Hi Friends,
After our last contest/challenge (Cube, Cone or Sphere), I think drawing a book or books would be a good way to use what we may have learned about light and shadow, plus provide an opportunity for some additional complexity. If you want to learn about realistic or photo-realistic drawing, then try to draw a realistic book or books. Or if you want to learn about cartoon or other stylized drawing, you're welcome to draw in that style as well. It could be a single book, or stack or shelf of books. Hardback or paperback. Open or closed. Any way you want!

Actually my apartment is being painted (which is why I've been away from the forums last week). It's a little over halfway finished, so it might be another week or 2 before I can start my own drawing. But everyone else -- jump right in and start drawing, lol! (Plus, these are not time-limited contest/challenges -- anyone can post their image at any time )

Nice! I will try this
( i still have to finish my cube )

Ok folks, I finally got started on this project. Actually I have 2 images going -- this one, and another one where the top book is open. I think the pages are going to be challenging to draw, so I started on this one first

I'm working with a model for the first time, books on a table beside me. I'm really at eye level of a 3rd book, if there were one on top of these, so that I can see the cover of the one on top, but at an extreme angle. The perspective is really kicking my backside. I haven't been able to draw it exactly as it is -- my drawing shows them more from the top, than where I actually am. Maybe I can get it right on the 2nd one, whenever I get to it.

So that's frustrating, but I'm gonna go ahead draw the details in from here. But before I do, how does the perspective look to you all? I just drew with the pen tool, rather than use the 3D Box tool. And I didn't use any of the various ways to add perspective (envelope and perspective extensions, e.g.). I just drew it. First I drew it symmetrical (quadrilaterals) just to get the basic size, dimensions and placement set. Then I just moved a few nodes, judging the perspective by eye, and by the model. I'm still not sure about the top angle of the top book, but it's pretty close, I think. What do you all think?



Thanks for any comments

Well, I drew an icon for references that includes books: . How's that?

Unfortunately, I'm using IE, and can't see the SVG you posted
Any chance of showing it in a raster format?

brynn wrote:Unfortunately, I'm using IE, and can't see the SVG you posted
Any chance of showing it in a raster format?

I think it's part of the Google nonsense. Try these:

SVG:

PNG:

No, it's the IE nonsense! I'll be getting a new browser soon.
But I can see the PNG one.

Nice! Tiny, but nice, lol. (I know you said it's an icon, no offense intended.)

Btw, I've been meaning to ask you -- is your avatar a game character, or just something you created? (maybe both?) It seems you have a knack for drawing tiny images! Personally I struggle with tiny things, so I admire your talent...especially if you used Inkscape. I know a lot of artists who draw tiny things, like smileys, use pixel editors. Maybe I would do better with such, but I still have much to learn with Inkscape

Anyway nice icon!

My avatar is an Inkscape drawing 3 inches by 3 inches. The one you see here is the largest PNG allowed. Originally, I have a picture of a LEGO minifig wizard but I changed it to my own creation in Order of the Stick style.

I have a small collections of icons I made at DeviantART. I haven't uploaded their SVG files anywhere yet.

My background is in the technical fields; most of my drawing classes in high school were technical drawing. I am better at doing man-made things then the more organic ones, so I find small icons relatively easy.

And lastly, I create the art work for my own web page (you may want to put on dark protective glasses before you view it ).

And I too, am still learning things about Inkscape.

Aaahh
It's always nice to learn more about folks and their art. Thanks for sharing.
I'm also better at non-organic drawing

I am enjoying this book drawing so much! It makes me realize that I really should focus on geometric things with Inkscape. Anyway, here's the next wip:



After I drew the table, and as I suspected, the perspective was off. I'm afraid I now have it off in the other exteme? Any comments about that? As I said earlier, the perspective is really kicking my be-hind. The table and the books are literally right beside my shoulder, so the perspective is pretty severe. I actually can just barely see the front left corner of the table, even with my head turned (which is why that corner isn't even in the image....I drew it anyway, to be sure I have the other lines right, but it'll be clipped away).

