Critique Request Drawing for critique

[RDP]

JJ, for me is not just whether the design looks ok or not, if I had not posted the first drawings and gone ahead and cut it, I would have been disappointed once again, because , as hard to believe as it may seem to you guys with your trained eyes , I did not see all the mistakes that where pointed out to me, to me it looked nice and ready to cut I have done lots of practice cutting but my focus now is on drawing it right from the beginning, thanks JJ for taking your time to comment,

Cloudy, I have you to thank for trying planes, I have seen most of your fine work, you're the one that got me started on them, thank you,

Beathard, it sure works!! thanks, I know is not perfect, yet , but I keep trying to improve it,
Richard,

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Richard

There are a few things that need attention.

This is where it gets to the nit picking stage and small things start to make a difference.


1. A few scrolls need attention

2. The way the scrolls connect. You have almost come off the preceding scroll in a straight line with only a very slight curve. This will stand out like dogs balls when you have finished the work............they need to curve more as I have shown. Practice that on a separate piece of paper.

3. The scrolls on the left hand side are over extended.

4. The four overlapping scrolls in the middle.........by all means try to make it work. But the net result will be that area will be hard to get looking right and will be extremely busy compared to the rest of the design. I would suggest the main two scrolls overlapping. Learn to walk before you run. Complex design come together after learning the basics of simple designs.

Attached are a few things to think about. As I said, they are small things but it is these things that separate the professionals from the amateurs. Once you have the foundations correct, then you can start filling with leaves.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Beathard]

Dogs balls? Good edits Andrew. This is going to look very good when cut.

 

[RDP]

Dogs balls? Good edits Andrew. This is going to look very good when cut.

Not for the dog :biggrin:

The way the scrolls connect. You have almost come off the preceding scroll in a straight line with only a very slight curve

Thanks Andrew, hang on a minute,........

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRGH!!, I know what you're saying, I know this about the scrolls, to be honest I thought about it as I was drawing them,( I shouldn't have thought, I should've just fixed them) I thought they where ok, it will sink in one of this days, Ok, is part of the learning process , I will start again,

Once you have the foundations correct, then you can start filling with leaves.

Yeah!, that's going to be another mission :biggrin:


thanks again,
Richard.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

I know, I know.........we all have denial fantasies where we think that for some reason nobody will notice or the fairies will fix it when we aren't looking.

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt and the video

Always work by the rule......if it looks wrong, then it is wrong, so fix it immediately. There's no way around that one. Goodness knows I've tried often enough

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Beathard]

Dogs balls?

 

[RDP]

I know, I know.........we all have denial fantasies where we think that for some reason nobody will notice or the fairies will fix it when we aren't looking.

:biggrin:

Always work by the rule......if it looks wrong, then it is wrong, so fix it immediately. There's no way around that one. Goodness knows I've tried often enough

Thanks, Noted:


Note to self, READ THE BLOODY NOTES!!

Richard.

 

[RDP]

One more time

Here it is again , hope the scrolls are OK now, But , I am a bit worried at the 2 main scrolls, there is a big empty space to fill in them which at this stage don't know how to go about it, another scroll there would probably be better than trying to fill it with just leaves? now nit pick it ,
thanks for your time,
Richard.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Richard

Much better. There are a couple of scrolls that still need attention. It's mainly the two large scrolls coming off the centre scrolls. They need to taper in a bit more like your large centre scrolls and this will allow for a bit more room to place the leaves properly. .........but you can adjust them as you go. As you add the leaves sometimes you find that you need to adjust the head of the scrolls slightly to accommodate them...........This is all part of the refining process.

Personally speaking, I would make those two centre scrolls touch at the bottom. That way you close the gap.

The two large scrolls, can always have another smaller scroll inside them to help break down the area. Try it and see what it looks like. An alternative would be to form the leaves but break the leaves down a bit.

So now you are ready for the leaves. Take your time and draw lightly as they will need adjusting. They always do

Cheers
Andrew

 

[RDP]

Thanks Andrew, I will be out of action tomorrow, but I will get on them asap, I really appreciate you taking the time for this,
cheers,
Richard.

 

[RDP]

Here is where I am at, struggling with the leaves :biggrin:, this is just a practice run, not the finished product in my mine at this stage, just trying to draw some good leaves, and again, I can appreciate a good leaf design when I see it, but drawing them to look nice is a mission , so I just keep looking and drawing, than comes the shading , what do you think?
thanks for looking
Richard.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Richard

Pretty darn good. I can see you have put a lot of thought and effort into that.

