03-10-2016, 07:15 AM
Hey Riprap, really nice studies you have here! I can see you're going to improve pretty quickly by the way you're studying (taking notes and correcting yourself), and very good taste on the masters you're choosing to study from! :)
On your figure studies I'd recommend you to first take your time and simply analyze the pose and ask questions (what is the model doing?; what could be the story he's/she's is trying to tell the viewer?; which leg is bearing the weight and how that influences the many angles of the body?; In which direction in space/perspective is the model turning? where are the pinches and stretches of the body and why?; where are the hands placed?; etc.) - that alone will help you a lot remembering poses and understanding how the body works.
After analyzing, you should try to represent the body's gesture with few lines, where after you can build a construction on top of with simple shapes like cubes, spheres and cylinders. I too recommend Michael Hampton's book like BlackDelphin said previously.
As for the illustrations, I think they seem a bit flat, mostly due to the lack of value contrast and form turning in my opinion. The exercise Hobitt suggested is a really good way to tackle it! Also, don't be afraid of trying to do illustrations in grayscale, you can make really great things with just that...
Color is a bitch and steals a lot of attention from other more important things.
BUT your last illustration shows a lot more depth and value than the previous, which means you're making great progress on the illustrations :D I also really like the drawing, composition and storytelling there!
Keep up the great work man, and keep doing thumbnails, they save lives!
On your figure studies I'd recommend you to first take your time and simply analyze the pose and ask questions (what is the model doing?; what could be the story he's/she's is trying to tell the viewer?; which leg is bearing the weight and how that influences the many angles of the body?; In which direction in space/perspective is the model turning? where are the pinches and stretches of the body and why?; where are the hands placed?; etc.) - that alone will help you a lot remembering poses and understanding how the body works.
After analyzing, you should try to represent the body's gesture with few lines, where after you can build a construction on top of with simple shapes like cubes, spheres and cylinders. I too recommend Michael Hampton's book like BlackDelphin said previously.
As for the illustrations, I think they seem a bit flat, mostly due to the lack of value contrast and form turning in my opinion. The exercise Hobitt suggested is a really good way to tackle it! Also, don't be afraid of trying to do illustrations in grayscale, you can make really great things with just that...
Color is a bitch and steals a lot of attention from other more important things.
BUT your last illustration shows a lot more depth and value than the previous, which means you're making great progress on the illustrations :D I also really like the drawing, composition and storytelling there!
Keep up the great work man, and keep doing thumbnails, they save lives!