Orockthro's Sketchbook [[Updated: May 17th 2008]]

[Orockthro]

Hey everyone. This is where I'll be posting WIPs and completed works that I would appreciate critiques on.
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Me:
I've been not-so-seriously drawing since as long as I remember, but only recently have I really decided that I need and want to improve. I'm a college student (currently on summer break) studying Anthropology, but I've been able to squeeze in a couple of art classes here and there. Despite that, I really haven't had much formal training.
Lately I've been working in only traditional media - I really enjoy being able to see and feel what I'm doing. I have experience with Photoshop and Illustrator, but I most like painting with watercolors and acrylics and drawing with the old fashioned pencil. I used to use Copics, but have yet to get the money to buy the refills for them. sweatdrop
-I'm completely able to take harsh critique, so don't hold back if you see something that needs saying.

What I want critiques in most:
-Anatomy
-Composition
-Color
(And of course, anything and everything else xd )

What I know I need improvement on:
-Noses
-Keeping characters from being stiff
-Composition
-General anatomy

Thanks for looking everyone!
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[Orockthro]

Past Art:
(ordered from oldest to most recent) 3nodding

 

[Orockthro]

Current Projects:

What I want (and plan) to do right now is to create a full sized painting of the thumbnail above and on the left. I'll use that painting as a sketch, redo the composition, and put the final on canvas board. 3nodding

I've bought my canvas board now (I hate buying art supplies with a passion. It always comes out to being much more money than you think it will...) so I was able to do a little composition sketch.
Voila!
xd

-I feel like its fairly balanced... but I'm still a little iffy on the sun's location and its role. sweatdrop
-I ended up covering her breast. Not sure how I feel about that decision. I'd love some feed back on that aspect. 3nodding
-I plan on starting the painting today or tomorrow, depending on my work load, so any and all comments on it would be loved. heart Really: loved.

To come: (Maybe. xd )
-A sunrise study (?)
-A face study (?)
 

[Errol McGillivray]

The best way to make sure something looks the way you want it, is to have some real life reference on hand. Notice the value and color patterns in the actual water. You've got areas where the water blocks light from other parts and you've got areas of high reflection. (Water is so damn hard to recreate. Well, time consuming rather. Nothing is hard when you have reference material. It's just a matter of taking your time and studying it and taking the major aspects and using them.)

You have too much blue in your sky for a sunrise. (At least I get the impression that this is the ocean at sunrise. If I'm wrong, please correct me.




Notice that the orange is caught by the clouds. Your clouds are unaffected by the sunlight. If you're doing a daytime image, then that halo of yellow around the sun is what is giving the impression that this should be sunrise.

I would say add some ripples to the hair by way of light and dark shapes for the shadow and reflection of the sun on the water and make sure the sunlight hits the clouds.

You seem like competent artist. I'm sure you can piece it together from the reference. Sorry for posting images, but I thought it would be easier on you than clicking links.  

[Orockthro]

o____o
Thank you. I think I had entirely forgotten what a good and helpful critique was.

I think I'm going to repaint this entire picture from scratch on a larger surface (this one is probably only 6x3 inches [or around that...]) and getting the ocean aspect more correct is a big goal. I kinda got lazy the first time round.... *winces*
You bring up a super point, though. When looking at and actually studying water you can hardly ever actually see fish in it, so there goes that idea. xd I think I'll add in some craggy rocks at the bottom though.... maybe.

Unfortunately, both of the sunrise images you gave aren't working for me. However, I do know exactly what you're talking about. xd I think I need to go one way or the other for the sky, and a sunrise allows much more light and fun stuff to happen than just a day-time sky. 3nodding

Thank you! And no, don't be sorry for posting images. I love images. xd They're wonderfully helpful.

Since I plan on making a second painting, do any other insights come to mind?
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[Errol McGillivray]

I agree that you should work bigger and also pull back some. The image is very tight and the elements look forced in there rather than working together. Do a couple of sketches with shapes and placement of elements and crop out what you don't want. You might get the exact same comp, but some things will move a little to have room and you also have more control over the edges rather than fitting things in. The smoke will probably feel less cramped.

Personally, I don't really care for the sun touching her hair so close to her face when her face is so close to the edge because of the colors. They're very close in temperature and saturation and it really distracts from the sun if thats the focal point.

I'm working and a bit rushed, so I'm probably not explaining too well. In any case, do some test sketches before you set out to paint and see if you get something you like better as far as composition goes. Also, what is your focal point? Right now it's a fight between the sun and her nose.

Before talking color, I think it's a good idea to just doodle out the overall design with black, white and grey and see how it looks.  

