I want to learn how to draw better ._.

• Piero wrote on 2012-04-15 04:53
  I've been really interested in drawing for about 4 years now but I:
  - Don't really draw much
  - Don't draw much due to the fact that I feel like I suck and due to THAT I've made no progress.
  
  I usually like to draw people, but I can't draw much (or anything lul) below the shoulders, and looking at some of the art posted here and on DA, it makes my "drawings" look like crap in comparison. Any tips on learning how to draw better?
  I'd also like to learn how to color, but I need to learn how to draw better before that.
• Strawberry wrote on 2012-04-15 05:04
  Nobody sucks at something, you just gotta practice to be. You also need to be willing to try as well. If you don't have confidence in your art so much, you could always still post it and ask for advice on things. I mean, I'd rather have constructive criticism rather than a compliment instead actually, because then I feel like I can keep on having more and more challenges. And that's just a part of more practice. 8)
  
  I think that drawing is more of a practice thing rather than a magical talent that people are ever born with, like some people seem to believe. >>
  
  Also have to be accepting of your own style. If you really like your own style, keep progressing on it -- Some people may think they are really bad at drawing, but they just need to accept their own style and stop comparing it to what they think of others as good art. D:
  
  Templates are pretty nice if you don't feel confident in certain places. They really help you learn. Once you've done something by experience, then you're more than likely to have remembered how to do it. x]
• Sekwaf wrote on 2012-04-15 05:05
  I don't really draw people myself, but I've heard a good understanding of anatomy should help. So do some studying if you're not strong in the field I'd say. Also...I don't know, practice? I've become decent just by always drawing during my math class. I also look forward to hearing some coloring tips. As much as I like my pencil sketches, I 'd like to color the concept art for a game I'm attempting to make.
• Shanghai wrote on 2012-04-15 19:58
  Confidence is always good in most things, this is especially true for art. Most artists always think that their drawings/art suck compared to another's, but you shouldn't think that way all the time. But, practicing a lot more and just drawing things over and over will make you better. Look up templates and tutorials for anatomical stuff, and work from there by toning it to a certain style (anime, realism, etc.). I don't know anything about coloring since I honestly don't know how to color too.
  
  EDIT: This site has pretty good tutorials even though it's an anime/manga art site. It shows how realism is turned into anime sort of.
  
  http://www.howtodrawmanga.com/howtodraw/tutorials.html
• Bakuryu wrote on 2012-04-15 21:18
  Get loomis books
  http://alexhays.com/loomis/
  
  Also Bridgman's and Vilppu are awesome.
  
  Also, you can't learn to draw if you don't use references, like Picasso said "To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic". You can't draw something if you don't know what it looks like, to draw from imagination requires a big deal of practice, what is called a "mental library" among artists, which includes everything you have ever seen and analyzed, and your muscle memory. I don't recommend you learn from manga style, draw manga if you want, but when doing studies draw realism, and then learn to apply that to your preferred style.
  Here's two must-read threads in CA: here and Here.
  Also, drawing the figure is one of the hardest things in art, at least for realism, it is a process that takes years. Never be afraid to practice the basics, draw and render boxes, spheres, cylinders. Every object in the world is made of these simple shapes, Vilppu and Bridgman have really me helped see that and allowed me to improve a good deal on my studies, so I recommend their stuff.
  
  But most important above all:
  Stop worrying, stop coming up with excuses, and just draw, draw and draw.
• ShadowFox31 wrote on 2012-04-16 08:24
  Here's a comparision of what my drawings looked like in high school and now. I spent about 20 ish minutes on the current one.
  [SPOILER="Spoiler"]

  [Image: http://gyazo.com/989f8d9076110b037729172a3a3c4e15.png]

  
  

  [Image: http://gyazo.com/319588b3abd64a8a3fc482b4cfe44d0c.png]

  [/SPOILER]
  
  
  Just keep drawing man, Dont be so discouraged! most of my friends were artists so anything I drew was like, 10 x worse then theirs. you just need to draw for yourself!
  
  Also, copy copy copy! imitate then innovate! trust me, even when I have trouble with postures, I've gone to elena and Otto for help.
• TA wrote on 2012-04-16 11:00
  Look at anatomy so you understand where the muscles are and why, and how the proportions should be and why.
  
  After that, the rest should fall into place. You can make heavy use of references for positions and shapes and such until you get comfortable with it yourself, but you gotta start somewhere.
  
  Also: The less detail you put into drawings, the more forgiving they will be.
• rzetlin wrote on 2012-04-16 14:50
  I am in the same boat as you are - learning how to draw better.
  
  Drawing requires practice just like playing a piano.
  
