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Founder of Proko, artist and teacher of drawing, painting, and anatomy. I try to make my lessons fun and ultra packed with information.
LESSON NOTES
This exercise will help you avoid chicken scratch. Instead of uncertain pecking at the paper. We're going to draw each line with a focused and intentional path. Remember to draw from your shoulder, elbow and wrist. Avoid the fingers. When I tell you guys to simplify your lines, I'm usually referring to three types of lines, two curves and one straight.
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DOWNLOADS
project-simplify-to-csi.mp4
147 MB
project-simplify-to-csi-transcript-english.txt
4 kB
project-simplify-to-csi-transcript-spanish.txt
5 kB
project-simplify-to-csi-captions-english.srt
7 kB
project-simplify-to-csi-captions-spanish.srt
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ASSIGNMENTS![]()
![Clément Douziech]()
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![Davide Piccinini]()
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![Chuck Ludwig Reina]()
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![Lisa Cox]()
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![Luis Gutiérrez]()
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![@theparacosmic]()
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![Moon]()
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![Ash]()
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![Patrick Bosworth]()
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![@izzybloop]()
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![Spencer Fox]()
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![Kevin Gasanli]()
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![@findingpresence]()
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![Kevin Gasanli]()
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![Melanie Scearce]()
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![Kevin Gasanli]()
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![@peter_g]()
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![Glenn Ference]()
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![Nimbus CoFe]()
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![@peter_g]()
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.
First attemps of level 1 models, this is actually hard ! I will do them again.
I've completed the Level 2 too. For the first try I focused on accurate proportions and as much CSI as possible, in the second try after the demo I focused more on CSI and less on proportions. I didn't use a rubber to erase mistakes in all drawings.
I really like the skull after the demo even if the proportions are not correct, he look happy to pose for the assignment! Unfortunately I don't think my lines can be considered confident even after the demo.
Critiques are welcome and appreciated!
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14m
Nice work! One thing that helped me get confident lines (other than drawing a lot which is always a must!) is to practice using different pressure throughout the stroke. Start really light and see if you can get the weight to taper heavier then lighter. Fill entire pages up with just different pressure on the page, being sure to draw from your shoulder. Just getting that feel down will let you make your lines without thinking, and that will help with the look.
Keep it up!
Making some simple construction lines and highlighting out basic shape was very helpful for proportions and then noticing the CSI is a great tool.
My attempt at the lvl2 Camel (and a mini-camel I did for fun). I'd love to hear any feedback c:
Here's my camel. You can see where I had to erase some bits...I have a bad habit of putting a lot of pressure on the pencil. Is this the goal level of simplification? I felt unsure if I should try to add any more details. The skin fold lines along the top of the right front leg look a little questionable to me, surely in part because I have no idea about camel anatomy lol. Would appreciate any constructive critique. I am used to drawing tiny bits at a time very precisely, so doing such broad confident strokes is still quite new to me.
Edit: I see now that the curve of the hump is supposed to meet the curve of the stomach, and one of the back legs is much too long.
I finished the snail, and I’ll attempt the boots next. I think my two biggest difficulties with this was keeping my lines clean and not wobbly with my arm. I ended up outlining using my wrist a lot, because I couldn’t trust my elbow or arm not to shake. The other difficulty was keeping it clean and not so splotchy with random dark shades of graphite throughout the paper, because the side of my hand would keep smudging against the lines. Or eraser smudges because of mistakes. I’ll probably try to put a tissue paper or something below my hand to avoid the smudges
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2d
agreeing with Patrick! It's a lovely snail with flowy-line weight. It looks great!
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2d
Excellent job, this looks great! Very clean simplified lines, and your line weight is well handled!
I laid out the proportions first and then did the lines. I really took my time with both and the I like the results, but if there's anything I should improve please let me know!
I attempted the Level 1 Snail image. I tried my best to see the C, S, or I lines in the reference, plan them out, ghost them, then execute. Please let me know how I did!
Good job! It look like you put in effort to work on the line quality and line confidence (which according to Stan is the main point of the exercise). You also simplified the forms really well, you only left what is essential to describe the snail.
One thing that stands out to me is that you did not include the log that the snail stood on, but I think that is fine. Proportionally the shell could also have been shorter on the vertical axis, however proportions were not the main focus on the exercise, the line confidence and simplification was.
Wow, this was hard. Level 1 snail and boots. I found this really challenging and it discouraged me a little bit. In any case, I feel like it's all just part of the journey.
Here is the skeleton. I think I got a little bit lost in the teeth and ended up making them too detailed. Any feedback?
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4d
I see what you mean about the teeth! It's really easy to get caught up in those little details. I think overall though you did a great job using a variety of CSI lines. The level of simplification looks great to me. Proportions look good. Nice work!
Here is my assignment. I tried to simplify as much as possible. Perhaps it was too simplified?
My two tries with the camel. You can definitely see improvement the second time with the perspective although there is a lot to be polish e.g teeth, feet and perhaps nose.
While these were fun assignments, I certainly found myself struggling to know when to simplify and when to include a detail something, I’ll likely learn as I continue to push forward.
So I made the snail and the camel. I just don't know why but when it comes to exercises my lines are better than in a task. Still, made my best, even if today doesn't feel like it. Progress is still progress
Hello there today I did the skeleton. By the way it felt easier than the boots. I just need to draw better teeth and vertebrates.
