Newbie in need of answers

[VIII]

Hello, I've recently picked up drawing after a long time of admiring and wishing that I could draw well. I plan to draw a lot (I've been drawing for 7-8 hours a day every day for the past week) but I don't really know what I'm doing and have no idea how to further get better.

I really want to to have a career in this field (a concept artist for games would probably be my ideal dream job) and will work my hands down to the bone to make it happen, I'm 20 years old and probably have the drawing skills of an uncoordinated 5 year old. It may sound silly to be trying to get into this field at this age with no prior experience but I've always admired people who could draw and used to spend a lot of my time just watching people draw on youtube and just kind of strolled through highschool without any real ambitions for a career.

So I'm hoping to find some tips, pointers, directions on how to get better and get ready for a career. I know it'll be hard and I'll have to work at it a lot. I've been basically just using a #2 pencil and a notebook and drawing everything I can see.

[arenhaus]

Get textbooks by Loomis. Practice structural drawing, starting with simplest object like boxes and eggs. Draw from life. Study how everything works. Draw every day.

[JJacks]

From my experience, it is easier to just get to drawing anything that you want when you are first beginning. It seems to be the best way to acquaint yourself with basic drawing principles.

So if you want to be a concept artists, think about the kinds of things you would want to make concepts for and get to drawing. Your drawings won't come out well, but that's ok. It's easier to decide what direction you should go in with your training when you have something visual to go by.

Generally speaking, study the basics of line and value, and then move on to more complicated things like texture, perspective, and color. Don't be afraid to use reference and draw from life whenever possible. Learn more about the field and the artists that work in that field. Experiment and keep working. Start a sketchbook here and ask for critique. That should get you started.

Oh and 20 is not too old to start anything lol.

[JeffX99]

In addition to the above advice - get: "Drawing Essentials" by Deborah Rockman, read through it 5-6 times, following the excercises along the way. Also: "Imaginitive Realism" by James Gurney. If you're interested in environments then study perspective and get a copy of: "Drawing Scenery" by Jack Hamm, which is also a great primer on composition. Look up "sketchcrawl" in your area and take some classes at a community college if you have one nearby, many communities also have art centers that offer figure drawing.

The key is to learn how to draw. Good luck!

[Cory Hinman]

Thanks Jeff! I have other Jack Hamm books on the figure, cartooning, and animals, hearing he's got one on "scenery" is great news!

[JeffX99]

Sure thing Cory - it is quite good and great for composition.