Welcome to the first Drawing Challenge of Drawspace!

All levels of drawing are encouraged to participate!

The goal of this thread is to enable and encourage individuals to practice their drawing skills, learn new techniques and have fun! If you just want to sketch that’s fine. If you want to create a complex, detailed drawing, that’s great too. You will get out of this what you want. The references used are from my own personal reference library of images that I have photographed and I release them here as not under copyright, meaning you can use them as you wish for drawing. The images will be posted in the Inspirational Gallery for free use after they are posted in this thread.

You will be challenged by some aspect of all references most likely as you all will have different strengths and weaknesses in your ability to translate the images to paper.

Reminder:

This is a DRAWING challenge. Therefore please confine your artistic endeavours to some form of drawing: graphite, coloured pencil, pen and ink or charcoal.

There is no ruling on what size your final drawing or sketch should be. Smaller, sketchbook sizes will provide a smaller file size which is easier for loading onto the thread.

If you would like assistance or advice, please ask for it and I will be more than willing to try to guide you.

This challenge will last for two weeks. At that time, all challenge drawings should be submitted to this thread.

I have offered three reference images to choose from. The tomatoes are from my greenhouse, a day old chick is one of the broilers that we raise and the grain elevator is in Pense, Saskatchewan which I photographed on my trip there in May. If you would like ,I can grayscale them. Seeing the images in black and white gives a better sense of values when first starting off. It can easily be done in most graphic manipulation programs such as Adobe Photoshop and others.

I have kept the images to simple shapes that still provide challenges. Block out your basic shapes first then work the details into them, rechecking proportion and measurement against other reference points in your drawing.

TIPS: Negative space will be a useful tool when drawing any of these references to help you form shapes but especially in the image of the tomatoes. My fingers are foreshortened as I hold the baby chick. Draw them as you see them and use your shading to sculpt the forms. Don't forget to check your perspective if you draw the grain elevator.

annnnnd were off! ^_____^

awesome all my equipment is in college though, and I won't be in there for another week.. so I'll get mine done next weekend

Great reference pics IslanderNL. I'll pick out mine this evening and get started. One tip for the grain elevator is that the power lines point to the Vanishing Point. What better help can you get than that. Just think how far away that point would be and viola! all your lines will be practically drawn for you.

Eric

Jeanette - your subject choices are fantabulous!!! WOW!!! Thank you so very very much!

I can't wait to see all the wonderful drawings that will soon be posted!!!

Brenda

For those who don't have the services available, I have provided the additional conversions for the pics. I have done one set in Grayscale and another in Line drawing. Use either of these you like to help you create your drawings. Again, remember, if you are challenging yourself, use the appropriate help file for your particular skill level.

Eric

Sweet!!! I think its great there is more than one refrence photo to choose from. Eric, thanks for doing the pictures like that it does make it alot easier to see where and how to start drawing them for some. I can't wait to start. I just need to go in the no zone and wake hub up to get some printer paper to print out the photo's so I can choose a picture to draw. They are all so good I might try all...LOL who knows...time is an issue.
~Venus~

Thank you Brenda. Its always difficult decided on reference images that you hope will lbe useful for a large range of skill levels. I am looking forward to seeing everyone's drawings too.

Thanks for converting the reference photos to greyscale Eric. It is easier to see the values when the images are greyed.

As for the line drawings, they will help people see the outlines, however, I wouldn't want to encourage people to trace from them as it really doesn't help you learn if you do that. You need to develop the skills to create the shapes by sight and techniques as opposed to tracing the lines of an object. Tracing can have its place, but developing your brain/eye/hand coordination is much more important a skill to learn. And that comes with practice.

Islander you know I really like the grain elevater picture and think it just may be the peicture I need for my class project I have to send in. Now if I just study a little more and figure out all of the point and stuff I just may ace that subject too...LOL great pictures by the way. I don't remember if I said that before. Perspective drawing is hard!!! Wahhhhh!! LOL

I couldn't wait to crank up the comp. today to see our challenge.Great selection can't wait to start.2 weeks you say,that gives me just enough time before I travel to the other side for a couple of weeks.(East coast of Australia) not another dimension.Goodluck everyone...Lorrir.p.s squint squint and more squint.

...This is a great challenge...



I am glad you have mentioned the purpose of the challenge, as freehand drawing, using our talent and skills alone...
... not using drawing aides, as it defeats the purpose of drawing, and also, they disguise the artists' touch and style, that make us all different and unique...

Thanks for the images...I'm game

Regards

Please everyone, don't get me wrong that I posted the line drawings to use as tracing or printing out and filling in (i.e. coloring book). This was only done for you to reference your own drawing against in order to ensure your proportions are correct. I would be the last to provide someone an aid to buck the system.

