Sketchbook: Bersi

Bersi

Hi polycounters,

I'm finally creating a thread here for progress tracking.

Here's a a small introduction: I'm 32, working full-time as a senior software engineer. Recently I've started learning digital sculpting in my free time. 

My goal is to switch to game industry career in couple years, thus I would really appreciate advices and crits.

Bersi

Here's one of the first head sculpts (8th actually) I did for learning purposes.

Bersi

Here's the last one I did (#44).

Bersi

Here's a result of today's torso study. Ten thousand studies more and I might even get close to something somewhat decent.

Bersi

Another quick torso study. Trying to discipline myself to ALWAYS use reference.

Bersi

Today's torso study. Sometimes I kinda get really disheartened with the result, but hopefully I'm getting bit by bit.

Bersi

More study.

pmiller001

IF youre using reference, you'll realize that youre putting muscles in that dont exist (atleast not in the way youve put them in.  I would suggest studying some ecorche drawings in that regard. similar to this. 

Bersi

@pmiller001 , thanks! Yeah, currently I'm using reference for daily practice. Sometimes I even think that I know torso muscles, but when it comes to placing them on model.. meh... it's a struggle.  

Bersi

Latest skull form and proportions study.

Bersi

Skull study from yesterday. After some practice it's starting to look better.

Bersi

Latest speedsculpt creature head practice from the art school I'm attending.

Bersi

Another speedsculpt I did this morning.

Bersi

Hey guys. Sorry for silence. Been busy studying head. Here're some results:

Bersi

Recent male head study:

carvuliero

Looks like you made your mind and really push your self to accurate necessary skills .Can you tell me what school are you attending and what are they teaching you .Some of your studies look better then the other but they all have same common problem - lacking underlying structure ,you have hard time blocking simple shapes that made the whole thing and problem with proportions in some case 
Let me know what are you current goals , maybe I can point you to the right direction and help you speed up learning curve - its much better to have a small light and follow that light then to wonder in the dark 

Bersi

@carvuliero ,
Thanks for reply, man! It's local school here in Saint-Petersburg, called SkillsUp School. They have 4 months program for stydying  character creation. Yeah, I'm definetly having hard time with human anatomy. My current goal is to learn form of human body and eventually get better in anatomy. Recently I've got a Gottfried Bammes "The Complete Guide to Anatomy for Artists & Illustrators" so along with daily sculpts I've started doing some study works from this book. I would greatly appreaciate any advice you could give!

carvuliero

Saint-Petersburg that really nice city to live on so much art there , you can learn so much by just visiting local museums
Anyway you know russian right ? that actually make my task easier as most of my book collection is in russian 
What is your main focus right now full body or just bust/heads ? 
Bammes is really good for proportion and full body muscles/planes not so much on the head 
Some good head books :
Oсновы учебного академического рисунка - Nikolai Li
Голова человека Основы учебного академического рисунка - Nikolai Li
Скульптурный портрет в глине -Рубино П
(V.A. Mogilevstev) Fundamentals of Drawing
First 2 books and  3 dvds of Philippe Faraut :
Book 1: Portrait Sculpting: Anatomy & Expressions in Clay
Book 2: Mastering Portraiture: Advanced Analyses of the Face Sculpted in Clay
DVD #1: The Art of Sculpting with Philippe Faraut: Children
DVD #2: The Art of Sculpting with Philippe Faraut: Expressions and Facial Construction
DVD #3: The Art of Sculpting with Philippe Faraut:: Men
Burne Hogarth - Dynamic Anatomy 
Burne Hogarth - Drawing the Human head
Andrew Loomis - Drawing the Head and Hands
Andrew Loomis - Fun with a Pencil
Modelling and Sculpture; a Guide for Artists and Students. Volume I - edouard lanteri  >>> start here !!!
Reilly Method - any book will do 
Here you go this few will keep you busy for a while I can give you a longer and more detailed list if necessary , also if you have hard time finding this books send me a private message I might be able to send you some of them 

About your head studies I will suggest to start from something really basic like attached image and master that (skull studies wont hurt either , there are specific points on the skull that you should know by heart ) , probably will take you 10-15 repetition to have it memorized for life , then I can give you the next step 
also if you want any of your studies critiques just pose image with front/side/back/top and 3/4 vies - will be a good idea to be something you have spend more then 2 hours 

Bersi

@carvuliero

Sorry for taking so long to reply. Been busy with some RL activities and completing assignments for school.

Agreed, museums are great in Saint-Petersburg.

Yeah, I know russian. Thanks a lot for the book list! I've actually managed to get several books already from local book stores (Nikolai Li, for example).

My current main focus is full body. It's just I've started with doing daily head studies and it's kinda a habit now. 

However, recently I've started making body parts/full body studies (more like form and proportion studies, not detailed muscle anatomy ones) and I keep introducing more of them into daily learning schedule. If you could advice on that as well I'd be extremely grateful.

Thanks for your advice with head studies as well! Indeed, I'm going to take few steps back and really take some time learning and sculpting skull, head planes and basic shape.

carvuliero

Whole figure is probably best place to start , this way you are going o learn proportion and relation between different forms (when you do segments/fragments do full body and cut from it this way you will always be able to retain proper relation )
Of course I can give you some books on ""block out SS - simple shape"" as I called it :
You already have Li book he is great , I guess he and Bammes are good place to start 
Готфрид Баммс - Образ Человека
Andrew Loomis - Figure Drawing For All It's Worth
Mark Count - Figure Drawing for Artists: Making Every 
Christopher Hart - Drawing Cutting Edge Comics
Mike Searle - How to Draw: Getting Started
Michael Hampton- Figure Drawing - Design and Invention
Walt Reed - The Figure: The Classic Approach to Drawing & Construction 
Doug Jamieson - draw from your head      //very detailed step by step 
David H. Ross - Freehand Figure Drawing for Illustrators 
Imagine FX  - How to Draw and Paint Anatomy
Imagine FX  How to Draw and Paint Anatomy volume 2 
Poses for Artists Volume 1 and 2 
The Vilppu Drawing Manual 

I added 3 more in the attached rar :
One is mannequin catalogue - this should be your target goal from the block out phase , the other are books I don't know how to describe 

Bersi

So yeah, been practicing without posting my progress here. My bad. Here's the WIP I'm currently wotking on. Trying to get  a habit of completing things.