Project - Simplify to CSI

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Assignments 3.9KLesson NotesDownloads 9

Project - Simplify to CSI

Lesson by

Stan Prokopenko

in Drawing Basics

25K

Course In Progress

Assignments 3.9KLesson NotesDownloads 9

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.

Clément Depature Lançon

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Hello, here are my simplifications before watching Stan's demos. Comments and critiques are welcome! :)

Melanie Scearce

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Nice job simplifying the spine on Skelly and the laces on the boots! You made it look easy.

Nik Faraday

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Here are my 4 drawings from today. It was hard to not delve into the laces or textures and to maintain simplicity but I see why that was the assignment. This was an awesome learning experience! I have a small list of areas where I struggled and I will be incorporating sketches that involve them in my daily sketching.

Forging Berton

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Only did one so far, but this was very hard lol just a bit of shading because I forgot not to but hopefully will get better with second one

Forging Berton

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And here is the snail

Darren BOYLE

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Using Clip Studio Paint. I feel the boots was over my head: more than the snail. I will go back and try more. I felt sitting in my computer chair a bit hard on my butt after a while. Been listening to Arnold Schwarzenegger's audiobook "Be Useful: Seven Tool For Life." while drawing. Very motivating: If you get a chance read the book, or listen to audiobook... heck Arnold narrated the audiobook!

Martha Muniz

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I like the simplification! I would recommend approaching each line with the start & end points already in mind, even ghosting if you find it helps you personally (hovering with your pencil--or stylus in this case--above the area you intend to commit your line to, practicing the motion before going in with the true line). Also, I recommend practicing Warmups to Improve Line Quality digitally to get you more comfortable controlling the medium.

Emm Rdgz

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The boots were so freaking difficult, they should be level 3 at least haha

camron lawrence

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dunno how to use phone pictures for proko so you get laptop camera. 1st drawing seemed too simple and the 2nd seemed like i went too into detail. critiques woud be appreciated

@dustyp

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First attempt at level 1.

Carlos Javier Roo Soto

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Here's my first attempt to this assignment. I feel like can't simplify the subject enough, my lines are too messy and it feels like I'm still too photocopying. Maybe I need to approach this in a more gestural way. What do you think?

Patrick Bosworth

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I think you did a great job simplifying these! The camel especially, you're really on the right track. You could simplify the cross contouring on the snail a bit, and look for more opportunities to inject a straight line to give structure and balance the curves. Most of your lines in the snail are longer flowing curves. Over all they look really good! Keep up the good work!

Marcus Kruse

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Level 2

Skyler Swearngin

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First attempt at level one. Felt good with the snail, but I got a bit overwhelmed in the details with the boots.

Melanie Scearce

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Great line quality in your snail drawing! You may have been moving at too quick of a pace while working on the boots if you were feeling overwhelmed. You don't want to spend hours and hours on it, but you don't want to move so fast that you're not feeling confident in your decisions. Strike a balance between the two. It will take some experimentation. I find it helps to take a short break if I'm starting to feel shaky in my decision making as well.

Quique BA

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My first attempt at the level 2, I think the camel’s head and proportions are kinda really off jajaja, feedback appreciated.

Rachel Dawn Owens

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This is a method I use to measure basic proportions. You could use the same method to size the camel. Your lines are looking nice. Great skeleton! 💀

Marcus Kruse

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My first attempt on level 1.

Quique BA

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Here is my first attempt at the level 1 drawings, I tried to keep it as simple as I could but i felt it’s missong something but I don’t know what. I would apréciate any feedback or tip. TY

Rachel Dawn Owens

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These are nice!

@bw10

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Here's mine of the boots. I think the second one (on the right) looks better, but I need to practice more at not making small scratchy lines.

Melanie Scearce

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I agree with your self-critique here! You can simplify a bit more to make it easier on yourself to loosen up. For example, it's a cool detail that you used double lines to show the thickness of the leather, but it's a detail that could be simplified to just one line so you can focus on finding interesting ways to implement the CSI lines. Try to simplify as much as you can, it will help you pull longer strokes!

@foxygrandpa

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Didn't think to use a broad lay-in for these until I watched the demo after completing the assignment. With the snail it was much easier to get the general relative proportions, the boots gave more of a challenge, and I definitely made more errors there.

@xdrummerxdan

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Here's my snail. I had such a hard time with the shoes I gave up :(

Milica Gavrić

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Hey everyone! This one was really tough for me. I haven’t watched the demo yet—it was so tempting, but I managed to resist :) I can see quite a few mistakes—like the right boot should be turned more toward the viewer—but even after several tries, I just couldn’t get it to look the way I imagined. I’ll give it another shot after watching the demo and update the post with those drawings. I’ll definitely try Level 2 as well. If you have any tips or feedback, I’d love to hear them!

Percy Silva

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10d

This is my first attempt at the CSI line exercise (Curves, S-curves, and Straights). I tried to focus on gesture and simplify the form without getting lost in the details. I'm still learning and would really appreciate any feedback or critique to help me improve. Thanks for taking the time to look!

@bw10

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I think your drawing is really good for a first attempt! If I had one critique I would recommend trying to pay attention to the "flow" of the boot. In the picture the bottom part curves out a lot to the point where it feels very distinct. I think in the left boot you drew, it doesn't curve out nearly enough, having the bottom part shoot out more to the left would improve the proportions a bit. I still think it looks really nice! Hopefully what I said makes sense, I had trouble describing it well.

Darren BOYLE

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10d

Using Clip Studip Paint. I feel like I am the "chicken" in the "pen." Art is a thing that takes discipline and patience... "Rome wan't built in a day." I feel time isn't an enemy: but a friend who should be welcomed even me just turning 50 on the 25th of June... there are not "old dogs" learning "new tricks." Just mind that want to learn. An I'm here at Proko to lern!