Uncomfortable's Advice from /r/ArtFundamentals
prpslydistracted's Comments | Check out their posts instead

prpslydistracted in the post "Is it really alright to call Drawabox reddit "ArtFundamentals"?"

2023-02-06 22:48

Ask yourself what artists did before the Internet, before DaB? If we were self taught and couldn't engage with college classes we haunted libraries. There are untold instructional books; keep in mind in depth exploration and what emerging artists can dive into is unlimited.

The public library is your friend; some Internet resources are too abbreviated to give constructive instruction ... you want detailed, why, base to elevated interpretation. You won't find that in a 20-30 minute video.

Dig deeper; in books ....

prpslydistracted in the post "portraits"

2022-12-13 02:08

No. You likely will be able to do generic portraits but a commissioned, realistic likeness of a specific individual will depend entirely on your skill. You will need fine art instruction not DaB. That can be arrived at by self taught, college, workshops. We don't know your present skill level and how much effort will be necessary to arrive at proficiency. Six months, years? Start here, and give yourself time.

https://www.thedrawingsource.com/portrait-drawing.html

These are some of the more accomplished portrait artists today;

https://www.portraitsociety.org/

prpslydistracted in the post "Any other traditional painters in here (oil, acrylic, pastels)? What do you do with your 50% rule?"

2022-10-05 21:14

Look, I don't care to debate the benefits of DaB ... if people find it helpful, wonderful. Granted, I never did the course (too late for that) and only responded to subscribers that did and were frustrated; they contacted me. I tried to steer them in a direction that helped their discipline. Nearly all were representational artists as opposed to fantasy, manga/anime, background, or character artists.

I recommended a time honored means to elevate skills with realism; books, community college, disciplined self taught work, ateliers. Who are we to argue with several hundred years of progress? I do recommend an online resource for realism based fundamentals because it is solid but am in no way affiliated with it.

If DaB helps you, fine. But when emerging artists seek shortcuts to competence ... can we not look at what works for others? Not everyone is Kim Jung-gi; so rare. The rest of us have to work at it. Hard.

I will still recommend classically trained resources.

prpslydistracted in the post "Any other traditional painters in here (oil, acrylic, pastels)? What do you do with your 50% rule?"

2022-10-05 16:07

Okay ... DaB is the greatest online course of teaching fundamentals ever developed regardless of discipline. ;-)

prpslydistracted in the post "Any other traditional painters in here (oil, acrylic, pastels)? What do you do with your 50% rule?"

2022-10-05 16:03

Wow. I absolutely can paint/draw without a reference ... traditional realism doesn't depend other world imagination you're speaking of ... I don't paint fantasy or characters.

When I speak of references I mean combining scenes, such as 3-5 different elements for a landscape that doesn't exist. Costume, portraits, historical structures, species of flowers ... it is about accuracy not my lack of imagination.

I rarely have to hunt references ... I catalog my own.

prpslydistracted in the post "Any other traditional painters in here (oil, acrylic, pastels)? What do you do with your 50% rule?"

2022-10-05 15:47

Really? You're the first person I've read who has stated that. Whatever works ....

prpslydistracted in the post "Any other traditional painters in here (oil, acrylic, pastels)? What do you do with your 50% rule?"

2022-10-05 15:46

It's not what it is how.

prpslydistracted in the post "Any other traditional painters in here (oil, acrylic, pastels)? What do you do with your 50% rule?"

2022-10-05 15:17

When you're through with it you basically just got started. .... To my point. ;-) I suppose this is why those who have completed the course go back to traditional fundamentals. It seems to me if you're going to do that anyway just do that.

prpslydistracted in the post "Any other traditional painters in here (oil, acrylic, pastels)? What do you do with your 50% rule?"

2022-10-05 15:05

I would call it an abbreviated system that lacks in principles of fundamentals. No, I have not done DaB but have email and PM conversations from those who have, and helped crit their work.

This review: https://conceptartempire.com/drawabox-lessons-review/

Anatomy studies bother me more than anything ... the circle thing; if you draw your circles too small or large the animal is not correct. Animal anatomy is species specific and is as involved as human anatomy. Perspective and texture is fair.

Will DaB hurt you? No, but for that much time just go straight to accepted study.

prpslydistracted in the post "Any other traditional painters in here (oil, acrylic, pastels)? What do you do with your 50% rule?"

2022-10-05 14:15

Never did any semblance of a 50% rule going back to childhood ... rather, I did a thorough and prolonged study of fundamentals. For decades. Before the Internet this was the standard to gain proficiency. All art is fun. Some subject matter I enjoy more than others but if I'm drawing or painting I'm content.

I've been painting for 50+ years and rarely paint anything without a reference ... your imagination will lie to you, particularly with aphantasia. You have an extra hurdle but not one that can't be compensated for.

We tend to draw something as we think it is as opposed to what it actually looks like. I have a fairly vivid visual memory that is directly related to an ability to see. The only thing I will draw without a reference is horses, and only because I am so familiar with them.

I honestly don't get the fascination of DaB as a learning tool. Repetitive exercises without a foundation of fundamentals isn't effective. So many quit the course or still have to go back to fundamentals; there is no substitute and no shortcuts.

prpslydistracted in the post "Printer paper?"

2021-12-23 21:10

There is no "right" ... it's "whatever works."

Are you using conventional printer paper for drawings? Consider a perforated sketchbook that allows you to tear out individual sheets. The texture is usually much better to work with.