Kanan's Sketchbook - Beginner; needs tips and critique!

[Kanan]

Hello! I came here from deviantart, because I feel like I was not getting any critique there to help me progress in my work... I am frustrated at DA because the only comments are "Cute" or "Nice, I love it" and no critique :/ Also lots of tasteless animation art like naruto and bleach are really unsatisfying. So I come here seeking professional critique and help!

My goal in life is to become a computer animation person for the company Square Enix. I admire Square Enix's attention to detail in their games and wish to be apart of a team there. But I do not know how to begin getting job there... I also wish to attend Yoyogi Animeshon gakuin (yoyogi animation school) that in Tokyo. I will do a semester to study in Japan in a year or so and I wish to improve by then. I am high school age.


Here I sketch some action poses..? They look funny to me, but I would like help to improve them. I try to work on perspective.... I am absolutely terrible with backgrounds....I cannot draw building to save my life... (;>_>)

Thank you for looking!

(please excuse notes on drawings, they are for refrence of my own)

[Snow.]

Okay, first off, I completly agree about deviantart. And second, you have a really nice style, I can't wait to see more. The only critiques I really have is maybe study arms and hands a bit more (I have trouble with that too), just the way they move and their sizes. For instance, on the first one, the arm on our right is a bit too long, and if your arm was really positioned like that there wouldn't be as dramatic of a curve on the top of the forearm.

Keep up the good work though! Can't wait to see more by you!!

[Maridius]

Good sketches--keep working on the perspective and foreshortening because I'm finding both a real bitch to master so I know they take a lot of practice. The last drawing's left arm (her left) looks painfully twisted so maybe check in a mirror to get the right angle for the arm and hand in that position.

[Nibras]

Looking good so far. And only thing people on Da want to see is liked fanart and something that just looks amazing pretty bad.... for them.
Anywayz your drawings are looking nice right now well i can't really crit too much because i only do that after people have about 5/6 drawings because then you can tell what they need to work on and stuff.
Just keep practising and keep up the good work

[Kanan]

Thank you for the comments! I have lots of trouble with foreshortening because I have never drawn that way. Also those two sketch were done without refrence, just an image in my mind

Here is a quick portrait I did; I use a refrence of my own photo, though I do not like it much...the nose looks odd (゜＿゜；）

I began to color it in photoshop cs2 too


@lilnebo: I agree, all people want to see there is naruto and yaoi not true art (but there are some artist that are professional)

[snubbed]

Glad to see you starting and you have some good goals.

I think where you need to start is drawing from reference only. Just for now. Grab a small shaving mirror and draw yourself. Try not to do the perspective stuff yet - that takes incredible skill to master - something you'll be able to do very soon, but first get the general proportions and drawing skills down. Focus on contour lines of different weight to define the overall form. Always keep in mind light sources - where they are coming from and what kind of shape it's illuminating - a cone, a sphere, a cylinder or a cube?

Mostly, just keep drawing.

Good luck!

[Kanan]

I am working on this drawing right now, though I have done many small sketches of hands, legs, ect. I got insiration while playing a game of my brother's, Fable.

I might take out the branches on top left though, they look unneeded