The Third Drawing Challenge.

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.

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.

The References

So far we have tackled perspective, portraits, circles, animals, insects, and plants.

Whats left?

Hearing the calls of the people, I've chosen some references that exercise previous topic selections, ie. perspective, lighting, and still life.

For the flower, watch the highlights versus the shadows. I chose this one for practise with distinct lighting on still life.

The portrait is, well, different. I chose it so you can practise facial expressions at thier most extreme, as this is a case of. Its also an opportunity to exercise flowing wavy hair.

I have also included a bit of a left field odd ball. For those abstractionist artists out there, heres one for you. A prize for the first person to figure out what it is. I've included this one to allow people to work purely on thier rendering technique, aim at getting the most accurate representation of the gradients and curves. You're rendering will develop quickly if you give this one a shot, trust me.

Again, watch for the negative space to get the true shape of the objects. Observe the image, visualise in your head what you want it to look like, then start carefully.

If these images are too hard or too easy, just post you're views and I'll find substitutes for them.


--Sorry bout the wait for the perspective pictures, blame my isp. Hope they were worth the wait. I've graded them from basic to advanced, so pick the one to match your skill level. Hope these keep you interested kim.

Before i go off to draw is it cooking oil?

RJS

Nup, guess again!

Fabulous images 3lansir! Thank you. I love them all. I took the liberty of changing the dates in your header to November 11 not the 5th, as we go for two weeks in this challenge.

There is something for everyone here and remember you can always crop an image and draw just part of it. 3lansir has given some excellent advice in how to observe and render these images. I look forward to seeing everyone's different styles in these references.

Now for that liquid.....hmmmmm wine? whiskey? honey? Lovely shapes and colours whatever it is!

Terrific pics! That abstract looks like some heated slightly viscous liquid pouring into water of a cooler temperature. Corn syrup or honey perhaps? Or maybe a molten metal - gold or brass?

Maire

Wow , interesting picks 3lansir. They sure look challenging....Hmmm almost looks like glass. Before I have a crack at one this was my project for today.....Okay so I snuck another in...Jeanette some one has snuck into your studio....and look at his bib Eric you have set a trend.

Brian, Brian, Brian. Turn my back for a second and there's a mouse in my house! lolol Very creative! Mickey in Speedos - whatever next!

Ha , thanks Jeanette ....you did it again made me laugh ...and really happy if you like it.

WOW 3lansir,
Those photos look like a big challenge. I can't promise how any will turn out but i'll try.

Doh!!! Brian you're so close! Why is every assuming its a liquid?

Its great Brian. You have a talent for cartoon illustration and are obviously good at it.

Molten glass is close.....hmmmm Blown glass perhaps? Come on 3lansir, give us a hint please...

Hmmm... I'll try my hand at a riddle.

I'm transparent, but solid.
I am weighty but filled with air.
I pin my opposition, but do not leave a hole.
My opposition is as thin as paper, but without me it will be out the door.

My portrait accentuates my finest features, but leaves out vital details of my personality.
I catch the light, twist it, turn it, and fill it with ochre.
Without me, you will be lost and confused.

What am I?

Blown Glass?

Nearly

a paperweight?

Lead crystal......my next guess. ...... And thanks Jeanette I really appreciate your kind words.

You got it islander!! well done.

YEAH! Now I can go to bed! lol Night everyone

"YEAH! Now I can go to bed! Night everyone "
Sure!!!! Go to bed!!! Have a good night sleep!!! Enjoy your pat-on-the-back!! After someone(no name mention) gave you the blown glass idea!!

I think your choice of pics are great ...maybe next challenge we can add something ..at least one out of the three to be something that a beginners would feel confident trying ..the ones picked are very advanced and could be intimidating to someone with less confidence.
BrianD cute pic lol

I want to sign up with that. At least to me those pictures are a bit scary as in: how is it possible to draw that??!! But I sure will try and do my best. After all: from every trial, you learn at least something.
Good luck everyone!
Let's get started!

