How do you do it?

[3dimentia]

Well, I have a problem that I'm sure most people have come across at some point in their artistic life. I suck....flat out. I can paint decently in photoshop, but when it comes to actually trying to draw stuff out, I just can't do it, unless its a persons face.

The biggest problem I have is coming up with my own stuff. I just...always have artists block for lack of a better term. Also when I do get a decent idea, and I like how it looks in my head, I can NEVER get it out on paper correctly, also i can't get things in correct perspective. It always looks like crap, so I just give up. I'm very stressed because I graduate soon, and I have nothing to show for it (AIS sucks!). How did you all get past these issues? I've tried to just sit and draw everyday, but it goes back to not being able to think of anything to draw.....

Thanks hope someone can give me an idea on what to do....

cheers

[cthomp]

ARTISTIC :as: :at: :ae: :ar: :ao: :ai: :ad: :as:

just kidding i try to draw everyday and draw from life sometimes. but i usealy dont have trouble comming up with ideas and when i do i look at other peoples stuff and try to come up with my own idea. hope this helps

[kliang]

I would say just go and draw images that interest you, such images from magazine, net, book etc. I mean just draw, you see a monster you like draw it. while you draw try to think why some things look the way they do, like a circle shaped clock for example, it "turn into" ellipse at an angle. Maybe you can cut out a circle and put it on the desk or any where you like and just study it. Once you know WHY it look the way it is, THEN you draw that circle in any imaginery space. Drawing from memory is like drawing WHAT YOU KNOW, the more knowledge you have about animal, monster, vehicles.... the better end result.

[Red_Rook]

draw people draw from life, sign up for a figure drawing course and do cast drawings :D Problem solved. There is no easy solution its all practice.

[Gr8t100]

Some suggestions....

1.) Have confidence in yourself. If you don't have it while creating art, it will show. Maybe not to every single person who you show it to, but a group of people will be able to read what mood you were in and how you feel about it. Think positive, relentless how it turns out, there is nothing wrong with making an attempt to improve. You're only hurting yourself if you don't sketch.

2.) I don't know if you do this, but keep EVERYTHING you have EVER drawn! Again, can care less how crappy it comes out, keep it in a vanilla folder or something. This is so you can see what to improve on, to see where you've come from after a number of sketches, and a way to go back on that great idea you had that you weren't able to pull off so great then but now have a better sense as how to do so.

3.) Study the masters! I can't stress this enough. Study the recent professional artists as well. Know where they've came from and how they've come to be the point where they are at now. Know more about them then they even know. Break into their minds and have them for a means of opening your mind for style and what is out there. Be inspired!!!

4.) Use different mediums. Photoshop and those number 2 pencils are great, but thats just a fraction of what is out there. Yeah they can be pretty costly but there is always a loophole about that, go out there and use things you never considered using and see what happens.

5.) For inspiration, go out there and look at things, I mean REALLY look at things. This works great if you have a digital/paper camera. Observe things that people walk by everyday and ignore, it's at times I'll see someone create a piece of artwork through something I already knew exsisted, but their execution of it is what makes the impact. Plus get a feel for textures, photograph them and again, have a vanilla folder for just textures. Hell colors and patterns and everything art-related as well!

6.) Surgically attach a sketchbook to one hand, and a pencil in the other. Don't leave that thing anywhere, hell I've even have mine on the bed with me when I go to sleep. It goes with me while in my car, at school, at the bookstore, at bars, with friends, etc. It's literally falling apart but who cares, keep sketching. And most importantly, don't feel that only your BEST work can go in your sketchbook, something I've been guilty of before, because when you break that mindset, you will free yourself from your fears in art and produce some sweet shit. I swear by it.

7.) Most importantly, ALLOW YOURSELF TO MAKE MISTAKES. Say it out loud and wirte it down, remind yourself that you can make a mistake and that by doing so you learn from it. Nothing amazing never came easy or became created on their first attempt.

Good luck and keep sketching.

[cthomp]

draw people draw from life, sign up for a figure drawing course and do cast drawings :D Problem solved. There is no easy solution its all practice.
what are cast drawings :a?: :a?: :a?:

[3dimentia]

Thanks guys. I just wish that I woulda done this long ago, when I was younger...im too old now :) 21 and im fallin apart and can't draw :(

lol later

[mogando25]

Cast drawings, I think those are like drawings of existing sculptures and such.

Anyway, I'd like to know how many people are like me, where you have a "good" sketchbook and a "crappy" sketchbook. I sketch randomly in my crap one and then if anything good turns out then i redraw it into the good one.

