Where can the reference images be downloaded? It’s very hard to measure and compare from the image in the video.

Here's what I could do. I'm not sure if a "block in" is just to get the proportions right and placement of light and shadows, or if it's also important to get the right values. In the video Stephen pass multiple time over the same areas to get them darker. At this stage is it still a "block in" or is he staring to add details? Maybe I'm overthinking this! Anyway, can't wait to try the structural method! :)

Very useful lesson!

Better late than never! Here's my 10 minutes sketches.

This is super fun! Here's my first try at this exercise:

This is my attempt at a mermaid. I tried to lay in the shadows too, but I'm not sure how light reacts underwater. I really need to practice more!

My favorite room. Last year, my wife and I moved into our condo. The property came with a basement unit which I converted into a hobby room. It is the first time I have had a dedicated space for art. I did this as a graphite sketch last week on 14ʺX17ʺ. However, I was having difficulty getting that version to look presentable on the computer. The cause may have been a combination of poor lighting and poor camera quality on the part of my cellphone. Eventually, I decided that I would rather just trace over the whole thing with digital pencil on another layer and then discard the photograph. I added some values so that it wouldn't look as out of place next to Gaby's wonderful submissions. I am confident this sketch captures the essential feeling of the space, but comparing it to the actual room, there are indeed proportional errors. Additionally, there are objects and features I altogether forgot existed until I was through with the sketch. Or more commonly, I misremembered the exact shape of the objects I did draw.

Here is my assignment, including a sink that make no sense! My line quality is pretty bad. I should have done some line exercises before. I used a graphite pencil, then I retraced it with different fine liners. VP is the vanishing point.

My attempt at drawing Nikolai. Took my about 4 hours while watching and pausing the video.

My 2024 goal is to be able to draw portraits in different styles (realistic and stylized) with different medium (graphite, watercolour and soft pastel)

I was already super interested by this course, then you announce the Black Friday discount, and now a 2 hour live stream!!! It's during my working hours, but I don't think I will work very hard during those 2 hours! haha!

Charcoal on 18 x 24 newsprint

Charcoal on 18 x 24 newsprint

Why is the video not available here? I had to search on YouTube to watch it! I guess it's stupid YouTube rule... :(

I tried sketching with a blue pencil for the first time, instead of graphite. It's harder to erase but I like it a lot! Anyway, here are my drawings. I started with the gesture line, then I draw the shapes around that. Also, it was a super fun assignment. I didn't know drawing seals was so much fun! ;)

Lvl 1. Here’s an initial batch; will definitely do more. FWIW, I really like the way Stan presented this project a lot - good info, clear directions, and lots of examples. I’m not saying these are good drawings by any means, but I can definitely feel my confidence building in picking lines and shapes - Even as I worked thru these three. Curious how others decide when a gesture drawing like this is “done.” Obviously I could go on, but that’s probably not the point, right?

Chin is too low and I used measurement between the bottom of the nose and the chin to position the mouth. So the mouth and everything below is too low. At least, from the nose up it's not too bad. If I shift the drawing up to match the position of the chin, the bottom is also not too bad. So my biggest mistake is the position of the chin in the early stage of drawing the "enveloppe".

For the lazy, here are the links to the 2 YouTube video in Marco's channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fLV5ezO64w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwLQ0cDb4cE

I know my lines are not very clean. I put all my efforts on getting the proportions right. Are they?