The Irregulars -- A Livestream Study Group

[Roran Hawkins]

To me the perspective seems wrong.

Here I've drawn a sharpener in a much more extreme perspective, just to show what I mean.
http://www.sketchtoy.com/20321421


And because I was bored:
http://www.sketchtoy.com/20323452


Both are with mouse.

[Shalashaska]

To me the perspective seems wrong.

Here I've drawn a sharpener in a much more extreme perspective, just to show what I mean.
http://www.sketchtoy.com/20321421

I'm not sure what you mean by wrong. The idea is to have the viewer looking at it from the front, in which the front, top, and left are fully in-view and the back and right-most sides are not.

- - - Updated - - -

By the way, whatever program it is that you used to create that drawing looks very helpful. Hope you don't mind if I experiment with it. XD

[Roran Hawkins]

This is what I mean:
http://www.sketchtoy.com/20325411


The perspective seems wrong.

[Shalashaska]

Yes, but I'm not looking at it from an overhead view; rather, I have it on my desk in front of me. I'm above level with it, but not so much so that I can see the back. I don't know how else to describe it, except that I'm drawing what I'm seeing.

[Roran Hawkins]

http://www.sketchtoy.com/20326760

I think that this would be the correct perspective, but correct me if I'm wrong. It's been a while.

E: The right point where the lines connect should be a lot further away, but I've put it on the paper so it's easier to see.

[Shalashaska]

Quite frankly, I've not taken any actual art classes beyond the basics; therefore, I am hesitant to correct you, but I'm drawing this as though it were sitting on a paper (which it is) in front of me (which it is) and slightly below me (which it is). I can see the front, because it's in front of me; I can see the left, because it's slightly rotated; I can see the top, because it's slightly below me. I can not see the bottom, because it is resting on a flat surface; I can not see the right, because it is rotated to the left (which is also why I can see the left); I can not see the back, because while I am slightly above it, I am not high enough above it to see behind it. I think that explains it as well as I can.. Of course, I could be entirely wrong, but as I said, I'm drawing what I see.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Ahhhh, I see now. So the shadow doesn't necessarily mark where the light doesn't hit at all- rather, it marks an area which we know is there but cannot see. Not sure if I can complete another study tomorrow, might be too busy, but if I get a spare few moments I'll certainly try to use what I've learned.

A shadow isn't ever necessarily a total absence of light, it's just where the majority of light is being sort of blocked -- There is light in all shadows, it's just to varying degrees. (You'll begin to notice this the more you look for it. It takes a lot of practice to start really seeing it.) The darker area moving into the circle is where light starts getting blocked from our view point, making it a bit darker the farther into the pencil hole we see.

So, er. I tried toning the background. It didn't exactly work. Do you suggest a light shading or a dark shading? I tried to mimic what you did but it went all wonky, it's far too dark and made it look like the back side of the sharpener didn't exist, which led to me shading in the back side even more, which just didn't help at all. In fact, I couldn't get any of the shading right. The curves on the outline itself are also a bit screwy; I'm still focusing on the shading though, I don't think the actual outline of the sharpener will be a problem when I decide to focus on it. Don't know if it's because I'm in an off mood or what, but I think this may be the worst one so far. (Ignore the blotting in the lower right corner, that was my fault- didn't realize it, but my hand was resting there... Now the bottom of my right hand is jet black. >.>)

On second thought, I realized two things.
1) I was using a different, darker pencil (which I somehow managed to neglect to see) which limited my shading to either "dark" or "really dark"
and 2) I am in a rather off mood today, so I think I just couldn't focus on the study. Feedback's still welcome, but the above isn't exactly the best of my work. >_<

Everyone has off days -- it happens. XD

Definitely keep tabs on the different pencils you have -- it'll allow you to really experiment with your values if you have several that can work at different levels (so you don't necessarily have to press so hard with a lighter one, you can just swap it for a darker one and save yourself some headache).

