12-19-2015, 11:44 AM
Hey Markus, thanks for dropping by my sketchbook :)
You were asking for advice and so obviously it would be more appropriate to post in your sketchbook. I'll try to keep it brief and to the point. I know you asked about color but as you'll learn, drawing and painting are very closely related.
Especially for beginners one of the big things you want to work on is using your entire arm/elbow when drawing. So I wouldn't jump unto using tablets yet. Just stick with a sketchbook. Think about trying to capture the shape of the object that you're drawing in the fewest amount of lines. Draw and examine from life. Even if you aren't drawing, just always try to be aware and pay attention to the world around you.
Get used to squinting a lot and just simplify things into major forms. Try to avoid the whole tiny scratchy lines thing. Part of it is a confidence thing, as you draw more, your lines will less scratchy and more bold, but there's nothing to say you can't try it now. I would take a look some of Michael Hampton's gesture drawings to get a sense of what I'm talking about.
Secondly, and this will help when you jump into light/color, is developing a sense of form. You're doing it a bit with the skull/head constructions but take it further and apply it to everything. Draw a lot boxes/cylinders/etc floating in 3d space. This means having at least a very basic understanding of perspective (1 and 2 point perspective). Don't just try to draw by eyeballing things, but try to understand the underlying forms that make up that object. Studying guys like Loomis and Bridgeman are great for this.
That's probably enough for now, when I have some time I'll post up some resources/videos you can check out.
You were asking for advice and so obviously it would be more appropriate to post in your sketchbook. I'll try to keep it brief and to the point. I know you asked about color but as you'll learn, drawing and painting are very closely related.
Especially for beginners one of the big things you want to work on is using your entire arm/elbow when drawing. So I wouldn't jump unto using tablets yet. Just stick with a sketchbook. Think about trying to capture the shape of the object that you're drawing in the fewest amount of lines. Draw and examine from life. Even if you aren't drawing, just always try to be aware and pay attention to the world around you.
Get used to squinting a lot and just simplify things into major forms. Try to avoid the whole tiny scratchy lines thing. Part of it is a confidence thing, as you draw more, your lines will less scratchy and more bold, but there's nothing to say you can't try it now. I would take a look some of Michael Hampton's gesture drawings to get a sense of what I'm talking about.
Secondly, and this will help when you jump into light/color, is developing a sense of form. You're doing it a bit with the skull/head constructions but take it further and apply it to everything. Draw a lot boxes/cylinders/etc floating in 3d space. This means having at least a very basic understanding of perspective (1 and 2 point perspective). Don't just try to draw by eyeballing things, but try to understand the underlying forms that make up that object. Studying guys like Loomis and Bridgeman are great for this.
That's probably enough for now, when I have some time I'll post up some resources/videos you can check out.