I started with some two value thumbnails and decided that I preferred the simpler shapes of the beard in the first one and the volumes of the head created by the shapes in the second thumbnail. Then I did a small five-value study where I tried to combine what I liked from the thumbnails. I feel that my final drawing lost some of the simplicity of the earlier sketches. Seeing how I struggled to control five values, I don't think I dare to tackle level 2 :(

Möbius strip :)

I’m so glad I took this course – especially alongside the figure construction one – they really tie together well. @Michael Hampton's clear, step-by-step approach, with each stage building on the last, helped remove the mystique and took the fear out of tackling figures for me. Thank you!

Trying to follow along.

Following along with the critique. I even gave the last shading part a go but think it would have made more sense if I actually knew what I was doing ;) Will have to get around taking an anatomy class some day!

I drew a bottom, top, front, and side view of my cauldron mug — except I left the felt pads out (appalling, I know! But I don’t want the wood to get scratched…) Maybe nobody would’ve noticed. Anyway, it’s freehand so the circles are a bit wonky and I’m not too pleased with how the legs turned out in the bottom view. The 3/4 view is not really accurate but I didn’t use the photo as reference, that’s just to submit here.

My attempts at bending and twisting and turning the arrows :) It keeps surprising me how satisfying it is to these exercises by hand, rather than digitally. I think, somehow, drawing things with pencil on paper allows me to accept imperfection easier.

Ugh, this demo went somewhat over my head, I think I'd need the anatomy course to be able to follow, so I just did the usual stages again.