New
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New
Greetings. This is an introduction of sorts. I just joined the forum and have been looking at your art. Gosh you are all very good. I will be a real honor getting feedback from you. I will promise to do my best to provide you with the best insight I can to your work as well. Here's looking forward to a great adventure learning with you. Hi Mike. J.
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Re: New
You are very welcome JayS, enjoy your time between our members (including myself 
).
I am happily looking at your nice drawing in here
I do like a lot movement, expression...
Your drawing is a great example.
I can feel the quietness of the Owl, that approaching in silence to catch the ... mouse?
I do fancy the background as well, it's making great illusion of the three dimension, nicely making me (the viewer) to focus on the main action ...
There's couple of areas that can be improved, but It's already very good looking drawing indeed.
Well done JayS.
).I am happily looking at your nice drawing in here
I do like a lot movement, expression...
Your drawing is a great example.
I can feel the quietness of the Owl, that approaching in silence to catch the ... mouse?
I do fancy the background as well, it's making great illusion of the three dimension, nicely making me (the viewer) to focus on the main action ...
There's couple of areas that can be improved, but It's already very good looking drawing indeed.
Well done JayS.
*History isn't there for You to like or dislike. It's there for You to learn from it. And if it offends you, even better. Because then You are less likely to repeat it. It's not yours to erase - It belongs to all of us...*
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Mike Sibley
- Site Admin
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Re: New
Welcome, Jay!
Super subject and a splendid drawing, although I felt something wasn't quite right. Despite the high contrast - or, perhaps, because of it - there are areas that appear to be flat. I finally tracked it down to there being too much white. That's especially true in areas that wouldn't naturally contain white, such as the twigs below the owl.
You're using darks in an excellent way. And leaving bright highlights that draw our attention, but the mid-values are often missing. That's affecting recession too. For example, your three trees are all the same bright, contrasty values. Dull the two right-hand trees, and the owl springs forwards.
I've had to take a quick-and-nasty approach due to lack of time today, So, I dulled all the whites and then erased through to your original. I did spend a few minutes working on one or two areas, but not as thoroughly as I'd wished.
Two local areas bothered me. The Owl's chest and it's body. The chest could be made to accept a shadow cast by the head. That both darkens it and gives dominance to the face. Darkening the chest also promotes the striking feet. I have to say that those feet - given that they are a very important part of your story - really do lack clarity. I know they're feet, but I couldn't make out which claws belong to which foot
The specked body has some shaping, but the white marks are the same bright value throughout. That makes the body look flat instead of rounded. Dull some of those down (as you did beneath the right-hand wing), and now that section curves away from the viewer.
I also dulled the broken stump that the mouse is on, except for areas that lead my eye up top the mouse. I'm sorry I didn't have time to do a "proper job", but I hope my suggestions make some sort of sense.
Super subject and a splendid drawing, although I felt something wasn't quite right. Despite the high contrast - or, perhaps, because of it - there are areas that appear to be flat. I finally tracked it down to there being too much white. That's especially true in areas that wouldn't naturally contain white, such as the twigs below the owl.
You're using darks in an excellent way. And leaving bright highlights that draw our attention, but the mid-values are often missing. That's affecting recession too. For example, your three trees are all the same bright, contrasty values. Dull the two right-hand trees, and the owl springs forwards.
I've had to take a quick-and-nasty approach due to lack of time today, So, I dulled all the whites and then erased through to your original. I did spend a few minutes working on one or two areas, but not as thoroughly as I'd wished.
Two local areas bothered me. The Owl's chest and it's body. The chest could be made to accept a shadow cast by the head. That both darkens it and gives dominance to the face. Darkening the chest also promotes the striking feet. I have to say that those feet - given that they are a very important part of your story - really do lack clarity. I know they're feet, but I couldn't make out which claws belong to which foot
The specked body has some shaping, but the white marks are the same bright value throughout. That makes the body look flat instead of rounded. Dull some of those down (as you did beneath the right-hand wing), and now that section curves away from the viewer.
I also dulled the broken stump that the mouse is on, except for areas that lead my eye up top the mouse. I'm sorry I didn't have time to do a "proper job", but I hope my suggestions make some sort of sense.
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LindasPencils
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Re: New
poor little mouse! Nothing to add, Mike and Pog said it all - except to say it is a good work and once you add those mid tones for recession that Mike suggests it will be a GREAT work!
Re: New
It's been a while but I bet you can see some changes. I appreciate your feedback and when I started following your advice I found more and more to do. I think there is a little more to do with the stump. But I thought an update was in order.
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Mike Sibley
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Re: New
OK - I'm deliberately NOT looking back at the previous image (apart from memory).
First. The owl is now undoubtably the centre of interest; the real focus. And those sharp claws look as though they're about to grab something. And I like that the "something" isn't instantly visible - but it's also not lost in the stump. The stump's sharp details and bright values do a good job of distracting the eye from the mouse - but, once seen, it's easy to separate it out.
