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Author Topic: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching  (Read 63201 times)

Treefox

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #25 on: September 22, 2011, 12:11:12 PM »

As announced, I will try to upload and explain my way of blocking/sketching for a portrait. I asked Windschatten in advance if I can use her Coldfire for this. As I have also mentioned before, I draw the "classical" way to large extend. Meaning I also start with rough shapes and keep refining them. Aaaand my way of drawing is totally, absolutely messy, so sorry for that in advance.



1. I start with an oval and as you can see I am already searching for the right shape with lots of pencil strokes.  ::)
2. I draw lines on the face to help me get the eyes, nose and mouth in the right positions. One vertical line that parts the face into two sides roughly the same size. One horizontal line in the upper third of the face on which I will place the eyes.
3. Roughly at the point where the jaw line ends, I am adding the neck and these neck sinews, because I love 'em so much.  :D
4. I start adding the details: more defined face shape, I start placing eyes, nose and mouth. This is where I also start bringing his character to life. In this case, he is a lively, young and mischievous guy, so I am going for a broad, slightly slanted smile and make his eyes tilt upwards. I also add the one-eyebrow-down cliché mischievous look.  ;D



5. I keep refining and adding details, my drawing is getting increasingly messy.  :lol I gave him a quite long, a bit Cutter-esque nose, because I thought it was cute. To make the eyes more even, it can be good to add one line between the eyes for the upper end of the eyes and one for the lower. I hope it shows through on this mess. Now I add his cheek bones and some grinning lines.
6. I add ears and clothes. If you have trouble to get the ears to be the same length, you can try to draw a straight line between them to make the height easier adjustable.
7. I add hair (according to the doll from Reyes Lord).
8. Finally I add the iris and pupils and rework everything one more time, like adjusting his eyes a little bit to reflect his smile.



Just to make it complete:
9. I very thinly and very roughly ink the picture. I do this deliberately, because I want to color the picture and I want the black lines to be as subtle as possible.
10. I color the picture with mainly Copic markers, acrylic white and water colors.

Hm, I am just wondering if there is any neater way to post pictures in a message...
« Last Edit: September 28, 2011, 04:59:06 AM by Treefox »
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Wildfire

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #26 on: November 08, 2011, 06:02:02 AM »

For once I actually remembered to take some screenshots while drawing. Apart from the first step xD

I start out the way most others do, with an action line and some circles and squares. And then I just sketch on top of that:



On a different layer I cleaned up the lineart. This isn't something I usually do in a particular step, it's more of a fluid process that's interchangeable with the other "steps"



I never really use flat colours, because I loathe working from them. So I just add some colouring somewhere to get a sense of the overall colourscheme!



I realized that the skincolour was very yellow so I adjusted it (though I realize now that it's a bit too red. Ah well)



Added the bangs and more contrast. I also decided on a different shade of green



I resized the head 'cause it was HUGE  :lol And added more contrast to stuff.


From here on it's just small details like adding the gold baubles and stuff that needed tweaking. :D

Finished:
« Last Edit: November 08, 2011, 06:34:11 AM by Wildfire »
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joselle

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #27 on: November 15, 2011, 04:35:12 PM »

Agree with Afke. Especially if the surface is soft, like a bed, you're going to want to involve it in the drawing as soon as possible. This includes backgrounds, imho, the sooner you can get things placed, however roughly, helps you shape the composition entire. I think that's where some people are having difficulty with this year's calendar. You don't get a good composition if you draw 3 separate pictures and then just try to stick them together at the last minute.
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"Every year I dress less and less my age. Someday I'll be naked." ~ Dallas Good.

Treefox

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #28 on: November 21, 2011, 02:04:05 AM »

Quote
I think that's where some people are having difficulty with this year's calendar. You don't get a good composition if you draw 3 separate pictures and then just try to stick them together at the last minute.

For me sketching the whole thing first really helps with that problem. I did give most pictures a lot of thought concerning composition before drawing. There's one though, I have to admit, where I liked the idea of the sexy pose so much that I just hoped I'd be somehow able to group the other pictures around. Thanks to Windrider that worked out in the end...
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Tevokkia

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #29 on: December 06, 2011, 05:19:47 AM »

What I use really depends on the piece and whether or not I'm having trouble with the pose.

I generally subscribe to the Loomis method of blocking out the figures, albeit skipping the wire frame. If I'm having real trouble, I'll actually go back and do the wire frame step, though ... some poses just don't come as easily as others.  If there are environmental elements that the figures are interacting with, I'll generally block them in, too, so that I can get everything together in the sketch. I'm kinda' bad about not including backgrounds, so my characters spend a lot of time floating in white space.

