Discovery pic and hello :)

[bobsy2uk]

Hi!
I've been lurking round here for a couple of weeks so I thought I'd say hello to you all and show you my latest! Its called 'Discovery'. I finished Axl's fantasy free for all project and used what I'd learned from it in this picture. My first sketches were from reference pics to get the girl's pose but then I worked on it by changing the pose (so much so that its not really recogniseable from the ref.) and the light source. The serpent is imaginary :) I also tried to use a little atmospheric perspective by making some bits more detailed than others. It was very challenging but I'm very happy with her :D Oh and by the way she does have nipples - they just didn't show up in the scan :cat:
She's drawn in coloured pencils on A3 dusky pink Canson Mi-Teintes paper (the smoother side). Comments are welcome - I'd especially like to hear your interpretations of the relationship between them, I've had a couple of unexpected ones from friends!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Oct-2002/discovery.jpg

[bobsy2uk]

Here's a close-up too :)
~Bobbie~

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Oct-2002/discoveryclos.jpg

[Elankat]

Hi Bobbie. Welcome to Wetcanvas.

I was just looking at your progress entries in Axl's Fantasy project the other day. :D There's some really great figure work going on in this. You might want to revisit her left forearm and shoulder. The forearm is a bit thin and the shadows at the neck & left shoulder are a bit off.

The snake is fantastic and the anatomy on the girl's torso and leg are very very good. :D

Don't be afraid of hands and feet. I notice you suffer from the "hide it behind something" syndrome. We all go through that. :D The only way to get better is to practice them. There are some really great hand reference photos on Elfwood. http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/hand/

You have a good command of the colored pencils. I really hope you'll also post some of your stuff in the CP forum! :D

btw...love the tigers on your site. great image! :)

[DraigAthar]

Welcome to WC! Bobbie!

This is a lovely piece, thanks for sharing it with us. In addition to Elankat's comments on the left arm, you might have a look at the right leg, because the thigh looks too long to me. The knee should be right about where the dragon's tail is.

It looks like you put a lot of work into this, I love the scales on the dragon and the expression on the woman's face is great.

Oh, and Elankat - thanks for posting the link to that hand resource!!! That's great, I was JUST agonizing over sculpting some hands today so your link was very timely!!!

Amy

[bobsy2uk]

Thanks for all your nice comments Elankat, and DraigAthar :D

Originally posted by Elankat


Hi Bobbie. Welcome to Wetcanvas.

You might want to revisit her left forearm and shoulder. The forearm is a bit thin and the shadows at the neck & left shoulder are a bit off.
When I was working out my shadows/highlights in my graphite working I had real trouble working out that left arm - so I just bluffed it ;) Then when I'd finished the whole thing I realised there's a Escher style conundrum going on with it! The shoulder is in front of the snake and the hand is behind! Oops! That'll teach me to rush my planning :p I wasn't sure about the thigh either, DraigAthar, but I measured her out with the '8 heads high' rule and trusted that rather than my instincts. Message to self: learn more patience in planning!!!!


Don't be afraid of hands and feet. I notice you suffer from the "hide it behind something" syndrome.

you noticed that, huh?! :p Yeah, I'm kind've allergic to hands and feet but I just got Sarah Simblet's book on anatomy so I'll be doing lots of studying - No excuse from now on, eh?! ;)

[Redsy333]

Welcome Aboard!!! :D
Great wrap shes wearing ;) love the colors!

[TeAnne]

Welcome Bobby :D This is nice work, the serpent looks very friendly :evil:

[Elankat]

Originally posted by bobsy2uk
you noticed that, huh?! :p Yeah, I'm kind've allergic to hands and feet but I just got Sarah Simblet's book on anatomy so I'll be doing lots of studying - No excuse from now on, eh?! ;)

lol

Of course I noticed. I have a whole bunch of sketches from when I was in high school. Every single one has the hands and feet hidden behind something or disappearing into nothingness.

The only way to approach it is head on. Just bite the bullet and try to draw them. I still struggle with them, but at least I've gotten to the point where I attempt it and that has really helped me with them. :D

Amy, glad you found that resource useful. Elfwood has some pretty good resources and tutorials.

[PhilC]

Hi and Welcome to WC.

Nice work always likke to meet anouther Color Pencil Artist.

Good book ya got should help.

Hope to see more of your work around.

