Comments for The Art of Matt Elder :: mattelder.com

Comment on The Basics I by Matt Elder

Matt Elder — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 07:13:10 +0000

Thanks for your comment Helen and always great to hear feedback. Glad that it helped cover a gap from school and always a cool feeling when you are working on a drawing and it looks as it is meant to. Angles in perspective can be a little tricky so try to get the upward side right first, make the other side parallel to it and that should help get you started.

I sometimes have a similar problem and too many lines go onto a drawing. If you are trying not to lose one, sometimes make the line different or at the end of the line, put special markings so you can always quickly find it. Check out this link for different types of lines (don’t worry about the names), just whatever line on the page is different will stand out.

http://gluedideas.com/content-collection/Radfords-cyclopedia-of-construction-Vol-1-mechanical-drafting/images/Working-Drawings-1341.jpg

Comment on The Basics I by Helen

Helen — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:48:32 +0000

Thanks for this lesson Matt it is easy to follow and helped fill a gap that was never covered in high school. All of the drawings actually look like what they are supposed to. The only final result i wasn’t as happy with was the game boy, i didnt quite nail the position of the open lid, mine kind of looks like it is all the way open. I am going to give this one another go and try to have the lid slightly more upright a 45 degrees angle might work. I also had some trouble getting the hinge box right, i felt like i had a dozen lines all going through that area and kept losing the one i was trying to use as the top front part of the hinge, but it worked out in the end. I havent had a look yet to see what other lessons you have here but I am looking forward to seeing if there are more i can have a go at. Many thanks for all your hard work teach – carry on.. Helen

Comment on Hulk Smash Brick Wall Oil Painting by Matt Elder

Matt Elder — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:41:20 +0000

Thanks for the clarification some bloke and I can see your point. The youtube video was funny and helps with your intention. The response to this image has been interesting so grateful for the explanation that you’ve written above. Appreciate the compliment about a versatile technician and trying to get the ‘drama’ of pieces right now.

Comment on Hulk Smash Brick Wall Oil Painting by some bloke

some bloke — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:54:25 +0000

Oh my I’ve trolled myself into quite a mess. Gosh… Sorry!

Nevermind. I adore your technique. You’re a versatile technician!

My one issue is that the depiction wants to evoke some surprise, but can’t, because the dramatization is too much, and the expression is too overall ‘shouty’. This prevents the effect from taking place and makes the image appear motivationally wiered.

And further saying, motivation is actually the key to a good hulk anyway, because he is, by his concept, very prone to motivational corruption. I mean that because at least the early hulk was appealing partly through attracting a craving, curious look at very bleakly drawn, kind of in every manner architectual sceneries, and you can argue that Hulk was visually dominant and bold and rich, rather to elate the bleakness and concentrate the attention, than to celebrate a mondaine, repetetive spectacle that he could be viewed of as well. That was at least before he degraded himself to a kids product. But drawing him like a body builder busy lifting weights and shouting, and destroying a world trade center, makes him become sort of like the billionth explosion in movie history, only cool in the mind of the film makers of give-me-more-cheese, but not so in the average viewers mind.

But anyway the amount of possibly witt-befilled stuff you can say about hulk is probably as huge as buddhas tummy. But regarding my comment, yes, it was the stale surprise that caught me off guard.

(And speaking of hulk, here is a cool LoL that probably further clarifies my intention: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSbVPa3IUMc (shouting CAN be overused))

Comment on Hulk Smash Brick Wall Oil Painting by Matt Elder

Matt Elder — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:05:39 +0000

A curious comment to make and just wondering if you can elaborate a little further?

Comment on Hulk Smash Brick Wall Oil Painting by some bloke

some bloke — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:15:02 +0000

Does anyone get offended if I say this looks utterly cheap?

Comment on Masterclass by Kaiky

Kaiky — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:59:03 +0000

I used to teach adeiamcc writing. One graduate student was so grateful that she painted a water colour for me. It’s small, a little larger than a postcard, something she sketched in a pad and coloured one afternoon while taking a walk out by the ocean. We framed it and put it on the wall. It’s a lovely little painting. I’ll post it some time.I’ve never tried water colours. I’m still working on my first acrylic work on canvas. I’ll have to finish it the next sunny day we have. I’m always impressed with people who can paint something that looks like something, a house, a tree, whatever. Ever see one of those glow-in-the-dark super deep sea weird looking jelly fish? That’s kind of what I’m painting now. Abstract.Looking forward to your first painting, Jody.

Comment on Storyboards/Comics by Elisangela

Elisangela — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:49:08 +0000

Posted on I see David & Jeff’s point about how “it’s all art” but on the other hand I think there has to be some laaugnge for the distinction that Matt is making, and pop vs. literary doesn’t quite do it for me — I’d say a comic book using established superhero characters is pop by its nature. And if it’s all art, why isn’t it all literature, you know?I just came by to quibble, not to say anything substantive about an even I’m not reading (which might change today, goddamn it).

Comment on Free Video Tutorials by cheryl davin

cheryl davin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:07:59 +0000

thanks matt for these tutorials and for sharing your knowledge of art with us.. They are really well put together and easy to follow. Perhaps because I’m an aussie too I find them easier to follow than most tutorials I have looked at. I have only worked through 6 of them but have had a look at the others. I have already learnt a lot but obviously have a long way to go. I am looking forward to working through the rest of your tutorials and seeing what they are about. I love working in graphite and if you’re looking for suggestions would love to see a tutorial on textures including animal fur. Thanks again cheers Cheryl

Comment on How to Draw & Paint: Masterclass 02: Self Portrait Oil Painting by mattelder.com by Kelah

Kelah — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 01:29:23 +0000

This work is so beautiful. Your face is serene and calm. The two things I am having the hardest time with painting, skin and water, and you seem perfect at.

I am wondering, as you are ‘blocking’ in the skin tones on the face. Do you have a certain guide or method to mixing the different skin tones, such as you mentioned ‘halftones and shadows’? My portraits always seem to come out too…I guess ‘flat’ is the word? Your painting is so real that even though he is breaking surface of water in your painting, he is almost breaking the surface of the canvas into reality.

Might you have any advice for a painter on painting so lifelike skin?