It's funny, even though I color almost exclusively digitally anymore, I've had a lot of trouble making the transition to digital sketching. I just like the feel of the pencil in my hand, and I have the habit of turning my paper around while I sketch- it just doesn't work the same having to think about rotating the canvas in Photoshop. I did my forms and initial rough sketch for my EQ pieces digitally, but ended up tinting them yellow and printing them out to pencil and ink.  (Which is how I messed up poor Willowgreen's second go-round and ended up with three very square elements).

I've got a tutorial on my process I've been working on for my deviantart and Gaia online peeps, since a few have asked, but I haven't finished it yet.
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Eregyrn

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #30 on: December 06, 2011, 06:40:28 AM »

What's the Loomis method?  Do you have a link?
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Tevokkia

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #31 on: December 06, 2011, 08:56:10 AM »

What's the Loomis method?  Do you have a link?

http://alexhays.com/loomis/
Andrew Loomis' books are were (apparently they've been reprinted this year) all out of print, but the PDF versions are all available for download. They're absolute treasures- some of the best stuff in my instruction library.

I use a rather lazy version of the divided ball method for faces that starts on page 40 or thereabouts in Fun With a Pencil, and an equally lazy version of the framing method that starts on page 60 for figures. (I suppose that a lot of other books have taught the same method since then, but these are rather old and will remain my favorite).  Figure Drawing For All it's Worth is the real diamond among the treasure, though, as a general reference. Creative Illustration is a great book for those who want to bone up on composition.

Incidentally, I'd recommend Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery by Burne Hogarth for anyone who needs help with clothing ... I don't know if it's available online, as I bought a paper copy.
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Eregyrn

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #32 on: December 06, 2011, 09:06:40 AM »

Fantastic!  Thanks!  Am totally going to download and save all of those. :)

I had never heard his name before, but clearly he was one of the popularizers of this technique of starting with simpler shapes first and then building up the detail.
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Foxeye

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #33 on: December 06, 2011, 09:08:34 AM »

Back in print?! Oh yay! I've been intrigued by people's praise of the Loomis books for years, but I am lazy when it comes to reading/printing from PDF.  Amazon here I come.

Treefox

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #34 on: December 06, 2011, 11:20:34 AM »

Wooo! Thanks so much! Those are so amazing!
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Windrider

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #35 on: January 29, 2012, 08:08:18 PM »

Once again, I mostly forgot to take scans as I was blocking out this year's calendar pics.   ::)  But I did get a couple, so maybe it will be helpful to others.

Stage 1: Tiny, scribbly thumbnails - no scans because I always throw those away and I forgot to save them for this thread.  Most of the time, they are done in the margins of faculty meeting agendas and stuff like that.  When I say tiny, I am taking about 2 x 3 inches.  It is at this stage where I have the movement lines for the whole composition.

Stage 2: Full size rough sketch.  This starts out almost as rough as the tiny scribbly stage, but bigger.  Note that I already had started to refine his torso before remembering that I needed to do a scan at the rough stage.  This pinup is a bit atypical for me in that there wasn't any background to rough in; I usually consider the background to be much more than an afterthought.  I also didn't include any sweeping compositional movement lines here and I almost always do.



Stage 3:  Refining the sketch.



Stage 4:  Finished sketch.  Well... I don't have a scan of that.  I actually transfered the above sketch to the illustration board at that point and finished the refining process there.  Then I forgot to scan it before I started painting.   :P

Stage 5, etc:  Painting.  I didn't scan any of that, but that is also not what this thread is about.  However here is the finished pinup.  You can see that I changed his hands and arms a bit between stage 3 and 4.  I often don't have the details completely worked out by the time I start painting - I like to let it evolve on the board a bit so it doesn't get boring.



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branchscamper

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #36 on: January 29, 2012, 09:07:31 PM »

I find this topic so interesting and also amazing seeing the art go from the sketching to the finished project.  I don't normally figure block or anything really XD  I might have to scan my pieces in progress to see if I even have a method.  I just kinda draw and hope for the best  :-\

And I love your paintings Windrider.  You said watercolour right?  I have not been successful at all in using those.
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Treefox

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #37 on: January 30, 2012, 12:59:20 AM »

Looove your sketches, Windrider! So nice to see that your sketches are somewhat messy and intuitive. So lovely! Thank you for posting this. This thread is great and I love that it gets revived from time to time.
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Windrider

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #38 on: January 30, 2012, 12:14:50 PM »

Rough sketches NEED to be messy and intuitive.  If you start out with a tight drawing right from the start, there is no "wiggle room," no way to correct things and let them evolve.  Yes, I am a messy sketcher, but all the other artists I know in Real Life are just as messy.  Now, my tiny thumbnails are often incomprehensible to anyone but myself since sometimes they are just a series of swoops, lines, and ovals.  They would only make sense if you saw them with the final piece so you could tell what those swoops and ovals were shorthand for.

