Sula's Sketchbook

[Ursula Dorada]

Thank you guys!


@cracked: thanks :D
@Rafa: thank you! And sure. Right now I am doing Painting Drama 2 with Chris oatley: http://chrisoatley.com/ Painting Drama requires an audition, and I think next class will start next April. Subscribe to the newsletter if you want more info :D He is an awesome teacher.

@JonHop: woot :D thanks man! Have to keep pushing

@Jaik: hahah you weren't doing a paint over, so I let that one pass hahah! And YAY thank you! The poison breath idea was quite cool actually. I need a decent dragon piece on my folio...

@Nunopias: hehe an oldie! Thank you :)


So i had my portfolio review with Todd Lockwood today, and it wen't.. better than expected :D I was sort of hoping he would tear everything apart, but hey, not really! He mostly had suggestions. Here are my notes:

1) I need to design with a bit more of confidence my value structure. Make the light work in favor of the subject of the painting. Get my highest contrast area on the "star of the picture". Don't be afraid to stack dark against light there.

2) Look for opportunities to make the light work in your favor. Kill detail everywhere else. I am doing a good job of not looking airbrushy, but I went overboard with detail. Don't be afraid to tone it down - but keep the brush marks. Just make them less textury. It's making stuff too busy.

3) The thing about making something looking finished but not over-rendered/over-textured: nail the shape. The shape needs to be nicely composed/designed. Same goes for edges. It doesn't need to be sharp all the time, but the shape needs to read well.

4) Brushstrokes around the form, and not following the contour. I totally missed this.

5) Once my values are in place, don't be afraid to push more shadows. This was funny because I though my pieces were already very dark. He put way more shadows in there and they worked just fine.

6) I have been distributing things too evenly on my paintings. Rocks the same size, bushes the same, overall shapes the same size; Values too close; Same amounts of texture. Try to break this sameness overall. Another thing I was aware, but was totally not seeing it.

:D
I was scared I'd be heartbroken after this, but having Todd Lockwood saying I have strong pieces made me all fuzzy inside hehe <3

And okay, since it's forbidden to update without art, here si something I have tried. I have no idea if it has worked. I am working on doing the regular painting of this, but I have no idea if it will stand either.
Dammit, this style thing :V