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I want to draw

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H

h_a_t

Member
Android18a said:
This thread should be used as a progress thread, kinda like the weight loss thread.

Like, post how you draw now, and check in once a week/month/year/decade to show how much you've progressed.
Click to expand...



Android, if you want I'll go in with you on this regardless if we get an official progress thread.
My plan is to follow and accomplish 3 sections from http://www.drawspace.com/ each week starting with "Learn to See" section as that seems to be when the hands on tutorials begin.

I may branch out and do other step by step tutorials, but I want to complete all the sections eventually.
 
M

Mobius 1

Member
All the advice in this thread, especially Monocle's, is spot on. But this is the one you must know, you must remember, you must make it part of your life if you're serious about this:

Practice.

There is no point in reading books, buying fancy imported pencils and fine grade paper if you're not learning to draw. That learning process will only come to fruition if you discover how you like to draw, and build on it and the things you learned from others. Don't do the "I need to draw for 2 hours today", it has to be "I want so badly to draw for hours today that my body aches because I found a way to render this face and its great".

Don't make it a chore and you will make progress like you wouldn't believe it.
 
K

Keru_Shiri

Member
As everyone else has said, practice, practice, practice.

My buddies and I have started a blog where we each take turns picking a theme, then sketch out something to upload for that day. The goal is to get a good amount of practice everyday, just like physical exercise.
 
K

kevm3

Member
As many said, the key to drawing is to continually learn. Those books can be helpful, but mostly, it's drawing, drawing, drawing, and more than not, picking up little hints here and there from books as opposed to following some boring, overly rigid system. The key is to not worry about 'getting good', but rather learn to enjoy the process and to love expressing yourself and to take the mindset of always learning things to improve upon gradually without 'hating your art.'

Another key is to break yourself out of 'symbolism'... People see an eye, and they automatically draw it as a football shape. Don't look at it as an 'eye' so to say, but rather look at the shapes of the lines that form it (contour) and put THAT on paper. When you can accurately render the shapes of things, then your drawings will start to look more realistic.
 
Monocle

Monocle

Member
More stuff to add...

- EclecticAsylum's tutorial series is packed with top quality info. I can't recommend it enough to artists of any skill level. Even if you couldn't care less about portraiture, his techniques are gold.

- The importance of contrast in art is hard to overemphasize. Dark against light, soft edges against hard edges, curved against straight; effective art is filled with rhythmic opposition. You see this all the time in nature. A thin stem balloons out into a broad leaf. The legs of an insect change direction at every joint.

The human form embodies this principle. Take the following example from one of George Bridgman's imperishable books.

ZYihY.png


These simple arrangements of sheer line have the vitality of contrasting elements. Compare the left side of each figure to the right. Compressed and relaxed. Active and inert. Angular and curved. Concave and convex. Each side reacts to the other, and this balance of tensions brings the drawings to life.

- A modern Leonardo lives, and his name is Michael Mentler. This artist's approach to figure drawing combines many of the best techniques I know from some of the best figure drawing instructors of all time (Robert Beverly Hale and George Bridgman are written all over his work), along with a liberal dose of inspiration from the old masters.

The Book of Bones (instructional thread)
Fresh Hanging Flesh (sketchbook)

- Having trouble adding convincing tone to your drawings? After you've learned a bit about light (ideally from Andrew Loomis), rent an old black & white film noir and draw freeze frames from the most interesting scenes. Hell, you could even try "Good Night, and Good Luck" or "Sin City."

- This page has impossibly in-depth tutorials about light, perspective and painting. Most of this stuff is for intermediate to advanced artists, but beginners should be fine if they don't wade too deep!

- Riven Phoenix's analytical figure drawing course, The Structure of Man, is worth the cash for the intermediate artist who wants to draw humans from imagination.

- Brief and direct lecture notes from Fred Fixler's classes. Seriously useful ideas in here—the kind that will stick with you for as long as you remain an artist.
 
T

Tashi

343i Lead Esports Producer
Awesome thread. I used to draw all the time as a kid and teenager and just dropped it completely. I've tried getting back in with little success, I just get so discouraged so quickly when things don't come out good right away.
 
