Hey Guys,
Back again eh?

For this week I decided to mostly focus on laying poses (something I still find difficult) purely for the challenge. I figured this would also start to lay the foundations for landmarks one of them being the dimples on the posterior and the back shoulder muscles. I didn't use a bean but instead tried to work out the gesture using basic planes and landmarks. I didn't do too bad but the proportions are what take the most time to figure out. Then there's the limbs which I am trying more and more to simplify down so I can knock them out quicker. For IMG 1 I found myself spending much more time on the main body and sadly not enough on the legs.

(IMG 1 - 5 Min - 07/04/2020) Female Sketch from Gesture/Blocking "More practice, try to get the legs too!"

(IMG 2 - 10 Min - 07/04/2020) Female Sketch from Gesture/Blocking "Very good for 10 minutes love the squash in the right butt cheek"

IMG 2 was where things got very interesting, I told myself I was going to double the 5 minutes to see if I could find a sweet spot in a slightly longer duration. 5 Minutes is usually a mixed bag for me, sometimes I get good results in the time but mostly things don't entirely work out. I find myself ignoring details or simplifying in areas where there should be great detail. If there was one critique with IMG 2 for me it would be the fact that I didn't get the right foot finished. It was the next thing I was going to fix after the posterior but i spent more time on that then I had previously planned. Its a shame really because the foot that wraps around I didn't feel was too badly done.

See you guys later!

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx

Hey Guys,

Its been a busy week but I did managed to sit down and get a bit of sketching done, only 5 minutes but i was initially happy when it was just completely off the cuff, showing that I have improved even if I'm not where I want to be. This sketch (IMG 1) started out as a bean I tried to give a bit of twist in the upper body even though I think the centre line should  wrap a little earlier on the sketch but it wasn't bad for a quick doodle. I don't even think it was 5 minutes I just knew I wanted to get sketching again and did it outside of lunch very quickly. I'd say at this point I feel a little more comfortable sketching from imagination but then my sketches all feel safe like I'm not pushing myself.

(IMG 1 - 5 Min - 06/04/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Not bad try to fit the legs on next time" 

The move into the new Proko chapters have felt difficult as he seemed to spend a great deal of time laying landmarks over one long sketch which to him is still relatively quick. I know for me to follow suit it would be a good few more hours without the usual hassle I go through so I've been delaying it. Like I've been saying for many posts now I'm just treading water going over the same ground where I need to start digesting some more of the things he teaches. No use reading half a manual and then trying to wing the rest yourself. I feel I have learnt all I can from these lessons so, after this week I'm going to be trying to do move on so to speak.

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx

Hey Guys,
A special one today!

Got a rather special one today but only because I actually used this for a job at work. Basically someone had drawn up a character which needed to be adapted into a different garment type. The original image was (how shall I put this) badly drawn with terrible anatomy. I drew over elements of the body that worked and fixed the broken areas of anatomy (IMG 1). I cannot show the finished piece because our clients at work require secrecy but I used this as a building block to make the pose work with the new garment type. It felt really good to figure the anatomy out for a pose that just wasn't working. The client ended up approving it and yeah I hope I see it somewhere soon.

(IMG 1 - Unknown - 14/03/2020) Female Frame from Boxes "A bit scratchy but nice form overall" 

At work I get the odd brief where I actually get to sketch or draw something with colour and I usually use my IPad to do most of the basic drawing work. I've drawn stuff for cereal boxes, concepts for displays, outlines for children's colouring books among other things and its always a fun time. Any opportunity really that allows me to draw I usually leap at I just wish it happened more often. As it stands I try to draw every day but that's usually limited to my lunch hour and any time I have spare in the evening. I just think any excuse to draw is bound to improve my skill at drawing so any excuse no matter how small means I'm just getting better no matter what the brief requires.

Till tomorrow!

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx

Hey Guys!
A few more sketches for ya!

For the 13th I decided to dive straight into a couple of 5 minute poses as I had a shorter lunch. I also thought it was a perfect chance to practice and see how my 5 minute drawings were coming along. I am pleased to say I found drawing them more of a delight but a bit tricky in certain ways. I didn't map out of the features which I've found vital in no small part thanks to the landmarks videos of the Proko series. You should try to map out the elements to draw accurate anatomy without committing too early. IMG 1 is a classic case of leaping before looking and I didn't plan where things could go, I just drew the main volumes hoping that I was right... and ultimately I was wrong.

