NEW TO /r/ARTFUNDAMENTALS? Don't know what Drawabox is? Read this first.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtFundamentals/comments/l22fts/new_to_rartfundamentals_dont_know_what_drawabox/
2021-01-21 16:58
Uncomfortable
This subreddit, /r/ArtFundamentals, was initially created with the intention of sharing what I had learned about drawing - not the fun, exciting stuff, but the boring things everything else relies upon. I did so in the form of structured lessons with clear homework assignments, based primarily on what I learned while taking the Dynamic Sketching class with Peter Han at Concept Design Academy many years ago. Eventually I had to create a website more dedicated to presenting the information, which is where https://drawabox.com was created.
While the name of the subreddit is quite general ('art fundamentals'), those lessons were gradually narrowed down to focus on what I believe to be the core fundamentals of drawing, and in turn, this subreddit is focused only on them. By this point it was too late to create a new subreddit and start it over from scratch. As such, this subreddit doesn't actually deal with all fundamentals of art - sorry for the confusion.
Since the lessons have specific homework assignments involving particular exercises, you will see that most of the subreddit is people posting their work for feedback from others. Once upon a time, I gave feedback to everyone for free, but as the workload increased, that eventually became a paid service (although at a minimum of $5/month it's one of the cheaper ones you'll find).
Things to be aware of before participating in our community:
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As previously stated, this subreddit is dedicated only to the lessons on drawabox.com. All posts must be homework submissions or questions specifically relating to those lessons. All more general content can be posted on /r/learnart or /r/learntodraw instead.
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When submitting homework, do be sure to post only complete work, for the reasons explained here. If you'd like to get feedback on your work in the middle of a lesson, you can do so on the dedicated lesson channels of our Discord chat server.
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Feedback on your homework in this subreddit is NOT GUARANTEED. We do what we can to keep improving the rate at which the community is able and willing to provide helpful feedback, but as it is free, no one is entitled to anyone else's time.
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All posts here get sent straight to the spam filter and are approved manually. This is to ensure nothing off-topic or inappropriate makes it to the subreddit itself. This means there may be a delay of a few hours before your post is viewable by others.
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For more realtime engagement, you can check out our Discord chat server.
If you want to get started with us, you can do so by reading Lesson 0 and moving forward from there. Just be warned - these lessons can be quite demanding.
staycalm_keepwarm
2021-01-21 17:20
Just joined the sub this week (came up on my recommended feed) and have been looking for some time to try the first few lessons. Thanks for making this post / this subreddit / your website!
ezioauditore2018
2021-01-22 03:11
Hello I really need help with drawing digital arts and I really dont know how to do it. Ive been looking for answers but I cant find it I only draw stick figures and Im not sure this is the subreddit to ask really
Uncomfortable
2021-01-22 03:52
You're talking about a skill (drawing) and a tool (digital media). Don't mix them together, as they are two separate things. The lessons on drawabox.com will help you start learning to draw, although they recommend the use of pens and paper (for the reasons explained in this article). Those skills are transferrable to digital tools, but separately from learning the fundamentals of drawing you'll also want to learn the use of digital tools.
youarestronk
2021-01-22 22:08
So, essentially, it is better to both learn how to draw with pen and paper using drawabox's teachings AND also learn how to use digital drawing apps?
Uncomfortable
2021-01-22 22:09
Correct. I'm a digital artist myself, if it adds any context. All the work I do is digital, but the most effective and impactful training I received was done working in ink on paper.
The_Maddeath
2021-03-16 16:21
What is your opinion on using digital for the 50/50 rule, courses in ink, time spent just drawing on digital?
Uncomfortable
2021-03-16 20:11
I entirely support students doing their 50% rule stuff digitally, if digital media is what they want to pursue. As long as you're still doing the Drawabox stuff in ink, then by all means, have at it.
RapsodicalDisciple
2021-04-16 15:17
Popping in...
Im a lifelong artist what I found with digital and traditional illustrations is so easy just sketch out your base drawing, photograph it with your wireless, convert the file and upload it into your digital platform/program. Redraw over your photo on a new layer to get your crisper lines and experimenting with innumerable options.
youarestronk
2021-01-22 09:33
Can these lessons be applied to digital drawing? How different would it be compared to paper drawing?
Tayacan
2021-01-22 11:28
It's recommended to do the lessons themselves on paper, but the skills you learn will carry over.
