Crankshaft's Sketchbook

More updates! Studies on distortion for curves and planar objects. This was a problem I encountered with my engine room so I did some studies to figure out what I was doing wrong!

Also I want to start drawing/painting simple organic stuff like trees, grass, rocks etc, how do you guys recommend I start? I was thinking of just doing paintings based off small photo studies with no color sampling. I want to focus on color, atmospheric perspective etc.

Nice studies, Crank. Something I need to try someday. I've always just tried to draw how my mind see's things, which I know isn't the best way, but it's just something I've always done and really enjoy. And yep, even when you good folks here don't chime in with suggestions, I still do a lot of adjustments on my own when creating some images. (not to mention when I decide to change the scene, but I actually don't mind this most of the time, since I usually get more ideas while I work) ... As I've said in the past, this somehow gives me a feeling that the image is really mine, or more personal I should say. This may sound stupid to some, but I'm just trying to be honest in how it makes me feel.

Though, I do admit, I have always felt I have somewhat of a photogenic memory. In that when I see something, I've always been able to imagine it later and reproduce it quite closely to the original. And sometimes it can be quite some time since I saw it originally. So I guess all artwork as well as other things I see, all gives me ideas that kind of float around in my head, and I'm sure have aided me in many of the ideas I come up with.

Updates! Studies!

This was a study I did for the red platform you see in the engine room.



How distortion can severely affect ellipses and the ability to plot lines.



Adding muscles to the figure. I learned a lot here and I admit there are problems here.



Plotting shadows from objects that have complex holes. Casting vertical shadows as well.



Added a platform to my engine room (red) and raised the control tower.



A look of the construction behind the updates.

Thanks Dave! Yeah I think fundamentals are super important to grind. I feel that my design ability has improved a lot now thanks to all these studies. Also, commenting on what you said, for me I tend to have a pretty good ability on seeing things in 3D space in my head, especially with technical stuff. However, when it comes to figures I definitely need more practice. P

Studies! Local light and direct light inside windows or holes.

Studies! Still trying to understand local light inside windows. I think I'm close to getting it.





Distortion on triangular boxes.

Quick update on my engine room.



Studies. A lot of these are made up.



I encountered a problem with my engine room with those support pillars so I did a study on them to see how they should converge.



I've got it! I figured out how to get local light inside windows!

Attempting to rotate objects using only the existing grid and no horizon. Still can't get it.



Local light thru cylinder and floating objects.



The difference in perspective of rotated objects vs objects that are moved side by side.

Anatomy practice. I'll get into gesture soon again.



Made more progress with my engine room! This is why you study perspective! Contrary to all my studies, there's a lot of design, storytelling, composition, problem solving, form language and engineering here!



Sketches/comps/thumbnails showing my design iterations. I have pages and pages of these that I don't show because they're so messy but very important.



Control tower/HQ/office quarters.



Support beams for the roof.



Living quarters for the personnel and stairs to give some human element and scale.

Coming together. Look forward to seeing it whole when done.