What's drawing, doc?

[The Alien]

Been a while since I've posted here, so I doubt many of you know me http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
I've practiced with X1 a bit more since then and am wondering if you can give me any hints on this drawing.
(this is actually my first drawing that is not a total flop)

It hasn't turned out very bad, but it looks like it's missing something and I'm not talking about the doctor that's supposed te have the stethoscope plugged in his ears http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
I can't put my finger on it; the realism doesn't look correct here and there. Thought maybe you Xara veterans with the eagles eyes can spot some things to give me pointers on http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

http://website.leidenuniv.nl/~s02429...t/STETHOS2.PNG

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi Alien,

Welcome back. I think you've got the technique perfectly. I think what's missing is that your image is rather long, making it uniteresting, because there's a lot of white space.

Perhaps you could introduce some colour as well?

Try doing an image search in Yahoo for 'stethoscope'. You will find many images there were the stethoscope is more compact, reducing the vast emptiness, if you see what I mean.

There's also a cartoon 'I must get a longer stethoscope' which had me roaring!

Egg

[gwpriester]

Looks good to me. I like the flow and composition of the stethoscope. I don't mind the white space at all, if anything it makes the image more interesting (sorry Egg).

I would recommend adding some color to your image. Right now it looks like you have used black and white and gray. It would look a little more natural if you used very small amounts of color. The metal is a good example.

http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/wo...tallics_05.jpg

The image posted here is part of a mini-tutorial on metals in Workbook 37. The gray tones are a little richer.

Hope this helps.

Gary

[John Rayner]

I would feather the highlights on the rubber tubing. The edge is very sharp...

[Soquili]

I think it's a very good drawing of a stethescope. Adding some colour to the metal parts will enhance the effect. The rubber tubing seems to extend too far up the metal tubed for the ear pieces. The curved metal support attaches to the tubes and your image has the rubber between the support and the metal tube.

Over all, a very clean illustration.

[The Alien]

Thanks all for the replies http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Egg and Gary, I've recoloured the metal parts (H:215, S:17) using the pic from workbook 37 and came up with this:
http://website.leidenuniv.nl/~s02429...t/STETHOS3.PNG

I'll see if I can add something like a simple blue grid (similar to the one in the Watch 3 clipart) behind/below the stethoscope to add some color to it http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
John, I'll see if I can feather the highlights http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
Soquilly, yeah I've drawn the curved metal support very basically cause I didn't know how to draw it correctly - it's a tricky thing to draw, that piece http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
Gonna have to work on that part. I'll also see if I can shorten the rubber up the metal tubes.

[gwpriester]

I think this looks a lot better.

But don't forget the highlights on the rubber tubing. They should also be darker because the tubing is soft and will not reflect light as well.

Gary

[The Alien]

Originally posted by gwpriester:
I think this looks a lot better.

But don't forget the highlights on the rubber tubing. They should also be darker because the tubing is soft and will not reflect light as well.

Gary

Thanks http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

This may sound weird, but the rubber tubing is actually made of a slippery rubber, which is not uncommon afaik http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
I've kinda drawn it using my own stethoscope (Littmann Classsic II S.E., an eBay page with a pic) for occasional reference http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

I've come this far with the drawing:
http://website.leidenuniv.nl/~s02429...t/STETHOS4.PNG

I've made the metal tubes longer and also changed the curved metal support. So far, I've given it a different color to distinguish it from the metal tubing - I didn't know what else to do here : It still doesn't look all that great, but I'll keep working on it http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Ballpoint]

Alien,

I think the bottom piece (the cold bit http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif) is very realistic but maybe the ear-pieces should be shinier and the spring in the middle thinner and again shinier. It's terific art and I would love the skill to do realistic objects like this http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/cool.gif.

Christopher.

[John Rayner]

Hi Alien,

It is looking better. Now take a look at the metal rods for the ear buds... the highlight and shadows are different from the cold piece. The cold piece has the light on the left, the earbuds have it directly overhead.