Please, use this opportunity to develop your skill as this challenge is not a "Mine is better than yours!" format. We only want to see you actively put your skills you're learning here to good use.

It is rather hard to think about what to draw, and we are taking that part away from you for the time being. You will see soon enough all the variable styles from the collaboration of many artists drawing from the same reference. The other good part is that someone is here all the time to give you a quick answer to your drawing questions while you undertake your project. Sort of a mentor/coaching environment.

Don't be afraid to post some of your beginning drawings as well. Members are full of encouraging comments, and it also helps others gather the ambition to get started.

Eric

fraid i'm gonna have to call it a day with this one - I'm going away for a week and I have stuff to sort out I figured I'll post what I have. I'll finish one when I get back

just biro

Eric, what a wonderfully grovelling appology, lol
The black and whites are a good starting point, and the lines are good for reference.
For those who are not so confident with there linework, it's a great help, plus proportion and perspective are easily seen.
Don't be too hard on yourself mate, we all know you did it for the right reasons.

What a wonderful first challenge you have provided IslanderNL, something for everyone. No picture of Eric in his speedo's for J-lynn though, dissapointed.lol

Well done and i shall be trying my best....now where did i put my tracing paper? ha ha.

RJS

Venus, you can do this perspective. Just remember to extend your lines to the vanishing point and it should work out well. Do your initial drawing on rough paper, then place a piece of tracing paper over your drawing and transfer the 'good' lines to then transfer from your tracing paper to another piece and continue with shading and details.

I know you were trying to help Eric. I appreciate that. Yes line drawings do help people see the major shapes in an image. To show your good intent you should post a picture of you in your Speedos though - just for J-Lynn of course...lol

Lizzeh, I love this drawing and the crop. Its very strong and loose. Just wonderful! And a simple pen too - great work. Just made me think that people should try to remember to tell us what their paper choice and medium are in their drawings.

Great to have you join in Humanoid! Thanks.

RJS, all tracing paper has been confiscated, to be returned at the end of the challenge.

I did the 'bird in the hand' image too. Its done with Rapidograph pen, 8 x 5 Canson sketch book.

[attachmentid=133]

i am in, this looks like fun.
Lori

Hi Lori, great to see you join the challenge. I look forward to seeing your work.

Just a note for people adding replies. I'm not sure how much bandwidth Brenda has for this site and wonder about the 'quotes' where I see full postings being displayed again eating up space. Perhaps an admin could clarify how much space is here so we don't use it up needlessly when replying to posts.

I would say that you just want to say a few words then hit 'REPLY' if you want to quote a part of a post, then use 'QUOTE' and edit out the part of the post that you don't need. Just a suggestion.

This should be very fun! I can't wait to do it. I'll probably end up choosing the tomatoes or the hand with the baby bird in it....or both. I'll have to come back and start after I get off of work.

I've chosen a crop of the tomatoes but it's going slowly as usual for me.

I agree with Jeanette about the quotes in posts and I'd also like to request that people resize their drawings if at all possible. I know this will sometimes distort details but it's really such a PITA for us dial-up users to have to wait for quotes with the images plus the image of the person posting. Unfortunately, dsl and cable aren't available to us in the boonies and satellite is not a viable option for us either. We're stuck with dial-up until the phone company deems us worthy of putting in dsl lines ut here.

Oh, I honestly didn't want to see Eric in his Speedo - he's not gonna knock me out of the drawing! lol

J

this is a great challenge Im in. please eric no speedos

Hi Jeanette,
So glad you've set this up. I'm thinking of doing the chick in cp but the the tomatoes - ah, lovely picture.

Bernice

Wow this contest looks like fun!... i really like the chick in hand picture but all we have been doing in drawing class at school is drawing hands lol so i need a break ... i think i am going to do the tomatoes if i have time

Also the two pics that have already been shown are AWESOME!!

Hi Bernice, great to see you here! Any of these references are a shoo-in for you to do!

Great that you can join in Colleen. Yes hands are the classic, aren't they? The tomatoes are fun to do and will give you a well needed break from hands!

Hey whats wrong with the speedo's? Just make sure to shave first...LMAO

Islander I will try that for the perspective drawing thanks!!!!!

Yes the pictures posted so far are amazing! I guess I get to be the diffrent one and try the grain elevator. All well was always told I was diffrent.
Everyone keep up the good work!!!

VENUS Am with you i cant do perspective to safe my life i hope i will get there!
what art course are you doing VENUS ?

Hmm, I'll try and make something as close as I can to your level of drawing.. I need some distraction from my life anyway, so this came at just the right time...

These are great! Thanks!

