Sketchbook: Why it's hard being a perfectionist.

[olay]

Hello, forum!

I'm a 23-year-old who recently (roughly a month or so) decided to drag out the box titled Lifelong Dreams from under her bed.

Like many others, I've always had a huge passion for all things art - literature, music, drawing, etc - but never really had the guts to indulge myself in the latter. I think this has less to do with a lack of time or interest, but much more to do with being a perfectionist. I hate failure to the point where I'd rather not do something than not do it well. As I've grown up, I've realized this in itself is a failure. All this time I could have been doing art and improving myself, allowing myself to evolve. See? My head is like a one-way ticket to unhappiness.

Nevertheless, I have kept tabs on the forum and explored this amazing, creative community before I decided to join today. A big step or me. (I am terrified.)

As mentioned, I've been really into drawing for a long time, but I've never really sat down to, well, draw. In my very early teens I would do a lot of manga/anime doodling (I know, I know) and stuff, which I think shows now when I'm trying to learn "actual" anatomy and facial structure, haha. I feel it's stylized no matter how I try to make it not that way... but I won't give up!

As I've started on my journey this past month, I've noticed that a lot of my drawings feel very hit-or-miss. Some days I'll draw something and be like "that's kinda okay" and other days I want to tear my hair out because nothing looks right. I hope to become more consistent as time goes on. I will also try to post as much as I can, even if I hate the results. I feel like that's just another hurdle I need to get past as a perfectionist; it's okay to produce flawed work, because we'll learn from it. Hopefully you guys will be able to critique me better that way, too. You're all wonderful.

Oh lord, I've rambled way too much... If you read all of that, I'm sorry! And thank you.

My scanner is tucked away somewhere and it's late right now, so I can't really post any studies I've done in sketchbooks, but! Here's a few digital poops I've done in the past month. The first two are just pose studies off posemaniacs. Then there's some shoes. As for the rest, I'm certain you can see me struggle with defaulting to the manga style, haha.

[olay]

Got my scanner. More drawings... These are from my old sketchbook. I have a tendency to throw away a lot of my studies or 45 second practices (can't stand to look at them later) but yeah here are some of the things I kept as record of any progress I'll hopefully make in the future, I guess.

[olay]

More, more. You can tell it's my old sketchbook because it has more of that manga style I'm really trying to get away from now...

[mmode]

I think you are doing good! It's not super bad to deviate away from drawing manga style but it's good to try new styles! I hope to see more of your work in the future, olay :^)

[olay]

Thank you!

Ah, Ill always really love reading manga and looking at the art (Yusuke Murata is a big love of mine) and all, but I feel like it keeps me from evolving as much as I want to, as a serious artist... I want to be really good at the basics before I get into drawing such stylized art.

Thanks or the tips!

[mmode]

Ah, I thought I recognized that bald little man! Is that OnePunch Man! I really love Yusuke Murata as well (Eyeshield 21 is the greatest thing)! The amount of work he does is incredible. And yeah I know what you mean about the whole manga style thing, working on a good foundation is very smart and the right thing to do. If you really like manga style though, don't be afraid to indulge in it at times :-D Art needs to be super fun

And thank you for checking out my sketchbook, olay!

[olay]

It is OnePunch Man, yes! I feel like fanart motivates me to draw more. I definitely won't stop indulging in drawing manga style just for fun, but I'll focus on real life subjects for a long time, I think.

It's lovely to meet someone else who knows about OPM, though... Eyeshield 21 is stellar, as well! Yusuke Murata gives me hope for manga as an art, really. I mean, he's just so bloody amazing. Even people who can't stand manga/anime as an art form have got to admit that seeing some of the work he's done.

Your sketchbook is super. Thanks or checking out mine, too. ^u^

[olay]

Just looking at some studies... Wow, I sure do love Bridgman. His lines really opened my eyes and made me look at the body parts differently... I wish he had more of these broken down sketches in the book I have, though.

