[MihaiRadu]

Hi, my name's Mihai, i've been doing this drawing thing for all my life basically, but i guess i've never been as motivated as some, to put many hrs./day in working, so my improvement was kinda slow.

I've been lurking forums and seeing some great examples of improvement and motivation, so i decided to join. Also i think is a great thing to have your progress documented online, as opposed to keeping it hidden on a hard drive. X (

So, i'll just get some stuff out of the way now..

studies

[MihaiRadu]

Some non-studies.. : D
Thumbnails, sketches, quickies, color and composition ideeas..






Alchemy



Satellite Soda Character sketches















Sculptris try

[MihaiRadu]

Self Portraits, from pics, no color picking.

[BettaKats]

Слушай, ну кайф вообще! ))))

[MihaiRadu]

@ Elisaveta - Thanks, i think...! You sure made me go on a quest of Google translating! : D

Here's my submission to the Star Wars challenge. I've written a whole wall of text about it there.

Some thumbz, i like some of them, might expand.

And a Frazetta study. I have mui-mui trouble separating light from shade and i love how Frazetta does it. I'm gonna be studying him more often. This is digital, with some noise and paper texture that.. i guess helped give it a more traditional feel.

[nylelevi]

Nice work man! Ive been thinking about starting a sketchbook here too but I havent been drawing for long so I guess Im a bit scared about the criticism lol

[Dorutza]

nice work nice work!

And yes... Winter is coming!!! Love that series! : D

Love your poses! And don t forget about contrast! xD

[stace]

Wow, great start to your sketchbook! I am definitely favoring your work variety and also your output. How do you balance between references/studies and then imaginative works? I'm still struggling trying to find my balance for it... But please, do keep sharing!

[malo]

Hey great start on your SB.
You've a pretty good line flow!
Keep it up!

And thanks to stacy for pointing this sb out

[MihaiRadu]

nylelevi - hey, just consider the fact that some of the best cg artists out there have started from 0 by posting on forums. My best example would be Algenpfelger, or Miles Johnston. Check their CA threads if you didn't already.
I had a very late start, since i could have started this years ago, but i also was shy and scared (still kinda am : D). But i realised that it's kinda cool to just have your progress documented somwhere. You're gonna be more respected later i guess, if you have a good ol forum link to prove your progress to clients.

Malo & Stacey - Thanks for noticing the variety. I'm just lovin' so many styles, and i constantly gather influences, so that's why i'm doing various stuff, but as malo noticed, the line is where i'm most comfortable. Deep down i guess i'm just confused, and not really ready to focus on something in particular. There's always the dillema of concept vs. illustration. (Whether you prefer to do more speedy stuff in less time, or less uber-finished illos that take longer) That's something i'm pondering..
About the studies, i wasn't even taking the studies seriously until recently i discovered Algenpfelger's (mentioned yet again) livestream channel. The main thing with studies i guess is to try to apply the stuff you learned. For example, you do a forest-scene study and you learn stuff about grass and tree branches, and then you come up with a similar concept in wich you apply those things without a photo ref..
That's basically what i've done with the next 2 paintings:

Study from Game of Thrones. I tell you, i like twins as much as the next guy, but those two towers.... goddamn Freys..

This is some study stuff applied, was mostly wanting to use some grass and branch brushed that i made. Also, i could do with some concrete/stone studies for sure. : O
Some edges are really crispy because i use the lasso tool to block in all major shapes, and then i forget to soften stuff.

This is something i've noticed in one of my thumbs. A perfect example of the artist placing a bit of himself in his work. That's me right there.


Dorutza - DA!! Winter is coming! I'm excited every time i find a Thrones fan, i'm glad you're one. Unless you're some kind of twisted Jeoffrey fan! But nah, you can't be THAT perverted. (I'm not sure such a person exists actually hmm)
Thanks though, and about Stockholm, i'll just say that i'm fond of Scandinavia cuz i'm lovin their METAL! If i'm ever to leave this wannabe-country, i'd probably consider setting my course for the NORTH!
"THE KING IN THE NORTH!"