TheTurnipKnight
2021-01-22 15:18
Skills will carry over from paper to digital but it's not recommended to start out any ink sketching lessons with digital. Ink is pretty unforgiving and it trains you very well do gain confidence. You won't be able to train yourself that way with digital.
DishyIndianGuy
2021-02-24 05:45
This was very helpful. Ive been meaning to get into digital art for a while now, but I didnt think to start with ink.
Uncomfortable
2021-01-22 22:06
Take a look at this response to a comment on this same post which essentially answers your question. Also, the article on why I recommend the use of ink/paper for this course should also help.
AlonewithPetrichor
2021-01-28 04:41
This will be really helpful! I took like Adv art in high school but it taught me nothing, Some reason they didn't teach us anything cause we 'learned fundamentals in middle school' (overall a bad experience) I've been feeling like I hit a wall so back to fundamentals it is! Time to grind through drawabox
Blue-Jay27
2021-02-15 02:36
Does drawabox cover all fundamentals? It seemed fairly anatomy/accuracy based when I first looked at it and right now I'm really looking to improve things like composition, color, and movement.
Uncomfortable
2021-02-15 05:03
Drawabox doesn't cover all the fundamentals, or even most of them. But it does cover what I consider to be the core fundamentals, upon which the others are built.
[deleted]
2021-02-15 20:37
[deleted]
diving_vaper
2021-03-03 14:27
Im starting the course from the website but I have 2 questions and would be grateful if you could help:
1- how does one submit the art for appreciation? Should I scan it or regular mobile pic works?
2 - I cant get in on the discord server...
Thank you in advance
Uncomfortable
2021-03-03 18:13
Most students use a mobile phone to take a picture of their work. All that matters is that the image is clear, and most phone cameras can achieve that fairly easily.
As to your other question, can you tell me what happens when you try to join the discord server? Sometimes a Discord invite link will incorrectly be shown as invalid/expired for some users. Certain reasons I've found that cause this are either already being connected to too many discord servers, or a browser issue. First thing I'd try is clearing your browser's cache.
diving_vaper
2021-03-03 19:29
Thank you so much for the reply. Im trying to get on the discord with my phone. I tried using both the website link and the one here on Reddit and neither work, nothing appears on the discord app
Uncomfortable
2021-03-03 19:33
Another option then might be to go to the discord app, scroll down your list of servers to the [ + ] sign at the bottom (the button to add a server). It'll give you the option to copy/paste the invite link there.
[deleted]
2021-03-09 07:52
Can I use a pencil I don't have a pen :<
YoshinoDAL
2021-03-21 05:58
Can I use F4 as a substitute for A4?
zafiroblue05
2021-04-15 20:55
I'm interested in learning to paint, and the paintings I want to make are fairly representational. However, I'm a total beginner. I just found this subreddit, and it looks incredibly helpful and comprehensive. Of course, this is drawing, not painting... I don't want to spend too much on one skill if the bigger priority is another skill -- but I presume having a good sense of the fundamentals of drawing will be key (perhaps critical) to learning to paint.
Am I correct to think that the best path to creating competent paintings is to first learn the fundamentals of drawing through drawabox?
Thanks so much for creating this website and community.
Uncomfortable
2021-04-15 21:00
You are correct. It's unreasonable to expect someone to be able to paint something that feels solid and three dimensional without experience with drawing first. That said, Drawabox extends beyond drawing, and primarily focuses on developing a strong understanding of how to work within 3D space itself - that is, understanding how to view the things you produce on a flat page or canvas actually "exist" in a 3D world.
It's easiest for us to explore and develop this by focusing on drawing, because it has fewer distractions and complications, but the skill itself is applicable well beyond these limitations.
There is a common mistake beginners make where they focus a little too much on what their end goal is, without really understanding how many components which may not seem entirely related are in fact key parts of the journey to get there. It's good to see that you're looking at it with a little more acceptance of your own lack of understanding, and that you're open to the possibility of needing to explore things that aren't exactly what you're aiming for.
That said, you'll find early on in Drawabox that I stress the importance of spending half your time drawing for the sake of drawing, rather than specifically to learn. In your case, you'd be welcome to spend that time painting and experimenting, playing with the medium of your goal, rather than focusing only on the idea of checking off a list of requirements before you're even able to touch the stuff.
