Sketch until my hand falls off

[anonanon]

drawin'

[anonanon]

more sketches

[GelrevOngbico]

I don't know if my complete lack of feedback is because my level of suck is beneath comment, or because the forum is so crowded. It is a touch discouraging though. I Might stop posting, focus on getting better, and come back when I can contribute to the community here.

Thanks for dropping by my sb, don't get discouraged, just continue posting new work, imo its a good way to record your progress. i'd say just focus on what you want to achieve.

[anonanon]

GelrevOngbico: I think you are right. I just don't know if it is worth it wasting time to scan and upload things only to get zero feedback. I will try to stay positive and do what you advise though.

[Lyraina]

Hey
I agree with Gelrev, just go on posting, I think you'll be glad you did later... also, every comment/helpful critique is better than nothing, right? If you think you lose too much time while scanning, maybe only scan and post the works you think represent your day's work best? Also, you don't suck. Just comment more on other sketchbook, I think that's the surest way to get someone look into yours, threads really do get away from the first page quite fast.

Now, about your art. Don't give up, it never is too late to start improving! I especially love the first two pages from post #31, you have a nice, clean line quality. Also, it's good that you seem to look at what you've drawn and think about what looks wrong.
Your skull studies look great, now try to apply this structure/knowledge to your face/head drawings (like, where is the cheek bone, how long is the face, how big the back of the head).

Take care.

[lohes]

Hey anon don't get discouraged! You've been working insanely hard. Your figures are looking good, one thing I noticed in this sketch is that the hands and face look a bit off. At this point I'd say it would be beneficial to pick one book to study from and learn *everything* you can from it, don't just copy the diagrams - go for understanding. If you don't understand it, go over it again and again until you do.
Anyway, keep up the great work!

[Ainaredien]

I think you made some great progress so far
I really like your lines, they look so nice and clean
Maybe you should do some more studies of the human bones, above all from the skull, it helped me to get better in drawing faces, it can be annoying but the annoying stuff helps the most
don't get discouraged! I know that always happens and will happen in the future but I think when you feel down and don't want to do any studies at all keep your minimum to draw one page of your sketchbook a day. You can also try to draw something from your imagination, it can be really fun even if the outcome looks like crap... ^^"

every little step is a step

and for the scanning time, maybe you try to scan sketches in a low size, my scanner works faster that way, and you don't need HD scans of every sketch you do, I'm bored to scan everything too, I often just take pictures with a camera, it's a lot faster (but also blurry.. xD)
However my scanner is broken, right now I don't have this problem xD

[ji-li]

Hey! Thanks for dropping by my sketchbook! Yea I definitely see what you mean especially after looking through sketchbook, clean lines seem to have definitely made your works look better.
Keep going I can't wait to see more!

[Hem]

A lot of the time no comment means you're on the right path, no news is good news kind of thing. That said, you're in NYC yeah? If you're interested in hitting up a museum or something like that over the weekend for a drawing evening just let me know.


Quick note for Bridgeman studies. Pay a lot of attention to how he breaks things into shapes and really gives them volume and power. His style is fantastic. His anatomy is sometimes wrong though, so don't get to hung up on learning that from him.

[anonanon]

Lyraina: Thank you for the encouragement and the advice! You are absolutely right.
lohes: I am trying to do what you suggest and understand the logic behind the drawings. You make learning look easy lol.
Ainaredien: Thank you for the suggestion about the bones. I am definitely going to do more of that. Also, I think I will take pics with my camera as you suggest.
ji-li: Thank you!
Hem: Museum sound good. I can get me and a few other ppl into the Museum of Natural History for free due to my job. So this is an open offer to anyone living in the NYC area. It would be great to get a ny museum sketch group going.

Here are some studies I have done since my last post. Thank you everyone for looking and commenting. I took pictures this time instead of scanning, so let me know if the quality is too bad.