M

mantidor

Member
Zombie James said:
Gah, I wish i could draw... sometimes I get these images in my head that I wish I could put down on paper.
Click to expand...

Oh I'm the same, I've created a whole world in my head and putting it on paper hasn't been easy, but I draw them every day anyway. I'm thinking of doing sculptures just as an aid, is hard when is only your imagination, but honestly its even harder to do sculpture :lol but is only an aid. Materials are also hard to select, clay pretty much sucks, I've tried cold porcelain wiht better results but still this is damn hard! I feel that both artistic process help each other though.

While I've tried to draw life stuff but it just doesn't engage me as much as my own creations, however it's undeniable this is what you have to do if you want to get good.
 
U

UrbanRats

Member
Zaptruder said:
You know who breathed air? Hitler.
Click to expand...
He breathed a lot of gass too, from WW1. :D

Anyway, awesome thread, i love to draw too, infact, it's my primary passion, by far.

I've posted some stuff (digital paintings) in the "artist network" thread.
Some interesting stuff here.
 
A

avatar299

Banned
I thought I would bump this thread with a few sketches I took today on the bus. Sadly I couldn't find my earlier sketches which sucks because those are much better than this.

sketchpg1.jpg


sketchpg3.jpg


trying to secth off and onto a bus is pretty fucking difficult.
 
S

soultron

Banned
Big ups to Monocle. I've always loved drawing, but my career path constantly tears me away from sketching. I've really cut back in my gaming time these days, and I think I will replace that time with drawing.
 
A

Alex Connolly

Member
Don't be afraid to be messy with your sketching, either. Use the sides of pencils, carpenter's pencils, use an eraser as you would a pencil...smudge, smear, go wild.
 
R

Raging Spaniard

If they are Dutch, upright and breathing they are more racist than your favorite player
Yeah for beginners remember that right now all youre doing is training your eye how to properly observe things ... so try to be loose and fast, dont get stuck on details!
 
S

soultron

Banned
Figured I'd ask here as opposed to CA.org, but:

What's the best way to practise life drawing when you're not enrolled in class or on a bus/out in public?

Pausing videos that have cool poses?

I just want to put in some time today drawing figures, pretty much! :]

I stole this figure from a movie I was watching for the reference.
n502876390_2122221_3042.jpg

I want to mainly practise form though, as opposed to heavy detail work like I did in this one. (I simply want to get better at drawing figures first. Know those pages artists do when they sketch people on thus bus? Like that.)
 
G

GrotesqueBeauty

Banned
soultron said:
Figured I'd ask here as opposed to CA.org, but:

What's the best way to practise life drawing when you're not enrolled in class or on a bus/out in public?

Pausing videos that have cool poses?

I just want to put in some time today drawing figures, pretty much! :]
Click to expand...
A mirror is pretty much the most flexible reference material you can have. You might not be able to see yourself from any angle or hold any pose, but you'll always be present and able to adapt to your needs on the fly. Also, try drawing mundane objects as well as figures. They're all around you and they remain stationary, unlike a human subject. If you have several that capture your interest consider composing a still life even. It's a good way to sharpen your observational skills, and keep you from getting into the sorts of habits that can form when you're always sticking to the same subject matter.
 
Monocle

Monocle

Member
avatar299 said:
I thought I would bump this thread with a few sketches I took today on the bus. Sadly I couldn't find my earlier sketches which sucks because those are much better than this.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BKUQrw3ie58/TFno2DTihJI/AAAAAAAAACM/hs6AWPBAwaE/s512/sketchpg1.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BKUQrw3ie58/TFno2SoQFBI/AAAAAAAAAB8/2N2YFN7EWPo/s512/sketchpg3.jpg

trying to secth off and onto a bus is pretty fucking difficult.
Click to expand...
Great work. The important thing is to sketch often and with a clear objective in mind. One exercise I like is to focus on a specific piece of visual information. For example, the range of movement of a walking person's legs, or the way someone's torso twists when they're reaching for an object. You don't even need to be sketching. These are the kinds of things you can notice as you go about your day.

