I need help to improve, help please

[HerrBlitzDiktator]

So yeah, I've created another topic but apparently disappeared, or wasn't posted, I've no idea. Anyways, I'm introducing myself: I'm Lucian, I'm 18 years old, my inspirations are Daisuke Ishiwatari, Kentaro Miura, H. R. Giger, and a couple more guys if you want to know.
Well, the thing is that people tells me that my drawings are stiff, but I don't know what to do, I try, but when I do, I fail at it u.u Also, I'd like to have help with my colouring on pencil and tell me about how to improve and stuff u.u I want to improve my style to strike a little bit more realistic (my actual style is not very good for the story I'm planning to do)
Here are some examples:
A page from my story, Acid Rain

8 colouring examples, including one of a fall (I don't think, though, that the coat'd work like that)
http://fav.me/d5v7dxm http://fav.me/d5n9wf1 http://fav.me/d5mv69j http://fav.me/d5d066i http://fav.me/d5545y8 http://fav.me/d543ls6

[Griffonnage]

Hello there, Lucian

I want to improve my style to strike a little bit more realistic (my actual style is not very good for the story I'm planning to do)

You point yourself your problem You need, no, you HAVE TO develop the fundamentals skills by drawing from life, studying anatomy, proportions, perspectives... The style is not something you should aim for at first place. Every style in the world is an interpretation of reality. Nothing consistant can result of learning a style before learning fundamentals

I understand that could be disapointing, but the only way you will have better characters is to study from reality. You looks like you have a good sense of action, I'm sure you have a good skill in observation : use it to grow your abilities. Your style will find you itself later, no need to look for him, just concentrate on fundamentals.

There is a Sketchbook section where lots of people show their daily training. You can take a look, there are tones of sketchs and drawing from life, colors studies and more. It's very inspirating and you will find beginners as well as pro. You will find in other sections links and tutorials to help you in your practice too.
Help yourself

[arenhaus]

Get "Figure Drawing for All It's Worth" by Loomis, "Perspective Made Easy" by Norling, a pack of cheap paper, some pencils, and practice your arse off for half a year. Focus on getting the structure, perspective, lighting and anatomy right. Draw still life and live people.

[mosqueira]

I've made this quick tutorial on how to apply color in your drawings. But I recommend doing just for test. As you can notice, I know how to apply the technique but I don't know the theory of colors and light.

[vineris]

You are going to have to spend significant amounts of time drawing from life. You are not going to be able to bullshit clothing folds (or anything else) by guessing and hoping that you accidentally get it right. That is not an efficient way to learn. That's like trying to write a paper on World War 2 and refusing to crack open a textbook.

PS - if you want to do comics, look up the terms "bleed" and "trim". Also, learn perspective and draw backgrounds. Yeah, it's hard. Suck it up. No one wants to read about the exciting adventures of some guy in whitespace. You're going to have to do it sometime. Loomis's books are good for learning how to place a figure in an environment.

[HerrBlitzDiktator]

@Griffonnage :Thanks a lot for the advice, you're completely right, I should know the basics before anything else, I'm gonna try to do a sketchbook soon, and yeah, I have skill in observation, the thing is I need more practice when I try to put in on paper. And I need a lot of improvement in the action parts. But thanks for letting me know that I'm at least ok

[HerrBlitzDiktator]

I'm gonna get the Perspective Made Easy, I already have the one fromLoomis, I'll practice, thanks, also, do you think Vilppu Drawing Manual is worthwhile?

[HerrBlitzDiktator]

@mosqueira: Cool tutorial, thank you, I'm gonna try it soon.

[HerrBlitzDiktator]

You are going to have to spend significant amounts of time drawing from life. You are not going to be able to bullshit clothing folds (or anything else) by guessing and hoping that you accidentally get it right. That is not an efficient way to learn. That's like trying to write a paper on World War 2 and refusing to crack open a textbook.

PS - if you want to do comics, look up the terms "bleed" and "trim". Also, learn perspective and draw backgrounds. Yeah, it's hard. Suck it up. No one wants to read about the exciting adventures of some guy in whitespace. You're going to have to do it sometime. Loomis's books are good for learning how to place a figure in an environment.

That's one of the harshest critiques I've ever had in my life, but straight to the point, thank you. Also, what do you mean with bleed and trim? i tried to found it but I couldn't find anything related (because I haven't looked in the right places (btw, my comicbook page is obviously not painted or anything, just a lineart with lot of errors). Other than that, I agree 100% with you

[HerrBlitzDiktator]

Hello there, Lucian



You point yourself your problem You need, no, you HAVE TO develop the fundamentals skills by drawing from life, studying anatomy, proportions, perspectives... The style is not something you should aim for at first place. Every style in the world is an interpretation of reality. Nothing consistant can result of learning a style before learning fundamentals

I understand that could be disapointing, but the only way you will have better characters is to study from reality. You looks like you have a good sense of action, I'm sure you have a good skill in observation : use it to grow your abilities. Your style will find you itself later, no need to look for him, just concentrate on fundamentals.

There is a Sketchbook section where lots of people show their daily training. You can take a look, there are tones of sketchs and drawing from life, colors studies and more. It's very inspirating and you will find beginners as well as pro. You will find in other sections links and tutorials to help you in your practice too.
Help yourself

Thank you so much, I'm gonna study the basics more carefully since now and It'll be daily, and I'll be draw from life and more places, I did my best while I had spare time, but that's no excuse to be lazy, also, some Sketchbooks I've seen so far are amazing.

[vineris]

That's one of the harshest critiques I've ever had in my life, but straight to the point, thank you. Also, what do you mean with bleed and trim? i tried to found it but I couldn't find anything related (because I haven't looked in the right places (btw, my comicbook page is obviously not painted or anything, just a lineart with lot of errors). Other than that, I agree 100% with you

Well, it's a fairly general crit that I wish someone had given me back when I was 18 and did all the same things you are doing.

Anyway, here's some pages on bleed and trim:
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-set-comi...2-3786190.html
http://ka-blam.com/printing/index.php?page=Specs1

[fish4brains]

Hi Lucian, I'm a student at the moment and before I started my course my art looked very similar to yours. My course involves life drawing classes and I study anatomy from both medical books and art books and I progressed a huge amount in a relatively short time by doing this - so I can vouch for what everyone else is saying about how important this stuff is. As previously mentioned even manga style art takes basis from real anatomy and proportions, even if it gets heavily distorted along the way.

I don't draw in the manga style much anymore (although I really want to get back into it) but I find Mark Crilley's video tutorials very inspiring - he takes requests too so if there's something in particular you want to see you should give him a message and he might just do it
http://www.youtube.com/user/markcrilley

[fish4brains]

Hi Lucian, I'm a student at the moment and before I started my course my art looked very similar to yours. My course involves life drawing classes and I study anatomy from both medical books and art books and I progressed a huge amount in a relatively short time by doing this - so I can vouch for what everyone else is saying about how important this stuff is. As previously mentioned even manga style art takes basis from real anatomy and proportions, even if it gets heavily distorted along the way.

I don't draw in the manga style much anymore (although I really want to get back into it) but I find Mark Crilley's video tutorials very inspiring - he takes requests too so if there's something in particular you want to see you should give him a message and he might just do it
http://www.youtube.com/user/markcrilley