The Art Thread (NSFW)

[apocrypha]

We're all just waiting for these to slowly evolve into Hannibal-like set pieces. 

Srsly though, very nice, both of you! I have an appointment tomorrow for nerve transmission tests to see if they can work out what's wrong with my arm. Hopefully get some kind of resolution soon :)

[Sky]

Congrats on your impending robot arm with programmable CAD.

And thanks!  People were....more mixed about the ecorche. Ranged from enthusiastic (artist and med student) to horrified (nice old retiree).

[Sky]

I don't think I've mentioned it here, but my painting instructor is planning to open an atelier. Turns out she meant, like, next September...so one more semester with her at the Institute and then the new thing happens. She's strongly suggested that the more advanced students will have a teaching opportunity in the second year (it's the traditional way). I kinda blew it off because I work during the day but she said she's focusing on nights and weekends for the first year,

Now I'm torn because it's probably going to be at minimum two semesters of 4 nights of classes, friday figure drawing and weekend classes. But if I don't fuck it up (or burn out), it could be a great opportunity, like a life-changing kind of thing.

Hmm.

[Sky]

Fiancee is supporting me trying the atelier full-time. Ye gods 

One more session for the portrait tomorrow night, background and shirt/tie. Going to have to live with the rest of it :) Keep reminding myself it's only my second attempt!

[apocrypha]

Fiancee is supporting me trying the atelier full-time. Ye gods 

\o/

That's awesome.

[RhyssaFireheart]

That is awesome! 

And the portrait is damn awesome for a second attempt.  For any attempt, actually.  Probably a lot better than I could do.

[Sky]

Thanks! Of course, like any artist, all I see are the flaws and things I struggle with  The instructor actually said I showed remarkable aptitude for art, which was kind of awesome and embarrassing.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Did a quick submission for an Art Card trade that Grumbacher runs on their FB page.  I'd known about it for over a month and waffled about taking part this time, then last night decided fuck it and did the card since today was the mailing deadline.  It turned out okay, IMO.  Theme is "space".  Size is 2.5" x 3.5"

[apocrypha]

That's really nice.

[Sky]

Yeah, I like the hair in particular. Groovy.

I've been sticking pretty well to my daily sketchbook thing and will be putting up the digest tonight or tomorrow. But I like to highlight these anatomical ones :) (this week has been heavy on superhero sketching)



Wonky proportions again :\

[Sky]

This week's digest is up! I'm getting more comfortable with sketching every day, which is pretty cool.

https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/19/sketchbook-digest-5/

[Sky]

My second portrait is getting called done now. Still wet, oiled and poorly lit:



https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/21/wednesday-night-oils-8/

[Sky]

I guess I'm arting a lot lately. I'm kind of getting addicted the more I'm able to pull stuff off :)



Charcoal on newsprint, 18x24. First piece out of my home studio!

[Sky]

I guess I'm getting to the point where I'm just spamming the thread. Do you guys only want to see 'finished' pieces, just the paintings, or is it all enough already and shush? :)

Sketchbook digest was thin this week: https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/26/sketchbook-digest-6/ My favorite:



Hitting the studio again after finishing the King's Man, to keep the vibes flowing. Love having this spot in my house!

[apocrypha]

Sky, I actually really enjoy seeing all of it. In fact I particularly like the unfinished pieces, seeing the process is very informative. You're not spamming, you contributing content that at least 2 people find worth seeing. That's better than about 99% of the entire Politics forum. 

[Sky]

I did a quick test of three art apps for Android and an even quicker writeup 

https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/29/testing-out-android-apps/

Spoiler: my favorite is the Art Rage app, beautiful charcoal tools without the need to tweak them at all. Here's what I did my first try with two default charcoal tools:



But goddammit now I want the Surface Book that I cannot afford (Art Rage lags on my old Samsung).

[schild]

Surface book is superb. Surface Studio is the real though.

[Sky]

Dat 4 gees tho

[apocrypha]

I've got a Surface Pro 3, not the same I know, but there's noticeable lag drawing with the stylus. It's not huge, but it's enough to make drawing feel really off. I have however played with an IPad and Pencil and that's just lovely. Zero lag, smooth as silk, great feel.

[Sky]

Same app? The difference between the three apps I demo'd was significant. And the best app was also the most feature-rich with the most robust UI, so I'd imagine that had a lot to do with it, too.

[apocrypha]

No, diff apps, I hadn't realised that there was such a difference between them until I read your blog post.

Thing is, with the Surface, the lag is there in the OS - you can swirl the stylus around on the desktop and the pointer follows with a visible delay, so I can't see that any app would eliminate that. I'd really hope they'd ironed that out with the later models and especially the Studio, but I'd want a first hand look to be sure before shelling out money.

[Sky]

Good idea, didn't realize they were so far behind. My samsung note pro is from Feb 2014, ffs. The Sketchbook app has effectively no latency with the included s-pen. Haven't tried a wacom bamboo, though I'm considering picking one up.

[apocrypha]

I've got an Intuos that I've had for a few years that I use for photo editing, I love it, but the learning curve was pretty steep. Don't be tempted to get a large one unless you're really sure you need it, smaller ones are much easier to use and fit on your desk! 

[RhyssaFireheart]

Yeah, if you're thinking of getting a tablet, bigger isn't necessarily better. Smaller ones take up less space and for most users, you really don't need that big a drawing space.

I really should get a replacement stylus for the Wacom tablet I acquired a year ago.

[Sky]

Problem is, I draw big :) The bulk of my work until I started sketching daily has been 18x24.

[apocrypha]

Trust me it doesn't matter. I do Photoshop editing on a 27" monitor and I find my wife's A5 Bamboo easier to use than my A3 Intuos. Drawing on a PC with a graphics tablet is a very different experience from drawing on physical media.

[Sky]

Fiiiiiinally dragged the old lady for a night at the movies!

[Sky]

Was just going to do a quick sketch in the studio and got carried away...

[RhyssaFireheart]

Nice sketches, Sky.  Did you use a reference for K2 or do it from memory?

[Sky]

Nice sketches, Sky.  Did you use a reference for K2 or do it from memory?

Thanks! It's a late concept out of the Art of Rogue One book, I had to shrink it down quite a bit and change page orientation. Good practice!

I'm actually pretty happy with it, photos never really do justice to the subtleties and I banged it out in about an hour. Trying to maintain (and improve on) some speed from still life class. Got bogged down on the new still life, it was about an hour and a half. Getting into figure drawing in a couple weeks should push that another level!

[Sky]

My first digital painting, done in Corel Painter Mobile. And of course I instantly see an area I didn't finish :)

[schild]

My first digital painting, done in Corel Painter Mobile. And of course I instantly see an area I didn't finish :)

What is this, an art show for ants?

[Sky]

Yes.

[TheWalrus]

Anyone in here do clay sculpting, or know stuff about it? I'm looking to make 12 in figures that hold arms fairly well, and there's a buttload of different clays out there with descriptions I can't parse.

[Sky]

Are you using armatures? I don't sculpt but I know a lot of sculptors, mostly in miniature. This FB group run by the Shiflett Bros (google image search them!) is amazing for the topic: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1114208771968434/

Sandy Collora has also done some great FB livestreams on building armatures.

Not sure what is best for that size, a lot of people use monster clay for larger stuff.