I've attached something for you to think about when you are draing leaves.

The first is running the leaf along the scroll backbone........the leaves should curl in toward the scroll head

The second is when you have large leaves in comparison to all the other leaves. Break them down a bit and add a bit more shape to them.......shading will also help disguise them.

Dont worry about drawing the shading into the design, it will drive you nuts and confuse the hell out of you!!. On a separate piece of paper, take a leaf from your drawing, draw it bigger and then practice shading.

Keep the faith, keep drawing, keep refining, keep cutting till it all becomes second nature..........Your doing well and have come a long way

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Marrinan]

Richard, take a close look at Shawn Didyoung's excellent shading. His evolution in shading is prenominal. Blow up his work and study line placement. The life he brings to his leaf and pedal work is something well worth any time you can put into study. I would sure like to watch him do the sequence of a single leaf or pedal one cut at a time with comments on the thought process of his ideas on line placement. Now that would be some valuable insight on the illusion of 3D. Fred

 

[thughes]

Fred,
Shawn did a flower petal shading video a while back. Can't remember when exactly, but it was really good.

Todd

 

[rayf24]

Richard I will have to do a knockoff of this when you show final design :biggrin: I like big time getting better with each post

Ray

 

[Willem Parel]

Fred,
Shawn did a flower petal shading video a while back. Can't remember when exactly, but it was really good.

Todd

Here you go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OucMoMuHpaI

 

[rod]

Richard,

"so I just keep looking and drawing"

That focus is time very well spent for all of us, and I hope your time-line of drawings is showing you the improvement, 'pretty darn good', to quote Andrew, and he and others are giving us all good advice. I am impressed, seeing you apply those tips to good advantage. Keep that pencil sharp!

When it finally comes time to do some cutting, the very long border cut must be recognized as non-trivial. I see many a nice cutting job on the artwork of a piece, but looking at the borders is sometimes where you see the Achilles heel. That long and graceful perimeter of the plane will be an eye catcher if the geometry is poor, and if it is well cut, the focus will go immediately to your art work, which is what you want. Sam A has a nice tip on cutting border lines that I have re-read to advantage.

Best wishes!

Rod

 

[Marrinan]

I think I have watched all his videos. He does an excellent job. Would still like to watch him and hear his commentary on the why of his cutting. I really admire his work and the life he pumps into his floral work. Fred

 

[rayf24]

Richard you would do well to save a file of Shawn's work AKA The Shademister I have and study them closely really top shelf shading in my humble opinion and then he makes a comment like (some shading practice ) God help us all if he get good at it I think if Shawn posted that he has mastered shading I will sell my stuff and go fishing. :biggrin:
Ray

 

[RDP]

:banana::banana::banana:
Andrew, now you've got me doing the banana dance thank you for your guidance and tips( all taken on board ), and for your encouraging words, yes I have put in a lot of thought and effort into this as I will for any future designs, I know I have a loooong !! way to go, but I do want to become good at it eventually ,
hope this helps other newbies as well,

Keep the faith, keep drawing, keep refining, keep cutting till it all becomes second nature..........Your doing well and have come a long way

Cheers
Andrew

Will do, thanks

Marrinan


Richard, take a close look at Shawn Didyoung's excellent shading. His evolution in shading is prenominal

Yes, that will be my next study once I am happy with the leaves, I have seen his video,
thanks,

rayf24


Richard I will have to do a knockoff of this when you show final design

Ray, it will cost you,( psst! a couple of cigaweeds will do it)

"so I just keep looking and drawing"

That focus is time very well spent for all of us, and I hope your time-line of drawings is showing you the improvement, 'pretty darn good', to quote Andrew, and he and others are giving us all good advice. I am impressed, seeing you apply those tips to good advantage. Keep that pencil sharp!

Rod, I do see some improvement with my drawings, and I believe if anybody with the knowledge and reputation of this kind people takes the time to look at my efforts, and give advise and tips to improve me, I better take notice
Pencil sharp and ready

I know what you mean about the border also, I will look for Sam's border tip, thanks Rod,

Ray, have you nothing to do? I just answered your previous post , now I have another to answer while I am still typing :biggrin:

rayf24

Richard you would do well to save a file of Shawn's work AKA The Shademister I have and study them closely really top shelf shading in my humble opinion and then he makes a comment like (some shading practice ) God help us all if he get good at it I think if Shawn posted that he has mastered shading I will sell my stuff and go fishing.
Ray

that's so true, I'll be happy to be half that good

Tank you all,
Richard.