Skull in oil from life, larger than my usual studies, actually my usual studies are a quarter of the size of this one, thought I would work larger today, just to see that I could and get the whole skull in composition, though this is probably still considered small to some.  I could have carried on with it for hours and hours if not days working those edges and values, but then Harry Potter was on, so I decided to grab Hampton's book and do some arm studies as I watched. 

Just a little bit of Hogarth study today.

Had to redeem myself after yesterday's effort, I redrew the W.R. Leigh horse study, this time mapping the shadows and tones and maybe even brush strokes, work in progress.  What did I learn from yesterday? mainly to never rush, ever again, as it only leads to inefficiency.  Got to stay composed, composure, composure, composure I will keep telling myself that.  Some Michael Hampton arm studies below.

One of my worse efforts, it is a W.R. Leigh study I started pretty late in the day for me, I was contemplating just copying Bridgman or something, but I also want to take little risks here and there and try and learn to use time more efficiently, honestly I'm too tired to think properly, but I want to get to that point where I can just produce good stuff, even when tired so, still a lot to work on.  I may just restart this again tomorrow, got to think harder be more composed at these times.  Anyway it's time for bed.

More on that poses sheet from imagination, and the Bernini one as well, not whole lot, just a bit of progress.  Will have to work on cleanliness with the pose sheets in future.  Going to buy Burne Hogarth's books on Dynamic Anatomy and Dynamic Figure Drawing, as I really like the look of the muscular and sculptural feel in his drawings, much like Bridgman and Hampton have as well, just more exaggerated, I think studying his work will help a great deal in remembering muscle placement.

Feeling exhausted today, didn't get much sleep last night, so have decided to work more on these tomorrow, a Bernini study, and had a urge to invent poses from imagination or just whatever I could see forming, I used Bridgman's and Hampton's books to refer to when applying muscle over the top.

Hampton study.  Tried to draw in the skull on the bottom left one.

Studies I did yesterday there was a bit of experimenting yesterday, trying things I haven't done much of, much of it was no good, so won't be showing that.  I did some small Thomas Cole studies, another skull, and some Bridgman, all much quicker than usual due to time spent trying different thing's.  Couldn't upload last night as the internet stopped working and I had to go bed, it's 3:30am here, I'm up for work, so thought I should try and upload.

Worked faster than usual with these studies, skull from life in oil, and a W. R. Leigh study, simply for the way he turns form, I should touch up those values more, maybe I will, or just do another one, I can't get enough of his work. I found his work in a book that I bought second hand randomly at a book shop called "The Art of the Old West".

The oil study of the skull was tricky when it came to the background, as those hues were coming from the slight light through the gaps in the window shades.  That light was slowly dropping as it was that time of day, so it was actually cool blue that I put in before, that was disappearing into a greyish purple, by which time I was confused on what to go for.  I went over it in the end a little, but had to be cautious about it.  Next time, I will have to take a strong mental note for the values going on in the background, so I'm confident as to whether or not I should change them.
I have also realised that I got a bit relax on some of the edges, especially the harder edges, as there a bit inconsistent.

Bit of Michael Hampton back study.

Tried to blur my eyes a lot more with this one and simplify, otherwise I get too caught up with all the different variations in colour, and detail, and so the intention is lost and the painting falls apart, such as yesterdays study, it looks a bit more awkward.

Bernini and Bridgman study.

Today was a frustrating day, I went to see Gravity in London at the IMAX with my sister, which was ultimately a disappointing film.  The rest of the day was spent dithering and getting no where, which I then just went home and opened up Hampton's design and invention on a very crampt train where I could barely move my arm.  But I'm glad I persevered to get something done.

Worked over the values a bit more on that bottom skull, and some Bridgman study.

Bit more value work on the drawing, and a work in progress painting, still need to work some of those temperatures, and I want to attempt to smooth things out a bit more and keep adjusting those values.  Though I see how I feel tomorrow.

The first study is a better effort than yesterdays, I think what I learnt and what freed me up a bit was that I became more concerned with value (learning from yesterday) and less so with trying to get that exact colour, which ultimately wrecked my thinking.  Now obviously I always had value in mind in yesterdays study but I became relax about it and started focusing on colour so much that it went all over the place.  Maybe this is wrong to say but, what I think I have learn is that, it's better to be free or there about with colour, but not with value, to make sure I never compromise value.  Then maybe I can work those colour temperatures (always keeping value in mind).

Had a bit of a fight with this one, not happy with the values at all looking at it now, very annoying, but I must post something.  I get a bit impatient when mixing colours, need to work on that.  Must remember to simplify and leave out what I can, this will serve as a good reminder I think.