Digital Cameras: Recording Progress on Drawing in One Day

[zoobyshoe]

Thank you for showing your work. I appreciate it very much.

I'm glad you enjoy it, Huck.

Zoob, you are a true inspiration. I used to do some drawing long back(I even went for classes), then with studies and all I really didn't have time any more. Now I am seriously considering going back to my old hobby, once my exams get over that is

I'm glad I inspired you to think about doing this. It's really an engrossing hobby to have. It's also pretty inexpensive, as hobbies go, and very portable.

Your portrait of Tiffany is great and I like the level of detail you give, specifically the hair and shirt. Very nicely done.
Do you do only direct portraits, or can you draw from your imagination and memory? Do they come out equally as good? Personally, I find it very hard to do that.
And keep posting your pictures, they are a treat.

I posted some invented faces on the previous page of this thread. They aren't nearly as good as the ones done from a reference, but I also don't spend nearly as long on them: one session or so, while the more elaborate portraits from a reference take 40 hours or more.

 

[zoobyshoe]

This girls got great expression! I love it.
You did well with the texture of the Demin Jacket. I noticed in the O-Pic the dark under her eyes, and the flushed ear. You did get the eyes perfect, the ear looks more shadowed then flushed. Is it perhaps because its hard, if not impossible, to make something look flushed with shades of grey?

Let's compare the two directly:

Original photo:

Drawing:

In the original photo her expression looks a bit depressed or tired and a tad suspicious. I toned down the value of the shadows on her face in the drawing considerably to alleiviate that and melded a shadow above her eyebrow on the right with her eyebrow to make it look more raised and qizzical. In the drawing I think she looks more alert, and, perhaps, shrewed, rather than suspicious. Tweaking her expression like that was, perhaps, my main concern.

The rest of my effort was directed to creating (or maybe better: exploring) the three main textural events: hair, skin, and jacket. I've done lots of hair and skin before. The denim was the main challenge and took the most time.

The texture of the fabric itself, plus a sense of its stiffness, and the characteristic way it puckers at seams, were all concerns in finding a way to render it.


I'm not sure that her ear is actually flushed, or if the relative colors are simply thrown out of balance by the odd lighting. In any event, it doesn't serve any purpose to preserve that impression in the drawing since I'm trying to enhance her apparent mood.

It's perfectly possible, though, to suggest a flushed expression in shades of gray if you want to do that.

 

[heman]

Zooby...what do you think about this ?
http://img406.imageshack.us/my.php?image=123fr3.jpg

i tried to generate the sketch similar to yours but i think you can help with correct settings...but i think whatever be the settings the software can't beat the beauty of yours sketch..i can bet that more than just sketching there are more intricate skiils involved..your mind can pick such finest of details..amazing!

 

[zoobyshoe]

Zooby..its Enough..I think its time you tell us which secret software you use to extract sketches and thereby flattering chicks...

As a matter of fact, at the same time lots and lots of chicks here want me to draw them about 80% of them freak out when I show them the shots I'm thinking of drawing, or the finished drawing. They love the drawings I do of other girls but when it comes to their own face they have a multitude of insecurities and anxieties.

I was extremely eager to show Javaneh her portrait, for example, but when she saw it she stared at it in bewilderment and confusion. She couldn't make heads or tails of it, and it was clear she didn't like it at all. Somehow her self image is completely different. Most guys I show that drawing to, however, fall head over heels for her.

hmmm...i must say i didnt expect MiH to be so peaceful and calm[rightly said lovely serene face] going by the postings of MiH

I had to medicate her heavily for that and use a straightjacket.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Zooby...what do you think about this ?
http://img406.imageshack.us/my.php?image=123fr3.jpg

i tried to generate the sketch similar to yours but i think you can help with correct settings...but i think whatever be the settings the software can't beat the beauty of yours sketch..i can bet that more than just sketching there are more intricate skiils involved..your mind can pick such finest of details..amazing!

I find that to be plain creepy because it could pass as a hand done drawing, at least on the web. At the same time, it's not a drawing anyone would warm up to very much considering the strokes have a sort of frantic, unpleasant quality.

 

[Huckleberry]

I like the hair in that drawing

 

[hypatia]

A new motto! "Zooby, better then Prozac" You did very well in mood improvement, to me she actually looked like had allergies.
I wear denim everyday, ands so consider myself a expert in it. You aced it!

 

[Gale]

Zooby, you're brilliant. Your drawing definitely adds more dimension to her expression. I love it. Actually, I like most of your drawings better than the actual pictures themselves. I honestly love your work. Do you keep all the finished pieces?

