This was fun! I feel like I have done this so much that I needed to spice it up some. I think I have good control built up but I know that I need to slow down more in projects to utilize it. Exercises like this help show how much you should pace yourself well. One extra thing I think that is good is writing in all caps! That has shown me over time that you can absolutely fix your bad hand writing if you have good line control.

Went for a Mantis character. I have trouble with keeping a expressive face when I jump into rendering.

I tried my best to draw a good representation of the thing I was drawing. I had a very hard time with the VR girl. My positional representation really needs work.

That hand ain't right ill tell you what.

Part 2. These references were more complex but also more accessible. Heads are something that many artists go out of their way to improve, so it was easier to start with basic construction. For part 2, I decided to draw perspective boxes first, and I believe that this helped the proportions stay much more in line. I also tried to stay away from values and only used them to highlight the pupils of Skelly. For the first time in a while, I started to see where I could simplify forms to make them more stylized and found overlapping tangents during drawing instead of after.

In the first level, I explored alternative methods of utilizing lines to depict the scene. I experimented with varying the thickness of the contour lines to define form, shadow, and texture. I resisted the urge to meticulously draw every detail, such as the laces or the texture of the slug and wood. I endeavored to provide structure to the primary forms by employing bolder lines, prioritizing their overall definition rather than capturing every visible edge. The most striking aspect of this approach was the unusual sensation of not meticulously connecting each line. However, this technique proved effective, yielding superior results without the need for subsequent cleanup. Moving forward to the second level, I intend to incorporate a rough sketch as a preliminary step to enhance the accuracy of proportions. Additionally, I plan to omit the depiction of values and lighting, with the exception of ambient occlusion. By adopting this approach, I anticipate a simplified workflow that will facilitate the full process at a later stage.

This exercise is so good for seeing eclipse mistakes. I realized I tend to have a bulge at the top right of my circles. I like how, as I went on, the mushrooms did get easier and more fun. Playing around with proportions can change so much. Oh, and here is a great link if you want to practice circles. https://neal.fun/perfect-circle/

This assignment made me realize that years of art school did not sufficiently prepare me to be good at this one fundamental concept. By the second pear, I was excited to see the results because I felt like I had a consistent process in considering all of the forms. Once I got into the portrait, however, I struggled to design simple shapes while keeping proportions and perspective. I failed in simplification because I fell back into just drawing what I saw instead of laying down a replicable foundation of guidelines. I need to break the habit of symbolizing facial features into what I have seen other artists do and simplify them my way. I'll watch the critique videos now and see what I can apply. I wish I would have signed up for the class when it was live!

Draw along. Shapes are a cheat code for drawing something you can't see. I can't believe I went this long without really thinking about them. It's essential for communicating clearly.