I'm not really sure what direction I'm going with this. Currently, I'm going through Andrew Loomis's Figure Drawing for All It's Worth and learning skeletal anatomy by looking at this online skeletal model called Kineman (kineman.com). I think that looking at a real skeleton is the best way to do it, but I think using this website is the next best thing.
Please give me some constructive criticism on how I can improve as an artist.
Thank you.
~Wing
Loomis is one of the universally recommended texts for self teaching figure drawing so it's a smart move you've made by studying him.
One thing I've noticed with your figures is that you are attaching your arms a little bit too low down on the torso - maybe try attaching them a bit higher up.
Good luck and keep going :)
“Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.” -- H. Jackson Brown Jr.
@Artloader - Thank you for the feedback! I do agree that the arms should be drawn higher. It's probably because I draw the shoulders too low.
@Piotr Jasielski - Thank you for the feedback! While I didn't have time to look at drawabox.com yesterday (hence why I didn't upload yesterday), I did get the time to look at it today. I have studied linear perspective before, so there wasn't anything on there that was particularly new in terms of drawing boxes in perspective. However, I have noticed that my freehand boxes look weird, so I've decided to do drawabox's 250 boxes exercise.
Also, I resized the images to about 60% of their scanned size using MS Paint. Please tell me if this is better or not.
I like drawing in my sketchbook, but I feel like I need some kind of art project to do. I'm kind of stuck on ideas though. I don't even know where to start because I feel like I'm not good enough to even do an art project that I would even want to do.
I feel like I'm studying anatomy the wrong way. I don't know why. Maybe it's because there's not much progress.
Then again, I'm not very far into my anatomy studies in the first place, so it might just be me.
Also, today I came up with a project: to create a profile picture for CD. I gave myself one day. I don't think it's that great, but I will change it over time and make a better one later when I actually have to skills to do so.
Brainstorming and stuff:
It's great seeing you consistently updating! Just a quick tip on the boxes:
Quote:I feel like I'm studying anatomy the wrong way. I don't know why. Maybe it's because there's not much progress.
I have to reiterate what Artloader has said. Loomis! That book is helpful to get your anatomy proportions right, get into the workings of the skeletal system and other what have yous.
Your mannequin approach messes up your proportions. The head's kinda big, feet and hands too small and etc.. And, not that I'm discouraging you to get dynamic on your poses, but I believe it would help if you start with a simple pose (like a standing pose) and get good at that first. Probably a good thing to study Loomis' structure in doing anatomy. Copying his illustrations is swell, but always be mindful that it's not simply copying, but studying how he constructs the body with lines. Hammer down those proportions!
I know it's very testing, especially now you're just starting out. But anything worth doing cost patience!
If you are reading this, I most likely just gave you a crappy crit! What I'm basically trying to say is, don't give up! ---- IG: @thatpuddinhead
Thanks for spotting that error with my box drawings. I think it's because, even if I know how linear perspective works and everything, I messed something up when I drew these freehand. I guess I'll stop drawing boxes freehand and actually use a ruler and get over the fact that it "feels like cheating" or some other excuse I come up with to not use a ruler.
Also, with the mannequin thing...that was from Loomis. I was really confused when you recommended Loomis and also noted that my mannequin approach is wrong because the mannequin thing is from Loomis (it's in the early pages of Figure Drawing for All It's Worth) - both the mannequin frame and the bulky mannequin (it's the simpler of the two mannequin w/ bulk that he draws).
I guess this means that, even though I'm studying Loomis, I'm studying him wrong. Specifically, as you noted, my proportions are wrong.
But then Loomis writes in his book that focusing on making poses dynamic is more important that making the figure accurate (at least, at first) because "a vital expression is more important here than accuracy" (41).
I hope this does not sound like I'm arguing. I'm just really confused as to what to do now in terms of studying the human figure because two people are telling me two different things.
