Animatedbuzz Forums

joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

I have my next session tomorrow. Ill let you know how it goes (ima try your technique) when I get back Cool

joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

Hah thanks for the tips. Much better. Uploaded fridays session. Let me know what yallz thank.

cuttlefish · Joined: 23 Mar 2009 Posts: 956 Location: Santa Clarita

Wow!! Crazy improvement! Keep going! Very Happy

joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

Psypro · Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 62

I still see some egg heads but the first couple are a large step up from where you were before keep going Smile

Also when you cross hatch the hair you end up flattening it... try to follow the lines you see when you shade hair in

RJM · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 34

http://drawingsfromamexican.blogspot.com/2010/01/egg-heads-and-head-shapes.html

I find this method of drawing the head easy and appealing.

joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

Long time no post!!!!!
Okay so here's the low down... I've been in a slump lately and I've been trying to work myself out of it using myself and the advice you guys have given me. I recently forced myself to accept that it's okay to copy styles as long as you're learning from it. I'm currently trying the Mattesi approach to life drawing it's fun as hell! It seems rather simple to me but then again it focuses on single lines and rhythm/force etc.
Anywho, I posted some of my recent work on my blog (it's been a while). The 2 most recent post are older(check headline) and my 3rd and 4th recent posts are all from yesterday. I actually went out and bought some china markers; 2 black and a red one (red so I could go over my drawings and give myself notes etc).
So check 'em out and let me know if this "approach" I'm trying is showing any steps in the right direction (no one likes wasting time)!
Jose
PS: I'm thinking of hitting up the closest zoo here (~16 miles) on my scooter. Just waiting for the perfect day.. and then zip I'm there. Just a heads up on the future bestiality drawings(jk).

joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

Updated it! Let me know what you guys think. I'm really starting to dig in into anatomy and structure. Lovin it!

GabeLin · Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Posts: 412

jose, put the link to your blog on your signature or something. every time you update it, I gotta find the link all over again Smile

If form/anatomy is what you're going for, take a look at some more books.

Looking at your work, there's some things that are a little "off" about them. Right now I feel like each drawing is just a collection of smaller drawings. The shoulders, arms, and hands for example all look a little separated. Don't know how I would go about correcting it but take a look and maybe you'll see it. I think the main reason it looks like that is because you are over-exaggerated the connector pieces such as the elbows and wrists. What you end up doing is creating a kind of sausage link body. In real life, the joints aren't really such clear cut, sharp bends.

besides that, I'm not feeling a whole lot of weight in your drawings. Try thinking about where all the model's weight and tension is at. The newest post you have just looks like you took a 30 second look at that Force book everyone recommends here and decided you need to put tons of dynamic curves in your figure. I haven't really read it but I'm sure that book would explain the process behind using lines. If you have the book, look at it again and try to figure out why things are done. Why is this line darker than the other? Why did the drawer do this instead of this? etc. that might help a little in understanding things I think.

justonorblu · Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 394 Location: los angeles CA

I agree with Gabe, that seems to be one of the main issues your having, trying to make these figures feel like theres a sense of weight and less flat. The biggest thing i think youve got to focus on is varying your line weight, right now its all the same. When you change the weight of your line, your pushing things back into space, bringing them forward, emphasising overlaps, etc, all really important things when capturing the human form. One thing you can do that might help you get into the habit of thinking about things like overlap and lineweight is drawing with the side of your pencil. Not everyone uses this method, but i like it because it does two things, it gets you thinking about how your lines can capture the essence of the form, not just copy it, and two it can give you a variety of line quality. Another thing i suggest for you is to focus on the form right now, and forget about shading and light direction for now, that'll mean that all your focusing is going to be, and should be and trying to make that figure jump off the page. I had a teacher who used to say "shading is just the dessert, its the sweet stuff" Ya gotta finish your dinner BEFORE you jump to the sweet stuff ya know?

good luck man hope that helps some
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joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

I actually read gabe's post this morning before work and had me thinking all through work what he was saying. What I got from it was: my anatomy sucks, my form sucks and so does showing weight. My question is what form truly means. What I know as "form" is the combination of anatomy and structure/lines to show muscles, squash and stretch and bones. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I could embark on a form journey and find out I didn't know what form was in the first place.
So what i did today after work instead of going to my Friday figure session is I stayed home and studied the muscles of the arm for 5 hours straight. I understand alot more about the arms anatomy it's just that there are alot of technicalities I need to clear up(like how the bicep connects to the chest and shoulder). Tomorrow I have number 4 of a total of 4 life classes of the week and I plan on studying the structure and the anatomy of the figure focusing on the arms. This the beggining of my anatomy cramming training. Hopefully I can feel more confident after I come out of this.
Thanks for leaving some real feedback gabe and blu. Conceptart is more like "nice drawings man keep it up!" I havn't gotten one constructive comment of about 25 responses except maybe"watch your proportions" from that site. Good to know people are still willing to pass the knoledge.
Jose
ps:why is the arms anatomy so crazy hard!? Suponote pronate WTF!? Using bridgeman, hogarth, vilppu and even a pure artist anatomy book to try to get the arm right. And cheatcodes/discoveries about the arm you guys wanna share? Drawings of tommorow will be up tommorow night Smile

shitty speeling/grammar thanks to iPhone touchkeyboard -.-
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GabeLin · Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Posts: 412

joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

Thanks for responding again gabe. And don't sweat it you didn't sound at all like a jerk. I was just listing the things that I thoughT you were pointing out in the drawings. Sweet example btw! That pose is alot more dynamic than mine that's for sure. One thing I've noticed when making dynamic poses is that since I'm using my imagination alot more it's hard as he'll. I don't do alot of drawings from the mind since I'm focusing on life drawing but I feel I'm missing the point. Life drawing and toons go hand in hand and I need to start really enjoying my drawings from my head or I feel my passion for drawing isn't going to fully develop. I guess I could draw from my head and study anatomy to back up my toons. Hmm. I was also thinking if getting a tablet for my pc so I could start messing around in flash and stuff. Well Ima go draw from my head and I'll see how it goes. I'm trying to beat back the urge of picking up my controller and playing Halo Reach beta. I've beat it back so far but I'll see how much my endurance will last me.
Jose
ps: drawing session from Saturday is up. Did some form studies and studies on the torso. The more I concentrate on a drawing the more it seems to become more worked over and less loose. Sad

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joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

Just put up the few toons that weren't completely horrible. They look stiff to me. What do you guys think?
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joseverdin10 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 268 Location: Bay Area, Cali

Okay so forums have been down for a while but I have recent work up on my blog. I've been in a wierd state of mind lately and working myself through it but took Friday and Saturday off this past week to clear my head and come back with a fresh perspective. Do you guys ever do this? I don't want to excuse myself for being a bit lazy and just taking a break from drawing. Anyways please critique ma drawings. I've been trying to use structure even more now and I like it!
Thanks,
Jose
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