|
Post by Twillie on Jun 8, 2016 21:20:48 GMT -5
In the middle of your next magnum opus but suddenly find yourself with a nasty bout of artists’ block? Maybe you have a productive streak going and want to pass off your inspiration to others. Or perhaps you’re a newfound artist that wants to start learning, but doesn’t know where to start. As artists, we’ve all been in these spots at one point or another, and in the midst of our highs and lows, of course there’s the need to express ourselves. But where to go when we want to chat with other artists? Just as many of you have probably experienced, I’ve on multiple occasions had an art gloat, rant, or question I wanted to post until I realized that there was nowhere to put it. Inspired by the writers' chat thread, it’s about time we artists got one too! As is, I’m sure many of those who write also partake in the visual arts in one way or another, and being a creative site, there’s plenty here who have advice to give or questions to ask. So, this is the place for any general artist chatter; whether you’re a visual veteran or newbie, no matter the media you use or admire, let’s all join the conversation!
|
|
|
Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jun 9, 2016 13:57:20 GMT -5
So hey.
|
|
|
Post by Zoey on Jun 9, 2016 14:36:14 GMT -5
YES! WE HAVE A GENERAL ART THREAD. I can stop posting all of my side rants on my doodle board LOL! So, like, anatomy. Tbh, I feel like the best way to learn proper anatomy is to literally start from the skeleton and then the muscles and then work from there. But that's boring and nobody wants to do that, so instead we find references and cry whenever it doesn't come out properly. Now, basic shapes, and guidelines help. But what grinds my gear is that even after you learn that, okay, arms and legs are kinda like sausages, and boobs are kinda like half-moon teacup things, you still can't always just visualize a picture in your head and then draw the basic shapes and guidelines and always have it turn out correctly. So then you look up pose references, right? And you have wonderful resources like senshi-stock on Deviantart, but oh my god, googling hand and foot poses is a giant pain in the arse because none of the pictures are -exactly right- so you end up finding the biggest mirror in your house and craning your limbs in ways that they don't naturally sit to find the perfect angle as your reference. Or is this just me? Also I had a high-schooler sit in while I was finishing the hooman version of Biscuit piece that I did very very recently. It's super flattering, but oh man, the pressure to work faster and have the results come out quicker is kind of in the back of your mind because you don't want your viewer to get too bored watching you re-do the same line like twenty times. LOL! Also if anybody knows where I can find awesome hand and feet stock photos that'd be great. Also stock photos for still-life human poses and drawings (i don't mind if the people are unclothed), so I can sketch some guy anatomy and finally draw perfect, washboard abs and rock-hard pectorals.
|
|
|
Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jun 9, 2016 14:40:58 GMT -5
I wish I can help you find good stock photos. Sorry. X3 Ah, references. Sometimes they work for me. Sometimes they do the exact opposite (which I STILL don't get). And proportions do the same (but with that, I get, because I'm like, "Ooh, this needs to be longer- GAH, this should be shorter" and I go overboard.) So is anyone experimenting with new techniques and whatever? I'm just messing with the dodge/burn and smudge tools, opacity, and layer masks. I'd post an example if I didn't enter it into the BC.
|
|
|
Post by Zoey on Jun 9, 2016 14:59:17 GMT -5
I wish I can help you find good stock photos. Sorry. X3 Ah, references. Sometimes they work for me. Sometimes they do the exact opposite (which I STILL don't get). And proportions do the same (but with that, I get, because I'm like, "Ooh, this needs to be longer- GAH, this should be shorter" and I go overboard.) So is anyone experimenting with new techniques and whatever? I'm just messing with the dodge/burn and smudge tools, opacity, and layer masks. I'd post an example if I didn't enter it into the BC. 'Tis okay. I'm sure I'll stumble upon a secret stash of stock photos some day. XD Oh! Try flipping the canvas horizontally every once in a while when you're sketching. Sometimes uneven-ness isn't obvious until you mirror your image, and then you see that the picture doesn't look right from the other end. LOL! and then just go back and forth until both images look about right. I'm still messing around with markers on SAI, although eventually I want to be able to use the normal brushes, markers, water, and airbrushing all at once in the same piece. -ambitious- Also working on using less layers, as I'm so used to making a new layer for every layer of shading that it's getting ridiculous. XD It's also much easier to blend colors when you're working on the same layer.
|
|
|
Post by Moni on Jun 9, 2016 15:04:15 GMT -5
How do I not suck at drawing.