 

[zoobyshoe]

A new motto! "Zooby, better then Prozac" You did very well in mood improvement, to me she actually looked like had allergies.
I wear denim everyday, ands so consider myself a expert in it. You aced it!

I'm glad you like it. (Bet you look great in a denim jacket!)


In Tiffany's case the mood improvement was to bring her more in line with how she usually is. People get self conscious and can lose the kind of spontenaity that makes them appealing in real life.

In the case of Violet, here, all the tweaking I did was in the other direction: to make her look more devious, callous and calculating:

Which is how she really is, but she generally hides it behind a sweet or funny facade. Interestingly, she absolutely loves the drawing.

Zooby, you're brilliant. Your drawing definitely adds more dimension to her expression. I love it. Actually, I like most of your drawings better than the actual pictures themselves. I honestly love your work. Do you keep all the finished pieces?

Thanks for your enthusiasm, Gale.

Yeah, I keep them all. I hope when I get enough of these portraits of these kids done to approach galleries for a show of them.

 

[Gale]

That picture of violet is one of my favorites. Its very very good.

Do you still sculpt? I liked that frame you did alot. And a lot of your other sculptures were quite good too. Haven't seen any color in a while too. Still doing those?

 

[heman]

Zooby...i think you are one of the finest artist..
I think you have lot to teach..will it be a nice idea if it can be captured added with your commentary and a video clip be made while you do sketching and uploaded on something like youtube.. ?

 

[zoobyshoe]

That picture of violet is one of my favorites. Its very very good.

Do you still sculpt? I liked that frame you did alot. And a lot of your other sculptures were quite good too. Haven't seen any color in a while too. Still doing those?

The drawing of Violet is the single most popular drawing I've done everywhere else but here (PF). It gets the most attention on Myspace and DeviantArt, and from people in real life.

I haven't sculpted in many years: it's expensive and takes a lot of space.

Here's the last colored pencil thing I did that I've liked:

I've been kind of stuck on those, feeling I haven't broken any new ground in quite a while, and I have so many people lined up to draw, that's been taking my energy.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Zooby...i think you are one of the finest artist..
I think you have lot to teach..will it be a nice idea if it can be captured added with your commentary and a video clip be made while you do sketching and uploaded on something like youtube.. ?

I regularly take shots of these drawing in progress (see the very first page of the thread).

I do most of my drawing in a cafe here both because I get constant, instant feedback from passersby, and because I attract all my new models that way. Once in a while someone asks me for lessons, and, at first I was happy to have them sit down with me and give them pointers, but it turned out most of these people thought I'd be able to teach them something amazing in a few minutes, and that they'd be able to draw a picture like I do in an hour or so. These things take 40 hours or more, as I said, and most artist wannabes are just too lazy. The ones who aren't either get themselves into art school or teach themselves from books and with practice as I did.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I think the portrait of Tiffany is my favorite.

Will you ever do any portraits in colored pencil?

 

[zoobyshoe]

I think the portrait of Tiffany is my favorite.

I'm glad you like her.

Incidently, the portrait of you is my third most popular on DeviantArt, behind Violet and Eric.

Will you ever do any portraits in colored pencil?

I very well might some time, but I don't have any immediate plans to do so.

 

[DaveC426913]

Once in a while someone asks me for lessons, and, at first I was happy to have them sit down with me and give them pointers, but it turned out most of these people thought I'd be able to teach them something amazing in a few minutes, and that they'd be able to draw a picture like I do in an hour or so.

The one "advice-bite" I give people if they want to improve is "turn your subject (if it's a photo) upside-down". The other advice-bite is buy the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain".

Zoob, your portraits are incredible.

 

[Burnsys]

With that talent and speed you need no digital camera! you have a 10Mp ccd sensor in your eye and a 1400dpi ink jet printer in your hands!
Just amazing...

 

[-Job-]

Really good. Although for example on Christine the hair is a little 2D, but maybe that's just the nature of black hair? Maybe you could invent some reflections in the hair to give it more texture.

 

[zoobyshoe]

With that talent and speed you need no digital camera! you have a 10Mp ccd sensor in your eye and a 1400dpi ink jet printer in your hands!
Just amazing...

I find this post confusing. What speed?

Really good. Although for example on Christine the hair is a little 2D, but maybe that's just the nature of black hair? Maybe you could invent some reflections in the hair to give it more texture.

