forum I wanna learn to draw, does anyone have some advice for me maybe?

Started August 20, 2020 by Deleted user

tune

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Advice, references, tutorials, anything would be helpful! I can pull up an example of my current artstyle soon if it helps?

Idk your current level so an example would be great. That way I can see what you need to improve on.

Okay, I'll pull it up in a minute!

honestly, as much as i hate to say it,
practice makes perfect.
if you just keep going at it, you'll develop a style and figure things out.
I recommend using grid paper too, its good for proportions.
It's controversial, but tracing is something you can try too. However to do not post them or claim them as yours, its purely for the practice of poses and certain body parts
I feel more comfortable using stock images and colouring pages, but use whatever works for you :)

Thanks!

And

Are two examples. Credit to my friend for helping me with the background on the first one.

Not quite sure if this is exactly what you're looking for but I'm a simp for Rin so here

Thanks!

It's not bad! youre definitely headed in the right direction

Yeah, I did a lot of tracing of anatomy and then translated that to a more cartoony style for easier like, drawing stuff.

Yeah, from your work, you're off to a good start. Like @Ikinss has said, practice does make perfect. I definitely recommend studying from references and practicing anatomy. I also think you should practice a little realism even if it isn't necessarily your thing. From my personal experience, doing that really helped me develop a style since I already knew the shapes, I could simplify them. Don't worry about having an "art style" because it'll develop as long as your practicing. Also, here are some helpful websites:
https://line-of-action.com/
https://drawabox.com/
https://ctrlpaint.com
Also youtube is loaded with lots of tutorials.

Thanks!

as someone who took a commercial art class and improved greatly before getting burnt out but shhh that's not the point…

draw👏from👏life
draw people passing by in Walmart, it draw that cat sitting over there. you learn how to draw so many things just by observing, and you also train your eye to pick up little details.

I have some work from that class that I'm getting today that I might be able to share with you, if you think some of the stuff would be useful (like practice sheets and befores and afters)

if you want to improve on something, focus on that and study notice the similarities between two subjects and then notice the telltale differences, if it's something that changes like a face or body. notice what makes it what it is.

keep a sketchbook or two or ten. just doodle and keep at it. I'd recommend not drawing from your imagination too much, though, if you're genuinely trying to improve during that specific drawing. if you're just doodling? go for it, I'm not a stingy man like my teacher was cant go back to that class cause of Rona and secretly glad

and I shall reiterate
draw👏from👏life

it might not seem like it, but it helps a heap ton in the long run, but so does practice, and the two go hand-in-hand

hope my sleep deprived rambling helped some gkskg

That makes sense, thanks!

no problem!

Hey! Just a few quick tips I wish I had figured out more quickly- I second the draw from life thing. It helps you develop your 'Artist's Eyes' and not only your personal drawing style but also kind of just the way you see things in general (sorry if that doesn't make sense!) Don't learn to trace or copy other people's styles in your own drawing, it won't work out in the end.
Probably the most important thing I can tell you to do is to enjoy what you create. If you love doing it, you'll keep doing it and you'll get better- it can be a really relaxing thing to do when your by yourself! DON'T compare yourself to other artists. Everyone sucks compared to the right person, and with art especially there really is no standard of what's 'good' and what isn't.

Okay, time for an essay!
First, find what medium you want to use and stick with it for now. If you try to learn painting and digital and marker (or whatever else) at the same time it will take much longer. Yes, the fundamentals are all the same such as composition and anatomy, but more on that next. It will take longer to learn if you're focused on learning the mediums as well as the technical skills. (pencils are great with digital, but stuff like charcoal, paints, and markers all have their own learning curves)

Now, the basics. Composition is important. learn your elements and principals of art. It sounds like school bs at first, but knowing some color theory and composition elements can vastly improve your art. There are lots of great resources a google search away but I would be more than happy to directly answer any questions you may have.

Once you have an idea about this sort of thing, it's all about practice. Wise words from a brilliant youtuber named Istebrak, don't only make masterpieces. Don't spend 8 hours on one piece trying to improve when you can do several small studies and improve on a specific asset. For example, I may post finished pieces but what you don't see is the several pages of my sketchbook full of hands, head angles, fabric draping, etc. These are all good things to practice, and easy to reference from life or photos. Working from life is best, and once you have a handle on "real" stuff, then stylization looks much more natural. (I don't mean you have to draw realistically entirely first, just get a good grasp on how things should look, otherwise you'll end up with weird poses or logic defying compositions.)

Don't worry about finding a style. The artists that do have a style have it because they've been drawing for a looong time. And if you look at their recent work and work from say a few years ago, it would still look different because there are subtle changes and improvements. If you really want to emulate a certain type of style, like how I emulate eastern animation, ;study other artists and styles and practice from them. Don't trace too much, it seems easy at first and can be good for the very first steps of learning, but it can quickly become a dependence if you don't learn to draw the thing yourself.

That's all I got for now, there's a lot of stuff in art. like Kefi said, most of all enjoy it!

this post is a lil old but heres some advice from someone whos beein doin art for as long as i can remember hehe

• first and foremost, draw what makes you happy, in whatever way that makes you happy. ultimately, art is subjective, and the only thing that matters is if its good to you. take pride in your work, because its uniquely yours
• dont be afraid to use references!! some of my better works have been heavily referenced, and thats ok!
• related to above doing studies seems daunting (and it actually is imo), but its definitely worth putting the time into. when im really feelin like drawing something new, i usually trace real life things im not familiar drawing, and if you really feel like it you can incorporate what youve learned into your own work. referencing from real life is gonna save ur life bro i promise
• addendum: referencing/studying other artists' work is also a good way to learn different techniques and perspectives!! watching speedpaints and looking for tutoials is Worth It
• person above me mentioned this already but i really wanna emphasize how you dont really need to worry about finding an art style. imo i feel like trying to only ever draw a certain way will cause you to stagnate and get tired of art. in my experience, i remembered trying to make my work look distinctly realistic, but i felt like my art kind of suffered for it, and i ended up feeling burnt out. if you feel like drawing a certain way and then drawing a completely different way the next day, thats totally cool! having an art style that fluctuates doesnt mean you have no artistic identity, it just means you have versatility.
• lastly, you dont have to be constantly drawing! practicing often is good but if you really dont feel like doing anything then dont force yourself. ultimately you dont owe anyone anything since art is your own thing. any time i feel guilty about not drawing enough i remember the masters would only paint maybe one piece every few years lol

anyway ya thats all i got rn hope it helps :peace: