Alex

  This is another attempt in charcoal. I had a coloured photo of my nephew (Alex), which I wanted to reproduce in charcoal. I have encountered numerous issues, from the wrong positioning of the nose (too low) which made him look too old (made him look like an adult), and positioning the eyes too far apart, and thus making the portrait looking far from the original. However, after around 6 hours of adjusting and readjusting, this is what I came up with:

I have made the initial sketch using a 2B pencil. This took me around ann hour. This is where I have encountered most of my problems with the proportions. There are a few differences between the 2 sketches: eyes are slightly smaller in the first one, ears are a bit strange in the first one as well, however, I like the detail on the shirt (top button, collar). So fir the second sketch, I have made slight adjustments to the things mentioned before and added some shading on the forehead and mouth, as well as adding more strength to the shirt. After this stage, I had redrawn everything in charcoal. This stage took me another 3 hours in total, as I kept making adjustments. Below is the first stage in charcoal.

This is still work in progress, as I still want to adjust a few things. I would like to add more shading on the cheeks and improve the mouth as it's not the way I would like it.
5/12/2012

This is the final drawing. I have added a lot more shading to the cheeks, hence giving him the baby/slightly chubby look that he had originally, also the eyes were slightly modified, as the lines under the eyes were a bit too strong, so I have taken some of the thickness off with an eraser and a blending stick. I have added some shading on the nose at eye level, to create the dip at the inner eye.I have also added extra shading on the hair by taking some charcoal powder  on my finger from a separate piece of paper, as in the previous one, the head was too white and the hair strands were too obvious. I have also redone the ears by taking some of the charcoal off with a putty eraser and then smoothing it out with the blending stick. I'm really happy with the final result, as it is pretty close to the original photo, and as I have also mentioned before, my drawing experience is only recent. I have started drawing this year, just before starting the course, my only previous encounter with art being in floristry, which is where I have discovered my artistic side. My friends ( Alex's Mum and Dad) were very happy with the drawing too, so this was a pretty good step for me n the right direction, I think.

Obama Caricature

   I have discovered I love drawing in charcoal due to the effects you can create, a lot of shading and over emphasizing of some features. I have done one caricature in class, trying to reproduce one I found online. 

Original caricature found on http://www.kaltoons.com/wordpress/2008/09/mccain-and-obama-caricatures/

This is my attempt at a caricature. I am quite happy with it, however, I should have added a lot more shading, and I do realise that through shading I would have achieved a different facial expression. The cheeks I have drawn are not as big as the original, so in effect, the smile doesn't look so big.

As I said, I love charcoal, so I will be posting some more of my work soon.

29/11/2012

My first charcoal attempt

Here's my first charcoal attempt. Just bought a new set of charcoal pens and, didn't realise what a difference it would be when drawing with them in comparison to the normal B pens.

The tips are very soft and thick and I found it really easy to create the light/shade effect. Really loved it. The only downfall for me, was the fact that tips were breaking really easily and were somehow scratching the paper, but this might be due to their quality as well. Need to do some research and find out which ones are best.

my weapon

These are a couple of robots/warriors I have designed by using "Pimp my gun" software. Using different parts/components of the guns, I have rearranged them to create these two guys.

I have imported the second warrior into Photoshop and recreated it using the basic outlines and adapting it using my imagination 

pumpkin characters

11/11/2012

Pumpkin characters I have drawn before deciding to do the little pigtails girl.

other drawings aug 2012

These are some drawings I have done in August 2012, before starting college.

Eyes drawn from a picture

Girl and mushroom, drawn (attempted) from imagination, no reference.

Girl's face, out of my imagination, no refference.

Owl - trying to copy a picture in  a book. Several attempts have been made as I can't seem to get the sizes right. 

Portrait following a tutorial on Youtube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urg1jyhLIhQ )

A few weeks, later, I have attempted to draw the same portrait from memory. Clear difference between the two...