[plumpfairy]

:D Welcome aboard! Bobsy!
Love the serpant! Such a sweet gaze....must be her lover....who was turned into a serpant by a wizard!
Viewed your web-site.....my how you've progressed in such a short time!
Bravo! Excellent Tigers!
jana:D :clap: ;)

[bobsy2uk]

Originally posted by plumpfairy
:D Welcome aboard! Bobsy!
Love the serpant! Such a sweet gaze....must be her lover....who was turned into a serpant by a wizard!
Viewed your web-site.....my how you've progressed in such a short time!
Bravo! Excellent Tigers!
jana:D :clap: ;)

Thanks everyone for all your comments - it's so encouraging!
I noticed my tigers picture got a good reaction :D I drew that straight from a picture - copying the colours and forms pretty much as I saw them. Unfortunately its suffering greatly from wax bloom now :( When I started drawing in February my aim was to eventually to be able to produce works akin to Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, etc. fantasy creatures and situations that look pretty much photo realistic. As if they actually exist. But now my aims are all over the place! The more I learn the more I realise that there's so much more to art than just 'looking realistic' - colours, composition, etc., which to the ordinary viewer aren't obvious, can be used to create moods and atmosphere. I'm now trying to decide where I want to go with my art - I'm sure everyone goes through this when they are beginning. I put 'discovery' on here because it's the first piece where I tried not to concentrate too much on being realistic - but rather on the mood or feel of the piece. For instance the colours, the curves (I tried not to use any straight lines to create a feel of tenderness rather than hostiity/danger). I also tried to create a 'main viewpoint' of the picture (their faces) by the use of sharp or hazy detail in various places and colour blending and placement. I'm not sure if I was entirely successful in that but you've got to start somewhere!
Thanks again for all your kind and helpful comments. As with every piece, I've learnt something from this one, esp because of your comments. Thank you :D
~Bobbie~

[PhilC]

Bobsy Hope you still have the Tigers. Get a soft cloth and you can wipe away the wax bloom. then take a Fixative and lighty spray over it should keep it from happening agine.

Are you useing Dewent Color Penciles? Also Mind if I ask how long Ya'll been working in Color Pencil?

[bobsy2uk]

Hi Phil!
Thanks for your tips about the wax bloom - I do have some fixative I just haven't built up the courage to use it yet!
I use Karisma pencils - they're exactly the same as prismacolors, just marketed under a different name in the UK and I think some of mainland Europe too.

Also Mind if I ask how long Ya'll been working in Color Pencil?
Of course not! I got a full 108 set of Karismas in late June/early July this year so I'm still at the practice stage! Before that I messed around with a set of 24 cheap supermarket brand pencils just to play with paper textures and colours while I was saving up for my Karismas! I'm still looking for Stonehenge paper here in the UK but I was directed to the biggest paper distributor and even they don't stock it! So I don't think I'll get to try it :( If anyone knows of a UK stockist be sure to tell me!
~Bobbie~

[PhilC]

Bobsy Thats how I started with cheep pencils, then I finley go my Prismacolor Wolrd of difference between them.

as for as paper I use Stonehenge and Canson Mi-Teintes paper.

I'm not sure if Dick Blick does over sea oders or not, but they have Stonehenge paper.

[Elankat]

Unfortunately its suffering greatly from wax bloom now

You don't even have to wipe it first. You can just spray the workable fixative. I recommend Grumbacher Miston. Avoid Krylon because I've seen complaints of it leaving a gritty surface.

The key is to make certain your piece is horizonal. Then, hold the can 12 to 15 inches from the surface and spray a light coat. Wait 5 to 15 minutes, then spray another light coat. I put about 6 coats total on the piece.

If you go to the Colored Pencil forum and look at the sticky threads on the top of the first page, there is one called "Links to Instructional Threads." There are a couple of highly informative threads on wax bloom and fixative. There is also an excellent thread on recommended papers.

Personally, I use Stonehenge and Prismacolors. I've used Canson and haven't had the trouble with it that some people do. However, it definitely won't take as many layers as Stonehenge or some other papers. For colored paper, I liked Strathmore's Pure Tints pastel paper better. You can get free samples from Strathmore...again, the info on how is in that paper surface thread in the CP forum. You may also want to try a good hotpressed watercolor paper. I know Arlene uses that with much success.

Oh, you may want to try Daniel Smith. Their customer service page states that they will ship internationally if you call. They also happen to have black Stonehenge and other colors of it, Stonehenge pads and excellent prices on Stonehenge paper.
http://www.danielsmith.net./