I'm finding it really hard to see it in 2D, in order to draw it. For example, I look at the spine of the book, and right away, I notice that it's the same thickness at the top as it is at the bottom. But of course, that's how our brains are made, to be able to perceive such things, because while it really is the same size, it actually looks smaller at the top.

I'm trying to make a leather filter to add to the spine, but that part's going really slow. And I'm hoping to be able to put a coffee cup stain either on the book itself, or on the table. I haven't decided yet exactly how to approach drawing it, and I may end up trashing that idea. But I like it and hope to use it. Meanwhile, much more work to do on 2nd book, shading and shadows, as well as possibly a highlight or 2, and maybe details to the table. We'll see!

Anyway, comments welcome

Looking good! I like the colors, it looks like a cartoon
Slow things here.. I've started mine using a stock for reference, just to try something.. I still don't like it though..

[Updating picture]

Looking good! I like the colors, it looks like a cartoon

Thanks. Much work yet to be done. The bottom book's color is just to help me see the top book better, while I'm working on it. It will probably be a darker blue....although possibly red. And the half-leather binding of the book on top....I'm not sure that will be the final color either. I do like the green, and just chose green because the Inkscape website uses green. Plus I've done almost zero shading thus far. I am trying to make it realistic, so this is very much a wip.

Haha, I actually started drawing an open book too, like the one I've shown above, except open. But then I realized how difficult it would be, and decided on the simpler closed book (which turns out is plenty challenging alone)!

Oh my goodness, the left half of your book looks absolutely real! There's a light, airy look/feel to the pages just as there should be. It's just great! The right side seems lost in the light. But that may just be my particular view in my laptop's screen. If I make the screen/cover's angle to the keyboard/base larger (more obtuse), the right corner of the book comes into view. But the closer to a right angle I make the screen/cover to the keyboard/base, the less I can see the right corner. Since it's actually on my lap, and I'm actually pretty short, I can't push it far enough away to get the optimal view. So that part might be on my end, rather than issue with the image. But once again, your sense and depiction of light and shadow is subperb! You just really have a gift with the gradients and blurs (imho)

As far as comments, the only thing I could say is that it has a kind of floaty feel (like a lot of your work)(that's not a criticism, just observation)(maybe that's your style?). I wonder if a little heavier shadow under the area either side of the spine might help "ground it"? Although maybe "floaty" is your intent?

Anyway, it looks like a good start, and I'll be interested to see how it develops

Probably the reason of the floaty feel is.. too much blur!
I really use it a LOT. Plus, add the fact i'm terribly caotic when using inkscape ( remember the cherry? ) and there you have every object i do, floating on air !!

EDIT: oh and yes, the right part is faded because is not finish --

Ok, here's my next work-in-progress, at 50% zoom.



Still very much work yet to be done....although I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, lol. Currently I'm struggling with the partially reflective cover on the spine of the blue book, where it lies in shadow. That's the closest to "right" that I've got it, but still isn't faithful to the model yet.

Despite the trouble with perspective, I think I've actually succeeded with photorealism, in certain places within this image. Not the whole thing, but I really don't expect to take more than one step at a time

Besides the spine of the blue book, I still need highlights along the edge of the back cover. Both books still need more shadows here and there, and the color isn't right for the top of the table. And I'm still not sure about the leather part of the green book either. Oh, and I almost forgot about the leather filter. I probably will still give that some more time and effort. I might not be successful, but I'm finally starting to understand some basics about filters.

Anyway, comments and/or suggestions are welcomed

Congratulation, I like it. What kind of filters did you put? For the future I can see maybe a different colour instead of the green. But hey very nice job

Your best to date, Brynn. Congrats!
I would add more lines to fake pages, and... aw i feel sorry for that table, seems so sad.
Hope you'll give it more love! Maybe, a texture?

That's really great, Brynn!
two points you might consider - the shadow of the fat book really should reach the table, and the far leg of the table seems off in the perspective...

