Amine2

Thank you!

Great, I see you've gotten a better handle of either exercise, as well as ghosting. I think you're set for the next lessons, but first, the 250 Box Challenge will teach how to more correctly draw boxes in perspective and solidify what you've learned so far. Good luck!

Hello there Marym! Congratulations on coming so far. Here's my critique:

Starting with your organic forms, I have nothing to say really. Sometimes your forms stray a bit from their center lines (more of an issue of space I'm guessing) but it's really minor.

As for constructions, here are my observations:

• Some of your spheres or egg-shapes look a bit deformed which undermines their 3D quality - in this drawing for example. The ellipses for the head, thorax and abdomen look as if they're pinched on one point - neither circle nor oval. My advice is to practice ellipses some more. If the form you want to draw looks like an ellipse somewhat but is stretched from one side, I'd advise to start with an ellipse and build an additional form on top.

• In this drawing specifically, the the edges of the scales look like they aren't turning enough when they meet the silhouette, and that the silhouette itself isn't broken enough by each scale (I don't have your reference but looking at similar insects, the silhouette looks more pronounced).

• In some drawings (specifically the two last ones) you drew the antennae as circles snug in a line instead of a series of forms that wrap on top of one another and that have a precise silhouette, on top of a sausage form. No matter how small, you should draw everything as 3D forms that interact with each other.

• Some of your lines are repeated (outside of lines meant to convey line weight) and this is discouraged in general - if you miss the mark, just move on.

That's all you have to keep in mind. I think you're ready to jump into Lesson 5. Good luck!

Hello! Props for completing Lesson 3 and getting this far. A few points:

Organic arrows

Very nice flow and mostly smooth lines, but the way you add line weight to some of your lines is a bit off. It looks rough and careful when it should be confident and drawn from the shoulder, just like any other line. Sometimes you'll put the shadows in the wrong side, but it's rare.

Leaves

Again good flow that highlights the organic feel of each leaf. Though your textures here (and occasionally in the plant constructions) are more in the form of lines rather than shapes, like described in Lesson 2 - I'd avoid that.

Branches

Only issue is you avoided giving your ellipses varying degrees to describe how they turn in 3D space like Uncomfortable recommended. But otherwise you're good. Eventually with practice your branches will feel more homogeneous and consistent.

Plant construction

Just a few points:

• Your spheres for the orange and apples are askew, deformed. I think you could use some practice drawing circles.

• It sometimes looks like you're avoiding wrapping your leaves over themselves, even when it looks like they should. I don't know your reference though so I could be off the mark.

• Same observations as before concerning line weight and texture.

Other than that, I'd say you did a good job, and that you're reading for next lesson. Get ready to draw some bugs! Good luck!

Hello and welcome to Drawabox! I hope you're ready for what's coming next and you'll have no trouble reaching the finish line. Here's my critique for each section:

Lines section

Some of your lines may miss their mark this early on, but that will improve with practice. They're smooth and confident, and that's what's most important right now; I'd say you did an excellent job.

Ellipses section

You're drawing through your ellipses and they're consistently hitting their boundaries. As you improve, you'll want to start drawing through your ellipses only twice, and hopefully only once, eventually.

Boxes section

You've done a great job with these as well, especially considering they give a lot of trouble to beginners. Your rotated boxes, though one half is slightly stretched compared to the other, show a great understanding of how boxes turn in 3D space. Some of your boxes in organic perspective are flawed, but again, this is to be expected this early on: that's what the next lessons will be for. The main thing I have to point out, however, is that sometimes you'll go through the same line more than once if you don't nail it in the first go. Avoid that going forward: if you mess a line up, just move on to the next.

Overall I think you're more than ready for the next lessons. Remember that you're meant to complete them with a black 0.5 fineliner, so I'd advise stocking up on those. Don't forget your warmups, and good luck with the 250 Box Challenge!

Hi, welcome to Drawabox! I hope you have a great time following this course and that you'll eventually reach the finish line. Here's my critique for each section:

Lines

First things first, your lines are, more often than not, confident and straight. Some a bit wobbly, others are arched, but overall you're in the right track. My advice is to simply keep practicing and to make sure you are using your shoulder for every line. Other than that, in your superimposed lines, often they're fraying on both sides of each group of lines. You should focus more on the starting line and make sure you start on it every time - and you'll be eventually hitting your end points consistently with practice.

Ellipses

Well done with these too. Your ellipses are not always snug together, and some are deformed, but it's a good start. Two things:

• Draw through each ellipse no more than 3 times (twice is ideal). As it is now it's very messy and redundant

• Funnels exercise: Your ellipses are often slanted at an angle from the center line. Remember, the center line should divide each ellipse into two mirrored, identical halves.

Boxes

It's in this section that you're having most trouble.

Plotted Perspective and Rough Perspective: In either exercise, lines that are meant to be perfectly horizontal or perfectly vertical are often not, which makes for deformed boxes

Rotated Boxes: The main thing is your lines here are exactly how they shouldn't be and how you successfully avoided drawing them in the earlier exercise. They're very rough, repetitive and hesitant, when they should be drawn following the ghosting method you've been using so far. Remember, NEVER repeat a line, no matter how unsuccessful it may be. The other thing is that your boxes are clearly not rotating (with their segments extending to a VP), except for a few. They should create a sort of circle instead of a square just like here. I advise you read through the explanation for this exercise again. Here's a guide that might help you.

Organic Perspective: Rough lines crop up again here (remember, all your lines whether straight or curved should always be smooth); but you're fine other than that. The perspectives in some boxes is wrong, but that's what the next lessons are meant to fix.

I think that you understand most of what this lesson asks you to do, other than a few trappings in the last sections. Before moving on you'll have to redo one page of Rotated Boxes and one of Organic Perspective. Rewatch the video demos and reread the lessons for things you might have missed, and use the ghosting method for every line. Don't worry, this is just a small setback, after you'll hopefully be ready for what's next.

Hello there. Great job on finishing Lesson 4 and getting this far. Here's my little review of your work:

Starting with your organic forms, nothing to say really, pretty much immaculate. A few are off-kilter with the center line but that's very minor.

Your insect constructions are also very good. It's clear you understand all the elements of the assignment and your forms are solid, interactive with one another (forms that wrap around the initial masses and create a strong silhouette) and clearly belong in the same space (no contradictions in terms of perspective or collisions). I was going to mention that in your first subject (the scorpion) that you omitted the wrapping lines between two sausage forms but you eventually started adding them in the following ones. I have to mention that the line weight you're adding at the end looks often a bit hesitant and stiff and at times even chicken-scratchy (when they should be smooth and drawn with the shoulder).

One last thing (though it's really minor) is that at least 4 of your drawings should be purely constructional - no texture and detail, and that also means no shadows or additional line weight (AFAIK). In the next lesson I advise you leave some of your drawings detail-free as described in the homework section.

All in all I'd say you did brilliantly in this lesson - you're ready to move on.

Thank you so much for critiquing my assignment and pointing out what didn't work. I'll definitely keep rereading this and I'll try to focus more in the next lessons.

Great, this is looking much better. I'll go ahead and mark this homework as complete.

Do keep in mind to take as much time as you need with the next assignments, and good luck.

Great! You're getting a hang on drawing lines and with that I'll be marking this lesson as complete. Next step: the 250 Box challenge. Good luck!