I suspect the mass of twigs beneath the owl was once a problem, but no longer. They're there as "supporting actors" and definitely not a distraction. You've created space and distance between them and the owl.
Sorry - I'm working on the next RECESSION AND DEPTH video and my mind keeps wanting to look at everything that way, at present
Also, I've been trying to resist saying this... but I lost the fight
Try to not outline things. Instead, see if you can use value changes to describe edges, because that's how we see them in real life.
Finally - the owl has a solid feel of three-dimensional form now, although the underside of the left-hand wing troubles me a little. I feel it should have similar values to the underside of the right-hand wing - especially between the head and the half-way point.
First. The owl is now undoubtably the centre of interest; the real focus. And those sharp claws look as though they're about to grab something. And I like that the "something" isn't instantly visible - but it's also not lost in the stump. The stump's sharp details and bright values do a good job of distracting the eye from the mouse - but, once seen, it's easy to separate it out.
I suspect the mass of twigs beneath the owl was once a problem, but no longer. They're there as "supporting actors" and definitely not a distraction. You've created space and distance between them and the owl.
Sorry - I'm working on the next RECESSION AND DEPTH video and my mind keeps wanting to look at everything that way, at present
Also, I've been trying to resist saying this... but I lost the fight
Try to not outline things. Instead, see if you can use value changes to describe edges, because that's how we see them in real life. Finally - the owl has a solid feel of three-dimensional form now, although the underside of the left-hand wing troubles me a little. I feel it should have similar values to the underside of the right-hand wing - especially between the head and the half-way point.
Re: New
Where did it go? I had written a response to Mike's comments that just disappeared. Hopefully my computer will just die and I can get a new one that works.
Mike. Thank you! I can see dramatic differences. I've also spent a couple of additional hours on this. I have now stopped so that I can look. I'm glad you couldn't resist commenting on lines. This summer, on a road trip, I was listening to a book about Leonardo DaVinchi. The author stated that Leonardo was the first painter to eliminate lines in his work. So you hit the nail square on the head. I think I just follow the outline I begin the drawing with and trap myself by NOT THINKING about using values to define edges. While working on this piece I found myself eliminating a lot of lines, especially among the sticks. I did it to primarily increase the 3D look of the sticks. I also find myself developing a checklist to evaluate my work with as I progress. Use values to define edges will be one of the items on the list.
There are two drawings that follow the mouse on the stump. The magic of automatic shutters on cameras take images every tenth of a second. The second image is just after the owl caught the mouse.
The third image is when the Owl has settled in a tree for lunch. These are both WIPS with a lot of progress to be made yet. Number 3 begs for an answer to the question of what background? It also sets up the possibility of disappearing some edges of the owl to blend it into the background. Something to think about.
Mike. Thank you! I can see dramatic differences. I've also spent a couple of additional hours on this. I have now stopped so that I can look. I'm glad you couldn't resist commenting on lines. This summer, on a road trip, I was listening to a book about Leonardo DaVinchi. The author stated that Leonardo was the first painter to eliminate lines in his work. So you hit the nail square on the head. I think I just follow the outline I begin the drawing with and trap myself by NOT THINKING about using values to define edges. While working on this piece I found myself eliminating a lot of lines, especially among the sticks. I did it to primarily increase the 3D look of the sticks. I also find myself developing a checklist to evaluate my work with as I progress. Use values to define edges will be one of the items on the list.
There are two drawings that follow the mouse on the stump. The magic of automatic shutters on cameras take images every tenth of a second. The second image is just after the owl caught the mouse.
The third image is when the Owl has settled in a tree for lunch. These are both WIPS with a lot of progress to be made yet. Number 3 begs for an answer to the question of what background? It also sets up the possibility of disappearing some edges of the owl to blend it into the background. Something to think about.
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LindasPencils
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Re: New
Wow! I like what you are doing here Jay. Although I do feel for that poor little mouse - but at least Mr. Owl is getting a good dinner.
Re your question on image 3, background or not. Personally I have a rule... plan your background before you start. Adding a background at this stage if you do not have that vision already in your mind can lead to disappointment.
In your first image, I find that your background there somewhat detracts from the main image of the attacking owl. It doesn't recede enough for my taste - a bit to high contrast/blacks and not enough recession. Mike has already mentioned this above.
So I would caution you about #3 to keep the background 'less' rather than 'more' if you are going to do it. Adding a background now will totally alter how you view the darks and lights of the finished owl. He is very nicely drawn and your particular style shines here
... in a nutshell... I like it on the white!
Re your question on image 3, background or not. Personally I have a rule... plan your background before you start. Adding a background at this stage if you do not have that vision already in your mind can lead to disappointment.
In your first image, I find that your background there somewhat detracts from the main image of the attacking owl. It doesn't recede enough for my taste - a bit to high contrast/blacks and not enough recession. Mike has already mentioned this above.
So I would caution you about #3 to keep the background 'less' rather than 'more' if you are going to do it. Adding a background now will totally alter how you view the darks and lights of the finished owl. He is very nicely drawn and your particular style shines here
... in a nutshell... I like it on the white!
