Shon, Learning Artist. (advice needed)

• Herro wrote on 2011-06-30 20:06
  Alright, this is for a friend of mine named Shon. She has been drawing for 4 years and had recently found herself in a stump. She believes she has not improved much in the last three months. So in an effort to help her through this I have decided to write out this post.
  
  I need advice from artists (through if you don't understand art well and just want to look, your views are greatly wanted) about ways she can improve on her art. Any advice, tutorials, or just a word of encouragement is greatly appreciated.
  
  Her Art Dump can be found here.
  
  Her DA account can be found here.
  
  Thank you for taking the time to read this post and all. -exits stage right-
• Loret wrote on 2011-06-30 20:49
  I honestly think as long as you're drawing something (careless scribbles do not count), then you will improve. Even if for an entire week you're drawing nothing but eyes, it will help. When I first started drawing around grade 3, I sat down by my bedside and drew one thing every day. Granted, the quality wasn't exactly top grade, and the paper wasted could probably make David Suzuki cry, but I digress. If she is persistent and diligent in her practice, there will be progress. Obviously she won't be able to see it right away, even in a few months.
  
  If she wants some help improving, here's a good website: http://www.posemaniacs.com/
  There you can do things like gesture drawing, negative space, etc. It helps a lot with anatomy and dynamic poses. Another suggestion I have, although not thoroughly proven, is to jump out of your comfort zone. Try something new and fresh like perspective, or animals, or landscape. So far I can see she's done sweets, girls and that strange mr.giggles. I'm sure that's not all she's done in those 4 years, but some variety would be good.
  
  Also, it would be helpful to pay close attention while drawing. If you make a line that suddenly improves the whole picture, take a moment to contemplate what you did to make it better. Once you figure that out, mentally file it away for future reference. Same goes for the opposite. If you there's something about your drawing that puts you off, but you can't quite put your finger on it, figure it out. That way you'll know what to and not to do. It's helpful to do this with other people's work too. Take the time to observe pictures that catch your eye if you're ever browsing deviantart. Ask yourself: What is it about the picture that's so special? The lines? The colour? etc ...
  
  Oh~ and as a last note: Try reading the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". Very good stuff.
• Adelynn wrote on 2011-07-01 04:09
  Remind me to post here tomorrow, please.
  
  EDIT: Technically tomorrow and I'm up anyway.
  
  I am, regrettably, a bit lazy when it comes to drawing, so when I do feel motivated, I try to do repeated drawings, even if it's just a small part of the body. I've learned a lot about how I like my style to look based on trial an error. The important thing is to try.
  
  Think about why you like something you did, or why you don't, and how you think you can improve. Even the pros in the industry get the feeling that there are things they can still improve on (and other people will tell them so, too).
  
  Also, take inspiration where you can find it, even if the art isn't necessarily the style you're going for. I often get inspiration from photographs. I particularly love them for the colors. However, I've seen some amazing black and white photographs of buildings that absolutely blow my mind. Being open-minded is key.
• Mama wrote on 2011-07-01 22:32
  draw, draw, draw. And then draw some more. There really isn't much else to it, the point is to draw what makes you happy.
  Go to posemaniacs and do the 30 second exercise. Draw still life.
  
  your friend shouldn't judge her worth based on how much she's improving, she should be drawing because she enjoys it and as a way to express herself.
• TA wrote on 2011-07-02 09:09
  Studying anatomy and how shadows are cast might help.
• Saffielia wrote on 2011-07-04 03:09

  Quote from Mama;497021:

  draw, draw, draw. And then draw some more. There really isn't much else to it, the point is to draw what makes you happy.
  Go to posemaniacs and do the 30 second exercise. Draw still life.
  
  your friend shouldn't judge her worth based on how much she's improving, she should be drawing because she enjoys it and as a way to express herself.

  
  
  
  Tlly. (The Loli Loves you)