Rotohail's "Reclusive" SketchBook

[Rotohail]

This is one of those threads where you see the artist update and think "gosh, Batman, I don't know why this guy feels so bad about himself when he draws that well".

Do you think you've expended a lot of time and effort into building technical skill but aren't quite sure what motivated you to do so in the first place? It's a common problem.

Or is the prospect of working long and hard on a single painting simply too intimidating? If so, you may just have to decide on a picture and jump into it when your life situation is stable enough for you to focus on something.

Ha ha! Sorry! I didn't mean to come across like that. I was trying to say even when I can feel the improvement, the goalpost keeps feeling like an insurmountable task ha ha. Or I just keep moving the goalpost lol. I'm not feeling bad about my drawing tho, just more like chastising myself for laziness.

Building technical skill!? Ha ha, I began drawing without a care in the world for that so, I probably did not. That said, I have never got a clear goal of what to do with it. I would just get caught in something I would find fancy at the time or cool. I did began by chance when someone asked me to draw game art lol, so there's that. But lately I dunno, I feel like I need to get my bearings, I guess I just want to improve the fundies I have neglected before making choice (mainly, value, color, texture) and my overall workflow and quality of work.

Not at all! Again, just laziness. Plain old lazy. Jokes. My biggest trouble to finish something always is when I hit the wall... where I don't know where to drive something towards? I lose track of what the idea was or what I'm going for. That's when I abandon something. I've been figuring out lately that's just me lacking general knowledge, for instance by doing the materials studies of late, now when I draw clothing or so, I suddenly start thinking on cuts and texture, before I would just hit the breaks. So I just need to work on learning things, that's my weakness. Then also using reference when I need to, which I have begin to do so.

Thanks for taking the time to come by!

Wow Rotohail!  I love your sketchbook so much I just went through all of it!

I think the combination of how well you draw along with how well you paint really hits the sweet spot.

I love how your drawings are well constructed and well proportioned and your values and colours are really believable and convincing.

Really cool stuff, good luck with the hand by the way hope it stays healthy for you :).

Ah! Thanks a lot. Although I can't feel as I deserve it, I keep seeing my stuff as lacking, but it comes with the territory I guess. Thanks for the thought! Actually my hand has been doing good for a while now although with the recent COVID lockdown I'm scrambling up the walls since I can't do rides or get fresh air. That's been affecting my health, but I guess going out could be as harmful ha ha. Plus put others at risk, so I'll just stay and draw.

The reality is you will always be your own worst critic and it should stay that way.But we should never be afraid of the struggle we should be afraid of not trying anymore.

So true. Words to live by!

hey roto... i love your work, i guess i'll give a critique since im appreciating the advanced level youre getting to;

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...oup_02.png

This critique doesnt apply to this^, the story and mood is there. However, she could be more welcoming, maybe hip out, hands on hip, head cocked to one side.

So a lot of your stuff is like, "thats nice, thats cool, nice shape." etc. But i dont sense a feeling of story or interaction between the characters. Now a character can interact with themself, which is why say they have a weapon, or they are an athlete, etc. Throwing a punch is a good story, and you push that but what im encouraging is to push it further

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...&anger.png

See this screaming guy; why's he screaming? how could you push that idea to make it more like the narrative he's displaying. He's angry, hunched over, arms spread out. He's beastlike, maybe on all fours, try to work in some foreshortening. The lady next to him looks bored, but she could more bored. Being bored is a story in itself. How do you show someone looking really really bored? hand on their cheek? slouching, indifferent expression, rolling their eyes.

Things are becoming less of a technical exercise for you at this point and youre ready to say something, but i know its tough to decide what to say. Ive been recently enjoying Force Drawing with Matessi on his website; its teaching me a lot about sending power through a drawing, as well as a narrative; its really interesting stuff!

Alot of your characters have good expressions and you can still push them, even the ones that seem whacky already

http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/attachme...onster.png

Like this guy, why stop there? his mouth could be open, his tongue lunging out; further, he could be in a pose that sells the story of his long hair, right now its just a purple ball with a funny face and long hair standing. I know a lot of this takes a lot of abstract thought, but it really sells stuff in a different way. Animators are masters at it, taking a pose and pushing the very essence of everything it expresses... Worth studying, even if youre just observing casually.

Keep pummeling deez hoez roto

Ah thanks man! I see you are knees deep in gesture drawing! ha ha. Yeah I've been feeling my gestures have been a bit on the boring side lately, not done any gesture practice in half a year? And my anatomy is also going down the drain, have to do another refresher soon. I have tho been trying to push my action and perspective so I guess not all is lost, you push and pull. I have matessis's FORCE book! I have to reread it soon, it's been years. So now he has a website with new content? Gonna have to check it out.
Thanks for the pointers! I think I have an idea on how to improve the crazy haircut dude ha. The one with the enraged thing and the other are just like contrast? Peace and anger it was, more like tranquility. Girl floating it was a challenge, I wanted something very subtle? Like warmth but also coyness? So not confidence, but related? I need to fix a few things on that one (issues with one of the legs and the chest/arms area definition).
You keep pummeling them too! Gotta work those forges!