Also, when I look at Loomis's anatomy drawings, I don't know how to interpret it. As in, I see the lines, but I don't follow as to how they represent the 3D form, per se. The drawings feel flat to me or something.
Because of that, I decided not to draw stuff related to the figure today. I think I need a day or two to figure out what to do and what to change with my daily drawing routine.
I read through John's post, and it made me think:
Maybe I rushed through my Loomis book too fast.
I have gone through the book before the dates posted here, but most of those drawings were more focused on me drawing every day being the goal. I think I may have started rushing and lost the stuff before the Loomis mannequin.
So I tried drawing the male proportion drawing in the beginning of the book. And it sucks.
So here's what I'll do: I'll start the book over again.
The only problem with this is that I don't know how fast or slow I should go through the book anymore. I thought the pace that I was going was fairly slow, but I guess it was too fast for me to absorb anything. I think I need a lot of help with that from CD, because I clearly can't control my pace.
Also, the second drawing page of a box is me trying to draw a level box and then draw a tipped version of it. Then I realized that I don't really know how to tip boxes besides drawing it freehand (which I want to avoid right now). It's why the top half of that page looks kind of empty.
And now I'm not sure if I'm even ready to study Loomis anymore. Because...well, I think my fundamentals suck too much to understand Loomis.
Maybe that's why I'm having so much trouble with his book.
For now, I'm going to drop the book and come back to it in a year or two. I think I should do more...basic things (like perspective). I guess doing the drawabox.com exercises wouldn't hurt (like Piotr recommended).
As a side project, I might come up with a new drawing/design for my icon. Might help me with forms and lines and whatnot.
I feel like I've learned a lot from this forum...even if my drawing abilities aren't going anywhere.
Woah, woah, I think you're being a little hard on yourself there. I agree that fundamental skills in any field have their most basics and a very good understanding of the most basic fundamentals allow you to build upon your craft much easier than fumbling around in the darkness. You haven't been drawing for a long time; do not rush the process, try to enjoy it as much as possible. Making the process of getting better enjoyable will make it much easier to stick, and when that love for the craft is built then your ability to stick to studying the driest of fundamentals will be much easier. Just take the time right now to enjoy the process, and don't sweat it too much. Unless you have robotic discipline, of course. A great way to find where your problems lie is primarily in application.
Pick something you want to learn, develop a method that will allow you to practice that skill as exclusively as possible, then practice. For something like accuracy the solution is rather obvious, via focusing solely on some sort of increasing difficulty grid method focusing solely on copying the contour of subjects of increasing difficulty before moving to life and doing the same accordingly. Those fundamentals that can be easily studied like above should keep you occupied for a long while. These would be (off the top of my head) accuracy, value, form intersection (you can check using 3d software), perspective, construction (to an extent) and form (to an extent, as cross contours can be applied to a still life on your desk with a pen or marker but this would be much harder with other subjects such as environments). I'm sure there's much more than my newbie mind is forgetting. The most important thing is to find fun within the process, and study things that you wouldn't mind looking at for a long time. If you do not it'll be very easy to burn out, and that's no fun for anyone.
Especially if this is not a life or death career move, take your time and enjoy the process. Give yourself projects or goals and try your best to follow up on them. Also, try not to associate yourself mentally with your work. The way I like to think about it is that you do not lack anything, but the work you're producing does. When you fail, the shortcomings are not tied to your character but almost an alternate persona that you associate with your work, and nothing more. To satisfy that part of your brain that wants the satisfaction of progress, increment your practice pass/fail check so that you can achieve it enough to be happy and encouraged to continue.
This is just my two cents, the ramblings of another beginner. If anyone sees anything wrong with this, please correct.
Good luck and don't stop!
Wing dude - you've got a great attitude to learning - going back and analysing your studies - that should help you improve fast so don't be discouraged.
I think you said it yourself - you're rushing your Loomis studies. Focus on each stage practicing the same study again and again until you feel confident that you can do it from memory. Check out this link from Sycra about Iterative Learning:
Those boxes in perspective are looking way cool by the way - good job :).
