Dec 29

How to Draw: MasterClass 01: Ayers Rock / Uluru & The Olgas / Kata Tjuta

I’ve created a new series of videos called “MasterClass”. Here the idea is to see artworks / sketches created combining all techniques and ideas learnt in the How to Draw: Basics series. This video show sketching on site at Ayers Rock and The Olgas in the outback of Australia. The thought process and ideas in creating the sketches are discussed.

How to Draw: Masterclass 01: Ayers Rock / Uluru, The Olgas / Kata Tjuta – Watercolour Speed Painting by mattelder.com from Matt Elder on Vimeo.

This Masterclass video goes through several quick sketches / watercolour speed paintings executed onsite in the outback of Australia (Ayers Rock and The Olgas in the Northern Territory). Discussion is made about quickly capturing an impression of the landscape and the thought process considered during various compositions. The basic steps for this type of En plein air sketching are outlined and repeated in each of the 3 demonstrations here. Final comments are made about using these preparatory sketches for future artworks / paintings.

Various sections times are:

00:00 Introduction & Location
01:03 Sketch 1 – Ayers Rock / Uluru
05:15 Sketch 2 – The Olgas / Kata Tjuta
10:06 Sketch 3 – Ayers Rock / Uluru
14:44 Closing Comments & Paintings

Note: Sketches are played back at 3 times normal speed.

Dec 07

How to Draw: The Basics of a Playstation Controller and Peanut Butter Jar

This video continues to build on skills learnt in the previous video “How to Draw: The Basics of Lines…”. Using simple shapes of boxes, cubes, ellipses and cylinders, we build up to drawing a peanut butter jar and a Playstation controller.

How to Draw: The Basics of a Playstation Controller and Peanut Butter Jar by mattelder.com from Matt Elder on Vimeo.

Various section times are:

00:00 Introduction and Overview of drawings made in this video
01:41 Peanut Butter Jar
09:42 Playstation Controller Overview
11:00 3D Visual Breakdown
13:54 Playstation Controller Construction Lines
33:37 Playstation Controller Final Sketch Lines

Click photos below for high resolution versions used in the video / 3D file:

Playstation Controller by Matt Elder Perspective Photo
Playstation Controller by Matt Elder Perspective Photo
Playstation Controller by Matt Elder top view
Playstation Controller by Matt Elder top view
Playstation Controller by Matt Elder Side View
Playstation Controller by Matt Elder Side View

Playstation Controller Zip file containing .blend file

Matt Elder is a commercial artist who works for a video games company, along with painting traditional oil paintings for private clients and dabbling in 3D.

Dec 07

Free Video Tutorial: Introduction to Blender

This free online video tutorial will show you how to get the open source 3D software program Blender 3D, load a file and basic navigation.

Introduction to Blender from Matt Elder on Vimeo.

To download the file used in this tutorial click link:
Playstation Controller Zip file containing .blend file (1.5MG)

Links

The links used in this tutorial are:

http://www.blender.org/

http://www.gryllus.net/Blender/3D.html

http://www.blenderguru.com/

http://www.blendercookie.com/

https://www.mattelder.com/

ShortCut Keys

Middle Mouse Button – rotate around viewport
Right Mouse Button – Select object
Scroll Wheel – zoom in and out
Shift + Middle Mouse Button – pan around object
Tab – Toggle edit / object mode

Numpad

. – center around selected object
1 – Front View
3 – Side View
7 – Top View

5 – Perspective / Orthographic mode toggle on and off

2, 4, 6, 8 – move around object in 15 degree increments

z – toggle wireframe mode on and off

Numbers 1 to 9 above QWERTY keys – display corresponding layer only
~ – show all layers

Nov 23

Free Video Tutorial: How to Draw: The Basics

I’ve decided to start doing some video tutorials on drawing and art. Best of all, they are free to watch / download. You can watch them below here, or the full video on my Vimeo channel (where you can download the whole video for free) or individual sections on my Youtube channel (or click the icons on the right hand side of the page).

This first video of the series teaches you how to draw basic shapes and objects, and assumes you know nothing. So if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to draw, this is a great jump on point for you.

How to Draw: The Basics of Lines, Squares, Cubes, Circles, Ellipses, Cylinders, iPod, Sketchbook & Nintendo DS by mattelder.com from Matt Elder on Vimeo.

Covered first are basic materials that are accessible to everyone. We start of with lines and build them up into squares and cubes. We follow a similar progression for circles, ellipses and cylinders.

Next we take these basic shapes and start drawing real life objects such as an iPod, Sketchbook and Nintendo DS. Some comments are made on how drawing can be compared with juggling.

Various sections times are:

00:00 Introduction and drawings made in this video
01:36 Materials, Lines, Squares & Cubes
11:25 Circles, Ellipses & Cylinders
18:24 Drawing an iPod
26:01 Drawing a Sketchbook
32:52 Drawing a Cylindrical Wipes Dispensor
39:55 Drawing a Nintendo DS
56:55 Drawing is Like Juggling Comments and Website Info

Nov 17

Website Facelift … ’bout time

My website was finally driving me crazy and needed a face-lift badly. Originally I coded the website, got that done and wanted to give it  a face lift shortly after… that was almost 5 years ago. The content on my website kept growing so decided it was time for a proper website that would enable quick updates.

Moving forward I hope to update content more regularly, post up more sketches and works in progress (rather than just finished pieces).

I’m also planning to do free video tutorials on how to draw and paint and going into quite some depth. So if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to draw, this could be a great jump on point.

Feel free to post comments as I’d love to hear what you think about the site and/or, any topics you’d like to learn how to draw on. Feel free to also join me on twitter 😀

Nov 14

Selected for Waterbrook Art Exhibition

“And The Son Will Set Another Day” painting of mine was recently selected in the Waterbrook Art Exhibition. Details of the exhibition can be found on the waterbrook website:

http://www.waterbrook.com.au/greenwich/events/waterbrook-art-exhibition

And The Son Will Set Another Day (aka Blue Landscape) - Landscape Oil Painting Oil on Canvas

And The Son Will Set Another Day (aka Blue Landscape) - Landscape Oil Painting Oil on Canvas

Nov 14

Selected for St George Art Awards

A couple of my paintings were selected as finalists in the St George Art Awards (on now til December 16th). “Fisherman off Balmoral Park” and “Figure … At the Beginning or the End ?!” which is on at:

Hurstville City Museum & Gallery
14 MacMahon St, Hurstville
(02) 9330 6444
Website: http://lmg.hurstville.nsw.gov.au/

Opening Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
First and fourth Saturday of the month 10.00 am – 3.00 pm (Other times by appointment)

"Figure … at the Beginning or the End?!" Oil Painting

"Figure … at the Beginning or the End?!" Oil Painting

Please vote for my Fisherman painting in the people’s choice awards.

Fisherman off Balmoral Park - Landscape Oil Painting

Fisherman off Balmoral Park - Landscape Oil Painting