SleepyClaypools
2021-05-05 13:45
r/artfundamentals sort by new = critique on my lesson 1 exercises?
Lesson 1 exercises?
Advice on lesson 1 exercises?
[deleted]
2021-06-20 13:34
I cant find any info on the thickness of pen you recommend. Does any fine liner do?
Uncomfortable
2021-06-20 13:51
As explained here in Lesson 0, the recommended pen thickness is 0.5mm. If you haven't read through lesson 0, be sure to do so.
antonthat
2021-06-24 21:28
I've got two questions regarding the first lesson.
If you draw, it is, as far as I could observe it, impossible to see two boxes upfront.
Is that right? I just can't see how it should be possible to have two boxes that are visible upfront without seing parts of their side except the box directly in front of your vision.
This is also part of my second question, should I always imagine a viewer on paper? Like as if there would be one person inside the image, and only exactly one. As all objects are viewed relative to the viewer. I am really confused about this one as this should be the case if the first question should prove to be right. Two viewers shouldn't be possible, maybe I am also thinking to hard about this.
Uncomfortable
2021-06-24 22:05
For the first point, that's correct. In order to only see the front face of an object, it needs to occupy a specific position right in front of the viewer, and needs to be parallel to the viewer's angle of sight.
For the second, you are indeed overthinking it. There is just one viewer, because what you draw is always from the perspective of being seen through one person's eyes. You can also think of it as the camera capturing the scene, rather than a person's eyes.
In the future, this is a question that should be posed to the community as its own submission. That way others will be able to respond to you, as many within the community would be equipped to answer this.
FirstManofEden
2021-07-01 20:52
Roughly how long does it take to complete the full course?
Uncomfortable
2021-07-02 02:21
A lot of people have asked me that question, and there's no useful answer. Some students have taken 5 months to complete the course, some have taken a year, some have taken 2 years. As counter-intuitive as it is though, those who put a deadline to it tend to take longer. Setting arbitrary points at which we expect ourselves to be at a certain point tends to encourage us to rush, which in turn diminishes how efficiently we absorb the material.
FirstManofEden
2021-07-02 02:48
I understand. It was more a matter of knowing that I don't have a years worth of spare time to devote to it, so better off knowing whether I should even attempt it or not. Thanks for your response.
Natsuki_is_Laifu
2021-07-03 21:29
I was wondering, is there an easier method? That drawabox is extremely complicated and far over my abilities.
Uncomfortable
2021-07-03 21:31
That might be a better question for /r/learnart or /r/learntodraw, since after all this community is focused on Drawabox.
[deleted]
2021-11-17 06:35
Is it okay to use an iPad for these lessons?
Uncomfortable
2021-11-17 15:53
We generally recommend students work with ink on paper, for the reasons explained in this article.
MoonSpirit64
2021-11-28 22:51
I started drawabox a few weeks ago, and had a question about the 50% time spent free drawing. There are many things I want to draw, mainly characters/monsters from video games and anime, so I've been drawing these during my 50% time. I usually find a picture for reference and try to draw that, is this fine, or should I be trying to draw stuff from memory? Also I usually use pencil and find myself using the eraser a lot, is it ok to be constantly erasing marks or should I avoid this?
Also during this 50% time (not during lessons/homework), I have a hard time drawing from my shoulder and tend to do chicken scratching for larger lines, should I be trying to draw from my shoulder instead and avoid chicken scratching?
Thanks in advance
Uncomfortable
2021-11-28 23:26
The important thing comes back to the intent behind the 50% rule, which is to help students loosen up, and to stop focusing so much on the end result as being the gauge by which we determine whether our time spent drawing was wasted or not. Reference itself is fine - it's a very useful tool - but if you're working strictly from a single piece of reference in an attempt to copy it directly, this is something we do for one of two reasons:
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Either as an exercise, where we try to learn something from the process of copying a reference - be it an object from life, a photo of something real, or another person's artwork. All of these can be used as exercises (even the latter, which is especially useful when learning about how other artists employ brush strokes, use colour, or how they make their stylistic decisions as a whole) - but exercises are inherently a part of the same 50% as the work we do for Drawabox, or any other course or tutorial, and therefore doesn't fall into the 50% we're discussing here. It is drawing for the sake of improving our skills, not drawing for the sake of drawing.