[olay]

I've realized I need to study cones, squares, cylinders (basically shapes) and whatnot a lot more. I guess that's called constructional anatomy? Does anyone have some tips on what I should look up or good books on that?

Anyway, more studies...



My sister is a dear and also agreed to model for me, 2 min poses. She's only 11 but pretty tall for her age. I'm not posting all of them (too much to scan) but it's proving to be great practice.





This last one took like 10 minutes I think, I was trying to stick to 2 min drawings, but I got caught up in the pose and told her to keep sitting like that so I could draw it more detailed, haha...

[mmode]

Cool life sketch of your sister! I should do that more, drawing from life.. I get so lazy. And yeah I totally agree with you about Murata, his stuff is ART even if people don't like manga omg it's so detailed! And your question about constructive anatomy, maybe you can look up Jack Hamm's Drawing the Head and Figure? I have that book so maybe it'll help.

[Lucarky]

Hi mate! Thank you so much for coming to my SB! And I see that even if you have just began yours, your drawing line is quite secure, and you have a good eye for proportions. Keep coming man, you are doing well! Maybe another manual that will help you it's Micheal Hampton Figure Drawing - Design and Invention, that it's based on figure construction from simple forms, to finished body. Hope I will be of some help.

[olay]

@mmode All right, Jack Hamm! I will definitely put that name to memory and look it up. Knowing you put it to use it must be helpful. Thank you very much, buddy. uwu

@Lucarky I looked into that book up and it's looking to be extremely helpful. Just what I wanted, actually... I can't wait to get started on it. Thank you for the tip!

I guess I will post these doodledoos now. I haven't been able to focus on drawing much, but today I got some free time. First two on the right are from my head, really sketchy, and the rest of the figure drawings I had references for... which is why they feel a lot more stiff, right? Hmm.







I've found being suuuuuper sketchy and loose like this relaxes me...

Ahahaha I'm also trying to develop a more cartoony style (I'd like to get into animation some day...), afraid it still looks kind of anime, though.



Will try again later!

Yeah lots of errors all over this post. But I'm trying to improve, so feel free to crit or point out stuff you think I can do better. Thanks for looking. uwu

[facetious]

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE.... some homestucks? :B some sweet sweet stuff, and im def feeling the cartoon vs anime style thing. try watching some old stuff and how much fun it seems like they're having. looney tunes and the like-- hell, you can get over to JohnKStuff and try to wade through that.
also try stuff with hands I dunno I don't see very many in here; Bridgman's studies always own.

bomb-ass sketchbook though, xox

[olay]

Oh no I was waiting for a Homestuck to drop in. Gosh, now I'm embarrassed.

And those are some good ideas, definitely. You're right! I think not being able to adapt the cartoon style well has a lot to do with not studying it as much as I have with anime/manga. I'll certainly benefit from paying close attention... plus, cartoons are just such fun. I feel like you're given more room to be expressive. Thanks for commenting on my SB! uwu

[facetious]

Oh no I was waiting for a Homestuck to drop in. Gosh, now I'm embarrassed.

And those are some good ideas, definitely. You're right! I think not being able to adapt the cartoon style well has a lot to do with not studying it as much as I have with anime/manga. I'll certainly benefit from paying close attention... plus, cartoons are just such fun. I feel like you're given more room to be expressive. Thanks for commenting on my SB! uwu

AWWW YISS. homestuck rly helps tbh the fandom has made me want 2 improve SO MUCH ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY there is so much good stuff to check out,,
it's no prob!!!!!!

[olay]

Homestuck fandom = POOL OF TALENT. Parts of it may be crazy, but goodness. A lot of the fanartists blow me away. It's just so nice to see a bunch of people getting involved with art, being super creative and improving their skills through their interest in the comic.

[mmode]

Your cartoon style is really cute, I like the girl's flippy hair xD If you want to move away from anime though you can always study some of those Loony Tunes like someone said, draw some Bugs Bunnies and Daffies and check out what makes them so cartoony (proportions and body language and just overall style).