Learning how to draw and do art.

[ChronicleCrawler]

I was trying to look for new hobbies until I saw some interesting artworks and drawing herein SH and Youtube.

Does anyone have any advice or learning techniques to share for beginners with paws like this cat?

Well, joking aside. This one is serious about learning to draw. hehe

 

[Scribbler]

I am also interested in learning how to use photoshop to make a cover for my story.

 

[Deleted member 5560]

UUUUH well if you're an absolute beginner, this is actually a pretty good article on beginners tips. I also really like Sycra's video tutorials. It has a lot of basic foundation techniques. Unfortunately a lot of the foundations of drawing is very boring though, so here are my top tips:

1. Practise. It's a boring but reliable tip, and it will never not apply. Anything you start for the first time is going to be bad, it's going to have mistakes, and looking up tutorials can help but at the end of the day, you just need to keep practising.
2. Never forget your stretches! This is so, so, so, so, so important. Seriously, I have a permanently fucked up shoulder and RSI in my wrist and it's all from drawing. I know art doesn't seem like a very intense hobby but anything that uses your motor function is going to need a little self care.
3. Find the fun. Like I said, foundational drawing can be boring, and it's hard to want to do something that isn't fun. So find the fun. Put aside the drawing exercises when you feel burnt out and just doodle and sketch silly things. During high school I made up a character that was just a cartoon man in his underwear whose head was a wedge of swiss cheese and I would just draw him and his miserable life - getting run over, pooped on by a bird, etc. It was extremely silly and the drawings were pretty bad, but it was fun, because I wasn't trying to make something good, I was trying to have fun. If you reach a point of frustration or burn out, don't keep banging your head against a wall. Stop, step back, find the fun.
4. Learn from real life/photos, not from other art. Learning from art comes later. Especially art that stylises a lot, these are only going to fuck up your foundations. "You need to know what the rules are before you break them". Why do Disney princess have big bug eyes but it doesn't look uncanny? The artists knew where to exaggerate and where to ground it. Once you've got the foundations down, there's nothing wrong with observing other artists and how they approach certain things for clues on how to tackle it yourself. I stare at a lot of Loish's work for her use of colour, myself.
5. Use references. Some artists brag they don't need references, other artists claim using references is cheating. They're both idiots. Using references is totally normal, but if you're copying a reference 1:1, acknowledging credit is just common etiquette. You might not always need a reference, but sometimes you might say, "Ugh, I don't know how to draw this hand", in which case, get out your phone, pose your hand, take a photo! There's also a lot of stock and reference resources on deviantART, but SenshiStock is basically the absolute best, she has a huge resources for all sorts of different poses and offers them for free, without need for credit if used for art reference drawing.

That's all I got. GLHF.

 

[Dragon]

Step 1. Have too much free time in class

Step 2. Watch a ton of animal documentaries

Step 3. Recreate what you watched

That's how I learned at least. It all comes down to practice and knowledge. Your subjects won't turn out as great as they could be if you don't have proper knowledge of how they look from angles A, B, C, etc...

As long as you know how it should look (In detail), you won't need any fancy techniques.

I mostly use basic shapes and skeleton lines (Forgot the proper term) for planning or for drawing things I'm unfamiliar with.

 

[ars]

Use references. Some artists brag they don't need references, other artists claim using references is cheating. They're both idiots. Using references is totally normal, but if you're copying a reference 1:1, acknowledging credit is just common etiquette. You might not always need a reference, but sometimes you might say, "Ugh, I don't know how to draw this hand", in which case, get out your phone, pose your hand, take a photo! There's also a lot of stock and reference resources on deviantART, but SenshiStock is basically the absolute best, she has a huge resources for all sorts of different poses and offers them for free, without need for credit if used for art reference drawing.
That's all I got. GLHF.

Seconding this so much!!! when I was younger, I made the mistake of thinking 'real artists don't use references!' That's a complete lie. Professional artists use references. If someone says 'I don't use references!', that just means they've practiced what they're drawing so many times that they don't need to research before drawing. The more you practice, the more confident you'll grow. But until then, use as many tools as you need to make your drawing come to life!

I recommend listening to this lecture by Feng Zhu (professional concept artist and teacher) about why drawing and creating seems so easy for experienced artists despite being so difficult for new artists. It should help you understand some of the mindset you need to improve as an artist.

 

[NiQuinn]

I was trying to look for new hobbies until I saw some interesting artworks and drawing herein SH and Youtube.

Does anyone have any advice or learning techniques to share for beginners with paws like this cat?

