Ludwigia Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 This time I decided to try my luck on my avatar photo. A Ludwigia haugi from the Middle Jurassic in the Wutach area. I think that this one took me twice as long to complete as the first one. Maybe 20 hours or so? I had to rotate the photo in order to fit it in here. And here's the original: 2 8 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Bravo! You captured your namesake well. I should ask if you have any of those blending stumps or tortillons -- I find they really help where the light is gradational, or to mask pencil strokes. ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 1 minute ago, Kane said: Bravo! You captured your namesake well. I should ask if you have any of those blending stumps or tortillons -- I find they really help where the light is gradational, or to mask pencil strokes. Thanks, Kane. Yes, I've thought about those tortillons and shall probably pick some up soon. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Very fine drawing, Roger! Do you have a technical method for transferring the shape or is it done by eye? I'm looking for a camera lucida or digital equivalent for technical drawings. Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 13 minutes ago, TqB said: I'm looking for a camera lucida or digital equivalent for technical drawings. If you are using an iPad or an iPhone, the Camera Lucida app is worth the nominal cost. 2 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 30 minutes ago, Kane said: If you are using an iPad or an iPhone, the Camera Lucida app is worth the nominal cost. Thank you! I've been thinking of getting an iPad and having just watched a tutorial of that I'm convinced. Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 5 hours ago, TqB said: Very fine drawing, Roger! Do you have a technical method for transferring the shape or is it done by eye? I'm looking for a camera lucida or digital equivalent for technical drawings. Thanks Tarquin. No, I don't have a camera lucida. I've been using cutouts to get the form, but I want to practice more freehand now and get better at shading. 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Would it be helpful if I gave some shading tips? It's far more essential in drawing than people think, and there are some varieties pending the subject and lighting which require slightly different techniques. In many ways, shading is what makes the drawing. Really, what we're doing is trying to render a 3D object into a 2D format that looks 3D. I'm no expert, and don't want to offer unsolicited advice when you are very far along, but I'm always around to share what I know in the hopes it might be helpful to anyone else pushing the pencils. In exchange, when next you're on this side of the pond, maybe you could give me some tips on integrating more interesting scale runs on the old axe beyond the old major/minor pentatonics! ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 50 minutes ago, Kane said: Would it be helpful if I gave some shading tips? It's far more essential in drawing than people think, and there are some varieties pending the subject and lighting which require slightly different techniques. In many ways, shading is what makes the drawing. Really, what we're doing is trying to render a 3D object into a 2D format that looks 3D. I'm no expert, and don't want to offer unsolicited advice when you are very far along, but I'm always around to share what I know in the hopes it might be helpful to anyone else pushing the pencils. In exchange, when next you're on this side of the pond, maybe you could give me some tips on integrating more interesting scale runs on the old axe beyond the old major/minor pentatonics! Thanks for the offer, Kane. Good to know I can contact you if need be. My sister-in-law is a graphic artist and she's starting to give me some tips and has just turned me on to a couple of helpful websites. 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 11 hours ago, Ludwigia said: Thanks Tarquin. No, I don't have a camera lucida. I've been using cutouts to get the form, but I want to practice more freehand now and get better at shading. Thanks, Roger. I didn't think of cutouts! Complete freehand is challenging. I've used grids before (a long time ago)- it was good enough for old masters! 1 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Fantastic drawing Roger . Very impressive. Kept it up the more you draw the better you will become. cheers Bobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Very nice Roger! Your extra time spent on the drawing has paid off. I see much improvement here over your first. I would have know it was your avatar picture even without seeing the comparison. Keep up the good work! The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 33 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said: Fantastic drawing Roger . Very impressive. Kept it up the more you draw the better you will become. cheers Bobby Thanks Bobby. It's particularly encouraging to get a positive reaction from an artist like yourself 1 minute ago, FossilNerd said: Very nice Roger! Your extra time spent on the drawing has paid off. I see much improvement here over your first. I would have know it was your avatar picture even without seeing the comparison. Keep up the good work! Thanks Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaacTheFossilMan Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Beautiful, Roger! Very very impressive work! ~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com "Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 3 hours ago, IsaacTheFossilMan said: Beautiful, Roger! Very very impressive work! Thanks. 