This demo helped a lot! I completely forgot about the proportions projects from earlier, and this was a good opportunity to practice them again. It was very helpful to see that Stan removes so much detail in the shadow zones, and flattens them into almost a single value. That seems to have increased the readability of the drawing significantly, and drew more attention to the focal points in the light zones. I had a lot of trouble with controlling soft edges, even though not much of it was utilized in this demo. I'm looking forward to learning about it in the edges section, and attempt this assignment again afterwards.

I redid the level 1 part, so I can follow along with the level 2 demo. It came out much better than the previous one. While I was doing this second drawing, I figured out, that you should only move the blending stump around with almost no pressure. That way, it is much easier to apply another value in top of what you already have 😅 But the combination of brushes and pencils still doesn't work for me..

Well, I tried to draw along with this demo and also to use the same techniques. Since I had no blending stump, I rolled up a piece of paper. That worked, but I had the impression, that it was much harder to apply the darker values after I had worked with that stump. Also, I had no charcoal powder and ended up using my pencils, then tried to spread the graphite with brushes and evened it out with my newly created blending stump. So, I am not too happy with the background. But it was interesting to play with all these tools, I had never used before. Here is the result:

What I made following alongside watching this video

This is very difficult. First of all, recreating an analog feel digitally is extremely hard. I bought something called The Photoshop Master Pack | Photoshop Brush Set, which can be purchased from this website. The second image was drawn in Photoshop using this brush. It’s a very good brush. After that, I think it’s just a matter of getting used to it. You’ll probably go back and forth between Level 1 and Level 2 several times.

At first I thought the sculpture was Marshall Vandruff.

A lot of mistake but I am very new with shadowing so I'm still happy with this work. Simplify is pretty difficult and I have hard time to see what is a floater and what is a significant detail.

Lacked motivation lately to continue course. Got stuck with this one, afraid to put in the work and then be disappointed with myself. Just needed to remember I do this for fun. Here we go with an attempt!

Hello everyone. I attempted the Cast1 Level 1. I failed to stay within the 5 values range for level 1, I realize that, I will work on it on the next one. I tried to use the value tool in Proko to understand the composition but that confused me more. I proceeded by trying to separate the light family and shadow family. I wanted to understand how Stan did the value composition for the background. in mine I just went with my guts lol. Thank you for all the helpful feedback so far.

after watching the demo this really helped me alot, it looks better than my pervious attempt

@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!