This link is to the Lackadaisy web comic site, drawn by Tracy Butler.  I have nothing but admiration for her as an artist - wow, she is like Wendy in her mastery of expression and body language.  But this link shows her blocking and sketching - just as scribbly and messy as mine!  (though not as smudged - yes, I do have an abnormal amount of smudging on sketches that I am not careful with).

http://lackadaisy.foxprints.com/exhibit.php?exhibitid=356
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Treefox

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #39 on: January 30, 2012, 12:23:52 PM »

Quote
Now, my tiny thumbnails are often incomprehensible to anyone but myself since sometimes they are just a series of swoops, lines, and ovals.

Oh yes, same here!

Quote
But this link shows her blocking and sketching - just as scribbly and messy as mine!  (though not as smudged - yes, I do have an abnormal amount of smudging on sketches that I am not careful with).

I also still smudge and wish I could reduce at least that.

Great link, thanks!
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Eregyrn

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #40 on: January 30, 2012, 12:25:41 PM »

The smudging was one of the reasons I started working in blue non-photo pencil for my sketching.  That and being able to ink right over it without erasing the pencil lines.
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Windrider

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #41 on: January 30, 2012, 12:34:34 PM »

I consider sketches like these to be disposable, so I am not careful.  They are meant to get the idea down so it can be transfered to the illustration board and painted.  If I am doing a drawing that will be in pencil in its final form, THEN I am careful and lay another piece of paper over it to protect already drawn parts.

I have a non-photo blue pencil that hardly sees the light of day, but that is because I have a phobia about inking.  LOL  My "inked" work is often just Photoshop darkened pencils (as it was for IABB).  I think I only have two pics in my gallery that are actual real ink.  But yes, non-photo blue is a wonderful sketching tool for those who inking their sketches.
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Eregyrn

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #42 on: January 30, 2012, 12:37:47 PM »

Carol, I would love to hear about the technical process you use to transfer sketches to illustration board! I own a lightbox, which I sometimes use for things like "I have now gotten to the point where I can't erase any more, I need a fresh piece of paper" and so on.  But it obviously won't work with illustration board!
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Treefox

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #43 on: January 30, 2012, 12:42:56 PM »

Me too, me too!
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Windrider

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #44 on: January 30, 2012, 01:09:34 PM »

Oh, it is a real high tech method.  Not.   ;D

I sketch on vellum, which is like a heavier tracing paper.  Erases easily and doesn't get torn up.  If the sketch gets too smudgy and dirty, another sheet of vellum can be laid over it and ya keep going.  The vellum is why the scans above look smudgier than they really are - it often scans grey and I didn't do any correcting in PS.

There are two ways I transfer the drawing to the board, both extremely low tech and old school.  If the drawing has a lot of detail to be transfered, I use a home made "carbon paper" method.  I've got some sheets of vellum that I've covered in graphite.  I have a chunk of soft graphite about the size and shape of a pink pearl eraser - a neat tool for shading large life drawing sketches, too - I just completely covered a few sheets of vellum with it.  Put that on the illo board, the sketch on top of that, trace your outlines and voila!  Drawing transfered.  The sketch MUST be taped to the illo board while doing this.  The home made carbon paper can be recharged and reused multiple times but is rather messy to store.

The pinups weren't very complicated, so I used an even simpler method for them.  Flip the sketch on vellum over, trace drawing with a 6b pencil on the backside.  Put sketch on illo board and use a burnisher to transfer the tracing to the board.  You can also draw re-trace your sketch on the correct side with a hard pencil (I use a 7H) to transfer that 6B pencil to the board.

See, I TOLD you guys I am an old school illustrator!   ;)
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DestinysGift

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #45 on: January 30, 2012, 06:31:57 PM »

To learn how to do all that would be the best experience of a lifetime. It interests me how you do all that. I just use printer paper and a pencil then trace with pen. I guess I'm simplistic.  ::)

One way you could help with smudging, http://www.smudgeguard.com/index.htm it may look like just a small item but I know some people who use it, I am trying to get one myself, they say it actually works pretty good.