I think the perspective that Roran was suggesting is slightly different than the one I think you're trying to imply, but I think the sloped sides of the sharpener are making everything look questionable. Right now you're drawing the sharpener as if it's shaped like a trapezoid. (All bottom edges extending farther out and then tapering upward to the top side.) If this is not the shape of the sharpener, some adjustments need to be made, but I'm not going to make suggestions until I know one way or another. (You could even post a picture of the sharpener from the angle you've been looking at it, so that we can see exactly what you've been seeing. Just a quick cellphone picture or whatever, if you can.)

To me the perspective seems wrong.

Here I've drawn a sharpener in a much more extreme perspective, just to show what I mean.
http://www.sketchtoy.com/20321421

And because I was bored:
http://www.sketchtoy.com/20323452

Both are with mouse.

Nice perspective /painting work, especially considering you were using a mouse. I've never seen that site before.. Kind of neat!

[Scribz]

Just posting to show i'm still in the game. Did a 30 minute figure drawing trainer, was more intense than I thought! Dimensions were hard though considering I had to fit both the reference picture and my very feature cluttered art programme (sai) into one laptop monitor, meant a lot of sliding was done, and so some limbs ended up longer or shorter than expected. Space was also an issue in general and so poses were cropped so to speak.

All done in 30 seconds, this was a "no mistake corrected" scenario in which you were basically trying to get as much of the broad shape in view on the paper in time (and failing at that), and making sure to keep your hand from cramping up xD. As you can see a lot of poses are either unfinished or wrong, but it also gives you perspective in how minimal line use can achieve the shape you want!

Top three and bottom right are 30 seconds, as you can see it's still the same story with the last image, simple shapes, simple form, and errors galore. You can see how my hand started to cave at this point, which demonstrates the endurance I still need to build in my left hand. The bottom left and centre are 1 minute however, this gave me a lot more room to work on redefining strokes, as you can see it's a lot more choppy as a result, but more detailed and defined, it highlights how much a difference a good initial foundation is crucial for an immersive portrait.

By this point, my hand had died and I was carrying it's corpse through the deadly trial, not sure if I would emerge alive, or be left behind.
But for realz, top two are the 1 minutes, and they are just horrible. This really demonstrates how and why quality can fall and how maybe a little break (and how hand exercises) can be the 'touch and go' factor to the execution of your work.

Bottom two are 5 minute, as you can see the right hand one is much more choppy and bold, however detail and shape are far easily executed as I was given some time to actually use reference points in the process. Size was getting a problem though, as things started to overlap, as was the size of the brush. By left hand side, I had given myself a much finer brush to use, and so I was able to add in detail in a much more orderly manner.

Now these two, these two are clicking points for me.

Both of these show how bad my anatomy is, and how much I need to get referencing done. I can look at these and see a horizon of difference between my previous work from literally yesterday. The detail is better, even if choppy. The shaping rocks. For both of them I was just happy to get cleaner, more accurate and real sketches down. Obviously I have work to go, but progress is progress and nothing to sniff at.

The final peice, the 10 minute one, had even gotten me to the point where I felt "i could either go back and redefine shape, or I can see how adding value to correct plains may work out. And it worked like magic, this just highlighted how much the magic in the painting comes from getting the simple strokes down, not some neat little trick during the value process.

So, things i've learnt?

If it's not right, you did it wrong a stage beforehand.

My hand is a little bitch.

Shape is key.

Practise makes perfect.

This trial has stuck with me, so i'm going to do my all to make sure I get a 30 minute trial done at least once a day. I may or may not post them here.

Anyway, doubt I need any pointers on this one guys, I think it's a matter of internalizing through repetition. Ciao x

[Shalashaska]

I'd just like to say that everything Scribz did is the work of a master, when you consider that it was all done under a time limit (and with a dead hand XD).

On another note, I've just completed a big move, and... er... well...
I lost the sharpener. I think you jinxed me, Sherlock.

So anyways, I'll pick another object, but everything's a bit hectic right now so I may not be able to do anything for a few days. If I'm gone for longer than four days, call the police. I'll still post up some critiques if anyone wants my opinion, though. ^.^

[Fieryfly]

Those last two look really cool Scribz.

On another note I did a drawing of a random object that stood on my table.

I actually learned a lot about where the light touched. Especially that tiny spark of light that hit the inside of the cup xD Without it just didn't look good.