I used to be into drawing alot when I was a little younger, and then one day just completely gave up, in a fit of rage because I sucked. But recently, I've had that burning desire to draw and create come back inside of me. I'm like a mediocre artist, I'm "ok", as I found out from sketching the other day, but I want to be really, really good. Do any of you have any advice me? Any tips or tricks? One more thing, I've had ALOT of trouble drawing feet. In my opinion, beautiful feet and hands are among the hardest things to draw. They are one of the most structurally challenging parts of the body to create.
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Low_Roads
4th Level Black Feather
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Greetings, Oni! 🙂 This is a nice early post! You're well spoken, and I hope to hear (and once you feel your artwork is ready, see) much from you in the future!
You might consider picking up a good basic anatomy artbook. I just recently bought a couple of those "How to Draw Manga" volumes. They feature step-by-step guides, from basic shapes to finished figures, as well as more advanced study aids. Following these lessons can be helpful practice. These books are very hot right now and quite easy to find at the local Barnes and Noble.
If you have any passion for storytelling, you might consider creating a comic book scenario. You aren't totally dependent on your drawing skill that way, and the necessary repetition (from panel to panel) can be really good for strengthening your personal style.
Don't worry about having "mediocre" skills. You're probably a lot better than you think, and will improve with practice. I'd be very interested to see your artwork. This forum is a supportive place. Any submissions will be welcomed, I promise you. And the best way to get specific advice is to let people see what you can do.
You might consider picking up a good basic anatomy artbook. I just recently bought a couple of those "How to Draw Manga" volumes. They feature step-by-step guides, from basic shapes to finished figures, as well as more advanced study aids. Following these lessons can be helpful practice. These books are very hot right now and quite easy to find at the local Barnes and Noble.
If you have any passion for storytelling, you might consider creating a comic book scenario. You aren't totally dependent on your drawing skill that way, and the necessary repetition (from panel to panel) can be really good for strengthening your personal style.
Don't worry about having "mediocre" skills. You're probably a lot better than you think, and will improve with practice. I'd be very interested to see your artwork. This forum is a supportive place. Any submissions will be welcomed, I promise you. And the best way to get specific advice is to let people see what you can do.
David Tyler
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My best advice to you is this: You're already on-line - search out photo's of the body parts you want to learn to draw. In the case of feet, this is the perfect site.
Only check out things like Manga artists when you balance it out with other artists. BAC is a good one to check out. Saudelli is an excellent resource.
Still, it's best to develop your own style. Just use these other sources to see how they handle some of the problems you might encounter. A good example is drawing women's faces. You can't draw every line like you can a man's face. You have to learn what lines are necessary and which are overkill. Overkill will make a sketch of a woman appear very unappealing.
Only check out things like Manga artists when you balance it out with other artists. BAC is a good one to check out. Saudelli is an excellent resource.
Still, it's best to develop your own style. Just use these other sources to see how they handle some of the problems you might encounter. A good example is drawing women's faces. You can't draw every line like you can a man's face. You have to learn what lines are necessary and which are overkill. Overkill will make a sketch of a woman appear very unappealing.
Tomato_Dragon
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The way I learned was just by trying to draw other artist's works. Picking up comics, choosing a panel and drawing it over and over until it looks like a carbon copy. Also, if you have a dvd player, it's a good idea to put in an animated movie (my choice when I was a kid was The Secret of NIMH on my folks vcr) and pausing on a certain frame and trying to draw it...especially a frame with some high action in it. This is a great way to learn motion.
And perhaps one of the best books out there is "How to Draw Comics, the Marvel Way." Lots of great info on anatomy, showing weight and motion. Just a great book overall.
Have fun and looking forward to seeing your stuff. 😀
And perhaps one of the best books out there is "How to Draw Comics, the Marvel Way." Lots of great info on anatomy, showing weight and motion. Just a great book overall.
Have fun and looking forward to seeing your stuff. 😀
nessonite1
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I second TD's advice. One of the best ways to practice is by copying the work of others. Just open a book and copy down what you see. The "How to Draw Manga" series is great for anatomy as well if you don't want to go super-high technical the way normal figure drawing/anatomy books go. Using other art for reference is the best way to memorize the exact contours of the body. It's all muscle memory. Once you've drawn, say, the curvature of a woman's leg enough times it will become a memory that you can call upon any time to reproduce.
The idea is to get comfortable drawing the human figure and the way it moves. Pay close attention to your own body. If you're having trouble getting a certain position right then get in that position yourself and feel how the weight is distributed.
The idea is to get comfortable drawing the human figure and the way it moves. Pay close attention to your own body. If you're having trouble getting a certain position right then get in that position yourself and feel how the weight is distributed.
