Can someone help me build a routine to improve?? (HELP)

[FizzlingPhantoms]

Hi, I'm a beginner with art, I have always enjoyed drawing but never taken it seriously, and now I think I'm ready to take that step. I love drawing but I have a lack of motivation and direction when it comes to a routine, I get so overwhelmed with the amount of skills I need to learn that I loose focus entirely D= I'm in my 20s so I'm feeling the strain to improve quickly when I see such talented young artists completely showing me up

Can someone suggest a routine perhaps that I can follow and hopefully stick to, or maybe say what routine they follow that has shown improvement.

I want to improve in:

- Human anatomy
- facial structure
- animal anatomy
- Perspective
- Digital art
- Colour, light.

Pretty much from the ground up.

Thanks x

[dpaint]

Hi, I'm a beginner with art, I have always enjoyed drawing but never taken it seriously, and now I think I'm ready to take that step. I love drawing but I have a lack of motivation and direction when it comes to a routine, I get so overwhelmed with the amount of skills I need to learn that I loose focus entirely D= I'm in my 20s so I'm feeling the strain to improve quickly when I see such talented young artists completely showing me up

Can someone suggest a routine perhaps that I can follow and hopefully stick to, or maybe say what routine they follow that has shown improvement.

I want to improve in:

- Human anatomy
- facial structure
- animal anatomy
- Perspective
- Digital art
- Colour, light.

Pretty much from the ground up.

Thanks x

I recommend blocking out some time and work on one thing everyday for that amount of time. Its more important to be consistent than it is to have long hours of time for drawing. So if you can only draw an hour a day then do it everyday, its better than five hours once a week.

Start traditionally. Get rid of all distractions. The time must be with no computer, no cell phone, and no tv; as a matter of fact no people around to chat with, at least in the beginning. When you sit down to work have a plan of what it is you are going to do don't bounce all over the place. Do one thing at a time and spend time trying to understand what your doing as well as doing it.

You will need books for theory and supplies, think of it as an investment. Get cheap supplies in the beginning, copy paper and pencils for black and white stuff and a simple set of oil paints, odorless mineral spirits, brushes and colors- red, yellow, blue, black and white and cheap canvases for painting. If you are worried about oils and solvents get acrylics instead. Set up a place where you can work uninterrupted. I have some demos on how to paint a picture just click the demo link in my signature.



Human anatomy/ facial anatomy

Start with copying photos and some life drawing. Get copies of figure drawing for all its worth and Drawing the head and hands by Andrew Loomis. Sit down read them all the way through then go back and copy each page over and over until it is correct then go to the next page. Start with just pencil and paper and start a sketchbook here and post your work everyday when you are finished with it.


Animal Anatomy
Get a copy of The Art of Animal Drawing by Ken Hultgren and follow the same plan read it and then copy the pages.

Perspective

There is a great site on perspective here

http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/tech10.html

Digital
Forget about digital for at least two years. It will just slow down your progress of actually learning to draw and paint.

Color and Light

Get a copy of James Gurneys book Color and Light. Read it don't just look at the pictures. After you have been drawing for a while set up some things in your house and copy them from life with your paints. you can also work with photos but they are poor replacements for life.