cg_maniac's Sketchbook

[cg_maniac]

I have filled up a 9 X 12, 100 page sketchbook in the last month.

Just trying to get some of the rust off the ole pencil.

Please scroll down and take a look at the last few pages I've done...a mish-mash of faces and stuff...some sketches from the Heroes TV show...Jonny Socko...no comments necessary, just thought I'd share something recent.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.007.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.008.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.009.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.010.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.011.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.012.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.013.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.014.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.015.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.016.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.001.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.002.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.003.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.004.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.005.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.006.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g229/cgmaniac/drawing.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g229/cgmaniac/doodle.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g229/cgmaniac/sketch.jpg

[W.Blankenship]

Some absolutely fantastic studies. I recognize alot of the heroes characters in there.

3!LL

[mattx110]

That's a nice Billie. Keep drawing, cause you're not bad at all.:)

[chizel man]

Nice. When will we see a finished piece from you?

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.017.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.018.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.019.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.020.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.021.jpg

[mattbib]

Very cool thread. I should start doing something like this (a sketchbook, not a thread) just for practice.

[chizel man]

I like the latest stuff even more. Keep'em comin.

[cg_maniac]

Thanks for the comments.

It is a good idea to sketch often. I used to live in NYC, and take my little 5X8 sketchbook on the subway, and sketch every day on the way to and from work - gesture drawing and such (see below for example).

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.023.jpg

Moved to Connecticut now (aka, slow boring death), so no more subway, and it is illegal to sketch while driving...so I draw Darth Maul instead (quick sketch, even quicker color in Photoshop - how bored am I, you may ask? If I don't get a freelance art job soon, it could get ugly - yes, I'm talking Jar-Jar sketches!)

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.022.jpg

[cg_maniac]

some more from the sketchbook. Some sketches are from Creating Characters with Personality - just changed them a bit (was trying to practice some cartoony-ness).

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.024.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.025.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.026.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Not a sketchbook image, but what the hey...

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.029.jpg

[originalJAM]

It's called DRAW, DRAW, DRAW draw everthing all the time whenever you can!
And brother, you will get better! PRACTICE! Is what I think CGM is saying!

JAM,....................

[cg_maniac]

It's called DRAW, DRAW, DRAW draw everthing all the time whenever you can!
And brother, you will get better! PRACTICE! Is what I think CGM is saying!

JAM,....................

If you look at the early work of most artists, and compare it to what they did years later, there is no comparison.

Adam Hughes 20 years ago:
http://www.comicspriceguide.com/images/covers/6966/142123.jpg

Adam Hughes now:

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/CW_73_Previews.jpg

That's why I wish I had gotten a comic book gig when I was in my 20s, and drew sequentials every day - I know I'd be a million times better.

But, hey, I still like to draw anyway, even if I never (sniffle) get a comic book job.

[Matthew K.]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing this cg_maniac.

[cg_maniac]

More pages.

Again, some of the cartoony faces and bodies are from the book "Creating Characters with Personality" - I looked at the book and sketched the illustrations to practice that style (don't want to take credit for drawing them out of my head - I am just trying to loosen up and learn the more cartoony side of illustration!).

I also drew some of the "inked" faces (crowquill dip pen) from a great blog by Mel Milton - an animator with an amazing cartoon style.

and, oh yeah, as you can probably tell - I was watching "Elf" today with my six-year old daughter...

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.031.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.032.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.030.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.033.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.034.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch2.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.035.jpg

[cg_maniac]

lot of rust still on the pencil...

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.036.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.037.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.038.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.039.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.040.jpg

[zuludelta]

Really liking those recent sketches.

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.042

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.041

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.043.jpg

New technical pencil I'm trying out...think the lead is too soft. Messy, or maybe just more practice.

oh, and I think it is Da-da da-da da....BATMAN!

[armandoB]

digging where the style is headed
keep it up

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.045.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.044.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.047.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.049.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.048.jpg

have to get a finished piece up soon...:rolleyes:

[joh james]

Great stuff, CG. You seem be be fairy acquainted with frontals. Hell you've practically mastered them! Try having fun with the stuff that eludes even the most professional of us... Namely: 3/4 head down or head up, 10 to 70 degree head turns away from profile(almost to back of head), and 360's from under chin to top of head. Anything but a frontal. That $#!T will make you infamous! Good luck!

[cg_maniac]

Try having fun with the stuff that eludes even the most professional of us... Namely: 3/4 head down or head up, 10 to 70 degree head turns away from profile(almost to back of head), and 360's from under chin to top of head. Anything but a frontal. That $#!T will make you infamous! Good luck!

