@Stan Prokopenko, I saw this lesson on the free livestream yesterday and want to thank you! Amazing. Loved it very much and found a lot of inspiration. Good success with the course.

Second attempt at lv 1 after the demo. Looking for some help/critique…..I had some success around the eyes, nose and shadow side (viewers left) of face where the values make clear planes. But the right/light side of face and the beard just look flat, like I’m rendering some weird alien tiger fur pattern…! Probably due to badly designed shapes that are trying to match the value patterns I think I see, but which don’t properly consider the structure/anatomy underneath? Maybe they are too boxy and complicated (all those zig-zag edges)? Would some curves have helped? My sense is that level 1 to level 2 should be part of the same workflow - start big, progressively add in detail…as Stan has done in the demos. But, like my project submission, I cannot see how I can take this to level 2 with more values and subtler transitions. It feels like the shapes and values are fully committed and it would take a lot of erasing and re-working of shape edges to evolve to a final rendering? Perhaps my value choices are too contrasty and I should have picked the light shadow and halftones to have been much closer? Maybe I need to darken the halftones to solve? Lot of questions there but appreciate any tips from the community. 👌

ummm, I did it again. Is it better? Yes, is this what I am satisfied with? No, do I still wanna kill myself? Yes, and am I gonna try again? Yes but not recently I feel burnt out already. here’s my own critique: 1) I learned about changing shape design in between object/subject which I was unaware of, first time. 2) I was patient, calm and didn’t had any thoughts to kill myself (atleast while doing this) what I think should improve:- I was overly dependent on video than first time, i need to learn edges and shifting the gradient in planes. I believe I need to learn adapting shape design in tonal studies which I have never done before, same with line quality, perspective and forms. I can always do the contour for shapes but never in between shapes which are complex to me right now. how I am gonna do this:- by not touching my sketchbook for a week, I tried my best but this was overwhelming and a bit frustrating. I will focus on painting so I don’t forget tonal values but I want a bit rest just a bit.

Trying to apply the lessons I'm learning from watching Stan and Cesar Santos.

Ive started a new attempt on this. I also want to show my next step in my learning to be a good draftsman. A little bookshelf in the livingroom where I can have my art books easy accessable when i draw. Started to collect art books this year. I just show the half that is mine 😄

Some changes I made to my submission after watching this. Also a PSA: I feel this needs to be said. WD40 isn't a lubricant. Yes, it is an oil. Yes, things do stop squeaking. BUT! WD stands for Water Displacement and is a penetrating oil. It's meant to force water out of places it shouldn't be, like the nuts rusted to the bolt on your bike that won't turn. Spray it on and wait a while and it will turn! You use it to free up seized up pieces that should move like a rusted hinge. It also strips heavier oils away, cleaning out oils that probably should be there, making it worse long term. What you want is 3-in-1 oil or some light lubricating oil. For things like ball-bearings in the wheels you'd use a light grease. WD40 would strip the grease already in the casing and you'd end up constantly spraying WD40 in to clear out and then when that evaporated they'd seize up again. Okay. I'm sorry, I just had to say something.

Thank you for this experience. Didn’t think I would have the patience to finish it. Or would be able to at all. Think I made a little step. 🐥 The photo accentuates the blacks too much though. The second I took from a distance and looks more like the blacks it has.

ummm.. yeah i am going to do it one more time and with better paper, i have to rush out fast because paper stopped holding darker graphite and started shining, this is canson mixed media, medium grain... i will try rag paper or something else. One more thing about this how to have thought process of not killing yourself while doing this, i am not joking this requires patience with calmness, i was frustated as hell.

It was a great lesson that combined everything. The starting tube was simple and amazing. It taught me that I need to simplify further, way further. My favourite part was how it looked a bit like Marshall at the end!

yo am i alone or someone else wanted to die while doing this, been working with demo since two days about to go 3rd freakinn day😾

Thank you Stan for this demo. Seeing it from a blank sheet to every “mistake” along the way and how you fixed them - that is how I learn. It isn’t “magic” like so many artists on Instagram who edit their videos make it appear. Every time you demo I think -this is why I’m here at Proko for this type of content and lessons. It’s real, and reaffirms that “mistakes” and experimentation are all part of the drawing process and how we learn. And thank you for using a real pencil and paper.

Thanks for this demo Stan - definitely seeing some different choices and thought processes that I should take on board - particularly re straights and curves when designing shapes. And designing big shapes then small ones. I've missed a lot and I can see a lot I need to catch up on! Its useful to see you take time with the block in, whereas I tend to rush mine and fix later but it makes design a mess.

Nice demo. I will do more attempts. I just have one page left on my sketchbook. And got 2 new skechbooks. Fancy sketchbooks this time! And decored with cool artsy stickers I bought from red bubble.

I absolutely love these long demos. They have changed my understanding of the drawing process. I look forward to quieter times to try following this process myself.

Very nice lesson. Thank you Stan! Looking forward to more advanced drawing.