Eta Challenge sketches/wips 5 images

[Ron Harris]

I am posting the sketches and progression images here as to not overload the thumbnail gallery. The thread on the main forum will have these images included. Thank you and thank you Ed...I have several to post today.
Going along with the 6's, that was the excercise today in regards to the form and taking the creature in some different directions. I did not add hair to the sketches as of yet.


the first one here is the final of the day..I am kinda taking things in reverse here...




the next one is a less refined..but I think you can see alot of the 6s shapes.....



a bit more refined and different




this is the bare 6s...to get an idea of where I started in the work session today





I got the scanner figured out for the advanced controls finally...here is the Version A of the sketches...




And the Version B headshot sketch




well lemme know whatcha think. Thanks...

[Stonecutter]

Ron:

It is WONDERFUL to see you taking on this project with E the A, and devoting the thought, preparation, and concept planning to it that you are...As Ed would agree, and has stated in many ways, the growth for you in a task of this sort, worked at with spirit and patience will pay off bigtime!

Since I'm an interested observer, and have a persistent memory gland, I asked Frenchy, our local Maitre De Google, to do a search for an artist I remembered who did paintings you might find useful as conceptual reference, and of course, he succeeded in less time than it would take for a butterfly to blow his nose, (In the unlikely circumstance of the butterfly actually possesing such an object... ), so here's a link for which you can thank Frenchy, and the 'hook' sunk deeply in a sailors' memory... )
http://images.google.fr/images?q=arcimboldo&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=fr&btnG=Recherche+Go ogle

I feel sure this will help the 'Quest'...

[Frenchy Pilou]

Hi Ron
Vert impressiv sketches
Do you know Otto Dix ?
Some affinity with your style !
Pilou

[Ron Harris]

thnx guys...some interesting stuff with that guys works. Very unique. There is alot more to his work when you go past the thumbnails. Thanks for the inspiring links and for keeping an eye on my works. I am thouroughly enjoying this task of love. I obsess over stuff...so this is a way to direct that energy positively. Thanx again, its appreciated.

[DeeVee]

I like your 6's and 9's approach to skecthing Ron..It is nice when you can reduce it to such a simple formula. It then makes it easy to teach the method to someone who has no clue of drawing..I like this, well done, Thou slayer of catfish!

[ed_the_atom]

Hi Ron,

Good application going on...

My reply,

Firstly I do not want to change your style, what I want you to do is learn your style. At this point I feel you are only halfway to your style potential.

Secondly I may sound brutal....I don't intend to sound that way.

Thirdly I will post some examples of direction for you to think about.

You have to understand the 6 in line and in form....there is much to learn with the 6...I shall endeavour to post some examples.

I feel you are 'over drawing' your images. They appear laboured. The pencil line is uneducated....(although I don't wish to see Disney line). The line must have a confident pressure, flow, and feel....it must be educated. Imagine the early tape cassette cases...remember the sharp oblong it was to hold, how easy they were to break while opening. Now pick up a modern tape cassette case, notice the feel, notice the pleasure of the feel etc. It has no comparison to the older case. This is how your line and form must feel. The smell of 'feel' is the first opening of a new book printed on first class gloss paper.....the smell of light rain on dusty road on a hot summers day.........etc

Here is an example I made for a cartoon..all up it took about 15 mins. This was needed in the cartoon. A bald type eagle. I had no real idea how to draw a bald eagle. Some research....and I made one from a compilation of three cartoon eagles I found...then adapted the pose that suited my needs.Yeah ...edit.......I meant vulture...hits head with a hammer.
In some respects it is over drawn, yet it contains simple contrast and shape. And line, while rough in some areas....it still suits the purpose.



When using pencil many people fall into the trap of smudging....although some smudging looks fine...especially in conjunction with the smudge stick. Ideally to understand shading it is better to use a range of pencils with cross hatching methods....this gives a better understanding of planes on a surface. Plus gives a full bodied appearance for form and light, weight etc.


Now in your mind you have to have a plastic cassette case feel for form.....it is tangible, it has smell, sound, a reason, a 'rightness'....it exists. Then take yourself from the 3d restrictive world...and let your imagination overwhelm.....float within whim, fly without restraint.

I posted this on the forum..god knows why...got the response I expected yeah zilch, but that doesn't bother me....I captured what I wanted.
It is called The Dream of the dance of life.
Have a good look at it...what do you think I think I may have captured.



Okay I had a quick play with form on Harry...not the definitive Harry...have a look....

Harry is going to be really hard to draw....is there a way around that? or do we embrace this difficulty and use it? If a line doesn't look right one way....draw it the opposite way.

What makes sense for Harry? What makes sense for you.






Now those are rough.....me just gaining a feel....looking, searching for areas, for form, for understanding.

All ideas Ron.....nothing concrete, all just food.

[Bluesman]

Here's my 2d contribution, not very scary however.LOL
I find this subject engaging and a great learning experience.

Blues

[havran]

hey Ron, that top sketch is great! -- not overworked -- just enough, direct

and those heads you posted in the MNC monster thread are great as well

[ed_the_atom]

Ronster....

Have I displeased you?

Goood stuff there Bluesman.

[Ron Harris]

No sir.. Still running ideas thru my head...and I do my regular zbrushing and stuff in between to fill in thoughts...I cut grass until way after dark this evening and just needed some doodling to unwind...I am in ponder mode right now...as in pondering my next move in the development of Harry. I told you I am wearing the thick soled boots for the long haul on this one...I am ok and pleased that you are taking me on this journey.

[ed_the_atom]

By the way I think your latest 3d images are cutting into the good areas of your talent, and are on a fast track to becoming A1. You are getting some great textures and form. Your teeth are superb.
EDIT
don't get me wrong ron....your drawings are interesting.

[Ron Harris]

thank you. I screwed up and didnt save one set of teeth I had made..but they are very easy to make..so that is a good thing..I was scared as hell for the longest to try to make teeth...and the head models like on the MNC are simple..just shape and alphas..and the lighting to me was the important thing..I made a foolish statement on my interview on the 1000th posting saying something like I didnt think lighting was important....LOL...I was a major fool to make that statement...As far as Harry I am goign to keep reforming him...something will be right at some point I am sure...I do think you are absolutely right about the different pencils...with those sketches I used a plain ole pencil....I will have to break back out my regular graphite set and keep them with me when I am away from the house. I rarely do any drawings at home anymore....its a good excuse to escape my doldrums. I liked your quick renders of Harry...they had that Night Gallery look to them...

[Ron Harris]

well they are interesting and I did like them but I agree with the fact they are overworked...I have learned something with this...2d and 3d are different...you can put a gazillion details into a 3d piece to get it photograph realistic and it usually works. In 2d esp in pencil it becomes cluttered I am seeing. In pen and ink I don't know about...but I am learning and I am sure refining my work will come. But like I tell all the newbies, it takes practice times ten...but the refinement will come I am sure.