The New Artist's Thread (Warning: Large Image Size)

[thestrangequark]

This is a new thread for artists, because I cannot find (or be bothered to search for) the old ones. It strikes me that the title can be read to mean this is a thread for new artists, which is somewhat appropriate, for while I am not a new artist, I am a new painter. This is a thread for visual artists to share their work of any medium, tell us a little bit about what you've done, ask for tips, and share inspirations.

I've been back in New York a week now, finally home with my supplies, and I painted my 5th picture this week. I'm still learning, as I only started painting a few months ago and this is my 5th painting ever, so it's not the greatest. Still, I'm pleased with how it came out for the most part. I'd greatly appreciate tips and/or constructive criticism!

I'd love to see what other Trekkie artists are doing.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

That's fantastic, as always, tsq-- except you cut her head off! Where's her head?

Other than that, I love the flowing lines-- it looks organic and motile, like Frazetta or Eisner. And the color is all Science Fictiony.

As for me, I've just finished up this year's Halloween comic for Shattered Corpse, but I can't show it to you because SC has dibs until after Halloween.

 

[thestrangequark]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

^Thanks, RJ, I always appreciate your input especially!

I didn't want to paint a face, I just wanted the body, but I didn't want her to be objectified or powerless, so I made her chin lifted high. She's the first in a series of pictures that have been floating in my head this summer, awaiting actualization. They're all a bit to do with physics, and I'm very excited about them.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

Yes, I did notice the symbols and the trails.

 

[Ruaidhri]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

Love the colors tsq! I never got to a point with paint that I felt at all happy with. I always felt more comfortable with sketching.

These are all conte crayon sketches:

 

[thestrangequark]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

^Those are beautiful. I consider myself more competent with drawing than with painting as well, but one night I just felt the need to paint. It was the usual artistic frenzy -- a head full of images and a seemingly endless supply of energy to create -- but for some reason I just felt those images could not be drawn, they had to be painted. So, while I don't consider my paintings as expert as my drawings, I am getting a lot of creative release out of them.

 

[captcalhoun]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

a handy tip, if you need female body references and don't fancy using yourself (understandably) you can do worse than look at soft porn on tinternet. i know several 3D artists who do so, and not just for your huge-boobed amazonian fantasy-esque warriors...

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

^^ The best place for classy, Human-looking nudes is deviantArt.

Nice work, Ruaidhri. I love that skull.

 

[Ruaidhri]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

Thanks for the compliments, guys. I tend to be hyper-critical of my own artwork, even on stuff I like.

I'll see if I can dig out the one painting I've retained over the years, and probably post a handful more sketches, too.

 

[Shaw]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

I only currently have my topology drawings...

Click to enlarge


Click to enlarge


Click to enlarge​

But I've been considering moving into sculpting. I've always admired Helaman Ferguson's work and would love to be able to do something similar.

tsq, didn't you use that pattern in the tattoo on a previous painting? As I recall you had once had a similar desktop image you had expressed interest in making into a tattoo.

I was curious what (beyond the obvious aesthetics) is so compelling about that pattern to you. Is there something else there that speaks to you? I mean that you can put into words, because it seems from your art work that it has touched you on a very deep level.

 

[thestrangequark]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

^Your drawings are so beautiful, Shaw. I would love to see you sculpt. There is so much dimension (obviously) in your imagery, it begs to be sculpted. I haven't tried my hand at sculpting since I was a kid, but I've never been keen on it myself. I love sculpture, but I find the heaviness of working with something so substantial intimidating, and the medium limiting. I know for some artists it is exactly the opposite.

as to why the images from bubble chambers are so appealing to me, I tried thinking about it for a bit. I'm rubbish at introspection and get board with it very quickly, so my conclusions are not at all thoroughly thought through. There's the obvious reason of it perfectly symbolizing for me the the bringing together of the arts and sciences (I think the "Two Worlds" paradigm is a lot of bollocks), but it does run deeper than that. If I believed in God I might say it has something to do with God being in the details. I can't figure out how better to describe how affecting I find those images. I am indeed still planning on having them tattooed on me, when I can afford it. I want to do a sort of upper half sleeve on my left arm and then sort of the same on my lower right leg, trailing down onto my foot. If anything I imagine the pick-lines will be better; instead of just any creep asking me if I play and instrument (re: the treble clef tattoo on my arm), a guy who knows what the bubble chamber pictures are will be more likely to share my interests!

 

[Shaw]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

^Your drawings are so beautiful, Shaw. I would love to see you sculpt. There is so much dimension (obviously) in your imagery, it begs to be sculpted. I haven't tried my hand at sculpting since I was a kid, but I've never been keen on it myself. I love sculpture, but I find the heaviness of working with something so substantial intimidating, and the medium limiting. I know for some artists it is exactly the opposite.

