Flay Learns to Paint and Draw

Flay · Jun 2016

Hey everyone! I'm working hard to learn how to be a better artist, with the hope of becoming a professional concept artist. This thread will (hopefully) be a record of my progress. Enjoy!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/p3/1n9e0sk40czw.jpg

Flay · Jul 2016

It's been a while since I've updated, so here's a WIP noodle bar concept. Crits are always appreciated!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/6s/zfvtd81j21h5.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/x5/bosvk8kfzv9n.jpg

beccatherose · Jul 2016

I'm really digging the way that you're using your line weights!

Keep going!

Flay · Jul 2016

Thanks! Lineweight is something I'm really trying to improve, so I'm glad it's paying off

Flay · Jul 2016

A study of a Scottish footsoldier, exaggerated so I could practice stylising and inking

Flay · Aug 2016

Fiiinally done with this

Flay · Oct 2016

I'm back! Unfortunately I injured my wrist AND broke my tablet, so I was out of commission for a little while. Here's some stuff from today:

I'd really appreciate some crits on the first one, because I'm feeling kind of stuck

Muzzoid · Oct 2016

Solid studies!

Flay · Oct 2016

Thanks! I learned a lot from them

brianmumphrey · Oct 2016

This is great work, keep it up! I noticed you asked for some feedback for the first one from your last post. I like where it is headed, you have your focal point set up and good values/color started. Did you have something specific you were stuck on or just feeling a bit stuck in general of where to go next with it?

Flay · Nov 2016

brianmumphrey said:

This is great work, keep it up! I noticed you asked for some feedback for the first one from your last post. I like where it is headed, you have your focal point set up and good values/color started. Did you have something specific you were stuck on or just feeling a bit stuck in general of where to go next with it?

Thanks! I've put that painting aside for now (sorry for the late reply), but I wasn't really sure where to take it next. In retrospect I can see that the values aren't separated clearly enough, and there's a lot of noise that isn't really adding to the image. I also couldn't really figure out how to use the focal point I had established, which is probably something I should have had in mind from the very beginning. I may try to repaint it from scratch in the future, knowing what I now know.

Anyway, for the past month I've been doing the prompts from the daily spitpaint facebook group every day. That painting of the garden was actually a refined version of one of my spitpaints. I'm going to try to post every spitpaint here from now on, as a record of my progress. Here's today's attempt, prompt: The Gamble

Plus some head studies

A horrifyingly bad 1hr head without reference

And my first ever attempt at oil painting.

Flay · Nov 2016

Daily spitpaint, prompt: Settlers

Flay · Nov 2016

Spitpaint for today, prompt: reborn. Didn't quite come together this time

Flay · Nov 2016

Forgot to post my spitpaint yesterday, so here's two:

'The Blue Butterfly'

'Devil':

Experimenting with different workflows, trying to draw more efficiently

Flay · Nov 2016

Some bicep studies, from Proko's anatomy course

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2221133&stc=1

And today's spitpaint, prompt: The Writer

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2221132&stc=1

Flay · Nov 2016

Not so good today, prompt: Drought

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2221351&stc=1

Flay · Nov 2016

Daily spitpaint, prompt was 'Sense of Touch'

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2221463&stc=1

Flay · Nov 2016

Today's spitpaint, 'Amphibian Vehicle'

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2221649&stc=1

Flay · Nov 2016

Spitpaint, prompt: 'Out of Body'

Lykos · Nov 2016

Love your last 3 spitpaints mate - Especially Amphibian Vehicle. Love the wet stormy beach he's on too.

Flay · Dec 2016

Thanks!

I skipped a couple of days because I was feeling kind of down about my abilities, but I'm back now

Today's prompt: Giant Tree

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2222050&stc=1

Yesterday's Prompt: Summer Child

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2222051&stc=1

The day before: Ancient Language

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2222052&stc=1

And a failed prompt that took too long: Under the Surface

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2222053&stc=1

Crits appreciated, as always

Flay · Dec 2016

Prompt: Sunday Afteroon

And a couple of 1 hour head studies

My edge control is really bad, I realise, so that's something I'm going to focus on improving for the next little while

Flay · Dec 2016

Prompt: Magnets

Trying to be a bit cleaner with edges, but my values need work

Flay · Dec 2016

Prompt: Woodwitch

Opilo · Dec 2016

Lot of these seem like they are work in progress, but the guy fishing in the roof alone deserved you the front page! Just lovely, quiet atmosphere!

