Quick Sketches

[twila]

Hey everyone! So I'm really new to this site (as you can tell from my profile) and am looking for harsh, straight-forward critics. I realize my sketches are not very good. Please help me both stylistically and anatomically! ;A;


I've only been drawing for a few months; I currently focus on portraits (until I feel comfortable and happy with what I do).

Thank you for reading!

Here's what I've sketched today:

[TinyBird]

Use reference. Don't just write "lol" at something you fail at, get a reference and FIX IT. Study the Loomis books by heart http://alexhays.com/loomis/ and learn the structure of what you're drawing. Study real people along with your animu. Don't rely to stylizing if you don't know how to draw it.
And draw a lot more, from real life, not just photos. Start a Sketchbook thread in here http://conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=41 and get those studies going!

[twila]

Wow! I'll start studying the books.
I know this might sound dumb, but when doing a sketchbook may I just draw anything (like things that I see around my house, etc)?

Thank you very much for your help!

[Nezumi Works]

In fact, you are encouraged to draw things you see around your house. Nothing will improve your drawing ability like drawing real things. Real people, too, if possible.

For your sketchbook, you can draw pretty much anything you want, although everyone is expected to try to improve. The idea of a sketchbook is that this is where you practice, and think with your hands, and generally experiment a lot. Look at a bunch of the threads in the sketchbook section, you'll get the idea.

As far as these sketches go, hair isn't transparent. You can't see someone's eye through it.

[twila]

So anything and everything helps! ;A; I've started doing sketches for a thread, but it's digital - do you think I should focus on traditional before digital? Hmmm... Getting real people will be hard. I might ask friends if I can take pictures of them for that (if that's ok).

True! OTL Should have realized that when sketching...

Thank you for your help! 8D

[Tim Murphy]

So anything and everything helps! ;A; I've started doing sketches for a thread, but it's digital - do you think I should focus on traditional before digital? Hmmm... Getting real people will be hard. I might ask friends if I can take pictures of them for that (if that's ok).

True! OTL Should have realized that when sketching...

Thank you for your help! 8D

It is recommended to start traditionally, that way you only have to worry about the technique and knowledge hurdles without the extra burden of learning to use a tablet. As for real people, you always have yourself to work from, or you could go out in public and draw people going about their days. Which is another reason to go traditional, kind of hard to lug around a laptop outside.

That said, don't just abandon using the tablet. Keep using it, but don't make it the focus of your studies.

[twila]

Good point! I can find a new use for my tripod... self-stocks! Thank you.
Haha, I'm guilty of doing most of my art on my netbook now, but I see what you mean. Lugging the tablet around will be harder than bringing my set of pencils and sketchbook.