Welcome,

during my short time here and looking around online I have come to realize that the only way to really improve my drawing is to...draw. My problem is that I get an idea, draw a stick figure...and leave for another project that seem more tempting.

If I keep all these different "projects that began as sketches and never was finished" I think that would be great for two reasons:

1) I could have them as a reference and see how my drawing (hopefully) improves over time.

2) I could get inspired to actually pick up and finish the sketch for that old started project

 Therefore what will be found in this thread is either:

- The beginning of a new sketch

- The continuation of a previous sketch in here

or

- A finished sketch

At the moment I don't know where the digital cam is so I'll start with some digital sketches, would be exciting to add something from my "real" sketchbook as well. We'll see - depends how the rest of you do (it's a digital art magazine after all...)

Apart from drawing much, one way to improvement is feedback - so all C&C:s are very welcome :-)

I hope for this to be a LONG thread in which I turn from noobdoodler M to drawmaster B (hmm...did I mean THAT long?)

Anyways, it feels like a fun thing and hopefully it will be fun for others as well to see what's going on in this unorganized but creative mind

LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN... 

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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Software: Windows Paint

Working title: Heartree

When: November 2008

 

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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Software: Paint.NET

Work title: Tree

When: February 2008

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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Software: Paint.NET (before I had started using layers - hence the perspective lines)

Work title: The Enemy

When: February 2009

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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Software: Paint:NET

Work title: Female Elf Battle (Inspired by Female Heroic Figure WS by Jim Pavelec)

 

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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hi I would seriously suggest learning the basics before jumping into all this stuff. practice drawing from life for a few hours a day. learn about composition. Do gesture sketching - try www.posemaniacs.com, learn the human proportions, there are a lot of free art books online - by andrew loomis and george bridgeman to help with. I would definitely say learning the basics should be the no1 priority here.

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Hi Alex, thanks for your reply. I AM trying to draw a lot, problem is I LOVE fantasy and love the simplicity of drawing with software (great colors - no mess;-))

(Another problem is I've passed my 30:s and have two children and a midlife crisis, but that's another story...)

Am trying to look at basics as well (got "Anatomy and drawing" by Perard today), but I feel it's really important to feel it's FUN as well. Also paint a lot of abstract pictures (see my gallery if curious). Going through a really hard time in my life right now, drawing and painting has been a creative outlet and way to escape for me. :-)

I'm thinking about drawing a little more from refs though, simple sketches from old Elfquest/Conan type of magazines might be useful to learn proportions, shading AND satisfy my fantasy cravings.

Thanks for the advice on books, I'll google for them.

Used to draw a lot a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...but the last 15 years it's been hardly any practice at all (more writing than drawing). So I'm kind of restarting - and have rediscovered an old lover: Art :-) 

Have to disagree with you on one point though: Learning the basics is not the no1 priority - having FUN and doing something that feels valuable to me is the most important thing! Took a look at all your posemaniac sketches in your sketchbook and see you're really taking your art seriously. Just be careful not to loose the joy along the path. One thing I've learned during this dark time of my life is that I don't have to be the best at what I do. Actually I don't even have to be good at what I do. I want to improve my art - yes - but not at the cost of losing my creative passion along the way. Just had to get this off my chest as your reply got me thinking about my relation to art.

Besides, every "bad" sketch I post will make someone else feel a little better - and that's not a bad thing :-)

Best wishes 

~M

 

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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Ah ok well I see your situation, primarily it should be fun!

I guess I am a bit close-minded, I want a career as an artist so badly - so constantly looking for the quickest way to improve - even if it means doing some monotonous practice from time to time! I guess I sometimes forget everyone is in a different situation and in this for different reasons.

One thing I have found though, getting into digital became much easier after a couple months of pencil/marker practice - filled a few sketchbooks; now I can handle the tablet much easier.

Having fun is great, but a bit of hard graft, nailing the basics first make it a whole load more fun, even uncontrollably addictive :-)

But do what you need to do, I believe there is nothing better than art-therapy, whatever your situation.  

There is a thread here where I learn the basics (only 3months ago), well some of them, you might find it helpful; breaking objects down into 2/3 tones was particularly useful http://community.imaginefx.com/forums/thread/155796.aspx 

Good luck and i'm happy to check by from time-to-time and offer any input! 

 

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Thx a lot - looking forward to your input and thanks for your thread tip.

 

One more thing: Tablet? What tablet - I'm drawing with the finger on my laptops 4x5 cm board ;-)

(so let's pretend I'm really a MUUUCH better artist than what these sketches have shown - I blame everything on the mouseboard... ;-))

 

Jokes aside, thanks for your concern about my situation. And good luck with your future career.

~M 

 

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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Good thing that you told us what your priority is. A lot of us here focus more on the quality of our work because we do this for a living. For you it's more about fun, of course. This is something I should keep in mind when I give suggestions in the future.

Hi Yian,

promise me you will still tell me what I need to work more on - do wish to improve of course. That's 2nd in my list :-)

But obviously the quality of me as a happy amateur (so far...you never know where this might end...;-)) won't be anything near the quality of a professional illustrator. Therefore I realize the level of critique must be quite different.

This sketchbook is actually a way to go "back to the basics". (Downloaded Loomis yesterday btw - thanks Alex :-))

Ready to start todays first sketch - today it'll be a male elf (without references).

Software: ArtRage

 

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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Pretty good considering you don't have a tablet.

Firstly I think you need to work on your proportions and getting the face to become accurate, anything else is secondary imo. Many artists will say drawing is the most important part of painting, if the drawing's not accurate then the painting won't help.

K, so it's not bad - you may even want to leave it how it is.