Renske

i love these pics, they are awesome. i have to do at least two. maybe all three if i have the time. thanks
Lori

Great images 3lansir cant wait to get started

Thanks Kim for the comment re. Mickey Pick......


Cyn...Help! I got to think of one for Kim but she is so nice that will be hard...Okay....okay ..Kim I hear Eric is selling Speedo T-Shirts at the Farmer's Market...( Wholesale )

And the Speedo's gag rolls on, and on, and on, and on.......

Little did we know when we started this thing about Eric in his Speedo's that it would have captured everyones imagination, eh, J.
Eric, you have definately earned your stripes, lol

I have tried doing the portrait and it ended up looking rather like a cartoon, oh, well, back to the drawing board.

RJS

By the way great images 3lan.

I agree those are nice choices for the challenge ... but we should remember when Jeanette was asking what we could do to make the challenge better or what was keeping others from not joining in ...I think there is alot of you who can do those picture and will do them well but all three pics are for the advanced artist ...I see nothing there that will bring in those that are beginners...I know I dont normaly speek up and most might think "why now lol " ....but this challenge is going to scare some away from doing it .. and jeanette was concerned about getting more people involved.
3lansir..I looked in your gallery and most of what I saw was computer drawings ..I think ?
kim
From jeanette post ...
2. Are the reference images too challenging or not interesting enough?
I know reference material is very subjective so its difficult to choose something that appeals to everyone.

3. Do you feel intimidated by any aspect of the challenge?
The purpose of the challenges is to provide an opportunity to put the information that you have gleaned from Brenda's lessons into practical use to create new images on your own

Lol, um, i have no digital art in my gallery, i have one photo that i developed, all the rest are illustrations or paintings by hand.

Anyway, yeah looking at the images I can see how they would be intimidating. I'll post another reference that is pure perspective for beginners struggling with that subject. Just remember, if you use the principals of drawing laid out in brenda's lessons, you can draw anything. Its just a matter of observation.

Well, just rolled back in tonight from a long and difficult return trip. Everybody is returning back from vacation tonight as school starts again in Northern Germany. The German Autobahns were practically at a stand still. At least in every direction we were travelling in. I was in such a hurry to get back here and see the goodies packed away in Challenge 3.

3lansir, Excellent reference photos to choose from. I think I'll try my hand at a portrait piece first. That is the one that I always shy away from, but this one looks as if I can have some fun. Also, with it being so extreme in the facial features, any little errors can be written off to wind damage.

This next week looks good so far for getting some good drawing in. I hope to have plenty of personal time. I didn't get the time I needed to finish my second drawing for the last challenge, but then again, I can always go back and do it.

Thank you for taking on the Host for this Challenge. You are very knowledgeable in your skills, and I know you will provide plenty of help and assistance to everyone taking part in the Challenge.

And BrianDavid, I've put together a package with my actual Speedo's in it. All you need to do is PM me with your address and I'll put them in the post. That way you can frame them and let everyone know how you won that trophy. Matter of fact they can be the centerpiece with your winning cartoon drawings surrounding them. Hey, I noticed something though, you are getting faster at drawing them, and they are improving in looks as well. Maybe there is a reason to all this Speedo madness after all.

Eric

Well here is the first attempt, actually it's the second, the first is lining the bin!!
I found this one quite daunting and i tend to agree with Kim, some basic shapes would be nice. It was however quite a challenge for me, I'm always up for a challenge!!
Great images though, keep up the good work.

This was as usual an extra fine Rotring pen on 140g bockingford Not, size A3.

RJS

[attachmentid=530]

My start , and I think I need to take a break because my head is going in several directions....I have a feeling it may wind up as RJS's first as the lining of my bin.


3lansir I picked this one because I thought you made it interesting...I think you are another great host and I admire your work.

RJS really like your sketch I see the fear in his face. I also admire your work and your comments.