Another drawing made following a tutorial on Youtube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ1JX77fFLs )

OBJECT CONCEPT ART

       My choice of object for this project is a wheelbarrow, which is also visible in my "Environment concept art". I am trying to follow through with the same theme and pick objects and characters from the environment piece. Initial sketches for the object and the preliminary stages are shown underneath.

       I have looked around for inspiration regarding style for drawing my object concept art. My research involved a few websites and various artists, and I came across http://www.centralillustration.com/artists/Fine-&-Dandy/ on Central Illustration Agency's website. In particular, it was the ice cream illustration that made stop and look twice. The colour choice was brilliant, simple, very 1970's, and the contrast is something that is very much me as well. So I will try to introduce that kind of contrast and style into my wheel barrow.

So my wheelbarrow will have a different style and definitely a different colour.

Here are my 6 credit card initial sketches for it.

My A3 paper drawing of the wheelbarrow is listed below. I haver used pencil for the outline and basic shading and finished off with charcoal. I am quite happy with the look of it, it looks quite realistic, but as I have mentioned above, I do like the retro colours, so I will now import my wheelbarrow in Photoshop and add colour. I will keep to red white and black and see how will come out. 

CHARACTER CONCEPT ART

I have chosen 2 images as reference for my character concept art. As my whole set up is cartoon style, my characters are 2 girls, brightly coloured, funny and innocent looking, but rather odd :)

Eddie Faria "This character was created using 3ds max 7 and photoshop cs. she is my first 3d character"

  Both these artists use bright colours, and quite a lot of detail both in facial features and clothes giving out the happy, innocent, fun look. Even though the first one looks a bit odd, she does not look evil, she does have the big eyes, teddy in hand, so she is definitely on the good side, and this is the type of character I would like to create as well. I am mainly inspired by my daughter when designing the character, so I have certain personality aspects in mind, but tu better express what I want to produce, the second image is a very good example. 

Here are my 6 credit card size character attempts:

Getting reference from the 2 images shown above, I have tried to create a little girl, cheeky, innocent, but cute. 

1) The first one looks ok, but there is something quite strange about her face which doesn't make her look like the cheeky, cute one I intended to draw.

2) I have then attempted to draw a little boy, just to se if that might be a better idea, but I am not happy about it. I attempted a slightly side angle, and didn't come out very realistic, as I haven't done this before.

3) attempted a closer look at the girl's face and it came out a little bit better. I have just realised that the eyes are the ones I need to concentrate on, as they are the most expressive features of a face.

4) Another side angle attempted. I am actually quite happy, as this is my very first attempt at drawing te profile of a person, and it looks pretty realistic.

5) I have attempted yet another instance, this time, sitting down. I am basically experimenting with these things and enjoying it very much. I am learning a lot through this exercises. Not too happy about her face and supersized shoulders, but all in all, the "girl sitting down" instance, in my opinion, looks pretty close to a real pose.

6) For the last one, I tried to draw a girls as seen from behind. Quite happy with this one as well. Not too sure about the fence and side pavement, as looking at them now, they don't seem to belong to the same pavement. Need to work more on perspective!

First Photoshop attempt at character drawing. Not happy at all about her face...

This was done in class on the 15/11/2012

(Sorry for the side view, my computer decided to give up on me and couldn't rotate the image before uploading it.)

19/11/2012

These are 2 stages of another girl I have started drawing at home. I much prefer the facial features of this one compared to my previous one. However, I do have to pay a lot more attention to detail. I have attempted to do the eye more realistic and it looks a lot better, so I will continue with this one.

My part finished character after a long day working on it. But I'm much happier with this look. Eyes are much more expressive, she looks more innocent, which was the intention ( the previous one looked a bit evil). I still need to finish her legs and shoes and minor adjustments to the rest. Bur all in all, happy with it so far. 

some more trees 31/10/2012

Just a tree that I would like to have in my environment concept art, but I don't really like it. It looks very weird, so will not be using it. I just wanted to have it as an example of what I have tried, to have an account of the process I have gone through.