Tomiajayi · Dec 2016

How long have you been drawing for this stuff looks pretty good...

Flay · Dec 2016

Thanks guys!

I've been drawing for a long time, but I only started studying with the intent of going professional last year. Prior to that I studied graphic design and am currently working in motion graphics.

These prompts are all half-hour drawings from the Daily Spitpaint Facebook group, which I've been doing every day for a bit over two months now.

EDIT: For fun, this was my first spitpaint, from about two months ago. I wasn't used to working in such as short amount of time, so it's pretty awful. I've learned a lot since then!

Flay · Dec 2016

30 minute spitpaint, prompt: 'A Red Line'

Flay · Dec 2016

30 minute spitpaint, prompt: Magnifying Glass

And a 1 hour lighting study

Flay · Dec 2016

Yesterday's prompt: Two colours

Today's prompt: End of Days

Ugh that second one didn't work out so well, but you've gotta miss sometimes

Rahim_Kessal · Dec 2016

your thread is so inspiring and cool man! i always end up in here and i love it, keep it up!

Flay · Dec 2016

Thanks! I'll keep working hard

Prompt: K.O.

Man this did not work out like I imagined

Flay · Dec 2016

Prompt: Beam of Light

I'll have to work on my composition some more

Telerak · Dec 2016

Very inspiring work, keep it up Flay!

Flay · Dec 2016

I'll try!

Late night last night, forgot to post this one. Prompt: stardust

Flay · Dec 2016

More 30 minute spitpaints

First attempt, which took too long: Flat Tire

Second attempt: Ancient Sea Lord

Flay · Dec 2016

A couple of spitpaints

Prompt: Grazing Animal

Prompt: Peace

And some studies

Ref

Ref

Crits always appreciated!

Flay · Dec 2016

A spitpaint I forgot to post, prompt: Ascension

A 30 minute figure from imagination

And a 1 hour figure study

Flay · Dec 2016

Prompt: Worm Swarm

I feel like I should try to be less ambitious with these. This doesn't really tell the story I had in my mind at all

Anyway crits still appreciated

EDIT: That last spitpaint was dumb so I tried again. Prompt: Hidden Artifact

miguelnarayan · Dec 2016

It looks like you're pushing yourself very well, 30minutes paintings are a great way to improve! I like your subjects a lot.

Flay · Dec 2016

Thanks! I still have a lot to learn

Experimenting a little with this one, prompt: Fortune is On Your Side

Flay · Dec 2016

Late because I was out seeing Rogue One. Prompt: Harsh Light, 30 minutes

Eric Chadwick · Dec 2016

Loving these studies! Keep up the good work!

Flay · Dec 2016

Thanks Eric!

The good news is work has finished for the year, so I have a little more time to study. The bad news is it's christmas so all that time will be eaten up anyway.

Prompt: Geological Anomaly, 30 minutes

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2224561&stc=1

Flay · Dec 2016

Prompt: Fuel for the Winter

Image: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2224608&stc=1

Flay · Dec 2016

Big dump today. I got out of the habit of posting spitpaints thanks to the holidays, but I've still been doing them every day.

Prompt: Vulture Swordsman (really half-assed, because it was very late)

Prompt: Volcanic landscape (also half-assed, because it was very early)

Prompt: Shortcut

Prompt: Steel Flesh

Prompt: Sci-Fi Scientist. Away from home for this one. This was the point when I realised that drawing characters scares me, but it's also something that I'd really like to be better at. I've resolved to focus on drawing them for a little while, even if the results aren't great.

Prompt: Hero of the Arena

Prompt: Snowbeard

I feel like my more recent spitpaints are much less imaginative. I'm trying to keep things simple, so that I can focus on technique over narrative, but I still think I could produce some more unique designs than these.

Anyway crits always appreciated!

miguelnarayan · Jan 2017

I'm not sure, I've always found that if I'm worrying with fundamentals/learning to do one thing right (characters, color and light, perspective) then the creative side takes a hit. (a huge one) but that may be just me. Also taking breaks helps a lot! I find that I'm much more creative after I go to swim, skateboard or gym

Flay · Jan 2017

Yep, it's definitely more difficult to handle more than one thing at once when you're not comfortable with all of them. I did take a bit of a break over new years but I'm back now! As always, crits appreciated

Prompt: Burning Pitch