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12:03 PM, Wednesday January 18th 2023

I don't know if this is cheating but one thing that really helped me see what I was suppose to draw was to take the reference image on photoshop, put it in gray scale, go to image, adjustments, posterize and put in 2 values I would just turn it on and off to clean up the distractions and see it as simple as two values. Also, I know that we want to grow fast and do it perfectly at our first try, but don't allow yourself to feel overwhelmed, instead just spend some time looking through the texture gallery and admiring how beautiful the patterns are, why are they so appealing to your eyes, what makes them beautiful, analyzing and taking in information like this is not a waste of time, we should always remind ourselves of the fun of the process. Texture is awesome and that you can represent it in your drawing is really cool too.

And last but not least, remember to make sure you are your best friend, your best friend would never say: man, this is garbage, it looks horrible, you suck, you should give up. Instead say: wow, that was hard but you did it anyway, good job! I'm proud of you! you're moving forward! learning can be tough sometimes but you can do it! :)

Oh and one last tip, if you start to feel tired or heavy or anything just take a small break, do something else and try again later when you feel better. No one is pressing you to be perfect, it's your process, your journey so just enjoy it! s2

2:44 PM, Wednesday January 18th 2023

That photoshop trick sounds really handy. Value studies are really a really great way to learn and that sounds like a good way to develop an eye for it. Thanks.

3:49 PM, Wednesday January 18th 2023

For some refs 2 can be too much and take away important parts, but you can test 3, 4, it's just a tool to help you see clearer how to tackle the challenge, also start analyzing some refs that are more simple and straight forward, best of luck with your studies!

8:38 AM, Thursday January 19th 2023

Thanks :]

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Staedtler Pigment Liners

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These are what I use when doing these exercises. They usually run somewhere in the middle of the price/quality range, and are often sold in sets of different line weights - remember that for the Drawabox lessons, we only really use the 0.5s, so try and find sets that sell only one size.

Alternatively, if at all possible, going to an art supply store and buying the pens in person is often better because they'll generally sell them individually and allow you to test them out before you buy (to weed out any duds).

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