Rock climbing chalk bags and backpacks.
any words of advice?
Forms are a little too ambiguous/amorphous sometimes (1 2 3 4 5). Perspective’s off on a few, too. You should work on your shadows. Base the shadows on the form and define them with the pen you’re using before you use a marker to shade it in. Shadows help define the form. You just need to draw more. Also, I can’t tell what the scale of these things are. Chalk bags and backpacks are very different in size, yet your sketches look like ideations of the same size bag. putting them in context (on a rock climber, or on someones back) in scale helps a lot.
I’d practice drawing soft goods first, though. Your technique’s preventing you from expressing form clearly. Try some orthographic views/drawing over pictures of bags/looking at other people’s bag sketches.
I agree with the above. I can’t tell you scale and the lack of shading is throwing me off. I will add though that they are not terrible sketches. The basics are there, and you seem to understand how to sketch, but you need to get your line weights and contrast down. Remember that contrast is key to anything you do. It adds depth and visual appeal to your products. Also with out scale your sketch will make no sense.
Edit:
I wanted to add that numbering sketch always annoys me. It means that there is one sketch per page and they are being counted, which means that you are going for quantity v/s quality. I would tank the numbers and the border lines out.
Just my opinion.
I’ll concur, these aren’t terrible, though they could be much better. Don’t number your sketches. It wouldn’t hurt to practice annotating the various features of these bags, but don’t go overboard. Just call out the most important part(s). You could add a little bit of loose/light shading to the forms to make them pop. Just remember your 1,2,3 sides and a few highlights in the right places. Going a little further, lay your paper on top of a rough-weave fabric and use the side of a black pencil to transfer the texture. (experiment, woven straps often found on messenger bags work well) It is quick and easy to do, and they’ll look sweet!
Like this:
To all: These are sketches for my Into to ID class and the boarder/numbering is required for the critique.
Very nice. I’ve been told about the pencil/texture transfer and that I should begin saving cool fabrics, etc so that I have a collection to use in the future.
Contrast through shading? or line weight? or both? And what can I do, short of putting a person in the sketch, to show scale? or is that the only way besides an ortho?
I’m not sure I understand what you mean by ambiguous/amorphous.