Another attempt of a tree, but I don't like this either. My idea of the environment is a bright, happy, serene place, and neither of these trees fit that. They both look quite creepy:(

other non related drawings / spare time

These are a few drawings I have done in my spare time, in order to practice and improve my skills. I am very aware that I need to work a lot on my scaling, as sizes don't quite seem to come out as in reality.

 Drawing from photo. It took me over 3 hours to do this drawing and numerous corrections as the eyes were initially way too big, and the mouth was too prominent (too dark, as I have put too much shading). However, I'm quite happy with the final product as it captures the facial expression pretty well.

Two separate drawings of trees as I am trying to draw an unusual tree for my environment concept art project, and I don't seem to be able to capture the idea that I have in my mind...

A vase with orchids that I had in my kitchen at home. I realise that the water in the vase wasn't captured at all, so definitely more work needs to go into this.

ENVIRONMENT CONCEPT ART Part 2 - Final piece

        I have decided upon my environment to be an idilic sunlit scenery, in the middle of the summer. In the background I would like to draw a thatched roof house which I will eventually make into one of the characters. The whole scene will be a cartoon style image, as the whole game idea is based on a cartoon. All the objects in the scene will be personified, and will try to give them all names. They will all be part of the action. It will be a rural setting, so I have chosen, as inspiration, a few rustic gardening tools which I wil try to model in Zbrush. The whole set-up is meant to be cheerful and happy.

1) cart wheel -  I like the fact that it is a basic representation of the rural environment. It is broken in places, so it gives out the idea of age. "she" will be the wise old lady in my setting:)

2) This is just a basic cartoony image I have found, and with the idyllic setting (fence, tree), it makes quite a good example of what I would like to create

3) another example of the type of house I would like to draw. I like the moss going up on the side of the house. It makes you feel like the house has been there for a long time and has got a few stories to tell. The house will be another character in my game. 

4)  A more simple representation of the house I want to draw. I chose this as pure guide for my drawing

the door

5) Love the colours in this image. The red doors make everything look bright and full of life, so I think I will make the door another character

6) I chose this image for the colours again. But also for the shrubs in front of the house. Because they are grouped really nice, forming a pattern, they can make a team of "guards", placed in front of the house, who again, can be quite mischievous, being part of a team. But they can definitely be my next character.  

7) I love the contrast in this image. It looks really good with just 3 colours (white brown and green). It creates a lovely effect, so I will try and create something similar in my setting. I also like the stone wall very much. (however this will not be a character, I will just include it in the scenery) 

8) I like the lighting in this image. The effect created is exactly what I am looking for and the lamp itself can definitely be a character

9) I like the colours of the bucket and gardening tools and the simplicity as well. They would go really well with my idea.

10) Love the texture of the path. I have chose this for inspiration only.

11) I like the way the stones are arranged and their texture

12) I liked teh colouring and the lighting in this image and I will probably try to model a pumpkin for my final environent

13) I was toying with the idea of having a round house as it would look much better as a "girl house", so I've saved this image for inspiration

14) Loved the steps. I like the fact that they are really close up and I will like to introduce something similar in my image

15) I would like to introduce a wall as well, and not sure which stone texture I like better at this moment

16) Love the light in this image

 17) I really liked the fact that the two houses are linked together as they can make 2 twin characters in my setting

18) I like the composition and the light in this image and as I have thought of modelling a pumpkin, I have a wider variety of pumpkins to chose from

19) Love the close up of the woodpecker and its colour.

And now, for my final piece of environment concept art:

After looking at all these images, I have decided to draw something not completely different from my initial idea, as I have introduced a thatched roof house, a tree and the fence/wall going around the house, but I haven't given life to my objects anymore. I have decided that I am not at that level yet where I can draw everything that come to my mind, so I have kept it more simple, but I am really happy with it. 

After finishing and uploading it on here, I had another look at my drawing, and realised that I have omitted to add any cast shadows for the house, the trees and fence. And also, while the core shadow on the tree in foreground indicates the light source being on the right, the cast shadow on the paving slabs in front of the house indicate the light source being on the left!!! I have concentrated so much on the details, that I have completely overlooked the basics... I definitely need a lot more practice.