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Or, the other reason to copy something directly is to position ourselves in such a way that we have better chances of having the end result turn out well. After all, if we're copying something directly, a lot of the choices and decisions have already been made for us. We simply need to reproduce what's there. Not an easy thing, but certainly a lot less daunting and intimidating than drawing something from scratch. But, of course, this means that the intent behind the choice of copying something directly is focused entirely on the end result, which also makes it unsuitable for the 50% rule.
Again - reference is fine, but as long as it's not making all of the choices for you, and as long as it isn't to strictly shield you from the sting of having your drawing turn out badly. The purpose of the 50% rule is to get you accustomed to it, so it stings less over time. It's to make you resilient and forgiving with yourself. It's also because once we stop focusing on that end result, gradually we find the joys in just drawing, that at some point during our development tends to get covered up under the desire to be impressive.
An appropriate use of reference would be a situation where, say, you decided you wanted to draw a character lounging on top of a tiger. Well, you might choose some kind of reference for the "lounging" pose, as well as a reference for what the tiger's face might look like, and another for the tiger's body, and so on. Maybe another for the character's face, for their costume, etc.
Ultimately you're still making the choices - but if you work strictly from one reference, copying it directly, all those decisions are made for you, and your piece becomes a derivative of the tool that was used to make it. When you use many pieces of reference, choosing them based on their suitability to contribute to the greater image you're pursuing, then every piece of reference serves to further expand what you're creating.
As to your other questions, the 50% rule only requires that you draw for drawing's own sake. There are no other restrictions - not on what tools you use (pencils are fine, erase all you like), and not on how you use them (don't worry about actively applying what you've learned in Drawabox - if the course is doing its job, that will gradually seep into your habits naturally).
MoonSpirit64
2021-11-28 23:49
Thanks for the detailed reply!
I think I'm drawing with a reference mainly for the 2nd reason you listed (end-result based). I watched the video about overcoming a blank page and it really hit close to home. I've been picking up new hobbies lately, and noticed I have a fear of failure, and always want things to be perfect, not just when drawing, but with any task. I'm slowly trying to grow out of this mindset, and learning to accept failure as part of the learning process.
That said, I've also tried drawing with some images as a loose reference, rather than directly copying from one reference. It didn't turn out quite as expected, but was a fun experience nonetheless. Moving forward, I'll stop with the direct copying from one reference and try to do this more.
Thanks again, your reply and the drawabox course have been extremely helpful!
Languorous-Owl
2021-11-30 04:41
Your lessons are very systematic and technically rigorous. Takes the bumbling and "don't know how or what to do next" right out of the process for a raw beginner, building things up from elementary skills (the way one would learn basic elements of a programming language and then combine them to create bigger and bigger structures like functions, classes, modules and then entire programs).
It's the approach I had been searching in art instruction sources for a LONG while and had damn near given up the possibility of finding it in anything short of an expensive art school course. Your work is highly valuable and I must thank you for it.
I had a question and it's that - is it okay if I skip Lesson 4 and proceed directly to Lesson 5 from Lesson 3? I really don't want to look at/draw creepy crawlies, at least for now :3
Uncomfortable
2021-11-30 15:45
Thanks for the kind words! And while I wouldn't recommend skipping Lesson 4, you can use crustaceans - so lobsters, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, etc. instead of insects. While I'm currently mired in updating the earlier lesson content/videos first, I do hope to introduce more demonstrations of crustaceans for Lesson 4 in the future.
no_name106
2021-12-03 20:52
I am on lesson 1 part 2 and i am having a hard time drawing an ellipse or more specifically an oval or a circle because for some reason when drawing I dont continue drawing the whole circle but try to connect it and it ends up looking like a sweet potato any tips
Uncomfortable
2021-12-03 22:00
Make sure you're engaging your whole arm from the shoulder, and that you're using the ghosting method (that is, investing your time in the planning and preparation phases so you know the specific nature of the mark you want to draw, then executing with a confident stroke free from hesitation).
Sadly this course isn't really a place with much in the way of tips and tricks - there's the exercises as they're described, and then there's a whole lot of practice. But, of course, you can always share your current work on the discord server to see if other community members have anything else to offer.
fish_lover12
2021-12-04 14:43
any tips for drawing confidently i can draw lines pretty confidently but anything other that that and my whole arm starts to shake
Uncomfortable
2021-12-04 20:10
Ultimately whether or not one draws a mark confidently is entirely based on the choices we make in our approach - meaning, we actively choose whether or not we draw confidently.