Think of objects as simple three-dimensional masses without all the bumps or wrinkles or patterns—without surface details. Feel the weight of the masses. Ask yourself how they occupy space, and notice the way they stack on each other in order to stay balanced.

I'll have one critique to offer. You seem to work primarily in outline. Try to "draw through" the subjects you sketch, as though you're constructing a wire frame that wraps around the contours of every form. Keep your lines fast, loose and light. When you find a line you like, darken it a little. It took me a long time to realize that any inaccurate marks I put down in the first few minutes of drawing could be valuable landmarks for blocking out the basic shapes of my subject. Good observation is a matter of asking yourself the right questions about the scene in front of you. Sometime a stray mark can prompt a good idea.

Last thing. When you're sketching, challenge yourself to erase as little as possible. Sketches don't have to be clean, only coherent.
 
Monocle

Monocle

Member
Harpuia said:
I was seriously considering doing this as well. I've always been sad at my inability to draw.
Click to expand...
Give it a shot. It takes a good while to develop drawing ability unless you throw yourself into it to the exclusion of everything else, so it's never too early to start. You don't have to be proficient to experience some of the benefits. Boredom tends to evaporate when you can see even the most mundane object in an interesting way.
 
D

DM_Uselink

Member
Awesome thread, there's not enough discussion in the "arts n farts" thread.

If it hasn't already been said, I'd like to add that looking at different artists or art forms helps in finding inspiration. Also, having good shapes and strong silhouettes is important to keep in mind.
You never stop learning as long as you keep at it.
 
styl3s

styl3s

Member
The Take Out Bandit said:
This.

I have a friend who's still wishing he could draw better rather than fucking finishing anything or god damned well applying himself.

It's sad and frustrating because when I tried to help him, he wouldn't even attempt to apply himself.
Click to expand...
To be fair you do need talent, i know people who have been drawing for 6-7 years non stop and still can't draw worth a damn, if you don't have talent it won't matter how long you practice you have to have some talent.

same with me and guitars, i have been practicing the guitar since i was 11, im 26 now and still can't play worth a damn.
 
Monocle

Monocle

Member
styl3s said:
To be fair you do need talent, i know people who have been drawing for 6-7 years non stop and still can't draw worth a damn, if you don't have talent it won't matter how long you practice you have to have some talent.

same with me and guitars, i have been practicing the guitar since i was 11, im 26 now and still can't play worth a damn.
Click to expand...
You're jumping to conclusions. I'm strongly inclined to think the one and only variable that matters here is how you practice. Would you mind describing how the people you mentioned draw?

I used to "practice" copying the same Burne Hogarth head from imagination for about two years. Guess how far that got me in portrait drawing? Finally, I got enough sense to investigate how skilled artists practiced. Surprise: I was going about it all wrong.

As a teenager I had zero drawing talent. None. After years of hard work I made substantial progress. I still have a long way to go, but now I understand that excuses about lacking some mysterious innate quality won't move me an inch toward my artistic goals. For someone like me (i.e., not a born artist) a structured approach is necessary to improve one's skills.

I posted many of the resources I used to educate myself as an artist on the first page. Perhaps your friends will find some of them as useful as I have.
 
Z

Zaptruder

Banned
Rorschach said:
You know who else had trouble detecting sarcasm? Hitler.
Click to expand...

You know who else deserved to die for their crimes against humanity (and by humanity, I mean me)?

YOU! DIE INHUMAN SCUM!
 
Monocle

Monocle

Member
Zaptruder said:
You know who else deserved to die for their crimes against humanity (and by humanity, I mean me)?

YOU! DIE INHUMAN SCUM!
Click to expand...
This post is much more amusing when I imagine those words coming from your avatar.
 
R

Raging Spaniard

If they are Dutch, upright and breathing they are more racist than your favorite player
styl3s said:
To be fair you do need talent, i know people who have been drawing for 6-7 years non stop and still can't draw worth a damn, if you don't have talent it won't matter how long you practice you have to have some talent.

same with me and guitars, i have been practicing the guitar since i was 11, im 26 now and still can't play worth a damn.
Click to expand...

