Zach Pipher
added comment inCritique - Blob to Box
6d
Hey , I had a discussion point that has been in my mind extremely recently about the role fundamentals has in our art journey and some of my misconceptions that I had when starting the course and I thought the most recent video would be a better place for people to not miss it.
When I first started I think I had the misconception that art fundamentals were some how separate tool and knowledge from using reference when creating art. It goes back to the whole problem that has existed forever where people say using reference is "cheating" and that some how its supposed to be the end game for all artists to eventually never use reference ever again. And since you don't normally or if ever see the thousands of references artists use to create comics, manga, paintings, gallery pieces you may get into the mind set that they're just so advanced that they don't use references when they probably had lots just sitting out their studio they look at for a few seconds to make sure what they're doing still looks correct.
I also heard another new artist recently complaining that they were learning fundamentals but it didn't feel like they were any closer to drawing from imagination then when they started.
So this brings me to my biggest misconception I have had when I started the course. I thought using reference removed the need for fundamentals, where as fundamentals removed the need for references, when actually fundamentals allows for an artist to use references better then an artist that doesn't have those same fundamentals.
Conceptually it feels like a misconception that I had dealt with and I would love for someone who is seasoned or a professional to weigh in on their thoughts about it. Sort of, the small parts that make up the whole. Learning Line, Shape, perspective, on paper seems like it wouldn't be necessary when creating character art using a reference of a person in front of you that clearly as a picture is showing perspective and the shapes and possibly lines that could be extracted from it.
Does the fundamentals just give you a more solid conceptual grasp of what you're looking for when using a reference to draw something entirely different, like just using a model to not draw them as they are, but to use them as a starting point to make character art?
I know @Stan Prokopenko is very busy, but I would love to hear from anyone who is really seasoned and has gone through perhaps the same misunderstands as I have had and have till recently after a year and a half been slowly peeled back to understand the actual role fundamentals and reference has for an artist.
Scott Diesing
5d
HI Zach. I'm not seasoned. So if you want me to delete this reply, I'll be glad to, no hard feelings.
But the topic intrigued me because it fit me to a tee when I started this course many moons ago. I had read "Drawing on the Right Side of your Brain" a long time ago and I assumed that all I had to do, to make art from a reference, is to turn off the left side of my brain (the side that wants to draw an eye like the CBS symbol) and turn on the right side and draw what I see.
I believe there is some value in that. But there is so many art concepts (a web or matrix as Stan puts it) that we draw upon and none of us puts down exactly what we see. We all make changes to it to make it more interesting, to make it tell a story, to give it more impact, to render it in our unique style. We add, we subtract, we modify. And all of the things we have been learning in this course give us the knowledge to do that and do it well.
One of the simplest concepts I've learned is putting down a confident line (well I learned the concept anyway). This is just one of dozens of fundamentals that we've covered. But I notice that my painting has improved because I am consciously using my whole arm and putting down strokes with confidence (pretending to be good)
These fundamentals have also opened my eyes to my own art and the art of others to see things I would have missed otherwise.
Thanks for the great topic and discussion.
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27d
Asked for help
This is my second round of level 2. First was pure reference. This one attempts to take reference and imagine a new pose derived from the original.
As always, I'm amazed (and a bit intimidated) by the talent in this group.
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28d
Asked for help
Because I'm basically twelve, as I look at everyone's assignments, I can't help but think of this.
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29d
Asked for help
Doing a Level 1 and Level 2 with a focus on line weight as well. On level 2, after few boxes it becomes difficult to keep track of where the horizon line is (even intuition wise), especially if the boxes are in tilted positions. Now, when I am looking at Cambiaso's boxes in 'Fighting Figures' with light and dark washes along with line weight, I truly understand how masterful that is!
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29d
These are excellent. You have a talent for getting the convergence right. Lots of convergence on the highly foreshortened portions (like the head on the ballerina). And subtle convergence on the other edges.
Also GREAT line quality. You are definitely my hero.
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1mo
Asked for help
Level 1. I tried to use the same blob multiple times and reinterpret it from a different angle each time.
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1mo
Can anyone help me out?
I though I was beginning to understand.
I do understand the major axis to be perpendicular to the minor axis.
Thing is when looking at the drawing video I lost track of how the minor axis
was derived.
Help using this drawing screen capture would be great thanks.
1mo
The minor axis is the axle. So if the wheel were able to spin freely on an axle and still remain in the same plane, what would that line (the axle) look like? In the case of the spare tire it is the X-axis of the vehicle. It passes through the center of the wheel.
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1mo
Lots of useful stuff in this demo. One of the best was at 18:45 "the widest point is not necessarily the edge of the ellipse. You may see a small curve beyond the longest point."
The major axis is getting more natural which is making my ellipses look more consistent within the same drawing. I used two point perspective which makes it a bit easier.
It is very encouraging to be part of this hard working group. Keep it up!
1mo
I tried to duplicate the demo. Emphasis on the word _tried_. I'm not proud of the result. I am slightly proud of the fact that I kept going after wanting to quit multiple times. Biggest frustration was that internal consistency checks kept coming up NEGATIVE. On the plus side, I do get the minor/major axis business. Which I ignored in my project submissions.
2mo
Asked for help
Lots of great submissions everyone! Very inspiring.
This is my Level one. Plan to work on more tomorrow.
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2mo
Asked for help
This is my view from below and I will add the the side later today. I was working on this one for ages. Hopefully the next ones will be quicker now I am beginning to grasp thinking in perspective.
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2mo
Asked for help
I got carried away with shading (which I am obviously not yet good at), but it is a persistent problem to force myself practice specific things while I just love to draw. Just keep trying I guess!
2mo
Once again my brain hurts. I tend to feel irritated when trying to get accurate proportions. But only perspective (so far) hurts my brain. In trying to duplicate the lesson the biggest challenge I found was drawing a "square" in perspective because as far as I know you just have to guess (or feel it or whatever).
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2mo
Thanks Stan for the excellent course. I am making progress. I appreciate the way this course is laid out and the patience required by teacher and student alike to build up concepts and techniques slowly. You are also a fun instructor. Keep up the good work!
3mo
Asked for help
I'm a level one student. But I've learned so much in this course already that maybe I'm 1.5 :)
3mo
Asked for help
Here's my first batch of the assignment, I didn't time these drawings. Some poses were harder than others and I had to redo them, especially the ones with foreshortening.
I kept feeling like I was making mannequin studies with some of these as we were supposed to be more accurate with these drawings than gesture drawings (at least that's what I think we're supposed to do).
All critiques are welcome!
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3mo
Asked for help
This is really hard!
Here is my try
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