Like, I'm really bad at observation and just general proportions. When I look at other people's drawings, they seem to have an attention to detail and form that I've always just . . . lacked. Everything I draw looks unexpressive and flat. ;_;
|
|
|
Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jun 9, 2016 15:05:08 GMT -5
I wish I can help you find good stock photos. Sorry. X3 Ah, references. Sometimes they work for me. Sometimes they do the exact opposite (which I STILL don't get). And proportions do the same (but with that, I get, because I'm like, "Ooh, this needs to be longer- GAH, this should be shorter" and I go overboard.) So is anyone experimenting with new techniques and whatever? I'm just messing with the dodge/burn and smudge tools, opacity, and layer masks. I'd post an example if I didn't enter it into the BC. 'Tis okay. I'm sure I'll stumble upon a secret stash of stock photos some day. XD Oh! Try flipping the canvas horizontally every once in a while when you're sketching. Sometimes uneven-ness isn't obvious until you mirror your image, and then you see that the picture doesn't look right from the other end. LOL! and then just go back and forth until both images look about right. I'm still messing around with markers on SAI, although eventually I want to be able to use the normal brushes, markers, water, and airbrushing all at once in the same piece. -ambitious- Also working on using less layers, as I'm so used to making a new layer for every layer of shading that it's getting ridiculous. XD It's also much easier to blend colors when you're working on the same layer. Oh, alright. I'll give it a shot. You shall get there someday, Zoey. You are already better than me at using different brushes. XD Yeah, I wouldn't suggest using a lot of layers for shading. A few are fine, like one for the head, one for the legs, one for the torso, one for the background (I just do a layer for a body and one for the background). I'm still new to layers, but I think I'm doing well with them.
|
|
|
Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jun 9, 2016 15:08:46 GMT -5
How do I not suck at drawing. Like, I'm really bad at observation and just general proportions. When I look at other people's drawings, they seem to have an attention to detail and form that I've always just . . . lacked. Everything I draw looks unexpressive and flat. ;_; I stink at proportions, too. And your art is great. (It is better than mine.) I really like it.
|
|
|
Post by Zoey on Jun 9, 2016 15:08:52 GMT -5
How do I not suck at drawing. Like, I'm really bad at observation and just general proportions. When I look at other people's drawings, they seem to have an attention to detail and form that I've always just . . . lacked. Everything I draw looks unexpressive and flat. ;_; DUDE JUST LOOK AT PAVLOV AND THE BISCUIT YOU DREW. And all of the other parody drawings. They're amazing! Develop your own style, man. I like looking at other people's art and thinking "omg how can I draw like that" and try imitating them, but tbh my tastes change too much. like in my teenage years it was animu, and then in college I was like NAHHH, LET'S DO WESTERN-STYLE ART but I can't do either so I've just got something in between now... LOL! attention to detail is something my parents say that I have that my little brother lacks. XD the trick is to not pay TOO much attention to detail, otherwise your drawings can go for like 40+ hours and not stop.
|
|
|
Post by PFA on Jun 9, 2016 15:38:45 GMT -5
Oh boy, an art thread!
My current artist problem is trying to draw a character with minimal references. These are all so dark, how are people doing this
(Also general encouragement to the budding artists in here. YOU CAN DO IT)
|
|
|
Post by Ginz ❤ on Jun 9, 2016 16:12:35 GMT -5
Ahhh, experimenting with new techniques is something I really want to do! I want to try a bunch of different things, but every time I draw a new picture, I get scared and just go back to my comfort zone of how I always do things. XD; I just need a bit more determination to challenge myself! Among the things I want to try are a lineless painterly style (digital), vector art, and for traditional art, watercolors. I don't do much traditional art at all, but I've been following some traditional artists on youtube, and their videos make me feel inspired to try.
Something else I would really like to try is one of those "Draw every day for a month" challenges. I've seen like, more open-ended ones that are just about drawing whatever, and some that have themes for each day... have you guys ever done any? I've tried before, but I haven't been able to commit and follow through >>; Would anyone be interested in doing one together? I feel like if we do it together we could motivate each other better! =D
|
|
|
Post by June Scarlet on Jun 9, 2016 17:16:03 GMT -5
Ah... anatomy. I actually gave up and ended up taking a figure drawing class. An entire semester of drawing people 3 hours twice a week in the drawing studio. It was hard, really hard, and I feel half the class was much better than me, I think I was right around the middle. But it did help a lot, even my simple cartoony figures look more... elegant, I guess would be the word. And I have a much better feel for how it's all supposed to look.