In other news, apparently Diablo 3 Beta started. WANT! GIVE IT TOH MUH! BAYBUH!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QOZmNGY88w
TROLOLO

[Dorutza]

Never think like "Omg i started late and look at those!"

I started when i was 10.. and because of an asshole that gave me the most shitiest critic ever i went down hill.... People like Miles Johnston... this peeps focused on THEMSELVES... they wanted and they want to be the big guys! There attitude is pure awesome! I know Miles since he is at Atelier Stockholm and I talked to him and for an 18 years old kid he sure thinks very mature! He has a inocent kind mind and the desire of just drawing and painting! Think of what they did but dunno if you ever had this .. don t think about age! We all die one day and we all get old! Your work is your own idea and feeling touch to it! It is something unique : ) something that Miles will not do cuz it is not his style : ) if you understand what i mean....

When i was 15 i was doing this http://th08.deviantart.net/fs43/PRE/...WannaLearn.jpg http://th05.deviantart.net/fs49/PRE/...WannaLearn.jpg, http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs43/f/20...WannaLearn.jpg ,

I was pretty good for my age but never showed myself... and like i said cuz of a critic i went downhill... think about yourself! and what you want! And just do your best! DRAW OR DIE! I am 21 now and i still have this downhill moments ... because i am weak... but someone said to me.. "it's never too late. 21 is still young and you have many years left ahead of you. Don't worry too much, it hinders your own growth. Just relax. Things always come as they need to come. Good luck"

so ..Good luck to you too : )

[MihaiRadu]

Thanks for putting your heart out. : D
We've all probably had that asshole critic in our lives, and i guess it really depends how much attention we give them. if we're in an unstable mindset, then it might cause some damage.

I think i always had this thing of relating to people around me when it came to my hobbies and passions. In particular, if I had a few close friends that were passionate about drawing, i found lots of motivation to go on. A sort of friendly competition.

Now comes the amazing part. The time when i was surrounded by the most people passionate about drawing was elementary school! Basiclly my childhood friends. And when i reached an actual art school (tonitza) and then art college, i found the people around me, less intersted in drawing, and more in the usual teenage stuff. I hoped for the other way around. So that was kind of a shock.

So yea i went downhill too, became really shy about my work, and wasn't showing myself much, but i'm hopefully getting into the right mindset now. : D

Romanian side-note: Am vazut pe facebook ca ai fost in Tonitza, am facut romana cu diriga ta, nice lady, copiam like a bauss. Am vazut ca-i ai la friends pe Matei Crisan si pe Deedee. Eram curios daca chiar ii cunosti. Am fost coleg cu ei la grafica in fac. In tonitza eram la animatie... Si faptul ca il cunosti pe Miles, kinda cool! A mai facut un level scoala aia in ochii mei! : O Trebuie sa imi pun la punct niste chestii legat de diploma si master, si cred ca o sa incep sa ma gandesc serios la o scoala buna. Am vazut asta si m-a pus pe ganduri:
http://hyperdivine.deviantart.com/journal/43213720/

[Dorutza]

: ) Da o cunosc pe deedee pe celalalt nu s sigura : \

In fine : ) Bafta si daca vi in Suedia : ) te astept

[MihaiRadu]

D:

Yes, i'm gonna keep doing thrones studies. For some reason.. I wil try to look out for different stuff thou. For example I've never sat down to do a serious freakin armor. Heh. I've ended up with making some chainmail and arabesque brushes out of this. : O
Note: Unsharp mask with trehsold 0 (important) is fackin A. And noise is fackin A too!

Anywayz, here's a smug gay flowery knight! : D

[MihaiRadu]

Study of course. No thrones this time. : O. I guess i wanted to go deeper with the face pores on this one. There's really a method to the madness when it comes to that i guess. I managed to figure out some stuff but it ain't clear yet. Should study moar.