[AnarchyAo2]

Maybe you should post some of your drawings so we can critique it.

[3dimentia]

http://stu.aii.edu/~nap212/conceptart/perspective.jpg

Thats one I just did to try to get perspective on a ship I want to model.

http://stu.aii.edu/~nap212/conceptart/wizard2.jpg

I can paint...just not draw....

cheers

[mogando25]

Just wondering, how much more do you paint compared with drawing? How bout posting some more drawings to get a better grasp of your ability. From the ship picture I can tell you need more variation in line quality. Perhaps thinking that your pencil is a paint brush will help? Dunno, need more stuff to tell. :P

[3dimentia]

I'll have to do so when I get more drawings. lol I really don't have anything to show even. I have lost old sketchbooks, and haven't drawn anything in a LONG time.....I paint and do modeling (which is what I want to do) more then I draw....so you are correct on that.

cheers

[3dimentia]

I did have a couple I guess so I scanned em...
they suck

thanks for givin me some info though its appreciated!

cheers

http://stu.aii.edu/~nap212/conceptart/drawing2.jpg

[Mike Frank]

Whenever I'm not sure what to start doing I read this thread - http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26636 always inspires me to do something.

One thing that might help I know it has helped me.. I assume you do some 3d modelling from that ship you posted. You need to find ways to relate what you know about modelling to your drawings. Use basic 3d forms and build on top of them with a sculptural and structural approach. When you draw from reference dont just copy what is there, analyze the 3d aspect of what you are seeing. It is like practice for when you are drawing without reference. Look at what you're seeing and think of how you would sculpt that in a 3d program. Try to represent the different planes that make up what you're seeing. as if you were drawing out a wireframe.

Don't be afraid to use references to jump start your imagination and add more realism to your work. Don't believe the idea that if you can't draw without references that means you are somehow cheating. I never had much appreciation for life drawing until I got over that idea.

I'm still pretty much a newb but I hope this helps out.

[jook]

and haven't drawn anything in a LONG time...

this may have something to do with it.

my only advise is do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do...

[3dimentia]

Yah , I draw here and there, but I never finish everything. Its always, ok i'll start something...oh look it sucks...I give up, and I go on to something else.

Heres what I did tonight, off of a side view from feng zhui.

http://stu.aii.edu/~nap212/conceptart/stargate1.jpg

thanks ya'll....words of inspiration always help

[J Bradford]

Theres 2 things that I try to live by; observation and execution. A lot of the great masters of our time spent as much time observing as they did making art. Pick you're favorite artists, build a library as reference. Artbooks are great recources, as well as the internet. When you want to come up with an idea, go through all these recources and just stare at all of it - inspiration comes, and it's usually a big mix of ideas based on what you viewed. For improving the quality of you're work, not just the ideas.. observe from life. Attend life drawing, when you're walking down the street just observe everything around you, like how light is hitting that statue or lamp-post.. examples like that help immensely.
When I come up with ideas on my own I try to see the general shape and proportion of what it is rather than caring for the details.. those can come later. Then sketch it down on paper, in the same manner.. from general to specific.

Hope that helps..

[Red_Rook]

Yeah cast drawings are off existing sculptures, preferably white, on a black background with a harsh light source. Your job is then to capture that as accuratly as possible ive heard of people spending up to 30 hours or more on them. Mine currently suk and i dont do nearly enuff but yeah, apparently its reall good for you. Doesnt really matter what it is some sculpture you painted white or a plaster cast or part of an old broken plaster sculpture. Yeah good luck.

[prostate sunrise]

i read a lot. fantasy, horror, sci-fi, philosophy, history, anything that can stir up the mind and make me dream.

[mogando25]

Great thing that people should consider doing is go to garage sales!!! OK let me tell you why.

As mentioned by Red Rook one can do cast drawings right? Well since great sculptures aren't always available the next best things are miniature toys!!! I know sounds weird but at garage sales you can find tons of these mini toys. From turtles to elephants to birds!!! They are great for drawing, you can put a turtle in your pocket and bring it anywhere and then draw them. Use your imagination and make them into warrior turtles. That way you can draw from life (very important) but not draw only people, buildings, plants.

Just a thought. :D :teeth:

[WillSchnevel]

i read a lot. fantasy, horror, sci-fi, philosophy, history, anything that can stir up the mind and make me dream.

What books do you recommend? I wanted to read some recently but I don't know what's good.