I’m Leah from just outside if Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I’ve being doing a few SVS courses since last October and check out the forum from time to time, but I’ve been a bit shy to comment or post anything. I’ve always wanted to make a children’s book. I took a writing course a number of years ago and read a few books on illustrating but did not get any further. Then I stumbled on the three SVS amigos and thought, “these guys are stellar with their art AND teaching. Plus listening to their podcasts is like hanging out with friends and doing some good yakking.” So I took the plunge and signed up. Better late than never! I am retiring in 4 weeks from an accounting clerk job for a municipality. Though I’m told I will be busier retired than working full time, I hope to accomplish this dream. The dream is small - make a book locally. I’m not after a big career. I’m working traditionally with the bit of technique I’ve picked up over the last few years. I love art supplies and plan to have lots of fun. Here’s a great big hello to you all in this very welcoming community.

Hello! This is my first time submitting assignment work. I haven't felt confident enough with other classes I've taken but I have a couple of pieces that turned out really good for me (not the "WOW! You're so talented! Its more the "I didn't know I could do that!) so I thought I'd take the plunge and show everything I've done so far. It's funny because vehicles are totally the last thing I'm interested in drawing.

My goal with SVS is to do something on a small scale with illustration now that I'm retired. I'm not heading into a long-term career in illustration. But from reading the different posts and threads in the forum, I can see how everyone helps each other to grow and improve. In this spirit I am interested any comments or critiques and will listen closely to your words.

Assignment 1
Part 1 Caricature: Exaggerate a car four different ways. It took a couple of tries for me to exaggerate!

Part 2 Stance: Make a car first appear strong then weak. I don't know if my weak car looks more sad than weak.

Part 3 Angle: From a picture of a plane and a boat, draw each from an angle different than shown, accentuating their key feature. This is a new way of thinking for me and I was pretty happy with the results even though I didn't do a final piece for each. I was so relieved to have finished a picture at all.

Assignment 2 - Form vs Function of a Vehicle

The idea is to pick a character and design four vehicles, each fitting a different correlation of form and function. The character I picked is Mother Goose. I had so much fun with these! I realized afterwords that I forgot to do much in the exaggeration department, and in my quest to add depth with shadows on the motorcycle, I ended up painting them all with watercolor. There is loads of room for improvement but I am sure excited that I actually drew and painted all these modes of transportation!

High Form, High Function

Low Form, High Function

High Form, Low Function

Low Form, Low Function

So there it is. I will post the next assignments here as I get them done. Thanks so much!

Day 11 - Disgusting

This course brought me outside my comfort zone, so much so that I didn’t want to post anything. But I didn’t want to give up so I kept at it. I am pretty happy that I did. I can see the difference it made over time. My drawings are far from perfect but there is some definite leveling up. Here are a few of the poses I did, from assignments #5, #7 and #8. The last assignment instructions were to take 40-60 minutes a pose. For whatever reason, I couldn’t seem to get past 25 minutes, usually taking between 15-20 minutes. If I went longer I’d muddy it and mess it up. Maybe it is something to work up to. Thanks Michael Parker for this course.!

Day 13 - Dune

"Danny and Sid can't wait to take their new ride for a spin!"

@Jacy13 The carrot does feel better! I don't know if it needs further adjustment. I'm still pretty new at it all. From what I've learned, I know it is important to have a focal point and make sure the eye flows around the page towards that point. I'm assuming the front rabbit is the focal point? When you add color and values that will help to focus the eye as well. Keep going!!! :)))

Here is Assignment 3 for the Vehicles class - combining multiple source images into one boat design, using only line and shadow, displaying them from an angle different in the reference photos. I chose to combine a tiny houseboat with a submarine. Who wouldn't want to go camping under the sea in this little guy!!


Day Eight - Teeth

instagram.com/leahm153/

FINAL ASSIGNMENT DONE!!

I finished the final assignment for Effective Vehicle Design! We were to design a car or truck, taking into account all the things we learned through the course. So here are the images for my car. I did the silhouettes, picked three, did some thumbnails then settled on the little guy. It is an electric car owned by an uber-active teenage girl who is totally passionate about climate change and other environmental issues.