[neonndreams]

Hey, I am a beginner as well, and I think you are absolutely coming along, your last posts of figure studies are a definite improvement over the first ones you posted I think, esp. post 31. You are doing a lot of studies too which look like they are paying off. I should do the same (: I wish i lived in nyc to join a sketch group!

don't get discouraged from no feedback! i don't get much either...haha

[Sean McMurchy]

I looked threw your sketchbook and I read a few of your comments. with regards to your work keep it up your on the right track make sure to apply your study's to your own creative work from imagination if you really want to get the full benefit. (this took me a while to learn myself and I'm just starting to really take it on)

With regards to the lack of comments It can be really discouraging and I have also experienced it. Then every-once and a while someone says something that will make your day. don't turtle up, its part of the business in general as a professional you sometimes will work for a week on something show it to the art director they say " well change this part then submit it." You have to find your own motivation for your art.

good luck.

[fishysmell]

You are doing good. Lots of studies, drawing from life, and focus.

You tend to outline your life figures and your proportions are sometimes off. For instance, some of your figures have somewhat short lower legs. You can check your proportions by bending the limbs of your figures in your head (or even directly on the paper); you can "measure" that with your own body. Bending a leg, you'll make the heel comfortably strike the butt. You can do this measuring for other limbs as well.

[biteschlessen]

keep working on those faces

i like some of your gestures (#38).

besides studies of bammes/loomis/hampton, lately i've been drawing my neighbours houses and lawns, drawings images from 4chan's /b/ board (as long as they aren't too disgusting. definitely NSFW.), drawing from this site (NSFW) http://ryonen.tumblr.com/, and drawing my own body in the mirror by striking dynamic poses (doing this really forces you to draw fast and efficiently, heh).

i don't if any of that sounds appealing to you, but just wanted to throw some other ideas out there for you of things i've had fun doing and maybe you'll have fun with too...

[bobmeatbag]

wow, you've done alot of work, keep it up. Not sure if you know this already but draw with lines of action, this will give your drawings more flow and energy. Look for shapes in the muscles and body, this will bring out the appeal and structure(more so on appeal than structure). Simplifying the shapes and details will also bring out the appeal.

[megaten]

Sup! Thanks for commenting in my sketchbook! I had a look through your thread so I'll make a few comments. I noticed you drew some figures in perspective earlier. I think you were just copying them so I'd recommend you study perspective a bit before trying in earnest. Perspective made easy is recommended in Loomis's book and is very cheap. Also read through figure drawing for all it's worth. The closing chat in particular I thought was particularly encouraging.

Another good gesture drawing site like the ones you recommended is http://lovecastle.org/draw/ , you can set images to fill the screen as well as force greyscale. Good luck!

[elwghee]

Keep up with those studies! Remember to have some fun and draw from imagination too. It'll help reinforce those studies you've done.

[Ainaredien]

Good work with the latest studies! I think you're doing great rendering so far
I think the image quality is okay, but maybe you keep scanning at least one image, so we can see the line quality
Looking forward to see more

[anonanon]

neonndreams: Hey, thank you for stopping by. It is always nice to meet other beginners, because then at least I know I'm not on this seemingly impossible path all alone.
Sean McMurchy: You are completely right. I do have to find my own motivation for my art, and not just my art but everything in my life. I do not know why I couldn't seem to realize this on my own, so thank you so much for saying this. Honestly that simple idea could be a turning point for me if I can manage to put it into practice. I think growing up I sort of thrived on pats on the head. I'm to old to keep living that way.
fishysmell: That is a great suggestion. I did not actually notice that the heal bent to hit the butt. I am definitely going to try this method.
biteschlessen: How do you draw yourself in a pose in the mirror? I cannot even imagine! I'm definitely going to try some of these things you suggest. I think it will help to break up my routine.
bobmeatbag: Thank you! What do you mean by lines of action? I will try to work simplifying details.
megaten: Thanks for the link and the book suggestions! I will have to check these out.
elwghee: I will try to draw more from imagination. It is so frustrating for me, how I can never seem to get what is in my head down on paper.
Ainaredien: Thanks! I think you are right, the camera is a bit blurry.

[Dave'sWarmInsides]

Hi there anonanon.

Thanks for stopping by! (I saw what you did there...).

Anyways, I wanted to give you a tip for when you draw "something" from observation. I do this a lot and it works just fine. When i see something i want to draw i make imaginary vertical and horizontal lines and place the "something" on this mental grid. This helps because you can see where certain different parts of the subject meet with others on these imaginary lines.