(IMG 1 - 5 Min - 13/03/2020) Female Loose Gesture "The arm out the back doesn't look right neither do the legs"

(IMG 2 - 5 Min - 13/03/2020) Female Loose Gesture "Not bad, make sure the back leg isn't too similar to the front"

IMG 2 was a bit more free form, earlier on I made sure that the twist worked but mostly my eye managed to connect the dots without landmarks so this is definitely something I need to continue to work on. I also made the beg leg look a little too similar to the leg overlapping it especially in the posterior. The bit I am most proud of is the shoulder that protrudes from behind the centre line that runs up her back... it really illustrates her frame eclipsing the back shoulder. I think ultimately with most of my quicker sketches there will be issues but for me its whether or not the pose communicates its intention. If the feeling is illustrated and/or exaggerated enough... its a success.

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx  

Hey Guys!

I'm happier with the results from the 12th as it gave me a chance to get back to foreshortening... something I really need practice at. Starting with my quick gestures (IMG 1) things started a bit basic but as we got past E through to J the base forms are pretty accurate. If I had one issue its with the legs which look like they float in some of the sketches. The beans are probably my favourite as they really communicate the difference in size in terms of the pelvis vs. the torso. The twist is something that's still pretty difficult but using the bean method to inform the difference in sizes in the forms I feel is very valuable for these types of poses. Maybe that's the best time to use them.

(IMG 1 - 45 Sec - 12/03/2020) Sitting/laying female pose series x 10 Revisited - “Keep practising the legs... body volumes are good" 

(IMG 2 - 45 Sec - 12/03/2020) Various Beans from Female Pose Series Tests 65 - "I Love F through to J - Excellent!" 

(IMG 3 - 5 Min - 12/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Not bad, keep practising the feet!"

(IMG 4 - 5 Min - 12/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean/Wrapping Box "The breast is a bit high but good twist!!"

IMG 3 gave me more time to study the difference in volumes and try to communicate that within a reasonable limit. The details are much more basic from the back so you generally have more time to explore size and shape. The issue as always comes down to the legs and making it look as though they are not floating. IMG 4 is a better understanding of the main forms even though there are still a few little issues here and there. The limbs still have something to be desired especially the feet. I kept stumbling trying to get the shape right making sure some elements were overlapping others. For this I used a combination of boxes and tried to draw a basic blanket over the form before adding detail.

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx 

Hey Guys!
Another round baby!

Going through my exercises this week was a bit lack-luster as I found myself once again falling back into bad habits. This is probably because I'm trying to draw a different type of pose (sitting poses - IMG 1). I feel things started pretty well (A/B) but then as we went around the body I just lost the thread until the model turned a bit blobby/undefined. I recently went back to the Proko Facebook group and there are some really good gestures out there, I wish mine were that consistent. My beans (IMG 2) I felt were a bit messy too, and didn't really illustrate the poses as well as some of my past efforts. I just tire of going over the same things and stumbling only have to go back again.

(IMG 1 - 45 Sec - 11/03/2020) Twisting & Sitting female pose series revisited x10 - "Try to examine the form a bit closer” 

(IMG 2 - 45 Sec - 11/03/2020) Various Beans from Female Pose Series Tests 65 - "A bit messy, J is the best one"

(IMG 3 - Unknown - 11/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Messy and the form is wrong, keep working on this"   

(IMG 4 - Unknown - 11/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Much better - next time try to add the arms too"   

I had a classic case of timing issues when I got to IMG 3 where I have enough time to think but not enough time to refine. I got lost in the details as opposed to getting a decent pose out of the mess. Lots of shaky lines even though the torso wasn't terrible. IMG 4 is actually the best sketch for this entry even though I couldn't get her arms to look right with the time remaining. I actually founds the legs much better this time round and found a decent amount of spacing between her two central forms. At this point I just cant wait to get back onto the procreate canvas because I am going a bit stir crazy looking over all these damn mistakes... Its good to look back though.

See you guys!

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx

Hey Guys!

Only another 4 posts to go after this one and then I can get back to focusing on sketching. My evening at the moment is spent editing so I am trying to find a sweet spot that allows me to do both. Content for the 10th (IMG 1) was a little light but I think I did what I usually do and got lost in a single pose. The problem is this breeds lots of my own personal problems when it comes to sketching. Most notably my need to make everything really thick and dark (something I still battle on a daily basis). In hind sight the head should also be tilted up a little so it doesn't just look like her neck is stiff and she is leaning over a ledge. That's the vibe I get from this sketch but its the key negatives.

(IMG 1 - Unknown - 10/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Not your best, but the feet/legs actually look serviceable"  

This takes me to the positive's of the drawing which is mostly down to getting back into drawing for longer periods again (I know its not great) this marks the first pose in a while where I sat and just idly drew for a few hours. I don't like the result but it just goes to show I need to spend more time focusing in this area. I also really like the legs which is something i usually flunk at every instance but I don't know I think they look right or at least more right then my prior efforts. The best situation when it comes to sketching is where I have a long wedge where I can sit and focus before doing the sketching but that's not always how it works and everyone gets busy. Hey, ho.

