My art needs an overhaul.

[thirteensox]

Hello there. :]
You could say I'm open-minded enough to learn properly. And, well, I need proper critique for one of my drawings:



What do you guys think? :]

PS:

Materials used were Prismacolor Colored Pencils and a black Bic Ballpoint pen for inking. ^^

[Koldmilk]

i like your color, it brings out the mood very well.

i think you should stay away from anime, not because your not good at it (your very good) but because if you want to learn to draw professionally, anime is really not a good base to build on.

good points are the color and mood are amazing i really don't know what else i could say about the stunning color and mood besides amazing.

[Whyatt Thrash]

Not much crit on your piece, it looks pretty good for what it is, but if you're serious about improving, then check this out:

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26636

and this:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28061

[FoxinShocks]

I agree about the cool colours and what Koldmilk said about anime. I also think that if you do continue with the anime, you should do some cloth studies and learn to plan a body before you do an extremely close crop like this, the arm doesn't make sense.

I tried a drawover but I still couldn't work out how it's attached.. it looks like you tried to jam in into the frame when it shouldn't be there? Other than that it's anime and what can you say about that? Anything that looks wrong might have been a stylistic choice on your part. Keep up the good work I guess

[Imagus]

Most of what I would say has already been said, but I wanted to (at least try to) provide a little bit of insight and clarification on the topic of "anime vs. realistic" drawing.

Anime as an art form is essentially a highly stylized and simplified representation of the real world. This is especially true of characters, whose features and proportions are simplified and altered to match a stylistic lexicon particular to the art form.

However, even the most stylized representation of something is still a representation. Even though the forms are simplified, they are still forms nonetheless. Even the most seasoned anime artist still relies on their knowledge of the figure's proportions and anatomy when creating characters, using it to give the simplified and stylized forms authenticity.

Looking at the neck in the picture above, it is a plain cylinder, not the shape of a neck. It's hard to see how this cylindrical shape flows into the rest of the body, because it is covered by the clothing. This is fine, but the artist should know what the body is doing beneath that clothing to accurately represent its form.

Now, can this same pose be drawn from a different angle and/or without clothing, and will it look correct? This is where knowledge of anatomy, perspective and form come into play. Understanding something in three dimensions is the key to being able to accurately represent it. To gain this understanding, you should study and understand the human form, not just the stylized anime version of the human form. To do this, traditional life drawing is key. Remember that it is always easier to omit details that you know exist than to add in those that you don't.

Because anime characters are so simplified, they are often viewed as easy to create. This can cut both ways... many novice artists try their hand at the simpler style without first learning the basics, while more seasoned artists who choose to work in the style often receive far less critical acclaim than they would if they worked more realistically.

I myself am a huge fan of anime, manga, comics and cartoons, and I love working in those styles. However, it wasn't until I truly began to study and understand the basics of anatomy and perspective that my creations began to gain an air of authenticity and plausibility.

Sorry for the long and rambling post, but I hope this makes sense and helps you out, even a little.

P.S. - Whenever possible, it's a good idea to avoid logos and/or watermarks in pieces for critique... the deviantart link, for example.

[thirteensox]

Gee, thanks. You guys gave me good, brutal critique while staying complete sweethearts, something I really don't get from Deviantart very often.

I'm actually in the process of revamping my art and re-learning anatomy. To tell you the truth, I've never actually studied anatomy as deep as I should have. Thankfully, I'm still flexible enough to learn properly. ^^ And, yes, I'm pretty serious about improving. I'm going to take a minor in Fine Arts in college.

@ Koldmilk: This is actually something that is based on the emotion.

'@ Imagus: Thanks a lot for the clarification. ^^ And sorry for the annoying watermark, I thought it would be easier to just save the file from my devart instead of going to another room and saving the actual file from another comp.

[Imagus]

'@ Imagus: Thanks a lot for the clarification. ^^ And sorry for the annoying watermark, I thought it would be easier to just save the file from my devart instead of going to another room and saving the actual file from another comp.

If you plan to attempt a career as a professional artist, presentation is key. If you're going to spend a great deal of time on a piece, why skimp on the extra few minutes at the end that will allow you to present it properly? Make sure that you put the same level of thought and consideration into a work's display as you do its creation.

Also, as this is an enthusiast/professional forum, it's unlikely that anyone here is out to steal your work and claim it as their own.

Looking forward to seeing your future work. Keep at it!