Kentskinner

I've added one drawing to the album, because I want to be sure I'm understanding before drawing two more. I don't mind drawing them -- I'll draw 100 if necessary -- but I don't want to waste your time with endless examples of me missing the point.

I've selected a beetle that I find particularly difficult to render: https://www.flickr.com/photos/andreaskay/48861925718/. I have been very careful to only add forms -- never to subtract. I realize the drawing has numerous problems. However, I have attempted to wrap each new form around the existing forms.

I first drew three ellipses for abdomen, thorax and head (I regret making the head so circular). There was considerable guesswork involved because this anatomy is hidden under the complex shell. I then attempted to wrap pieces of the shell around these spheroids. I added contour lines to try to show the way the shell curves in space.

I draw the leg segments as sausages in a single stroke, that I don't always nail. Where I have drawn over parts of a sausage again, it was an attempt to bring those lines forward and push the crossing lines back, as I believe you instructed. (Changing my pen has also made the line weight more consistent.)

Where I have placed forms incorrectly, I have grit my teeth and tried to keep the drawing consistent regardless.

Am I missing anything? I want to be sure I understand this completely before continuing.

Thank you again for your invaluable critiques,

Kent

Revisions here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Skx775WnZoeQPrjz8

Slightly better, hopefully. I've tried to heed your advice.

Thanks,

Kent

Thanks! A quick question: should I attempt to draw the sausage shapes in a single stroke, or join multiple strokes together?

Thanks Uncomfortable. And thanks for the tip on geolocation data -- I believe that should have been removed now.

I've done 3 additional pages, but I'm still disappointed with my line work. Despite ghosting, sometimes the moment the pen touches the paper it goes to hell. I concentrated on locking my wrist and elbow for these pages. I think the key for me might be relaxing into the motion, as I tend to store stress in clenched muscles -- this impacts guitar practice also! When I relax, the ellipses seem to tighten up.

While I'm looking forward to the next lesson, I'm in no rush. I'll do as many exercises as necessary to nail this.

Cheers,

Kent

Thank you for your thorough critique. I'll try hard to use my shoulder and ghost my curved lines. Perhaps the exercise of drawing a curve and then replicating it would be helpful. Now I want to try doing curly hair again!

Thanks again,

Kent

Thank you!

I tried to vary the line weight by changing the pressure on the pen, but it was difficult to get much variation. Silly me -- I didn't realize that it was OK to draw another line on top! Perhaps I assumed this because I have a Wacom tablet with a pressure-sensitive stylus. Anyway, lesson learned!

Thanks again,

Kent

Thanks! I've added another page to the Google Photo album that I hope demonstrates more confident, if somewhat inaccurate, lines. I have a tendency to arc lines, despite (or because of?) trying to draw from the shoulder, but I trust that will resolve itself with more practice.

Thanks,

Kent