Eric Eric my friend.....I would have thought your Speedo t-shirt line would have been sold out by now, but thanks for the offer. I don't know about the trophy but I feel like I am winner just being here.

I understand that some artists here may feel a little overwhemed with the reference images that are posted here, but they shouldn't be.

If you have worked through Brenda's lessons and have some basic drawing ability you should be able to tackle these. Yes, they are detailed and will demand concentration and good observational skills, but you CAN do it.

Bring them down to grey scale, then break them into simple shapes, piece by piece and you will acheive great results. Most of what people feel when they see intricate images is a perceived sense of difficulty. In reality when broken down into shapes, it really isn't that difficult. Give it a try and see what happens. Its only paper.

Kim, thanks for expressing your thougths on this, they're always welcome. And yes, some simple images can always be added to entice beginners to try their hand. The purpose is to enjoy and grow but also to push yourself a little and try things that make you a little uncomfortable. That is how we all learn.

3lansir, wonderful if you want to add another simpler shape to the mix, I'm sure you'll have takers for it too.

RJS, wonderful portrait in ink. You've caught the likeness beautifully. Well done!

well my bad then ...
Just was trying to make it not so hard for those just starting out ...you can apply what you learn from brenda's lessons yes .. but not everyone is this advanced was all I was trying to say ...even brenda has easy things to learn to draw .. not all her stuff is this advanced .. people will turn away from attempting the challenge because its too hard for them to even concider ....
Kim

I disagree Kim, there is nothing bad about what you said. And true, not everyone is as advanced in skills as some of the artists here. But that's part of the beauty of it.

Reference images are very much at the discretion of the host for the particular challenge and I won't get into censorship or pre-approval of a person's images. We can for future challenges ensure that there is at least one very simple shape for people to practice their talents on. Even then, 'simple' is very subjective. And I believe 3lansir did say he was going to add an image to his current ones to meet that need.

I still do believe however that people need to stretch themselves and go outside simple shapes to learn how to apply techniques and grow. I also believe that no reference is advanced. What becomes the challenge is the individuals perceived view of the object, the amount of time that they have been drawing and their ability to observe correctly and put those observations on paper.

The latter skills come with time and practice, lots of practice on many different objects. When I think back to art training that I did, it wasn't on simple shapes. I had to draw complex shapes, landscapes, portraits, animials, abstracts, all types of work in every medium. Many I didn't like, many ended up in the trash and many made me uncomfortable but I learned from each drawing.

Your comments have been noted both here and in the other drawing challenge and I will endeavour to ensure that a simple shape or two is available for the next drawing challenge.

Brian you've done a great job on this interesting shape. The breakdown of the piece into different shapes is the trickt o getting this to look correct. Excellent work.

Wow, thanks Jeanette once again I thought I was way off ....Now, I just may try to finish it

RSJ ... I think you did a awsome job on that drawing ...getting the expression just right .. good for you
BrianD ....great drawing ...for such a advanced choice.. good job.

Here are the images greyscaled to give a little more assistance to people who are drawing. Greyscale removes the distraction of colour and allows you to see just the tones.

[attachmentid=532] [attachmentid=533] [attachmentid=534]

Wow i cant believe people are already done with some drawings. thats awesome.
RJS-- that portrait is excellent!! i can see the wind blowing him.
Briandavid-- i thought that looked great. i am going to try that one too.
thanks Islander for putting it in grayscale--it does make it look less intimidating for me. me and color UGGG.
(still practicing though)
as for beginners-- i consider myself a beginner, it was scarey at first, especially putting something on here for everyone to see. but everyone is so nice, it really did and still does improve my drawings so much. just make that first plunge. you wont regret it, i promise. Islander told me once dont draw what you think, draw what you see. thanks
Lori

Well just thought I would take a poke from work...Thanks Kim and Racedolls for your kind words and it's only a start I hope I don't blow it and find time to finish it . And Racedolls I have seen your work I think you are a great artist ,I look forward to seeing more. Well better go I think I hear my boss coming. Have a great day everyone.