[Orockthro]

3nodding
Great idea. I don't know what sizing the new painting will be (bit of an issue...) since I don't have either a tough paper or a canvas yet (I need to see what I can find for cheap). As soon as I figure out my dimensions, I'll do that. 3nodding

I'm not sure whether I'd like to have her face or the sun be the focal point - that was a very helpful observation you brought up. I need to do some more serious planing. I have a major problem of rushing into things, getting them half done, realizing I made some huge errors, and giving up. I've gotten better, but finding the happy medium between over-planing and never doing, and going headfirst off a cliff is still something I need to find.
xd

I'll post a sketch/thumbnail (or something) as soon as I work everything out.

Thank you!
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[blackmoondrops]

I kind of agree with Errol about the sun being too close to the head, but on the other hand, I see it as a possible redraw inspiration: Make it a setting sun to bring in a really pretty sky a long with the reflection of those colors in the water. However, that's just an idea.
One thing I did notice that seemed out of place to me is her upper lip. I'm not sure if it's the loss of color right where it meets the pipe, but it makes the pipe kinda look like it was pasted on the picture as an after-thought. My suggestion is you re-draw the lip so that it comes over the tip of the pipe, and that will make it seem like it's actually in her mouth.
But over all I really like the ideas going through the picture. A mixture of human and nature. I'm sure your final product will look nice biggrin  

[Orockthro]

Thank you. heart
You're right on the "redraw" aspect, that's for sure. xd I plan on making this into a full sized painting, and there are plenty of opportunities form improvement.
-For the sun, I plan on it being a rising sun, but there will still be some pretty pinks and yellows to play with. I still haven't figured out where I want the sun to be... it's been giving me some grief. Silly sun. Silly composition...
-The position of the pipe in her mouth is something that I know needs work (it looks like it's floating. xd )There is supposed to be a curve ... but it's not nearly obvious enough.
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Thank you so much for the crit. I really appreciate it.  

[Errol McGillivray]

That's a kick a** water study. It stays true to your style (how you lay the paint and your strokes), while exploring the different aspects of the water and how it interacts with light, itself, and the rocks.

Doing studies of things you want to paint/draw will make your drawings/paintings more successful and over time, you'll memorize the right things and not have to do as many in depth studies as you get familiar with things.

I think your water study came out really well.  

[Orockthro]

mrgreen
Aww..
Thanks Errol.  

[blackmoondrops]

First I hope u don't mind me doing this to ur picture >.>...
Second I hope I'm not being annoying in giving you all these ideas on your art >..<

I don't think you drew the pipe itself wrong, but it was more the angle that ur drew it that it didn't show it's curve. I'm guessing that the regular pipe curve is the kind of curve you meant (as in the drawing) or did you mean for it to look like someone took a curvy branch and made a pipe out of it?
I drew where I thought the sun should be. A little lower to bring the bottom of the piece some more detail (all the detail is on top). Also you could sort of level off the hair into a semi-straight line so it looks like the horizon. I was also thinking you could incorporate your study of the beach into the final picture (which I agree with Errol, is wonderful btw. I can't paint for my life.) to bring some more interesting things into the lower half of the picture.
Ok. I shut up now.  

[Orockthro]

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It's wonderful and interesting to see your ideas. Never worry about posting too much. mrgreen
I think I'm going to have to leave the pipe on the left hand side because I really feel like there should be something framing that portion of the painting. If I did the pipe on the right then the smoke would come up through the middle of the picture.... and I'm not sure that's the composition I'm going for. 3nodding I do need to make it look more like a pipe, but I think I'll just mess with the angle while still leaving it over on the left-hand side. 3nodding
I have a couple sketches in the "Blaa!" stage right now. I'll clean them up and post them later today and show you what I have in mind. I do plan on incorporating lots of lovely water detail aspects along with some nice craggy rocks. mrgreen
I'm also debating covering her chest. sweatdrop I don't want to on one hand - I like the fact that she's nude - but I think I need to at least cover the n****e area....maybe. We'll see.
Thank you so much for your ideas. It's really wonderful that you've taken the time to edit the picture and to to share it all with me. heart Seriously!  

[Orockthro]

Composition sketch posted.
3nodding
....
Though I don't know why my code is acting all odd. *squints at it*
 

[Anetra_Pendragon]

What I might suggest RE: n****e; you could move the pipe out of her mouth and to her hand, thus she could either hold it at about neck level and you could probably line up her arm to cover the n****e, or she could hold it lower down, and you could cover the n****e with her hand, the pipe, or the smoke.