I'm curious; this is this only limited to traditional elements or can digital illustrators also take part? I'd like to reinforce and practice my skills using software. If that's not an option, I'll take a stab at it using pencil and paper. Thanks in advance for the clarification!

Come on Guys! Cute chicks and ripe tomato are nice(especially when one is fried and the other is sliced)but let's see some manly dirt,wood,metal,grass,powerlines and thunderstorms here!!!

Hi! Brenda & Islander are more or less in charge of this contest so I can't answer your question but I would think it would be fine. As a digital painter who does everything from scratch, I know that drawing on the computer is very similar to drawing on paper. To me, it's like the difference between using colored pencils, graphite or ink - just another medium. But, we can make up some rules if you like! lol No "undo" (you have to use the eraser like everyone else), no tracing/cloning (that's already been established) and you have to approach the drawing as if it were on paper!

Seriously, just hang on & someone who knows the rules better than I do will be along shortly, I'm sure. If it's not allowed, there's nothing to stop you from practicing on your own digitally then also making a graphite or ink or c/p drawing for the thread here.

J

Gocilla, wonderful drawing that you've posted! What is the medium that you used? It looks a bit like a digital drawing. Forgive me if I'm wrong. It would be really useful if everyone posted the medium, support and the size of their drawing when they put it in the thread.

Venus, I'm trying the grain elevator too. Just managed to muck up the perspective once more. lol its getting there. Just as well we have two weeks to do it!

Xanthos, nothing like some drawing to take your mind off life. Welcome.

Hi Matrael, the challenge was designed for traditional hand drawing, but if computer graphics are what you do, then by all means try it in that. Drawing is drawing, whether on a computer or by hand, provided of course you're drawing from scratch on your graphics tablet and not starting with a shadow or outline image.

Ted, I hope you're doing one of those manly drawings lol. Seems we'll have a perspective challenge on the grain elevator image.

I knew you'd get a quick reply!

Actually, I had just popped in to say what a great job everyone is doing so far! I think we have a lot of talent here.

Hey everybody, you gotta admit that is "one cute chick"! Well, I'm off to get my bikini wax done in preparation for the big photo session. Anyway, it oughta be a real knock-out drawing session, with lots of gazing to do. And don't anybody bring up any squinting jokes!

I like the participation this challenge is getting. Everyone is getting all revved up for it. Like they just threw new meat into the Tiger cage. Some of you just have no life, being able to submit your pics in such record time. Heck, IslandBaby only posted them yesterday! So, for your penalty, you all must do 25 pushups and then start on the next drawing. I know, changing diapers is a priority, but getting that second or third drawing done is the real day brightener!

Submissions:
Lizzeh: Excellent job on the little chick, good crop! You are exempt from pushups due to your agenda.
IslanderNL: Super job on the drawing. You have a good command of the hatch/crosshatch technique.
Gocilla: Wonderful darks in your rendition. Did you use charcoal?
MWS: Wow! All three done and posted in your Gallery! You have great thick/thin line drawing skills that I've been admiring for some time now. Just for your quickness you have 75 pushups, and must redo all three in a different style!

Great job everybody! As you can see there are many ways in which these same refs can be rendered. There's even more to come!

Eric

I am very new to this website and think this is a cool excercise. I will be doing the one with the building in it because I really love perspective. Keep a look out for what I post when I'm done and let me know what you think.

UKArtist I am taking an Online Career School Course. It is an Artist program through Penn-Foster Career School. So far I have completed 3 exams and have aced them but the perspective unit is much more of a challenge. I am trying though.

Islander...I have finished the Grain Elevator. Luckily the kids were pretty good today and stayed out of my hair for me to accomplish something productive. I didn't do the perspective points though. I get really confused with it. I have no problem with just drawing though. So anyways here it is for all to see. Think I will also try my hand at the other two refrence photos though being as how I have free time tomorrow with all of the kids in school now. (except the baby...she has about 4 more yrs to go..lol)

Ohh yes I did the drawing with just a regular #2 pencil and white sketch book paper.

[attachmentid=151] [attachmentid=150]

I cropped in on the chick. I tried to draw the entire picture. But instead of sitting in front of my monitor and reference the image, I printed it out. It printed sort of small so I loss some detail. I used a standard pencil and a blending stick. I like the detail I got in the top fingers and chick. I don't care for the bottom hand/thumb. If I could ever find my drawing pencils, I'd probably go back and darken the background.

wow JohnnyInc i love the top drawing

Can i ask what is the dead line date for this? so i can aim for it!

Great tackle on that tricky perspective reference Venus! You have a very brooding, dramatic drawing there. It is more complex than it looks and takes some careful observation and a bit of technical drawing to get the architectural lines just right. Later today or tonight, I'll go over the drawing with some reference lines to show you just where the vanishing point is and how the roof lines connect and where the building sections tie in.