I don't really like using photo references, just because they take so long to find good ones. But I don't tend to draw detailed enough to need them desperately. I actually like just standing in front of the mirror with the pose I want to draw, and that's usually enough for me, and it's very fast and efficient. If it's more complicated, I can pull out my camera and take reference photos of myself, which always look very weird alongside my other photos. "What's with this bad photo of me swinging a ruler like a sword?"
I'm kind of on my own personal "Draw every day for a month" challenge. Only it's work on comics every day for the summer. Sort of a personal project, to see if I can pull off the sort of like I'd have to live if I became an author/illustrator like I want to. I've been recording how much time I work on stuff too, so I have an idea of how long it takes me to do things.
|
|
|
Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jun 9, 2016 17:58:05 GMT -5
I absolutely stink at drawing people. I'm working on it, I draw then quite a bit, but I rarely show them off because I'm like, "Nooo, that's ugly!" I think it's because of my style. You guys, or at least those who have seen my art, know it's simple and cute. I can't do realistic for my liiiife.
I do have a drawing of myself that I'm planning to show here. You shall judge for yourself.
|
|
|
Post by Zoey on Jun 9, 2016 18:59:07 GMT -5
Ginz ❤ - (for some reason the quote isn't working, so normal tag it is) Omg aren't lineless styles so pretty? I have a love-hate relationship with lineless, though. Like, it takes a heck of a long time, and sometimes I literally end up rage-quitting. LOL! I learned what vector art was after designing T-shirts for various clubs. If you need a free vector program, Inkscape is the most popular one, but I find it soooooo hard to use. I know it's based on mathematical vectors to preserve quality at any size (you can always increase or decrease a vector's magnitude), but the downside is that normal brush strokes are nonexistent. Q.Q Watercolors are so pretty, in both traditional and digital art! I've never totally gotten the hang of watercolors, but that's mostly because I didn't try hard enough. XD I love watching speed-paints on YouTube, too! And sketchbook flip-throughs. so inspiring! @.@ I've seen the challenges before, but never partook in one because I didn't want to commit. XD Also grad school is a huuuuuge time-sucker. But in the fall, if the rules are loose (like I can just do a quick sketch every day or something), I could take on one with you!
|
|
|
Post by Ginz ❤ on Jun 9, 2016 19:48:55 GMT -5
Ginz ❤ - (for some reason the quote isn't working, so normal tag it is) Omg aren't lineless styles so pretty? I have a love-hate relationship with lineless, though. Like, it takes a heck of a long time, and sometimes I literally end up rage-quitting. LOL! I learned what vector art was after designing T-shirts for various clubs. If you need a free vector program, Inkscape is the most popular one, but I find it soooooo hard to use. I know it's based on mathematical vectors to preserve quality at any size (you can always increase or decrease a vector's magnitude), but the downside is that normal brush strokes are nonexistent. Q.Q Watercolors are so pretty, in both traditional and digital art! I've never totally gotten the hang of watercolors, but that's mostly because I didn't try hard enough. XD I love watching speed-paints on YouTube, too! And sketchbook flip-throughs. so inspiring! @.@ I've seen the challenges before, but never partook in one because I didn't want to commit. XD Also grad school is a huuuuuge time-sucker. But in the fall, if the rules are loose (like I can just do a quick sketch every day or something), I could take on one with you! Huh, that's so weird that quoting wasn't working - I'm glad we have the tag feature! XD But ahhh, yes, I find lineless styles so beautiful! I imagine they must be really time consuming, though, and I think that's part of what makes me hesitant to try, because I'm already very slow in my usual style, so I can't imagine how long lineless would take me! XD;; But I guess as long as I'm enjoying the process, it'd be worth it! Ah, thanks for telling me about that free vector program! I actually have Adobe Illustrator, because I went to design school for university, and I got the Adobe Creative Suite back then. But it's nice to know there is a free alternative! That could also be helpful if anyone else wants to try! I'm pretty familiar with vectors, but I've only used them for graphic design projects and things like that. I've never actually done vector art/illustration beyond very simple things, so I think it'd be nice to try! Ahh, good luck with grad school! Fall sounds good to me, but I guess we can wait and see how things work out!
|
|