So why would we ever choose not to draw confidently? The biggest reason is the fear of losing accuracy, and missing your intended mark. As a result of worrying about whether or not your mark's going to fall where you want it to, students will hesitate, slow down, ultimately attempting to steer the mark as they draw, which results in wobbling.
In this course, we employ the ghosting method - that is, a process that requires us to break our markmaking into three distinct phases, first planning (identifying the specific nature of the mark we wish to make, what its purpose is meant to be, and how it ought to be drawn to best achieve that goal), then preparation (repeating the desired drawing motion to push it down from our conscious brain into our subconscious and muscle memory), and finally executing with the conscious decision to do so with confidence, free from hesitation, and ultimately just committing to the stroke you've practiced.
This is time consuming, but it is an approach that students are expected to use for all their freehanded lines throughout the course. Doing so builds up good habits, training them to think before they draw, and to break the process up into separate stages instead of trying to do everything all at once.
While investing your time into the planning and preparation phases will improve your accuracy, at the end of the day you will likely still make mistakes (especially at first) if you're committing to executing your marks confidently in that last step. That's fine - mistakes will happen, but with practice they'll diminish, and your accuracy will improve. What matters most, however, is that your marks are made confidently, resulting in smooth and consistent trajectories, and that is something that is within your control right now.
You simply have to choose to prioritize that confidence over your accuracy, which due to our natural predisposition to being terrified of inaccuracy, is easier said than done.
Consistent_Peace_655
2021-12-05 04:32
I'd consider myself somewhat intermediate in drawing but I really wanna hone my perspective and construction. but I also want to improve my figure drawing skills. I want to get into animation so I def want both skills. But does anyone think it's possible to manage both at the same time or is it better to stick with one or the other at a time? Like today is focused on drawabox and tomorrow is figure drawing, and so forth. Time for both isn't a issue, I'm more so asking if it's effective to learn one way or the other
Uncomfortable
2021-12-05 16:42
It's certainly possible. As long as you're adhering to all the rules of whichever courses you choose to follow, then balancing two simultaneously is not a problem. Do however keep in mind that there are things that Drawabox will teach you that will help the figure drawing material make more sense. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do figure drawing until you're done Drawabox - just that you will need to be patient with yourself, accepting that especially towards the beginning, not everything you learn about figure drawing will make sense, or will be something you can apply as directly as you would like.
Consistent_Peace_655
2021-12-05 18:35
Thanks for the thoughtful reply! Then perhaps I should stick with one subject at a time. I have a bad habit of tackling too much at once, I have and will put in the time but Im not great with being patient with my progress since I expect the multiple subjects to improve my skill at the same pace.
I have a fear that if I focus on one skill at a time for too long my other skills would stagnate or even diminish. Maybe thats also due to a lack of knowing how to schedule my learning. I know what I wanna learn but I dont know how to divide time to them. Any tips on tackling that?
Uncomfortable
2021-12-06 18:07
If you're struggling with balancing several things at once, then your first priority should be to ensure that you're giving one thing as much time as it requires. Eventually you should feel more comfortable with adding more to your plate, but there is no good reason to pile your plate high so early.
Remember most of all - people have a tendency of prioritizing what they "want" to learn, and while one's desires will determine the direction they take, it's very easily to focus too much on what it is you want long-term. Each overarching goal will have many things you may not be all that interested in doing - that is precisely where one is liable to spend far too little time, especially if they're too preoccupied with what they'd like to learn at that moment.
Circling back - if you're not comfortable with taking on many things at once, don't.
Consistent_Peace_655
2021-12-06 22:58
I completely agree with what you said, it makes a lot of sense especially as I've learned more about what deliberate practice means. Since before I only had a very basic understanding of the term. Coming to terms with not just learning what's comfortable, but all the skills I'll need. I'd definitely overwhelm myself trying to learn too many drawing fundamentals at once though.
Im also doing animation mentor which takes up most my time in the day, and learning the 12 principals of animation in 2D on my own. Now I see adding on even more would definitely be too much for me. And after reading the "ready" and 50% rule lessons, I realize I should have time to actually make the stuff I'm learning so hard for. Not just practice all day. With that said, I'll focus on finishing through my 2D Animation fundamentals for the remainder of 4 months, and then dive into drawabox, and then figure drawing and take it from there.
