Fortnightly Blog #20 (12/11/22 - 25/12/22) [Final for this year]
First of all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Years! This year has been an opening year from the last 2 years as normalities start to come back to our life.
Given that this is the end of this year, I thought I should give it a perspective on everything I have in my first year of serious art study...
Note: I'm going by this by the time I started exploring on it.
Update & Year Review
Photoshop Lesson
Haven't really explored much on this since I understood most of the term/tool outlined in term 1. Still liked this image manipulation suprisingly.
It also got me into value control (smudging/blending) which I have practiced for some time with an exercise sheet I made.
Perspective
Haven't really explored much on this area too. I explored perspective a lot back in my high school engineering class days but not so on art. So I felt I don't need to do much on perspective and focused more on other matters for the time being.
For next year, I may explore perspective more but is still in the back of my priority list.
Btw, thx you @leeireo and @Lockenheim for the tips on perspective. I don't think I have used it atm but it's nice to know that somebody else is watching me and offer to help.
Figure Drawing
One of trouble of this year. Although I'm getting better at deconstruction, I felt I was copying the model action rather than 'exploring/interpreting' it.
Looking back, it looks good but I don't feel like I have 'learnt' from those experience. (e.g. body anatomy basic)
It was at this time that I explored a method called FORCE. Short story, it help me develop a better understanding of how body parts are positioned accordingly to gravity. So now, I went from the top image to below currently
For next year, I'm not aiming to learn body anatomy but I aim to continue my figure flow drawing and forcing myself to not copy but interpret the model action.
Note: Thx you @Sthingz for your feedback on my FORCE work. Good to know that somebody else is following and benefitting from FORCE principle.
Facial Anatomy
Another trouble from this year. I know anatomy will be tough to do since it consists a lot of knowledge. And let just say, I bit more than I can chew.
Coupled with the fact that I have uni studies and full-time work, I don't really have much time to effectively study and practice on anatomy. But looking back, I'm kinda happy that I gave it a shot and fail rather than not doing anything at all.
Although I haven't learnt anatomy, I did learnt other concepts alongside such as brush control and deconstruction and also shadow.
Next year, this is definitely something I need to tackle again. But with the failure and more art experience, I should be able to finally complete it.
Gesture Drawing
I feel this is my most successful progress this year. Let just say using FORCE made my work more expressive and flowy, the 2 things I want in my gesture drawing.
Before
Now
Next year, I aim to add form in my gesture drawing. I'm looking at Michael Hamptons work as an idea.
Shading
A more recent focus at the end of this year, this was discovered while doing facial anatomy. The biggest gripe of facial anatomy is that I was tackling multiple things at once - not only anatomy but also deconstruction and shading value too.
With that realisation in mind, I stopped facial anatomy and focused more on shading which was beginner at best. I can shade but conceptually wise, no idea.
I watched YT vid on shading (usual one from Brunet and Proko). Began to do simple volume before moving onto more complex one.


Next year, continue to work on my shading study. Definitely felt much more beneficial and hopefully make my facial anatomy study a lot more easier.
Sprint Goals towards the next 2 weeks
Nothing much really. I aim to keep this week free and just relax from BOTH work and art hobby. XD So instead, I thx some people who helped me on my early art journey so far.
Thx @Sthingz for your FORCE note on your blog. Helps me along with my note confirmation. Again, congrats with your college graduation.
Thx @prinzmoana for your kind words on my work.
Thx @Lockenheim for your kind words and your response to some of my question on both here and Discord. I feel like I need to read your whole blog again to get an idea on what to expect for my journey.
There are others I know in Discord who I chat to on VC but not sure on their tag here. Whatever, thx you so much for demoing difficult concept to me.
For others I haven't mention, I hope I get to meet you either here or Discord and good luck with your art journey.
Thx for reading and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!