Guidance

[astriir1]

It's hard not to sound like an ungrateful beginner. While I'm not a beginner to drawing, I am a complete beginner in proper drawing. I categorize the two, just my little thing. I've been doing this since I was born, I can sketch fairly quickly, I shade way too dark, my lights are way too light, my heads are not in proportion, bodies rigid, you've seen it before. It's not an issue of pen pressure, regarding the lights/darks, I can shade a lot of values, just my eye doesn't know where to place them. I slip off topic from time to time, by the way, I'm loaded on prozac and xanax 24/7 so it's hard to keep thoughts down.

Basically, I don't like asking for help anymore. I ask for guidance. I would recommend this to all starting art as well, that way you make it clear you want to learn on your own. Currently, I don't have any sketches I've done of late inside this PC. Maybe I'll post some if this thread takes off as it is necessary to critique my art style. But that feels like way too much of a burden on others.

I have all Loomis books readily, but I think I need more specialized info. Right now I am focusing on shading, spheres, to be exact. Any information that can be linked or if you are kind enough to type something out would be greatly appreciated (I.E. What to shade, what parameters decide how dark/light, angle, core shadow, reflective light). Precisely, I've been looking for a watered down Sphere exercise tutorial. I used to see some awesome ones here but it seems they got buried. Thanks for your time! I'll try to contribute to even up the score.

[Arshes Nei]

You did look around the forum, correct?

[astriir1]

Yes, I spent the majority of my afternoon using different searches.

[Arshes Nei]

And yet, you didn't post up a sketchbook, go through the fine arts and studies and sticky threads in the forums you posted?

Not even this? http://www.conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=186

[astriir1]

Information is information; what works for others doesn't work for everybody. While your post is worded oddly and I'm having difficulty understanding what you're getting it (maybe it's this allergy haze i'm under); I think you're insinuating laziness. I will say that I have certainly not been lazy thus far and am looking for further info that might ring a much needed bell in my head. I don't want to be rude and hope I'm not but, please don't play detective. Take my word as is, it is not your job to say whether I did what I said I did or not. Thanks for the reply though, anything you can provide is valued.

[JJacks]

What she means is that there are tons of people that make very similar threads to the one you just posted, and there is meaningful information in most of them. It would serve you better to read what is already posted and apply it to yourself than to have people regurgitate the same information to you.

Without any of your art to go by, the most anyone can say to you is practice the basics and keep at it. That's essentially how everyone has learned how to draw.

[astriir1]

I realize there are a lot of threads similar to mine, but the replies are memorized quick responses probably due to an over saturation of "help me" topics. I can't possibly scour this entire forum. But from what I saw in multiple hours didn't increase my understanding. Yes, these types of threads pop up often, but each issue is different within it's own way. I will try to post something up of a drawing, though. Actually, here is a drawing I posted in the IRC:



There are severe construction and shading issues, not to mention a boring composition. This was made not too long ago, I'd say less than a year. To the side, I realize I'm a bit "wordy" when I start talking. It's just my guard, I drop it after a bit and I'll be speaking very informal english.

[Karshia]

I know what it's like to be overwhelmed by art and all the possibilities it brings. I have done a TON of research on this site and others to figure out a decent way to go about learning from the ground up.

Here are some threads that greatly helped me:

A study plan and best books to do 'studies' of
busy and self taught learner
Getting Serious, need help devising a study plan
Jeff's Observations on Drawing from Life
Self-Teaching Lesson Plans?
Learning Foundations and Priorities
An FAQ regarding the foundations of creating art

As to learning spheres, this very site has a great thread: Foundational Exercises for All. The very first exercise is "Simplified Construction of a Sphere".
The Famous Artists Course also starts with the basics of form (sphere, cube, cylinder, and cone).
And Loomis' "Successful Drawing" starts with the fundamentals (including the sphere).

Check out these threads and maybe you'll have a better idea of where to go next.

[astriir1]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate you giving information to this volume, it means a lot. I'll keep you in mind, I owe you one.

[vineris]

It can't hurt to start with a desk lamp and a ping pong ball. I think one of the best things I ever learned as a kid was how to copy reality, because it taught me to not be intimidated by the complexity of the real world.

Anyway, if you think scouring this entire forum is tough, try living in the pre-Internet age and learning how to draw from a handful of art books you scraped up at the local library.

[OmenSpirits]

It can't hurt to start with a desk lamp and a ping pong ball. I think one of the best things I ever learned as a kid was how to copy reality, because it taught me to not be intimidated by the complexity of the real world.

Anyway, if you think scouring this entire forum is tough, try living in the pre-Internet age and learning how to draw from a handful of art books you scraped up at the local library.

I used comics.

[Scale]

Maybe what you are looking for is a mentor to whom you can ask specific questions?
If that's not the case you need to learn to find your way through tons of information, that's one of the most important skills to learn anything through internet. There is no single place when you can find everything. If there was one, everybody would just go there instead of searching around and asking to more experienced artists.

[Arshes Nei]

There are severe construction and shading issues, not to mention a boring composition. This was made not too long ago, I'd say less than a year. To the side, I realize I'm a bit "wordy" when I start talking. It's just my guard, I drop it after a bit and I'll be speaking very informal english.

Which all amounts to practice. There are books in a sticky thread to read, fine art exercises in the forums, and having a sketchbook helps. It's all up to you. I generally can't go by words and no images when people try to sound like they want specific help. We're artists, post art.

There's the critiques and WIP forums too. Not to mention support groups. Take it in, slowly go about the site and see what you can learn. Everyone can lead the horses to water, but it's up to the horse to drink.

There's suggestions in the Intro forum...have fun, realize it's going to be a lot of work and challenges to get better and if you find this kind of stuff isn't suited to you...then don't feel bad. Not everyone is suited to be an artist just like not everyone can be a fireman, astronaut, paleontologist etc.

[OmenSpirits]

Not everyone is suited to be an artist just like not everyone can be a fireman, astronaut, paleontologist etc.

plagiarism!

[Baron Impossible]

Which all amounts to practice.

Yes, that. Practice is what's needed. Forget spending days searching for solutions to specific problems, simply practice. Draw from life, draw from photos, draw from imagination, study the work of other artists, follow tutorials (if you want to), read Loomis and Bridgman, post art, get feedback, enter competitions, but most of all keep practising and all will be well in the world.

[Arshes Nei]

plagiarism!

Just because Elwell said it recently, doesn't mean he was the first to say it.

[OmenSpirits]

Just because Elwell said it recently, doesn't mean he was the first to say it.

Does so!
DON'T QUESTION DAD'S WORDS?!

[Zazerzs]

Take a look at these

http://barnstonestudios.com/learn-to-draw-videos and if you are anywhere near it, attend.

[SigonWulf]

Does so!
DON'T QUESTION DAD'S WORDS?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia70WQeSDJU