You gave me some good nudges with your advice, so again, really appreciate you taking the time!
shodderblades
2021-12-17 16:48
A lot of time after ghosting lines the initial pressure of the pen when it hits the paper causes an every so slight curve is there any way to fix this?
Uncomfortable
2021-12-17 19:22
If you're drawing with your hand hovering over the page, you can allow it to rest gently against the page as explained here. That should allow for additional stability.
fish_lover12
2022-01-27 13:52
how to use Foreshortening when drawing boxes should i make the lines converge toward a vanishing point more to make it look bigger and and more narrow to make it smaller and does this only work in 2 point and 3 point perspective only or does it also work in 1 point perspective
Uncomfortable
2022-01-27 16:18
Questions related to the course material should be posted to the subreddit directly, not as comments in existing threads.
[deleted]
2022-02-13 07:53
I appreciate draw a box so much. I have taken the step to be consistent towards it, took my time to get the appropriate supplies and build the discipline gradually. I look forward to what Ill be making out of this and what I am in for. Thank you for the efforts!
fran_cheese9289
2022-03-10 18:05
Do you have to use white paper if you submit via the patreon method? I have a ton of this yellow printer paper I need to get rid of
Uncomfortable
2022-03-11 02:30
White isn't strictly required, so there's no reason for us not to accept yellow.
FooFighter39
2022-03-12 11:07
How long does it usually take to finish the course? Im willing to put 1-2 hours every day and dont know if itll be enough to finish it within a month
Uncomfortable
2022-03-12 17:01
This is not the sort of course you're going to be able to finish in a month. How long it takes varies, and we actively discourage students from setting deadlines or expectations for how long it should take, but the quickest I've seen students work through it all without rushing is 5 or 6 months. I've also seen plenty of students take 1 year, and some take 2 years or more.
relkeretaku
2022-03-13 17:37
Can this still viable for a person who knows nothing about arts, drawing, etc? My skill of expertise is soo far from "art" but art always have a special place in my heart and I want to do it too.
Uncomfortable
2022-03-13 17:39
Absolutely. This course is designed to teach the core fundamentals of drawing, and require no prior experience. That said, it is quite a demanding course, so focus only on putting forward your best effort and following the instructions to the best of your current ability.
Dotormein
2022-03-14 06:15
I am sorry if this comment is a bit odd, But i would like to express my gratitude toward the 50% rule.
It was really hard at first to get into the idea of doing things only to failed.
(I remember perhaps 2-3 months ago following 50% rule. I was using ref because i was afraid to make my own decision on how they should be combined)
But slowly i begin to use them less and less and drew more from imagination, And the barrier of wanting to turn every art i made into a masterpiece slowly fades away.
And the feeling of making just a "Drawing" felt more comfortable and everytime i make mistake i didn't gave it much thought and just accept it for what it is.
And after a long period of fearing to draw what i wish to draw. I can finally draw them (Not good or great absolutely!) without fear. To cripple my process
In conclusion. I would like to say thank you for your 50% rule and the course as a whole, Although i've only finished lesson 4 (And didnt follow the official critique route.) Thank you for your kindness.
The course itself and the 50% rule is an absolute turning point in my art career for the best.
Thank you so much uncomfortable
Uncomfortable
2022-03-14 17:19
I'm glad to hear that! The 50% rule is definitely a big challenge, but when followed consistently for a span of time, its impact is invaluable, and I'm pleased that you've found the same.
Addition_First
2022-03-18 06:29
are these fundamentals a good start if i want to draw characters for a career
Uncomfortable
2022-03-18 16:55
The core fundamentals we teach are applicable in all fields of representational art - so yes. Characters are representations of things that exist in 3D space (even if the stylization intentionally flattens them out), and thus we have to understand how things exist in 3D space in order to apply that stylization to them. I go over this in greater detail in this video about what the fundamentals are.
HauntingGold
2022-03-19 18:18
Will this course work for digital art or is it more geared towards traditional? I'm very very new to art. I took a couple classes in middle school like 20 years ago, and I've picked up some stuff from my very talented dad. I just bought a nice tablet because I really want to get back into art. So I'm just wondering if the course is better on physical paper or if the tablet thing will be fine.