I'm doing drawabox.com training as well so you won't be alone in that - in fact there's a handful of people doing it so keep checking the other sketchbooks to see how others are getting on with it.
Keep up the hard work - it'll pay off in the end :)
“Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.” -- H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Hey Wing!
Just half a year ago I was struggling with the same thing as you. I was given a Loomis figure drawing book then and had a tough start with it. Here is what I figured out:
- I did tens of quick sketches of those easiest manneqiun poses, basicaly a whole a4 for every single pose (as with those in attachement). I haven't precisely measured all of them, I made simple lines, but aimed at balanced poses rather than perfectly proportional. I think it is cruicial, because thinking about balace will make it easier to capture mass later. Also, by copying these poses so many times, they started to stick to my memory and I had at least a few not that stiff poses in my mind.
- Don't get discouraged when working with those later mannequins. Loomis used all his knowledge about anatomy drawing them, yours won't look so awesome.
- You can practice using these mannequins doing gesture drawings - these can be extremely fun to do. It won't be a gesture drawing practice per se, cause perfect flow of the figure, line of action etc. is IMO less important when you start. Putting large masses in places and feeling the balance is the thing. Search in google for "gesture drawing references", there are a bunch of online apps to practice 'em.
- Don't fall into 'study only' trap. Use your new knowledge in some joyful way. Studying can be a real energy sucker, do some funny personal stuff (if you struggle with ideas, random character generator or sth alike may help)
I am just one step ahead so these may be not The Best Advices. I don't know if it helps, hope it at least won't make you stupider :) Keep working hard dude!
@Pax - Yeah, I think that's my problem so far: I never learned to enjoy the process and just tried to rush through things. Hopefully, I learn to enjoy it by going slowly and actually immersing myself in it instead of going like, "Okay, I kind of know this in theory, so let's move on," when I learn something.
@Artloader - Thanks for the video about iterative learning! I've watched a few videos from Sycra (mostly from trying to learn by passively listening rather than actually practicing the knowledge on a serious level), but looks like I missed this one. I've bookmarked it.
@Karol Bąk - I'm avoiding any kind of gesture/balance/movement-related things for now because I don't think I can really grasp those right now; however, I'll consider your advice when I think I'm ready in the future. Also, I think I've already started to fall into the "study-only" trap, so I'm going to try to get out of that.
~Wing
Today's drawings:
Drawabox's exercises
Loomis - proportion study (I've tried to simplify the figure so that I'm not so caught up in anatomical markings that I don't understand)
Side project - I'm going to redesign my icon. When I designed it before, it felt rushed. Also, I don't completely like the way it is right now. For now, here's some brainstorming.
I did some more drawabox.com exercises and also tested to see how much I remembered from yesterday and whether said remembered proportions are accurate. Correction/notes are in pen.
No side project work today. I took an unexpected 3 hour nap. (Note to self: Don't lie on the bed if you're not going to go to sleep.)
I got tired of constantly sharpening my pencil to do line exercises, so I decided to try it with pen instead today. Also, I did it on lined paper because the straight lines are already there, so I don't have to spend time making lines.
Also, I don't think drawing 20 of those proportions (like I did 2 days ago) is a good idea right now. I started feeling the burnout from it today, so, until I'm more used to it, I'll just draw it once a day and increase the number of times I draw it every few days/weeks or so. I'll have to see on this one.
Another thing: I don't really know how to test whether I know the proportions by heart. As in, I don't know when I can say, "I know the ideal proportions of a human like a back of my hand." I feel like this is something I could say right now, but moving on to the next thing (which would be to try to place said proportioned human in perspective) right now might be too fast. Also, I don't trust my personal judgement completely right now.
Also, I did some more brainstorming for my side project. I think I found one I like (bottom right, has slightly darker lines). I might try drawing iteratives of it or something like that tomorrow just to experiment.
