This one was super challenging, but I really enjoyed it :D
I went through a few Staedtler pens too - I've taken to wrapping a rubber band on the end when they are drying out and producing poor lines. That way I can still try to use the last of their ink when filling in larger areas of black.
I'll pour one out for the pens who gave their lives in service to a greater cause. It was a worthy sacrifice though, as your work here is superb. You've nailed exactly what I was trying to explain through the notes on the challenge page, and did a great job at both exploring different textures and experimenting with how to create gradation from a wide variety of particularly challenging configurations of detail. Your notes and observations are keen and the results on the right column are wonderfully executed. Nothing is repetitive, and they all demonstrate a really solid grasp of how light plays across these various surfaces.
Keep up the fantastic work and consider this challenge complete.
It certainly looks like it was rough! I hope you didn't put your wrist out. As always, this is looking fantastic. In general you're demonstrating a very keen eye for detail. You've clearly identified the subtler rhythms of each texture, and pinned down just how the visual elements are grouped and populated across a surface in each individual case.
There is one thing that stood out to me however. In quite a few areas, you're still relying a little bit on hatching lines. This is usually in the capacity of laying down mid-tones (since ink only naturally allows us full black or full white). In these situations, it's best to force yourself to do one of two things:
Identify what kind of details are present in that area, and use their specific pattern of tiny cast shadows instead of simple hatching. This will create a more interesting, somewhat less regular pattern across the surface, and will force you to apply the same kind of care and patience you've demonstrated elsewhere.
If there is no such textural detail (for example, the surface is smooth), or if you wish to play down the actual texture in that area, don't be afraid of laying down larger areas of solid black. A brush pen can be especially useful for this. I see a lot of examples of you doing this already, but it's usually in combination of those kinds of hatchy mid-tones, which take the beauty of a bold statement about light/shadow and muddy it somewhat with the addition of a grey area.
It's absolutely true that there are going to be places where those grey areas are desired, and even necessary, when it comes to the styles you apply in the future. The reason it's incredibly useful to think only in terms of extremes in this exercise however is because it forces you to make hard choices, and to consider the edges of your shadow shapes' silhouettes.
Mind you, when I say hatching, what I mean may be somewhat unclear. For example, #20 may seem somewhat like hatching, but I think it's excellent because you're actually following a seemingly natural texture. In #4 however, those hatching lines used for shading on the scales don't really reflect what one would find on that kind of surface. Additionally, #25's loose hatching is more organic, but it feels sloppy and out of place for that particular kind of texture.
Anyway, overall this is an excellent set of work, so I commend you for pushing through and completing the challenge.
Thanks for the feedback, I'm gonna give another try to that #4 texture. I suppose partly it was that I was still figuring out how I was supposed to do it and relied on the good old . Let me take another stab at it. The fish scales (#25)... I don't know, the scratches they had, it was more subtle and maybe I abused that detail. And it was more like white scratches on a darker surface. If you would like to look at my reference: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/99/55/92/99559231f472b2d556dcb433de53864c.jpg
I can definitely see that as being a tricky texture to approach. That said, I think your approach there fell away to a bit more chaos/randomness, which often happens when we get overwhelmed by something like this.
Uncomfortable
2017-03-21 02:23
The old thread got locked. Those eligible for critiques by me may submit their homework for this challenge here.
delightedmuse
2017-03-21 04:50
Here's my textures: https://imgur.com/a/sasA3
This one was super challenging, but I really enjoyed it :D
I went through a few Staedtler pens too - I've taken to wrapping a rubber band on the end when they are drying out and producing poor lines. That way I can still try to use the last of their ink when filling in larger areas of black.
Uncomfortable
2017-03-21 22:13
I'll pour one out for the pens who gave their lives in service to a greater cause. It was a worthy sacrifice though, as your work here is superb. You've nailed exactly what I was trying to explain through the notes on the challenge page, and did a great job at both exploring different textures and experimenting with how to create gradation from a wide variety of particularly challenging configurations of detail. Your notes and observations are keen and the results on the right column are wonderfully executed. Nothing is repetitive, and they all demonstrate a really solid grasp of how light plays across these various surfaces.
Keep up the fantastic work and consider this challenge complete.
delightedmuse
2017-03-21 23:02
Thanks so much :D
Juanmilon
2017-08-14 08:47
Hi Uncomfortable, I just finished this challenge, I look forward to your feedback, sir. This shit was hard.
http://imgur.com/a/sus10
Uncomfortable
2017-08-14 20:51
It certainly looks like it was rough! I hope you didn't put your wrist out. As always, this is looking fantastic. In general you're demonstrating a very keen eye for detail. You've clearly identified the subtler rhythms of each texture, and pinned down just how the visual elements are grouped and populated across a surface in each individual case.
There is one thing that stood out to me however. In quite a few areas, you're still relying a little bit on hatching lines. This is usually in the capacity of laying down mid-tones (since ink only naturally allows us full black or full white). In these situations, it's best to force yourself to do one of two things:
Identify what kind of details are present in that area, and use their specific pattern of tiny cast shadows instead of simple hatching. This will create a more interesting, somewhat less regular pattern across the surface, and will force you to apply the same kind of care and patience you've demonstrated elsewhere.
If there is no such textural detail (for example, the surface is smooth), or if you wish to play down the actual texture in that area, don't be afraid of laying down larger areas of solid black. A brush pen can be especially useful for this. I see a lot of examples of you doing this already, but it's usually in combination of those kinds of hatchy mid-tones, which take the beauty of a bold statement about light/shadow and muddy it somewhat with the addition of a grey area.
It's absolutely true that there are going to be places where those grey areas are desired, and even necessary, when it comes to the styles you apply in the future. The reason it's incredibly useful to think only in terms of extremes in this exercise however is because it forces you to make hard choices, and to consider the edges of your shadow shapes' silhouettes.
Mind you, when I say hatching, what I mean may be somewhat unclear. For example, #20 may seem somewhat like hatching, but I think it's excellent because you're actually following a seemingly natural texture. In #4 however, those hatching lines used for shading on the scales don't really reflect what one would find on that kind of surface. Additionally, #25's loose hatching is more organic, but it feels sloppy and out of place for that particular kind of texture.
Anyway, overall this is an excellent set of work, so I commend you for pushing through and completing the challenge.
Juanmilon
2017-08-15 06:48
Thanks for the feedback, I'm gonna give another try to that #4 texture. I suppose partly it was that I was still figuring out how I was supposed to do it and relied on the good old . Let me take another stab at it. The fish scales (#25)... I don't know, the scratches they had, it was more subtle and maybe I abused that detail. And it was more like white scratches on a darker surface. If you would like to look at my reference: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/99/55/92/99559231f472b2d556dcb433de53864c.jpg
Uncomfortable
2017-08-15 15:26
I can definitely see that as being a tricky texture to approach. That said, I think your approach there fell away to a bit more chaos/randomness, which often happens when we get overwhelmed by something like this.