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx

Hey Guys!
Sketches from the 6th are here!

A good balance of sketches but again still treading over similar ground trying to knock out the wrinkles... thats the best way to describe this post. That being said I focused on poses involving a woman laying down... in other words big foreshortening especially for the posterior. My beans (IMG 1) I feel describe this quite nice though not as exaggerated as they probably should be. I keep trying to draw things next to each other instead of over the top an obvious mistake because the pose almost seems to flatten the more the body overlaps itself. My longer then 45 second poses still have a few things to be desired (IMG 2) but I feel thats going to be something i have to work on.

(IMG 1 - 45 Sec - 06/03/2020) Various Beans from Female Pose Series Tests 64 - "Keep mixing it up, different poses/angles" 

(IMG 2 - 5 Min - 06/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Get back on those legs - they are not right" 

(IMG 3 - 5 Min - 06/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Better but her legs are levitating a little." 

For me IMG 3 shows the most success with the shorter time but even then there is a small part of me that feels her waist should be just a little longer before reaching the posterior. For me one of the more pronounced things for a female pose is the narrow shoulders almost as iconic as the flared hips, this makes sense because they show the disparity between the shoulders and the hips which for women is usually noticeable. There is a small part of me that is scared when I actually do get to sit back down with more of these sketches I will once again stumble on the same problems but overthinking is my biggest issue. Another part cant wait to get back to it :)

Stay safe guys!

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx

Hey Guys!

One of the advantages of working at home is I have time to do these posts during day light when my brain is actually working... this is great! I was a little hesitant with my beans (IMG 1) but I think that's just because my mind has been elsewhere. I usually try to draw beans in as fewer lines as possible to keep up the flow of the shapes. Its not always easy to see where things go either and usually when I use beans for poses I end up making the abdomen too short. My gestures however (IMG 2) are still quite nice I actually think they are improving because I'm able to see exactly what poses they are and that tells me something is working.

(IMG 1 - 45 Sec - 05/03/2020) Various Beans from Female Pose Series Tests 63 - "A little hesitant keep up the momentum" 

(IMG 2 - 45 Sec - 05/03/2020) Stretching & Sitting female pose series revisited x10 - "Practice more sitting poses” 

(IMG 3 - 5 Min - 05/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Try to achieve more dynamism and detail in 5 minutes"  

Yesterday I identified a sweet spot within my art (or a shit spot in this case) where my art tragically falls down lacking dynamism (because I know I can take my time more) and further detail (because part of me still doesn't think there is enough time). IMG 3 is one like many of my sketches which had I been given a hour or two could have been a better sketch but still not a finished piece of artwork. Once I have caught up with my posts on this blog I will move further into the course. I know I've been saying that for a while but I like to stop if it feels like something is falling behind or if I feel something needs further clarification for me to continue in my journey. Cubes are the natural step.

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx

Hey Guys,
Back for more!

Still dealing with the backlog so I will get back on sketching once I have caught back up on the blog... I don't like having to chase the blog posts especially weeks behind. Anyway I still have my slippery slope moments but they are mostly tied to the changing of the pose. I can draw women standing pretty easily now and I know how to correct it... then I go to women sitting/laying/leaning and things get a bit trickier. I see glimmers of hope in my quicker sketches (aka my exercises - IMG 1-2) but my 5 minute ones lack the dynamism where my longer Unknown length ones are a bit of a mixed bag but if i spend long enough I can make them work... Something to look at...

(IMG 1 - 45 Sec - 03/03/2020) Twisting & Sitting female pose series revisited x10 - "Be careful with your proportions” 

(IMG 2 - 45 Sec - 03/03/2020) Various Beans from Female Pose Series Tests 62 - "Your twist is getting better - FGH" 

(IMG 3 - 5 Min - 03/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Try to get the dynamism of your quicker poses" 

(IMG 4 - 5 Min - 03/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Better but try to achieve more exaggeration" 

(IMG 5 - Unknown - 03/03/2020) Female Sketch from Bean "Stylistic, keep forcing and exaggerate the twist - keep it up!"  

I have come to find that 5-15 minute sketches (IMG 3-4) are where my main weakness lies at the moment. I seem to get a bit complacent with the time and wind up either with a sub par sketch with little detail or a pose that is just flat wrong. When I'm drawing fast i don't have time to think about anything I just try to get down as much as I possibly can. When I do longer (Unknown) length sketches I don't worry about time because the goal is to achieve something without limits. In between those two extremes is a sweet spot which works some of the time but fails mostly. This is probably a sign telling me to do just 5 minute sketches for a time until I get comfortable... Food for thought!

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx