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Mark McDonnell: "MAC Sketchbook Sessions" 03




Here is an all new video which is the THIRD of my How To Draw In Your Sketchbook that I'm calling the "MAC Sketchbook Sessions" for the Animation and Entertainment Industry. It's an over the shoulder view of my flipping through my third of many personal sketchbooks and giving commentary. This book's goal was the use of black and white to control values as well as the eye's interest in the contrast between the two. The pen's used were the Gelly-Roll/Pentel Stylo and a Pentel "Water Brush" for the thicker lines and darkest darks.

I hope it's enjoyable.

Best,

MAC

7 comments:

vijay said...

this is fab!!!!!! your work always inspires me!!! thanks for sharing.

Mark McDonnell said...

My pleasure Vijay,

I hope this video inspires you like the others inspire me to create new imagery.

All my best to you,

MAC

J. King said...

Thanks for sharing! Love it.

Mark McDonnell said...

James,

Thanks my man, much appreciated!

MAC

Megan Moran Smith said...

Thanks so much for the tip about sketching during a not so interesting tv show w/ a loved one. It's hard to fit that sketching time into your life when you have busy schedule.

Logan Pearsall said...

Are these books published?

Also, how do you approach each page? Is this one of many sketch books, and you leave this one to make each page finished like a published layout? Or do you just happen to make every sketch count and go to finished every time?

Everything just looks so planned, like this is a collection of sketches, that was published later. My sketchbooks are messy and unplanned, and nothing is the same level of detail, finishing, etc.

Just wondering. I love your stuff.

Mark McDonnell said...

Thanks guys.

Rue,
Yep. We're all in the same boat no matter what your interested in, there's always time to do some doodlin' during some "down-time."

Logan,
These books are NOT published. They're really my personal sketchbooks of my own escape's and interests and wanderings. Both Glen Vilppu and Stephen Silver were always so kind to share their ramblings when I've asked in the past and I wanted to pay back the favor.

Each page is it's own animal and requires just as much focus as the next. I'm going for character and design but page layout is DEFIANTLY something that I think about as each page develops during that session. I do take my time. Marcelo Vignali is a friend of mine and influenced me greatly when he took a look at my sketchbook and gently told me to take my time and enjoy and FINISH each drawing/page. He might not have communicated the words but I understood what he was looking for at the time. I took it as ENJOY the process and invest in it as it will give you a sense of accomplishment rather then filling a page to show you worked toward a goal. I would rather take time and reach that goal with a sense of grace and calmness of acceptance . . . rather than a rambling of ideas, much like this sentence!

Again, thank you for the kind comment and I'm so very happy to show my work as I'm always VERY interested in seeing others sketchbooks because I GREATLY enjoy seeing how they approach where they were going . . . which is always a nice way to see the structure underneath the thinking of a good draftsperson.