You mean the "up the nose shot" - like everything Alex Ross seems to do lately? just kidding.

Thanks for the good advice. Think I'll look for my old G.I. Joe and sketch his wee little head from those angles (no figure drawing classes around here, frustrating - should move back to NY)...

I'm a fan of your work! Did you ever hook up with Top Cow (Silvestri practically invited you down there). Thanks.

[cg_maniac]

something different
http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/death.color.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Haven't posted here in some time, so thought I would share a project I'm working on. Work is still in progress, needs more background details, details in the female's hair, more color work, shading, etc. One thing I know is that the 'inking' isn't looking too good, as I have had to draw on 8.5 X 11 paper (no money for the big boards unfortunately), and so the lines look a bit thick on the last two pages. The first six pages I just scanned in the pencils, and darkened them up in Photoshop, so the linework is very thin...

Once it is finished, it will be packed into a pdf, and at a higher resolution.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0001.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0002.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0003.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0004.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0005.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0006.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0007.col.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0008.col.jpg

Feel free to offer some advice, I know it has a way to go to being presentable, so any advice/crit is appreciated.

Having trouble getting the characters faces to be consistent, so will be re-working those too. Thanks for looking.

[cg_maniac]

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1866/0009ca6.jpg

In keeping with the sketch theme of this thread, I am submitting the thumbnail of the next page in this series.

[cg_maniac]

Here are two other pages of thumbnails. The first six pages I just drew each panel separately on paper and scanned them in and put them together with Photoshop (so no thumbnails for those since it is an "online" comic)

- but the last four pages I drew out in thumbnail form since I missed working that way. I might go back to just scanning and darkening the finished pencils, since the Pigma Micron pen lines are too thick for this paper size.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0007.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0008.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0009.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Here is another page, still needs last panel, which you can see by the above thumbnail for this page, it is going to take some time since it calls for a "mob scene".

There was a change by the author, so no more split panel for panel 3.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/0009.col.jpg

edit: added last panel, not quite as "mob-filled" as I had hoped, lol.

[cg_maniac]

Haven't posted from my sketchbook lately...making up for lost time:

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.052

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.053

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.054

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.055

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.056

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.057

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.058

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.059

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.060

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.061

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.062

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.063

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.064

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.065

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.066

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.067

some of this stuff comes from "Prepare to Board", a book about creating characters for animation...once again, trying to loosen up, study cartoonier styles....

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.068

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.069

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.070

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.071

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.072

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.073

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.074

Lot of this stuff is taken from reference - magazine ads, dvd on pause, comics, imagination..

[cg_maniac]

Just...ugh. Think I need more sleep.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.075.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.077.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.076.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Meh

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.078.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Not good lately...I blame the economy...

http://pics.livejournal.com/cgmaniac/pic/0000559c

http://pics.livejournal.com/cgmaniac/pic/00006ce6

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.079.jpg

[cg_maniac]

A local movie studio director hired me to create some sketches to help him pitch a scifi premise - I had to whip these up in one day, about 1-2 hours on each, so they are a little sketchy - but that was okay with him. Any feedback would help, since I would like to continue working with this studio, and need to improve if I want to have a career at this (one thing I know is the perspective is off on the backgrounds a bit, I did this all free-hand).

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/images/001.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/images/002.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/images/003.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/images/004.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/images/005.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/images/006.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/images/007.jpg

[spiderman_rj]

oh i must know the name of the movie,its sketchy yes,but does the job,my sugestion is on the girl holding guy by the neck,to lower the camera a bit,show it from behind her but lower facing a bit to the ceiling while stll seeing the guys at BG,would a little more dramatic effect,and to center the action in the middle of the camera instead of the full left.

btw i really like your sketchs,you do some nice shading,what pencil you use for the shadows ? mine always look kind of rought.

[cg_maniac]

Thanks! An actual reply...yay!

I use a 0.5 technical pencil with an HB lead, only because I don't have to sharpen it. I do miss using the lead holder and lead pointer, and the nice sharp point, but I've gotten used to the technical pencil. Then I color the sketches in Photoshop.

[cg_maniac]

I did some more work for the studio for another movie pitch. Here are the "sketches" (some more so than others) - done in Photoshop.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/ice.planet.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/tunnel.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/alien.touch.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/creature.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/attack.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/aliens1.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.080.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.081.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.082.jpg

[cg_maniac]

The first movie is heading into production, and I'm hoping to do the storyboards.

They said my sketches were a big help with the pitch. :smile:

[cg_maniac]

I applied for this posting on Craig's List today, for coloring comic book style work.

