Liska

There's nothing wrong with just keeping things in line with the reference image for now. I do however want to note one thing about your own phrasing - you don't need to worry about getting the same exact angle. There's no points off if your angle's a little off.

Just remember that we're not reproducing the reference image precisely as it is. We're using the reference image as a source of information, and using that information to construct a similar object on the page.

I tended to focus on 3d shapes only in this exercise although I did add what was considered too much detail or black fill in a couple.

My view is to focus on consistent pen weight for as long as possible. Only use extra where it helps with a potentially confusing situation that it will help clarify. Such as ensuring one of two crossing legs is in front of the other.

Spines, antennae etc are all 3d shapes in space so they are construction not detail. You could have one long, thin tube for an antenna and then add segmentation around. That is fine.

If you see clear cast shadows then you can use them but I think clear construction is more important.

I will have a go and this is just an opinion.

What you are starting with is a generic sausage shape with a centre line. What you are doing with the ellipses is pushing your interpretation of how that sausage is in 3d on to it. This will depend on whether you see it as receding, advancing or changing direction from your perspective. The same sausage could be interpreted different ways. So it's not a logic exercise, you are choosing how you wish it to look and to give it a convincing 3d form. I tend to stare at the form to see if I can intuit a certain 3d shape from it. If I stare long enough a shape always starts to suggest itself.

Hope this helps.

Getting critique may be more difficult ( as previously noted ) but if that's all you have then don't let that stop you doing the exercises. Follow the guidance though ie don't erase or correct. Treat it as if it was ink.

This reminds me of a Japanese teacher on Youtube's mantra. Say what you can say, not what you want to say. This means that you can only communicate at the level you speak in Japanese, not with how you communicate in your native language. You have to get comfortable with that fact.

Same with drawing. You can only draw to the level that your current skill level allows, not what you imagine in your head. Once you accept this you stop worrying and fantasising and get on with the work. This make progress much easier because you reduce resistance and expectation.

Not sure if this helps, but it is what I thought of.

Remember that drawing isn't a race. You can try jam packing your schedule with all sorts of things, but you'll get burnt out if you do too much too fast. Not every aspect is going to take the same amount of time to hammer into your brain. I sure learned that the hard way.

Structure is a good thing. I have a Word document that details my goals for art and the things I want to learn. However, I don't have a set schedule of when I should learn those things. What I do is give each exercise my complete focus when I can, making sure to do it to the best of my ability. When I am finished with said task, I move on to the next, again, when I can.

Of course, just because I finished doing an exercise doesn't mean I'm a master at it. I might warm up by retrying to do parts of the exercise again, or apply my knowledge to something I'm doing outside of study. Keep doing this for years and you're gonna learn a lot. I think this is the best approach to learning art.

Take a look at what you want to accomplish and start somewhere. For Drawabox, Lesson 0 is where you start. Go from there, and in the advancing lessons take each exercise as it comes, doing your best with each one. Make sure to get feedback from people as you complete the lessons.

Just keep moving forward with your learning, regardless of the outcome. Hopefully you found this helpful.

Seems imgur.com is the preferred and I use it. Can't say I find it particularly user friendly but it does make submitted homework easier to view.

Some people are really good at remembering visually some aren't. There probably are terms for that but it's really just that people have dominant senses or ways of thinking.

Try visualising onto the paper rather than in your head may be one option to help improve.

You have to push through these sorts of obstacles with deliberate practice. Hard to start with but it becomes easier and easier over time.

Just to add to what other people said, if you won't go for official critique you can check the #critique-exchange channel on the discord for community critiques, that way you can guarantee you can get critiques by helping other people. I agree with the opinions of asking feedback from the start as well!

Yeah do the best you can but don't try to correct stuff you have got wrong. Submit your work and get feedback. This feedback will help with where you are and whether you should move on or practice a bit more and re-submit. The feedback is essential to keep you on the right path.