Thanks much for the detailed feedback. I really dig the proposed 'hierarchy of priorities' for tackling the challenges involved in getting the ellipses into boxes correctly, will implement that going forward.
Right on, stoked to charge forward into 250 cylinders. Huge thanks again for the thoughtful, detailed response to my submission and existential questions. I really appreciate the time and effort put into the feedback and responses.
That dog example for a small-waisted breed is excellent, definitely solves the waist issue!
A sincere thanks for the detailed critique Dio, I really appreciate it. I've read it through multiple times and worked through the linked demos and examples again. Paying close attention to all your key points, here are my 4 additional pages of animals:
Also, some additional head and paw practice exploring different approaches:
My ref images and some of the digital overpainting process I use before starting most of these animal exercises:
Lastly, some questions from me as I'm still struggling mightily with a few 2 things:
Starting one of these constructions, in ink, without any pencil lay-in phase, still feels reckless and inevitably leads to busted proportions and perspective. Even with my process of doing a practice digital overpainting to find the major forms and their relationships to each other, when I start throwing down elipses and saussages on the page in ink there is a parade of mistakes that compound on each other. I absolutely 'get' the ethos of what's being taught in the course with regards to line confidence and mindful markmaking and have seen massive improvements in my own abilities over the last few months, however this doesn't translate to properly proportioned, accurate (in terms of perspective) drawings of a complex subject like an animal. Are these concerns just not the point of these exercises?
It's really difficult to properly envision the path from these exercises to a finished drawing that is more presentable. I've done some tests with using a construction drawing I did in ink of a mantis and working to make a clean ink pass over top and it really feels like a needlessly challening and complex way to arrive at something presentable:
In your opinion, is the construction drawing process as detailed in this course actually a useful, efficient 'step 1' to creating a more finished drawing? Or are these exercises purely to teach the line confidence, 3D shape awareness and visualization, etc?
Thanks again for the excellent critiques, apologies for the additonal questions as I flounder through trying to keep moving forward with my eyes on the goal.
Huge thanks Dio for the very detailed feedback. Fully understood about always adding 3D forms onto underlying 3D without simply adding 2D lines, lots of stuff to work on here. I appreciate all the extra informal demo links and drawovers, very helpful.
Ok copy that, thanks much for the speedy reply.
Big thanks for the very detailed critique, much appreciated. Understood about sticking to the exact page amount requirements and keeping to one main drawing per page.
Many thanks for the detailed feedback, lots of really helpful stuff here. Much appreciated!
These are what I use when doing these exercises. They usually run somewhere in the middle of the price/quality range, and are often sold in sets of different line weights - remember that for the Drawabox lessons, we only really use the 0.5s, so try and find sets that sell only one size.
Alternatively, if at all possible, going to an art supply store and buying the pens in person is often better because they'll generally sell them individually and allow you to test them out before you buy (to weed out any duds).
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