HauntingGold
2022-03-19 18:43
Also, is it OK to be taking in info from other sources to help learn or would it be better to just follow this course by itself first and then branch out?
Uncomfortable
2022-03-19 21:15
The course is not designed to teach you any specific toolset. Rather, while I myself am exclusively a digital artist, I push students to work with ink because it reinforces the concepts we teach here very effectively, and generally makes the course as a whole much more impactful while helping students steer clear of some common pitfalls and generally develop better habits.
So, when you se that Drawabox pushes students to use fineliners, don't interpret that as meaning this is specifically a course for people who want to use fineliners. It's a course for people who want to learn a specific set of skills (which are listed early in Lesson 0), and it uses the tools that are most suitable for teaching that. What students do with those skills afterwards is entirely up to them.
As to your other question, you're welcome to learn from as many sources as you like - just be sure to follow each one's instructions to the letter, rather than attempting to mix and match. So, when you're working through Drawabox, hold to its instructions and do not swap in instructions from other courses because you prefer their approach, as you cannot be certain that you will not undermine an important aspect of the course in doing so.
HauntingGold
2022-03-20 03:02
Awesome, thanks so much for this info! I'm very excited to start this course!
FusDoWah
2022-04-09 15:22
Hey I gotta ask, I opened the link that leads to lesson 0 but where do I find it actually? Just started to learn art again after motivation kicked in.
Uncomfortable
2022-04-09 15:28
What do you mean by "it" in this context? If you mean lesson 0, then you find it by going to drawabox.com, click on the lessons button in the top navigation, and click on Lesson 0.
FusDoWah
2022-04-09 15:36
Ah okay thanks for the help!
I uhhh have a hard time finding things for some reason.
Zaubergel
2022-04-16 19:52
Before reading anything further, Id like to ask the best medium to use. I have a cheap huion tablet Ive used before and I want to try it on digital yet I see a lot on traditional making more progress. I haven't started the lessons btw but I hope I get some pointers on switching between mediums and just sticking to one. Only experience with art is some really simple doodles so yes
windhoverstudio
2022-05-19 03:28
I'm sure this is a weird comment to receive, but I read lesson 0 last night and while I'm not sure I'm quite ready for the full challenge that your lessons have to offer, the material in lesson 0 was empathetic and encouraging and some words I think I had been needing to hear for a long time surrounding my attitudes re: art and personal achievement and creative output etc. I could see that it came from a place of vulnerable experience, and I thank you for using that experience to share your wisdom with others.
Uncomfortable
2022-05-19 17:36
I'm glad Lesson 0 was beneficial to you. Despite containing no technical information, I still strongly believe it is the most important part of the course.
taliaskiyoko
2022-05-28 19:14
Is it okay if I do the course casually? I currently don't have a lot of time to put into doing this course but I do feel like this has a lot of valuable lessons I can incorporate into my art!
Uncomfortable
2022-05-28 19:39
It really depends on what you mean by 'casually'. Of course, you're welcome to use the resources here in whatever way you wish - there are plenty of exercises, explanations, etc. which can be useful piecemeal, but the course itself is designed to be tackled in a particular order, particular quantities, and in a particular fashion, and with feedback between the lessons.
Our students vary quite a bit - some of them only have a bit of time to commit each day or each week, while others have a ton more time - but the course itself has no deadlines. The only requirement is that you pace yourself such that you give each and every exercise, every form you construct, every shape you draw, and every mark you put down as much time as you need to execute it to the best of your ability. This means that if an exercise or drawing demands several hours from you, but you can only manage to give it an hour every few days, then it simply means you're going to be spreading it across multiple days.
I wouldn't consider that to be "casual" though, as it falls entirely within the normal way in which one can work through this course. And, of course, by the requirements set out early on in Lesson 0 (like the 50% rule), we stress the importance of students not putting all of their drawing time into this course alone - so in that sense, if you're giving one day a week to Drawabox and spending the rest of your time on your own drawings, on other courses, etc. then that also is simply going through the course as designed, rather than doing it casually.
What I would consider to be casual would be picking through and grabbing the exercises that interest you, or the topics that feel like they're relevant to what you're interested in. And while no one's going to stop you from doing that, it's not a great use of the material, in that everything in this course is designed to work together to tackle a very limited set of problems - to help students develop more confident markmaking, and most importantly, to develop students' spatial reasoning skills.