Most of the time you can get away without the technical aspects of perspective, but in a building like this it really needs to be done to make the angles correct and it to look real.

Hatefulcrawdad (what is your real name?) I'll be sure to watch for your drawings here.

JohnnyInc, this is lovely. I love the softness of the chick against the stronger form of the hands. Beautiful work.

UKartist the deadline to submit a drawing to this thread is Saturday October 14th. The next challenge will go up on October 15th.

just a quickie .. i think my chick has an attitude

Wow! You all are so good and so fast! Great jobs all the way around! As usual, I got bored with drawing & hurried the last bits but here it is. I used regular 2b pencil for the most part but tried my new 8b(?) in the dark areas. It's on a cream-colored pastel paper.

[attachmentid=145]

(edited attachment)

C & C welcome - I'm here to learn!

Thanks Tehobu, I think I've fixed it.

J

i didnt think about using a heavier pencil in the background of mine .. will have to try that next time .. i started doing a tom but looked more like an apple by the time i had finished... great picture by the way ..

Excellent drawing J-Lynn, it looks wonderful.

Hey, I feel a little intimidated. You guys are so good at this. I'm only a beginner, and I need help with my shading in particular. I thought about crosshatching on this, but I didn't even know how to go about it. I used a 4b drawing pencil and a graphite stick on regular ol' compooter paper.

thats pretty fantastic as a beginner ... im just a heavy shader

Sorry, I forgot... Yes, it's a digital drawing, I did it by wacom A5 tablet and Photoshop. I used different sizes of hard round brush and a smudge tool for shading.

OK,This is my 2 cent worth so far.All are nice drawing.This may be a scranning thing more than a drawing problem but I would like to see Werebot's chick a little darker or no background ,just white.All chicks are good but I like what Jeanette did adding the cuffs that wasn't showing.J-Lynn would you go back and do one thing.The "T" shape shadow of the stem go all the way unbroken to the real stem.You need to break it at the edge of your leaf.
If anyone going to follow 'all' of these nice drawing may I make a suggestion?I made a folder called"Drawspace Challence",then a sub-folder for each weeks of challence.If John drew a Chick I named his drawing"C_John" C for Chick.Then T &G for Tomato & Grain.That way all the subjects will be together and the artist's names will be under thim.All I had to do is select=(Arrange icons by name),Just a idea;Works for me.
Not trying to sell anything but here is another idea.To anyone that has eyes that may not be as good as they once was like mine;you might want to consider downloading a free Browser called OPERA.You can use the plus button too zoom in on a picture to see every little detail.MajorGeeks.com is a good place to find it.

I'm new to these online discussions. I hope I'm posting this properly. Loved all the options but couldn't resist this little guy. Critques welcome.[attachmentid=143]

Awesome Job so far Everyone!!!! I got bored today and decided I would try the tomatoes in colored pencil. I did this on regular sketch book paper also. I kinda like how it turned out looks kinda abstractie in its own way with the background shading. Adding all of the leaves proved to be a little tricky so I did the next best thing and just cropped them out of the way...LOL Anyways the chick is my next task. I am just having a hard time with my printer wanting to print them out correctly. I tried doing it in black and white and it keeps coming out toooo dark. Color wise need to get a new cartridge. Anyways heres my maters...






Ohhh and I wanted to add also that I did not follow the colors on the actual refrence photo because stepson was using the computer and I added I had no color ink for a good print...LOL

Thanks Tehobu for your comments and suggestions for cataloguing everyone's drawings. That will be useful for people who are compiling the names of participants for the draw.

Werebot, no need to feel intimidated, you're among friends here. Your drawing is good but a little pale, perhaps that's just your scan, it does that sometimes, washing out colour from a drawing. It has a nice loose sketchy feel to it.

Good job on the hands and chick Sgioart! You posted it perfectly. You might like to have a look again at the chick's beak and eye placement. It seems a little off to the right to me.

You're on a roll Venus. The shading on your tomatoes is wonderful. They're very well modeled. Pay attention to variations in shading from light to dark on the fruit and increase your tones to make them stand out. Some of the tomatoes are riper than others and your tomatoes are all the same colour. I'd like to see some greens and yellows and pinks in the fruit. The same applies to the leaves.

In creating a background, its sometimes easier to leave it blank on an image like this if you aren't going to do a complex background as coloured pencil does take time to build up. In your solid background, you have a 'halo' around the fruit which needs to be toned down to match the rest of the background. You could also add some deep shadows around them to ground them, making them look like they are sitting on something solid instead of floating in space.