Thanks! I envy your ability to work with colors (which is something I'm not quite comfortable with as yet).

Yeah, I've had the same feeling of being intimidated by the medium as a whole (even though my grandmother sculpts), but recently I was able to accurately sculpt (scratch build) elements of a model based on curves that I reverse engineered from photos. This is the model...

Click to view Gallery​

I know it isn't exactly art (it is replicating someone else's art work), but I've become quite hearten by the techniques that I used in making this model that I could apply them to something else... something more.

as to why the images from bubble chambers are so appealing to me, I tried thinking about it for a bit. I'm rubbish at introspection and get board with it very quickly, so my conclusions are not at all thoroughly thought through. There's the obvious reason of it perfectly symbolizing for me the the bringing together of the arts and sciences (I think the "Two Worlds" paradigm is a lot of bollocks), but it does run deeper than that. If I believed in God I might say it has something to do with God being in the details. I can't figure out how better to describe how affecting I find those images. I am indeed still planning on having them tattooed on me, when I can afford it. I want to do a sort of upper half sleeve on my left arm and then sort of the same on my lower right leg, trailing down onto my foot. If anything I imagine the pick-lines will be better; instead of just any creep asking me if I play and instrument (re: the treble clef tattoo on my arm), a guy who knows what the bubble chamber pictures are will be more likely to share my interests!

Well, sometimes too much introspection is actually a bad thing... specially when it comes to aspects of love. In trying to figure out why those patterns speak to you, you might run the risk of diminishing the feeling they invoke... and that would be a tragic loss considering how they seem to inspire you in your art.

I'd go so far as to say that those bubble chambers patterns seem to be something of a muse for you.

I can't find the copies of your earlier work off hand... but did you attempt to recreate the halo effect to the trails as it appeared in the image you used for your desktop that one time? That aspect of them struck me as... well, ethereal (I think that is the right word).

I really think your work is inspiring... both in skills and (more importantly) content. Images say so much more than words ever can, and to have the ability to create such images is a true gift.

 

[Gepard]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

Shaw, you need to stop building immaculate models and lighting them so damn well, then posting them them in B&W, because every time you do I think you're showing us obvious CGI.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

That's a damn nice model, CGI or not.

 

[Shaw]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

Thanks guys!

It is great to get encouragement and nice to know that people like how the model turned out.

 

[Ruaidhri]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

Wow, really incredible model-work!

 

[thestrangequark]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

^Your drawings are so beautiful, Shaw. I would love to see you sculpt. There is so much dimension (obviously) in your imagery, it begs to be sculpted. I haven't tried my hand at sculpting since I was a kid, but I've never been keen on it myself. I love sculpture, but I find the heaviness of working with something so substantial intimidating, and the medium limiting. I know for some artists it is exactly the opposite.

Thanks! I envy your ability to work with colors (which is something I'm not quite comfortable with as yet).

Yeah, I've had the same feeling of being intimidated by the medium as a whole (even though my grandmother sculpts), but recently I was able to accurately sculpt (scratch build) elements of a model based on curves that I reverse engineered from photos. This is the model...

Click to view Gallery​

I know it isn't exactly art (it is replicating someone else's art work), but I've become quite hearten by the techniques that I used in making this model that I could apply them to something else... something more.

Of course it's art, and it's stunning! It is so perfect that it does indeed look like CGI.

Well, sometimes too much introspection is actually a bad thing... specially when it comes to aspects of love. In trying to figure out why those patterns speak to you, you might run the risk of diminishing the feeling they invoke... and that would be a tragic loss considering how they seem to inspire you in your art.

Indeed. And I think when one over-thinks their work, it really shows, and is not a good thing.

[/quote]I'd go so far as to say that those bubble chambers patterns seem to be something of a muse for you.

I can't find the copies of your earlier work off hand... but did you attempt to recreate the halo effect to the trails as it appeared in the image you used for your desktop that one time? That aspect of them struck me as... well, ethereal (I think that is the right word).[/quote]I think this is the image you're thinking of:

It is very beautiful, very fractal.

I've been incorporating bubble chamber inspired imagery into my art for a long time.

I really think your work is inspiring... both in skills and (more importantly) content. Images say so much more than words ever can, and to have the ability to create such images is a true gift.

Thank you, sincerely.

This is what I'm currently working on. It is unfinished.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

The blue skin tones and bubble chamber patterns of the last two paintings remind me of Dr Manhattan.

 

[TedShatner10]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

Here's a fat troll:

A green pathway:

And a tower (mostly finished):

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: The New Artist's Thread

Interesting. I like the brush strokes on the clouds and greenery. What's the object to the left on the path?