DrawWithMike.net

This one almost did me in. It started with the photo of this Elk Family that I found captivating. It surely isn't a familiar scene as he has many wives. But the environment of the scene was not right, at least in my mind. I'm sure they wouldn't agree. So I went with my limited patience of a search elk kind of scenes and I came up with this one. Anyway after almost two months of not liking it, not having the technical ability to fix it and barely touched it for weeks, it's done, finished over and out. Now, I'm actually not ashamed of it but I know I will never have the patience and desire to spend the time trying. So a lesson for all us who see these incredible pencil drawings on the online groups, enjoy what you do. Ya Right
On to my next

Venting is good. Let's take another look. First, you have some pretty dog gone good technical skills. We know this because we have enjoyed many of your past efforts. Second, This is a story. It is a story worth your telling. I wish that you would ground this story with shadows. Shadows would help you make sense of the story. Especially the calf in the shadow of mom and between the bull and the cow. When the cows come in heat again and still have a calf hanging around, she will often drive the young one away. The need for procreation is too great to have the calf in the way. Shadows on the ground under the bull and the cow would anchor the animals. Third, it is not your technical skills that are short it is what you are seeing that really matters here. The foreground hints at the possibilities of creating depth if only the large leafed plants were just a little darker. Then creating a gradient of values in the background could lead us as the viewers into the distance. You would have a fantastic three-dimensional work. And finally, there is the issue of where the light is coming from. Light on the animals illuminates their left side. The trees in the background are illuminated from the right side.
Having said these things remember I am only telling you what I see. I am not telling you what to do. Those choices are yours. One last thought is that you have all of the skills necessary to make this work sing. Thank you for sharing your frustrations with us. In doing this you help us improve our art. Joy is in the journey!

It's stunning masterpiece for sure rideum51.
I'm impressed with details, and your *limited patience, that is very obvious on the detail you've put to draw the *family...
Very rich blacks do a great job in here!
Well done!
I can see the background to be kind of like from different story.
It's texture, blacks/lights suggest me to read it as it was scratched instead...
Very interesting!
It's like connecting two different techniques to create an art to me.
And I like it!
It makes the whole picture more like an artistic approach, not like a simply copy of the reference.
Well done

JayS your comment regarding the shadows is right on. When you compose a picture as this one was I forgot about the lighting and the need to add the shadows cast by the elk superimposed on the scene. good observation. I guess my frustration was really in the foreground it would be easy to darken the large leaves a bit but the foliage behind doesn't really represent anything.
Pog thanks for your encouragement. I'll keep working on it.