In that sense, if you're say interested in animals, and specifically drawing animals, and that's what you want to work on, jumping straight to Lesson 5 would not be a great idea, as Lesson 5 despite having animals in the title, is not about drawing animals. It's about using animals as a lens through which to look at the same core spatial reasoning problems. There are definitely much better courses and resources on individual topics to that effect.
taliaskiyoko
2022-05-29 09:22
This makes a lot of sense, thank you! my definition of "casual" did mean spacing out an exercise or drawing through the week instead of spending hours of my day in it, so I'm glad I can do that :)
thebookingchild
2022-06-08 00:00
Hi! I found out about this course and would be interested in drawabox premium, but am wondering how much the total cost would end up (assuming you dont let credits expire). It says that initial lessons cost $5 (since thats one credit) while later lessons cost more, so Im wondering how much more - I dont think I can afford it if lesson 3 suddenly costs 20 credits. Thank you so much!
Uncomfortable
2022-06-08 00:05
Lessons 1, 2, and the box/cylinder/wheel challenges cost 1 credit each. Lessons 3-7, and the optional chest and texture challenges cost 2 credits each.
I cannot guarantee that it will always remain as such, but these have been the prices for years and we do not have any plans to increase them at this time.
thebookingchild
2022-06-08 01:38
Sorry one more question, do we need to submit every lesson for review? I cant just submit the harder ones like lesson 4 or something onwards? If Im not mistaken doing all the exercises for review will cost around $85.
Uncomfortable
2022-06-08 04:04
That is correct. This is a course, where each lesson builds on the one before it, and where each lesson is designed to make it more streamlined to address certain sets of issues. If we permitted students to decide which lessons they wanted to submit, we'd end up having to revisit old concepts in lessons where they're not intended to be dealt with, making it more time consuming.
The official critique track is structured around simplifying the critique process in order to be able to offer it as cheaply as we do.
Be sure to go through all of Lesson 0 so you understand what this course is about, what it does and doesn't teach, and how it works, before signing up.
Sleepy_Enigma
2022-10-27 22:30
Hi, Im thinking on signing up to the patreon soon and wanted to ask if Ill eventually be able to draw people using this course?
I had a look through all the lessons on the website and noticed none of them specifically focused on people, so I was wondering if the multiple skills taught should be able to help us draw people eventually?
Uncomfortable
2022-10-27 22:55
To put it simply, what the course focuses on is developing one's instinctual spatial reasoning skills, and their understanding of how the forms they're manipulating/building/etc. exist in 3D space, rather than just as marks on a page. This applies to everything - including drawing people - but the course does not specifically tackle that. Nor do any of the other lessons, from plants, to insects, to animals, to vehicles, seek to teach you how to draw those specific things. They're just lenses through we can tackle the same core problem of spatial reasoning.
I recommend that in order to better understand this and what the course seeks to accomplish, you go through the first page of Lesson 0, which goes over all of that.
abbaloveternal1
2022-11-28 20:03
Thank you for such a reliable resource to grow my skills in artwork!
haleontology
2022-12-06 19:58
Oh wow- THANK YOU for creating this, I cant find words good enough to express my gratitude!!!
There is one, and only one reason that Im not a full-fledged artist: As a neurodiverse gal who went undiagnosed ADHD (the spacey, airhead type with no sense of surroundings, time or direction) until adulthood (surprisingly so, as Im pretty darn obvious LOL), I was NOT ok with boring pencil techniques at all in class- I wanted to blow Picasso away immediately, I wanted bright color and mad skills right then- no surprise that I failed spectacularly on that mission.
Now, dancing through the storms of life in my fourth decade, Im ready.
Lets do this!!!!
Thank you SO much for creating this subreddit!!!
Uncomfortable
2022-12-06 20:11
Thanks for the kind words! I wish you the best in taking another swing at this delightful pursuit.
rezphilosophy
2023-06-17 01:23
hi
Im also A.DD. possibly A.D.H.D , i was thinking of this course, on your stance how is the course going so far, are you able to stick to it decently?
Longjumping-Coat3771
2023-06-20 20:14
Great post! Love the clean lines and attention to detail. Keep up the good work!
BunchPractical3022
2023-06-22 12:25
Great post! The artwork is incredible and it's awesome that you're sharing your fundamentals with us. Keep up the good work!
Uncomfortable
2021-01-21 21:22
Well we're glad to have you along!