Oh wow, thanks guys
I think I must be on the right track, because all the things you mention, I'm aware of and agree with!

spaventapasseri (we need to give you a shorter nickname, lol) the only filter (besides blurs) so far is just a little noise to give the cofffe stain a little character. If I put a filter on the leather part of the green book, it will be one that I either make myself, or more likely, that I alter an exising filter. But it will be unique, if it comes to pass. As for the green, I realize it's unusual. I decided to use it, because I wanted it to seem like the book was part of an Inkscape "brand", and the only color that seems to be associated with Inkscape, is the green on its website. But the neon sort of green color just wouldn't work at all, so I toned it down to more of a quiet shade. Really I wanted to make it denim blue. But then the only way to connect it to Inkscape (besides the title) would have been (to my way of thinking) to put the Inkscape logo on the cover, and which.....well, to be honest, I don't care much for it. So I settled on green

R.M, yes definitely more love for the table. I just haven't worked on it yet, except for the shading. It's a little tricky, because the real table (the model) has a tile surface that I would never be able to depict, at least not with my current skills. So I thought I would just make it wood. I'm not sure if I will just try for a woodgrain texture, or possibly try to create some...etching...or carving...or like just some simple detail (like a bead along the edge). IIrc, the woodgrain filter that Inkscape already has, probably won't suit my needs. Or the other way to go might be a tablecloth? I haven't made any firm decisions about it yet. But no worries, I definitely have some love set aside for the table.

druban, yes, in fact the fat book does throw a shadow on the table! I just haven't drawn it yet. As I mentioned, there is still some significant work yet to be done. I also agree about that table leg. Unlike most of the rest of the drawing, I could still make major changes to that leg, without making too much of a mess. I'm just not sure what it needs. I've briefly tried several things -- thinner, thicker, closer, farther away, darker, lighter....but I expect something will become clear soon. Part of the problem is that I just haven't really focused on it much. It's weird how some things I have a clear vision about, and I can scratch quickly and easily, while other parts just don't seem to fit.

Anyway, thanks for all your comments. I realy appreciate it.

It` s me
@brynn maybe you can call me scarecrow if you like?
Anyway I want to join as well, here my first wip

Holy Bible

Oh, very nice!
Before I make too many comments, I want to be sure I understand your goal. Are you ultimately (eventually) going for realism/photorealism? Or more stylized? Oh my goodness, I'm learning so much from these studies we've been doing!

The one thing that catches my attention is the cross, or both crosses. The horizontal bar is much wider than what i'm used to seeing here in the U.S. I'm guessing that style is more of a European, or maybe even Italian style? Or maybe a very old style?

I really like the beads (rosary?)! Every so often there is a yellowish or cream colored bead, while all the rest at white. Intentional, or something about a rosary that I've never learned (not being Catholic and all)?

I'm also really liking the appearance of the pages. Do you have a lot of interpolation on the pages, or is there an optical illusion created by a lot of closely spaced lines? It almost looks like the edges of the pages are gilded! I wouldn't have thought how to do that in a thousand years, lol! Lol, I keep trying to zoom my browser, but it's just not the same as having the SVG

I don't mean to belittle your name. I just get in such a hurry sometimes.
Anyway, very nice work, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here

Hey brynn, actually I don`t have any specify idea on it.
In general I like comic style , not really for realism.

For the cross: In general is an old style crosses, in Italy as well the horizontal bar is not too much wider.(Maybe I will put different style)

For the rosary:is intentional , in fact every ten ,one yellow is a must when you pray in th Catholic religion.

Pages:no one interpolation, is an optical illusion when you created a lot of closely lines.I was thinking to give a gold pages, like an ancient book

Just a question, the post was open for a realism/photorealism??

Just a question, the post was open for a realism/photorealism??

No, for any style. I was just asking, in order to guide my comments. So for example, if you're not going for realism, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on where the light comes from and where the shadow should fall (for example). That's all. No problem, all styles welcome

brynn wrote: So for example, if you're not going for realism, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on where the light comes from and where the shadow should fall (for example).

Ok but is good to know, maybe I will transform to realistic one. Anyway is better know all tricks for the realism as well, think can help a lots of users.

Please if you want tell something do. Valuable advices are always welcome

Yes, attempting photorealism has taught me many, many lessons, about both Inkscape, and training the artist's eye, or power of observation.

But any styles are welcome in this topic

Good, so I will try a realistic one