I will offer some tips anyway, you can take 'em or leave 'em or even come back to them one day =)

I am learning myself so I won't give you a thesis on drawing the face lol.

no1. Flip canvas - I am sure artrage has this feature. When you are drawing a face, particularly in the initial block in, you want to flip the canvas regularly, horizontally and vertically - this will show any errors in proportions, like a wonky nose, uneven lips etc etc. A face is all about symmetry, this will show you your eyes are a good width apart, if they're the same height etc.

no2. Proportions - What I have found helped a huge amount was Loomis' book - "drawing the head and hands"  http://acid.noobgrinder.com/Loomis/Andrew%20Loomis%20-%20Drawing%20the%20Head%20and%20Hands.rar

There are some excellent exercises in this book, and they don't take long to get the hang of - they will improve your face mark making a lot. I spent a day on the book and immediately I could draw a better head without any reference material.

no3. Line weight -Instead of drawing uniform lines and thickness all over; start with faint lines - then use heavier lines where you want to viewer to look. E.g. define the eyes - not everything has to be of equal importance in a portrait.

no4. As I said it's not too bad right now, the left eye is higher than the right eye though; flipping the canvas will display this issue to you . Same with the chin/lower jaw and the nose, one side is slightly lower than the other. 

Well you seem to have a good grasp of light source, and where to shade. I guess the rest is practice! 

One more thing, just drawing a head and neck doesn't make a good portrait. at least put as much as shoulders in =) shouldn't be too hard! 

Anyway, don't feel you have to change anything, I just like to give a critique that I would expect someone to give to me, whether I use it or not is another thing. But I think it's just nice to be made aware of things :-)

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Mindbender: Having FUN and doing something that feels valuable to me is the most important thing!  Well written countryman ! My opinion exactly too ! Though there are at least two kinds of us here; Those ( like you and me ) that do this for fun and those who intend to build a carer on art ( and those who have already done so, - of course ! ) I am just a happy amateur like you and can´t really give you any artist´s tips like Alex  - just encourage you and wish you welcome here on IFX ! I shall keep my eyes on your progress and give you my most unprofessional comments on your art...

We have a sketch-thing going on here on the forums called "The daily sketch challenge" The point is to post a sketch every day - It don´t have to be anything great and wonderful, just a new sketch every day - it´s fun and good practise ! Below is the link to it:

http://community.imaginefx.com/forums/thread/159816.aspx

You don´t really draw with the touchpad of your laptop do you ? I can´t imagine anything more difficult to draw digitally with...The best thing is of course a tablet - A digital drawing/painting device with a pen, unfortunatly rather expensive stuff...I got around for a long time with a sensitive laser-mouse ( the old version with a ball clogs constantly and drives you mad ! ) Or sketch the old way with pencil and paper and scan the stuff into the computer.

Your elf is quite nice and shows progress, though Alex is right in his crits, shoulders would be nice...

Good luck with your art Mindbender ! I am looking forward to more !

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raimo

sweet elf mindbender, I'm also an enthusiastic amateur, easy to start a sketch and not finish though when a new idea comes along, haha, especially when you get tied up with the fiddly bits, especially if you are having difficulties and get discouraged. this is an excellent way of seeing how you can improve. Come along to the daily sketch thread as raimo said. and yes scan in your pencil sketches too and share them with us.

Hi and thanks for your comments.

Alex: Thanks for your long, instructive comment. Will use many - if not all - of those tips in my future drawings. Also a big  for encouraging me to seek out Loomis' books - found those and many others as free pdf:s. Have started with the most basic - and funniest looking one - though. Will probably mix Loomis with some "Drawing nature" - Maltzman - since I love drawing trees and landscapes. Also found a really philosophical one by Speed that I probably won't be able to stay away from. Loomis' more philosophical one about beauty in painting (realistic vs abstract) also seems really interesting. Actually all Loomis' books seem interesting but I have to start somewhere...:-)).

Raimo: Ah, another soul from the cold and grey north. Well met. I've heard about the sketch thing but I feel I prefer posting my sketches here - since it will be easier to find old ones that I wish to continue with and to follow my progress. Too much work to post the same sketch twice. ;-).

Yep, touchpad it is. Kind of a nice feel drawing with your finger actually. If I ever become really serious about digital art I guess I'll have to:

1. Buy Photoshop (or whatever program "everyone" uses when that day comes...)

2. Buy a tablet

At the moment I'll just have to do with Paint.NET and ArtRage starter ed. (feel like upgrading though - would be nice to be able to work in layers on AR as well)  

Nimh: Yep I consider myeslf master in the art of projectstarting. Still in first grade when it comes to finishing them though... ;-)

Scanning sketches is not an option - since I don't have a scanner nearby - will have to be dig cam pictures then. But it feels like a little too much work unless I have drawn something I'm REALLY pleased with. Far from perfect digital sketches will have to do for now.

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About my elf - since I have begun painting it I will add shoulders as well during the coloring process (finally realized how to set opacity for a color with Paint.NET - yay! :-)). Alex is right that the eyes aren't correct - but I don't know if I have the patience to correct that. Main goal with the "Elf male" project is getting practice when it comes to coloring a face. 

Today the sketch will be a simple - but fun to draw - comic character that I learned from Loomis' book "Fun with the pencil" that I began reading yesterday.

I'm not really pleased with it - especially the eyes don't seem to "connect" with the rest of the face. But I don't feel like working any more with it. I'll leave it as the simple, unshaded sketch it is:

(Actually looking at it again I realize the right ear would need to be redrawn, but...will have to do for now...)

Software: ArtRage

No ref.

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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Picasso

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