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahnmut Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Great drawing, great improvement compared to the first good one. I have some problems seeing its 3d shape, which may have two reasons: -my lighting here does not fit the direction of your image -The bright spots in the Photograph are part smooth reflection, from different lightsources? In the Photograph, one can discern the directions, but I think it may be extremely difficult to catch that effect in a drawing. Aloha, J Try to learn something about everything and everything about something Thomas Henry Huxley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Trilo Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 I can see the 3D, the shadow in the middle makes it look deeper and then the pieces missing on the outside shell are clear, the shadows on every ridge of the ammonite. Looks just like the actual specimen, great job 1 “If fossils are not "boggling" your mind then you are simply not doing it right” -Ken (digit) "No fossil is garbage, it´s just not completely preserved” -Franz (FranzBernhard) "With hammer in hand, the open horizon of time, and dear friends by my side, what can we not accomplish together?" -Kane (Kane) "We are in a way conquering time, reuniting members of a long lost family" -Quincy (Opabinia Blues) "I loved reading the trip reports, I loved the sharing, I loved the educational aspect, I loved the humor. It felt like home. It still does" -Mike (Pagurus) “The best deal I ever got was getting accepted as a member on The Fossil Forum. Not only got an invaluable pool of knowledge, but gained a loving family as well.” -Doren (caldigger) "it really is nice, to visit the oasis that is TFF" -Tim (fossildude19) "Life's Good! -Adam (Tidgy's Dad) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 1 hour ago, Mahnmut said: Great drawing, great improvement compared to the first good one. I have some problems seeing its 3d shape, which may have two reasons: -my lighting here does not fit the direction of your image -The bright spots in the Photograph are part smooth reflection, from different lightsources? In the Photograph, one can discern the directions, but I think it may be extremely difficult to catch that effect in a drawing. Aloha, J Yes, you are right there. It was not easy to get the play of light and shadow right on this one. I've tried to improve on that, but I don't have enough expertise to do that to my satisfaction. I think I'm going to try this one again, but this time freehand and I want to try to keep it simpler, just highlighting the darker areas and not going into so much detail. 1 hour ago, Top Trilo said: I can see the 3D, the shadow in the middle makes it look deeper and then the pieces missing on the outside shell are clear, the shadows on every ridge of the ammonite. Looks just like the actual specimen, great job Thanks. Glad you can see that, but, like I mentioned above, there's still room for improvement. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahnmut Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 It is a great drawing, and there are many parts where the 3d shape is clear. it was just my impression that the original photo has either more than one lightsource or a very diffuse one , thus making it harder to catch in a drawing, especially in the lower whorl. Your could experimentally go over it, using the digital copy for example and draw some more shadow and highlights, imagining just one spot light source. Best Regards, J Try to learn something about everything and everything about something Thomas Henry Huxley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 10 hours ago, Mahnmut said: It is a great drawing, and there are many parts where the 3d shape is clear. it was just my impression that the original photo has either more than one lightsource or a very diffuse one , thus making it harder to catch in a drawing, especially in the lower whorl. Your could experimentally go over it, using the digital copy for example and draw some more shadow and highlights, imagining just one spot light source. Best Regards, J Your suggestions are moving along my line of thought. Thanks for your input. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 Looking great! My challenge to you: Try out my favorite drawing pencil in the world for your next piece: https://www.prismacolor.com/graphite/premier-graphite/premier-ebony-pencils/PCPremierEbonyPencils They are worth every penny, and once you get used to them, no other pencil seems right! Each of these (non fossil) drawings was done with this pencil- different styles and different paper types - to give you an idea of the versatility. https://www.behance.net/gallery/31969949/Drawing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 49 minutes ago, LabRatKing said: Looking great! My challenge to you: Try out my favorite drawing pencil in the world for your next piece: https://www.prismacolor.com/graphite/premier-graphite/premier-ebony-pencils/PCPremierEbonyPencils They are worth every penny, and once you get used to them, no other pencil seems right! Each of these (non fossil) drawings was done with this pencil- different styles and different paper types - to give you an idea of the versatility. https://www.behance.net/gallery/31969949/Drawing Thanks for the tip. Is that your work? Looks good! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 24 minutes ago, Ludwigia said: Thanks for the tip. Is that your work? Looks good! That’s old stuff. I mostly do pen and ink or sculpture these days, but haven’t had the time for art in a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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