I'll try to get my process posted soon, I don't really work out of my room and my scanner is down stairs. Hopefully I'll get my own desktop scanner soon.
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Eregyrn

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #46 on: January 30, 2012, 06:41:11 PM »

Windrider: well, darn!   :lol  Yeah, have used those methods in the past, yet always felt like, "there must be an easier way!"  I even had a roll of commercial graphite "carbon paper" that I inherited from my dad (who was an illustrator and commercial artist), but I like how your method is the same thing yet rechargeable and cheaper. :) 
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Foxeye

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #47 on: January 30, 2012, 08:39:36 PM »

Quote
One way you could help with smudging, http://www.smudgeguard.com/index.htm it may look like just a small item but I know some people who use it, I am trying to get one myself, they say it actually works pretty good.

I have one of those :) I <3 it, when I remember to put it on.

Treefox

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #48 on: January 31, 2012, 12:25:30 AM »

I would like to try out your way, Windrider. I haven't yet found the equal to "vellum" in Germany. I really have to visit my favorite art store and just ask there, I guess.
Also that smudge guard looks interesting! Maybe they sell it here, too.
Thank you for all the useful information!
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Pyreite

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Re: [Tools of the Trade] - Figure blocking / sketching
« Reply #49 on: November 29, 2012, 11:30:40 PM »

I've read various methods in art books on how to block out and sketch a pose or a full-body image of a humanoid character.  Some involved used interlocked or overlapped oval shapes of different sizes, others drawing the basic shape of the skeleton first and fleshing it out with shapes, some used the block method like a stick-figure base and then fleshing it out by making lines or shapes like a doll's arm, and leg, on those statue things, the wooden ones that artists can pose with the ball-joints.  One other method was to use a basic stick figure to start off with and then to flesh that out with lines and curves. 

Basically I found the whole concept too confusing to actually be useful, and all of the various methods in use in the artbooks too complicated to follow.  Some would start you off with the stick figure but not explain the sizing of the ovals, or lines, or blobs or whatever to actually visualize the overall image. 

Useless in my opinion.

The only real use I got out of the lot of them was one book that went through the entire process from stick-figures, to using lines, and ball-joints like a doll's body or a mannequin to figure out the thickness of the arms, legs, and the proportions.  The six or seven heads in height thing never worked for me.  It's too damned complicated to understand I found, especially if you can't draw uniform circles, and haven't a clue about true realistic male and female body proportions. 

Again, utterly useless.

The book I found was a guide on drawing fantasy characters in a more realistic style that appealed to me, which was fantastic.  It also took you from the fleshed out stick-figure form to showing how to actually 'adapt' that basic figure to the sizing of a male or female, something that standard artbooks, or even basic manga guides and such for drawing don't do.  I found that way more useful than any of the guides that I saw.  I mean if I couldn't understand how to flesh out a stick-figure, how the heck was I supposed to understand how to adapt that shape to form the basis of the overall drawing?

Now basically I start off with a stick figure, block it out using the mannequin technique, head, body, torso, legs, and all that.  I don't bother with the six or seven heads in height thing since I have a good enough eye to figure out if proportions are wrong.  I do use guide lines alot for the face, the positioning of eyes, noses, and ears though, and I use them again to figure out where the joints are for the knees, hips, and elbows. 

I've actually learned more about drawing and detail from doing non-human subjects like birds mostly, and drawing feathers, fur, or just plain abstract concepts of such things.  People-art is something that I've done occassionally but have been incredibly bad at.  I find people more challenging since by the look of them I can tell immediately if I've drawn something wrong.  I had be more free with non-humanoid subjects, and that's mostly non-elven too.  I've worked better drawing birds, beasties, and cats than people or elves. 

More creative freedom, and I can experiment more with the artwork.  I find people too limiting since they always have to have a nose, two eyes, two arms, two legs and so on to be familiar enough to be human-like, unless if course I was to draw a zombie.  Than again I'd need to be more familiar with the human skeletal system for accuracy of bones, and all that stuff too.

I prefer a more realistic style than most artists, though I try to blend it out with contemporary since I'm not going for hyper-realism. 

I also like to use plenty of photo-refs on various subjects to give myself references.  For example if I need to draw feathers, I'll reference images of birds with spread wings and so on to give myself a better understanding of how feathers should look, be positioned on the wing, and should fold over and under.  I'm not a fan of too abstract concepts or expressions of things like wings and feathers when birds are a real-world example I can follow for greater accuracy and understanding of the subject-matter.

I'm the artist that takes the long way round when it comes to arting something.  I've found art-books only partially helpful, and learned the rest by teaching myself purely through observation.  I'm still learning and will not be a grand painter, or Picasso, but I'm not striving for perfection, merely to learn so that arting for myself is a state of constant improvement.  What I draw today I can do better tomorrow. 

That's how I look at arting and for me it works. 

Challenge is fun.

~ Pyre
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