CheshireCatNY
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As for all those books on drawing Manga, first you have to decide if you even want to adopt that style. I know in todays world the Anime style seems to be overflowing into all aspects of the artistic world, but part of me wishes I hadnt gotten so into this style, because now every damn thing I draw looks like Anime. I can't draw a female without her having the big eyes, little mouth, etc. It gets kind of annoying sometimes when its not my intention. Currently I'm trying my damndest to move away from it but it ain't easy.
Personally I'd start with the basic "squash and stretch" style cartooning and work my way up from there. Thats the type more reminiscent of old school styles like Hanna Barbera, Warner Bros., Tex Avery, etc; styles that are sometimes a bit easier to start out with than the restriction of real human anatomy. It gives you a bit more freedom to experiment and break the boundaries. It will also give you a better understanding of mass, shape and proportion before moving on to anything to difficult to fast. Most books on how to draw Manga and in the Marvel/DC styles are for those who already have a certain understanding of comic art.
Personally I'd start with the basic "squash and stretch" style cartooning and work my way up from there. Thats the type more reminiscent of old school styles like Hanna Barbera, Warner Bros., Tex Avery, etc; styles that are sometimes a bit easier to start out with than the restriction of real human anatomy. It gives you a bit more freedom to experiment and break the boundaries. It will also give you a better understanding of mass, shape and proportion before moving on to anything to difficult to fast. Most books on how to draw Manga and in the Marvel/DC styles are for those who already have a certain understanding of comic art.
nessonite1
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That's a good point, CC! Odd that we assumed that's what he wanted when he didn't mention it at all. 😛 Every now and then I have to go back and draw some "normal" pictures so I don't forget how. 😛
Still, the best advice I can give is to look at what you want your pictures to look like and copy until your hand falls off. 😛
Still, the best advice I can give is to look at what you want your pictures to look like and copy until your hand falls off. 😛
Skyler
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Oni,
I can completely relate, my friend. I've been an artist since early childhood, and studied all through college. I studied light & shadow, composition, 3-point perspective, the works. The only thing I could never master was drawing the human body.
Then, I discovered something that changed my life... a little computer program called Poser. It's a bit expensive for the casual artist, but it was well worth the money for me. The characters you create are flawless (unless you choose to give them flaws) and it allows me to render art and animations that come close to resembling real-life characters.
I recently posted my first clip here in this forum using the CGI medium. It's a clip called "The Cheerleader Collector" in the Splits forum. I know a lot of people prefer not to hassle with Hacha and files split into 10 different parts, but if you go through the trouble to check it out, it might be exactly the kind of thing you're looking for.
Hope this helps,
Skyler
I can completely relate, my friend. I've been an artist since early childhood, and studied all through college. I studied light & shadow, composition, 3-point perspective, the works. The only thing I could never master was drawing the human body.
Then, I discovered something that changed my life... a little computer program called Poser. It's a bit expensive for the casual artist, but it was well worth the money for me. The characters you create are flawless (unless you choose to give them flaws) and it allows me to render art and animations that come close to resembling real-life characters.
I recently posted my first clip here in this forum using the CGI medium. It's a clip called "The Cheerleader Collector" in the Splits forum. I know a lot of people prefer not to hassle with Hacha and files split into 10 different parts, but if you go through the trouble to check it out, it might be exactly the kind of thing you're looking for.
Hope this helps,
Skyler
aenglish
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R. Crumb, king of the perv-'toonists!
I've heard of "Poser". An acquaintance used it to create some, um, rather interesting pictures! He said it could render any body part, and he did mean "any"!
I must admit to a certain amount of bias, but for examples I'd recommend anything by R. Crumb. He was one of the underground comic movement's founding fathers. He's been at it since the mid-1960's. The recently-published "R. Crumb Handbook" is a good place to start. The collections of work from his sketchbooks (available from www.fantagraphics.com]) are edifying as well. Crumb's trademark images are of gorgeous, voluptuous women (though not much tickling as I recall, save one image from his early sketchbooks of a cat-woman being body-painted by a weasel-artist).
I've heard of "Poser". An acquaintance used it to create some, um, rather interesting pictures! He said it could render any body part, and he did mean "any"!
I must admit to a certain amount of bias, but for examples I'd recommend anything by R. Crumb. He was one of the underground comic movement's founding fathers. He's been at it since the mid-1960's. The recently-published "R. Crumb Handbook" is a good place to start. The collections of work from his sketchbooks (available from www.fantagraphics.com]) are edifying as well. Crumb's trademark images are of gorgeous, voluptuous women (though not much tickling as I recall, save one image from his early sketchbooks of a cat-woman being body-painted by a weasel-artist).