I disagree. There is a definite chance that people practice the wrong way.

I use Posemaniacs on Chrome and it works fine, you just gotta wait for the stuff to load sometimes.
 
S

soultron

Banned
Raging Spaniard said:
I disagree. There is a definite chance that people practice the wrong way.
Click to expand...
After spending 30 minutes using posemaniacs I feel my understanding of the human figure and anatomy has been enriched. I already see improvements in my own drawings.

There is a definite way to practise. For me, drawing from my imagination wasn't working properly because I haven't memorized the human form well enough to do it straight from my head. Using a resource that helps to shape the proper picture in my head, so that one day I will be so good as to not require a reference, is an example of perfect practise, in my mind.

More posemaniacs!
 
X

Xun

Member
styl3s said:
To be fair you do need talent, i know people who have been drawing for 6-7 years non stop and still can't draw worth a damn, if you don't have talent it won't matter how long you practice you have to have some talent.

same with me and guitars, i have been practicing the guitar since i was 11, im 26 now and still can't play worth a damn.
Click to expand...
Having a natural talent (in anything) to me is simply someone who can gripe the concepts of it faster than others, that's not to say others can't learn and become as good.

The people you were describing must've been learning wrong.

As for the guitar, how are you really learning with it?
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
I dont draw as much as I used to, but am trying to build a portfolio back up. Some stuff I have done recently.
virginspring.png

SydowDraw.jpg

BergmanWings.jpg

and from several years ago
239a1b46.jpg
 
U

Unlimited4s

Member
I'm also working on improving my drawing skills. Has been a long time since my drawing classes ended, and I didn't practice enough afterwards...

Some things I made on the train in the last couple of weeks:
48vJ0.png

pSSr3.png
 
R

Raging Spaniard

If they are Dutch, upright and breathing they are more racist than your favorite player
A general tip for drawing figures from reference. The "industry standard" is to get the whole figure drawn in less than a minute. By that I mean, from head to toes. You want to keep it lose and quick, make sure everything fits in the page, and then use the remainder of the time to get the pose right, and then detail if you so choose (shadows, anatomy, etc)

The biggest mistake people make is to not draw the feet right away. A lot of people treat it as an afterthought when it should be an integral part of the process. Figure out the lines of action for the spine and legs, figure out the tilt of the pelvis and shoulders and then establish the feet (can be quick lines or even better, draw a plane of the space where they should be to establish their perspective). Do those in order, then worry about silly things like the head.
 
U

user8503492

Banned
Ok so I saw this thread about a week ago and it got me thinking about drawing again. I always loved it as a kid and in middle school I was in a program, in highschool I was in a club my freshman year but due to a large intake of drugs come sophmore year I didnt do another thing associated with art ever again.
I used to doodle over the last few years but I havent touched a pen/pencil/papare in about 4 years....
till I read this thread..

So here it is, after 4 years this thread inspired me to go to an art supply store on Sun. and by a sketch pad, a couple pencils and a pack of good pens (cost me about $22 for everything)

So dont laugh, there not great, but I want to get better. ALso I dont own a scanner so my pics are taken with a cell phone.


Monday 30min work lunch break I had a steam-punk/cyborg idea pop in my head so I just ran with it and made this sketch during the 30min break.
IMAG0270.jpg


So tonight after a few rounds of BF:BC2 I did a little sketching but I had no real ideas so I said the heck with it and figured Id slap some ink over my horrid sketch from work the night before.
IMAG0271.jpg



So thats where Im at know kinda, Id love some insight and opinions and hope that you guy dont mind me displaying the stuff I come up with in the next few months.
 
waxer

waxer

Member
Im just taking up drawing after seeing this thread coupled with current/future work.
I am starting from scratch. I used to draw all the time when I was very young and was good compared to my friends but now I'm a stick figure person. I love drawing and been getting into various craft projects lately.

