Trying something different

Well I took a little step away from the characters. 
I purchased a non Disney art book. Well okay it is not 100% no Disney the author actually once worked for Disney. (It always has the Disney touch right? lol.)










Anyway, I got this book because I like the idea of maybe trying to draw items in the park. So I thought it might help me to get an idea on how to draw structures. So of course I had to start with the only thing that makes sense, The Castle! 

I actually started the castle a few pages into a new sketchbook, because I had an idea for an opening page. Thanks to the Iphone ap Disenyland Resort 2013 Photo of the Day I was inspired to try to draw this item.


Even though it looked pretty straight forward I found it a little more challenging. I had a hard time figuring out exactly what the bell was. Also because of my paper and the fact I drew this a little low I felt I needed to add a bit more. 



So with a little research I found that the one item was actually the bell and the line in the back that looked like telephone line to me, was the cord to pull the bell. Once I knew what it was it made it easier for me to draw.








I am considering coloring this. Disney to me is very colorful. But I am afraid of messing it up if I add color. In the mean time I did at least ad some black out line and shaded in the tunnel.  However, I messed up and forgot I was going to make this my opening page. I ended up putting it on page 4 behind the castle.

So, I needed to go back and do the beginning pages.  I thought about what is the first thing you see when you go to the park?

 The sign welcoming you!  So with a little internet research I found the oldest sign I could find and decided to do that. My plan is, on the next page to do a more modern sign. But not the most recent as that is my least favorite. This sign is the one I remember when I was little when I would come for vacation. 


In person I was really liking this drawing. However, when I see it as a photograph I can see how amateur it looks. First off letters are hard! And all those long poles, to get a straight line is not easy. I considered using a ruler  However I decided that my sketches are not an exact photo of the item, they are my interpretation of the item. So I decided that using a ruler takes away that part. I want to be able to draw with as little tools as needed. A sketch book,  a holder for pencil, sharpener and eraser is all I want to have to carry around. Of course endless colored pencils are good too. ;) But those I do not carry around with me as much.

This is my favorite on the go supply case. It wraps around my sketch book it is thin and easy to put in my purse. In the little Velcro pocket is my sharpener. The back zipper compartment can expand if you need more stuff.  I bought this at Amazon and I am considering getting another, so that I can have one on each sketch book. 

In the above picture on the left the case is a perfect fit on the XL Mix Media Canson [My items in the park sketch book]. The one on the right it on the Universal Sketch from Canson [My character sketch book].  This one you can see the band that wraps around. 
(Below are the books without the case.)

Another favorite case I have is just for my colored pencils. I currently have 63 of the 150 available. And I still find at times there are colors I am missing to do just the right picture.  So I keep adding to my collection. Some day I'll have the complete set and will need a bigger case and this one is almost full as you can see.

Shown standing up so you can see both sides.

Shown Closed.

Completed!

Today I have officially completed every character in the Learn to Draw Disney Celebrated Characters Collection! Which I purchased 7 weeks ago yesterday. 

       A total of 50 characters! 

In my list there are 49 sections but Lilo and Stitch where together in one of the sections.

I thought Timon was to be my last character. However, I forgot that I only did the Stitch and never went back to finish Lilo. So tonight I finished both Timon and Lilo.

Next, I will start on my next challenge the Favorite Princesses. 

The Last Car!

I am down to the last few pictures. Tonights drawings finished off the Winnie-the Pooh section and The Cars section. 
I have decided cars are not something I am good at or enjoy drawing. Especially cars that are suppose to have characteristics of people. 

Even though I considered not drawing another car, I gave it one more try with Doc Hudson. But first I tried my hand at the last of the Winnie-the-Pooh characters, Kanga &Roo.










I think this will be my last car. Although I do think, along with Mater this is one of the better ones. But still not my favorite of all of my drawings!

More Fish in the Sea

Been pretty busy week with appointment, evening with friends and a little mini vacation. 

This is the first chance I have had to really sit down and finally finish off the Nemo section of my book.

Gill was little more difficult mainly because he is white. I find it very hard to draw a white object on white paper.  

Above is once again my version and then one to the right is the book version.

While on my mini vacation this weekend, we stopped and visited a Banes and Noble. I decided I would pick up some mini blank moleskin books, so that I may have them in my purse to practice sketching. I only have three characters left in my book before I  start on the Favorite Princesses  Learn to Draw book. So I thought in these little books I could practice my faces, or parts of faces at least. 

   Some of the mouths are just me trying mouths and some are from the Favorite Princesses Learn to Draw book.  They are different Belle expressions; such as frightened, worried, surprised, and happy.  The eyes are from the frighten expression. 

1 fish 2 fish red fish BLUE FISH

 I originally was thinking that I was not even going to do the Nemo characters.

 

But now I am having fun with them. I am enjoying trying to make my fish look more like the movie version. 

And then following up on the  version form the book. Todays installment is Dory.  

The reason I never took an art class!

One of the reasons why I have never and probably will never take an art class is because I can not relish the thought of someone telling me I am not doing it right, Or that I must do something a certain way. Todays set of pictures, is a great example of what the Lesson wanted me to do verses what I wanted to do!

 I am down to only a few more drawings from Learn to Draw Celebrated Characters Collection. I had ever intention to NOT do the Nemo section.  I just did not like how these fish are drawn.
As I came up on my 50th page  in my sketchbook I thought maybe I would do all of the Nemo characters on one page.
As I started I realized I just could not do what the book wanted me to. So I did my own. After doing my own I thought what the heck lets see what happens if I try it the book way.

In the first set of pictures below'; the  picture on the top is what the book had and the one below is my own design while looking at a picture from the movie.

I was hoping when I colorer them, Marlin would look a little better. I know they do not look like the actual characters. I can see Nemo a little, but his dad is not right. That said I am still kind of proud of the fact that I was able to make a face on a fish. I think I am gaining more confidence in my faces. Although I still have a long way to go. Below is the colored version. I probably should of waited to get the right color orange but in the pictures they do not look too bad. In person the color is just a little off. 

Page 50!!!!!

Page 51

Now that I am looking at these side by side. Even though I know my Marlin does not look right I think he is a heck of lot closer then they one from the book. ;) Nemo is cute no mater what.

I fought Stitch with 3 guns and I WON!

Okay this little guy kicked my butt. It took me almost a week to complete him. But today he finally came together! After erasing over and over again.

If you look closely at the picture above you will see that it looks like he has two eyes on the right side of the picture. I kept doing the head over and over until I finally got it somewhat okay!

Stitch fought me so hard I almost considered not coloring him. But that double eye was bothering me. So I went ahead and colored it and I am very glad that I did!

I knew as I went through the book that I was saving the hardest for last. The cars are my least favorite still. This week I thought many it might be this guy but in the end it was okay. I have only four more pictures left from this book. Not including the Nemo group which I really do not like how they are done. So I may or may not do them!


Back on a Roll!!!
With in an hour I finished this guy!

My next one will be page 50 of my sketch book!