Attos' Sketchbook and Studies NSFW Nudity

I've never tried oils. Part of me wants to but I can't stand the fumes of paint thinner /turps and the super long drying times are not really practical for me.
Recently I found some videos about something called Interactive Acrylics which are apparently a bit more like oils in their blending and colour vibrancy although they are a bit pricey, for me at least.
I tend to use that thick, heavy body System3 stuff that seems to dry within seconds. If only it would let me blend for just a little moment.

Absolutely agree Val the drying times are a blessing and a curse. I also use system3, any idea to their colour fastness - I haven't produced any traditional art in years (about 20) worthy of worrying about keeping for any length of time but if I'm to continue to develop these skills it may (though most likely not) be worth consideration in the future.

Atto wrote: I also use system3, any idea to their colour fastness

Well I've never had a problem with them but then again, I'm not producing pro grade work that anyone would want to look at in 100 years time. Currently, after X number of years, my oldest paintings look just as bad as when I first finished them.
In fact, just looking through my box of paints, I also throw in some even cheaper stuff too just to top up my selection (usually that Boldmere stuff that you get from The Works for a couple of quid.)
But I think that if you're lucky enough to have people paying you for your works then you should get (and probably can afford to get) artists grade paints rather than student grade. Although that reminds me, I only ever bought an artist grade paint once a few years back when the local shop had no other stock. It was a tube of Galeria black and despite the extra cost it was rubbish, so pathetically thin and weak that I ended up throwing it. So I guess the moral of this story is just use what works for you.

A new one from me while I wait for the new challenge to be posted (more like because this thread was completely dead!)

And a little rough where I was trying to be brave and use some more saturated colour

That first one is interesting, especially with the black clothing bisecting the body and the lack of facial detail. It breaks it down into a series of abstract shapes yet it still clearly remains a figurative anatomical structure.

Well, it's been a while but I've finally sat down to put stylus to wacom again.
Haven't spent long on this one so far.
Barotholomew in Milans Cathedral. Would have loved to have visited this when I was in Milan about 10 years ago but we were on our way to Sorrento at the time on a driving holiday and only stopped in Milan to sleep and eat.
I see myself visiting again soon and being one of those guys who sits and draws it from life as people look on in awe of my work (or something like that!)

Hey, Atto. :waves:
Nice to see you pop in again with a sketch when time permits. And there's some lovely flowing lines suggesting that form. You should go over it in ink and put it in the challenge.

I don't think I could ever be "that guy" sketching in public. I'd get far too annoyed at everyone walking by and watching me. Even if they weren't watching me.

Thanks Val *waves back*

Got bored of that one (as I so often do) but thought I would try (what is for me) one of the hardest subjects - a self portrait.

I'm trying to forgo that ever present line drawing that I use and jump straight into tone - though I'm still getting caught up in the details far too early. Still, here goes:

That looks like a good start, especially with you using a different process and with it being the dreaded self portrait.
And there's nothing wrong with early details. The eyes are always a good place to begin and you've got a good realistic shape to the rounded form.
Don't be getting bored with it!

Thanks Val,
The reason I mention the details is because I normally struggle to 'intergrate' the background into the final image once I have developed the foreground so much and I become a little precious about all the time I spend rendering details to make any big changes later on. At least I think it would help working across the image more as a whole - I don't know - I've never managed to resist that urge.

So I've just carried on with the other eye and tried to add a little more form to the head - I really like the nose at the moment though it only took me about 3 minutes to do.