A bit of background. Im a chef that co-owns a restaurant with my mother. She doesn't do much with the restaurant anymore and became semi retired, working on helping me with bits of the accounts that I hadn't learnt yet. She decided to get into arts and crafts. Scrap booking and the like for her semi retirement.
One thing lead to another and after selling extras of various items we were importing we realized how much demand there is. Now we are starting an online store for various craft supplies to supplement the slower winter period and she will be teaching lessons on various techniques. If it takes off I will likely change to just running the store as its a better lifestyle than 55+ hour a week in a kitchen.

My main goal (other than fun) is to aim for quality basic cartoon characters(kinda betty boo and chibi like) that are all the rage at the moment with the 40+ year old scrapbooking ladies. You have to know your product to sell it. A lot of them are using copics to shade in various stamps. As well as using alcohol inks to blend backgrounds.
For example
That was my mothers first attempt at colouring in with a copic marker on the bird. Has since actually watched a few videos and is improving.
4M69i.jpg

OB9Rn.jpg


We are currently looking at stocking the full ranges of Copic Ciao and Sketch as well as some multiliners, airbrush systems and compressors etc and I have to be able to show people at the very least a simple demo of how they work. (oh poor me) We will grab an airbrush system for my mothers markers either way so that should be fun to play with.

Between the two businesses I am pretty busy but I have started sketching in my breaks
Helps that one of my work mates/cousin is also keen so we have both started.
I will post pics of my actual sketches when I get the chance.
 
U

user8503492

Banned
So last night at work my buddy asked him to draw him a picture, I responded as I always do.. "No Anime and no funny pictures of people we know" (people seem to always want some god damn pic of Goku or the boss slobbing a dong and I refuse)

So he asked for..WIllie Nelson riding a Shark..

So I bring to you a quick sketch/pen outline of...



Willie Nelson Riding a Shark
IMAG0272.jpg


edit: deleted closeups :D
 
R

Raging Spaniard

If they are Dutch, upright and breathing they are more racist than your favorite player
Pkm said:
So last night at work my buddy asked him to draw him a picture, I responded as I always do.. "No Anime and no funny pictures of people we know" (people seem to always want some god damn pic of Goku or the boss slobbing a dong and I refuse)

So he asked for..WIllie Nelson riding a Shark..

So I bring to you a quick sketch/pen outline of...
Click to expand...

Nice job, dont worry about those closeup shots though, they dont really add anything nor make your work look any better. Also, please make your images smaller. Theres no reason anything should be over 500 by 650 pixels ;)
 
U

user8503492

Banned
Opps sorry for the size, Ill keep them smaller next time. Just did the close up shots to since there all cellphone pics so I didnt know how they looked to others, sorry again.
Im trying tho, these are my first to silly drawings in the last few years, I figure Ill keep showing you guys my progress :D
 
U

user8503492

Banned
evil solrac v3.0 said:
I want to show a piece I am working, of course I am deathly afraid of any critice. but honest helpful advice is welcome. but the drawing is 11"x17"
Click to expand...

Im afraid too, thats why Im willing to share them on the web. Id never show people on my facebook or something, sure close friends and familiy but not strangers or old school pals and such.
 
S

soultron

Banned
Raging Spaniard said:
Figure drawing in 1 minute. Establish feet first..
Click to expand...
Thanks for this tip. I often started with spine lines and then filled out the chest, arms, head, and legs.

I will do my entire line skeleton from now on and then build from the ground up, starting with the feet! It will be a new approach, but I'm sure it will work out for the better!
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
soultron said:
Thanks for this tip. I often started with spine lines and then filled out the chest, arms, head, and legs.

I will do my entire line skeleton from now on and then build from the ground up, starting with the feet! It will be a new approach, but I'm sure it will work out for the better!
Click to expand...
I did the opposite while in school. Skeletal frame first, then simple shapes. I usually start at the head and move down. But, each person is different.
 
S

soultron

Banned
PhoncipleBone said:
I did the opposite while in school. Skeletal frame first, then simple shapes. I usually start at the head and move down. But, each person is different.
Click to expand...
My problem is that I will often use balls for joints and then ovals for limbs. But I do this as I go along, instead of making the entire figure's simple skeleton first. That's my main problem that results in inproportionate figures.
 
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