Well, joking aside. This one is serious about learning to draw. hehe

In all seriousness, https://drawabox.com is damn good. Take note though, this will take a lot of effort. Fundamentals play such a big role in drawing that learning it will be a great thing to start with. It won't hurt to check https://udemy.com if you have a bit of cash to spare. Also, never ever underestimate the beauty of traditional drawing. I would go so far as to suggest to start with traditional drawing before jumping into digital.

However, if you are planning to try digital, I'd suggest checking tablets of huion. It's damn cheaper than wacom but reliable. It won't hurt to try free software like medibang and krita as well. Both of which I use.

This one I did in krita:

Spoiler: krita artwork

#lanadrawchallenge from https://instagram.com/lanajay_art.

Painted in Medibang:

Spoiler: Medibang artwork

Note, lineart was not done by me. It was from this tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWz8EPHgAlg

Take lots of time to practice. But most importantly, find people who can give you constructive criticism. You'd be looking at your art all the time and sometimes, you won't be able to find what's wrong. Ask people for tips and be careful to weed out those who aren't being too helpful.

And again...pratice practice practice.

 

[Phantomheart]

Here are some links of my favorite artists on youtube that also have great tutorials :)
Art takes a lot of practice, and it is mostly about learning about how to convey your inspiration onto whatever medium you choose, whether it be traditional or digital. :)

Jazza

Join me for new content every week, like tutorials, speedpaintings, streams, competitions and more!

www.youtube.com

mikeymegamega

Artist and Gamer giving you some sick skills with Anime How To Draw Tutorials

www.youtube.com

Kiwi Byrd

Hi, my name is Kiwi! I'm an Illustration student at SCAD and oh boy do I love birds http://kiwibyrd.com http://kiwi.tumblr.com http://kiwibyrd.storenvy.com c...

www.youtube.com

markcrilley

How-to-Draw Videos on Every Conceivable Subject! Published author/illustrator of more than 40 books, including Mastering Manga, Brody's Ghost and The Drawing...

www.youtube.com

 

[ars]

In all seriousness, https://drawabox.com is damn good. Take note though, this will take a lot of effort. Fundamentals play such a big role in drawing that learning it will be a great thing to start with. It won't hurt to check https://udemy.com if you have a bit of cash to spare. Also, never ever underestimate the beauty of traditional drawing. I would go so far as to suggest to start with traditional drawing before jumping into digital.

However, if you are planning to try digital, I'd suggest checking tablets of huion. It's damn cheaper than wacom but reliable. It won't hurt to try free software like medibang and krita as well. Both of which I use.

This one I did in krita:

Spoiler: krita artwork

#lanadrawchallenge from https://instagram.com/lanajay_art.

View attachment 787

Painted in Medibang:

Spoiler: Medibang artwork

Note, lineart was not done by me. It was from this tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWz8EPHgAlg

View attachment 788

Take lots of time to practice. But most importantly, find people who can give you constructive criticism. You'd be looking at your art all the time and sometimes, you won't be able to find what's wrong. Ask people for tips and be careful to weed out those who aren't being too helpful.

And again...pratice practice practice.

Secret master artist has appeared!

Thanks for that link to drawabox - my foundations and forms are really weak, so I've been searching for different tutorials and guidance. This looks like exactly what I needed... Maybe I'll finally learn how to draw with volume now...

 

[Lukha]

I feel like everyone has so many good points that I don't really know what else there is to say! There's quite a lot of resources out there; it just depends on what you feel like doing.

The only advice I can give personally is to make sure you have a dang good playlist! Drawing takes time and practice, and having good music to accompany you will go a long way in helping you retain focus and motivation towards whatever it is you're trying to draw. I usually try to do mood-setting; i.e. if I'm drawing something a little dramatic, I listen to a song that's a bit dramatic, etc.

As a hobbyist, it's important to know that although constructive criticism is helpful, it it equally important for you to draw and develop your own style a bit without catering to others' styles because everyone draws just a bit differently!

Have fun and be sure to share some artwork for us all to see!

 

[lilyWhiteRose]

everyone already gave out good advice lol.... here are some misc ones from me

you know that one really self-indulgent thing you've repressed or always wanted to express? draw that. don't worry about whether or not it's good just make sure that whatever your drawing makes you feel good. that's the way i started drawing , i just kept drawing powerpuff girls fanart with reckless abandon when i was in elementary school and that at least improved my hand-eye coordination and began the development of my style lololol

this is also specific, and relevant more to people who aren't beginner but average: don't follow accounts or people who actively shit on beginner artists. you know that ones, that post in like a "cringey art thread" or whatever. back when i was a shitty edgelord i used to revel in those kind of threads because those are specifically designed to give assholes a cheap ego boost. honestly i was suffering from a really bad inferiority complex and that's how i coped... i've gotten better and i would smack my younger self lol.

related to the above: the best way to avoid getting an inferiority complex is by not treating other artists like "competition." like sure, if youre aiming to be a professional you should get yourself to a point where you're marketable, but in general, both in the professional world and the hobbyist world, practically everyone is striving for the same goal: getting better at creating. creating in of itself isn't a competition, and those who treat it like one is just making it harder for themselves. everyone is at a different point in their artistic development, and it makes no sense comparing yourself to people that way. look at other people's work to be inspired, and be happy for them.... they'll be happy for you too!

