How do you improve on your drawing skills/technique?
29 replies, posted
Hello, I've always liked drawing, but I know that my stuff will never be able to match the things many of you guys are doing. I'm seeing wonderful things being created here.
What I really have is just a simple question, how do you make improvements?
I've played instruments, and my experience with them is that you improve by repeating things. Such as practicing scales, keeping the tempo, doing the same motions over and over again and so on.
Let's say I draw a circle, and it's bad and out of proportions, do I keep drawing circles until I get perfect ones? Because I feel that creating something nice isn't only about making perfect lines or circles on the paper.
Give me your secrets.
You are going to get the same answer from pretty much everyone.
[B]Draw[/B]
Also draw from life, not anime or cartoons, why you might ask? think it this way:
Cartoons and Anime characters are distortions of real life proportions, if you dominate the real life anatomy, colors, etc, you can go "back" and draw anime or cartoons like a champ. But if you keep on drawing animu and cartoon, you will never improve. (but in my opinion its better to develop an own style, drawing anime gets boring after a while believe me it happened to me).
Also if you need extra motivation read "Drawing from the right side of the brain By Betty Edwards", to me its just a motivation book, not a learn how to draw book, if you are looking to do the second try everything by Andrew Loomis.
AND DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW.
[QUOTE=Swebonny;35136143]
Give me your secrets.[/QUOTE]
This is something everyone says when they want to learn how to draw, remember, there is no secret book, instrument, or magic spell to make you good at drawing, its a slow process that it could take you years, but in the end, it is worth~
Now go and draw.
To improve, I always found it useful to draw outside of one's comfort zone.
Back in the day, I only drew what I saw in videogames and TV shows, with something I could work off of. I tired of drawing other people's work, so I decided to shift my attention to my own creations. Of course, it was awful at first, but that's another thing. No matter how flawed something is that you make, you have to be persistent, and be able to use criticism to help you improve, but that's a given to most people.
I've only recently started to experiment in a more realistic style, which is a big shift for me. It's taking me a long period of time to draw a person, for example, when I could've doodled the same thing in 3 minutes if I had drawn it the way I usually do.
Example, from this: [url]http://i.imgur.com/wHefp.png[/url] to this: [url]http://i.imgur.com/SDeuS.png[/url]
Drastic change, but it's forcing me to learn and improve, instead of rehashing what I already know onto a new page.
So in long story short, yes. Keep drawing until you get the hang of it. Then move on to something learning something new, but be sure to practice what you already know too. No point in drawing a head if you forget how to draw a circle.
I'm pretty much a beginner myself, but I feel like I've improved a lot since I first started about a year ago. I feel like what's contributed the most has been my own practice, as well as feedback I've gotten from people who know what they're doing.
If you want to improve, then my best suggestion is to draw like there's no tomorrow. Draw things you like, draw cartoon characters, draw human figures, or just doodle around.
Only way to get good at something is to do it.
Also, don't get frustrated if the stuff you initially try to draw looks terribad, a big problem I had starting out was that everything turned out a lot uglier than I intended it to. I still have this problem, but the best thing to do with it is to take your work and simply try again until you get it.
Oh, and lastly: [URL="http://sashas.deviantart.com/art/The-Perspective-Tutorial-94166651"]Perspective[/URL], very important.
I'm still a beginner as well, I recommend that you sketch from real life or photos, then I look up techniques for it to speed up the process of what you're drawing. EnhancedAI has several useful books involving the steps that people take to draw a figure.
There is nothing wrong with drawing from photos as long as you are sensible about your choice of photograph
ye not everyone goes to art school and have the opportunity to draw naked people k
I still think you're wrong about the photo thing, I have seen some very talented people get where they are by doing heaps of photo studies, as well as drawing from life. But mostly people don't have time to people watch all day, and has to rely on photographs, and it works.
[QUOTE=cdejong;35169848]You don't have to even draw naked people (although it's great if you can.) Just draw people from life, sketching and whatnot. I'm not trying to be elitist here, just looking to give good advice.[/QUOTE]
But unless you're drawing naked people you can't fully understand the underlying anatomy of the figure
good thing im not aiming to be a fine arts artist.
Considering that fine arts aesthetics can cover anything from paint splatters to imitations of kindergartener's drawings to Rembrandt to mainstream illustration that's not the best example to give.
A lot of practice.
I'm not a great artist, not good enough to give substantial advice, but just from practicing I've noticed significant improvement.
By practicing, I don't mean drawing whatever. Try to look for what you need to improve on.
Study what makes good art.
Always work to improve.
[QUOTE=Vodkavia;35188081][B][i]$$ ask me about drawing MLP porn requests $$[/i][/B]
No shit.[/QUOTE]
you must be new here
[QUOTE=Vodkavia;35188081][B][i]$$ ask me about drawing MLP porn requests $$[/i][/B]
No shit.[/QUOTE]
this is so ironic.
[QUOTE=Vodkavia;35188081][B][i]$$ ask me about drawing MLP porn requests $$[/i][/B]
No shit.[/QUOTE]
it's a joke mate
she only does tf2 porn requests
dude I would do any porn request.
facepunch porn.
Starring postals ass.
for money.
Well, then they wouldn't be requests, they'd be commissions.
I know plenty of sites where you can learn how to draw humans.
It's basically 30-60 second images, and then you switch.
Here, you have to focus on getting the forms down on the paper as fast as possible, do not focus on the details. I do this 5-10 min a day and it truly helps.
Other times, draw draw draw and STUDY what you're drawing. Do not just draw it. Tell your brain "OH, so that's how that muscle works!"
[QUOTE=Chaplin;35196851]Well, then they wouldn't be requests, they'd be commissions.[/QUOTE]
im not the one who made the title.
[editline]19th March 2012[/editline]
cant you see the money signs tho? $$$$$$$
this thread is really teaching me how to improve my drawing thanks guys
Glad to see the thread isn't dead. I've been sketching crap everyday, mostly cylinders to make things that look like arms and legs, and I've been reading a lot of articles. I tried to draw some faces, just the basic shapes to get the feel. Then I added lips and eyes, and wow it looked so damn horrible.
Also stumbled upon stuff like this,heh.
[img]http://0.tqn.com/d/drawsketch/1/0/W/W/face-sketch-5.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=IdaS;35201074]I know plenty of sites where you can learn how to draw humans.
It's basically 30-60 second images, and then you switch.
Here, you have to focus on getting the forms down on the paper as fast as possible, do not focus on the details. I do this 5-10 min a day and it truly helps.
Other times, draw draw draw and STUDY what you're drawing. Do not just draw it. Tell your brain "OH, so that's how that muscle works!"[/QUOTE]
Could you post one of those websites? That sounds incredibly useful.
I've only taken one drawing class in college (had to quit going because I went broke, still trying to get enough money to get back) but they did say to always try to draw from life when you can, but I see no problem in using pictures, especially if you can get multiple viewpoints. I got so much faster and better in that class, too. Hopefully I'll manage to get back soon.
I always thought they said to only draw from life because in a picture you only get one view of whatever it is, and if you don't understand the shape, it might be harder to draw.
Or maybe I just think that because I did 3d models before I took that art class, and it's very difficult to make a 3d model from only one picture.
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