Project - Simplify to CSI
Project - Simplify to CSI
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Drawing Basics

Lines

Project - Simplify to CSI

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Project - Simplify to CSI

5K
Course In Progress

Download the photo reference images and try to simplify them using CSI lines. Draw each line with a focused and intentional path.

Your pace should be quick, but not rushed.

For this exercise, we will just consider the individual segments of the contour of a shape.

Same instructions for level one and two. Just a difference in difficulty of reference. The level two photos have more fun little tidbits to tempt you to get into the details, but fight the urge and simplify.

Also, no shading in these please. This is not meant to be a portfolio piece.

CSI
C = C Curves
S = S Curves
I = Straights

If you'd like to have a chance to be included in the upcoming critique videos, you must submit your drawings below by February 16th

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Browny Sparks
Took days, but I felt my skills improve as I worked through it and I got a little faster towards the end. My sizes were off though, top of my boots were smaller than bottom part for both of them, and the laces were too small. I need to check the sizes and ratio of different parts of the image throughout the piece and measure things to make sure I get the sizes correct. I'm also not sure if I simplified enough. I think I zoomed in and focused on details too much and didn't simplify the shapes enough, especially for the boots. I'm not sure though, I'll have to check to see how Stan did it in his demo. Any critique would be much appreciated! Thanks! :)
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Mike Hicks
I think I got a little carried away with the skull drawing and added a little too much detail, so I tried to keep it more simplified in the camel drawing.
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red13eard
Only had time for one boot on break today. Hopefully will find time to finish the other after work!!
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Audrey S
This is a great start! For this remember to simplify to curves! I see a lot of details that I think you could simplify with more "gestural" strokes or "rhythms". These are long lines that give you a feeling more than anything. For example along the heel, you've broken up the curves a bit that give a lot of tension. Maybe try exaggerating the flow of the fabric along the opening of the book. Your lines feel a little tense like you're focusing on accuracy as opposed to that gesture. Nice job on the simplification of the laces. I think you've got the curves down there really nicely!
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red13eard
Whoops. Realized I posted the one with the laces not finished.
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janoot
Hey guys, I did the level 1 assignment. Would love any critique or feedback! Thanks!
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Audrey S
For the most part I think you've done a great job in simplifiying! If you were to improve on one thing, I would say try looking for more c and s curves! in the structure of your boots I see a lot of straight lines. While these convey structure and rigidity, there are a lot of really nice expressive curves on the foot of the boot and in the body of the snail. (by contrast on the snail you did a really nice job with the curves on the body) feel free to loosen your lines a bit and focus on energy over accuracy with your lines! Very nice attempt.
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Francesca Puccio
I struggled a bit on this one.
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Ken Wood
Tried the camel today. LOTS of difficulty getting the head proportions right. Drawing a circle to represent the back of the head and then building the features off of that worked the best, but still not happy with the overall proportions. Feedback appreciated!
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confidentlines
feedback appreciated
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Audrey S
Nice job! You've done a pretty good job of simplifying to the curves! Now that you've got the curves, I think the next thing for you will be to improve your line quality and photo quality. Line quality - this is most visible on the camel - your lines are a little hairy, which indicate that you're not sure what line you want to make before you're putting it down. A helpful technique here is "ghosting" or rehearsing the line without actually drawing it, then committing to doing the line in one stroke. Prioritize confidence over accuracy and eventually the accuracy will come as your develop the muscles in your arm! Photo quality - I have overhead lights on my desk so getting a good photo can be hard since my hand and phone will cast a shadow over the paper. What has worked for me is using a folder or a sketch book to stand up the drawing so it is at an angle or standing up so that the camera is not in the path of the light that is shining on your drawing. The other thing would be to try to match the angle of the paper to the camera so that your proportions are not distorted in the camera.
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Marcel Weiland
Camel! The hooves (do camels have hooves?) gave me some trouble. Overall though I like how it turned out. Feedback welcome!
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Audrey S
Hey! Great job taking this on! If you look at the drawing close up, I can actually see places where you had lines where you pressed down very hard. Based on your line quality, I think you may be hesitating on the lines and maybe pressing a little to hard to get dark lines. For the hesitation: This exercise is about finding the simple curves -- Stan always says that simplifying is harder than copying. You've found a lot of the curves, but the many small curves break up the flow of the leg. If you look at the demo, we're looking for "rhythms" or long lines that connect the subject together. When you do that kind of line, it will be a confident sweeping motion and you won't get the wobble that you've got in some of your lines. The important thing when doing those kinds of lines would be to prioritize confidence over accuracy. If you've got the confidence, but lack in the accuracy, you can do something that Stan mentions in some of his figure drawing videos: "ghost" the line (rehearse the line without actually drawing) and then make sure your hand is going slow enough for your brain to know where it wants to put the line. 90% of the line will be thinking of placement and 10% actually making the mark. For the dark lines: As you probably experienced when you were erasing the lines, drawing hard will actually distort the surface of the paper, changing the paper for good. If you're looking for darker lines, try using a softer pencil or varying your materials. Bonus - I would also watch the video on the "tapered line" which will also help getting the longer flowy lines.
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Francesca Puccio
Decided to try the camel.
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Ken Wood
Tried Skelly tonight after having a rough time with the boot laces on the “beginner” assignment. Enjoyed this one, but probably could have added more detail… dunno.
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ryanlloyddesign
My attempts at both the level 1 and 2 assignments. (Snail with a broken piece of charcoal, everything else with a 2mm clutch pencil.)
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Audrey S
The goal of the project is to simplify to the curves. For your skeleton for example, you've gone a little far into detail -- What are the largest lines that help describe the form or flow of the subject? You've done better with it in the boots, especially the structure of the boots. One thing to watch out for, which I also suffer from, are the hairy sketch lines. try to go for a smooth line that is drawn with confidence instead of accuracy. Some techniques to help with this: 1. Ghosting - go over the line without putting your pencil down until you visualize the line, and then go for it in one smooth motion 2. Slowing your hand down - I got this from the proko gesture class (the gesture critiques) - Sometimes your hand moves faster than your brain has time to compute what curve you want to draw. By slowing the hand down you can let your brain figure out what it wants to put down and know the full line before putting it down. 3. Letting go of inaccurate lines - A lot of these are skill based exercises. they're not meant to create pretty pictures. you can attempt them many times and as you practice your accuracy will get better. Hope this helps with getting smooth lines!
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red13eard
Snail! Gonna start the boots on break today.
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Ian
First attempt at the level 2 assignment
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Francesca Puccio
Here’s my snail…took longer than I thought.
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George Rabbitearl
Hi. Thanks for this method. I like gesture drawing. Also I like artists like joish or glenn keen. Gesture figure drawing ist my goal. So here is my attemp- I don't erase the wrong lines. I like also searching lines-
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Reamon van der Horst
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Shaima
Hello! 🥾🐌  It's the 2nd assignment, I was super busy with university and finals so I didn't have the chance to do any of the assignments but I finally did 🤭 drawing boots was really hard but I tried my best to draw with the CSI lines 💪 though I realized using my shoulder and elbow while drawing was hard because it is my first time, but I used my wrist really well and my elbow a little! hopefully with more practice I'll be able to use my shoulder too 🙏
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Ian
11d
First attempt on the level 1 project. I found it hard to avoid using my fingers when drawing the lines
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LottaIn
Level one done, before + after watching demo.
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Haik
13d
Here are my attempts for the CSI project.
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