Let’s take it into the full block-in! Before getting into this, make sure to watch Part 1 and Part 2. Steps Get a reference image. Enlarge canvas to 200% width. Create a new layer and indicate your placement marks: top, bottom, left, right. Double-check the lines you’ve drawn. Move them, refine them, until they look perfect. Erase the […]
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Accuracy Training (Part 2 of 3)
Here we add the difficulty of making the drawing a different size than the reference. Steps Get a reference image. Enlarge canvas to 200% width. Make a new layer and draw a simple shape to estimate how big your drawing will be. Use a light line! Do your placement: top, bottom, left, right. Double-check the lines you’ve drawn. Move […]
Accuracy Training (Part 1 of 3)
This is an effective way to develop your accuracy, with immediate feedback on how well you did! Steps Get a reference image. Enlarge canvas to 200% width. Create a new layer and indicate placement marks on the reference image: top, bottom, left, right. On the empty side of the canvas, do your placement: top, bottom, left, right. Double-check […]
How to Improve Shape Design
Are your drawings feeling stiff and awkward? The solution might be in the shape design!
Let’s take a look at what makes great shapes.
Where to Study Imaginative Realism?
Schools Concept Design Academy, Los Angeles, CA Watts Atelier, Encinitas, CA Ani Art Academies Waichulis, Bear Creek Twp., PA Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, Los Angeles, CA Les Gobelins, Paris, France Rev Art Academy, San Diego, CA Workshops & Events Illustration Master Class, Amherst, MA (July) IlluXcon, Reading, PA (October) Spectrum Fantastic Art Live, […]
I have a creative block. How can I get out of it?
Short answer: Shut up and start. Just start. Now. Longer answer: I feel your pain, I’ve been there many times. Take a look at “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron and “The War of Art” by Stephen Pressfield. Both are about freeing yourself from creative blocks. The first is more gentle, the second is more […]
How can I learn perspective? It’s not fun!
For learning perspective, the most entertaining class I know about is by Marshall Vandruff. I’ve studied with him a bit and he’s a masterful teacher. Preview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-TokC2XdCw Course: marshallart.com/news/blog/all-products/all-videos/1994-perspective-drawing-series If that doesn’t resonate, I’d jump into 3D! Playing with SketchUp and ZBrush/Sculptris has helped me a lot to get a more intuitive sense of perspective. […]
What’s the difference between .ztl and .zpr files in ZBrush?
.ztl = ZTtool This saves just your sculpt (the ztool), including subtools. .zpr = ZProject This saves all all the ztools that are currently loaded, including undo history, document background color, spotlight images, etc. Which one to choose? For small file size, use .ztl. For saving your entire “workspace” and undo history, use .zpr.
How can I get better at composition?
For many artists, the topic of composition is elusive. What makes a good composition? How do I know what changes to make to my image to improve it? There are principles of visual perception that can guide this decision-making. Below are a few ways to better understand these. As you study and learn these mechanics of composition, I invite you to also keep following your […]
ZBrush Plaster Cast Study
Instructions Create a digital version of a plaster cast, matching the original sculpture as closely as possible. You will need both the physical sculpture as well as reference photographs. I recommend starting with the Nose, then Mouth, then Eye, then Ear. Goals Practice a foundational sculpting workflow. Learn how to work with reference images. Create a final render. Challenges Match […]