawing. I discovered quite quickly that going straight in with paint, for me, was not only more fun, but it was also faster, the results were consistently better, and it also lets you learn a LOT about rendering form, like gradations, shape, colour, depth. All of which you will one day have to learn to do in paint of some sort or another for bigger illustrations.
So the question remains: are you learning draftsmanship for the sake of draftsmanship, or are you really just holding back that inner painter? I'll say it straight it up: give me a line tool and ask me to draw a person, I'll do it but it wont be great or I'll struggle . But ask me to do it in volume, and its much, much easier. Whether or not the anatomy is good, well thats a different story. But the PROCESS is what matters. ENJOY IT, other wise you'll take 20 times as long to learn the anatomy!
By the way your anatomy is looking pretty good. And when I say to work in volumes, don't misconstrue that as saying to ignore structure. I mean volume in the sense of the medium and the workflow. Structure is paramount, but if the medium is holding you back, use a different medium.
Hope that helps :D Either way there is greatness in your future! Just keep at it
Also about anatomy. I'm looking at your figure studies and some of your other work done in line for the most part, and I'm wondering if you're more comfortable working in volumes (ie paint, broadside of the pencil etc) rather than in contour. I say this because even on the first page, the quality difference between, say, the first portrait and the study of the helmet is quite large. Jump forward to this page and I see the same sort of difference in these last figure studies done or at least started in line for the most part. And its not even a question of quality necessarily, but it feels like youre more confident going straight in with paint.
If thats the case, there is absolutely no reason not to work in volumes if you are more confident that way. You do not have to be a good draftsman to be a good artist. You yourself even seem more satisfied with the result! I speak from experience when I say this. I got real fed up of going through the tiresome process of linework, only to cover it up with paint or have to live with just an "ok" line drawing. I discovered quite quickly that going straight in with paint, for me, was not only more fun, but it was also faster, the results were consistently better, and it also lets you learn a LOT about rendering form, like gradations, shape, colour, depth. All of which you will one day have to learn to do in paint of some sort or another for bigger illustrations.
So the question remains: are you learning draftsmanship for the sake of draftsmanship, or are you really just holding back that inner painter? I'll say it straight it up: give me a line tool and ask me to draw a person, I'll do it but it wont be great or I'll struggle . But ask me to do it in volume, and its much, much easier. Whether or not the anatomy is good, well thats a different story. But the PROCESS is what matters. ENJOY IT, other wise you'll take 20 times as long to learn the anatomy!
By the way your anatomy is looking pretty good. And when I say to work in volumes, don't misconstrue that as saying to ignore structure. I mean volume in the sense of the medium and the workflow. Structure is paramount, but if the medium is holding you back, use a different medium.
Hope that helps :D Either way there is greatness in your future! Just keep at it