Computer color artist needed for comic book-style illustration
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2008-09-03, 1:08AM EDT

I am currently looking to build a small cadre of freelance computer colorists to color for me. Compensation: I pay top/competitive comic book coloring rates, which vary depending on the job.


I'm kind of psyched about this listing, after all, I went to SVA for this, spent $40,000.00 on a BFA degree in cartooning (really) - so I figure, unlike the movie studio (which I thought I couldn't do, but applied anyway), this guy will give me a ring. I have many coloring examples on my website. I'm confident that I will get some work from this guy....

so, after about an hour, I see that there is an email response. YES! They usually don't write back if they are not interested, so I'm totally jazzed to open it up and see what kind of work I will be doing...and this is his email response:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Computer color artist
Date: Wed, September 03, 2008 9:42 am
To: me

Thanx for the response, jim, but I don't think your work's what I'm looking for.

I just wanted you to see the irony, that's all. I was confident I'd get some interest from this job posting, lol. I went to SVA for four years to study to be a comic book artist (again, really). I'm not the greatest colorist, but I think I could do a decent job. Hey, but it is up to the guy hiring, so I guess I have to keep working at this if I want to stay home and do artwork for a living.

I'm turning into a bitter old man at this point....sigh. No soup for you.... :frown:

and I always wanted to be part of a "cadre".

[spiderman_rj]

edit the email out of the message,bots and idiots always lurk around.

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.083.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.084.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.085.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.086.jpg

[cg_maniac]

awwww

http://pics.livejournal.com/cgmaniac/pic/0000724k

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.087.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.088.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.089.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.090.jpg

[Rale]

These are great. Keep ´em coming.

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.092.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.091.jpg

[howyadoin]

Does my heart good to see somebody do this much sketching. I don't do near enough of it myself.

[cg_maniac]

I wish I could find some life drawing classes around here, but there's nothing...sigh.

Even the local art studio that has classes never seems to be open and has never replied to my emails or phone calls.

Connecticut = blah. If I could afford to, I'd move back to New York City. Art Students League, Society of Illustrators, drawing at Spring Street...those were the days.

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.093.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.094.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.095.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.096.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Not so good today - but maybe I still learned something...:confused:

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.097.jpg

[cg_maniac]

done today, warts and all...

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.098.jpg

[Jaye]

It does my heart good to see all this sketching, too!
I like the ship from the movie studio series, I hope more work from them comes soon.

Keep posting.

Jaye

[cg_maniac]

Thanks, the film studio is doing research for the film, hopefully they'll give me a shot at storyboarding and more concept work :cool:

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.099.jpg

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0100.jpg

These last two pages are brutal. Is it possible to burn out from sketching? Methinks it's time to do some sequential art...or start that webcomic that's been tickling my brain.

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0101.jpg

[deanlegion]

Although I believe it's impossible to sketch too much, I do support your idea of focusing your artistic energies into storytellling within a comic book format.

I've noticed your thread many times and I'm always impressed by how prolific you are!

[cg_maniac]

Although I believe it's impossible to sketch too much, I do support your idea of focusing your artistic energies into storytellling within a comic book format.

Could be why I'm not sketching as well as I'd like...need another creative output - a story I need to tell.

Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it.

[Waterlily]

Very, very expressive!

I really hope something pans out for you, you certainly have the talent + skill.

I liked how you have all these pages of faces and figures and than once in a while there will be something random like a bear or a bug tucked in them.

[cg_maniac]

I really hope something pans out for you, you certainly have the talent + skill.

Thank you, I'm hoping too :smile:

I've been averaging about $300 a month in freelance art jobs, so I still have to go to the evil office cubicle job - would be nice to leave the cubicle behind for good someday.

[rZi]

Your really on the right track with these sketches..

Mark Brooks said all he did as a teenager was fill sketchbooks with this type of stuff, and now he's a fan faviroute :smile:

Keep up the good work

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0102.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Last page of the old 100 page sketchbook, now on to fill up the next 100 page sketchbook.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0103.jpg

[oICEMANo]

Great work man! I wish my sketch book was as full as this! I just dont have the time anymore :(

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0104.jpg

[cg_maniac]

We got a panda, some rabbits...cartoon practice...oy.
http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0105.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Sketching is better than sleepin' :smile:

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0106.jpg

[cg_maniac]

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0107.jpg

[cg_maniac]

"Painted" in Photoshop - in honor of Secret Invasion - me as a Skrull.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/jim.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Man, the eyes are swimming all over the place. Have to line 'em up better in the future.

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0108.jpg

[cg_maniac]

Might be getting a story to draw - yay (might post something other than sketches, lol).

http://www.jimthorpe-art.com/sketch.0109.jpg