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3:12 PM, Monday November 1st 2021

Hi! Thanks for the critique. About this:

Do not use straight lines to shadow (like in the grasshopper leg) because it destroys any 3D illusion you had built.

I did that because in a couple of demos, it was mentioned that it was useful to make the rest of the drawing stand out, but I guess it was on the older ones. I will not do it again :P

Also, about detail, there's definitely some things that I don't get yet. Like, look, I made this (it's just a quick drawing, didn't apply the corrections yet). I can see that there is a curvature to the shell, and the little dots are definitely cast shadows, I tried to replicate that with the shading. But the rest, the big black sections that I painted, although they try to follow the contour, they are more like a reflection than anything else, right? Should I do that, or should I just omit it and do it like here?

This other example confuses me as well, because, wouldn't some of that clumping count as more of a reflection than anything? It would make sense that way, because almost all of the insects are reflective thanks to the exoskeletons, but again, I'm not sure about it.

Also, do you have something on how to draw detail for things like wings? I honestly can't see how to do it, especially with things like the damselfly wings, that are very translucent and like the only thing that's happening there is the pattern they have.

If you can help me with that, I'll be most thankful. Meanwhile, I'll workn on the homework and then get back to you. It may take a while though, I'll work slow to make sure everything is right.

4:08 PM, Monday November 1st 2021

About the textures. The things you ink are always shadows or darker areas, which happens in all examples you linked. The thing is that depending on how you use them, you can generate different effects. For example, inking the inside of a mouth is a representation of complete darkness but the shadows in a shell that is completely exposed to light communicate that even the light should reach there, it isn't reflecting the light in the viewer's direction. That's why you can confuse it with reflections.

Knowing how and when to use the shadows well comes from experience and I struggle a lot with it too so maybe you can get more tips from other students on discord. Also remember that this course's focus is on construction and general structure, texture, and details are a world on their own. Don't worry too much about it, just try to apply the little things that you can, the rest will come with experience or another course you could try in the future.

About the hatching. The problem is not the hatching on its own, is what you communicate with it. As described in the notes you linked, when you use shadows in organic shapes, they should follow the form they are wrapped on. The problem with the hatching in the grasshopper is that you are using a hatching pattern thought for planes in a cylinder shape. It could work in flat shapes like the face of a box or the surface of an arrow (where you probably saw it before) but as it is a flat surface shadow if you use it on an organic surface an inconsistency for the viewer will arise between the 3D form the sausage is suggesting and the 2D form the hatching is suggesting. That's the problem I see with it. In general, hatching is not recommended (just on specific exercises) to avoid this kind of confusion.

About the wings, you have to take in mind that light passes through transparent materials but it would have problems passing through veins, rigid structures, and so on. Those kinds of things are the patterns you see in the wings of some insects. Play around with them, try some that you guess they won't let the light pass through them, and see if that works.

It's difficult sometimes to tell a "good way" to draw something and you are going to have to investigate and research how could you make it work for you. Also, you can check how other students approached it and see if you could replicate something they are using in your drawings.

I hope it helps. Don't worry about being slow, drawing takes time, and having constant pacing will benefit you in the long run.

10:25 PM, Sunday November 14th 2021

Hi! Took me quite a while. Here they are.

I understood what you meant with your critiques, and hopefully it shows (especially on the sausages, the practice ones were better than the actual homework). However, I can't say I'm satisfied with the execution, especially with that grasshopper. I sent the references as well, and that grasshopper is just a mess of forms overlapping each other. I'll be waiting for your critique!

9:02 PM, Monday November 15th 2021

I think you improved with your sausages a lot.

The construction of the insects still lacks the 3D feel but It was more prominent in the grasshopper. Tarantula and Mr.Beetle were good enough.

In lesson 5 before starting the homework, do the additional work of drawing with the demos. I think that what you are lacking is the technique of building forms with extra masses and animals are easier for that in my opinion.

The thing will be, to draw a leg first draw a sausage joined with another. Then add mases as if you were playing with wet clay spheres. They have to deform so they can take the form you want. The wrapping deformation that extra masses take, is what your drawings probably need to improve another level.

Keep that hard work and good luck in your journey!

Next Steps:

Continue with lesson 5

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