Doing texture exercises, would it be cheating to sketch out the texture in pencil first? Im finding it challenging to draw in details without mapping out the biggest shapes/shadows
https://i.redd.it/9aqg74z5ng891.jpg
2022-06-28 20:08
milenakr
Jorp_Porp
2022-06-29 00:43
Draw in any way your heart desires. Any time that you spend with a pen or pencil is time well spent.
suddenly_ponies
2022-06-29 01:22
I definitely think it's cheating per the exercise itself, but if you have to to get it done, so be it. It's also "cheating" to fail and retry, but I did that damned rotated box exercise 7 times until I finally figured out what I was doing wrong.
Darkranger23
2022-06-29 03:48
It's not that it's cheating to redo the rotated boxes exercise. It's that the point of the exercise isn't to do a good job rotating boxes. But to start learning how to think in 3 dimensions.
Similarly, the texture analysis exercise isn't about drawing good textures. It's about learning how to recognize and recreate cast shadows.
milenakr
2022-06-29 05:29
Yeah maybe cheating is the wrong word haha, more just asking if using pencil sketches will stunt/delay my learning in the context of this exercise
Darkranger23
2022-06-29 13:51
I guess the questions only you can answer then are:
Is the reason you feel the need to sketch it out first because you are struggling to recognize the shape of the cast shadow before putting it on paper?
Is it because you aren't taking long enough to study your reference before placing a mark?
Is it because you are placing too many marks before studying your reference again?
The other half of this exercise is learning how to study a reference properly. If you find yourself needing to correct misplaced lines, then it's likely because of one of the reasons above. If that is the reason, then I would recommend not sketching first, because sketching will hide your bad study habits rather than helping improve them.
As others have said. There's no cheating in traditional art. But you are not making art with this exercise. You are developing two important skills through exercise.
Everything you do in an exercise should be in service to developing the skills that exercise is intended to develop. Not to making pretty pictures.
Edit: I would also make a note that if you are going the feedback route, then sketching is expressly not allowed.
milenakr
2022-06-29 15:49
Okay great point, thank you so much for your input! Im going to redo the exercise without a pencil sketch :)
BrieTheDog
2022-06-29 12:30
using pen will build line confidence and helps you to be more confident in yourself when drawing. Dont be afraid to mess up.
Uncomfortable
2022-06-29 12:35
Cheating isn't the word I'd use, but you would be deviating from the assignment, and that is something you should avoid in this course.
AluminumFoilHats
2022-06-29 17:51
There is no cheating in art
myhugsareyourhugs
2022-06-29 19:55
This 100%. If its a texture challenge, and you end up with a texture you like, get there in whatever way works best for you.
Sizzlemissle
2022-07-02 05:34
Its all practice and developing muscles weather its the muscles in your hand or your brain. Furthermore, if artwork becomes a job, you do whats needed to get it done asap. If the client likes the end product and pays you, how is that cheating?
richalex2010
2022-06-29 14:44
When you're talking about exercises like DAB though you can cheat yourself out of the benefit of the course. The goal of the course is to learn a specific technique and method, so using 'cheats' like pencil sketching means you're not learning what the course is trying to teach.
When you're creating art, you're 100% right - use whatever combination of techniques and 'cheats' you need or want to produce the art you want to. When you're trying to learn a specific technique, deviating from that technique doesn't help you actually learn it.