At first I felt a bit scared about the pics, but I'll try to draw them. I'm used to draw roses, I just love to do it when they are fresh. I've never tried to draw a faded flower, seems to be more difficult and personally a bit less attractive since the beauty is gone... This is a challenge for me, but also I did like the abstraction, I'll try that one too.

Don't feel worried about the drawings natafele, because I saw your butterfly and it was great. Mine was so bad, I trashed it. LOL I haven't even gotten though the lesson with Kayla Koala in the beginner lessons yet. I can't seem to draw the koala but I tried the harrow, because it was a challenge. Actually IslanderNL suggested it and I'm glad she did. I can hardly wait to see everyones drawings. Of course RJS had to try to show us up and then here comes Brian with the water drop or whatever it is, to make me ponder even more which one I want to tackle. Isn't this fun?

Hey, sorry for my absence guys, my internet has been plaguing me with troubles lately. Good work RJS and Brian.

RJS: Love the energy in this one, it seems to capture the motion and dynamics very well. Only gripe I have about it is the rather distracting edge line of the face... If you were to try this again, perhaps try define the edge of the face more with the background. I know how hard it is to get a good looking curved line with pens... Once its on the paper, theres no going back!!

Brian: A fantastic start! What you have now is a very solid grounding to build up the rendering of the glass, that is, if you are looking at rendering it. Heres me thinking your cartoon style would pull you immediatly to the portrait!

I'm at Uni at the moment, so I don't have a camera or my photo stocks with me. I'll get that easier picture up as soon as I get home.

Cyn's right Natafele, you'll do just fine with one of these references. A faded rose has its charm too, the texture and shape is interesting to draw. Just think of it as a uniquely shaped flower!

Again, I recommend that people break down the images into simple shapes then work on refining those shapes into what you see.

Interesting references

Hmm, well, I tried. I don't think I captured the likeness.. oh well.

Biro only.

I think you did a excellent Job lizzeh...I am not doing any of these .. I have tried but they cant seem to keep my interest long enough .. I think you captured his expression just fine .

[attachmentid=550] [attachmentid=549]

Sometimes its easier to compare your drawing to the reference if you see them side by side.

I think you've done a very good job on this image Lizzeh. The angle of the head seems may be a little off but I think you have a great likeness here.

well here is the first drawing. i think now that i see it on here, it probably could use some adjustments. i might mess with it again. comments and critiques welcomed. thanks
Lori

This is quite good Lori. You have the main shapes and expression in the head and face, but what stands out to me is a lack of values in the face. It seems a little flat without some stronger darks in there.

Likeness in anything from faces to flowers is all about proportion and measurement. Measuring one section against another and seeing where one part is in relation to another, will make it come together. In this instance I think it is the area of the eyes and nose that seem a little out of proportion. Perhaps you could go back and recheck measurements for that area if you revisit the drawing.

I had time for the start of the liquid/solid/glass It has a ways to go and finding and filing in the shapes and values is time consuming. Any comments and critiques are very welcome.

[attachmentid=553]

Lori .. I agree with Jeanette .. you have the expression on his face right .. and I think its a great drawing ...being it is a guy with his head out the window of a car and his face is distorted lol .. great job.
Jeanette.. I think your liquid thing looks great so far .. cant wait to see that one done .. impressive .

Cyn....Don't ponder dear . Gosh I love your work ....Figured you would have gone for the for the fearful fellow because I think you draw people so well.

Kim ,I know what you mean you really can't draw what you want on these challenges but I do them because they are a challenge and I want to learn, lots of fun too. I admire your work I am sure you could tackle any of these.

Jeanette dear, thanks for posting your pick now I have another reference ..lol I love it.

Thanks for your comment 3lansir, I hope to get back at it soon.