I added color two ways - one is watercolor and the other is my first attempt at using the computer to add color (I have Adobe Photoshop Elements 10). I should have used a heavier paper as the cardstock buckled because I used too much water trying to get an intense color. I love the bright colors done by the computer though I struggled trying to add shadow. Computer work is a whole other learning curve that I am not certain I'm ready to tackle yet. Lol. I'm still working on learning the drawing.
You have a great way of teaching Shane and I learned lots. Thanks so much!

Day 12 - Slippery!

This course brought me outside my comfort zone, so much so that I didn’t want to post anything. But I didn’t want to give up so I kept at it. I am pretty happy that I did. I can see the difference it made over time. My drawings are far from perfect but there is some definite leveling up. Here are a few of the poses I did, from assignments #5, #7 and #8. The last assignment instructions were to take 40-60 minutes a pose. For whatever reason, I couldn’t seem to get past 25 minutes, usually taking between 15-20 minutes. If I went longer I’d muddy it and mess it up. Maybe it is something to work up to. Thanks Michael Parker for this course.!

FINAL ASSIGNMENT DONE!!

I finished the final assignment for Effective Vehicle Design! We were to design a car or truck, taking into account all the things we learned through the course. So here are the images for my car. I did the silhouettes, picked three, did some thumbnails then settled on the little guy. It is an electric car owned by an uber-active teenage girl who is totally passionate about climate change and other environmental issues.

I added color two ways - one is watercolor and the other is my first attempt at using the computer to add color (I have Adobe Photoshop Elements 10). I should have used a heavier paper as the cardstock buckled because I used too much water trying to get an intense color. I love the bright colors done by the computer though I struggled trying to add shadow. Computer work is a whole other learning curve that I am not certain I'm ready to tackle yet. Lol. I'm still working on learning the drawing.
You have a great way of teaching Shane and I learned lots. Thanks so much!

@Jacy13 That is one inventive tank! I wish all tanks in the world threw candy. Congrats on finishing the course! I am with you on the feeling about drawings vehicles. I have had lots of fun with this course even though it is way outside my box. I still have the final assignment to finish. I was sidelined by an small accident in the family so had to slow down on the course work for a while. Looking forward to seeing you in the next course!

@Jacy13 your sub-bumper boat is great! Love the narwhal angle!

Hi! I’ve been slowly working my way through the curriculum since last November. I have followed it in the path it has been laid out. Right now I am just about finished Effective Vehicles. I was not a fan of drawing vehicles but this course has changed my mind. It has become lots of fun. What I’ve noticed is how much the previous courses really helped me through the vehicles course. The lessons on perspective, how to draw anything, light and shadow - the tips and techniques were popping up in my head. It feels like each course supports the next. I think you will really enjoy it.

@Jeremiahbrown This makes me think of my own family when we decorated our tree when our kids were young. Though we’ve adapted and changed what our Christmas looked like over the years, the Christmas tree was the one tradition we held on to every year, sometimes squishing it in between all the activities and obligations. My husband and I still wait for them to be home before we put the topper on, though this year we may not be able to see them. Thank you for a lovely picture.

@VeronicaMui I love the pose of the little girl in the last piece!

Here is Assignment 5 - an original aircraft based on one of the thumbnails made in Assignment 4. First here is the thumbnail I liked.

I am not much of a aircraft type person and definitely not mechanically inclined. I really liked the floating sushi bar by Shane in his demo, and I have always loved Lee White's flying contraptions in his work, so that is the direction I ended up going. I think it is a little early 19th century combined with steam punk?? It just sort of developed as I went along and I had fun with it. I hope that there is a story here. The balls on the strings are supposed to be the equivalent to something hanging off the mirror in a car. The wires to run the propeller are in the tubes which hook to the console (totally not mechanically inclined Lol!)

After I was done I realized that I should have been doing a spaceship! So...I decided that the business that manufactured this weird taxi cab in the early 19th century managed to stay in business for 200 years and made a spaceship type taxi cab along the same lines as the first model, with a few modifications. Still not mechanically inclined on this one either! Lol

I had some problems getting the propeller/rocket perspective right, so if anyone can show me how to angle it better, that would be great. Also, I still need to work on my shading techniques. I've taken Lee's course but have lots of practice to do. Suggestions on how to improve on this would be great also. Thanks so much.

Thanks Shane! I am totally working outside my box in this course but it sure feels like I am really learning lots!

Welcome Giuliana!