  Here some books I recommend:
  
  

  
  
  • You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less - Good beginners book - takes you step-by-step on how to draw from basic to complex shapes.
    
  • Figure It Out!: The Beginner's Guide to Drawing People - This is the easiest book I found on drawing the human figure.
    
  • How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way Another good figure book with some information on action poses.
    
• Tiiria wrote on 2012-04-17 14:25
  Observation is everything. Stare at people. Don't be afraid to be a creeper. Helps me. :3
  (Or stare at yourself in the mirror.)
  Look at all the proportions. Trace with the eye.
  Try to do blind contours. They look like crap, but they're great exercises.
• KetoAndApplez wrote on 2012-04-18 00:14
  Learn
  1. the human anatomy
  2. proportions
  3. perspectives
  4. colouring and shading
  All in order :3
  
  Edit: Drawing at night where imagination kicks in somewhat helps :3
• Hannah's Lover wrote on 2012-04-18 02:08

  Quote from Bakuryu;839282:

  Get loomis books
  http://alexhays.com/loomis/
  
  Also Bridgman's and Vilppu are awesome.
  
  Also, you can't learn to draw if you don't use references, like Picasso said "To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic". You can't draw something if you don't know what it looks like, to draw from imagination requires a big deal of practice, what is called a "mental library" among artists, which includes everything you have ever seen and analyzed, and your muscle memory. I don't recommend you learn from manga style, draw manga if you want, but when doing studies draw realism, and then learn to apply that to your preferred style.
  Here's two must-read threads in CA: here and Here.
  Also, drawing the figure is one of the hardest things in art, at least for realism, it is a process that takes years. Never be afraid to practice the basics, draw and render boxes, spheres, cylinders. Every object in the world is made of these simple shapes, Vilppu and Bridgman have really me helped see that and allowed me to improve a good deal on my studies, so I recommend their stuff.
  
  But most important above all:
  Stop worrying, stop coming up with excuses, and just draw, draw and draw.

  
  This is how I'm starting
  I look at a picture and see how well I can copy it
  though, I prefer cartoons > people
  I learn different techniques that way, besides, it's fun, and a challenge.
  
  

  [Image: http://puu.sh/qajy]
• ＣＩＲＮＯ wrote on 2012-04-18 06:23
  I know it's hard to believe.
  
  But I was a realism artist. I used to draw realism before I hopped onto the manga bandwagon.
  
  
  It helps, greatly.
• Hannah's Lover wrote on 2012-04-18 18:20
  I like cartoons more because the don't have the be anatomically correct
  they can have a square head and a triangle body for all anyone cares
  you can't do that on people because then, well, they're no longer people.
• User495 wrote on 2012-04-22 13:32

  Quote from Tiiria;840669:

  Observation is everything. Stare at people. Don't be afraid to be a creeper. Helps me. :3
  (Or stare at yourself in the mirror.)
  Look at all the proportions. Trace with the eye.
  Try to do blind contours. They look like crap, but they're great exercises.

  
  
  or don't be a creeper, and just draw with photos
  
  

  Quote from KetoAndApplez;841179:

  Learn
  1. the human anatomy
  2. proportions
  3. perspectives
  4. colouring and shading
  All in order :3
  
  Edit: Drawing at night where imagination kicks in somewhat helps :3

  
  
  well damn, I must've skipped 1 when I started, that doesn't seem good
  
  

  Quote from ＣＩＲＮＯ;841502:

  I know it's hard to believe.
  
  But I was a realism artist. I used to draw realism before I hopped onto the manga bandwagon.
  
  
  It helps, greatly.

  
  
  this makes alot of sense considering "realism" is alot more detailed, the transition would've been pretty smooth
  
  anywho, practice would be the only way to improve, I'm still pretty shitty myself, but I know I'll get better if I just continue to do my thing, sometimes I incorporate little tiny things I notice in other people's art into mine, and it ends up improving it cause of that
• Bakuryu wrote on 2012-04-22 14:08

  Quote from Seviraph;845321:

  or don't be a creeper, and just draw with photos

  
  Nothing beats drawing from life.
  When drawing from life you make the translation from 3D to 2D, a photo has already done that for you. Lighting is also often an issue with photos.
  But of course, photos are better than nothing, but you need to know how to use them, do not copy, analyze them, Vilppu really makes that point clear and shows you how to do it properly, there's also this good thread over at CA about using photo reference:
  http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=130468
  
  And here's a couple of sites for good photo references with good poses and taken from professional photographers, so good lighting.
  http://www.lovecastle.org/draw/
  http://www.pixelovely.com/gesture/figuredrawing.php