In this picture for example, you can see that on (1) the ear meets and imaginary line that the left front knee also meets. You then know these two will go one above the other on YOUR drawing. On (2)you see that these 3 joints go on an horizontal line and they will aswell on your drawing. You can see more detailed things like on (3) the horse's eye meets where the hoof begins. This technique is to be used as a guide not as a millimetric rule or law of drawing. In fact, if you take it to that limit it wont be effective. I hope this works, not only for you but for anyone else out there reading

I'm Dave's Warm Insides

[Flanagan]

Your work ethic is great. You're doing a lot of good studies and exercises, keep it up. What you seem to be lacking is some more finished artwork like a still life. From my own experience, I've learned the most from projects that take a couple days to finish. I say set up a still life and take your time with it. Correct it and when it's ready start to render. As for the moments of lack of motivation I know your pain. A lot do. It's a huge pain in the ass, but these forums are good source for inspiration. I've discovered the weekly challenges help quite a bit. But sometimes you just gotta knock down that art block by drawing, even if every cell in your brain is saying no. It's hard, but it's worth it. KEEP GOING! 8)

[anonanon]

Dave'sWarmInsides: Thank you for taking the time to do that, and put up a picture to make it easier for me to understand. I will definitely try to put this into practice.

Flanagan: Thank you, I think I will actually start a still life today. I'm a little scared to be honest, but you are right I need to punch the crap out of that art block, and fear of failure

[Flanagan]

Your figures are getting a helluvalot better. I'm digging your form studies on the top of your pages. One thing I noticed is that you seem to be ignoring the hands and the feet. If you are, don't. In fact, draw your hands and feet for you can avoid the typical pitfall most artists make which is- not drawing hands or feet! There were even well known comic artists that would avoid drawing hands and feet. Keep it up your doing great no matter what you think.

[anonanon]

Flanagan: You are right, I have been avoiding hands and feet. Thank you for calling me out on it, because I need to stop being cowardly about attempting to draw things.

More drurings

[Kellye]

I love your bears. Just sayin'. *heart* They have so much personality!

Keep going, and don't get discouraged. I haven't had many comments on my SB yet either. But your figure studies are excellent and I could definitely see improvement.

[Hem]

Hey Anonanon, how're you enjoying the class? You're work is certainly improving, good to see you working so hard. I'm taking the month off from my main class and instead am working on more direct tutoring on mastering the body one step at a time with Starbelly, still there on Sunday for my comic class though. When do you tend to be free? My weekends are pretty full for the next two weeks, but my mornings to afternoons on weekdays are free.

[:.Interloper.:]

Thanks for stopping by my sketchbook Anon, glad you like the hands.

Like a lot of other people are saying there is some great improvement being shown already here. Your pencil work is becoming a lot more confidant and strong, keep up the studies.

Some advice that Teun recently gave me has really helped with my digital studies and I think it's applicable to your studies. His advice is to start out with a high opacity / strong brush. So I now use a hard round brush set to 100% opacity when I start an image, then moving to a soft round to blend colours and finally bringing in low opacity brushes to blend and smooth further. Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

-Inter-

[Trixtar]

You started a few months ago!?
Amazing!
I'm very much learning from scratch myself, and since you seem to do way better than me I can't really give any advice other than KEEP IT UP! And one way I stay motivated is to look at some cool art and think "In 10 years that might be me..."

[anonanon]

Kellye: Thank you!
Hem: Class is alright. It is more good for getting me to draw more and from a real model, and also to interact with the other students in the class. You are so lucky to get a private art tutor! I am jealous. I also tend to be free on weeknights/evenings. We should get a sketch group going. I think I can get 5 ppl at a time in for free.
:.Interloper.: Thank you for the advice. I am going to try what you recommend and I will post the results in here. I think I'm a little frightened of high opacity lol.
Trixtar: Thank you I think the same thing. It is hard to be so far behind for my age group, but I know how hard all those great artists worked. I just need to put my time in and stay motivated.


I was very very sick for the past week, and it completely killed my motivation to draw. Here is are a few things I did from before I caught the death. I am attempting to stop punking out on the hands and feet.

[Lyraina]

The last bunch of figures looks great

Hope you get well soon!