Her hair is a mass of complex, overwhelming curls. At the time I hadn't the courage to try and sort them all out. Since I did Eric and Tiffany, though, I would now tackle them if I were to do her over from scratch.

 

[zoobyshoe]

The one "advice-bite" I give people if they want to improve is "turn your subject (if it's a photo) upside-down". The other advice-bite is buy the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain".

Zoob, your portraits are incredible.

Thanks very much, Dave.

I agree about the advice. However, it only helps people who realize that this is a time consuming activity, and requires constant practice. Some people think artists have some trick and insight that allows them to whip stuff like this out very fast with no effort. That notion comes from watching cartoonists who repeat set formulas over and over.

 

[DaveC426913]

Incidently, the portrait of you is my third most popular on DeviantArt

How do I find you?

 

[Huckleberry]

Really good. Although for example on Christine the hair is a little 2D, but maybe that's just the nature of black hair? Maybe you could invent some reflections in the hair to give it more texture.

I've noticed that too. While the hair is very good, it just reminds me more of something that is sculpted rather than a photo image. Everything else says photo, but the hair says sculpture.

 

[Zenparticle]

Wowsa very nice work- I would love it you could do one of my beautiful little girl who is 6 I assume you do this as a living? Let me know if that would be possible. Thanks for sharing your gift.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Wowsa very nice work- I would love it you could do one of my beautiful little girl who is 6 I assume you do this as a living? Let me know if that would be possible. Thanks for sharing your gift.

Thanks, Zen.

None of these are commissions (I keep all these drawings), and in most cases I had to wrangle the subject into letting me draw them. I'm now trying to keep to a long project involving a collection of portraits of these semi-wild, counter-culture kids who hang out at a cafe I frequent. Once in a while an interesting contest threatens to distract me from that, but I'm otherwise trying to stick to it.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Updating. These two here are not quite finished.

Portrait of Twitch:

Portrait of JR:

 

[turbo]

glad to be getting art-updates once again, Zoob! please continue!

 

[Cyrus]

You sir, are quite the master of shading. Impressed as always.

 

[AFG34]

amazing! this makes me want to learn to draw.

 

[DaveC426913]

Awesome.


Heeeey, is that a grid I see faintly through the paper? That would explain the perfect proportions...

 

[turbo]

Awesome.Heeeey, is that a grid I see faintly through the paper? That would explain the perfect proportions...

I used to draw/sketch/paint on the "plain" side of K+E's pale green graph paper at times. Just a little thing I learned in Photogrametry and Map-making class - establish some critical reference-points, and go from there. When I would do water-colored India-ink works (mostly flowers, animals, etc), I'd sketch lightly in hard pencil, outline in ink, and paint last, sometimes adding shading with a very fine crow-quill pen and ink as the last step. Always on more expensive art-paper that could "take" the watercolors, though. No guide-lines.

 

[zoobyshoe]

glad to be getting art-updates once again, Zoob! please continue!

Thanks, Turbo. I have three more good ones to post.

You sir, are quite the master of shading. Impressed as always.

Thanks much, Cyrus. Glad you like them.

amazing! this makes me want to learn to draw.

Much appreciated!

Awesome.


Heeeey, is that a grid I see faintly through the paper? That would explain the perfect proportions...

Oh, Dave, Dave, Dave. The grid is useless to anyone who can't already draw pretty well without one. Try it: square off a photo and a piece of drawing paper and give them to someone who can't draw and see what happens. It will suck. Granted, it will suck a little more proportionately than otherwise, but it will still suck. Regardless, I use a grid only for drawings I'm going to bring to a high level of finish. I am always also sketching, sketching, sketching freehand.

In fact, it is time for me to leave the zoobie brush shelter right now and relocate to La Souris Perdue for an evening of sketching. Be back in the wee hours.

 

[DaveC426913]

Oh, Dave, Dave, Dave.

I didn't mean to be critical. More like good to see there's a man behind the wizard. You're waaaaaaaaaaay above me.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I didn't mean to be critical. More like good to see there's a man behind the wizard. You're waaaaaaaaaaay above me.

I don't think so. You mentioned once you never work on a drawing more than an hour and a half. I think if you put in 40-80 hours on a piece like I do, with or without a grid, it would make my stuff look not so interesting anymore.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Very nice Zoob. I still wish I could figure out how to draw hair so well.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Very nice Zoob. I still wish I could figure out how to draw hair so well.

Glad you like them, SA. I actually still resent hair: it takes such a disproportionate amount of work just to make it look acceptable.