Unit 3: Limbs cont'd feet and Unit 4: Portraiture

 

Okay guys, heads up here's a brief summary of both why posts haven't been coming lately, and why that's changing now in a big way.

I recently quit my job with Walgreens and I realize just how much of my energy the place was sapping. I hadn't been drawing or taking care of myself because I hated what I was doing and hated my situation so much. I'm back to trying to keep things in order and I feel so much better. Now it's time to start doing what I do best again. On that note...

Hands and feet man. Two of the hardest things to draw in existence. I know more than my fair share of artists who are scared of attempting to put too much focus on either of these areas because they're so easy to make look weird. In all honestly I could spend a month just learning to draw these well and I've put nowhere near the focus on them they need. I will likely return to these at some point.
 

Part of the reason I admittedly rushed this important but easy to overlook segment of the body is because I also have another area that is both extremely important, NOT easy to overlook and is an area I've struggled with in the past. The head and face. 

If there's one thing to be on guard against with drawing the face in my opinion, it's drawing what you think is there instead of what is. Everyone spends a lot of their lives looking at faces and while we instinctively know when something is wrong, it doesn't mean we instinctively know how to make it look right. Also I've noticed I have to be on guard for my lean (something that sometimes happens when objects seem to distort and "lean" in a direction. For me, usually up and to the right since I'm right handed. 

These are planar drawings of the head to get a general idea ow how the big shapes are connected. Next up are the features of the head and portraits. I expect I'll do more than a few portraits. Here's one as a baseline before I leave. Let's see if I improve and how quickly. 

Unit 3: Limbs Cont'd-Hands

Okay, it's been a long time since I've posted anything here. Too long and frankly I'm a little irritated right now as one of my other sites I post things is giving me fits again so I'm going to start by posting what I need here and seeing if it works.

 

I promise if I get this to do what I want, I'll give a bit of an update on what's been going on. 

Unit Three: Limbs

Well here's the thing, I love Bridgman's life drawing for MOST of the body. That being said, he's a real let down when learning to draw legs. I'm having to rely on my other books pretty heavily and of course, the references I've got. Also I'm going to have to spend some time drawing my own legs. 

I seriously thought I'd have more to say here. I wish I did but I don't. The limb unit is finished and I think I'm ready to move on to the hands and feet. Something I've wanted to tackle (because they're important but very hard) and now it's time. 

Unit Three: Limbs cont'd

Continuing on with some gestures and then getting back to arms and legs.

Gesture drawings are an important part of your balanced art breakfast. They also taste like fish oil vitamins. Trust me if you've never taken fish oil, that's not a compliment. 

It's an "Arms Race" oh lord do I need to stop making puns. I should go to confession "forgive me father for I have punned." Nah, wouldn't work, not Pun Catholic. Anyway, just some reference drawings from one of my books. 

References but from imagination. Did a couple of large people arms and some regular ones. Fun times, fun times. 

Coming soon, legs, in original recipe and extra crispy... okay I'm done I'll go sit in the corner and think about my life choices. 

I wish I had more to say today but I don't. Conceptart.org is being frustrating but otherwise things are about the same as always. Lousy but livable. Gotta keep working toward the goal.

Unit Three: The limbs

I'm going to be combining a few things I'd planned on. The two separate units that were going to be arms and legs are getting combined into one. Still, we're starting with arms so let's get to it.

Not much to say this time. Just a general sketch blast.

Started with some structural studies from my drawings books trying to get a feel for the general construction of the arm and its planes. Boy is this thing complex. 

Closing this out with some studies and digital painting studies to end this one. The difference in the skin on this one was cool. The bottom one is of a woman and due to the lighting on her the skin had a bit of a cold tint to it. The arm at the top right had a warmer feel to it and it was awesome to have an exercise force me to look at that.