 

[Phantomheart]

everyone already gave out good advice lol.... here are some misc ones from me

you know that one really self-indulgent thing you've repressed or always wanted to express? draw that. don't worry about whether or not it's good just make sure that whatever your drawing makes you feel good. that's the way i started drawing , i just kept drawing powerpuff girls fanart with reckless abandon when i was in elementary school and that at least improved my hand-eye coordination and began the development of my style lololol

this is also specific, and relevant more to people who aren't beginner but average: don't follow accounts or people who actively shit on beginner artists. you know that ones, that post in like a "cringey art thread" or whatever. back when i was a shitty edgelord i used to revel in those kind of threads because those are specifically designed to give assholes a cheap ego boost. honestly i was suffering from a really bad inferiority complex and that's how i coped... i've gotten better and i would smack my younger self lol.

related to the above: the best way to avoid getting an inferiority complex is by not treating other artists like "competition." like sure, if youre aiming to be a professional you should get yourself to a point where you're marketable, but in general, both in the professional world and the hobbyist world, practically everyone is striving for the same goal: getting better at creating. creating in of itself isn't a competition, and those who treat it like one is just making it harder for themselves. everyone is at a different point in their artistic development, and it makes no sense comparing yourself to people that way. look at other people's work to be inspired, and be happy for them.... they'll be happy for you too!

Your comment reminded me of this comic by Shen, one of my favorite artists who offers a lot of real life advice to artists who are just starting out through his comics
https://www.webtoons.com/en/comedy/...aybe-ditto/viewer?title_no=199&episode_no=220

And I completely agree, art is a manner of self expression; my art pieces are literally my children and yes, I do have favorites. XD

 

[LWFlouisa]

Not sure how useful it is, but when you sketch don't use the stiff approach like you do when writing poetry. Rather use what I like to call the "Dagger's Grip" or "Joint Grip". You hold your drawing implement loosely in this fashion, and draw around the image you're wanting to do. It's both less strain on your wrists, and your works end up a little more fluid.

I wish I'd have none this starting out.

Also as one other mentioned, don't underestimate meditation and relaxation. I generally listen to a fusion of Space Vaccum sounds and Rain, although the natural sounds you like might be different. But the goal is to clear your mind before you start.

Also finding good references is harder than you might think, depending on what era you're wanting to draw from. It's fairly easy to take photos of modern girls in plain clothes, but you're not going to be able to photograph a girl in period dress, unless you're at a Theatrical venue, and they usually don't want you to photograph the actors. This means having to find unconventional ways to draw things like European style wooden shoes, and other things unique to certain periods of history.

I remember having to buy an actual pair, just to get the anatomical details right.

I would try to draw anyway even when a reference image can't be found. With some horror art, you gotta wonder sometimes how they're able to get reference images sometimes.

 

[Wretch]

If you're thinking of starting with digital art I suggest you get a pen tool. It is extremely hard with a mouse, and I know from experience.

If it's just casual drawing with a pencil and paper, then try imitating other artists you like. This is how I learned (well, that and my abstract way of thinking about everything as pencil lines...) also anatomy books help.

Art is abstract anyway, so whatever you're going for hope you succeed! ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ Jiayou! Fighto! Fighting!

 

[BenJepheneT]

<--- cover art

As long as it can portray the theme to a minimal basis, it's fine. No need for some Twitter Da Vinci anime chick to do it.

 

[LWFlouisa]

<--- cover art

As long as it can portray the theme to a minimal basis, it's fine. No need for some Twitter Da Vinci anime chick to do it.

Nah but your stuff comes pretty close to it!

 

[sak-chii]

Me gave up learning *despair*

 

[tiaf]

Me gave up learning *despair*

Have tried for at least ten years?

 

[BenJepheneT]

Nah but your stuff comes pretty close to it!

awww you're too kind

Me gave up learning *despair*

Have tried for at least ten years?

five, at least?

 

[MrDarkness1234]

First of all you need to start and master perspective first

Thank me latter.

 

[MrDarkness1234]

And also take your time on it